Shrimp and Grits: New Recipe of the Week

Ok. . . now I'm a believer.  Grits aren't as bad as the name suggests.  I never ever wanted to try them, because they look like cream of wheat, and I know that's bad stuff!  At least it was when I was a kid.  

About a month ago, we had a breakfast-themed fellowship meal at church, and one couple brought a crock pot full of grits.  I passed over them, because "I don't do grits."  Later, the couple mentioned that they were going to have shrimp and grits that evening with the leftovers.  Shrimp and grits!?!  I'd never heard of such a bizarre combination!  They assured me it was a great dish, and they must know what they're talking about, because, after all, these two prepare recipes with names that I can't even pronounce! 


So, the other day while I was looking for this week's new recipe in my Cook This, Not That cookbook, I noticed a recipe for shrimp and grits!  The picture looked yummy, and the grits looked more like mashed potatoes than cream of wheat.  I thought, "I can do this!"  


I made the recipe for supper last night, and it was really delicious!  And it was fairly quick and uncomplicated, a plus for a weeknight meal.  We'll definitely be having this meal again.  I've got a whole box of instant grits to use up!  ;)


Shrimp and Grits


1 T. canola oil
1 cup diced cooked kielbasa sausage
4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat until lightly smoking.  Add the kielbasa; cook for a few minutes, until lightly browned. Add the scallion whites, garlic, and mushrooms.  Cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.


Add the shrimp and continue cooking until the shrimp are just pink and firm to the touch.  Stir in the broth and cook for another 3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half and the shrimp are cooked all the way through.  Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne.


While the shrimp are cooking, cook the grits according to the package instructions.  When they're thick and creamy, add the cheese and season with salt and pepper.  Divide the grits and shrimp among 4 bowls and garnish with the scallions greens. 

Every Quilt Has a Story

The Saginaw Rescue Mission Auxiliary held its second Quilt Turning & Luncheon this afternoon at the Saginaw Art Museum, and it was such a delightful event!   A quilt turning is not an ordinary quilt show.  Each of the thirty or so featured quilts was layered on an actual bed (situated on the platform), and as each quilt was held up by the "turners," the story behind the quilt was shared with the audience.  It was so interesting to see such an array of quilts, from historical to sentimental to family heirloom. I marvel at the hours of work that went into creating such treasures!  

I submitted a pinwheel quilt that my paternal grandmother made in the 1940s, when she was attending a weekly quilting guild at Hollis, Kansas, which, by the way, became a virtual ghost town in 1909 when it was decimated by. . .you guessed it. . .a tornado.  I don't know how many quilts Grandma made, so I'm very thankful to have this family heirloom.  


Here are a few of the quilts shown today (click on picture to enlarge):

My pinwheel pattern quilt made by my grandmother

I can't remember the name of this pattern, but the colors were so beautiful!

"The Drunkard's Path block played a significant role in the journey of
slaves to freedom. The Underground Railroad could not openly broadcast
information about where, when, and how runaway slaves could arrive safely at their
destination. A system was therefore devised by which quilts were displayed,
whether on a clothesline or over a porch railing, that contained hidden messages.
The particular type of blocks in the quilt would tell the person making the
journey what to do. When the Drunkard's Path block was displayed, the runaways
would know to zigzag their path to make capture difficult."

A colorful winter themed quilt

This quilt was made by Japanese women in the Saginaw area.  
The building shown on the right is the Castle Museum in Saginaw.  

One of the oldest quilts in the show - a cathedral window patterned quilt.

This quilt was absolutely gorgeous!  The pattern is called cornrow, after the hairstyle,
and is associated with black quilting heritage.  

After each quilt was featured, the turners carefully displayed them on tables.   The dark quilt on the right was another quilt made by the Japanese women.  I wish I had a better picture of it, because the beading was fabulous!

Several more quilts on the display tables - my quilt is in the center.  

