About Crow Wing County, MN

Here is what we are having at the Lordbock house for supper tonight. With a warm up in temperatures today bringing us from -50 to 20 above - I'm working again and looking for something that makes it appear that I have been in the kitchen cooking all day, when I have not.

This is quite tasty and does not take very long to prepare. I would classify this recipe in the comfort food range with the meat and potatoes being a sure winner with most people.

I am serving this over mashed potatoes, with a hot vegetable, muffins and a spinach salad.

Salisbury Steak

1 egg

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup tomato juice

1 onion, minced

1 pound ground beef

1 envelope Mushroom gravy mix

1 cup half and half

small can of drained mushrooms

add water as needed

dash of ground pepper ( I used coarse)

dash of Kosher salt ( you can use regular)

dried parsley

Combine egg, bread crumbs, tomato juice and onions; add ground beef. Shape into oblong patties, brown in a skillet until done. Add gravy mix and 1/2 and 1/2 (additional water if needed ). pepper , salt, parsley, mushrooms and stir until smooth. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

photo by mullenkedheim

photo by Tim Farris Photographer - Flickr

This is your chance to take an improv workshop with the Second City improvisational comedy troupe from Chicago. They will be performing "One Nation Under Blog" January 24th at the Central Lakes College and then conducting two improv workshops. The first is 7-9 PM on January 23 and the second one is 1-3 PM January 24th. Both of these will be held at the Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minnesota.

The fee for one workshop is $75 or if you want to take both: $125. The registration deadline is January 20th. Students must be 16 or older to sign up and enrollment is limited to 15 students per session. The workshops will cover scene-building, basic improvisation techniques, characterization, and other tools of the comedic style of acting. These will be fast paced and very hands on - giving all participants a very good idea of how the improv world works If you would like more information or if you want to sign up for this experience, contact the CLC theatre director Patrick Spradlin at 855-8255 or email at pspradlin@clcmn.edu.

The spring schedule for the Grassroots Concerts has been set. This is a great opportunity to see and hear artists that you would not normally be able get close to. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for children younger that 12. All shows will be held at the Nisswa Community Center in Nisswa, Minnesota.

The schedule is as follows:

• Pieta Brown, February 8th
• Bill Staines, February 22
• Tom Russell, March 14
• Garnet Rogers, April 4
• Gretchen Peters, April 18
• Cosy Sheridan, May 2
  

Here is some interesting information on the first artist of the season. Pieta was brought up in Iowa with no electricity and no running water - imagine that, will you. She was exposed to traditional and rural folk music by her father who just happens to be the two-time Grammy nominee Greg Brown. Be the time she was in her early twenties, Peita was well on her way to becoming a local gifted performer and by 2002 had her debut album out. Brown has collaborated with a variety of artists including The Pines, Iris Dement, Calexico, The Diplomats of Solid Sound and of course, her father Greg Brown.

For more information on this series call 963-2976 or visit Grass Roots Concerts.

photo by Waka Jawaka

A grand welcome to new Pastor Bryan and Trena Boone. Their first Sunday as Children's' Pastors will be January 20th. Pastor Bryan has served the past year and a half at ROC International Church in Northville, Michigan as Children's Pastor and interned in Bloomington, Minnesota at Cedar Valley Church.

Both Bryan and Trena are graduates of North Central University in Minneapolis. Bryan has his degree in Children's Ministry and Trena has a degree in Elementary Education.

Bryan started out in Heritage Assemblies of God as a PK, as he is the son of Pastor Mark and Mary Boone. Those who have watched him grow up have been able to witness his love for children and their attraction to him. Trena also comes from a pastor's home. Her parents are Kevin and Jan Olson and they pastor in Milwaukee.

Welcome to Bryan and Trena. Bring your children to Heritage Assembly of God on Sundays 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM, Wednesday 7:00 PM or to special events and meet them.

Sunday, December 23rd , was a day of rejoicing for our church body when we burned the mortgage for our former church building on Business Highway 371 in Brainerd. Minnesota. The mortgage was paid off by an anonymous donor and then the building and 9 acres donated to Teen Challenge of Minnesota. It was an exciting day, especially for those of us who had been working intensely on the project both on and off the internet. Many meetings with people and God took place and I feel that God's will was done . We are grateful that there was no resistance to the process as it went through City Council and Planning and Zoning meetings at a speed that was, again- God's doing.

Thank you for your prayers and assistance on this project. Please continue to pray with TC Director - Rich Scherber and his team as they begin the process of remodeling the facility and bringing in the staff that they need. As of this writing, the facility will not be divided and will be designated for male only use. That way, the gymnasium can remain in place and be used for that purpose.

I have volunteered to be the decorator and paint / finish consultant . I will need strength to add that in to my "hopefully" busy Spring staging season, as I continue marketing efforts here in the staging resistant part of Minnesota. I would like to work closer to home and will continue to pursue that territory in the 2008 season.

Again, thank you for your support and prayers on this project - Teen Challenge will be in Brainerd . Many lives will be changed and restored in 2008 as a result of their and your ministry.

photo by RV there yet?