Satruday Thoughts . . .

'The true strength that is America's, the true strength of ANY nation, lies in those qualities of character that have been acquired for the most part by children taught in the quiet, simple, everyday manner of mothers. What Jean Paul Richter once declared of fathers is even more true of mothers . . .and I paraphrase it to make the point . . . "what a mother says to her children is not heard by the world, but it will be heard by posterity."'
~Gordon B Hinckley

Tomorrow all over the UK, families will be celebrating Mothering Sunday. In North America, Mother's Day is in May, but here it is in March, just before the beginning of Spring, perhaps in a way it is a celebration of that most beautiful creature that helps to usher new life into this world, much like spring . . . the Mother.



When I was a little girl, the one thing in the world that I wanted most to be when I grew up was a mother and a homemaker. That is the one role in my life that has brought me the most satisfaction and joy. Oh how I loved holding those wee newborns in my arms . . . and nuzzling their soft little heads and breathing them in . . . that special newborn fragrance and those little noises they make in their sleep, working their magic on my soul.



And then later on when they were toddlers, exploring the limits and boundaries of their existance . . . being able to help them along the way and to teach them the things that they needed to know, to be safe, to get along, to thrive . . . and the loving. It is a beautiful thing to love a newborn baby, but when they get to an age when they can begin to love back, it is even more beautiful . . . love shared is always a most precious and priceless gift from above.



Being a mother at any age is a blessing. As we age, and gain experience, so do our children. When they become interesting and productive adults, that is when we really begin to reap the rewards of our harvest . . . the fruits of all our labours during their growing up years. It is hard to imagine when they are small and demanding and so very much work that, one day, we will be able to simply enjoy the luxury of their loving companionship . . . but it is so . . . I promise you young mothers, it is so . . . and the truth of the matter is . . . you find yourself thinking that it happened far too quickly . . .

Then . . . ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.
Alma 32:43



My once frantically busy hands are idle now, and my free time my own to do what I want with . . . there are many days I wish that, if only for a moment, I could go back to those early years and feel those little arms around my neck and smell those sweet little heads . . . and hear those dear little childlike voices whispering how much they love me . . .



To all of you young mothers out there that are struggling, and to all you older mothers out there that are, like me, looking back on those beautiful years with the rose coloured glasses of remembrance . . . I wish you each and every one, a very Happy Mother's Day.

"There is no such thing as the perfect mother . . . We just do the best we can with the help of the Lord, and who knows, these children who are struggling to be free may someday rise up and call us blessed."
~Marjorie Pay Hinckley

If you are wanting to spoil the mother in your life . . . be it your own mother, or even just YOU, here is a delicious breakfast casserole that will start off tomorrow in a very pleasant way!




*Croissant Breakfast Casserole*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a recipe that I discovered in a newspaper when I was a young bride living out in Calgary, Alberta back in the 1970's. Over the years I have changed and adapted it so much that it is no longer anything like the original recipe, but truly my own. It is a NO FAIL recipe! Effortless enough for the beginner cook to easily master, and elegant enough to serve to special guests and on special occasions. This can be doubled or tripled, no problem. Just throw it together the night before, pop it into your fridge, and then bake in the morning when you get up, for a delicious breakfast treat that will have your guests clamouring for the recipe!

4 plain butter croissants
1 TBS butter
2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced green onions
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (emmenthaler)
1 cup shredded Mozarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Mexican blend grated cheese

Butter a rectangular casserole large enough to hold the croissants side by side. Split the croissants in half and place the bottom halves, cut side up, in one layer in the casserole dish. Melt the butter in a skillet and saute the mushrooms and green onions in it until they are tender and any liquid had disappeared. Remove from the ehat and set aside to cool.

Beat together the eggs and milk. Pour half of it over the croissant bottoms in the dish. Divide the mushroom mixture between each croissant. Layer on the different cheeses, and then pour the remaining half of the egg mixture over all. Position the croissant tops over the bottoms, cut side down.

Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning take it out of the fridge and allow to stand at room temperature for about half an hour before baking. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Place the casserole into the heated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until it is set and lightly browned. If you find it is browning too quickly you can cover it with foil. Remove from the oven and serve.



Over on The English Kitchen this morning, you will find some scrummy Jam Doughnut Muffins!