Birthday week is winding down. The girl and I are both another year older. Monday we went fishing for my birthday with my new pole the kids gave me. I caught two little perch. We always catch and release.
The sky was gorgeous after a storm.
Wednesday we celebrated our daughter. She has requested bacon and corn on the cob for her birthday ever since she turned 2. We obliged, adding several summer salads. Our friends brought purple mashed potatoes to add to the menu. What fun!
I wish I could say her cake was a success, but it flopped as big as any flop I’ve ever made. She wanted a strawberry cake. I got out my ever-trustworthy Mennonite cookbook, followed the recipe to a T, and it was perfectly awful! Flat. Dense. Not in “dense rich deliciousness.” More like rubber. Bleh.
Her brother wrote her name with Legos and even made a dancing mini figure for the top. (She takes ballet and tap.) The only negotiation was that it had to have a motorcycle jacket and helmet on the dancer.
The baby has been up the past two nights with a cold. Last night she slept and I didn’t. I got up around 4:30 this morning and started the tomatoes for pizza sauce and ketchup. I ended up with 21 pints of sauce and 13 pints of the best ketchup I’ve ever made. I also caught up on some emails for our non-profit organization.
I made a double batch of our favorite chocolate chip cookies (totally plant based and outrageously awesome) and a loaf of banana bread.
My bestie came over to hang out for awhile and I hosted her and four pastors for lunch, including our District Executive Minister and my favorite Hatian visitor. I served them roasted red pepper and spinach Stromboli with leftover summer salads, fresh melon, and the cookies and banana bread I made early this morning.
According to my Fitbit it has already been a big day. Now I am getting the family ready for an evening at the county fair. It is back-to-school night, but the husband and the children won me over. We will likely indulge in ribbon fries and funnel cakes and who knows what other fried greatness you can only find at a county fair. We are celebrating the end of summer break with a myriad of food, fun, and fellowship.
While I will be much more productive at our non-profit once school is back up and running, I will miss these precious tag-alongs that are my world.
Thirty nine years ago today, it was 120 degrees in the little spot of earth called Latham, Missouri. I decided I was a morning person from the beginning, arriving around 6:30 am. I was delivered at home. The doctor was in St. Louis for a meeting so our kind neighbor, Mable Martin, came over to help usher me into the world.
When the doctor came back to town a few days later, he came to check on me and mom. My parents didn’t have the money to pay him, so when he saw two colts in the field he said he’d take one for payment.
Someone said, “Boy, the doctor made out well with that one!”
I’d like to think my parents feel like they made out well too.
When I was 16 years old, I went on a cross country tour with my mom and some other family and friends. At Four Corners, two Native American men looked me up and down and asked mom if she would trade me for six ponies. Of course they we’re joking, but we had to laugh because there had already been a horse trade for my birth. Considering one horse was traded for my birth and six was the offer on the table at 16, my value must have increased significantly.
My life is far different and far more fulfilled than I ever dreamed it would be. Happy birthday to me.
Two of my sisters and I worked sweet corn today for the freezer. I left over lunch to honor a commitment to my mother-in-law and then had to skip out before we were done because it got too hot and sleepy for the baby. All told, we put 50 quarts of corn in the freezer today. That doesn’t count the crazy amounts we fed on as we worked. #summer #gratefulfortheharvest #willenjoycornthiswinter
Wait! Carnivores! Before you dismiss this post. This dish was a hit with people across the board, except for my one friend who merely tolerated a taste for my fancy. And you can always serve meat with whatever vegan/vegetarian dishes you make. You won’t regret giving this recipe a go.
Mung Bean and Coconut Curry over Brown Rice
I bought a bag of mung beans without having a clue what to do with them.
I tried it Monday and we loved it so much I made it again Wednesday for our church picnic potluck. I came home with an empty dish and multiple requests for the recipe.
Mung Bean and Coconut Curry over Brown Rice
I hope I didn’t mess this recipe up too much by all my comments throughout. I just like to let you know if I made any changes or what I found to be essential. For a cleaner version, click on the original link above where it says, “this recipe.”