 

7 Update

Back on February 1st, I announced that I was taking on a month-long challenge of purging our house of unneeded stuff to the tune of seven items per day - the goal being 203 items to donate for others to use.  I systematically worked through each room of our main level, cleaning closets and cupboards as I went, and came up with the following:

• 75+ items from the kitchen & dining room
• 45 articles of clothing & shoes
• 11 household items
• 56 DVDs/VHS movies
• 31 piano books 
• 62 CDs/cassette tapes

That totals 280 items, well over my goal, and that was before hitting the basement!  There I gathered another four boxes of unneeded stuff, mainly books and household items, and although I didn't get a count, I know I could easily add another 100 items to the total.  And I'm not done!  I haven't tapped into the Christmas decorations or the toys and games.


While I was going through this process, I kept thinking in the back of my mind that Joel wasn't really "sacrificing" to the cause.  His tools weren't touched and we still have his over thirty year old chemical engineering and college math textbooks.  (Joel says he likes to get them out once in awhile just to remind himself of what he used to know.) So this morning when I challenged him to come up with items of his own, he replied with a grin, "What do you mean?  I've purged three pairs of socks and two pairs of jeans!"  And he did promise to clean off the top of his dresser.  It's a start.  


Note to Mom:  No family heirlooms were sacrificed in the completion of this project.  I know you were worried.  ;)

Lime Cupcakes: New Recipe of the Week

I came away from our visit to Sue and Esther's American Tea Room inspired to more frequently enjoy a good cup of tea, as well as the delicacies that make a cup of tea into an "event."  I picked up the newest issue of Tea Time magazine, loaded with recipes suitable for tea parties. . .or private consumption, as the case may be.  The recipes in this magazine should keep me busy for quite some time. My first selection was Lime Cupcakes, scrumptious and not difficult to make.  


Warning:  the ingredient list is not for the faint of heart.  ;)


Lime Cupcakes


1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate
1 T. fresh lime zest
1/2 t. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 recipe Lime Icing (below)


Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Line 2 (12 - well) muffin pans with paper liners. Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add limeade, lime zest, and vanilla, beating well.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Divide batter evenly among prepared wells of muffin pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.  Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.  Place Lime Icing in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.  Pipe icing onto tops of cupcakes. 


Lime Icing


1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate
1/2 cup heavy cream


In a large bowl, beat butter at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add limeade concentrate, beating well.  Gradually add cream, beating until smooth.  

Celebrating Judi

Brenda, Sandra, Judi, and I got together today at Sue and Esther's American Tea Room in Frankenmuth to celebrate Judi's birthday.  We had a great time catching up over several pots of tea and a delicious lunch.  By ordering their "bottomless cup" we were able to experience as many different varieties as we wanted. I liked the atmosphere because it was not so frilly as are some tea rooms.  There are two dining rooms, one of which is large enough to accommodate parties of about forty or fifty people.  It's great to finally have a tea room in this area!  I know we'll be going back!  

The dining room in which we had lunch

The gift shop area

The larger dining room, perfect for parties

Sandra, Brenda, Judi, Jeannette

Rolled Round Steak: New Recipe of the Week

This week's recipe comes from a cookbook that belonged to my grandmother:  A Century of Cooking, published in 1973 by the Ada Lutheran Church in Courtland, Kansas.  I love this old cookbook for its down-home recipes, many of which reflect the Swedish and Danish heritage in that area of Kansas.  It's filled with food reminiscent of my childhood, back when people were more interested in rich flavor than calories and cholesterol.


The recipe I chose for this week is rolled round steak.  The combination of beef, bacon, and dill pickle was intriguing, and Joel loves dill pickles, so I thought this would be a hit with him - it was.  One change I would make would be to use tenderized cube steaks.  I had some difficulty rolling my 1/2 inch thick round steak.  I also think I would cut down on the water, so that the sauce wouldn't be so thin.  


Side note:  On the same page is a recipe for brisket submitted by a Lucille Engwall, and I just noticed that the recipe is identical to the brisket recipe in Pioneer Woman's cookbook. It's funny to realize that THE BEST brisket recipe has been in my kitchen all this time!  


