52 Living: Baby Face

MORE Crazy Cuteness!

Crazy Cuteness

Can you resist that smirk?Well, if YOU had a niece like mine you might go crazy too! 

The Spontaneous Activities of Summer: Hiking

Sixteen Miles. 8 miles UP and another down. All in one day. All in summer heat. All with good company and a bit of pain. So goes the adventure story of sis and I ( as well as the 3 other friends that accompanied us). You can read more of the gory details on Middle Sis's blog here, but mean while, here are some quick photos from the trek. 

While much of the hike was NOT shaded, our timing was just right so that we came upon this lovely woodland, shady spot at lunch time. It was perfect. If only I knew then how much farther I would have to go! So glad I didn't!

The view from the top

I know it ain't pretty, but I just had to simply say "I was dirty"  doesn't do the dirt or myself justice. Take a look at my feet right after I removed my shoes, before they got sprayed with the hose.  Yes, the bright white is my natural skin color. 

I am almost too ashamed to admit it but this hike sparked more pain in my ligaments than I have ever experienced in my life!  Needless to say I took a delicious soak in the bath almost immediately upon entering my house.  There was not much rest for me the next day...I ended up working 10 hours at the Farmers Market.  I was waddling and limping around a little but I made it to the end of the day. 
It was certainly one of those unforgettable summer memories. 

Food Fact Friday: Vegetarian Fare

One of my latest summer projects has been to try new healthy recipes.  Boy did I sure hit the jackpot when I found The Gormet Vegetarian Slow Cooker. by Lynn Alley I was first introduced to this book via our newspaper's food column which praised it highly for it's tasty recipes and the little effort it took to prepare them.  So far I have tried 3 and all of them have been successful.

Admittedly, I was nervous of even introducing the name of this book to my family, especially considering that they are hard-core carnivores. While I myself am not a vegetarian, I was afraid that my culinary endeavor to bring more veggies to our table would be looked at askance. So when my dinner night came around in which I prepared Polenta Lasagna with Tomato Mushroom Sauce) I broke it to my family gently. “I am going to try an new crock pot recipe” I said. Later during dinner when they gave their approval I uttered the name of the book and added, “it is actually vegetarian” (implying that not all main dishes dominated by veggies are yucky).

My second recipe (the Cauliflower Enchilada with ) I tried out at the church potluck (a dangerous thing to do, especially at a small church where you can’t claim ignorance as to whose crock pot “that stuff” came out of!). Despite having to improvise with the ingredient a bit the result was delicious and I had several requests for the recipe.

So you meat-lovers out there, try these recipes! Just because they come from a “vegetarian” cookbook doesn’t mean they all include tofu. Do what I did and check out the cook book at the library if you can. 

Note regarding the following recipe...

If you can just use the store-bought tomato sauce and spare yourself the work of making it in the crock pot.   If this is your situation then simply skip the first part of this recipe and go straight to the "polenta" and "lasagna" parts of the recipe.

POLENTA LASAGNA WITH TOMATO-MUSROOM SAUCE


For most of us, the mention of lasagna conjures up mouthwatering images of rich tomato sauce I~ered with rich cheeses and thin noodles. But a type of lasagna can also be made using polenta rather than pasta. In this polenta lasagna, the old familiar formula appears, but the packaging (polenta instead of lasagna noodles) is new. I recom¬mend making the tomato sauce a d~ ahead of time, and possibly having two slow cookers on hand so that you can pour the polenta quickly from one into the other.



Tomato-Mushroom Sauce
4 pounds flavorful tomatoes

1 ounce dried porcini or cremini mushrooms

2 tablespoons plus 1{4 cup olive oil (preferably a high-quality, fruity olive oil)

1{2 yellow onion, finely chopped 6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Basic Polenta
1 cup polenta 5 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

To make the sauce, using a paring knife, cut a cross in the stem end of each tomato, then drop them into a pot of boiling water. When the skins begin to come loose, carefully remove the tomatoes from the water with a skimmer, allow them to cool slightly, and then peel off the skins. Chop the tomatoes very coarsely and place them in the insert of the slow cooker.


Rinse the dried mushrooms, then soak them in a small bowl in about I cup of water for 30 minutes. Lift out the softened mushrooms, leav¬ing any grit behind, and squeeze the excess liquid out of them. Add the mushrooms to the tomatoes.


Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet and saute the onion until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for about I min¬ute longer, then add the mixture to the insert. Cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Stir in the remaining olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. The sauce can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated in a covered container.


To make the polenta, combine the polenta, water, and salt in a clean slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, or until the polenta is creamy and the grains are tender. Stir once or twice during cooking.

 

Lasagna

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, if possible)
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
6 large fresh basil leaves, rolled like a cigar, then thinly sliced into strips
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 to 4 cloves garlic
1 cup ricotta cheese


To make the lasagna, oil the inside of a slow cooket' insert (this is when having two slow cookers comes in handy!) and prepare and set out the other ingredients so assembly will be quick and easy.

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the Parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, basil, nutmeg, and pepper using your clean hands. In a small bowl and using a garlic press, press the garlic into the ricotta cheese and mix thoroughly.