Here we go. Happy cooking… And eating!
4 TBSP coconut or canola oil (or water if avoiding oils.)
1 Tbsp whole cumin seeds (I used ground cumin the first time and added it when I added the other spices. It was still fabulouso!)
9 cloves of garlic, crushed (about 3 Tbsp crushed garlic) yeah! You read that right. Don’t skimp! You should also mince the garlic about 10 minutes or more in advance as it releases more nutrition that way.
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger (I always add a little extra fresh ginger because I have a love affair with fresh ginger.)
2 Tbsp ground coriander (This is a necessary ingredient for this dish!)
1 tsp turmeric (I messed up first time and added 1 TBSP and it was still awesome)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper (I didn’t add)
(For this next step, I skipped the four cups of water entirely because I had pre-cooked the mung beans. If you precook the beans, simply add the cooked beans when the recipe calls for adding the water and uncooked beans. You just won’t need to cook the dish as long.)
4 cups water
1 cup mung beans, picked over for stones and well rinsed
1 can coconut milk
juice of 1-2 limes
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Method:
In a large pot, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat.
Add the cumin seeds and cook for about 1 minute, until they just begin to darken. Add the garlic, and sauté just until it has browned. Watch very carefully so that it doesn’t burn. (1 minute or so.)
Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine, then add ginger, coriander, turmeric, salt, and cayenne.
Sauté this mixture for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the water and mung beans. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring the mixture once or twice. (Here is where I omitted the 4 cups water and just added the pre-cooked beans.)
Taste a few mung beans to make sure they are cooked. If they are, stir in the coconut milk, and increase the heat to medium-high.
Once the curry comes to the boil turn off the heat. Stir in the cilantro and the juice of one lime. Taste and decide whether you’d like to add the second lime as well.
Serve hot.
I served this over hot brown rice both times. For the potluck, I placed the cooked rice in the bottom of a casserole dish and added the curry on top.
Our family (my husband and I) have mostly adopted a whole-foods plant-based diet, but we make exceptions and camping weekend is one of those.
For the next three days, twenty plus cousins will play with sticks and stones and water. They will play frisbee and Uno and blow bubbles. They will NOT play on electronics.
My siblings and mom and a few other relatives will reminisce family stories around the campfire. We will passionately debate religion, politics, and current events and afterwards we will play music and sing together like we never disagreed to begin with.
We will eat Stromboli and tacos and Granddaddy Garry’s famous chipped beef gravy and mamaw’s famous biscuits along with copious amounts of other deliciousness.
Last night I made two Strombolis; one filled with meats and cheeses and the other filled with spinach and roasted red peppers and such. Picture to come when I get around to posting the recipe.
I made a batch of Chex mix so large I had to mix it in a large kitchen-sized garbage bag. (Clean of course.)
I made layered Jello squares.
And mixed the dough for four cream cheese cherry Danish braids. This morning I rolled out the dough and assembled the pastries. They are rising now and almost ready to bake.
This will all be added to the wonderful dishes contributed by other family members.
This is the weekend of the year that recenters my soul, that grounds my sense of who I am and where I’ve come from.
While searching for another church-related piece, I came across this article I wrote that originally appeared in the The Shenandoah Journal, (Dayton, VA) – Tuesday, February 24, 2009. Although my personal taste in music varies from opera, classical, folk, blues, classic rock, southern rock, roots, old country, bluegrass, world music, etc., the four-part harmony acapella singing is still what gets into my soul. It was in the first setting described in this article of the Old Order Mennonite Church where I first felt the connection to Someone/Something way bigger than myself. It was where I first found God.
I’ve included a poor-quality cell phone video of the described four-part harmony singing during our Hickory Hollow School reunion in 2011.