Rolled Round Steak


1 1/2 lbs. round steak, well-pounded
1 cup catsup
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup hot water
bacon, thinly sliced
dill pickle spears


Cut the steak into strips 2 inches wide and about 5 inches long.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place a stick of dill pickle on a steak strip and roll.  Wrap a strip of bacon around the roll and fasten with a toothpick.  Roll in Flour with salt and pepper, then brown well.  Place rolls in a baking dish. Mix catsup, water, and Worcestershire sauce and poor over meat rolls.  Bake one hour or until tender at 325 degrees.  

With the Lord

The rescue mission staff received word today that friend and former employee, Rev. Larry Sheppard, went to be with the Lord early this morning.  Those of us who knew him have many fond and varied memories of Pastor Sheppard. Since Larry was semi-retired by the time I began working at the mission, I didn't get to see him on a daily basis, but we soon discovered that we had a common bond in our love of theology.  Pastor Sheppard always had a book with him, and although he was reformed in his theology, he read books with a broad range of theological leanings. He said he was "reading out of the box."  I always appreciated our many good discussions about the doctrines of grace, eschatology, and various Bible teachers/authors.  I remember several years ago when I happened on the terms infralapsarianism and supralapsarianism, I was just sure I would be able to stump Pastor Sheppard by asking him to define the terms.  Needless to say, I was mildly shocked when he didn't even have to stop and think before answering.  Pastor Sheppard was truly one-of-a-kind, and I'm so thankful I had the pleasure of knowing him.  

Lessons in Forgiveness

Tim Challies has a great post today, Lessons in Forgiveness (click for link).  His list of tips in apologizing is very helpful whether we're on the apologizing or forgiving end of an offense. 

Do Saints in Heaven Know About Earthly Events?

We who have gone through the day of sadness, shall enjoy together that day of gladness.  Richard Baxter

Many people often wonder if their loved ones who have passed on (and who are in the present Heaven) are aware of what's happening here on earth, at least to some extent.  It's comforting to think that, although we can't communicate with them, our loved ones continue to be part of our lives in that sense.  Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, shares his belief that "saints in Heaven blissfully unaware of what is transpiring on Earth seems insubstantial. . .Those on Earth may be ignorant of Heaven, but those in Heaven are not ignorant of Earth (p. 69)."

Alcorn looks at the following Bible passages to support his view:

• Revelation 6:9-11:  The martyrs in Heaven know that God hasn't yet brought judgment on their persecutors.
• Revelation 19:1-5:  The multitude in Heaven praise God for events of judgment that have taken place on Earth.  
• Revelation 19:11-14:  "Because Heaven's saints return with Christ to set up his millennial kingdom, it seems unthinkable to imagine they would have remained ignorant of the culmination of human history taking place on Earth (p. 69)."  They are waiting to return to Earth with God and his angels for the ultimate battle, whereby Christ will be crowned King.
• I Samuel 28:  King Saul appealed to the witch of Endor to call the Samuel back from the afterlife.  Samuel remembered the events that happened before he died, as well as events that had happened since his death.  
• Luke 9:28-36:  During the Transfiguration,  Moses and Elijah "appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.  They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem (v. 31)."  The passage seems to indicate that they were fully aware of the redemptive drama unfolding on Earth.
• Revelation 2 - 3:  The risen Christ watches closely what is happening on Earth, particularly in the lives of people.  "If the Sovereign God's attention is on Earth, why wouldn't the attention of his heavenly subjects be focused here as well (p. 70)?"  
• Luke 15:10: Jesus said, "Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."  Alcorn believes "[the joy] logically includes not only God but also the saints in Heaven, who would so deeply appreciate the wonder of human conversion -- especially the conversion of those they knew and loved on Earth (p.71)."  

It's up for discussion whether or not Alcorn has come to the correct deductions regarding all the above passages.  I do believe he is correct, though, that our loved ones do have some understanding of the ongoing events of redemptive history.  Any thoughts or comments? 

