Dairy Free Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked White Rice (I used Jasmine rice, because that was all I had in my pantry at the time)
2 1/2 cups Almond Milk, divided
1/3 cup White Sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 Egg, beaten
2/3 cup Golden Raisins (if you don't like raisins, you can just leave these out)
1 Tbsp. Dairy Free Butter (I use Smart Balance or Earth Balance)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan; stir rice into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In a clean saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups almond milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 cup almond milk, beaten egg, and raisins; cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in dairy free butter and vanilla.

Pot Roast (gluten free!)

* 3-5 lb. roast (beef, preferably grass fed, organic)

* 1 onion, diced
* 1 bag fresh organic baby carrots
* 4 or 5 small potatoes, washed and peeled (optional)
* 1/2 lb. fresh green beans - or 1 small can of green beans
* 1/2 cup diced tomatoes - or 1 can of diced tomatoes
* 2 Tbsp. dairy free butter (if dairy isn't an issue, go with normal butter) 
* GF Seasoning (see recipe below cooking instructions)
* 1/2 cup gluten free Ketchup
* 1 cup water 

* Chipotle Tabasco(or any hot sauce), to taste 

1. Chop onion and place in bottom of crock pot. Sprinkle some flour (I use GF) on the onion.
2. Add some butter (1-2 tablespoons) and sauté until soft. Then place roast on top of onion.
3. Mix ketchup, hot sauce and seasoning blend. Stir into water, until blended well.
4. Cover and leave on high. Cut up potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, and add to pot, along with carrots.
5. Sprinkle more hot sauce on, to taste.
6. Turn on low and cook for 6 or more hours. The longer the better.
7. When done, pull meat out of crock pot and shred with knife.
8. Scoop veggies out of crock pot and pour on top of meat. Serve with mashed potatoes, if desired.

This recipe is VERY tasty, you will be surprised!!!!

Gluten Free Seasoning

(if gluten isn't an issue, a regular packet of McCormick Pot Roast Seasoning will do instead)

* 1 Tbsp. Minced Onion Flakes
* 1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
* 1 tsp. Black Pepper
* 1 tsp. Basil
* 1 tsp. Oregano
* 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash
* 1 tsp. GF Soy Sauce
* 1 Tbsp. GF Flour (I used Betty Crocker GF Bisquick)

Blend well with ketchup and hot sauce and water. Pour over roast.

Spiritual Entropy

Dear Readers,

This title of my blog post may have scared you away, and if so, I apologize. But if you are still reading, then I have nothing to worry about. You know me by now, that sometimes my blog consists of recipes, mommy moments, and heart to heart conversations. This is one of the latter.

I haven't posted a recipe in a while, and mainly because I have been too busy to try anything new in the kitchen. Since Thanksgiving, it has been a roller coaster of events and we have been hanging on for dear life, but also enjoying the ride along the way (what else are we to do when everything falls to pieces! Hang on to whatever is left. In our case, JESUS). Also, my mommy moments have been too embarrassing and extravagant to share. One of these days, I will. With homeschooling, potty training (STILL ... 2 years later oh help me God ...), and working on bad habits like thumb sucking, complaining, whining, sibling rivalry, hitting, disrespect, foul language, name calling ... I can't even begin to collect my thoughts on parenting.

But the one thing I am clear on, is my relationship with Jesus Christ. And that is what I want to talk about tonight.

Entropy ... anyone know what that means? Back in October, I was listening to a Skip Heitzig sermon on the radio while driving and was immediately convicted when he approached the topic of Spiritual Entropy. It is a messy concept. A quantitative measure. It is something hard to directly measure. Entropy is "the natural tendency of the universe to fall apart into disorder". In the bible, the word "entropy" means "shame". (1 Corinthians 6:5, 15:34). It is a shame the universe is disorderly by nature. However, what is more shameful, is when our Spiritual walk is disorderly by nature. God knows we are human. He created us that way. He knows that because of our failures, we need Him. Somewhere deep down inside of us, is that innate desire to get to know our Creator. To ask questions. To get answers. Who are we? Where did we come from? Where are we going?

