Phase Three

Phase One was planting and growing the stevia.

Phase Two was harvesting and drying the stevia.

Phase Three entailed stripping the leaves and pulverizing said leaves in my Kitchen Aid blender.  I had read that an herb grinder or coffee grinder works best.  I even had a friend's permission to borrow her coffee grinder.  But I thought I'd go ahead and try what I had on hand- my blender.  It worked well.  Probably not quite as well as a grinder would have, but I have no regrets.

I dumped the contents of the pulverized leaves from the blender into my fine sieve to catch any bigger pieces, then I put those back into the blender.  Overall, the result was a very fine powder (that I enjoyed inhaling and tasting each time I took the blender lid off) of stevia.

So far, I've only been using it in tea.  Less than an 1/8 of a teaspoon is plenty for a full mug of tea.  Stevia is potent.  I did find that using a tea strainer caught slightly larger granules.  While the sweetness of the stevia clearly permeated the tea, it likes to hang out on top of the water/tea.  I wasn't expecting it to float around up there, but it didn't cause any trouble, so I didn't mind.

Would you like to know how much stevia powder I ended up with after drying these 15 large plants?

One and 1/3 quart.  Yep, that's it.  It's good this stuff is potent. 

Phase Four:  Learning how to bake with it.  Look for the results of this phase sometime after my Christmas break.  According to my source, "You can also make your own liquid stevia extract by adding a cup of warm water to 1/4 cup of fresh, finely-crushed stevia leaves.  This mixture should set for 24 hours and then be refrigerated."  I haven't tried this yet, but may, depending on the recipes I find.

Until then, go ahead and add stevia to your garden plans for next year.  Any crop that you can plant in the spring and then pretty much ignore until the fall, hang to dry and spend only a couple hours processing is a keeper in my book.  A huge, added bonus is that this stuff is SWEET:-). Pin It

Who's With Me?

Thanksgiving has come and gone.  Have we all been sufficiently stuffed and thankful?

The way I see it, between now and Christmas I need to have a plan.  Aside from all the excitement of Advent and the anticipation of the celebration of Christ's coming, there is another emotion that plagues me this time of year.  Guilt.

I'm not talking about gift-giving guilt or spending guilt.  I feel as if I have those guilts well under control this year.  The guilt I'm referring to is the guilt of over-indulging.  I know that it's after New Year's Day that we're all supposed to turn over those new leaves, but this year, I'm not going to wait until I'm disgusted with myself.  This year, I'm going to be proactive and keep that guilt from tainting all the excitement, anticipation and celebration I'm looking forward to.

I'm wondering if you'd like to join me.

Here's my Thanksgiving to Christmas plan:

1) I'm going to hold off making any Christmas sweets (I mostly make cookies) until December 13th.  My problem usually is that I get so caught up in the spirit of Christmas cookies (note this "spirit" is not capitalized), that I begin making them right after Thanksgiving.  Then, I eat them.  Then, I make more because we've run out.  Then, I eat those, too.  And by "I", I do mean mostly me.  This cycle continues until we travel to be with family where I begin enjoying all their treats, feeling incredibly guilty because I have spent the entire month of December making and eating, making and eating, making and eating my own.

 Some of last year's cookies.

2)  I will not be eating anything after dinner.  Water and tea are allowed.  About three weeks before Thanksgiving, my sister and I made a pact with each other that we wouldn't eat after dinner until Thanksgiving and, man, it is tough.  No eating after dinner is a habit I'd like to continue.  Since we normally eat an early dinner, I'm hungry for (and usually consume) the equivalent of a fourth meal, oh, around 9 pm.  Not such a good habit.  I do better with short term goals, so I'm re-setting the goal and will not be eating in the evening until Christmas Eve. My goal is to be successful at this 90 % of the time- I'm bound to have an occasion to eat something at a special pre-holiday activity and don't want to feel guilty (Remember? That's the goal.) if I slip up.

3) I am going to try my hardest to be active at some point every weekday (except travel days) between now and then.  I've been trying to do an exercise video (Netflix is great for this because you can get a new one once you're bored) with the kids every weekday mornings after breakfast.  The kids love it and except for the fact that Miriam climbs up onto my back when I try to do push-ups (this makes them very hard) it's a good option.  Other options for me are doing some Pilates, walking on the treadmill, walking the track with the girls while Sam's at PE and running up and down our stairs.  Any activity is better than the no-activity I've been getting since we've been back to school this fall.  Getting moving is not just good for my health -it also has a positive affect on my mood and helps me make better food choices because I don't want to negate my morning workout. 

So, that about sums it up.

Note two things, please.

1) Nowhere did I say "no sweets".  As much as my Lenten experience of cutting out sugar was an amazingly eye-opening experience (and I plan on doing it again this coming year), I am a product of my culture and from where I'm from, celebrating includes special (sweet)  foods.

2) Nowhere did I say anything about "pounds" or "pants fitting".  I have accepted that my body will never be the same (weight or shape) as it was before kids.  This doesn't mean I shouldn't take care of it, it just means that I will not set unrealistic goals for myself that lead to...you guessed it...more guilt.  This Thanksgiving to Christmas Plan is intended to help me find balance between enjoying the celebration and keeping my health (both physical and emotional) in check.

So, bring on the celebration of the coming of our Risen Lord without the distraction of guilt.

Come, Lord Jesus, come! Pin It

They Give Me Shivers, I Tell You

Just writing this sends literal shivers down my arms and makes my eyes turn teary.  I want to share something with you this morning.  Consider it my Thanksgiving gift to you.

