This healthy recipe is out of the Magic Foods cookbook that I've mentioned before. Each time I've changed a thing or two, but tonight it was spectacular. Enjoy!
Serves 2 (pretty large salads)
Salad:
1 head romain
2-4 green onions
snap peas
1 orange (for orange and grapefruit, cut peal off and slice)
1 grapefruit
sliced, cooked, chicken breast
sliced almonds, or pistacios
feta
Dressing:
1/3 orange juice (fresh is best)
2 TBSP lemon juice
3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 TBSP dijon mustard
2-4 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
I've baked the chicken in a batch of the dressing before and it was really tasty. Just make sure you make an extra batch to put on your salad. :-)
Hearty Meat and Veggie Pasta Sauce
This recipe is an original that is a new favorite.
1 lb. ground beef, brown and add following ingredients . . .
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. shredded zuchinni
1 c. shredded carrots
When above veggies are soft, add . . .
1 c. red wine (optional)
1 can diced tomatoes, or 3-4 diced fresh tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
Add water for desired consistency (I put in about a cup)
salt and pepper to taste, and tsp sugar
This is great on any pasta. We love it on angel hair or regular spaghetti, and I recently had it on brown rice pasta.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
January 26th
It's been so long since I've posted, and this has been because of a little bit of busy-ness, and a little rebellion! It's hard to share your heart when there's something that needs to be worked through. Can't say that I can share what that was about because is still in progress, but I can say the Lord ain't through with me yet. :) Can I hear an "amen sister!"
I remember sharing about an amazing experience that happened a few years ago in a barn, where I feel that I had an experience that opened my eyes to what a real relationship with the Lord is? Now, you could take that the wrong way pretty easily, but it really was just a worship service in a place they call "the Barn." :) It was amazing. As I was leaving, a gal told me, and I don't know how she knew what I experienced, but she told me that the Lord wanted me to spend more time worshipping and communing with Him closely, like I had that night. It was very special to hear my experience validated and to understand what being truly close to my Savior was like. This last fall I've spent more time being discontent than in that place, and it showed! Now that I recognize my discontent, I'm getting back into the routine of spending more time in the Word, and choosing Christ-like attitudes over the alternative. I still am sometimes too tired to realize how close I am to living a whole entire day being Spirit led and enjoying that communion, but I'm a lot closer now than I was a couple months ago!
This January I decided to start reading through the Bible chronologically. My mom did this last year and I have yet to read some of the old prophets, and thus the entire Bible, so I thought I'd give it a go. I want to be living as a sold out follower of Christ, and that means knowing His Word, and in turn Him, more. I love reading the OT. In the last year I read a couple historical fiction novels about Abraham and a couple other OT heroes, and it really helped bring to life these characters and my interest reading between the lines, digging deeper. So far I'm up to Genesis 42 (Job was thrown in the middle of that), and reading about Joseph. What an amazing story! To have such patience. I'd love to have a prayer partner like Joseph must have been. Such perseverance and faithfulness.
Another challenge I've taken on is training for a half marathon. More on that later. Off to get a baby up from nap time!
More recipes on the way too!
I remember sharing about an amazing experience that happened a few years ago in a barn, where I feel that I had an experience that opened my eyes to what a real relationship with the Lord is? Now, you could take that the wrong way pretty easily, but it really was just a worship service in a place they call "the Barn." :) It was amazing. As I was leaving, a gal told me, and I don't know how she knew what I experienced, but she told me that the Lord wanted me to spend more time worshipping and communing with Him closely, like I had that night. It was very special to hear my experience validated and to understand what being truly close to my Savior was like. This last fall I've spent more time being discontent than in that place, and it showed! Now that I recognize my discontent, I'm getting back into the routine of spending more time in the Word, and choosing Christ-like attitudes over the alternative. I still am sometimes too tired to realize how close I am to living a whole entire day being Spirit led and enjoying that communion, but I'm a lot closer now than I was a couple months ago!
