Sally Clarkson's Blog, page 49

Some Company-Favorite Recipes You Might Try this Weekend!

As I ponder food for guests this weekend, I have been wondering where in Oxford I could find my pork tenderloin or pork roast that I have often served when I have a full table of hungry peeps. This is one of those 2 meal recipes—first one as warm roast. Second one as sandwiches. This is a hearty meal. In our house, food was always the frame that enhanced the picture of our shared days. I thought I would share with you a favorite family meal, starring my own roast pork concoction. I love making it because it’s simple, satisfying, and impressive. Since the children were little, we have traditionally sipped sparkling white or red grape juice with this meal.

Pork Roast à la Sally
This recipe is always a hit for crowds or for my kids, and so very easy to make. The meat is luscious and just falls apart. I have a great source for natural, organic pork, which I recommend if you can find it. We don’t have this meal often, but when we do, it is a real treat.

1 1⁄2–2 cups apple juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 1-ounce envelope dry onion soup mix (from a 2-ounce box) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1–2 pork loins or a pork roast (about 4 pounds total) to fit your slow cooker
4 apples, sliced thinly (Sometimes I peel them; sometimes I don’t.)
2 onions, sliced thinly
1⁄2–3⁄4 cup dried cherries, optional (Some don’t like these in the recipe, but most of my family loves them.)

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1⁄4 cup cornstarch or flour, optional 1⁄4 cup cold water, optional

Stir apple juice, garlic, soup mix, and Worcestershire sauce together in a slow cooker. Place the pork loins (or roast) in the sauce. Cover the meat with apples and onions and sprinkle the dried cherries over the top. Put lid on and cook 6–8 hours on low. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve meat with vegetables and fruit. If you would like a gravy, strain the leftover liquid into a small saucepan, skim off any fat, and heat. Stir the cornstarch or flour and cold water together in a cup until all the lumps are dissolved, then whisk mixture into the pan juices. Stir constantly over medium heat until thickened.

Below are my mashed potatoes and steamed green bean recipes. What are your company meals that please and fill up a crowd?

Serves 6–8.

Mashed Potatoes
I almost always use red potatoes these days because they have less sugar when cooked. I also use a pressure cooker and do them in four minutes. (See your pressure-cooker manual for instructions.) But you can also choose to cook them in a saucepan, as directed below. Adding chicken bouillon to the potatoes gives them a wonderfully rich taste and allows you to use less butter.

6–8 large red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (We don’t peel ours, but you can if you want to.)

Water to cover
1–2 teaspoons condensed chicken bouillon or base
2 tablespoons butter, or to taste
1⁄2–1 cup milk (or cream for richness), to taste Sea salt and pepper to taste

Cover cubed potatoes with water in a large saucepan. Bring water to boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 15–20 minutes, until potato chunks are soft. Drain water from the potatoes. Add the chicken bouillon and butter. Mash with a hand masher or whip with a handheld mixer, stirring in milk or cream a little at a time as you mash. They will absorb the liquid, so add whatever amount you need to make the potatoes the desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6–8.

Steamed Green Beans
Even folks who hate vegetables have been known to enjoy these. I love to use fresh beans whenever possible, but whole frozen ones will also work. And the very same cooking technique will work for asparagus!

11⁄2–2 pounds fresh, whole green beans or approximately 24 ounces frozen ones (2 12-ounce or 11⁄2 16-ounce packages)

Fresh or dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, summer savory, dill, or whatever you like)

1–2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or to taste

Sea salt to taste
Thinly sliced raw almonds, optional

If using fresh green beans, snap off the ends and pull off any strings. Rinse and place in a steamer basket over boiling water. Sprinkle with herbs, then cover and steam until just tender. Toss them in olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. If desired, sprinkle the sliced raw almonds on top of the dish before serving.

Serves 6–8

The Lifegiving Table: Nurturing Faith through Feasting, One Meal at a Time By Clarkson, Sally

Cheers to Queen Elizabeth!

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Cheers to Queen Elizabeth!

Miss Tea Cup and I found ourselves face to face with the queen herself and we gave her a toast and well wishes. What fun we had.

What an amazing lady. I have had fun the past few days reading her bio, searching out stories, reading her Christmas talks and enjoying the wise, seasoned woman who has lived a faithful, generous life.

Encouraged by her parents to see her life as a stewardship from God Himself, when she was crowned, this was her speech:

'Pray for me … that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making, and that I may faithfully serve Him and you, all the days of my life.’

Collecting some of these favorites of hers, (favorite music, author, food, and especially her favorite tea!) finding details about her life was the source of Tea Time Tuesday podcast today. Enjoy and celebrate with me, one whose life has so much wisdom and experience to fill our own vision for life.

Every day, wherever she was in the world, she stopped for tea—perhaps that is what made her wise! A little civilized time to stop to figure out the wisest ways to handle her life. Always, her tea time was exercised with a scone, Jam (first on the bottom) and then clotted cream. Listen and find out what her favorite tea was!

