If you have followed my cooking blog for long you know how I am all for making great food that doesn’t wear you out.

EASY and IN ADVANCE. For me, the idea of having dinner ready for my family or for company ahead of time is a huge key for me doing it.

I was looking though my recipes the other day (it was a fun journey down memory lane) and was reminded how many really simple recipes I have from when I had four small children. Mercy…I now have four grandchildren!

I needed uncomplicated recipes that I could start in the morning because I was exhausted by 5 to even think of really cooking.

This is one of my go to recipe for years. It is so good and families love it.

You don’t have to use chicken breast if you want to make it a bit cheaper with thighs. Either way make sure you cook it on low…the chicken is so good and tender.  Really good the next day!

Also please join me on my new facebook Start Simply but Simply Start Cooking page. Lots of fun ideas that make loving with your life a bit easier. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Start-Simply-but-Simply-Start/335012629934053?fref=ts

6 frozen chicken breasts
1 bottle of Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. mesquite seasoning
1-2 tea fresh minced garlic
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS
Mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. Place chicken in crockpot and pour all the sauce over all. Cook on LOW for about 4-6 hours. Serve with baked beans, potato salad http://tammymaltby.com/happy-mothers-day-the-best-french-potato-salad-served-with-brisket) and fresh rolls.

It is Mother’s Day on Sunday and this year we are doing something different.

No standing in long restaurant lines or paying a huge price for an over the top you can never eat enough to make it worth it… brunch.

We are making our lives a bit easier and slowing down the pace.

Tomorrow my husband heads to our favorite BBQ brisket joint to pick up 2 pounds of smoked brisket and 1 pound of smoked pulled pork. Now for those of you that live in Colorado Springs it’s called Broken Bones…not really sure what I think of the name however! But the brisket is fantastic. Best ever.

To go with a great brisket I love potato salad….and NOT just ANY potato salad. In fact I can’t say I like potato salad. Only this potato salad. I love it.

The key to this recipe is while the potatoes are still warm, season with the salt, cayenne, black pepper, and lemon juice. Nothing swimming in mayonnaise.  Just a tart and spicy flavor that is divine.

I plan on pairing this up with grilled chili pepper corn on the cob (yep frozen) and a Texas sheet cake brownie for dessert. Mackenzie darling daughter of mine will you make this for me for Mother’s Day? Happy hint. http://tammymaltby.com/texas-sheet-cake-aka-heaven

And to all the wonderful mothers and the sometimes worn out,  discouraged and often overworked mothers, may you know on this special day that you are irreplaceable in your child’s life. Young or old. You are a soft place for them to land. Let go of comparison and be the authentic mother to your children God has called you to be.  Your encouragement, voice, kindness, discipline and mostly prayers make the difference. God gave you your kids and you as their mother. He knows what He is doing. And while your loving yourself and your kids, remember too to love other mothers. Let go of criticism. Be full of encouragement and grace.

And to my amazing four grown children. You are the best and most important thing I have ever done with my life thank you for loving me.

Here is to Potato Salad for Mother’s Day!

3 pounds small red potatoes, quartered (no need to peel)
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
1/3–½ cup chopped fresh dill
½ cup chopped red onion
1 cup mayonnaise or mayonnaise-type salad dressing (I use Hellmann’s Best lowfat)
1½ tablespoon whole-grain mustard
4 strips crisp cooked bacon, crumbled

Place potatoes in a saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cook, partially covered, until fork tender. Drain and transfer to a salad bowl. While potatoes are still warm, season with the salt, cayenne, black pepper, and lemon juice and toss well to combine. Add parsley, eggs, dill, and red onion. Combine mayonnaise and mustard and add to the bowl. Sprinkle the bacon over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to mix well. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve slightly chilled. Serves 6-8.

So what does a fresh take at hospitality look like?

It’s not just doing something unusual for “company”…but creating an everyday lifestyle that provides welcome to family, friends, strangers . . . and yourself.

