Coming Home

COMING HOME

HOLLIE KAZSYNKSI

A sweet season in my life came to an end not long ago. I had been at home with my kids for nine full years, and I decided to go back to teaching full time when my youngest started kindergarten last fall. All three of my kids are enrolled in the school where I teach, and I consider it a huge blessing to have them near me all day. However, I can’t lie and say that going back to work has been without its challenges. I may or may not have been found weeping, even sobbing in the morning while trying to put on mascara. My husband has tried to console me while I shrug my shoulders and say, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. But, now I have to redo my makeup!”

I’ve found myself longing for little things that are simply no longer part of my life. There are no midmorning snuggles while watching Curious George.

Photos by Elizabeth Bernhardt

I’m no longer scooting gloppy finger paintings to the end of the table so we can eat lunch. We’re no longer visiting the park in the afternoon for play dates and picnics. My best mom friends can no longer come over for coffee while our kids chatter and play together. I absolutely love my job that allows me to exercise my passion for teaching again. The people I work with are stellar, and I am so thankful for my school. But, how I have missed my sweet community of friends with little ones who walked alongside me as we tried to figure out this portion of life together.

I heard a soft whisper the other day that said, “Summer is almost here,” and my spirit immediately lifted. While summer has its own busy agenda with travel, camps, and events, there are also days when no one knows what to do with their time. It’s sweltering hot, and we need a break from the pool. My natural instinct is to think of who I can invite to come over so I can feed them. I know a few mamas I can call.

Summer is coming, and it feels like I’m coming home. I’ll watch Curious George with the kids, make room on the table for finger painting, and make a fabulous lunch for dear friends that we can eat while catching up on life.

W H I P P E D C R E A M 1 cup whipping cream

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract*

Place all ingredients in a small metal bowl. Beat on high with a hand mixer until the cream forms stiffpeaks.

The recipes I’m sharing this time go perfectly together for simplicity and goodness. They’re easy to prepare and perfect for hot summer days with your family or your best girls. Enjoy!

Buttermilk pie

I N G R E D I E N T S 2 sticks butter, melted

3 cups sugar 2 cups buttermilk

6 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract*

6 tablespoons flour 2 prepared refrigerated pie crusts

Use a stand mixer, if you have one. Ifnot, a handheld electric mixer will work.

WE HELP YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED IN LIFE.

Place butter and sugar in a mixing bowl, and mix on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add buttermilk, and continue to mix until ingredients are blended. Add eggs one at a time, and mix well. Add vanilla and flour, and mix well. Mixture should look light and somewhat foamy.

Unroll pie crusts into two pie pans, and flute the edges. Pour buttermilk mixture evenly into the two pans.

Bake pies at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes. When pies are finished baking, they should be golden brown and set in the middle. Once the pies are cooled completely, store them in the refrigerator. This pie is best served cold.

If desired, top each slice with whipped cream and mixed berries before

serving.

*Substitute lemon juice for vanilla in the pie and whipped cream, and add lemon zest to the whipped cream for a light flavor perfect for summer!

Mixed greens salad with honey mustard dressing

S A L A D I N G R E D I E N T S ½ large tub of mixed salad greens

½ cup blueberries ½ cup strawberries, sliced 1 avocado, sliced ½ cup red onion, sliced very thin Crumbled feta or goat cheese Toasted nuts (I like using pecans!)*

Place greens in a large serving bowl. Add all ingredients except cheese. Drizzle with dressing right before serving, and sprinkle with cheese.

*To toast nuts, place them in a small pan, and heat to medium-high. Stir nuts constantly for a few minutes, until they have a slight aroma and are lightly browned. They will burn easily, so don’t walk away! Let cool before topping your salad.

D R E S S I N G I N G R E D I E N T S 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard ½ cup honey

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a dressing bottle or Mason jar, and shake well! If you prepare a large salad for several people, pour all the dressing on at once right before serving. If you're making a smaller salad for one, drizzle a little dressing on at a time. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for a fewweeks.

Parmesan crusted chicken

I N G R E D I E N T S 1 ½ to 2 lbs. chicken breast tenderloins

12 oz. parmesan cheese, grated 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Mix cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Rinse chicken tenderloins withwater, pat slightly with a paper towel, and coat both sides in the cheesemixture.

WE HELP YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED IN LIFE.

Place pieces close together in a tight row in a 13"x9” glass pan, and bake at

400 degrees for 30 minutes.

You can serve this warm, but leftovers can also be cut into bite-sized pieces and served on a salad or in a lunchbox!

HOLLIE KAZSYNKSI Hollie Kaszynski is a

native Texan and lives in Austin, with her husband and three kids. She posesses a deep passion for teaching and service, which she pours into her children, church family, and local community. She lovesadventure, traveling, writing, and being creative in the kitchen.