Sherried Tomato Soup: New Recipe of the Week

Confession:  For the first fifty+ years of my life I thought tomato soup was nasty. . .but only because I never gave it a chance.  In my mind, there was only one good reason for the canned stuff to even exist, and that was to add to beef stew or meatballs.  But recently, we've been out to dinner with friends on a few occasions where someone ordered tomato bisque and raved about the flavor.  I began to believe that I might actually be missing out on something good, so one day while having lunch with a friend, I decided to take the plunge. . .and I'm here to tell you I'm not turning back!  

This week I made Pioneer Woman's Sherried Tomato Soup, and it was a hit!  Another confession:  I substituted half and half for the heavy cream, and the milk curdled slightly.  That didn't affect the flavor, but I learned my lesson not to skimp on the cream.  The recipe made a large amount, so I froze half.  Joel and I thought the soup was even better the next day. . .a real comfort food!  

A Lenten Meditation for Meat Lovers

Also know as "Protestantism: Where Every Day Is Mardi Gras" by Doug Wilson. Bring on the sausages! 


Sing if you can the affair of the sausages,
Brave Zwingli taking on Lenten observances.
Honor then Wittenberg’s 95 theses,
But Zurich was first with the meat reformation.

What could be better than fat, roasting sausages,
Striking a blow against vain gnostic scrupling?
What could be better to set the soul soaring
Than meat on the grill and then meat in the stomach?

Read the rest of the stanzas here. 

Chocolate Mallow Pie - New Recipe of the Week

I've met my match with this recipe!  I didn't think there was a chocolate anything that I couldn't handle, but Country magazine's Chocolate Mallow Pie, made for Valentines Day, proved me wrong.  It would have taken the two of us days to eat the pie, one small slice at a time, so my co-workers were happy to oblige in the task of cleaning the pie plate.  They agreed that it is very rich, delicious, but very rich. 


Chocolate Mallow Pie


1 1/4 cups Oreo cookie crumbs (about 14 cookies)
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 T. sugar
2 pkgs. (one 8 oz. and one 3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 cups miniature marshmallows


In a large bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter and sugar.  Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until set; cool completely on a wire rack.


In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and chocolate syrup until blended.  Beat in melted chocolate chips. Set aside 1/4 cup of whipped topping.  Fold marshmallows and remaining whipped topping into chocolate mixture.  Spoon into crust.  Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.  Top with reserved whipped topping.  Garnish with chocolate curls and candies if desired. 

New Blog on the Block

I'd like to introduce you to a new blog in my list of the blogs I follow - The Pilgrim Journal.  The blogger is an employee at the rescue mission where I work and has a heart for the gospel of Christ.

The Unity of the Godhead in Salvation

I mentioned last week that Ligonier's Renewing Your Mind radio broadcast is currently featuring Dr. Steven Lawson teaching on the doctrines of grace in the Gospel of John.  It was been rich teaching, as Dr. Lawson looks at Jesus' own words that clearly support the sovereignty of God in salvation.  You have to wonder how anyone can miss it!  

The other morning as I was listening to the broadcast on particular atonement, that Jesus died to redeem a particular people for himself, I was struck by Dr. Lawson's point that particular atonement actually exemplifies the unity of the Godhead. Each person of the Trinity is working together in perfect unity to save one group of sinners, those chosen of God for salvation.  Dr. Lawson explained that Arminians, whether they realize it or not, believe in a fractured unity of the Godhead.  They believe:

1.  God the Father looks down the "tunnel of time" and saves those individuals whom he knows will choose Christ as their Savior - a limited group of people.

2.  God the Son laid down his life to save the whole "world," i.e. every person who has ever lived on this planet.

3.  God the Holy Spirit woos only those who have heard the gospel of Christ - another limited group of people.  

When Jesus said "I and the Father are one" in John 10:30, he was not saying that he and the Heavenly Father are the same person; rather, Jesus explained that he and the Father are one in mind, one in mission, and one in purpose.  And that purpose was not to die for people without exception, but to die for people without distinction.   With his blood, Jesus "ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev. 5:9)."