It’s not just inviting people into your home…but using all the resources God has provided—your physical space, your possessions, your time and energy and talents, your unique family background and personality, even your failures and mistakes—to extend comfort and care to other people. It’s using your unique gifts to make them feel safe and comfortable and wanted.

Quite literally, it’s loving people with your whole life.

And that, I believe is what community is really all about.

Stop for just a minute and consider just how powerful that idea really is.

Loving people with your life.

Serving them in a way that is uniquely yours. Offering your very self as well as your home and table as a refuge to those who feel alien and alone—and don’t all of us feel that way at times?
Helping others feel accepted, loved, celebrated, and doted on just confirms to them that they truly do matter. You matter, I matter, our children matter, and even the least of these matter.

Making room for others to just be.

That, friends, is hospitality—and it’s not just for those with gorgeous homes, professional cooking skills, support staff on call, or special spiritual gifts. It’s not just for happy homemakers or organizational whizzes or extroverted personalities.

It’s the way God calls us the live. In community with care and celebration.

I want to challenge you, to show you why hospitality may need to be a bigger part of your life than it is right now.

I desire to encourage you, to convince you that you can do it—even if you can’t cook or you have a houseful of little kids or you live in Winnebago.
I want to inspire you to stretch yourself, to expand your thinking about what hospitality means and what it’s supposed to mean and how you can develop a ministry of hospitality that’s uniquely yours.

But most important, I want to urge you to start simply…but simply start.

This perspective helps us move past the paralysis of attempting something that seems too hard and for some, impossible. It removes the pressure to be perfect and frees us actually to enjoy the process of celebrating life. It helps us move beyond obligation or duty and recover the passion and excitement of making others feel they matter.

And it helps us remember that most good things are learned in the doing, that life is a journey, and that we can’t go anywhere until we begin putting one foot in front of the other.

My friend Lynn Brown is one of most hospitable women I know. She entertains frequently, hosts Bible studies in her home, and is always inviting someone over for a snack. Her motto is “have a cookie, make a friend.” She and her husband often open their home to young women who need special nurturing. I’ve seen so many lives transformed through Lynn’s ministry of hospitality.

But it almost didn’t happen.

In fact, when I first met Lynn she was totally intimidated by the very idea of hospitality. Lynn knew I loved cooking, hosting dinners and having people over to our home. She couldn’t imagine herself doing anything remotely like that. The bottom line she didn’t like to cook, she didn’t know how to cook and she quite simply she saw no reason why she should. She was a wife mother and worked at a demanding job often requiring her to travel. So she just assumed she was disqualified from hospitality. It just wasn’t her.

But a turning point for Lynn happened when I was having a particularly bad day. My husband was out of town. My four little kids were underfoot. And I’d spent the entire morning trying to clean up from a major flood that happened in our home. I was a wreck—no makeup, dirty clothes, hair pulled back haphazardly. And I happened to run into Lynn in the alleyway between our houses.
In that moment, Lynn’s truly hospitable heart managed to reach past her insecurities to see my need. She took one look at me and said, “Why don’t you and the kids come over for tuna-fish sandwiches?”

We did. In the midst of eating simple tuna sandwiches, we laughed, told stories and had a wonderful time. By the time that lunch was over I felt strengthened to tackle my home disasters once again. What an encouragement she was to me. And something clicked too in Lynn’s mind that day, or so she told me later. She realized: “I can do this. I just need to do hospitality my own way…my own style. I am going to be intentional about this.”

That was just the beginning of Lynn’s uniquely beautiful ministry of hospitality almost 15 years ago. And you know what? Lynn still can’t cook. (She will even tell you that!) The cookies she shares are bought from the local Walmart. She’s found great sources of carry-out food for her dinners and Bible studies. And she feeds the young women she mentors the same way she feeds her family—with just “doctor it up dinners” and store bought salads and peach iced tea.

Lynn’s style of hospitality couldn’t be more different than mine. But she found her unique niche and it transformed her life and the life of all the people she ministers to. Because when it comes to practicing hospitality, yours doesn’t have to look anything like mine—or Lynn’s. In fact, your hospitality shouldn’t look like anyone else’s.

