Hybrid Deliciousness

Some of our favorite people, the Goodlings, were coming over for lunch after church on Sunday and I was out of ideas. While thinking and distracting myself from the need to think of something and being disinterested in my usual go-to "company recipes," I checked my GoogleReader and came upon this one from one of my favorite food people SmittenKitchen. (Another delicious recipe of hers I posted is here.) I often forget the "magical powers" available when you use your crock pot. This recipe was good enough for me to want to make again within the week. We served it tostada style with pan fried corn tortilla, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, pickled onions (also a SmittenKitchen recipe), and all the usual taco extras. It was so good that it took Dre and I all day to clean up from lunch because every time we went back to the pot we ate more.

Southwestern Pulled Brisket

3 pounds beef brisket *I couldn't find brisket at Giant so I went with a roast instead.
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander *I didn't have this so I used Penzey's fajita seasoning.
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices
1 to 2 whole canned chipotle chiles en adobo (I used one; two will give it a real kick)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup molasses

In a pan lightly coated in olive oil: "Add garlic, onion, chili powder, coriander, and cumin to drippings in the skillet and stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add vinegar and boil until it’s almost gone (and seriously, get your head out of the way of the steam; inhaling vinegar is no fun!), scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in water and pour the mixture over the brisket. Crush the tomatoes through your fingers into the slow cooker; add the tomato juices, chipotles, bay leaves, and molasses. Cover the cooker, set it on LOW, and cook the brisket until it pulls apart easily with a fork, about 8 to 10 hours."

SmittenKitchen's original recipe called for browning the meat on all sides but to save time and because I couldn't find brisket and was using a roast instead I adapted the cooking technique a bit by combining with this one from AllRecipes. I froze the roast for a few hours (from when I got home from the store until when I pulled it out to cook it) instead of browning it on all sides. Then set my alarm for 3:30 am to get up and put the roast and pre-mixed flavoring combination into the crock pot and turned it on low. When we got home from church (second service) it was ready to go and unbelievably tender.

His Ways Are Higher

I read this on the Desiring God blog in my Reader this morning. I had to read it 2-3 times to "get it" but I think it's going to be one I consider often. We've been walking through an extended period of "waiting" and I'm grateful for regular reminders that we can trust that God knows the end of this season just as He knew the beginning and how He had already prepared us for it before we did. I'm so grateful that He is a God who condescends to us and draws us to Him through His Word. And grateful for men like John Piper and CS Lewis who remind us that our patience and obedience in trusting Him matter because they bring Him glory and make much of the gospel we have been forever changed by.

Reflecting on why God put Abraham's faith to the test by commanding him to offer his son, Lewis says,

'If God then is omniscient, he must have known what Abraham would do, without any experiment. Why then this needless torture?" But as St. Augustine points out, whatever God knew, Abraham at any rate did not know that his obedience would endure such a command until the event taught him: and the obedience which he did not know that he would choose, he cannot be said to have chosen. The reality of Abraham's obedience was the act itself; and what God knew in knowing that Abraham "would obey" was Abraham's actual obedience on that mountain top a that moment. To say that God "need not have tried the experiment" is to say that because God knows, the thing known by God need not to exist. (The Problem of Pain, 101)

Advent, Part 2

It's not that Andree is a Grinch. He really likes Christmas. Well, he really likes presents and special dinners. As he puts it he loves "the secular holiday of Christmas." Which I can appreciate. And I'm grateful he's enjoying and sharing the Advent Calendar with me every night before bed. However I think Pig and he might be secretly related after reading this in Pearls Before Swine yesterday.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls
makes 6

pizza dough (enough for a 12 to 16 inch pizza)
about 1/4 cup dairy free butter (softened) *I use Earth Balance and remember softened does not mean melted; you want it to be malleable but not liquid.
1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar
cinnamon
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
water

Roll out pizza dough to make a rectangle. Smear the butter over the dough and then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon making sure to leave about an inch of dough on one of the long sides. Starting the the long side that has sugar on it, roll the dough up. Slice the dough to make your rolls and place them cut side up in a 8 x 8 dish sprayed with cooking spray. Place in a cold oven* and then turn the oven on 375 degrees. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven. Next mix a tablespoon of water at a time into the powdered sugar to make a glaze. Pour the glaze over the rolls while they are still warm.

*Putting these in a cold oven gives them a little proofing time while the oven preheats. It cuts down on time and they puff up very nicely!
This recipe is from The Non-Dairy Queen food blog.

