Bread for the Journey - Be Exalted Oh God

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalm 57:9-11

Donut Muffins

Donut muffins, they taste of cake donuts and muffins combined in one. They are good rolled in a sugar and cinnamon mixture or drizzled with a glaze while still warm, extra special if you do both.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. In a medium size bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and stir until combined.
4. Spoon batter into a lightly greased muffin tin.
5. Bake in a 425º oven for 16 minutes or until golden in color.
6. Remove from oven, cool for approximately 2 or 3 minutes, just until you can handle them.
7. Roll donuts in sugar/cinnamon mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Or dip tops of muffins in melted butter and then into cinnamon/mixture or drizzle with a glaze.
8. Yield: 12 muffins

Beef Stew

 

Stew is one of those old fashioned comfort foods that most people grow up having strong feelings about. I have always loved the flavor of slow cooked or roasted vegetables in a flavorful sauce - especially with a crusty bun to sop up the juices with. The nice thing about a meal such as this is that it's a great meal to make ahead and tastes better every time it gets re-heated. Much like soup. I got my stew beef recipe from my mom who always made it on the stove.  My friend, Doris told me that she makes hers in the roaster in the oven and I liked that idea because you can pretty well ignore it once it's in the oven. So, go ahead and try this recipe, either in a large pot on your stove, in your Dutch oven, or roaster in your oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 - 2 pounds stewing beef
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 - 1 1/2  teaspoons salt
• good shake of pepper
• paprika
• 2 tablespoons flour if cooking in the oven
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 small sweet pepper, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2-3 potatoes, cubed
• ½ large head of cabbage, chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2-3 heaping tablespoon tomato paste  mixed with 1 cup water  OR
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 bay leaf

Method:

If cooking on stove top:

1. Trim and cut stewing beef into small, bite size pieces. Brown in oil, cooking and stirring as needed, for about ten minutes or until juices are gone. Add seasonings.
2. Once the meat is browned and begins to sizzle, add onion and stir, cooking until onion is soft.
3. Add water to cover beef and let simmer for about an hour. Add more water as needed to make sure it's cooking in a bit of liquid. Lid should be on with room for steam to escape.
4. Add all of the vegetables, except for the peas.
5. Mix tomato paste with 1 cup water and pour over the vegetables. Add bay leaf. Cook for another hour. Stir as needed and make sure there is always some liquid at the bottom.
6.  Add peas for last 15 minutes of cooking. Adding a flour/water mixture to thicken juices is optional.

If cooking in the  oven:

1. Spray Dutch Oven or roasting pan with cooking spray. 
2. Trim and cut beef into small bite size pieces. Put in roaster. 
3.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and flour to coat lightly.  Drizzle with a little olive oil, stir. Roast open at 400° F for ½ hour. 
4. Add chopped vegetables, tomato sauce and bay leaf. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Cover with lid and bake another 1 ½ hours, adding peas near the end.
5. You may want to check it in between to see if there is enough liquid to your liking.  Add more water if you like it runnier.

Quick and Easy Banana Cream Pie

This is the recipe I reach for when I want to make a quick dessert 

that will be guaranteed to please my guests. 

You can adapt this recipe by making your own custard filling but

 I find the Jello Cooked Pudding mix works just fine.

For the Graham Cracker crust:

• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/ 1/2 cups graham wafer crumbs
• 1- 2 tablespoons sugar.

For the Custard filling:

• 1 package Jello Cooked pudding mix
• 2 3/4 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Additional ingredients:

• 2-3 large bananas peeled
• 1 pint whipping cream
• 1-2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Reserve about 1/2 cup crumbs and press remaining crumbs into 9 or 10 inch pie plate.
3. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
4. In a large bowl or glass 8 cup measure, stir pudding mix with milk, blending well with whisk. 
5. Microwave a minute at a time, stirring well each time until mixture begins to thicken and bubble. 
6. Add butter and vanilla, stirring well. Let it cool, stirring every few minutes while you prepare the bananas.
7. Cut 2 or 3 large bananas into 1/2 inch slices and arrange on the bottom and around the sides of the graham crust. 
8. Pour warm custard filling over bananas and refrigerate until filling is completely cold.
9. Whip one pint of Whipping cream  icing sugar and vanilla. 
10. Spread over custard and sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Refrigerate until serving.

Tacosagna

Here is a recipe that is a perfect mid week night dinner. Quick and easy while you are rushing off to the next soccer game or music lesson.
It comes together quickly. Can be assembled ahead of time and baked when needed.

• 1 package of 6" soft tortilla (8 in a package)
• 2 pounds of lean ground beef or chicken / turkey
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 - 19 ounce / 540 ml can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 jar (about 2 cups) of medium salsa
• 4 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt (I used 1/4 cup of each)
• 2 cups low fat shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar Cheese or a combination of both (whatever kind you have on hand)

1. Brown the beef with the onion and green pepper drain the fat if needed.
2. Add the taco seasoning, water, beans, corn and salsa.
3. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. In a 9 x 13 inch pan layer a bit of salsa, tortilla shells, sour cream mixture, cheese, beef, and continue with repeating the layers. It should give 4 layers.
5. Top with the final amount of cheese.
6. Bake in 350 oven for 20-30 minutes and all the cheese is bubbly and melted.
7. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
8. Serve with a fresh crisp salad.