Hospitality really means loving others with your life That means your life—
• Your cracked dishes
• Your dramatic flair
• Your dinky apartment
• Your fabulous chili
• Your shyness and introversion
• Your soft spot for teenagers or senior citizens or singles or college students
• Your organizational challenges
• Your impossible schedule
• Your grubby kitchen floor
• Your Oriental rugs
• Your geriatric poodle and overly affectionate cats
• Your knack for decorating
• Your offbeat sense of humor
• Your tendency to run late
• Your perfectionist tendencies
• Your late paycheck
• Your unruly toddlers or sullen teens…or empty nest

Everything you are—your personality, your resources, your circumstances, your talents and spiritual gifts, even your particular failings and challenges—can be used by God to do his kingdom work of hospitality. Remember hospitality is a message you give others about their value. It is not about impressing someone but rather providing comfort and care. Practicing hospitality is learning, like my friend, to take advantage of your own particular style of serving and in doing so enrich someone else’s life as well as your own.

This is a seriously delicious creamy artichoke dip.

I LOVE artichoke anything.

This recipe is a little (no kidding) high fat for me. So I cut back by using reduced fat creamed cheese and fat free half and half. But if you don’t feel the need I would go for the real recipe…it is amazing. I doubled it.

If you like it spicy add a chopped chili pepper. I added a yellow/red pepper for color. Sundried tomatoes would be fantastic too.

Warm Artichoke & Parmesan Dip

Ingredients
1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichokes
1 4oz can of green chopped chili
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup whipping cream (I used fat free 1/2 and 1/2)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1-2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper

Sliced baguette, toasts or crackers
Directions
1.D rain artichokes, reserving 2 tbsp marinade. Finely chop artichokes; set aside.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; cook garlic and onion, stirring, for about 5 min or until golden. Add cream and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 min or until slightly reduced. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Stir in artichokes and green chilli…basil pepper and salt (to taste)…reserved marinade. (Can be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days).
3. Preheat oven to 400°F . Stir ⅓ cup of the Parmesan and basil into artichoke mixture; transfer to shallow oven-proof serving dish and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
4. Bake for about 20 min or until hot and bubbling.
5. Serve with sliced toasted baguettes.

A little thing comforts us because a little thing afflicts us. Pascal.

Be the “little thing” in someone’s life today.

Small is under rated these days. We think bigger, faster and cheaper will bring ultimate satisfaction in our lives.

What a trap for our personal lives, families and our communities.

I am convinced one of life’s greatest blessings is the ability to find joy and pleasure in our often mundane daily efforts.

It is often the small simple offerings that are woven into our daily lives that make the tapestry magnificent. Opportunities are all around you. That is why starting simply but simply starting is the ticket to lasting fulfillment.

A good friend recently recommend the best selling book The Power of Small: Why Little Things Make All the Difference: Authors Thaler and Koval. This excellent book is a clear example of how we need the miracle of a perspective change. It isn’t just the grand and lofty deeds that bring the grandest changes. It is often the small deeds and simple works that grow into the largest lifegiving impact.

Sometimes the great miracle in our lives is just seeing something we always knew to be true but by seeing it differently it changes everything about the way we live.

Start simply but simply start. Begin today by…

Telling your children what they do right. Affirm the good…grow the good.

Share with your spouse once again exactly why you married him. Affirm the good… grow the good.

In fact while your at it let your parents, coworkers, in laws, teachers, pastors, grocery store clerk, neighbors, siblings, and friends hear a word of lifegiving encouragement from you. Affirm the good…grow the good.

No we can’t do everything but we can do something.

We can…

Start to see.

Start to listen.

Start to value.

Yes start to see all the difference one small lifegiving act can lead to.

A perspective change truly is the greatest miracle of all.

I am planning a menu today for a Bridal Brunch for one of my dear friends daughters.

It is simply one of my most favorite things to do.  A great menu is like a fabulous piece of art. Each addition brings out the overall joy of the creation!

What you serve to drink matters as much as what you serve to eat.

Sometimes maybe more!