Song leader says ‘singing gets into people’s souls’
Author: Regina Cyzick Harlow ; STAFF WRITER
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY – Enter one church where stoical parishioners sit on slatted wooden benches and quiet children rest on their parents’ laps. The minister calls a hymn number from behind the pulpit and reads the first verse from a small hymnal. Then a man from the congregation begins singing the first line and slowly others join in. By the end of the first verse, the church echoes with four-part harmony.
Down the street in another church, several people gather on a carpeted stage. The worship music begins with keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars, drums and bass. The congregation joins in with the singers, sometimes clapping to the beat and reading the words from a projector.
Two churches – two styles of worship – praising one God.
While different congregations follow different musical doctrines, they all agree that music is an expression of worship and plays an important role in their services.
Even among conservative Mennonite congregations, the style of music varies. According to an Old Order Mennonite minister, instruments are not allowed in the service “for fear of honoring man the creature more than God the Creator.”
However, acapella singing is an important part of their worship. Joining in song is one of the only times during an Old Order service in which the congregation participates; the rest of the service is conducted solely by the ministers.
Singing “gives you a measure of unity you would not have otherwise,” said one song leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “It allows you to become a participant.”
The congregation uses several tunes for many sets of lyrics. The first meters of the tunes are depicted in shape notes in the back of the small black hymnbooks.
The importance of singing together is emphasized among the youth who gather nearly every Sunday evening for singings in a church member’s home.
Calvary Mennonite Church, in Mount Clinton, shares some doctrinal beliefs with its more conservative Old Order roots. Instruments are used only on special occasions.
Pastor Paul Emerson said music is important as a preparation to teach the scriptures. His congregation generally sings hymns and gospel songs, with the aid of hymnbooks familiar to most Sunday church-goers.
Music is not viewed as an evangelistic tool and Emerson thinks an emphasis on its selection and presentation to draw congregants is “unfortunate.”
Emerson isn’t opposed to contemporary music, but he “can’t see leaving two thousand years of history behind for a passing fancy.”
“It’s not a question of old versus new. It’s a question of musical structure and harmony,” he said. “We’re talking about a good and best comparison, not a right and wrong.”
He thinks there are distinct disadvantages to its performance-oriented structure. Most praise and worship music is “not well-structured” and appeals only to one generation, he said. In addition, congregants do not participate as much. While listening, they tend to focus on the people on stage.
Mainstream traditional Protestant churches often add piano or organ accompaniment to their songs and hymns are led by the choir or song leader, but do not use church music for entertainment purposes.
“It is to praise God and to communicate and proclaim the gospel,” said Jeffery Sonafelt, pastor of Reformation Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Market, adding that many of the Lutheran hymns are “Biblically-based.”
The Rev. Kathleen Miko, with St. Paul’s Lutheran and Rader Lutheran in Timberville, said while the congregation generally sings hymns during worship, they occasionally add a guitar, violin or flute.
People are drawn to certain styles of music, Miko said.
“I’ve seen people move from church to church because of music.”
Praise and worship music is a major part of the services in some inter-denominational and non-denominational churches such as New Beginnings in Bridgewater and The Potter’s House Worship Center in Harrisonburg. Both churches open the service with several worship songs, accompanied by a full band.
The Potter’s House music information on their Web site references II Chronicles 5:13-14 where the “choir and the trumpet made one voice of praise and thanks to God…”
Although the majority of songs at New Beginnings are modern praise songs, they try to incorporate a hymn into their service weekly.
“The culture we live in now does not really appreciate hymns from the early church,” New Beginnings Pastor Ed Heatwole said. “With a band, we can jazz up the music without changing the lyrics.”
A multimedia projector displays images that correlate with the theme of the words being sung. For example, if the congregation is singing a song about God the Creator, scenic images are played, and if the congregation is receiving communion, images of a cross might be used.
“The background themes are important,” Heatwole said. “We give a lot of attention to that. It draws worshipers into the presence of God.”
According to Heatwole, their worship band is also a tool of evangelism. Nonbelievers in the band have developed a relationship with the Lord because of the music.
“We sing songs that really speak about the person and character of Christ and how he relates in our everyday life,” he said.