Oatmeal and Walnut Gingersnaps

With the kids back at school after the holidays, it's a good day to put a simple drop cookie into the freezer for those lunches.  I love this gingersnap that has oatmeal and walnuts added in for texture and nutritional value.  It's a recipe that gets repeated requests at our home.  It's a big batch making about 100 cookies so there is plenty for the freezer and some to share.

• 1 1/2 cups room temperature butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups large flake oatmeal
• 2 cups finely chopped walnuts
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• sugar to roll cookie balls in

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Cream together butter and sugar with a stand mixer until light.  Add in eggs, one at a time and then molasses.  Beat together to combine.
3. Stir together dry ingredients and then slowly add to creamed mixture.
4. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to make handling the dough easier. 
5. Use a small spring loaded ice cream scoop or form small 1 inch balls.  Roll balls into sugar and arrange on greased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.  They will flatten so there is no need to press them down. 
6. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and cool on wire racks. 

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad

Our family loves this salad and it goes so well with meals where I would typically make coleslaw.  The dressing is a bit sweet and a bit tangy and it keeps well a few days if you keep the noodles separate from the salad except for the portion you know will be eaten in one day. 

• 1 head Savoy Cabbage
• 10 ounce / 284 grams package matchstick carrots (or about 2 cups)
• 2 packages ramen instant noodles (I prefer Sapporo Ichiban)
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup fresh garden chives, finely chopped

Dressing

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/3 cup liquid honey
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 package ramen noodle seasoning

1.   Break noodles apart in the package and toast them along with the almonds in a 425 F oven for about 10  minutes, stirring occasionally,  until lightly browned. Set aside.  
2. Combine the remaining salad ingredients and toss to combine.
3. Combine dressing ingredients in a glass jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.  The salad can be dressed ahead of time but do not add the noodles/almonds until just before serving or they will lose their crunch. 

Hint ~ To make a meal out of the salad, add some protein such as grilled, sliced chicken. 

Bread for the Journey

The beginning of a new year always is an inspiration to try new things or do things differently. Things in our world change. People and relationships change. My weight has changed. It's a comfort to know that the truth of God's Word never changes. The Word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:6-8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

A passage I'm leaning on right now is from Psalm 19, concentrating on these sections:

The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

Day unto day utters speech,

And night unto night reveals knowledge.

...

The Law of the Lord is perfect,

converting the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure,

making wise the simple;

The statutes of the Lord are right,

rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

The fear of the Lord is clean,

enduring forever;

The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, 

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them Your servant is warned,

And in keeping them there is great reward.

...

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Asian Lettuce Salad

Is salad season over?  It's never over in our house. I tasted this incredible salad at my sister in law's as I helped her prepare for her son's rehearsal dinner.  As I assembled it, I realized that this had the Asian flavors my family would love.  I served it on Thanksgiving day and it was finished off right to the last drop. This is one of those recipes that can be prepared ahead of time. 

Ingredients:

• 3 heads of romaine lettuce hearts
• 1 package Mr. Noodle (chicken flavor)
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds 
• fresh herbs (dill, mint, basil)

Method:

1. Cut romaine heads in half vertically and slice horizontally through the lettuce head.
2. Melt butter in skillet.
3. Crunch noodles and add the noodles with spices to the skillet.
4. Stir in nuts and seeds.
5. Stir fry slowly at low heat, till the ingredients turn golden brown.
6. Transfer to a container and refrigerate till needed.
7. Crumble nut mixture on top of lettuce bed, add fresh herbs and drizzle dressing prior to serving.

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons soya sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons. grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

 Mix ingredients in a container and pour over salad just prior to serving.

Butterhorns Gluten Free

Someone asked about gluten free Butterhorns on Lovella's recipe.  I agree they look sooo good !
I will never be totally satisfied with gf breads of any kind -- it is impossible to get the soft, stretchy chew of a good glutened 'bread'.  
But I am starting to not expect it and focus on trying  to produce a product that is good on its own, coming close to what is made in regular wheat kitchens.

This recipe for Butterhorns turned out quite nice -   They are best eaten shortly after coming out of the oven , or same day, but they freeze very well and can be taken from freezer, zapped in the microwave and served as good as fresh.

•  1/4 cup warm water 
• 1 tsp honey or sugar 
• 1 tsp unflavoured gelatin 
• 1 1/2 tbsp yeast
• 2 eggs 
• cottage cheese (to make 1 cup) 
• 1/4 cup melted butter 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum 
• 1/2 cup white bean flour 
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour 
• 1/2 cup millet flour 
• 1/2 cup potato starch 
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
• sweet rice flour for handling/rolling dough

1. Mix sugar gelatin and yeast -- add warm water , stir and let proof (about 10 minutes) 
2. Put 2 eggs in a cup and add cottage cheese to make 1 cup 
3. In mixer blend liquids including melted butter 
4. Blend together the dry ingredients 
5. Add dry ingredients to liquids and beat on high for a minute or two until dough is smooth and stretchy looking. 
6. Turn dough out on counter or pastry mat dusted with sweet rice flour. Knead lightly using only enough sweet rice flour to make dough easy to handle. 
7. Either roll out  or pinch off pieces to roll into a rope and then twist into bun circles.   You can check  out  step by step procedure photos on Lovella's recipe here .  --  This  gluten-free dough does handle quite well even though it won't have the 'stretch' of wheat dough.
8. If you wish to fill the centres with lemon butter before baking you can find Anneliese's  recipe here.. 
9. Place on parchment lined pan and let rise. 
10. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until browned. 
11. Drizzle with icing when removed from oven and sprinkle tops with toasted almond flakes if desired.