Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place leg of lamb in roasting pan, ensuring lid will fit. In a bowl mix the mint jelly (all I had at the time; you could certainly use real mint sauce such as PC Mint Sauce, or make your own) with the cola and water and stir to combine. Add 1 teaspoon dried rosemary. Pour mixture over lamb leg. Put lid on roasting pan and place in oven. Roast for 4 hours. The meat will be tender and will fall off the bone. Reserve pan roasting juices to drizzle over the meat. Yum! Serve with starch and vegetables of your choice.
The Lord Jesus Christ-The Lamb of God
Whenever I have lamb I think about the truth that my Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God. There are several verses that tell me this and some are so touching in what they reveal about Him. In Genesis 22, Abraham is called upon to offer his one and only son, Isaac, to God. Now, God never intended for human sacrifice as a means of appeasing Him. He is testing Abraham and his faith here. As Abraham and his son go on together towards the mountain God said He would show him, (Mount Moriah that would one day be the temple mount in Jerusalem,) Isaac notes the fire and the wood but wonders where the lamb is for the sacrifice. Abraham says “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering,” Genesis 22:8 KJV. Isaiah 53 is a beautiful chapter foretelling how the Lord Jesus would die on the cross for the sin of the whole world. It was written over 2000 years before that event at Calvary, but God in His foreknowledge knew what He would do to provide salvation for all who seek a personal relationship with Him, Acts 2:23. Isaiah 53:7b, “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter…” When John the Baptist sees Jesus coming towards him to be baptized he cries out, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29. God did indeed provide Himself a lamb. He provided His one and only Son as the Lamb for sinners slain. John 3:16. Whoever believes Him will have eternal life. This is truth. Come to the Lamb today and receive forgiveness for your sin. Ask Him to be your personal Saviour and He will give you joy and peace in believing and the absolute assurance of eternity with Him. Life is short. Eternity is long. I am so thankful my life is held in His hands, now and forever.
Is it lunch time and you have some leftover chicken but don’t know what to do with it? Try this easy chicken salad recipe that will delight your tastebuds!
Chicken Salad with Cranberries
leftover cooked chicken, white and/or dark meat, chopped
dried cranberries, about 2 tbsp or to taste
1-2 tbsp mayonnaise
salt and pepper
2-4 slices of your favourite bread (here I chose an Italian Calabrese bread)
Mix all of the ingredients together. Taste and season to preference.
I like to butter my bread first. Then pile on the chicken mixture. Enjoy!
Bread is delicious, is it not? And it comes in so many varieties. Nothing quite beats homemade bread either, but I will wait for the cooler weather to put my oven on at 450 degrees F to once again fill the house with the smell of baking bread.
This reminds me that in John 6:35 Jesus says “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst,” NKJV. Jesus is speaking of the fact that He satisfies every longing of our hearts. He fills the hole in our lives that nothing on this earth can fill. Blaise Pascal is the one who said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.” In my 42 years as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ I can only say, “Amen to that!” Jesus is truly “all in all,” Colossians 3:11c, and I have found that He is the one who completes me and fills my lonely, longing heart. His love, grace, mercy and hope are continuous and immeasurable. He fills the hole in my heart and He is the Bread of Life who sustains me no matter what comes my way. I enjoy time in His word, time worshipping and praising Him, and His blessings far outweigh anything this world has to offer. “Blessed be the LORD, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!” Psalm 68:19. I still experience temporary, physical hunger and thirst, but the deep longings of my soul are satisfied with the Lord Jesus Christ.
On a recent trip to the Netherlands my husband and I visited his sister and husband in Groningen Province. It was our first time seeing the beauty of the northern part of the country and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to their neck of the woods. They had recently discovered the delights of Mustard Soup so we had to try it one night and like them, fell in love with this delicious, filling “soep.”
So here is my version which I made for us last night, seeing as back home in Ontario, Canada, we found out winter wasn’t done with us yet!