In 1909, Syriac manuscripts were discovered that date back to before 150 AD.  These manuscripts contain 42 odes thought to have been written by the same man, a Jew turned Christian.  These are likely some of the very first chants/hymns sung by the early church.  The first Christians.  The ones who may have heard about Jesus from the apostles.

"Since 1909, when the Odes were found in a Syriac manuscript, scholars have edited the extant Greek, Coptic, Latin, and Syriac texts, and translated them into many modern languages, included English, German, and French. While the Odes are well known to historians and scholars, they are virtually unknown to theologians, church leaders, and the laity. The purpose of the Odes Project is to render a voice to the Odist’s creations and make the Odes familiar to all. A movement is now sweeping the world; it is a recognition that the Odes invigorate worship and supply a joy and happiness to liturgy." 

One of my favorites is this one...

From the East unto the West (Ode 26)

©Duhan/Schreiner/ The Odes Project

I poured out all praise to the Lord
Because I am his own
I will sing His holy song
For my heart is with Him alone

All I need is to trust and to rest
To be satisfied in Him
Like the water from a stream
Bringing grace to the ones who seek it

(Chorus)
From the East unto the West
From the South unto the North
From the summits and the crests
Our thanksgiving is poured forth

Blessing and honor and glory to You Blessing and honor and glory to You
Father Son and Holy Spirit Father Son and Holy Spirit
How can I express the wonders of God
When perfection is in Him
I can only be amazed
And thank Him with all of my heart
All I need is to trust and to rest
To be satisfied in Him
Like the water from a stream
Bringing grace to the ones who seek it

Blessing and honor and glory to You Blessing and honor and glory to You
Father Son and Holy Spirit Father Son and Holy Spirit
One God forever and ever

Please visit The Ode Project website where you can read all the lyrics to these 42 odes.  Music wasn't discovered with the odes, just lyrics.  Here you can listen to samples of the odes put to music and actually purchase CDs.  Take some time to browse around this site and let it all sink in.  What wonderful prayers and meditations these fresh and early words of worship will be for you and I.

During this week of Thanksgiving, I am especially thankful for these texts.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

What are you especially thankful for? Pin It

Little Orley Winner!

I want to say a big thank you to Ren Hen Books & Toys for offering another Little Orley CD to one of my readers.  I hope that the winner and whoever else decides to purchase one of these great story CDs will love them as much as we do.

Keep Ren Hen Books & Toys in mind as you consider gifts for the little people in your lives this Christmas and throughout the year at birthdays.  Here's a little reminder of some of the cool stuff they offer...

 

BRIX Constuction

 Folding Circles

 

Dado Planks

And then, of course we have the stars of the show...The Little Orley Stories CDs...

And, speaking of Little Orley CDs...the winner of a Little Orley CD of their choice is....

Cindy 

who said, "I'm intrigued by the construction sets. I think my 7 AND 10 year old would both enjoy working on them.  And they both listen to stories as they fall asleep."

 

Congratulations, Cindy!

Please email me (thyhand123@gmail.com) your name, address and CD choice and Red Hen Books & Toys will send you your CD.  

Thank you to all those who entered- have a wonderful weekend!

P.S.  For those of you who are gifted in the observance department, I'll mention that there were 26 comments left, but one comment was me (a goof), one person failed to mention what they liked at Red Hen Books & Toys and one person forgot to tell me who they were.  Hence, 23 entries.

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Giving of Ourselves Interview: Jennifer Jo

I am loving this series.  I will admit, I am interviewing women who have given of themselves in ways I have personally considered/am considering.  The first interviewee was Michelle who went to Belgium on a short-term mission trip.

Jennifer Jo is a dear friend of mine.  She's the one whose blog inspired me to start my own a couple years ago.  She's the dear friend who introduced me to roasted tomatoes, pesto torte and Indian Chicken.  Clearly, a dear friend.

This same Jennifer Jo consented to answering my questions about having been a foster parent.  All fostering stories are unique.  Her answers are honest and real.  Fostering is an incredible gift we can give to children who need a safe place during a trying time in their life.  As she alludes to below, folks considering fostering need to remember who they will be doing the fostering for- the child, of course.  This is important to remember because fostering is hard work.  Very hard work.

Thank you, dear, for taking time to answer my questions.


Tell us a little about yourself, your family, and how you spend your time.

Since it’s nearly impossible for me to compose a brief Who Do I Say That I Am statement, I’ll toss out a handful of adjectives and let you paint your own picture. I am—deep breath—energetic, creative, easily bored, busy, selfish, generous, loud, talkative, un-picky, opinionated, honest, high-strung, high-maintenance, fun, bossy, organized, discerning, irritable, and loyal. Though that anyone would want me stuck to their side after such a conflicted list, is beyond me.         

I’ve been married for 14 years, not to the man of my dreams (a rather ill thought-out and anemic man that phantom was) but to a hunk of a dreamboat who is just as riddled with imperfections as I am. Together, we dream of all sorts of things, none of which turns out perfectly. Bummer. 

We live in a renovated (thanks to the aforementioned dreamboat) house on five acres and rule over a small kingdom of chickens, a dog, a cat, and four children: Yo-Yo is 11, Miss Beccaboo is 9, Sweetsie is 6 and The Baby Nickel is 4. I (kinda, sorta, maybe) homeschool my subjects (er, kids), and while I claim to love doing it, and I’m not lying when I say that, most days you wouldn’t be able to tell.                                

I spend my days craving solitude and silence and rarely getting any.

