One more amazing recipe--Eggplant Salad

Olimpia, the missionary who works with us from Romania, made us this salad when we ate at her house last week. We would think of it more like a dip, but I made an absolute pig out of myself!

- 2 eggplants Roast these under the broiler, turning every once in a while until the skins are blackened. Cool, skin, and drain. Remove seeds that are easy to remove. Then kind of mash them together with:
- sunflower oil (Until you have kind of a paste)
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- lemon juice
- salt
- garlic
Serve as is with crackers or bread, or with roasted peppers or tomatoes.

Isn't it easy to forget how big God is?

There are times--like now, for example--when my problems loom so big and I have a niggling feeling that things are NEVER going to change...NEVER going to get better. And then hope starts sliding down the drain. And then I read a Scripture like I read this morning in Romans 11, and I realize once again how big God is!

33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.

Here's the Other Good Recipe

Cream of Tomato and Basil Soup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Serving Size: 4 8 12

Ingredients
4 Tbsp butter
1 ea small red onion, diced
2 cups dry white wine
3 cups canned diced tomatoes (or 1 12-oz can)
2 cups heavy cream (I substituted 1/2 milk and 1/2 plain yogurt because I didn't have cream)
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Procedures
1.MELT butter in a heavy sauce pan. Add red onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add white wine and reduce by 3/4. Add tomatoes and heavy cream, bring to a simmer and reduce by 1/2.
2.PUREE soup in a food processor. Stir in 2 Tbsp chopped basil, salt and pepper.
3.GARNISH with remaining fresh basil and tomatoes and serve.

2 good recipes and 1 terrible one in the same week

When I discovered my wheat flour was full of bugs, I tried making Mike some rye pancakes. I got the recipe from Mr. Breakfast, which is otherwise a great website. However, whether operator error or the fault of the recipe, my rye pancakes had a hockey-puck quality that filled the stomach and not much else.

BUT, I found 2 amazing recipes on the Olive Garden web site. The tomato soup is quick, cheap and delicious. The beef recipe is a little pricey (for me the beef was $12, but that's still a lot cheaper than going out to eat at a nice restaurant) but we couldn't stop groaning with pleasure as we ate it. So here you are:

Beef Filets in Balsamic Sauce
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serving Size: 4 8 12

Ingredients
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, medium and sliced thin
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 fresh rosemary sprigs, finely chopped (I didn't have any and used dried.)
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup beef broth
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 beef tenderloin filets (6 oz each)
1 dash parsley, finely chopped
Rosemary sprig, for garnish

Procedures
1.HEAT oil and butter in large saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions, salt, and pepper.
2.COOK 10 minutes or until caramelized (softened and golden brown), stirring frequently.
3.ADD wine, broth, vinegar and chopped rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half.
4.RUB beef filets with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grill to preferred temperature.
5.PLACE grilled filets on a large platter; top with sauce. Garnish with parsley and rosemary.

I can't get to the tomato soup recipe right now, but I'll post it soon.

Vertigo is not always a bad thing

I just looked up the definition of vertigo in one of my prized possessions--a reproduction of Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English language. Vertigo = giddiness; dizziness or swimming of the head; an affection of the head, in which objects appear to move in various directions, though stationary, and the person affected finds it difficult to maintain an erect posture.

This time of year can easily become overly-packed and stressful. For me this means report cards, students half-crazed with the nearness of vacation and Christmas, online shopping, and church events. But for you, my dear daughters-in-law, I know it is even more frenzied.

Today I am home trying to ward off severe vertigo by dealing with it at the medium stage where the world isn't spinning, but jolting around a bit. Usually a day in bed with a lot of reading heads it off.

And I'm struck by the blessings of a totally quiet day. Mike is out of town. (Although I do wish he were here.) Reading the psalms quiets my soul. Reading a delightful young adult book feeds my writer's eye as I enjoy the deft writing. I haven't even opened my mouth to speak to anyone. Sometimes in the midst of frenzy we need a tranquil pool. Vertigo knocked my legs out and gave it to me, perhaps you can choose it somehow, in some creative way.

See the full PicLit at PicLits.com

Classic Julia Child. Classic Omelettes.

I watched this video that someone posted on Facebook, and when I tried it we thought they were terrific! Normally I make a different kind of omelet, but you've got to try these.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

I don't usually make movie recommendations, and I haven't even seen the whole thing, but this sounds hysterical!

