Week 3 - Day 5

*I've heard that "stressed" spelled backwards is "desserts."  
Interesting!
Maybe that's why we eat so many desserts in these busy days.
Remember that God says, "be still, and know that I am God." (Ps.46:10)
Also, "aspire to live quietly..." (1 Thes.4:11)
In Matthew 11:28, Jesus tells us, 
"Come to me, all who labor and are weary, and I will give you rest."

If you are stressed today, keep these verses in mind as you go to the One 
who will ease your anxieties, and give you peace, comfort, and rest.
He cares about you!


Gather your supplies and ingredients.
As always, begin with clean hands.

Butter the dish to prevent sticking.

This is my bread dish.
I think the saying holds true.

Assemble the ingredients in the dish.

Pour the liquid mixture over the bread.
Allow to stand as directed.

Press bread down with the back of a spoon to submerge it in the liquid.

Bake as directed.

The finished product:

 
You can eat it by itself, or top it with homemade whipped cream,
using organic cream.

It's been one year now since my dad passed away.  I still miss him.
This was his favorite dessert.
I used to make it for him, especially around the holidays.
But this dessert can be made anytime of the year.
I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as he did.
Have a blessed evening, friend.

Week 3 - Day 4

 *What is your heritage?

A little girl came to her mother one day, and asked her where she came from.

As her mother delicately tried to explain the facts of life,

 the little girl looked more and more confused.

"Oh,"  she said.  "I was just wondering, because my friend said she came from Germany,

and I was just wondering where I came from."

Hi, and welcome back!  We'll be learning to make cuisine this semester

from a variety of cultural backgrounds, including French, German, British, Amish, Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean, and all-American.  

Whatever your cultural background, know that you have an eternal heritage if you are a child of God.

Psalm 28:9 "O save Thy people, and bless thy heritage; be their shepherd, and carry them forever."

Revelation 21:7 "He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my child."

Hebrews 9:15 "Therefore he (Christ) is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance..."

Today we'll be making a German dish.  Gather your supplies and ingredients. 

Be sure to read the Healthy Home Ec book, as all ingredients and measurements are not listed here.

Make sure you read ingredients on the labels and choose natural, preservative-free foods 

(and organic if possible).

   Wash and cube the potatoes.

Add to the skillet.

 Saute the ingredients as directed.

Make the sauce while the meat and vegetables cook, then set aside.

Make the apple juice as directed.

Wash and cube the apple as directed.  If the apple is organic, you could leave the skin on.

If not, then peel the apple.

(I used 2 apples today, as they were small.  Both were organic, but I peeled one that had a little thicker skin on it.  The other one, I left the skin on.)

Add the apple to the skillet.

 Add the all natural sauerkraut.

(See note below on sauerkraut 

and read more information about sauerkraut in the Healthy Home Ec book .)

 Mix together.

 When potatoes are tender and meat is browned, add the sauce.

Cook until thick and bubbly.

 Ready to serve!

You'll enjoy the delicious aromas that fill your house as this cooks.  It's amazing!

The ingredients in sauerkraut should only be cabbage and salt. 

Did you know that sauerkraut contains nearly 4 times the cancer-fighting nutrients 

as unfermented cabbage?

Read in the Healthy Home Ec book about how to make your own sauerkraut,

and what a full moon has to do with it. 

Week 3 - Day 3

*Avocados contribute nearly 20 different types of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that help your body function normally, and are thought to prevent many chronic diseases.  

Find out what phytonutrients are 

in the Healthy Home Ec book beginning on page 116.

*Today's recipe includes many fresh vegetables.  Always use fresh and locally grown if possible.  

Living bodies need living food to stay alive.

Gather your ingredients.

I only had the yellow tomatoes for this recipe, but you can use vine-ripe red tomatoes.  

Because I like the red color in this pasta recipe, and because we love the taste, I also used sun-dried tomatoes.

Remember, cooking is an art as well as a science.  Don't be afraid to be creative in your cooking.

If you love onions or fresh peas, you could also add those to this recipe.

I used my fresh-frozen corn, but you can use a good store-bought brand.  Organic is available.

I usually use a whole wheat pasta, but saw this at the store.  It looked interesting, so this is what I used for today.  I liked using a different variety.

There is a wide variety of pastas to choose.  Gluten-free is also available.

Stir the pasta frequently as it boils to prevent sticking.

Mix the dressing.  Set aside.

Wash, then cut the vegetables.  Remove the inner seeds from the green pepper.

Slice the avocado around the pit, then twist into 2 halves.

Once the blade is in the pit, twist the knife and pull out the pit.

Discard the pit.  Peel and dice the avocado.  

Rinse the pasta well with cold water after cooking and draining.

This removes excess starch, and stops the cooking process.

Add the diced veggies to the rinsed and well drained pasta.

Mix together gently.  Then add the dressing and mix again.

 The finished product:

I first made this recipe with my sister in Kalamazoo, Michigan

after we stopped at a Farmer's Market for fresh vegetables.

If you like to cook with friends or family,

invite them to share this lesson with you

and enjoy sharing a meal together.  

Good fellowship is a beautiful thing!  Enjoy the rest of your day!

We've been freezing our own corn since we were first married.
Fresh sweet corn, locally grown, when it's picked perfectly ripe in season
makes the best frozen corn.
Store bought doesn't even come close.
If I write a sequel Healthy Home Ec book,
I'll put "freezing your own sweet corn" in it.
These are my oldest 2 children when they were young
husking corn in the bucket of the tractor of all places!
When you freeze more than 140 quarts of corn per year,
everyone needs to help!