This January I decided to start reading through the Bible chronologically. My mom did this last year and I have yet to read some of the old prophets, and thus the entire Bible, so I thought I'd give it a go. I want to be living as a sold out follower of Christ, and that means knowing His Word, and in turn Him, more. I love reading the OT. In the last year I read a couple historical fiction novels about Abraham and a couple other OT heroes, and it really helped bring to life these characters and my interest reading between the lines, digging deeper. So far I'm up to Genesis 42 (Job was thrown in the middle of that), and reading about Joseph. What an amazing story! To have such patience. I'd love to have a prayer partner like Joseph must have been. Such perseverance and faithfulness.
Another challenge I've taken on is training for a half marathon. More on that later. Off to get a baby up from nap time!
More recipes on the way too!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Soup, Soup, and More Soup!
In the last several weeks I've made a lot of soup. In fact, a couple weeks ago I told David, "All right, David, let's go eat our soup!" He rolled his eyes and said, "Soup AGAIN?!?!?" It was pretty funny! So when I was making my menu for the next week I was sure to ask him what he'd like to suggest we have for dinner. He said, "You know that chicken soup you made that John ate two bowls of?" I just about died laughing! Well, speaking of soup, I've got a basic soup recipe that can be turned into a few different kinds. I like to make a big batch and then put the leftovers in the freezer.
Basic Soup Recipe . . . with variations
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
heat a large soup pot on med heat with 2ish TBSP olive oil (I usually put in a pat of butter).
Sauté veggies for about 7-10 minutes until softened.
Add 2-3 cloves of garlic.
(Prep these next veggies)
Add 1 c. shredded (or thinly sliced) carrots
1-2 c. potatoes, chopped into small cubes (I've also done lightly colored sweet potatoes)
Cover with chicken broth (I've been buying the organic free range chicken broth from Winco)
Add 2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Simmer on low for about 15 minutes, or until veggies are soft
At this point you can add whatever you'd like and just heat the additions. Here are my tried and true faves!
Chicken . . . Add 2 c. chopped chicken breast, 1 can corn (about 2 cups), and about 1- 1 1/2 cups milk or fat free 1/2 n 1/2.
Salmon . . . Add 2-3 cans salmon, or home baked salmon, 1 can creamed corn, and 1-1 1/2 cups milk or fat free 1/2 n 1/2.
Italian sausage soup . . . leave out the potatoes and sauté some italian sausage with the veggies. Either crumble sausage without the skins or slice w/skins. I've been using chicken sausage and liking it really well. I recently used the Trader Joe's sausage and found I couldn't get them out of the skins. Before you simmer the veggies, throw in about 1 c. of pasta. I've made it with wheel pasta, elbow pasta, and star pasta.
This recipe is great for babies! You'll want to add the salt and pepper at the end after you've taken a baby sized portion out. I've been slightly blending up the finished product for Johnathan and he loves it. It's recommended that for babies under the age of 1 that you don't season their food with salt.
I love soup in the winter time, and once you make it a few times it seems so easy! Good luck and let me know what you try!!
Basic Soup Recipe . . . with variations
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
heat a large soup pot on med heat with 2ish TBSP olive oil (I usually put in a pat of butter).
Sauté veggies for about 7-10 minutes until softened.
Add 2-3 cloves of garlic.
(Prep these next veggies)
Add 1 c. shredded (or thinly sliced) carrots
1-2 c. potatoes, chopped into small cubes (I've also done lightly colored sweet potatoes)
Cover with chicken broth (I've been buying the organic free range chicken broth from Winco)
Add 2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Simmer on low for about 15 minutes, or until veggies are soft
At this point you can add whatever you'd like and just heat the additions. Here are my tried and true faves!
Chicken . . . Add 2 c. chopped chicken breast, 1 can corn (about 2 cups), and about 1- 1 1/2 cups milk or fat free 1/2 n 1/2.
Salmon . . . Add 2-3 cans salmon, or home baked salmon, 1 can creamed corn, and 1-1 1/2 cups milk or fat free 1/2 n 1/2.