Family Wedding Last Night

Translating

Last night we went to the wedding of our cousin--Emily Goss--to an Ecuadorian named Alex. We had so much fun as we hosted Emily's family here for the week of the wedding. I even talked Walter, Sharon, and Sara into giving a talk to my class about berry farming. P.S. You can become a fan of Goss Berry Farm on Facebook!

Hanging Out With Nate and Tessa

Nate, Tim, and Mike using a few on the golf course.
Lobsters on the deck.

Teegan and Sydney do Hannah Montana.

Mike and Nolin at the Kindergarten program.

With Erin and Kevin

At Tim and Kelly's

Left to right: Brooke, Lyndsy, Keanu, Jazmin, Shawnee, Tim, Kelly, Mike, Jeremiah, and Sue

Shawnee's Shaking It!

Lyndsy's New Song!

The Best Lasagna I've Ever Eaten by our very own Italian Kelly (Capello) Stevens

For 9 x 11 panfull.

46 oz. ricotta cheese

Mix in a bowl with:

1 egg

salt and pepper

parsley

basil

a few shakes of cinnamon (Grandma Capello's secret ingredient)

and enough spaghetti sauce to make it spreadable.

Layer with cooked lasagna noodles, meat (good with pepperoni and cooked hamburger), mozzarella, spaghetti sauce, and ricotta. Finish with mozzarella. Bake until hot in the middle covered with foil and then remove foil and brown the top.

To-die-for Buffalo Chicken Dip from Tessa Stevens

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz. hot sauce (Texas Pete's or Frank's suggested)

8 oz. cream cheese

12 oz. Ranch dressing

Shredded chicken

Mix all ingredients together except for 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top. Bake in a 9x13 dish at 350 for 30 minutes.

Stuffed Mushrooms from Tessa Stevens

24 medium mushrooms
6 T butter
1 small onion chopped
1 t minced garlic
3 T Parmesan cheese
2 t parsley
1 C seasoned stuffing

1. Remove stems from mushrooms and chop.


2. Melt 2 T butter. Brush mushroom caps and place in baking pan.


3. Melt rest of butter, and saute chopped mushroom stems, onion, and garlic.


4. Stir in cream cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley and stuffing mix. (make sure the stuffing mix is in small crumbs0


5. Spoon into mushroom caps, put mozzarella cheese on top.


6. Bake for 10 minutes in 425 degree oven.

If you're a slacker and you know it clap your hands . . .

. . . CLAP! CLAP!

Yes, I know. I've been a terrible slacker. To tell you the truth, Marietta's death knocked the wind out of me.
News tidbits:
Haven't been doing much as the dizzies are keeping me down.
Finished my online course yesterday morning and so I'll be able to keep my certification.
We finish school next Friday. Before then I have a field trip, report cards to write, 5th grade graduation, and awards day. Not to mention taxes and writing and printing a newsletter before we leave for the states on next Saturday.
Tentative travel schedule:
1st three weeks in June: New England - Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire & Mass.
Last week in June and 1st week in July: Baltimore for convention and Annapolis for Mary's wedding
2nd and 3rd week in July: Florida/South Georgia
4th week in July: Atlanta
5th week in July: Florida/South Georgia

I Think You'll Enjoy This

This is quite interesting! There are more of these on You Tube. Just look up "Your Brain and You." I think there's part 1 - 6. I've read Dr. Leaf's book about the brain and found it life-changing to understand how the brain works and connect it to Scripture.

No recipes lately

You've probably noticed the lack of recipes lately. There's a reason for that . . . gastritis. But I recently decided to try to develop some interesting recipes that I can eat. I'm tired of oatmeal and eggs. So...soon to come, some bland food gone gourmet.

Self-reliance

I read a book last week called The Anybodies. (I'm always trying to keep up with my children's book and young adult book reading for school.)

Anyhoo, I came across this quote, "Sometimes you need to dig down deep, to rely on your own resources. This is a very American thing, self-reliance. Our forefathers and our foremothers, and, for that matter, our foreaunts and foreuncles, would say that self-reliance is a cornerstone of something or other."

Is that true or what? On a more scholarly note, I read last night in a cultural survey that the United States receives the highest ranking of ANY nation as far as self-reliance.