The sad part is, when we feel we have the answers to those questions, we stay right there. We are content or complacent with the life we live. It works for us. It's easy. Why change? Why make it more difficult by switching it up, or seeking the unknown? Life is good. Life makes sense. Let's just stay in this place of contentment and survive. SERIOUSLY??????????? That thought process is the definition of Spiritual Entropy. Does life ever just "stay the same"? Heck no. It changes daily. Weekly. Monthly. Something happens. Someone we love passes away suddenly. We get injured and realize we don't have disability insurance. Our spouse loses his/her job. We can't afford our mortgage. Our car breaks down again and again. We are unhappy. The kids are whining all the time. Our house is never clean enough. THAT, my dear reader, is Spiritual Entropy. The natural tendency of the universe (my life) to fall apart into disorder.

GOD LOVES US TOO MUCH TO KEEP US THE WAY WE ARE. He wants to mold us, shape us, change us, excite us, perfect us, challenge us, and LOVE us .... in a way that keeps us wanting more. More of Him. More of life. More out of each day. Carpe Diem, but for Christ. Seize the day ... For God.  As a former vegetarian, this next statement is going to shock some of you. Think about steak. A delicious steak dinner. An expensive steak dinner. You are dressed up and out with your significant other, enjoying fine dining. You cut into that that steak with your knife and fork and remove a beautiful piece of that beautiful delicacy from the platter and into your mouth. You savor the taste as it goes down your throat and begins to digest in your stomach. Then you take another bite. You aren't thinking on how your stomach is working overtime to digest that steak. You are just enjoying it. Your hard work of picking the restaurant and making it to your reservation on time, is done.

 However, inside your body .... that steak is dissolving. It is transforming into your stomach, becoming one. It cannot pass through unless it is dissolved, digested, conformed to your stomach. The natural tendency of your body. The way God made it. Once that steak digests properly, ahhhhhh, you can breathe a sigh of relief, relax and fit in a few more bites before you realize you have no more room left and that feeling of "stuffed" sets in. Digestion. Dissolved. A natural tendency of your body, the way it was created. As Skip Heitzig says (and I got this analogy idea from him), "We are of most value when we are dissolved in Christ". Whoa. What??? He wants us to be one with Him. Transformed into His image. Dissolved in His will for our lives. Letting go of our stubbornness to do everything ourselves, the way We want it, but to allow HIM to work the way He designed it to be. Designed us to be. Naturally. His vessels. His children. His servants. We are so willing to be a servant to a steak dinner, allowing our body to do the work and digest that steak that we so willingly allowed into our bodies.

What about God's will for our lives? Do we willingly allow him to work through us? Do we want to be dissolved in Him? Do we even realize how much more of value we are on earth, when we let Him work? Work through us? In us? Think about this. It's flu season. It seems like it's been flu season for way too long now. Flu = vomit. Most of the time. What do we vomit? We vomit what we don't digest. I know, you're thinking "ewww" that's gross. Well, yes, it is. If we aren't willing to be dissolved (digested) in Christ, we will be vomited up. Like food poisoning. It wrecks havoc through our body and our bodies won't rest until the poison is out. A good, clean, and well-cooked steak has no problem dissolving into the juices of our stomach. But if that steak isn't cooked properly? Our natural tendency would be to vomit it up. We fall apart. Until something (Brat diet, haha, ginger ale, pretzels) comes along and restores the chaos.

We need to be dissolved in Christ. So that the outcome is a healthy one. Don't just settle for the way things are. For life as we know it. SEEK to be changed. DESIRE to know God better. REPENT of complacency. Take the plunge and allow God to work in and through you, according to His will for your lives. It's worth the sacrifice. He sacrificed above and beyond for us. Why can't we do it in return?

BE DISSOLVED IN CHRIST. It's okay. Really, it is. Don't let this world's disorder distract you from God's blessings, hope, and purpose for living.  It's worth living. Really, it is. We have to stop allowing the fear of man to quench the power of God's presence. In our lives. In our homes. In our souls. Letting go and allowing God to have His way with you, is the beginning of freedom. It opens the doors to eternity, and that is something worth fighting for.

Just Being Real ...