Italian sausage soup . . . leave out the potatoes and sauté some italian sausage with the veggies. Either crumble sausage without the skins or slice w/skins. I've been using chicken sausage and liking it really well. I recently used the Trader Joe's sausage and found I couldn't get them out of the skins. Before you simmer the veggies, throw in about 1 c. of pasta. I've made it with wheel pasta, elbow pasta, and star pasta.
This recipe is great for babies! You'll want to add the salt and pepper at the end after you've taken a baby sized portion out. I've been slightly blending up the finished product for Johnathan and he loves it. It's recommended that for babies under the age of 1 that you don't season their food with salt.
I love soup in the winter time, and once you make it a few times it seems so easy! Good luck and let me know what you try!!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Hospitality
Lately I've been struggling in the area of hospitality and today as I sat at the feet of Jesus I learned a bit about that very thing. Really my struggle has to do with sharing food. :) Yes, I give you permission to laugh. I have a hard time sharing my food. If you watch the show Friends, you may remember a particular episode where Joey is ready to fight to the death with the girl he's on a first date with, all because she took one of his french fries. I don't feel quite this passionate, but why is it that that when I sit down to eat my lunch after everyone has eaten, do the babies come running to have a bite of mine? Or when they've got cheese and crackers in front of them do they want my veggies? Another example, although this is more out of just forgetfulness, is that I don't offer everyone who walks in my door something to drink AND eat. Certainly if a meal is planned that's a different story. Long story short, my mind hasn't been on meeting the physical needs of people who visit my home and at times I find myself resenting my responsibility to meet that need.
Well, Jesus is the One I look to as an example of an extreme host. I read in Matt 14 this morning. Here's the setting: John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus, was just beheaded. Jesus hears of this (although already knew it would happen, right?), and finds some solitude on the lake. People from the nearby town follow him out to the lake, so really, how much solitude can one have with people around? "He went to shore (v.14)." Are you kidding me? If I were in His shoes, I would have rowed farther out on the lake!!!!! Not only did he go toward the people, but He had compassion on them. He healed the sick. This reminded me of the passage in John 4, where Jesus tells His disciples, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work." I wonder if Jesus sought comfort in helping those who were sick physically, and most likely dying spiritually.
So, Jesus sought solitude and instead went with compassion to a crowd. The disciples came to Jesus and TOLD Him to send the people away to the nearby town to buy food for themselves. What gall . . . and I would have been right there with them. I can feed 4 people pretty easily. A larger crowd is tough, but it would be a challenge I would love. Try 5,000 people!! NO WAY says Becky! Well, Jesus, being Creator God, was able to think outside the box. :) Jesus told the disciples, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!" Lucky for them, He had the answer. He took the five loaves and two fishies that they gave Him, blessed it, and began to break them and gave the food to the disciples to pass to the people. Not only did Jesus find comfort in meeting with people and healing their diseases, but He met their physical need of hunger. This was such a testimony to me and a lesson I took to heart. As I thought about His generosity and desire to meet that need, I realized that one of my hang ups on being so generous is that we're trying to be careful and wise with out money. This led me to ask myself the question, "Who meets your needs? Who is the giver of all good things? Who is it that gives you that money?" There was only one answer, and with that answer came a peace in knowing that as I responded to God's call to be a hostess who meets the needs of her guests, God would meet the need even before it was handed to me. No need to worry about money. I am just one point along the way. God supplies us with something someone else needs. We're just a funnel really. This goes for more than just physical things! God supplies me with love, faith, encouragement, that my husband, children, and people around me need. Now I just need to be sensitive to what the Lord would have me do, and doing His work will be my food!!!
Well, Jesus is the One I look to as an example of an extreme host. I read in Matt 14 this morning. Here's the setting: John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus, was just beheaded. Jesus hears of this (although already knew it would happen, right?), and finds some solitude on the lake. People from the nearby town follow him out to the lake, so really, how much solitude can one have with people around? "He went to shore (v.14)." Are you kidding me? If I were in His shoes, I would have rowed farther out on the lake!!!!! Not only did he go toward the people, but He had compassion on them. He healed the sick. This reminded me of the passage in John 4, where Jesus tells His disciples, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work." I wonder if Jesus sought comfort in helping those who were sick physically, and most likely dying spiritually.