My personal execution was a little different than the directions called for. Because my dough (leftover from pizza with the Tirens on Sunday afternoon) was a little smaller than called for I wound up putting my cut rolls into a mini cupcake pan to bake. They were a little overcooked and probably could have only been baked for 15-20 minutes. (Our oven takes a while to preheat but once it's hot it's hot!) I also opted to make these the night before and hide them away in the fridge. I set my alarm and woke up before Dre to put these in the oven so that he was sent off to work on a Monday with a yummy treat. After all, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
These were simple, non-dairy, and delicious to both Dre and I. Win-win!

Frugal Christmas Decorating

My favorite decorations for Christmas are paper. I'm sure when I have a whole house to decorate (aka more than our little nest) I might feel differently but for now decorating with fun paper has been simple, attractive, and cheap. The last few three years I've used scraps of paper that I have (not quite sure why I have so much but I have tons of papers). This year I went to Michael's on Black Friday and got a pad of patterned paper by Amy Butler.

This year I made a length of Christmas paper chains, some paper ornaments, and some paper snowflakes to hang on the walls. I used almost entirely blues and greens and love the way they look. It's simple and it's pretty and it fits our little nest perfectly.

(Camera phone close-up on the paper chains.)

A Soup Even Dre Likes

I made a pot of this for my BFF Jan this week. Mrs. Nutter passed it along to me last winter since it sounded like a flavorful dairy-free recipe. I'd only made it once before yesterday but I think I'm going to have to start making it more often. My soup-hater of a husband even ate half a bowl!

Spicy Black Bean, Chorizo, and Turnip Green Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz (about 2 links) uncooked chorizo sausage, casings removed *I use whatever is cheapest or easily available. I’m thinking of trying this with ground turkey with additional seasonings to try and make it cheaper to do for the KG sometime.
• 1 to 2 tsp mild olive oil
• 1 small (3 oz) onion, minced (3/4 c.)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
• 15 to 16 oz canned black beans
• 1 medium (8-oz) potato, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/4 cups; may substitute 8 ounces of red potatoes)
• About 5 c. low-sodium or homemade chicken broth *I opt for 4 cups because especially when cooking for Dre any soup needs to have more “solid” than “liquid” in it.
• 8 oz (1 bunch) turnip greens (stems removed), cleaned and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-wide strips *I usually opt to use kale instead of course imagining I’m going to come up with all these other healthy and useful ways of incorporating it in my meal plan.

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a medium pot over medium heat. If the sausage is very lean, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the sausage meat, using a spoon to break up any large clumps. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the sausage pieces are lightly browned (they will not be cooked through).

2. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to paper towel-lined plate. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, adjusting the heat so the onion softens but does not brown. If the pan is dry, add 1 teaspoon of the oil.

3. When the onion is soft, add 1/4 teaspoon of the cumin, stirring to incorporate. Cook for 1 minute, then add the black beans, potato and 4 cups of the broth. Return the sausage pieces to the pot, crumbling them to the size of dried beans.

4. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a slow boil; taste and add cumin or salt as needed. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the potato pieces are just tender. Add the turnip green strips, stirring to combine. *Again, I use kale instead of turnip greens.

5. Add broth to achieve the desired consistency. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low so the soup is barely bubbling at the edges; cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the greens are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot. *I opt to leave the greens to add until I serve the soup. Once mixed in they quickly become tender and that way they aren’t left to get soggy in the leftovers.

From [WashingtonPost] In Season columnist Stephanie Witt Sedgwick

New Tradition: Advent + Countdown

After three years of marriage Andree and I are starting to give more thought to what we want to begin to have as our family's Christmas traditions. So far the biggest "tradition" we have is me pushing for a "real" tree and Dre selflessly wrestling with one and getting it in the stand and then watching football. One thing we've started this year is having a Advent calendar//countdown to Christmas.

I got the idea and layout from a template on the Giver's Log blog. (Full of tons of fun gifts ideas for every person you can think of! It's fun to just look at the fun collection of things she posts.) Under each flap I posted a portion of a verse from a list of suggested Advent readings. I cut the readings to only 24 and the countdown will end with my favorite "Christmas" verse.

(The calendar/countdown before Day-1 was read.)

I threw it together and made last minute changes so it's not perfect in appearance (and we found a verse last night where the reference and the passage did not match up). But it's a sweet minute together each night reading the verses. I'm so grateful Dre was willing to bless his little wifey by participating and being excited with me. I can't wait to have littles and I know I'll spend far too long trying to come up with the perfect calendar to use for them (maybe a trusty old classic pop-up like my mom had for Cynth and I).


I love the concept of Advent. I love the idea of remembering. Remembering that Christ really came to earth, came as a helpless infant; that He really interruppted history and lived amoung us as a man. God only intervened in this way in human history once and it's worth recalling the specialness of it and the purpose for which He came.