On one hand that kind of makes me puff up a little proudly, on the other hand I know that in God's plan we are to be dependent on him and not self-reliant. We are also supposed to be inter-dependent with one another in the Body of Christ.

It makes me think of the times I've heard you say - and recently - why didn't she call me for help? I've heard you say it about one another. We are too gol-danged self-reliant -- and I'm talking to me too. The end.

Highlights of my visit home

Lice and Object Lessons

Every Sunday at church I give an object lesson for the children - a spiritual lesson using concrete objects to help them understand the concept. I've been thinking a bit about lice (and you all KNOW why lice have been on my mind).

I think that if I used lice as an object lesson, I would use them as a concrete example of those "sins that so easily beset us." An example of those sins that we fall back to again and again and are so difficult to get rid of.

I don't know what yours is, but I know what mine is. In order to get rid of them, it's going to take a super-awareness of them, a dedication to do everything it takes to get rid of them, and - of course - a dependence upon God.

By the way, this is the least-disgusting photo I could find relating to lice. I think if we were as disgusted by our "comfortable" sins as we are by lice, we would get rid of them in a big hurry!

Anticipation

I am just shaking with anticipation!

Temperature

I was reading the other day that we can take the temperature of our Christian walk by checking our gratitude level. Do we get out of bed each day grumbling or grateful? (A little of both, probably.)

God gives us so much grace. We receive so much that we do not deserve. I read that gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lightning.

What a difference it makes in our attitude if we look for things to be grateful about rather than things to grumble about. A lesson written for me. If you can benefit too, so be it.

One More Recipe - a Grandma Tommy Oldie but Goodie!

Oatmeal Cake

This is the easiest cake I've ever made. Takes about 10 minutes to throw together and 30 minutes to bake. If you suddenly remember you need to take dessert for a crowd, this is the one you need to throw together. I've been craving it lately, as I've made it for several events and more people showed up than expected (a nice problem to have) and I had to cut it into teeny-tiny servings so that everyone could have some.

Boil 1 3/4 cups water

Add 1 cup oatmeal

Add 1 stick of butter and stir until melted

Add: 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 1/2 cup flour.

Mix well and pour into greased 9" x 13" pan.

Cover raw cake with mixture of:

1 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons (1/2 a stick) of butter

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup coconut

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

It's Been a Great Recipe Week - 3 winners in one week: Classic Roast Beef and Gravy, Tandoori Chicken, and The Best Fried Pork Chops Ever!

I know you've probably made at least two of these three recipes. What makes the roast beef good is that it is a cheap cut of beef relatively speaking. The pork chops are simply amazing.

Classic Roast Beef and Gravy

This was delicious and made with a pretty cheap cut of beef. The next day we had hot roast beef sandwiches with the leftovers. Yum! The key to this - as to many other recipes - is having a meat thermometer. The gravy is good, although if you're in a hurry you could substitute gravy from a packet and still have a good meal.

1 - 4 pound top sirloin roast (salt it with 2 teaspoons salt, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 24 hours.)
When ready to cook, unwrap, rub dry, and rub with 1 teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large pan, and brown meat all over. (Don't worry if it burns and sticks to the pan a bit, this will make the gravy taste GREAT.) Transfer to oven preheated to 275 degrees and cook until meat thermometer registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make gravy:
Chop (I used my food processor):
8 ounces white mushrooms
2 onions
1 carrot
1 celery rib
Cook in large pan that you browned the meat in - you may have to add a little oil - until mushrooms are golden and veggies are browned.
Add:
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 minced garlic cloves
1/4 cup flour
Cook for about 2 minutes
Stir in:
1 cup red wine
4 cups beef broth
Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened.
Then strain out the bits and add 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Voila!

Tandoori Chicken

Oh my gosh, is this amazingly good! We were making a lot of moaning noises as we ate this one. The next night I made the leftovers into chicken salad. It was amazingly good too. I know you have to pick up a weird spice or two, but it's worth it!

2 tablespoons oil

4 garlic cloves minced

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (I keep fresh ginger frozen in the freezer. It's easy to peel with a potato peeler and grate when it's frozen.)

1 tablespoon garam masala

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 cup plain yogurt

4 tablespoons juice from 2 limes

2 teaspoons salt

3 pounds chicken parts (I used boneless skinless breasts because this is how I'm used to getting it from my favorite Indian restaurant in Quito - but any parts with skin removed will work.)