A few more stats: I love coffee—it’s the reason I get up in the morning. I blog. I bake and cook. I’m learning to belly dance. I’m a Mennonite.  

How did you decide to open your home to a foster child?

I always wanted to be a foster parent—when I was in high school, I cut out newspaper ads for foster families and stuck them to the fridge in hopes of piquing Mom and Dad’s interest. (Which piqued a little too late—they became foster parents after I left home.)  If some kids needed a home and I had a good one, I figured we ought to share. Plus, there was an element of intrigue.   What could be more fascinating than taking hurting, needy children and helping them to heal and blossom? What a rush!   

Despite my dream of fostering, my husband and I didn’t sign on with an agency until I was pregnant with our fourth (and final) child, the first time in a decade of marriage that we felt grounded enough to finally open our home to foster children. At that point, fostering seemed a perfect outlet for my energies while still allowing me to stay at home with my kids. Seeing that I was already cooking and cleaning for a household of six, it would be fairly easy to incorporate another child into our lives. And the business side of fostering—meeting with social workers and therapists—could easily get done with my kids underfoot. 
                                          
What were your concerns about fostering and how did you move past them?

I was concerned that the foster child would dominate our lives, demand all my attention, and usurp my children’s position. I was worried that my children would be physically harmed by this venture—even though the agency assured us that they did not put sexual predators in homes with small children, my fear of sexual abuse still loomed large.

My husband and I tried to assuage our concerns by careful planning. We intentionally choose teenage girls so that there would be a large age difference between the foster girls and our oldest child (our then six-year-old son). This way the needs of the foster children wouldn’t be in direct competition with the needs of our young children. And as we were homeschooling and the foster child would attend public school, we hoped that the daytime separation would provide us with sufficient daily respite.

But no matter how much planning we did, we knew we were taking a risk.  We had to accept that risk in order to move forward. 

How did your faith contribute to your decision to foster?
 
To me, faithfulness means responding to the needs I see in the ways that I can. I was drawn to fostering because I knew it would challenge me to use my gifts and that I would grow through the experience.

How did you prepare yourselves and your family to welcome a foster child?

My husband and I went through extensive trainings, background checks, and home visits, but we were not prepared.

Please briefly describe the experience of fostering.
 
Fostering involved a lot of meetings. The red tape was a mile long. There were meetings with social workers, therapists, psychiatrists, and doctors. There were court dates, birth family appointments, police reports, parent teacher conferences, and continuing education classes. There were gas mileage logs and medication logs. 

We had two longer-term placements: the first girl lived with us for nearly a year and another for about six months. (There were also a couple short-term/respite kids sprinkled throughout.) While it’s a huge adjustment for any family to take in a foster child, I think our situation was a bit of an exception. Our first daughter came to us, via a social worker, directly from a highspeed car chase. She had a wicked attitude and the ability to manipulate any situation. Our agency told us later that she was the most difficult child they had ever had. And she was our first. Our home was rocked.

I loved puzzling out the best methods and approaches for parenting, but the daily demands of living with street-savvy children was exhausting. We were constantly on high alert, making sure the girls weren’t smoking in the house, swearing at our children under their breath, actually taking the ear/nose/belly stud out of the ear/nose/belly before going to school, etc. It was hard to have children in our home that we sometimes could not stand to be around. Many times I could not rustle up even one spark of goodwill to toss in their direction and simply got through by “minding my manners.” I eventually got so rundown that I hired my own therapist and went on antidepressants for a short time. 

What were some of the greatest challenges and rewards?
 
By far, the greatest challenge was the foster care system itself. The system is so concerned with liability issues that they are not fully able to trust the foster parents. There are good reasons for this, of course: the basic concept of fostering—putting difficult kids into the homes of strangers who may not, despite the trainings and home checks, have the capacity to parent in a healthy way—puts the foster children in a vulnerable position. However! When foster parents are in the throes of living with a very difficult child, it is imperative they have not only have the backing, but also the trust, of the broader system. Otherwise, the foster children are able to sense a disparity and play it to their advantage (and boy, can they every play!), thus weakening the entire system and, ultimately, hurting themselves.

The greatest reward of fostering was intrinsic. I knew I was doing good work. When you are handed a child who has been riddled with deficits and hurts, progress is easy to see. Just providing a nutritious diet and enforcing bedtimes makes a world of difference!

What would you say to someone who is considering giving of themselves through fostering?


*You and your spouse must have a unified front. Your relationship will be taxed, so it better be a strong one from the get-go.

*Self-awareness, creativity, perseverance, quick thinking, and a sense of humor are required.

*Take the needs of your children into consideration and re-evaluate them on a regular basis. Common wisdom says that the biological children should be older than the foster kids, but we bucked the system. While there were no long-term ill effects (that we’re yet aware of), it was undoubtedly hard for our children. Part of the reason we decided to close our file with the agency was because our children needed a relaxed and stress-free home. (The irony of this was not lost on us—providing safety for the foster children created an element chaos for our own, a lose-lose situation all around.) We may decide to foster again, but I’m fairly sure we won’t do it until our youngest is old enough to be older than the foster children. 

*Do not be ashamed to receive a monthly stipend.  In the beginning, I somehow felt that our monthly allowance cheapened our motives, but once we were in the throes of fostering, my paradigm rapidly shifted. Being a foster parent was a huge job. Thank goodness there was some financial compensation! The extra money allowed us to meet the girls’ physical needs without resentment, to pay for extra childcare so that I could get a break, and for my husband to take off work to watch our kids when there were daytime appointments and minor catastrophes.