Enjoy and let me know what others would say was your favorite desert, music, food, author and especially what is your afternoon habit for tea? Mug? Cup and saucer? What flavor, brand? Do you allow yourself a bit of a “sweetie”—cake, scone, chocolate? Whatever else your day holds, stop for a spot of tea and treat yourself—as the queen did!

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Heritage: A Place to Belong

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“Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards - the things we live by and teach our children - are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings.” -Walt Disney

Every birthday of every person of every year found the Clarksons gathered for an elaborate morning breakfast, delighting in the food, conversation and belonging together. Following the feast was verbalizing the amazing and wonderful character qualities that we appreciated about the birthday person. Everyone participated and then we prayed for their year. We still do it whenever we are together. We were building a heritage.

Heritage: Belonging or becoming a part of a specific society or culture by cultivating traditions, repeating the stories of a group’s past, while valuing common foods, languages, life practices that help define the people who are a part of that culture.

Cultural heritage gives our lives historical significance and helps define the legacy we will carry on to the generations yet to come. When a child has a sense of his family culture, the traditions they practice over a lifetime, it provides a sense of confidence in who he or she is and what light and goodness that culture has brought to the world.

If we just focus on performance (grades, test scores, accomplishments) in the lives of our children, we do not provide the roots that will help them become stable as they live well into their story in the world. Roots are deepened over time and require watering, protection, the right environment in which to grow.

Clarksons’ heritage and culture is built on many things:

*We are a people of words and ideas and have spent thousands of hours talking, discussing ideas, reading to build this heritage.

*We are a people of feasting, of writing, of music,

*We are a people of faith in the living, personal Christ who companions us every day

*We are a people of creation, nature, seeing the artist God every day in His world

What is your heritage? What helps give your children meaning and history? Build a sense of belonging today.

Today, I talked with my friend, Amber O’Neil Johnston, about her new book, A Place to Belong, that speaks so beautifully of how to build a sense of family heritage and how to celebrate the stories that make us ourselves. This book beautifully casts a vision for our deep need to belong and to find meaning in our family’s personal stories.

A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond By O'Neal Johnston, Amber Buy on Amazon The Lifegiving Table: Nurturing Faith through Feasting, One Meal at a Time By Clarkson, Sally Buy on Amazon FOR MORE

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Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

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Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!

Tea Time Tuesday: Courage Will Lead us Forward: Daniel

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“A cup of tea is a brilliant excuse to take a little time to think over what matters in life.” -Anon

Darcy dog, Miss Tea Cup, and I sat out on my front porch, lilacs in bloom (the deer ate the bottom ones!) with music dancing in my ear, and we all gave life a “think.” Taking time to ponder life and to lift it up before God adds to the wisdom and peace of your soul.

As I was about to podcast, I moved to my deck on the back of our house, and there but 25 feet away was a large black bear ambling through the trees near my house. I quickly decided that maybe I would record my podcast indoors! You can hear the story of our wildlife this week on my podcast today.

Courage is a word I have chosen to focus on in my own life and I will be talking about it a bit the next few weeks. All of us can feel quite overwhelmed by the darkness of circumstances around us. Yet, courage means: exercising mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. Courage gives us a path of action in this difficult world. Courage is training our children to develop spiritual muscle, to cultivate the self-image of being a hero in their lifetime in representing the story and reality of the Kingdom of God. It is in watching us as parents choose courage and practice faith and hopefulness in front of them where our children, neighbors, and friends will be inspired to live their own lives of courage.

I always told my children, “Perhaps you will become Daniels in your lifetime. Even though he was a prisoner, a refugee in Babylon, one of the most evil, pagan civilizations in the world, He had such a godly influence and exhibited such faith, that when he died, 65,000 people wanted to “worship the God of Daniel.”

My friends, we are raising Daniels in our homes, and in our Bible study groups. You have a choice to live with courage and to bring His light to bear in your world. (More on the podcast today.)

There are books, a recipe, a favorite song—so much I hope you enjoy today as you sip and think. Bless you, my friends.

FOR MORE

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Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

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Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!

We All Need Gentleness, Not Criticism Right Now

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I am ridiculously happy today that I get to go back to Oxford this week and see my precious grandchildren and children. They fill my heart with hope and love. I hope you have something you are looking forward to.

We all need gentleness and grace these days. Don’t. you agree? What a week it has been, what a 3 years it has been!

When people are anxious or depressed, they all handle it in different ways. Some go inside and are depressed and possibly fearful. Some become angry or anxious. But the reality is, as we look at the landscape of the past several years, we have been bombarded with one challenge, tragedy, difficulty after another. It is possible that many have a sort of emotional PTSD -- what next? And haven't even gotten over the suppressing their needs of the last few years. So, this is a time, really like all times, when we all need grace, gentleness, patience, expressed love.

All of us fail. We fail to meet our own ideals. We fail to always love consistently. We are petty and selfish of heart in ways that often no one but God sees (thank goodness). The older I get and see my heart more clearly, the more humbled I become, wondering at God's generous mercy and grace. This knowledge should produce compassion in all of us, patience with others, sympathy with their struggles.