Amaryllis Blooms

After the passing of my brother, we received a basket containing three amaryllis bulbs from special friends - a very thoughtful and much appreciated gift.  We patiently watched the plants grow over the last two months until they produced these stunning flowers.  What a joy to have such beauty in our home in the dead of winter!  

The Garden of Eden

Have you ever wondered what happened to the Garden of Eden?  The Word of God tells us that, to keep Adam and Eve from eating the fruit from the tree of life, which would cause [them] to live forever in their cursed condition, "the Lord God sent [Adam] out from of the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.  He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life" (Gen. 3:23-24).  I used to believe that this barrier to the garden of Eden continued until God caused the flood that covered the earth.  End of story for the garden of Eden.  Or was it?


We know from Revelation 2:7 that the same tree of life that was in the garden of Eden will one day be in the new Jerusalem: "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." Rather than having been destroyed, it appears that the garden of Eden remained a real place, just no longer accessible to mankind.  

So what did happen to the garden of Eden?


Randy Alcorn writes of the garden in his book Heaven:


"Eden was not destroyed.  What was destroyed was mankind's ability to live in Eden.  There's no indication that Eden was stripped of its physicality and transformed into a 'spiritual' entity. It appears to have remained just as it was, a physical paradise removed to a realm we can't gain access to -- most likely the present Heaven, because we know for certain that's where the tree of life now is (Revelation 2:7).


God is not done with Eden.  He preserved it not as a museum piece but as a place that mankind will one day occupy again -- and to a certain extent many now occupy in the present Heaven. . .Though the rest of the earth fell under human sin, Eden was for some reason treated differently.  Perhaps it had come from Heaven, God's dwelling place, and was transplanted to Earth.  We don't know.  But we do know this:  God came to Eden to visit with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8), which he would no longer do after Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden after the Fall.  Whether or not Eden was created along with the rest of the earth, clearly it was special to God, and it remains special to him (pp. 56 - 57).  


What a wonderful thought to know that one day we Christians will live in the restored Garden, eat from the tree of life as those who are no longer under the curse of sin, and fellowship with the One who made it all possible.  Doxology!

Prune Cake Update

I was brave and took the prune cake to our church fellowship meal today.  Since there were numerous other desserts, I thought that I would be bringing most of it home.  Quite the contrary!  Not one piece returned home with us!  Several people commented on how good it was and wanted to know if it was a spice cake or apple cake. It was amusing to see their reactions when I told them it was a prune cake.  Then the jokes began. . .especially after one friend admitted to having two pieces!  Yeah, it's good for what ails ya!  ;)

Prune Cake: New Recipe of the Week

If I didn't trust Pioneer Woman's recipes as much as I do, I never would have given this recipe a second glance.  But since she selected it for her first cookbook and describes it is one of her top five favorite recipes of all time, I decided to give it a try.  Furthermore, the recipe belonged to her great-grandmother, and we all know that grandmother recipes are the best.  This cake definitely has that "old-fashioned" flavor. . .maybe it's the prunes and spices. . .or maybe it's the delectable buttermilk caramel icing that soaks into the cake, but the end result is "wonderful gooeyness."  You can read Pioneer Woman's recipe here. 

Calvinistic Cartoons: Corky Visits Made Alive With Christ HQ

Calvinistic Cartoons: Corky Visits Made Alive With Christ HQ: Corky visits Jeanette Davenport at her blog headquarters.

On the Doctrines of Grace

This week on the Renewing Your Mind broadcasts, Dr. Steven Lawson is teaching through the Gospel of John on the doctrines of grace: the radical or complete depravity of man, unconditional election, particular atonement, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints.  Excellent teaching by Dr. Lawson!  You can find the teaching sessions here.

All of the doctrines of grace really hinge on the view of the spiritual nature of man apart from Christ. . .is mankind spiritually well, spiritually sick, or spiritually dead?  I encourage you to take time to listen.