*When picking a foster care agency to work with, choose carefully. We’ve heard better reports of private foster care agencies (as opposed to state-run). Private agencies tend to provide more financial and emotional support for foster families, and their social workers often have lighter case loads. The private agency that we worked for was full of good people who were trying to do their best in the midst of a flawed system.

*Be prepared to teach. You will need to educate not only your children, your friends, and the foster child, but also the social workers and therapists. While this is energizing, it is also exasperating. Much time was spent listening to young, childless social workers advise me, a mother of four, on the fine art of parenting. 

*Plan to resign your position and/or take breaks as needed. Fostering is not a very sustainable activity—the average length of time that families foster is two years. Even though we tried to do better, we found we were depressingly average, burning out right at the two-year mark. Be gentle with yourself.  

And there you have it, a brief summary of our foster care experience. I neither recommend it nor advise against it—too much depends on a person’s interests and abilities. I will say, however, that these past few days of rumination and writing have awoken my foster care bug. Heaven help us!  

All photos courtesy of Jennifer Jo.

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Pastitsio for Beginners

Pastitsio- [pah-STEET-see-oh] A baked Greek casserole dish consisting of pasta (spaghetti or macaroni), ground beef or lamb, grated cheese, tomatoes, seasonings (including cinnamon) and bechamel (a French white sauce made by stirring milk into a butter-flour roux). - Food Lover's Companion

 Pastitsio on the left, roasted butternut squash on the right.

The first time I was introduced to Pastitsio was after Sam was born.  We were blessed with many delicious meals from fellow church members in the weeks after his birth.  One particular friend brought us a meal and at first I thought the best part of his meal was that he offered to stay and hold Sam while we ate- truly a gift in itself.  But, then I tasted the dish he brought.  It looked like a fairly standard pasta with cheese, tomatoes and ground beef, but it tasted other-worldly.  Thankfully, he shared the recipe and I've made it several times since.  I would have made it more, but it's a tad involved and these days I just don't have a whole lot of time for really involved meals.

What really makes pastitsio taste different are the spices.  So, the other night I was making a pretty standard pasta bake for dinner and as I was cooking the sauce, I added some spices.  Our friend's pastitsio recipe called for cinnamon and cumin.  To the dish I as making, I added cinnamon and nutmeg.  It was just enough to transform a very standard casserole into something remarkably different.  And the whole family loved it.  Don't believe me?  Give it a try yourself.

Simplified Pastitsio (loosely based on a recipe from Cooking Light, Annual Recipes 2004)
This recipe makes one 2-quart baking dish, plus a bit more, so have a smaller dish on hand or use a 9 x 13" pan.

1 pound tube-like pasta (ziti, macaroni, or penne)
1 pound (or a bit less) ground beef or bulk sausage
1 cup onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. tomato paste (are you remembering to freeze your paste?)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 (14-ounce) cans tomatoes or stewed tomatoes (chopped) with juices
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the instructions, drain and set aside.  In the meantime, cook sausage (or beef) in a skillet with onions and garlic until browned and crumbling.  Add tomato paste, tomatoes, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Combine cooked pasta and tomato mixture. 

 

Place half of the pasta mixture into your baking dish.  Top with half of the mozzarella and half the parmesan cheese.  Add the remaining pasta mixture and top with the remaining cheeses. 

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

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Little Orley Stories, Revisted

 This giveaway is closed.  See who won here!

Way back in February, I introduced you to Little Orley Stories and was able to give a CD away to a reader thanks to Red Hen Books & Toys where you can find many truly unique educational toys.  (They have a little something special for us again- make sure to read the entire post!)

Christmas is approaching and while many of us are trying to cut down on the amount we spend this time of year, we also want ideas for meaningful gifts for those children in our lives who we still plan to get gifts for.  A gift that encourages the imagination in fun and wholesome ways is the kind of gift I know many of us hope to find.

I would like to offer the Little Orley Stories CDs again as an option for this kind of gift.  The other day, Sadie was listening to our Little Orley CDs (again) and the thought occurred to me that some of you might like to be reminded of these highly entertaining stories.

Here's an excerpt from my February post...

"These stories were created and narrated by Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum (also know as "Uncle Lumpy") for a radio program in the late 1940's. I know about these treasures because my dad and his brother listened to these weekly radio programs when they were boys. Hugh Brannum went on to join the cast of Captain Kangaroo as Mr. Green Jeans.

 Uncle Lumpy is on the left.

The Little Orley Stories tell of the amazing adventures of a little boy on his farm. The stories are narrated in many different voices with instrumental accompaniment. We have all the CDs and the children LOVE them. At the end of each story is often a little lesson or moral, some quite amusing. These stories are wholesome, entertaining (some told in rhyme) and often very funny- even for adults. They are a fun listen for all ages."

 

There are three Little Orley Stories CDs (Little Orley Stories, More Little Orley Stories and Little Orley Radio Shows)- all carried by Red Hen Books and Toys.  Hop over to their website and listen to a sampling of the stories.

The good folks over at Red Hen Books and Toys will be gifting one Little Orley CD (of the winner's choice) to one lucky commenter.   For a chance to win, please go on over to their website and browse around.  They have fascinating products over there that I've never seen before.  Then, come back here and tell me what product intrigues you the most in the comments. 

Please, only one entry per household.  Please leave your name or initial if you comment anonymously.  If you have trouble commenting, please email me your comment (thyhand123@gmail.com) and I will post it for you.  I'll choose a winner sometime on Friday afternoon!

"That's all!" -Uncle Lumpy

I did not receive anything from anyone for writing this post.  I wrote it because we love Little Orley.