When the polenta is done cooking, pour half of it into the bottom of the oiled slow cooker insert, carefully smoothing it into a neat layer. Next, carefully pour I cup of the sauce over the polenta, trying not to disturb it. Sprinkle half of the Parmesan-mozzarella mixture over the sauce, and then drop balls of ricotta over the cheese, using all of the ricotta. Carefully spoon in the remainder of the polenta, trying not to disturb the cheese-tomato sauce layer, then top the layer of polenta with the remaining cheese.




Cover and cook on low for about 2 hours, or until all the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot all the way through.


Allow to set for about 15 minutes after turning off the slow cooker. The portions may not come out set as perfectly as they would from a regular lasagna pan, but the contents will be colorful and delicious. This is another one of those dishes that is just as good the day after!

SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: Anything, just as long as it is red and dry. I can think of all sorts of wines I would enjoy with this dish: California Zin, Barbera, Chianti Classico, or super Tuscan (when I can get it).

~*Recipe form The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Lynn Alley*~

Baby Day!

On August 17th , my first precious niece was born!  What a praise for God's kindness! 

52 Living: Floating Flowers

Those who have sniffed the perfume of Gardenias

have smelled the fragrance of heaven

A Prayer of Longing

One of my new "favorite friends" whom I am getting better acquainted with during my morning devotions is The Valley Of Vision.  What a gem of a book it is!  It is not uncommon for my soul to be both smitten and comforted when reading these prayers of the puritans who lived so long ago.  

Several weeks ago, I was struggling to trust the Lord over a particular issue...the issue of where I am in my life journey.  I would generally consider myself contented with the lot God has so graciously given me, yet this particular week I felt burdened with unbelief at God's promises. I read God's Word and prayed back the Scripture I  had been memorizing.  The sincerely of heart just wasn't there.  It wasn't coming from within me.

So I wrote out a prayer, my own psalm of sorts.   This undertaking proved to be such a release for me.  A release to rest.

All of the prayers in The Valley Of Vision have titles (which were given only for the convenience of publication).  At first it seemed like my own petition should be entitled " the Prayer of a Single Woman"  yet I realized the heart-cry of these lines transcends the specifics of circumstances and addresses the various situations of any longing.  You have my permission to print it up if you wish, cutting out the lines that don't apply and adding ones that do.  Soli Deo Gloria. 

Lord, forgive my sin of not trusting You for my future happiness and my sense of worth and value. Lord, in surrendering my fears to You I give up nothing but unhappiness, I loose naught but a restless spirit that is crippled to do Your Kingdom purposes. I am robbed of nothing except that which would pilfer my joy and sour my gratitude, making my life a stench. Thank You for this season in my life. Your seeming withholdings, Your “waits” are Divine gifts and opportunities.




It is not because you can’t,


Or that you aren’t good enough,


Or because my inadequacies or lack of the World’s measure of charm hinder You.


It is not because You delight in withholding good things from me


Nor that you are trying to taunt me.


It is not because you want to mock me or because You are angry with me.



It is because you love me.


Because You are carefully shifting and organizing the various pieces of circumstances, life goals and hearts to fulfill Your plan.


Because Your Kingdom purposes would not be as ripe as evident than if I had waited.


Because You wish to teach me that You are good.


Because You wish to show me Your sufficiency.



Because You desire that I come to You for the fulfillment of ALL my needs and longings.


Because You wish me to “acknowledge You” and not “lean on my own understanding.”


Because You want my heart to grow, to see the bigness of God and His care.


Because You want to teach me to rejoice with those who rejoice.


Because You desire that patience have it’s perfect work in me.


Because You want me to serve wholeheartedly in a capacity I would not otherwise be able to do.


Because you desire me to stay longer under my parents roof, in order that I might learn, serve and bless them specifically.


Because You want to teach me that the “Shalls” of Psalm 37 and other promises of the Bible are certain and true.


Because the lessons of today’s season are preparing me for the next and if I were to rush into that upcoming season I would be unfit for its tasks and for service.


Because You want me to worship.

Cathryn  2010

52 living: Saved for Salsa

Squished and mushed but free. These were the discards from work which I saved.

Farm fresh and fantastic!

More Card Making

Last Thursday Middle Sis, her college friend and I all had a impromptu “crafting party”. We busted out the new rubber stamp set I had just purchased (on sale mind you… that is the only way to get those things at a decent price), ink, pretty paper, scissors, hole punches etc. The kitchen table looked like a bomb had gone off in a Michaels Craft Store. And a bomb had gone off! The bomb of creativity had exploded and the evidence of it displayed itself in the work of our hands. While I don’t have pix of the other Craft Warriors creations, I had a few of mine.

I also made a brilliant discovery that night…cheap tracing paper works like velum. Try it if you don’t believe me. Just know that some inks don’t absorb into the paper as others.

These are good for itty bitty Encouragement or Thank You notes. Also great as gift tags!

Envelopes look good stamped too!

I couldn't help but also try out designing a card using one of the stickers I also got on sale!

52 Living: When nothing but some "crunch" will do