Different Translation. Helpful Truth.

I read this in The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges and found it both interesting and provoking. Bridges references the "Kenneth Wuest translation" of the Bible (he's someone who originally was a part of the team that created the New American Standard Bible). Sometimes hearing truth phrased a different way is very helpful to me.

2 Corinthians 5:14

"For the love which Christ has (for me) presses on me from all sides, holding me to one end and prohibiting me from considering any other, wrapping itself around me in tenderness, giving me an impelling motive."

ESV "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

Enchiladas Redux

Every Tuesday I get to cook for anywhere from about 8 to 15 of some of our closest friends. (Plus any who come after dinner and raid our fridge for leftovers or sandwich fixings.) It's quite a different kind of cooking than the usual cooking for two I do with just Dre and I in our little home. We both love being a part of the KG and learning about God with them. Making dinner for them and sometimes with them is just an added bonus in the year or so since we started doing "KG Dinner" before our meeting starts at 7:30.

I posted this recipe a while back but it's oh so yummy and with the food processor Grandpa and Grandma gave me for Christmas last year it was easy to multiply for a larger group. It's made an easy new baby meal to bring and is just all around tasty. My allergy has increased my enjoyment of tasty, simple, flavorful food that can be enjoyed just as well without dairy. (This could be converted to gluten free easily too if you changed the sauce--or made your own--and used corn tortillas instead of flour.) Plus since I have a less significant allergy to tomatoes and enchilada sauce is traditionally made with peppers and not tomatoes it's even better for my little silly tummy.

Mom's Chicken Enchiladas (Eating for Life cookbook)

Ingredients

• 4 portions chicken breast (approximately 1 lb.)
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 3 cans (10 oz. each) green enchilada sauce (red if you prefer)
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Boil chicken breasts.--Drain and cool but do not let them get too cold. While still warm shred chicken by pulling apart with two forks. Set aside. [This is when I put it in the food processor. When it's that much chicken, chopped is just as good as pulled.]
3. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add green onion, cilantro, and jalapeño; saute for 2 minutes. Add shredded chicken and 1 can of enchilada sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. About 5 minutes.
4. Pour the 2 remaining cans of enchilada sauce into a medium bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Dip each tortilla in the heated sauce and fill with about 1/8 of the chicken mixture. Roll up and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
5. Pour remaining heated sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes or less.

(Approximately 50 minutes. Creates 4 servings.)

Extra bonus of KG dinners? Miss TayTayBoomBoom makes dessert for us every week. I don't think I've made dessert since she joined the group after high school. It's a treat and something that everyone in our group has come to enjoy and expect when they see Taylor's face at the door.

Tay made a giant cookie with KG-memories written on it and also a pumpkin pie this week. She's the bomb.

Thanksgiving (5) Hope. Forever.

And finally, on Thanksgiving itself, we are so thankful for the eternal hope we have through the grace of God. There are so many rich quotes full of the truth of what that means and so many verses that I could use. One that struck me a few weeks back when I read it was the quote below. It's in a book that the history major in me is loving because it combines primary source documents with a few pages of preface for each section and traces the solidifying and defending the doctrine of Christ. I am so grateful that even in a world that despises God and often the belief in God that through His grace I know that He is real and I live for a life after this one and a world that I was made for where there will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more death. I just love the way this quote puts it as Ignatius defends against the idea that Jesus did not really come to earth as fully God and fully man.

"But as for me, I do not place my hopes in one who died for me in appearance, but in reality... He was crucified in reality, and not in appearance, not in imagination, not in deceit." Ignatius in "The Epistle to the Trallians'" quoted in For Us and For Our Salvation

Thanksgiving (4) Technology in 2009

It may seem like a small thing but on certain days I can't help but think of how different life would be without what I consider "modern technology." Life is so busy and full right now but at least for me and several of my friends the majority of our days are spent on the computer. The fact that I can "chat" my friends and still experience meaningful conversations that both challenge my heart, make me laugh, and keep us all in touch is such a unique part of the blessing of living in 2009. I can't imagine how much more I would miss Pate if there were no g-chat conversations or group chats with her and Rach or text messages to be shared to include her in Jan's labor. I can't imagine how much more I would battle with being a supportive and God-fearing wifey without being able to IM Jan on a rough day of battling my heart. I can't imagine how much farther away my little seester would feel without random texts back and forth and being able to know that she tells creepy guys that hit on her that her name is "Rebecca." (I'm flattered... I think?) I love being able to see what's going on with Diana via FaceBook or keep in touch and watch baby Lucy grow on Beth's blog.