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Sharing Recipe Wealth

Posting about my Grammie's Peanut Butter Pie last week got me thinking about all the wonderful recipes we've inherited from the special women (and men?) that came before us.  And, I was thinking about how it's sometimes fun, but sometimes hard to try new recipes that are...er...well, new.  New is good and exciting, but sometimes those recipes aren't as tried and true as we'd like and we come away a bit disappointed.

So, here's my idea.  Search your pretty little heads, recipe boxes and binders and select a tried and true recipe that you've inherited from a friend or family member.  Then, just in time for the holidays, share it with us!  In the comments below, you can include the recipe (it's okay if it's long) or a link if you've already blogged about it OR go blog about it and then come back and leave the link.  If you have trouble commenting, please email me your recipe and I'll post it for you (thyhand123@gmail.com).

Don't forget to share with us where the recipe came from and any memories it conjures up for you.  I love a good food story.  Did you know that about me?

I'm going to put a link to this post in the right-hand margin (look for the recipe box shown above) so we can all have easy access to it as we check back for recipe ideas and come back to add recipes as we have time.

I hope I'm explaining this clearly enough.  I am so excited to try some of your favorite recipes.  I need some new ones and I'm guessing some of you might too. Pin It

In Memory: Peanut Butter Pie

My grandmother (we called her Grammie) passed away this past year.  She is dearly missed.  When I think of her I think of her love of God and family.  I think of her interest in all of us and the many prayers she offered up on our behalf.  I think of her love of walks in the woods, singing hymns and gospel music.  And I think of her expressions of love through food.

She gardened, canned, baked, cooked, baked and baked and baked some more.  And she was good at it.  If Grammie found out you really liked something, she would make it special for you when you came.  It became known that her Peanut Butter Pie was my younger brother's favorite.  I'm not sure how he was singled out because we all loved it, but it became his special dessert.  It was so good.  I can taste it just sitting here and the pie has been gone for a good three days.

I've been looking for a special occasion to make her Peanut Butter Pie again and this past week I had an opportunity.  My parents and my Pop Pop (Grammie's husband) were here for the weekend and my dad had recently had a birthday, so I decided to make it for him...and Pop Pop...and my mom (Grammie's daughter).  Oh, and for me:-).

This is a special occasion pie for a few reasons.  First, it's incredibly rich.  Second, it's incredibly sweet.  Third, it's a tad involved.  But, do not...I repeat, do not...change this recipe or write it off as too involved.  It's perfect the way it is and the instructions are simple.

Grammie's Peanut Butter Pie (my grandmother's recipe)
Makes 1 pie

Crust
1 package graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (1/3 of a box)
1/2 cup softened butter
1/4 cup sugar

Crumbs
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2/3 cup sugar

Custard
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
3 egg yolks, beaten (save the whites!)
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 cups milk

Meringue
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/3 cup sugar

To prepare the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, softened butter and sugar in a small bowl until well-blended.   Press the crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate and bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.  Set aside.

 unbaked crust

To prepare the crumbs, combine powdered sugar, peanut butter and white sugar in a small bowl until they resemble coarse crumbs.  Set aside.

crumbs

To prepare the custard, combine sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 cup of milk, beaten egg yolks (save the whites!) and vanilla in a bowl until well mixed.  Pour 2 cups of milk into a medium-sized saucepan and add egg yolk mixture.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until thick and bubbly.  Reduce heat and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Set aside and let cool to almost room temperature (can be slightly warm).

Now, go fold laundry, read to the kids, sweep your kitchen floor or pay some bills until the custard has cooled to barely warm.

Sprinkle 1 1/4 cups of the crumbs onto the bottom of the graham cracker crust.  Pour the cooled custard over the crumbs.  Set aside.



To prepare the meringue, use the whisk attachment of your stand mixer (or hand mixer) to beat the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar until frothy.  Slowly add the sugar.  Beat on high until stiff peaks form.  Spread the meringue over the custard and sprinkle the remaining crumbs on top. 

 


Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until the meringue and crumbs have begun to brown.

This pie is best served chilled, so let the pie cool completely and then refrigerate it several hours to overnight to allow it to set. 

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Forgoing Replacements

If you browse through my kitchen cabinets, you'll find pretty standard fare- dishes, glasses, plastic containers, all manner of utensils, bowls, pots, pans, and a few gadgets.  Among them are (what may look like some) pretty sad and outdated pieces.  For example, here are my muffin tins, vegetable peeler, cookie sheets, cooking pot, testing fork, and baking pan...

Do they look sad to you?  Many would deem them ready for (or beyond) retirement and recommend replacing them with new and more modern versions.  I, on the other hand, would hold on with white knuckles if you tried to remove them from my home.  Some may have some sentimental value, but to me they're all worth hanging on to because they still work. 

If I did buy replacements, what would I do with these?  Donate them?  Come on.  These are tools only a mother could love :-).  Send them to the landfill?  They still work and have purpose.  Not to mention the cost of replacing these items.  Where else could that money go?  Hmm.  Let's see...do you really want to get me started?

This past Sunday in church, our pastor spoke on 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and the churches of Macedonia.  Verse three states...

"For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints..."

And it got me thinking...could it be that we, simple women of the home, could take part "in the relief of the saints" just by forgoing the newest and prettiest tools of our trade and sending those funds elsewhere?  Can we make due with what we have even when it may not be the best and the brightest?  Do we really care that much about our stuff to place it above furthering God's kingdom?