Ingredients
3 shallots 2 green onions 2 large baking potatoes 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only 1 large celeriac 4 carrots 2 L chicken stock salt & pepper 4 tbsp grainy mustard (I used a whole grain Dijon) 1/2-1 cup 35% cream pre-cooked and crumbled bacon dried or fresh parsley
Method
Peel shallots, potatoes, celeriac and carrots. Trim ends of green onions and wash. Slice leeks open lengthwise then chop into small pieces and thoroughly wash them using a colander. Cut shallots and green onions into small pieces and in a large stock pot, heat 2 tbsp oil of your choice with 2 tbsp of butter. When heated add shallots and green onions and gently cook until tender. Meanwhile, dice potatoes, leeks, carrots and celeriac. Add to the pot and then add the chicken stock, and the salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer/gently boil for about 35 minutes until vegetables are soft. Use an immersion blender to blend contents until smoothly pureed.
In a small bowl whisk together grainy mustard and the cream. Stir into blended soup. Serve with a bit of the bacon on the top and some of the parsley. Enjoy this soup with a bit of crusty bread or bread toasted then topped with cheese and toasted again until melty.
When You Feel Like You Have Been Pureed
A smoothly blended soup is wonderful to eat. But do you sometimes feel like life is blending you and you are feeling rougher and not smooth at all? Life is like that, isn’t it? Do you know you don’t have to go it alone? There is One who loves you so much that He gave His life for you. That One is Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God our heavenly Father. He cares for every detail of your life. I asked Him to be my personal Saviour when I was thirteen and now, some four decades later, I can honestly say Jesus has never let me down. He comforts me, strengthens me and gets me through those rough times with His love, joy and peace. I cannot imagine doing life without Him. In John 14: 6, He tells us that “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” And that, my dear friend, is the sweet good news of the gospel message. Jesus has done all that is necessary for you to go to heaven. He died on the cross, He was buried, He rose again the third day. All we need to do is believe it! The Bible tells us after He rose from the dead He appeared to over 500 people, 1 Corinthians 15:6, and they all attested to His being alive again. This is the crux of the Easter celebrations we just enjoyed. He is alive and He is in heaven interceding for us! What a wonderful truth. We can rest in Him and trust Him to be with us no matter what we are going through. Life is rarely fair, yet He is completely fair. The next time you feel you are caught in the whirlwind of a crazy life, talk to Him about it. Believe Him and His word. Let Him be your strong tower, Proverbs 18:10, run to Him and be safe!
As we continue our list of physical cookbooks, instead of e-books, it seems the perfect time to mention an actual muffin cookbook that has been on my shelf for decades. The Homestead Muffin Cookbook by Suzanne Wood and published by Homestead Studios in 1983. Both the Banana Oatmeal and the Blueberry muffin recipes have been used many times over the years. Suzanne’s simple instructions and lovely photos guarantee an enjoyable muffin making experience. I could not find a link for this book but there are many excellent muffin cookbooks out there for you to try.
Were you as surprised as I was by the date of publication for The Homestead Muffin Cookbook? 1983. I knew I had had this book for a long time but I didn’t realize just how long. My love affair with cookbooks began when I was a child apparently. Another golden oldie on my shelf is The Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook, published by McClelland and Stewart Limited in 1966 and reprinted in 1967 and 1969. I love this book! Whenever I take it off the shelf and flip through it looking for a favourite recipe I am reminded why I love it so much and regret not referring to it sooner. There is a bookmark on the page with the recipe for Maple Sugar Cookies. This recipe contains the following inscription: “This tempting recipe has been passed down from the early days in Upper Canada, when cane sugar was scarce and maple sugar was a staple food. Nowadays maple sugar is a special treat,” (page 127). Perhaps my favourite recipe in this book is the one for Traditional Tea Biscuits. These biscuits are light and fluffy and beyond delicious when warm and buttered. The inscription with this recipe is a favourite too among all of my cookbooks. “The baked scones of the Scots and the baking powder biscuits of our American neighbours appear as tea biscuits on our menus. Knead the dough gently to give the flaky layers that become visible when the biscuits are halved for spreading with butter and jelly. ‘Crusty-sided’ biscuit devotees separate the little rounds on the baking sheet and ‘soft-siders’ know to snuggle them up closely before baking,” (page 29).Recently I noticed a recipe for Basic French Dressing on page 163 and so had to try that one that very night. Delicious!
These are just a few of the cookbooks on my shelves, whether they are physical ones or digital shelves. I have many more and in the weeks ahead I will offer other lists of cookbook suggestions for you to begin your own culinary adventure. Happy reading and happy cooking!
