Redemption, a quick history lesson, and the outfit that does not exist...

Well, I think I redeemed myself from Monday night's raw chicken dinner.

Have you ever heard of the Moravian Church?  No. Well let me enlighten you.

The Moravian Church was established in the 1400's by John Hus.  He was against the idea of indulgences in the Catholic church.  He also did not believe in Purgatory and felt like priests should be able to marry.  Because he had these ideas 100 years before the Reformation, many historians say that the Moravian Church is the first Protestant denomination.  (It started in what is now the Checz Republic and eventually, a tiny remaining group of followers moved to Moravia, Germany in the early 1700s.  In the mid-1700s the Moravians led a small group of missionaries to Pennsylvania.  This mission was established on Christmas Eve and they named their town Bethlehem (now Bethlehem, PA).  About 10 years later they came down to North Carolina and founded Salem which is now Winston-Salem. 

And what do the Moravians have to do with my dinner?  Well, I was raised Moravian and every good Moravian knows what chicken pie is! 

Chicken pie is basically pot pie with no vegetables - just chicken and a thick broth inside of an upper and lower pie crust.  Every Moravian church has a ladies group that hosts chicken pie fundraisers throughout the year.  And what's funny to me, is that the Catholic church I attend has an annual Moravian Pie fundraiser!  Very ironic, don't you think?

My Uncle David is retired and actually helps with the chicken pie suppers at two local Moravian churches and has become quite the expert at making them.  And he kindly gifted us one this past week.

I popped that baby in the oven while Sarah was at swim practice and served it with mashed potatoes, homemade chicken gravy (my husband loves gravy and was thrilled when he saw this!), green peas, and I even went the extra step and opened up a can of cranberry sauce (luckily my family likes the canned stuff).  I also made a blue cheese brocoli coleslaw (that was delicious but no one touched but me. They don't know what's good.).

When the kids got to the table, one of them declared, "It's like THANKSGIVING!!!"

So, dinner was a hit!  Redemption is good.  Thanks, Uncle David!

This was not the acutal pie we had.  We were too busy eating it to take pictures!

And in other news - this Sunday afternoon we are having our family pictures taken.  It's been years since we've done it, actually almost 10.  Every year Sarah asks when we are going to have another one taken and every year I say, "This year!" and then I never get them scheduled.  But our PTO is having a mini-fundraiser and one of the moms at school who is a photographer is donating her time and talent for mini photo sessions.  So we basically have 20 minutes to get a couple of good shots. Hopefully at least one will be frame and Christmas card worthy.

The issue is finding just the right outfit for me that will take off 20 pounds of fat and 10 years of wrinkles.  Do you think Kohl's has an outfit that fits that bill?  I sure hope so because I have a 30% off coupon!

Have a great Wednesday!