So, Jesus sought solitude and instead went with compassion to a crowd. The disciples came to Jesus and TOLD Him to send the people away to the nearby town to buy food for themselves. What gall . . . and I would have been right there with them. I can feed 4 people pretty easily. A larger crowd is tough, but it would be a challenge I would love. Try 5,000 people!! NO WAY says Becky! Well, Jesus, being Creator God, was able to think outside the box. :) Jesus told the disciples, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!" Lucky for them, He had the answer. He took the five loaves and two fishies that they gave Him, blessed it, and began to break them and gave the food to the disciples to pass to the people. Not only did Jesus find comfort in meeting with people and healing their diseases, but He met their physical need of hunger. This was such a testimony to me and a lesson I took to heart. As I thought about His generosity and desire to meet that need, I realized that one of my hang ups on being so generous is that we're trying to be careful and wise with out money. This led me to ask myself the question, "Who meets your needs? Who is the giver of all good things? Who is it that gives you that money?" There was only one answer, and with that answer came a peace in knowing that as I responded to God's call to be a hostess who meets the needs of her guests, God would meet the need even before it was handed to me. No need to worry about money. I am just one point along the way. God supplies us with something someone else needs. We're just a funnel really. This goes for more than just physical things! God supplies me with love, faith, encouragement, that my husband, children, and people around me need. Now I just need to be sensitive to what the Lord would have me do, and doing His work will be my food!!!
Monday, November 9, 2009
"Where do you find comfort?"
This fall I took on a sweet 1 year old girl. She is very loving, giving kisses and hugs all the time. She has a very safe and comfortable life, yet every afternoon when she wakes up from her nap she wails like there's no tomorrow. She doesn't stop until she you pick her up, sit down, and start cuddling. If she gets put down at all within the next 15 minutes it starts all over again. Wake ups are hard for this little one, and that is an understatement!
During the last week this little girl and her hatred of wake ups was brought to my mind during a moment with the Lord. I was sitting on the couch early in the morning cuddled up with a blanket, weeping. There is a trial in my life, one that is long term apparently, that always brings me to my knees. It challenges me every time I choose to face it, and reminds me of just how weak I am, but more importantly, it reminds me of just how much I need God, His strength, comfort, and all that He is. As I was crying out to the Lord for His comfort, I had this picture in my mind, of getting out of bed each morning and immediately curling up with a blanket in the Lord Jesus' lap. I know that Jesus longs to comfort me as long as I need it, that he doesn't roll His eyes at my big alligator tears, or put off welcoming me into His arms because He has just one more task to accomplish. Here's an excerpt from my journal on that day:
"Thank you, Lord for humbling me this morning, for showing me the picture of my weakness. I love that You are infinitely stronger than I, that you desire to meet my need in such a kind and loving away. I want to meet with You every morning, just like this."
I love that I can have assurance that He'll be there, every morning. Waiting for me.
Since I ended my time in the Psalms, I've started reading through the NT. In Matthew the Lord has confirmed again to me His compassion as He ministered to the people who were (Matt 9:36) "distressed and dispirited." I can identify with that, and the it says that Jesus felt compassion for those kinds of people. Oh man do I need compassion sometimes. Matt 11:28 says "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Yes! Not only can I come to Him for comfort, but He will give me rest from my burden, my trial. I rest in His truth knowing that He is all that I need.
This morning in my time with Him I read about two blind men (9:27-31) who came to Jesus in order that their sight might be restored. They called Him "Son of David!" They believed that He was God's Son. Jesus then asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this (restore their sight)?" I had to ask myself the same question. Do I really believe that if God chose to change my circumstance that He could? I do believe it, and hope with all of my being that He will. Now the question is, will I be content if He doesn't, knowing that He could? That is a much harder question, and is really where my battle lies. I'm so thankful for God's truth, God's comfort, and for a living, breathing, relationship with the all powerful God of the universe. It is in that that I find the patience to be content, and to praise Him in all things.