As I put the title onto this post I was reminded of Psalm 23:5, “…my cup runs over,” NKJV. Indeed with the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour I am truly blessed and each and every day I see little touches from Him that tell me I am loved and precious. Coming back from a walk in the sunshine the other day I had to stop and “chat” with the sparrow that loves the tree in my front yard. He was singing his merry little heart out and he reminded me that “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me,” C. Martin, 1905.
I am thankful for the love, grace and mercy He has poured into my heart and my life and I pray I am representing Him here on earth as He is representing me in heaven, 1 John 2:1-2. He has told us that we are salt and light and for many we are the only Jesus people will ever meet. This gives me pause as I go about my day. Lord, help me to be kind and gracious to all I meet and to be a witness for You. Amen.
I have had a comment about Recipe Tin Eats and to that comment I add, “Hear, hear!” We love Nagi and her delicious, accessible recipes. My sister-in-law, Carol, introduced me to Nagi Maehashi and her website http://www.recipetineats.com. When Nagi published her first cookbook last year I bought a copy as soon as it was available. Hands down, my favourite recipe from her website is the Artisan No Knead Crusty Bread and this recipe keeps my Dutch Ovens working hard! Be sure to visit her site and don’t forget to check out her “Charlie” stir-fry sauce recipe, page 94 in the cookbook.
A year ago or so, I bought Martha Stewart’s Vegetables, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2016 and it comes to us via the editors of Martha Stewart Living. I purchased this one in an effort to get more delicious vegetables on our supper plates. We all know we are to have half our plate given to vegetables, but I find myself in a rut when it comes to this part of the meal. How long can one put out pickles and call them the vegetable portion of the meal anyway? Our family enjoyed the Butternut, and Taleggio Pizza, although I used fresh mozzarella and pizza mozzarella instead of the Taleggio cheese, and one day soon it will be the Blistered Eggplant with Tomatoes, Olive and Feta that will grace that half of our dinner plates.
A favourite vegetable cookbook is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Veg, published in Canada by Appetite by Random House in 2013. Some of the recipes in here that tease the palate and invigorate the senses include the irresistible Roasted Tomato Sauce and its follow-up Roasted Tomato Ketchup. This second one will stop you from buying over-sugared prepared ketchup! I bought this book for one particular recipe that we have enjoyed many times now, Eggplant Parmigiana. This turned the entire family into eggplant lovers. Herby, Peanutty, Noodly Salad will satisfy cravings for freshness and crunch and New Potato, Tomato, and Boiled Egg Salad will give you a new reason to love Potato Salad. Panzanella gives life to stale bread and is another family favourite. With the variety of tomatoes, and especially heirloom tomatoes, one can get year-round now, this salad is never the same twice. Leek and Cheese Toastie will have you turning the broiler on again and again. There is something comforting about warm toast and oozing cheese that even a cold winter day can’t darken.
In Proverbs 25:11 we are told, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver,” NKJV. I want to use my words to encourage and edify others. Our Lord Jesus Christ always spoke with forethought, compassion and grace and that is how I want to speak. Words are important and how we use them even more so. I want to stop, think, and then open my mouth. I want to be like the Proverbs 31 woman; “She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness,” NKJV. Lord, help me to use wise, kind words for Your glory!
A couple of years ago I added Ayesha Curry’s digital book to my library. Bearing the charming title of The Seasoned Life, and published in 2016 by the Hachette Book Group’s Voracious/Little, Brown and Company, this collection of recipes is designed to “make the moment,” with good food. One day soon I am going to indulge in the Deep-Fried Oreos! As I prefer homemade dressings to store bought, I look forward to dipping some lettuce and carrots into some of her offerings in that chapter. And as I glance at the recipes listed, the Sweet Chili Shrimp Wraps are calling my name and my tummy!
Another recent delightful e-book purchase was Melissa Gilbert’s My Prairie Cookbook, published in 2014 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of ABRAMS. I have always loved reading about the Canadian and American pioneers and Melissa weaves memories of her time as Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie with her own recipes and memories of growing up on set and at home. Food is definitely one of the things that tie us together and memories of meals remind us of our loved ones. In this book I look forward to trying Cornmeal-Fried Catfish, and enjoying some memories of a television show I have loved since I was a little girl. And if I wasn’t going to experiment with lasagne in my new Instant Pot, I would have to try her Real-Deal Lasagne if only to have a reason to belt out “Old Danielli Tuckeroni” while making it!