Oh, dear friends, I certainly hope not.  I challenge us (I'm including myself in this!) to not be so quick to replace anything in our homes that still functions just fine.  Instead, let's set that money aside and be joyful givers. Pin It

Brunswick Stew

I have another recipe for you.  An excellent recipe, I might add.

This is not a new one to us, however.  I've been making this for about 5 years now.  I was first introduced to Brunswick Stew at our local Mennonite Relief Sale where each year they make a huge, steaming vat of it.  The vat is so big that they stir it with a canoe paddle.  It's so good that the line to buy the stew is always long, long, long.  It's also so good that in the past Jamey and I have been known to buy 5, 6 or 7 quarts at a time.  It's for a good cause and it's instant dinner.

We liked it so much that I got to thinking about how I might make my own so we don't have to wait for the yearly relief sale.  I went on a quest and I found a recipe that isn't exactly the same, but it's equally as delicious.  And, possibly even more so.

My Food Lover's Companion says that Brunswick Stew is named after Brunswick County, Virginia, which was the birthplace of this "hearty squirrel-meat and onion stew".  It goes on to say that the modern version more often contains chicken and vegetables including corn, tomatoes, okra, and lima beans.

What this definition leaves out is that this stew is packed with flavor- or at least this recipe is.  It's not your standard meat and potato stew.  Scan down the list of ingredients and you'll see.  The flavor sings.  And does not include squirrel-meat.  I apologize if that is disappointing to you.

Brunswick Stew (slightly adapted from Southern Living Magazine)
Serves 8-10 and freezes nicely.

1-2 pounds chicken pieces of your choice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 (16 ounce) canned whole, peeled tomatoes (I use stewed)
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. flour
1 cup water
1 pound red potatoes, peeled (or not) and cubed
1 (16 ounce) can baked beans
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. pepper
16 ounces corn, canned or frozen and thawed, drained
1 (16 ounce) can lima beans, drained

Cook chicken in a large cooking pot covered in boiling water until done.  Remove chicken from broth, cool slightly, then skin, bone and chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Set aside.  Save or discard broth.

In the same pot, saute onion and peppers in oil until tender.  Add cooked chicken, tomato, tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.  In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup water with a whisk or fork until smooth.  Stir into chicken mixture.  Add cubed potatoes, baked beans, salt, turmeric and pepper.  Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender.  Add corn and lima beans and cook 10 minutes. Pin It

Lemi Shine is About to Make Your Day

I had completely given up.  I was frustrated beyond belief and felt helpless and hopeless.  You see, we have a well and our well water is hard.  Hard as in staining the toilets and tubs hard.  The only way I've been able to remove the calcium and mineral deposits in the toilet has been to use a pumice stone and even then, it's hard work and quickly leads to the decision that I don't mind the stains so much after all (but, alas, I do).

What has reeaaaally gotten to me, though, is that over the last couple years (we've been here going on six) the hard water has rendered our dishwasher useless.  The deposits have covered the heating element in the bottom of the dishwasher, making it difficult for the element to get the water to the right temperature to activate the dishwasher cycle.  This makes the cycle much longer than it's supposed to be, thus wasting electricity and likely having adverse affects on the dishwasher itself.

What has reeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaally gotten to me even more is that deposits have formed on my stoneware (everyday) dishes and drinking glasses.  Also, since the dishwasher is messed up, food hasn't been getting washed off, it's been baking onto the dishes, staining them.  This leaves our dishes not only looking frosty from calcium, but looking unwashed as well.  Did I mention they feel rough and dirty?  It's just lovely.  Especially when you have people over.

We've tried everything we could think of.  Jamey soaked and chipped away at the heating element.  I bought special dishwasher detergent.  We tried running the dishwasher with vinegar in it.  Jamey used concoctions he read about.  Nothing.  Worked.  What we really need is a water softener.  And then a new dishwasher.  And then new plates and glasses.  None of which we have money for (or want to spend money on).  This is what I thought.

About two weeks ago, I lost it (once again).  What in the world is the point of putting dishes in the dishwasher if they don't get clean?!!  Tell me!  See?  There is no point.  So, I started boycotting the dishwasher and decided that I was just going to wash all our dishes by hand.  I pretended it was like when we first got married when we had to wash all the dishes by hand.  But that's hard to do when right beside your right leg lies a dishwasher.  A dishwasher that you're furious with, nonetheless.

AND!  Washing all our dishes made my hands hurt.  No, I'm not just a wimp.  I'm a wimp who knows one day I'm going to deal with some heavy duty arthritis in my hands.  It crops up now and then and I have to back off whatever I'm doing.  Hand-washing dishes was not going to be an option.

Am I making this story too long?  Sometimes I think I make stories too long.  I think this is because I type whatever flows out of my head and my head holds all the details of the long version of a story, so that's what flows out and it's hard to hold my head back and convince it that some people might not like the long version and may want me to get. to. the. point.

Back online I went in search for the magic cure for all my dishwasher, dishes and drinking glass woes.  And you know what?  I found it.

I am so very pleased to introduce to you Lemi Shine...

This, my friends, is an amazing product.  It's all natural- made of citric acid.  It's a powder and you put it in your dishwasher where you put your normal dishwasher detergent.  For the first cycle, we used only Lemi Shine.  Jamey and I could not believe the results.  ALL the dishes were clean.  ALL the white residue was GONE.  ALL the dishes felt SMOOTH.  We just stood in the kitchen caressing our dishes.  The drinking glasses showed great improvement and over the next several cycles have lost ALL their frostiness.  After the first cycle and ever since, we've been using about 2 tablespoons of Lemi Shine in the main detergent compartment and filling the rest of it up with our regular detergent.