During the last week this little girl and her hatred of wake ups was brought to my mind during a moment with the Lord. I was sitting on the couch early in the morning cuddled up with a blanket, weeping. There is a trial in my life, one that is long term apparently, that always brings me to my knees. It challenges me every time I choose to face it, and reminds me of just how weak I am, but more importantly, it reminds me of just how much I need God, His strength, comfort, and all that He is. As I was crying out to the Lord for His comfort, I had this picture in my mind, of getting out of bed each morning and immediately curling up with a blanket in the Lord Jesus' lap. I know that Jesus longs to comfort me as long as I need it, that he doesn't roll His eyes at my big alligator tears, or put off welcoming me into His arms because He has just one more task to accomplish. Here's an excerpt from my journal on that day:
"Thank you, Lord for humbling me this morning, for showing me the picture of my weakness. I love that You are infinitely stronger than I, that you desire to meet my need in such a kind and loving away. I want to meet with You every morning, just like this."
I love that I can have assurance that He'll be there, every morning. Waiting for me.
Since I ended my time in the Psalms, I've started reading through the NT. In Matthew the Lord has confirmed again to me His compassion as He ministered to the people who were (Matt 9:36) "distressed and dispirited." I can identify with that, and the it says that Jesus felt compassion for those kinds of people. Oh man do I need compassion sometimes. Matt 11:28 says "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Yes! Not only can I come to Him for comfort, but He will give me rest from my burden, my trial. I rest in His truth knowing that He is all that I need.
This morning in my time with Him I read about two blind men (9:27-31) who came to Jesus in order that their sight might be restored. They called Him "Son of David!" They believed that He was God's Son. Jesus then asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this (restore their sight)?" I had to ask myself the same question. Do I really believe that if God chose to change my circumstance that He could? I do believe it, and hope with all of my being that He will. Now the question is, will I be content if He doesn't, knowing that He could? That is a much harder question, and is really where my battle lies. I'm so thankful for God's truth, God's comfort, and for a living, breathing, relationship with the all powerful God of the universe. It is in that that I find the patience to be content, and to praise Him in all things.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Mommy Rescue!!
WARNING: RANDOM!
Honesty. I have always had a hard time being honest with myself, and others. I was going to write, not lying, but then I realized that yes, I do have trouble with lying, although not the kind of lying you're thinking about! I'm such a typical people pleaser that it is hard for me to want to do anything other than take what people give me and return it with pleasantness (at least on the outside!). I feel like quite the push-over sometimes. More than anything I want my home and relationships to be full of peace, pleasantness, tranquility, and harmony. Recently I had a couple girlfriends over and one of them told the other that she was basking in my tranquility (she'd had a particularly hard day). This is a good thing, except for the fact that I often ignore the signals within that say, "Red alert, red alert! That was painful! Say you didn't like that!" Ignoring those signals plants a seed of resentment that grow into something like the Veggie Tales rumor weed. Big, ugly, obnoxious, and with roots that are deep and established. Recently I've become very overwhelmed with life. I will spare you the details, for they are inconsequential. I have come to a point, however, that I realize that I need to take a closer look at what I'm doing in the day to day, evaluate my motives and who I'm doing it for, and should they be doing it for themselves. Just in the last few days as I've been doing this, I've pulled back from a few responsibilities that I've placed upon myself, and the freedom is coming, I can tell. I'm not out from under the load yet, but it's coming. This is more mental than I think I give it credit. I've been so intent lately on being super mom, wife, homemaker, that the fun has been stripped away. Yuck! THE END!
I love how the Israelites have the heritage they do in the feasts. What a rich tapestry of tradition, that when Christ is at the center, is so meaningful! I want my life to be a reflection of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and taking a look at my attitude this last week, you wouldn't see that. You'd see the law. Ewww!