The last e-book I will visit in this list today is Amy Fazio’s Do You Know the Muffin Pan? I selected this book for my library because of its whimsical title and because my family loves to eat muffins. Muffins make a tasty snack and a delicious breakfast too. As it turns out, this book is about the muffin pan and the many wonderful foods one can prepare within it. (As an added bonus to this list, try this recipe from a website I visit often: https://www.recipetineats.com/cheesy-potato-gratin-stacks-muffin-tin/ ). Fazio’s book is published by Skyhorse Publishing and came out in 2014. This book will introduce you to the joys of portable food and will show you the muffin pan is one kitchen tool you should not be without.
For a word from the word, I am journaling in Isaiah right now. Isaiah 1:18 has always been a favourite verse of mine because of the vivid word picture it paints. “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool,” NKJV. In the winter time I can find a pristine snowbank and remind myself that I am washed clean of my sins because of what my Lord Jesus Christ did for me on Calvary. Why did He die for me? I will let Galatians 2:20 answer: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me [emphasis mine] and gave Himself for me,” NKJV. Beloved, He loves you too! He is waiting for you to call upon Him to save you from your sins and to be your personal Saviour.
Chop, dice, shred, grate, braise, sauté, flip, sous vide, bake, broil, toast, poach; these are some of the verbs of the cook, whether the professional chef or the home cook. When COVID-19 hit and restaurants were shuttered many people went back to a skill that some worry is disappearing in our fast-paced modern culture: cooking for one’s self. There is nothing like a homemade meal and, with today’s variety and availability of ingredients, there is almost no excuse for not trying something new. Our multicultural society has opened doors to new tastes and new preparation methods that can be like travelling to another land without leaving your own kitchen. For some of these forays into the unknown, nothing beats the right cookbook. And for the adept cook, cookbooks provide inspiration and ideas for the ever-present question of “What’s for supper?”
When I look over my shelves of cookbooks, and see how many digital cookbooks I have purchased, I see how I have loved cookbooks for a long time. Sometimes when I buy one, my husband will say, “Another cookbook?” Some of my older ones are familiar friends, slightly worn and dog-eared. Some of my newer ones will be old favourites in time. Each offers delectable delights to tempt the palate and cheer the heart. Home cooking is fun and enjoyable and it never ceases to delight me when a meal that was lovingly laboured over receives a thumbs up from hungry family members who were drawn to the kitchen by tantalizing aromas.
I am reading and flipping through so many cookbooks right now. I have physical cookbooks that I try not to spill food on as I refer to them, and e-book cookbooks on a variety of cookery methods and regional specialties. I like to peruse them for ideas for supper or to recall the detail of a recipe I have loved for years. Here, then, is the current list of cookbooks I am constantly diving into. The buy-local movement has inspired people to experiment in their kitchens and we likely all desire to eat healthily and to enjoy the food preparation process too. Perhaps one of these books will encourage you to get into the kitchen and start cooking!
And that, dear reader, is the purpose of this reading list, which will span several entries. It will entice you to dig into the cookbooks you have on your shelf or on your tablet, and the hope is that they in turn will inspire you to get into the kitchen and rediscover the joy of cooking for yourself and your loved ones.
I am just beginning to read this as I just bought it. So far the introduction and first devotion and recipe have delighted my soul and tantalized my taste buds. I look forward to putting a little more (Indian) spice in my cooking!
This one was a Christmas gift from my oldest son and I anticipate some delicious meals from this one with a Mediterranean flair and flavour which both go a long way to brightening up winter. I find Jamie’s recipes to be friendly, easy and they encourage me to cook fresh, healthy food in my kitchen.
One of my e-book cookbook collection is Rachel Khoo’s The Little Paris Kitchen. Chronicle Books LLC published this in both the United States of America and in Great Britain in 2012. Before 2020 I had discovered the television show of the same name and delighted in the things she was able to make in “the tiny little kitchen in my apartment with just a mini oven and two gas rings.” Her cured sausage, pistachio, and prune cake, savory cake recipe is one of my favourite to make. My version replaces the sausage with dried apricots and this cake makes a lovely breakfast when warmed and topped with butter. One of the delights of this cookbook is if she can make these things in her tiny little kitchen then anyone can make them and this makes her recipes accessible to all.