Technology can be a distraction and an unhelpful one so much of the time. But at the same time there is much about it that I am grateful for and grateful for the tool that it can be for good things.

Thanksgiving (3) Care Group...Plural.

Goodness. Can we imagine our lives without the KG? I don't think so. I never would have expected, and I'm sure Dre couldn't either, what exactly leading a care group of 18 year old singles would be like. We never would have expected how these "kids" (:-P) have wiggled their way into our hearts, how much we love the ease with which they take over our home on Tuesday nights and eat our pickles, and the provoking way with which they are seeking to live their lives in a manner worth of the calling they have received (Ephesians 4). I never knew how dear the girls in particular would become to me. They are my friends; I love all 16 of them and love knowing each of them and living my life along side them. I love laughing 'til we cry in ladies meetings, meeting for lunches and coffees and random chat time in parking lots with them. Goodness. I am so grateful that God created this group and let us be a part of it. KG, we love you.

As care group leaders we get to be in a bonus care group: our marrieds care group led by Josh and Kelley Murphy. Again, we had no idea how much we'd fall in love with this group or be affected by the fellowship and help we've already received in it in just a few short months. The affect it has had on our marriage is going to be long-lasting I am certain of it. Some of my favorite times this fall have been laughing together at the kitchen table at the Murphy's and being challenged on the deck at their house as well. It's a joke in our group of friends to say that "God knows your size" meaning that God knows exactly what is best for you. This care group has truly been an expression of God's provision for us in knowing exactly "our size" for these months of waiting and wondering. There just aren't words for how grateful I am for this group and that we get to be a part of living life with these people. We love you guys.

Thanksgiving (2) Work

It's been a season of waiting and wondering what the future holds especially for my dear Andreecito. One way that God's provision has been very real and tangible has been in providing work for us.

I love my job. Working for and with the people of Sovereign Grace Church of Frederick has been a dream job I didn't know I had. My bosses are the best in the world who not only are skilled at their jobs but care about the people they serve and me. Mondays tend to be one of my favorite days of the week because I get to sit with them, laugh with them, and learn from them. It's certainly a unique situation working all together but from three separate locations but for now it has worked and I am grateful for how God has built this church. My job is certainly unusual in the fact that I work for a church I love but am not a member of and my job description is kind of an "all of the above" type of position but it has been such a wonderful, at times challenging, and fun job.

Dre has been faithfully pursuing work and possibilities " in the meantime" while we wait and I'm so challenged by his willingness to work at things that aren't his preference and get up each day and leave the house in order to faithfully provide. I'm so, so grateful to God that He has recently provided him with a job that he enjoys at the Montgomery Mall Apple Store.

Like the quote I posted last week said: "God’s grace has given wonderfully, but not wastefully; freely but not foolishly; bountifully but not blindly." And goodness. I am grateful for the provision of His grace evident through work and the enjoyment of work.

Thanksgiving (1) Each Other

After spending a full 24 hours with each other how we can we not start "Thanksgiving week" without expressing thankfulness for each other? I can't even put into words how much different marriage has been that I expected and I'm sure Dre did too. It's been way harder but so, so much richer and fun than I could have imagined. I am so grateful that in what God has ordered for our lives in the last year + of being "in between" and of waiting that I have had Andree to hold onto. He has been a tangible expression of God's goodness, provision, and love for me. The way he has specifically pointed me to the cross and to truth over the last few months has been one of the biggest helps in this "season."
It's been a busy few months and we're looking at more weeks ahead with little time together and little time for each other other than saying goodnight. We spend more time together when we're asleep than we do during the day--but hey at least we have that. :-) I'm so grateful for how hard my husband is willing to work to provide for us and to pursue work in a way that demonstrates grace-motivated diligence.
I love you darling. More and more every day. I'm so proud of the man you are and the man you desire to be. I respect you much and can't wait to be aware of how much more God has done in and through you next year.

we're anything brighter than even the sun
(we're everything greater
than books
might mean)
we're everyanything more than believe
(with a spin
leap
alive we're alive)
we're wonderful one times one
--e.e. cumming

I'm an Aunt!

I told Jan that if all I got for my birthday was a little Meeper I'd be happy. And she delivered. (No pun intended?) Goodness. I just can't stop saying how amazing tonight was. My friend was a champ and simply incredible. And little Audrey is beautiful. What an amazing, amazing experience being there tonight was.*

Love you Remy's--all 3 of you now!

*Special thanks to my patient hubby for letting go of his plans to surprise me in order to allow me to be there with my best friend welcoming her first little one into the world.