4 years ago today I had an amazing experience. I'd been going through an extremely rough time in my life. Lots of emotional pain, on top of more emotional pain. I was plagued with feelings of rejection, guilt, of self-pity, I felt unloved and unworthy. I grew up in a Christian home and believed that when I accepted Christ at age 4 that the deal was sealed, but my faith wasn't truly my own until this experience. It was in the evening that I went with a friend to a very small gathering of believers, and the purpose was simply to bask in His presence, to worship, and to encourage one another. That night I feel like I truly met with Christ and He showed me, through the remembrance of His precious Word that He had died so that I could live FREE from the burden I was carrying around. The chains that were holding me down were in fact loose and could easily be take off. SO incredible. It was then that I began to grow, and grow, and grow. God drew me closer and closer to Himself during the next weeks and months. That rough patch was turned from an experience that was dragging me down, into a growing experience. I've learned so much about God's character and and about His desire to be enough for me and my every need. I still am still dealing with all of the same circumstances, 4 years later, and feel like the enemy still has the potential to drag me down. This week is a good example of that!!! Tonight I celebrate though! I celebrate in the face of my enemy! I celebrate Christ's victory! I've been reading through the Psalms this month, and one that I read today fit me perfectly and have me words to say in my celebration!
Psalm 91 (exerpts)
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!"
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone."
I don't quite know how to handle vs. 14-16, but do claim them for myself and do believe that I do and will continue see God's salvation working in me.
So, right now I'm sitting at Borders, kidless, and and enjoying every blessed quiet minute. Mommy rescue refers to the fact that this mama needed some rescuing. Emotional rescue, physical rescue (from the diaper changing, the pulling, the tugging, the wrestling, the food prep, laundry, and you know the rest!), and spiritual rescue. Again I can say with conviction that God is enough for me. He made me, He saved me, He rescued me, He's my rock, my refuge, and I will rest in His loving arms and rely on His strength and inspiration to serve my family.
Honesty. I have always had a hard time being honest with myself, and others. I was going to write, not lying, but then I realized that yes, I do have trouble with lying, although not the kind of lying you're thinking about! I'm such a typical people pleaser that it is hard for me to want to do anything other than take what people give me and return it with pleasantness (at least on the outside!). I feel like quite the push-over sometimes. More than anything I want my home and relationships to be full of peace, pleasantness, tranquility, and harmony. Recently I had a couple girlfriends over and one of them told the other that she was basking in my tranquility (she'd had a particularly hard day). This is a good thing, except for the fact that I often ignore the signals within that say, "Red alert, red alert! That was painful! Say you didn't like that!" Ignoring those signals plants a seed of resentment that grow into something like the Veggie Tales rumor weed. Big, ugly, obnoxious, and with roots that are deep and established. Recently I've become very overwhelmed with life. I will spare you the details, for they are inconsequential. I have come to a point, however, that I realize that I need to take a closer look at what I'm doing in the day to day, evaluate my motives and who I'm doing it for, and should they be doing it for themselves. Just in the last few days as I've been doing this, I've pulled back from a few responsibilities that I've placed upon myself, and the freedom is coming, I can tell. I'm not out from under the load yet, but it's coming. This is more mental than I think I give it credit. I've been so intent lately on being super mom, wife, homemaker, that the fun has been stripped away. Yuck! THE END!
I love how the Israelites have the heritage they do in the feasts. What a rich tapestry of tradition, that when Christ is at the center, is so meaningful! I want my life to be a reflection of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and taking a look at my attitude this last week, you wouldn't see that. You'd see the law. Ewww!