It seems so ridiculous that something as simple as clean dishes could make a person happy, but it has.  You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning?  You know something good will happen that day or happened the day before, but you can't quite put your finger on it right away?  That's how I felt the morning after we used Lemi Shine.  All of a sudden it hit me- no more embarrassingly dirty and ugly dishes!  No more washing dishes by hand!  No more having to explain to guests that our dishes have been washed even though they don't look it.  No more need to replace the dishes- or the dishwasher!

This stuff has cleaned the inside of the dishwasher good AND the deposits are slowly coming off the heating element.  I also soaked the bottom of our plastic (calcium-encrusted) water pitcher in 1 tablespoon of Lemi Shine and about an inch of water.  After a couple hours, all the deposits washed right out and the container looks as good as new.  With the same technique, I've cleaned water-ring stains out of several glass vases.  If you don't know what I'm talking about here, you don't have hard water and you can count yourself lucky.  My next project is to clean our toilets and put some Lemi Shine in the bowls to soak overnight.  If it works, I'm going to kiss the container of Lemi Shine.  Oh yes, I will.

SO.  If you live out in the country (or not) and deal with hard water that is making you crazy, I wholeheartedly recommend Lemi Shine.

The Lemi Shine folks have no idea who I am.  I wrote this little review because I am smitten with their product.  You can search for a store that carries it and read all about it (including some warnings for certain surfaces) on their website or you can buy Lemi Shine off Amazon (click on picture to left- I got two 12 ounce bottles for the price listed) using Swagbucks.

May you, your dishes and dishwasher live happily ever after.

The End.

UPDATE!  Dustin from Lemi Shine commented below on how you can get a FREE sample of Lemi Shine by going here and requesting one.  Thanks, Dustin and Lemi Shine! Pin It

Giving of Ourselves Interview: Michelle

One of the things I have been most excited about regarding our theme of Living Simply in Order to Give is looking at the topic of how we can give of ourselves.  This can take on many shapes and I hope to explore many of them through a series of interviews I am calling "Giving of Ourselves".  If you yourself or someone you know gives of themselves in such a way that you think others would find inspiring, please let me know.  I'd love to interview them as well.

I was honored to conduct my first "Giving of Ourselves" interview with my blogger friend, Michelle.   This woman inspires me in her ability to be real about her relationship with God.  I love to hear other women being open about their struggles and triumphs when it comes to fellowship with God.  It's something I think we all need to talk about more.  If we can't talk about it with our friends, how are we going to be able to talk about it with someone we don't know as well who really may be needing to hear our words of encouragement and truth?  Michelle's blog Give a Girl a Fig chronicles her thoughts on life, family, art and her relationship with her Father.

Below you will find Michelle's words about a recent instance when she gave of herself.  And, for her, if was no small feat.  Read on to discover how God provided both a vision and the strength to complete it.  Thank you, sweet friend, for including us in your experience in this way.

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Tell us a little about yourself, your family, and how you spend your time. Well, I live in the town that I was raised in…and my children go to all the same schools that I did! I am married to my sweet, hard-working hubby, Chris. He is the love of my life. We have two sons, Seth who is 15 and Ian who is 12. We have a dog, two cats and four chickens in our backyard. I have been slowly but surely learning to live a more healthy and self-sufficient lifestyle. This process can get a bit overwhelming so I’ve been challenging myself to learn at least one new thing a season. This winter I have challenged myself to learn to bake bread and make a patchwork quilt. Wish me luck!

Most importantly, I love the Lord. I have been born-again for 10 years…and they’ve been the best and hardest 10 years of my life. I think it’s Max Lucado who says, “God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to let you stay that way.” And I am so grateful for that. God plucked me up out of the pit and I’ve been on a new path since. He let me know it was time to become the woman He’d created me to be. And let me tell you, the past 10 years have been an amazing journey… really, really hard at times…but always wonderful and miraculous…and worth it ALL. God is good…all the time…and I am proud to be called His.

I’ve been involved with women’s ministry for the past nine years and love it. Encouraging women and helping them become who God created them to be is a passion God placed in my heart and it’s what I love to do.

How did you hear about the opportunity to go/serve and what did it entail? My dear friend Irvina and I were chatting on Facebook one night. At the same time she was talking to me, she was talking to the pastor of the church she attended while she lived in Belgium 12 years ago. She typed to me, “Pastor Richard wants to know when I’m going to bring my ministry team to Belgium? Hey…maybe you can come with me!” And my reply was, “No way. YOU go right on ahead and go. Count me out!” Well the whole next day it’s all I could think about…and before I knew it God whispered in my heart that I would be going. So when I ran into Irvina at church a few days later and she said, “You realize that you ARE going to Belgium, right?” I could only reply, “I know. God already told me.” And after that, it was simply a matter of obedience. 

What were your concerns about the trip and how did you move past them? Oh my gosh, I think the easier question, and the fastest to answer, would be what concerns DIDN’T I have?! From the beginning of this whole thing, I was terrified. I was concerned about what my part would be in the ministry, I was concerned about flying, I was concerned about leaving my family, I was concerned about raising the money, I was concerned about being in God’s will from start to finish. You name it, I was concerned about it. But over the course of the year God really took me on an amazing journey of trust and faith so that by the time I was boarding that airplane, I knew I was doing exactly what God had called me to do. Knowing that God had brought me through so much to get to this point is what helped me to be brave and to just REFUSE any thoughts of fear that might rise up. 