Heatwole believes that music touches people’s emotions, regardless of its form of delivery. “God inhabits the praises of his people,” he said, “and that can be all forms of singing.”
The praise and worship band at Potter’s House Worship Center uses contemporary music, and seldom sings a hymn.
“I think that because there are so many different churches and so many different tastes, people gravitate to a church that plays the music they like best,” said Renee Garber, co-pastor and worship leader.
Although there are different preferences in the style of music, most churches share the philosophy that sacred music is an expression of worship and a preparation for the message to follow.
“It’s a form of worship and connecting with the Lord,” Garber said. “It’s also an act of prayer. Songs are musical prayers.”
“Music is one of the most important things we do in church,” Heatwole said. “It draws you into the presence of God.”
“Music is one’s expression to God in worship,” Emerson said.
Singing allows the congregation to participate in the service in whatever style the church uses.
“Singing gets into people’s souls,” said a song leader for an Old Order Mennonite congregation. “It adds a charismatic spirit, some involvement. I guess it brightens the soul.”
Record Number: 10032360 Copyright (c) 2009, Byrd Newspapers, All Rights Reserved.
I love friends and cookbooks. Last week combined both. During a wonderful visit with a long-time friend, she gave me a cookbook she’d bought at a thrift store. I’ve already used it multiple times and will reference it below.
We ventured way out of the Harlow norm last evening and had “Watermelon and Blackberry Soup” for supper along with “Cheddar Cheese Muffins.” We served this as a meatless meal, but you could easily add a side of grilled chicken breast. Whatever your palate persuasion, carnivorous, vegetarian, whole foods, this soup will delight your senses. For vegans, replace cheddar cheese muffins with bread of choice.
This was a perfect summer evening meal and was a BIG hit with the kiddos. Let me know if you make it and what you think.
Both recipes come from “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone” by Deborah Madison. I will share variations and simplifications.
Watermelon and Blackberry Soup
No cooking required. Serve chilled.
6 cups seeded chunks of watermelon
Fresh lemon or lime juice (I used lime)
Pinch of salt
2 Cups fresh Blackberries
3 Tablespoons light brown sugar (I used Sucanat, but found the sugar addition to be a little too sweet. Next time I will half or omit the sugar)
Rose water or orange flower water (I had rose water I’d purchased at the International market. Even though it lends a beautiful floral flavor, I’m sure you could substitute with regular water)
1 pound each red and yellow watermelon (I used red watermelon and a Lemonburst melon which is green in color with a slightly lemon flavor. It went fabulously with this dish. I’m sure you could use cantaloupe or honeydew in place of the yellow watermelon, too)
1/4 Cup pomegranate seeds if they are in season (would have loved but didn’t use)
Mint sprigs for garnish
Method: Purée the 6 cups watermelon chunks and pour into a bowl. Add lemon or lime juice and pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate. Toss the blackberries with a few drops of rose water and the brown sugar, cover and refrigerate one hour. Seed the remaining melon and cut into bite-size chunks.
At serving time, flavor the puréed watermelon with rose water to taste, starting with one teaspoon. (I must have used at least two tablespoons)
Divide the purée among chilled soup bowls and add the melon pieces and then the berries. (If using pomegranate, add one tablespoon seeds to each bowl and a splash of the juice.) Garnish with mint leaves and serve.
Lazy time-constrained chef tip: throw it all into a big glass dish and serve.
Serves 4
Cheddar Cheese Muffins
1&1/4 cups flour (I used whole wheat pie and pastry flour)
1/2 cup corn meal
2&1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons corn oil (I used olive)
1&1/2 tablespoons honey
1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Method: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil or spray muffin tin. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the eggs, milk, oil, and honey in a second bowl. Wisk the wet ingredients and pour into the dry. Stir briskly but do not over stir. Add the cheese and stir just until incorporated. Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full with the batter. (Made 12 for me) Bake about 25 minutes until browned and springy.