Heat oil in small skillet. Add garlic and ginger and cook for one minute. Add garam masala, cumin, and chili powder, continue to cook until fragrant 30 - 60 seconds longer. (Ross taught me that this process makes the spices "bloom".)

Divide spice mixture into two bowls.

In medium bowl - add yogurt and 2 tablespoons lime juice to mixture.

In large bowl - add 2 tablespoons lime juice and salt to mixture.

Score chicken lightly with knife, then gently massage this spice mixture into the chicken until all pieces are evenly coated. Let stand at room temp. for 30 minutes.

Now, pour yogurt mixture over chicken, and mix well. Then place chicken pieces on a wire rack set on a foil covered pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 - 25 minutes (until breasts reach 125 degrees and other pieces reach 130 degrees). Remove from oven.

Heat broiler and put chicken under the broiler for 8 to 15 minutes until breasts are about 165 degrees and other pieces are about 175 degrees and pieces have started to char a little bit.

Serve with rice.

Best Fried Pork Chops Ever!

I am not a big fried food person...but I could easily become addicted to these. They're not for those who need low cholesterol food. The key is to cook them in bacon fat and to double-dip the coating.

4 bone in pork chops (slice the fat in a few places on each one so they don't curl up)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix spices together and rub on pork chops

1 cup flour

Dredge pork chops in flour

3 slices bacon (I used a whole package of bacon and then made a salad from it)

Fry bacon, leave grease in pan, remove bacon and reserve for other use.

Dip pork chops in flour again just before frying.

Add 1/2 cup oil to bacon drippings and heat.

Fry pork chops about 3-4 minutes on each side.

I used the bacon to make a salad: crumbled bacon, cut up tomatoes, 1 package crumbled goat cheese, with a dressing made of yogurt and mayo. Oh my gosh it was heaven with the pork chops.

In smaller bowl,

Yippee...Tickets Bought

I fly in late Friday, February 20th and fly out mid-afternoon Sunday, March 1st. I'll e-mail the flight details right away!

Conflict Resolution

This is our fourth year in Guayaquil - tenth in Ecuador. And for the last four years we've had a low-key battle about night-time temperatures. We solved our problems in Quito with a dual control electric blanket - actually, that was Grace's solution and blanket. Mike and I don't think that creatively.

When we were preparing to marry we met with P. Ken and Norma Asplund for counsel - among others. I remember something Norma said, "Solve your problems. If one of you squeezes the toothpaste tube in the middle and the other neatly rolls it up from the bottom, don't fight about it. Buy two tubes of toothpaste!"

We're kind of slow on this kind of conflict resolution. After three years of battling over air-conditioning at night (I didn't want it cause it blows in my head and Mike did want it.) it FINALLY dawned on me last week to move the bed to a place where the air doesn't hit my head. Duh! Just in time. The rainy season - summer here - just started, and we were not off to a good start in the cold war department. But thanks to Norma Asplund, we're sleeping well.

Living The Good Life: Años Viejos, Pyromaniacs, and Fireworks...Oh My

I've been wanting to tape New Year's Eve for some years now for you all. It's quite a spectacle here. Well, I fell asleep around 10pm with cotton stuffed in my ears and the fan and the air conditioner on high. BUT, my friend Danielle and her husband David, who live in our neighborhood, DID tape it. Please, please, click on this and scroll down to the video: Living The Good Life: Años Viejos, Pyromaniacs, and Fireworks...Oh My

Sometimes it Pays to Listen

Mike and I just got back after a few days at the beach.We packed the computer, lots of DVDs, tons of books, bathing suits, and off we went.

We knew the beach was busy this time of year, but we had no idea that when people said it was busy they meant this busy! We got to our first beach after two hours, had a relaxing lunch at the first hotel that told us they were full. Then we worked our way up the coast stopping at EVERY hotel and hosteria. All full. We were pretty much identifying with Joseph and Mary. SEVEN hours and many hostals and hosterias later, we found a room. At that point we didn't even ask the price. Didn't care. Ocean front. Lovely beaches. Lovely rooms. Monkeys and parrots scampering through the palms. Horses neighing in stalls that looked like they were straight out of Zorro. Sigh. Here's a few photos. You should be able to see the monkey if you zoom in.