Family Inspiration - 16 Mar

I usually write or quote scripture related to raising a family, marriage or children.  But I found this very helpful and decided to share it. Thank you to my friend that sent it to me.

"But I tell you who hear me:  Love your enemies,do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,pray for those who mistreat you"

(Luke 6:27-28).

Even when we say, "I forgive you," many of us have a difficult time not thinking about what others have done to hurt us... It is very difficult simply to stop thinking about an unpleasant experience.  Instead, we must replace negative thoughts and memories with positive ones... Every time you begin to dwell on or brood over what someone else has done, ask for God's help and deliberately pray for that person or think of something about the offender that is "true, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy."

Taken from  The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict
by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 220-221

Food for Thought

Would people describe you as rebellious?  If so, in what way?  If not, why?

Rebel is not the way most believers would describe themselves these days.  It's just a stone's throw from rebellious, and we surely wouldn't want to lean in that direction.  But even a cursory reading of Jesus' words show just how rebellious the Christian life is.  He tells us to go totally cross-grain to the way of this world -- do the counterintuitive thing.  So put on your James Dean jacket, slick your hair back, re-read Jesus' words and let's redeem the word rebel. But remember our cause -- reconciliation with God.

Ken's encouragement to use the replacement principle is exactly what Jesus is referring to in Luke 6.  Instead of hating those who hate you -- negate the hate with doing good.  When you want to curse those who are cursing you, rearrange your four-letter words so that they spell bless.  And all those who mistreat you?  Replace your "I'm gonna' gitcha'" scheme with "Lord, have mercy."  But be warned -- people don't like rebels, and they usually want to make them go away.  This kind of godly rebelliousness may leave your James Dean jacket in shreds, your hair may lose all its slick, and it just might get you persecuted.  There's a pretty good precedent for that.  But remember our cause -- the peace of God.  God's true rebels are not necessarily the popular and successful, but the hated, cursed and mistreated; those who stay true to the cause no matter what.  And the cause is peace.  Peace has a face (and it's not James Dean's).  "For he himself is our peace" (Ephesians 2.14) -- Jesus himself replaces justice with mercy and condemnation with freedom.  What a rebel!

From: Peacemaker Ministries

Cheesy Lasagna Rolls with Spinach & Ricotta

I love this dish, it's simple and tasty.  I got it from Whole Foods.

Salt
1/2 pound (8-10) uncooked lasagna noodles
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup ricotta cheese
1-1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce
1-1/2 cups packed baby spinach
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400*F.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add noodles and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.  Drain well and gently transfer to a clean work surface.

Grease a small roasting pan or casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside.  Working with one noodle at a time, spread with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta and 2 tablespoons of the marinara then top with spinach.  Starting at one end, roll up the noodle snugly then arrange in pan either seam side down or with the rolls close enough together to hold each other closed.  Repeat for remaining noodles. Pour remaining marinara over assembled rolls then sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until olden and bubbly, 20-25 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6.  ENJOY!

Family Inspiration - 11 Mar

Biblical principles offer the most healthy approach to family living - even turning stress to our advantage.

Your word has revived me and given me life.
Psalm 119:50

Orecchiette with Peas, Pancetta & Cream

I got this recipe from Delallo Italian food company's 2011 calendar. 
It's creamy, fresh and yummy.  Enjoy!

1 lb. Orecchiette Pasta
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp butter
1 small white onion finely diced
1 garlic clove minced
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 tbsp chicken stock
1 cup light cream
1/2 lb. pancetta, 1/4" thick cubed into small pieces
1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt, then pasta.  Cook until al dente. (follow package instructions) Drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic.  Once hot, add the pancetta and cook until golden brown.  Set aside in a dish.

In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat until frothy.  Add the onions and cook until soft.  Add the chicken stock and salt/pepper to taste.  Stir in the pancetta and cook for about 2 minutes.  Mix in the cream.  Bring to a low simmer and cook for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Pour the cooked pasta into the saucepan.  Toss well to coat the pasta with the sauce.  Lastly, stir in the peas and cheese.  Transfer to a warm serving bowl.

Top with grated cheese.

Serves 4

Spring Time News

I'm excited to announce two new items I will be adding to my blog.

First - We are planting a garden this year.  The kids and I are very excited ( I think Matt is too) to get our hands dirty and plant our own food this year.  We are also going to be doing some over hauling to our yard and installing a rain water system so we can preserve water and utilize the rain water to water our garden.  We are combining resources with our neighbor Lynda, so we should have some really good produce coming out of our gardens.  I will post "before" pictures of the areas we will be working in and post pictures of our progress and what we've grown and what we've done with the produce.

Second - I'm going to redecorate our Home.  I've gotten the OK from our landlord to paint the entire house on their dime. (How exciting is that?!?!) And they are also going to refinish the hardwood floors in the dining room and living room.  I will post before and after pictures of each room as it is done.  I'm going to start painting in the dining room and kids room.  Madalynn has been begging me to paint their room for months, she picks out paint chips every time we go to a home store.

So, my spring will be busy as will our summer.  I'm really excited and looking forward to seeing it all completed.  And I know, I haven't kept up on my cooking blogging, but I promise to get back into the swing of things and continue my Italian cooking this weekend.

Lemon Upside Down Muffins

These muffins are good served warm or cooled.  They are a very pretty muffin, great for an Easter brunch or just something special for your family and friends.
I used Meyer lemons in the recipe because they are in season and are a favorite amongst gourmet cooks and dessert chefs.  But using regular lemons will give you just as good a muffin.
Meyer lemons are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange.  This gives you a traditional flavor of a lemon and the sweetness of an orange. 

3-4 lemons (3 regular lemons / 4 meyer lemons)
1 tblsp water or lemon juice
about 3/4 cup sugar
6 tblsp unsalted butter
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Pre-heat oven to 400*. Grease 18 muffin cups.

Finely grate the zest from the lemons, removing only the bright yellow portion of the peel. Set lemons aside.  Combine the zest, the water/lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small suacepan.  Stir over meduim heat for 2 minutes just until the sugar dissolves.  Add the butter and stir until melted, about 1 minute longer. Set aside.

With a sharp knife, remove and discard all the remaining peel from the lemons.  Cut the lemons crosswise into slices about 1/4 inch thick; discard any seeds.  You will need 18 nicely shaped slices.  Put about 1 teaspoon of the remaining sugar in the bottom of each prepared muffin cup and place a lemon slice on top.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and the reserved lemon mixture until smooth.  Add the combined dry ingredients and stir just until blened.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup about 3/4 full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 12-18 minutes.  Immediatley invert the pans onto wire racks. let cool in the pans for 3-5 minutes, then lifte away the pans; muffins should fall out.  If they resist, nudge them with a knife.  If you like, cut a slice from the top of each muffins so that it will sit flat on the plate.  Drizzle with lemon glaze once while still warm, a second time when completely cooled.

Lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tlbsp lemon juice, or more if needed
2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.  If glaze is too stiff, add a few drops more juice.

Family Inspiration - 4 Mar

Children don't have to earn our respect; they don't have to qualify; they don't have to impress us.  They have it just because they have it.

Children are a gift from the Lord; babies are a reward.
Psalm 127:3