We had 10 extra kids for the night for a total of 13. A cousin camp-out, we call them. Last year we did this about once a week during the summer, but with a baby and a super busy schedule this was our first one of the season and unfortunately it might be the only one we can pull off this year.
We had a grand time.
We walked to the next street over and watched the parade.
They played hours of “capture the flag.”
We enjoyed yummy ice cream floats. Thanks to Lee, we had a great campfire.
I slept in the tent with most of them.
Six boys joined me at 4 am to head to the church to help with a BBQ chicken fundraiser. Lee stayed home with the other 7.
The scene there is always so pastoral. It does my heart good.
I returned home around 8:40 and made sausage and eggs for everyone. The rest of the day included more outdoor games, including the water sprinkler.
As the day got hotter we also threw in a movie and a few video games. Most of them have gone home now. Of the two remaining, one is playing princess dress-up with the younger one and the other is making potions with the older one.
So thankful to help create these memories and to have each one of these great kids as part of our family.
Now for a nap… But wait… the baby needs attention. I wouldn’t trade this beautifully imperfect contented life for the world.
“Some trust in chariots, some in horses…” Psalm 20:7a (NIV)
I have known this to be true literally and figuratively. I still have a copy of the letter my mom received by the Old Order Mennonite couple who bought our buggy when mom left the church at age 47. With all sincerity and love, the letter includes chastisement for falling away from the faith (no longer driving a horse and buggy or dressing as a conservative Mennonite) and the immediate and eternal consequences one can expect when they do.
I can read past the judgement now, to see the love and concern they had for our family, but every time I think of this verse from Psalm 20, I simultaneously think of that letter.
Besides putting our trust in our preparedness, wealth, possessions, religious rituals, etc., we also tend to put our trust in our leaders and potential leaders. I get it. I have my own feelings about it all.
But to think that any one candidate alone can save our nation and ourselves, or to think that we are beyond hope and God cannot move or save if our candidate of choice does not win is preposterous.To put our trust in nations, kings, horses, and chariots, (people or possessions) is to miss the point of trusting God alone.
The second half of that verse from Psalm 20 reads, “but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
Here is the verse altogether. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7 (NIV) Read all of Psalm 20 here.
If we say our hope is in God, if we proclaim that we know and follow Jesus and his teachings, then we should “Let [our] conversation be gracious and attractive so that [we] will have the right response for everyone.” Colossians 4:6 (NLT.)
“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” Philippians 2:14-15 (NLT)
“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)
Let us trust in the name of the Lord our God alone, for indeed, He is our only hope.
I haven’t tried to “healthify” these like I do most recipes. I don’t make them that often so I make them exactly like the recipe and save them for a special treat.
2&1/4-2&3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon (or 1 package) active dry yeast. (Not instant)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup real butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
I use my Kitchenaide stand mixer for this.
Stir together 1&1/4 cup all purpose flour, and the yeast in a mixing bowl.
In a saucepan, stir together milk, honey, butter, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Heat just until warm, about 120 degrees. (If it gets hotter than that, add an ice cube to cool slightly. If this mixture is too hot it will kill the yeast. If it is not hot enough it won’t activate the yeast. This is the trickiest part.)
Add the milk mixture to the flour and yeast mixer. Add the beaten egg.
Beat on low for 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Beat on high speed for three minutes.
Return to low speed. Here I stop and switch the batter hook for the dough hook.
Add the 1 cup of wheat flour and the remaining white flour as needed to make a dough that is smooth and elastic. (Remove from mixing bowl and use hands if needed.)
Place in a greased bowl, cover with a light cloth, and let rise until double. About an hour.
Punch dough down. Divide in half and place on lightly floured surface. Let rest 10 minutes. In the meantime, lightly grease a 9X13 pan.
Take each half of dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll into balls and place into prepared baking pan.
Cover and let rise again for about 25-30 minutes.
Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Brush tops with butter when you remove them from the oven.
Try not to burn your hands and your mouth when eating immediately.
Inspired Ramblings 