Michelle, on left

What made you decide to go for it in the end? Obedience. And the trust I have in my Father. I knew He wouldn’t call me to do something that He wasn’t also going to prepare me for. And I knew that He was going to take care of every little detail…both in Belgium and at home. Obedience and trust. It’s really what it’s all about.

How did you finance your trip and plan for your time away from home? Financing the trip to Belgium was a miracle in and of itself. I felt like God wanted me to use my “talents” to raise some of the money so I sold some of my photographs in the form of notecards and framed art. I sold them online and at a few art shows. I also put a Donate button on my blog at God’s nudging and that turned out to be one of the best things I did. I was blown away by the generosity of people. I was blown away at the faith they had in me and my ability to go and share the love of God with others. Before I knew it, and without really putting on a full-blown fund-raising effort, I had enough money to pay for my entire round-trip flight. God provided it ALL through amazing people like Thy Hand and many, many others I’ve been blessed to come in contact with through internet groups and blogs. Also too, I’d be sitting at church and someone would approach me and give me an envelope of cash…or a check. $25 here, $50 there, some gave as little as $5 and as much as $200! Or an envelope would come in the mail, anonymously, with $100 inside. It was amazing…the whole process. God really showed His provision for me through that process. It was incredible. GOD is incredible.

As far as planning for while I was away, my main concern was that things were as easy as possible here at home for my husband. He would be the one taking care of our kids, taking care of our business, taking care of our home, taking care of it ALL. So I wanted to help him as much as possible before I left. I made several meals and froze them so that he wouldn’t have to worry about cooking. I made sure everyone had lots of clean clothes before I left. I got all of the bills written out and the envelopes stamped so all he had to do was put them in the mail. I tried to do a lot of what I would be doing if I were home before I left. It worked out really well.

What was the purpose of your trip/what did you do? The goal of our trip was to travel to small churches in Belgium and perform concerts and speaking engagements. Belgium is one of the darkest places, spiritually, in the world. Christianity is not popular there at all. So many of the churches we visited were very small and very isolated. As they shared with us while we visited, our coming to them provided them with encouragement and it let them know they weren't in this alone. One of the gals I was traveling with put it like this, "These little churches are on the front lines. And they're calling for reinforcement, but none is coming. We were able to provide a little bit of reinforcement." We went to a tiny meeting hall in a town called Namur where we performed a concert and shared a few testimonies. The name of the concert was "Hope for Wallonia" and the people of this small church had advertised it for weeks. As it turned out, there was a woman there that was considering committing suicide that night but instead did a Google search for "hope". And because God is so cool and so amazing, "Hope for Wallonia" popped up in the search and the next thing she knew she was at the concert. Eventually she made her way up to the front to pray with one of my team members and ended up accepting Jesus as her Savior. When we heard that after returning home it was unanimous among the team members, that if everything we went through to get there was just so she could be saved, then it was all worth it. You just never know...but God does. I have a feeling that I won't know the effect I had on people, or we as a team had on people, until I get to Heaven. And that's OK. I just need to trust God and know that this was all in His plan. He asked us to plant some seeds...and that's what we did. Now He can do the watering.

How did your family fare without you? You know, they did great! And I have to give huge credit to my husband, without him and his support and encouragement and willingness to stay home and run our home beautifully while I was away, this trip would not have been able to happen. Not to mention all of the encouragement he gave me along the way. He made it possible for me to go in peace, knowing that my family would be ok while I was away. My boys also really stepped up to the plate and took on more responsibilities while I was gone, too. They worked together really well. I am so, so proud of ALL of them. Don’t get me wrong, they missed me, a LOT. And they were glad that I was home. But, they survived. And they grew from this experience, too. (And they learned to do their own laundry!)

How did this experience affect you? I don’t want to sound cliché, but this experience really did change my life. I did not return from Belgium the same person. When my family dropped me off to catch the plane to Belgium I was crying so hard I could hardly breathe. I was literally sobbing. I did NOT want to go…at all. But I did go. And I came back changed. I came back brave and confident and ready for the next thing that God wants me to do. I don’t know what that is yet…but He’ll let me know when He’s ready. I also came back with burdens I hadn’t had before…the small churches of Europe, the human-trafficking situation, and even a few people that I still pray for by name. It opened up my heart and it opened up my world. There is so much more out there than our own four little walls. 

What would you say to someone who doesn't think they can take advantage of an opportunity like this at this stage in life? You know, the most important thing about doing something like this is to know that you know that you KNOW that it’s what God would have you do. I didn’t want to go to Belgium just because it sounded like a fun trip. I didn’t want to go to Belgium because I thought it would be a good opportunity to visit Europe. I wanted to go to Belgium because I knew that God called me to. And a missions trip can’t be for any other reason other than doing God’s will. If you are in His will, He will go before you and prepare the way. So if God has asked you to do something, even if it’s totally out of your comfort zone, know that He WILL make a way and all you have to do is follow Him. If God has asked you to do it, the stage you’re at in life won’t be an issue.

What was one thing about your trip you wish was different?" or..."that you did not expect?" I wish I had been more prepared for the emotions I’d feel while I was away. I really missed my family. And there were times when I felt very much alone. I wasn’t expecting that since I was traveling with 10 other people. Also, too, there were aspects of the trip that weren’t completely organized so we really had to fly by the seat of our pants at times. But the great thing about that was that we were really able to see God’s hand in those situations, and we knew without a doubt that He was totally in control.

Ultimately, going to Belgium was the experience of a lifetime, of MY lifetime. And I am so grateful that God chose me. It was a wild ride from start to finish and I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything.

All photos courtesy of Michelle

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