That is why I loved this recipe. Ridiculously simply. Wonderfully refreshing. Originally found on the wonderful Natalie Broulette’s Soho Blog: http://thesoho.blogspot.com/2012/05/mint-ginger-slush.html (That’s short for the southern hostess!)

I love everything ginger but I tried the Maine Root’s ginger brew.  It’s more spicy and and has a nice bold ginger flavor.  Yum!

Mint Ginger Slush

12 oz. ginger ale
8 mint leaves
4 cups ice

Two lime wedges

Blend ginger ale mint and ice in blender. Squeeze in juice from limes. Makes two drinks.  I have a friend who makes this with white rum. She says it is one amazing drink!

Enjoy friends!

I know I am driving some of you crazy with all my lemon (did I say I love lemon?) recipes. Forgive me but I had to post this one.

This is the best Lemon Whipped Creme.

It is perfect to pour over fresh fruit this Easter. Great for a brunch.

Simple. Really simple.

But you will see EVERYONE will ask you for the recipe. I promise.

Delicious!

Any and all fresh fruit…peaches, nectarines, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon.

Mix all fruit together in a large bowl.

Make crème topping.

1 small package lemon instant pudding

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons pineapple orange juice concentrate

2 teaspoons lemon or orange rind

Combine all ingredients.

Add 1 container cool whipped topping.

Pour over fresh fruit and chill until serving time. Garnish with fresh mint and thinly sliced lemon and orange slices in the center.

And when I say easy I’m seriously not kidding. Two ingredients.

Now some of you know me and I couldn’t stand the thought of two ingredients. Seemed just too simple. So I made my own lemon curd. (Call me a show off I know) But I have to say the canned is still pretty darn good. IF you don’t have lemon pie filling or you want to try something  a step above use Barefoot Contessa’s recipe. It was so very good.

You can use her recipe for all kinds of citrus such as grapefruits and tangerines. Great for gift giving too! Think scones and tea and friends. Think about why we do what we do. Loving others with our lives. The table is one wonderful place to do that.

Enjoy. You are going to love this one!

Two Ingredient Lemon Bars

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package angel food cake
mix

1 (21 ounce) can lemon pie filling
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Combine the angel food cake mix with the lemon pie filling in a mixing bowl; blend until smooth. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10×15 inch jelly roll pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and top springs back when lightly touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan, and cut into squares.

If you desire you can make glaze to pour over the top:  Whisk together lemon juice and powdered sugar for a thin glaze. Drizzle over bars and cut into squares.

Coconut Cream Easter Cake

This cake is just the best thing around. It is now known as my official Easter Cake.  If you like coconut, you have got to try this cake. It’s unbelievable. It’s delicious.

Ready for this?

You start with a boxed cake mix and yes it is that easy. This cake is moist, rich and feeds a crowd! I top the cake with malted chocolate Easter Eggs. It is an easy and beautiful Easter Dessert!

I am so thankful for new life and hope.  So thankful for the Resurrection! Blessed Easter to my heart to yours!

Coconut Cream Cake

1 pkg. white cake mix

1 pkg. (4 serving size) cheesecake flavored instant pudding

1 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

2 tea vanilla

1 1/3 cups Baker’s angel flake coconut

1 cup chopped nuts (I suggest pecans)

Malted Pastel Chocolate Easter Eggs

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, water, eggs and oil in large mixer bowl. Blend; beat
at medium speed for 4 minutes. Stir in coconut and nuts and vanilla. (You can omit
the nuts and added ½ cup more coconut.) Pour into greased and floured 8 or 9 inch
cake rounds. Bake at 325 degrees for 35‐40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan.
Remove from pan. Fully cool on rack.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting: Cream 1/3 cup butter; blend in 2 pkg. of 3 oz cream
cheese, Add 1 box (16 oz) confectioners’ sugar, alternately with 4 tsp milk, beating
well after each addition. Add ½ tsp vanilla or almond extract. Spread frosting over
top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with 2 cups Baker’s Angel Flake Coconut over frosting. Top with colorful Easter eggs!