I've found myself saying a lot lately, "I'm having a really hard time getting into the Spirit of Christmas" ... to a lot of people as they ask me if I'm excited for the holidays. I've even said the same thing to my own husband. I told him I didn't want any Christmas presents, that it just didn't feel right, and I wasn't into it. I even waited until a week before Christmas to shop for my own kids for their Christmas wishes. We were late in getting our tree up this year, and still only half of our Christmas lights are up on the exterior of our home. And I realized that what I've been doing, is making excuses for my own grief, pain, and frustration, and in turn cheating people around me from experiencing the joy of Christmas. I don't think we realize how much our words can affect people.

In truth, what is the "Spirit of Christmas" that everyone keeps talking about? It has nothing to do with circumstances, gifts, shopping, baking, eggnog, cookies, etc. Don't get me wrong, those things certainly add to it and make this time of year festive. But the REAL "Spirit of Christmas" is Jesus. He is the whole reason for this season. It's His birth that we are celebrating, whether you like it or not. Christmas means "God with us". It signifies the day God sent His son to earth to be born in our world, and to begin the process of salvation. Of redemption. Of death and resurrection. Of forgiveness.

And here I am allowing my present circumstances to keep my focus from Jesus. No wonder I have no joy! I'm not focused on the ONE who brings joy into this world! Instead I am mad that my dryer is taking 3 days to dry my clothes. And that I probably won't have clean laundry for Christmas because I don't have time to get a repair guy out here beforehand. I'm deeply affected and in tears daily by the tragedy in CT and the reality of how nasty our world has become, and burdened for every parent that has lost a child, whether by miscarriage, murder, natural disaster, accident, hunger, etc. 

I am mad at the police force for putting an $84 ticket on my car, while it was parked in front of my house. It's Christmas people, for crying out loud! I'm exhausted from cleaning up cat pee everywhere and taking my cat to and from the vet to find out he has a bladder infection and that it could take weeks to heal. I'm on edge because I barely have time to shower, and my kids are fighting all the time, and one child threw up all over me the same day I noticed two of my tires were completely bald and I had to get my car into the shop immediately, thus having to cancel a coffee date that I had planned with a dear friend. And then I realize we're out of milk and I don't have a white elephant gift for my Christmas Party, etc...etc...

And in all of these "circumstances" I find myself saying, "Gosh, I'm having a real hard time getting into the Spirit of Christmas this year". Well, hello? If I would just quit complaining and focusing on everything "going wrong", but spend more time reading the Bible and keeping my focus on Jesus, I think I would be full of joy and in the Spirit of Christmas. Do you agree? He promises in His Word that in HIM we can have peace. John 16:33 says, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

Despite the craziness that this holiday has brought for me so far, I take hope in my renewed focus on the reason for the season. Jesus Christ. If it weren't for God sending His son to die for me, I would have no hope. As it says in Micah 7:7-8, "But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation, My God will hear me. Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise. Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me."

And lastly, Psalm 16:7-11,

I will bless the Lord who has counseled me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.

 I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.

For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

From now on, I will boldly take the Spirit of Christmas by storm and live it up, with true JOY. After all, Christmas only comes once a year, and I am not going to ruin it. I am going to give credit where credit is due, and be thankful to God for sending His precious son to be born and live (and die) among us crazy humans, all because of the vast love the Father has for us. Nothing is more important than that.

'Twas The Day Before Thanksgiving

'Twas the day before Thanksgiving and all through the house,
Not a creature was stressing, not even a mouse.

The husband was outside gardening with care,
In hopes that the guests would soon be there.

The children were at the neighbors
Making turkey hats and playing.
I was in the kitchen cleaning with a mop,
When suddenly I heard a loud pop.

I looked up as I heard such a clatter
And ran frantically around as I realized what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
As I watched the separating of window glass.

A little pebble rock ...
Had hit our sliding glass door so lively and quick.
The damage it caused was more than a nick.

More rapid than eagles, the cracks began to spread.
I whistled and shouted til my husband raised his head.
He put down the lawn mower and came closer to see.
As I pointed, we both watched in horror, not glee.

We spoke not a word, and went to work without a whine.
We had to work fast, there was a turkey to brine!