4 years ago today I had an amazing experience. I'd been going through an extremely rough time in my life. Lots of emotional pain, on top of more emotional pain. I was plagued with feelings of rejection, guilt, of self-pity, I felt unloved and unworthy. I grew up in a Christian home and believed that when I accepted Christ at age 4 that the deal was sealed, but my faith wasn't truly my own until this experience. It was in the evening that I went with a friend to a very small gathering of believers, and the purpose was simply to bask in His presence, to worship, and to encourage one another. That night I feel like I truly met with Christ and He showed me, through the remembrance of His precious Word that He had died so that I could live FREE from the burden I was carrying around. The chains that were holding me down were in fact loose and could easily be take off. SO incredible. It was then that I began to grow, and grow, and grow. God drew me closer and closer to Himself during the next weeks and months. That rough patch was turned from an experience that was dragging me down, into a growing experience. I've learned so much about God's character and and about His desire to be enough for me and my every need. I still am still dealing with all of the same circumstances, 4 years later, and feel like the enemy still has the potential to drag me down. This week is a good example of that!!! Tonight I celebrate though! I celebrate in the face of my enemy! I celebrate Christ's victory! I've been reading through the Psalms this month, and one that I read today fit me perfectly and have me words to say in my celebration!
Psalm 91 (exerpts)
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!"
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone."
I don't quite know how to handle vs. 14-16, but do claim them for myself and do believe that I do and will continue see God's salvation working in me.
So, right now I'm sitting at Borders, kidless, and and enjoying every blessed quiet minute. Mommy rescue refers to the fact that this mama needed some rescuing. Emotional rescue, physical rescue (from the diaper changing, the pulling, the tugging, the wrestling, the food prep, laundry, and you know the rest!), and spiritual rescue. Again I can say with conviction that God is enough for me. He made me, He saved me, He rescued me, He's my rock, my refuge, and I will rest in His loving arms and rely on His strength and inspiration to serve my family.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Meatloaf Recipe
This recipe was given to me by my good friend Katie. I wanted to share it, along with some ideas of different foods you can add and on how you can use this recipe in different ways.
Classic Meatloaf
3 Slices bread (the recipe calls for white, but we like to use our 8 grain Winco bread)
1/3 c milk
1 lb ground beef (you can use turkey pretty successfully)
1 lb ground pork
1/2 med onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1/2 c. ketsup, divided
salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line backing pan with foil or parchment paper. Make the bread crumbs (I use a small food processor) and drizzle milk over the crumbs. Soak for 10 minutes. Combine meat, onion, garlic, egg, 1/4 c ketsup, 1 1/2 tsp salt (I left this out in order to feed it to Johnathan and it tasted fine) 1/4 tsp pepper. Add bread and milk mixture, mix gently with a fork. Don't overmix. Form into a loaf about 9 inches long and 4-5 inches wide.
Bake, brushing twice with 1/4 c ketsup, until instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees. Approx. 45-55 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
I've used this recipe as a meatloaf recipe, but I've also turned this recipe into meatballs and hamburgers.
Things that you can add and play with:
Classic Meatloaf
3 Slices bread (the recipe calls for white, but we like to use our 8 grain Winco bread)
1/3 c milk
1 lb ground beef (you can use turkey pretty successfully)
1 lb ground pork
1/2 med onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1/2 c. ketsup, divided
salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line backing pan with foil or parchment paper. Make the bread crumbs (I use a small food processor) and drizzle milk over the crumbs. Soak for 10 minutes. Combine meat, onion, garlic, egg, 1/4 c ketsup, 1 1/2 tsp salt (I left this out in order to feed it to Johnathan and it tasted fine) 1/4 tsp pepper. Add bread and milk mixture, mix gently with a fork. Don't overmix. Form into a loaf about 9 inches long and 4-5 inches wide.
Bake, brushing twice with 1/4 c ketsup, until instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees. Approx. 45-55 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
I've used this recipe as a meatloaf recipe, but I've also turned this recipe into meatballs and hamburgers.
Things that you can add and play with:
- 1 c shredded sweet potato (light flesh, not orange)
- 1 red pepper, steamed and pureed (or just finely chopped)
- 1 TBSP worchestershire sauce
- 1 small yellow summer squash, shredded (or zucchini)
- finely chopped mushrooms
Enjoy, and let me know if any of you have some good additions!
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