This wouldn’t be my blog without a word from the Word! As it is a new year, I have been reading the New Testament with Dwell. As my favourite voice reads I follow along in my Bible. I enjoy this way of reading and in 90 days I will have it completed and will begin it again. I am, therefore, in the New Testament four times a year with these daily readings. As 2024 begins in earnest I want to remind you of our Lord Jesus Christ’s words in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light,” NKJV. I need to remind myself to rest in Him and let Him carry my burdens. They are too heavy for me and I know He can take them and infuse me with His peace and joy. May you find He is also the perfect place for your cares and concerns too. Believe me, dear one, He knows all about it and He loves you so much!
When you were young, did you ever fold up a piece of white paper and using some scissors carefully snip away at it and then unfold the paper and look with delight at the snowflake you had made? Recently I was reminded of this childhood activity and that paper cutting has a name: Scherenschnitte. This is a German word for “scissor cuts,” and the art of paper cutting. I decided to try my hand at this and made a paper cutting for a Bible journaling entry. The pieces I cut out of my main section were useful on the next page as well.
The Creator, the God of all of the universe, snips and shapes me into the person He wants me to be as well. Each day, study in His word, time spent in prayer, and fellowship with other believers, conforms me to His image. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” Romans 12:1-2, NKJV.
I need to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit as the Lord Jesus Christ shows me how He wants me to live my life before Him. After all, as long as I am on this earth I am a work in progress. What do I need to change? What sin do I need to let go of? In what way does He want me to trust Him more? How can I be a light for Him? “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:6. In the Lord Jesus Christ I have been justified, I am being sanctified, and one day in heaven I will be glorified. In the meantime, as I grow in the knowledge of Him, 2 Peter 3:18, I need to “Walk in the Spirit/[be] led by the Spirit/[and] live in the Spirit,” Galatians 5:16, 18, 25. I am a work of His, in progress until He calls me home.
I am so thankful we have the word of God to be our guide in life. Even more amazing is the fact the Lord Himself is our Guide. An old acronym for the word “Bible,” is Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. This is certainly true! The word of God contains all we need as God “has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,” 2 Peter 1:3. No matter what we are going through, we can find help and comfort in the pages of Scripture. And for the believer, the indwelling Holy Spirit guides us, comforts us and strengthens us each and every day. I like how Psalm 48:14 reminds us that our God is forever and ever and He will guide us, even to death. We don’t have to go through life alone. He is always with us and He delights when we speak to Him in prayer and await His answers too. He answers by His word. Snatches of Scripture come to our minds, or our daily devotion leads us to a passage we need to read or be reminded of. The words of a hymn, or Christian song, speak to us right where we are, and in the act of just sitting and reading His word, He brings us to a verse that speaks to our need. Again, I am thankful to have the word of God. May you find encouragement in the pages of Scripture today.
In the book of Ruth, found in the Old Testament, we have a beautiful story of redemption. God’s grace is seen in how Ruth, a Moabitess, marries Boaz, a Jew, and their union leads to King David and eventually to Jesus Christ.
In these uncertain days a particular verse from this book has been replaying in my mind for the past week or two. In chapter 3, verse 18, Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, tells Ruth “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out…” NKJV. This is exactly what we are being called to do in these days and weeks of Covid-19. We are to sit still, to stay at home, to keep up with physical distancing so we can stop the spread of this deadly virus. It is our human nature to want to do something. We want to go out, we want to visit our loved ones, we want to interact. But we can’t at this time. We need to “sit still…until we know how the matter will turn out.” In this sitting still, we have more time to sit with our Lord Jesus Christ. We can be like Mary “who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word,” instead of being like Martha who “was distracted with much serving,” Luke 10:39-40. In our normal, busy lives, we often don’t make time to sit at Jesus’ feet and hear His word. We are distracted by so many things. It is a blessing to have this extra time now to choose “that good part,” Luke 10:42, and to sit in His presence. Here we can be still and let His peace and love and grace wash over us and reassure us in this difficult time. We can sit, we can “be still, and know that [He is] God,” Psalm 46:10. Rest in Him, beloved. Know He has not forgotten you, or any of us, for a single second. Like Ruth, we can quiet our souls “under [Him] whose wings [we] have come for refuge,” Ruth 2:12.
Dishing Up Praise! 