Suddenly it was time to get the kids
And feed them dinner and then off to bed.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving,
And we all have a big day ahead.

I shall return to my cleaning,
now that the house is calm and the glass is out of sight.
But first I must exclaim,
"Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good night!" 

Mini Chicken and Broccoli Pies

This recipe was quick, delicious, and healthy. I altered it quite a bit to my liking and health preferences. You can do the same if you want. I used fresh broccoli instead of frozen; tofu in place of chicken; dairy free milk; and gluten free Bisquick. And because tofu has very little flavor on it's own, i sauteed it in a blend of spices before adding it to the mixture. 

Mini Chicken and Broccoli Pies

Chicken-Broccoli Mixture 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 cup Green Giant® frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

Baking Mixture

1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs 

• Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. 
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add onion; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add broccoli, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until mixture is heated through. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.
• In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup chicken-broccoli mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto chicken-broccoli mixture in each muffin cup.
• Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer, and serve.

 

A Mother's Thoughts

It's midnight. I'm scared to go to sleep. My eyes are heavy, my body is tired. And yet I fight it. I read, I clean, I relax. I do yoga, I breathe, I worship. I watch TV, I eat, I go on Facebook. I pray, I journal, I sing. I check on the kids. And then I start the list all over again until I just can't take it anymore. With lead in my feet, I drag myself upstairs to bed.

I read Psalm 3:24-17 and Isaiah 26:3. "When you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden fear, nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes. For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught." "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you". I put on Fernando Ortega's hymns, with my water bottle and ice pack on my nightstand, ready and waiting. I drift off to sleep.

A few hours later, I awake gasping for air. It terrifies me. You would think that about THREE WEEKS into this, that I would be used to it by now. I kind of am, but then again, I'm not. So I do everything it takes to return to a normal breathing pattern. I almost always enlist my husband's help as I panic, "I need water, ice, prayer!". Eventually, I calm back down and go to sleep.

Until two little angelic faces appear by my bedside way too soon, "Mommy, it's morning time". I open one eye and see that it's still dark out. Yep. That is when my household of little persons awakes. Every morning. For 5+ years. You would think that I would have gotten used to it by now. I kind of am, but then again, I'm not.

I stumble down the stairs, with 2 kids in my arms. We then proceed to snuggle on the couch while watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Yes. You read that correctly. My kids love Mr. Rogers. And it's okay. Don't be jealous. Then, before I know it, I'm making coffee, building lego structures, playing dress up, jumping on the trampoline, whipping together a somewhat nutritious breakfast, answering questions from my always curious children, packing lunches, washing dishes, getting everyone dressed, reading bible stories, doing teeth inspections, potty time, feeding the pets, checking emails, and running out the door while putting on earrings and still wearing my slippers, praying that my car starts so that we can make it to school in time for the Pledge of Allegiance. Earrings are more important than shoes, apparently.

I buckle the kids in to their car seats, load the car with all the miscellaneous stuff kids need to get them through the day(good heavens, it's ridiculous!), grab my coffee as it spills all over me, so I run back inside to change, grab my car keys that I left inside of course and my wedding rings that I had taken off when I planned to hop in the shower, but realized there wasn't any time, so I put on a hat instead. Then I return to the car and we turn up the Boo Hoo Crew cd that is always on repeat in my car, and make the drive to school as we sing at the top of our lungs "We're on our way to school today!"

As I look at the clock while waiting in traffic on the freeway, I realize it is only 7:30am. That's right. The rest of the world is still sleeping. And here I am, already desiring a nap. I breathe in and out deeply, as I take a sip of my cold coffee, and glance back at my precious children smiling back at me. I thank God that I am alive and that I get to do this again tomorrow. I keep telling myself that I have the best job EVER. And that everyone wishes they had mornings like mine. Then I start laughing at myself, and that is what gets me through the day. Laughter is good medicine. Did you notice that I only described in detail what happens in the MORNING? And only TWO mornings a week, because I home school the rest of the time. I am sure you can use your imagination for what the afternoon/evening looks like. That is what I laugh a lot. It brings joy and eases the frustration of sleep deprivation.

Can anyone relate?