Let your relationships be ruled by love and grace. When you give a person hope, you help motivate them in the direction of a productive life that can move forward, even in difficult times. Yet, I have seen a lot of criticism both in my personal world as well as social media at large.

I have also received a lot of love, affirmation, encouragement—and that gives me life. Let us consider how to build one another up.

*Be sure to download Your free Lifegiving Mother Journal on SallyClarkson.com

Enjoy my podcast with some friends who showed me that for many years, when I didn’t even know it, He was working in amazing ways.

I wish you a gentle day full of love and hope.

A Community of Friendship and Inspiration: Lifewithsally.com

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Thirty-one years ago, I dreamed of creating community for Moms in the trenches of the challenges of raising their precious children, and it started out with a co-op in a small church, 150 kids were registered the first week, 40 families, and it is still going.

Eventually, we would plan Mom Heart Conferences to further support and come along side women. Next was books, then blogs, then podcasts, and finally social media popped in there. As I saw Jesus companioning his beloved disciples, coming along beside them and instructing them in the amazing life-giving wisdom of God, I wanted to emulate his model. Build environments where women could develop new friendships, have leadership in Biblical principles and cultivate a rich heart for raising their children to learn to love God, His ways, and to go into their worlds strong. Books were scattered all the way through.

Finally came our membership—a place where all that we had been doing for all the years could be in one place—books, instruction, friendship forum, traditions, years of conference talks, the best children’s books, Bible study and more.

One of the highlights of the weekend was having countless people come up to me and tell me how much this meant to them. And so, today, you have a podcast from these wonderful friends about their lives and how they have grown together through this gathering. If you are interested, you can find out more at lifewithsally.com. I do have to tell you, it is a pretty wonderful community to be in.

It all started out with a dream, a risk, and lots of work with Clay. How blessed we are to be a part of so many kindred spirits all over the world. Thanks so much, friends. You all mean so much to our family. Love you.

Books Referenced in this Podcast:  FOR MORE

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Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

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Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!

Tea Time Tuesday: Savor the Days

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“Tea is the magic key to the vault where my brain is kept.” – Frances Hardinge

This quote, that someone sent to me, gets to the heart of my tea times--Tea is the key--it opens my brain, soothes my emotions, sets me on course! Ridiculous, you say? I have listened to a number of books on audible this last couple of years and many are about the history of the UK. If someone gets engaged, someone else says, "We should make a cup of tea." When sick, "Put the kettle on!" If it is announced that war is at hand, "Fill the teapot!" It has tickled me to see the ways all people English in my stories are as silly about tea as I am!

Today, You will note from the photo that I make an exception to tea time Tuesday and have to throw in a story of the most magnificent French Press Coffee I have had in a long time. (Just look at this press!)

Not long ago, when I knew my visa in the UK was running out, I panicked because I wanted to see and experience everything before I left the UK. I asked my friend if she wanted to have a couple of adventures together to explore some unexplored places before I left the UK.

We started out on a highway, took a winding road that was barely wide enough for 2 cars, let alone one. We happened upon a quiet village, not the right one we were looking for, and after a few minutes of being utterly lost, we found a place where several cars were parked. Knocking on what looked like a big barn door with a cafe inside, eventually we opened the door and stepped inside. A crackling fire was sparking in an old rock fireplace that had goats' heads hung above the hearth. The old room was very charming, filled with antiques and lovely quaint tables.

We pushed a little bit further and asked if we could have breakfast. After a few minutes, the host set up a quintessentially charming table, for us and we had the freshest, gourmet breakfast I have had in a long time. Fresh grilled, buttered toast, fluffy eggs with herbs. All sorts of excellent tastes. And the magnificent pot of strongly brewed coffee with real cream.

We finally found out that the place was actually a bed and breakfast and that they did not normally serve people outside of their guests, but decided to serve us anyway--as an exception.

What an exciting time it was for me to be at W&F with hundreds of women, making new friends, speaking, signing books, enjoying conversations. Truly it was deeply fulfilling for me. I think that Covid had taken a toll on me. I was so used to suppressing my feelings because I couldn't actually host conferences, or easily get together with people--that I didn't even know how hungry I was for fellowship and fun and friendship with friends. It was like water to my thirsty soul.

There is much more in the podcast today, but I am off to serve lentil soup for a snowy night and to watch a trial drama with Clay.

I love you all. Loved being with many at Wild and Free. Lots more on TTT. Stay warm and safe or cool and safe depending on where you are!

Thoughts from Some Friends

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Whew! What a whirlwind of a weekend but so much fun. Tonight when I came home from Dallas — the Wild and Free Conference, (93 degrees and several days ago), I was met with 12 inches of snow! Wild! When Sarah was born on May 21, over 3 decades ago, it also snowed the night or day before and I thought I would not make it to the hospital. Deja Vu!

I am cratering tonight and can barely keep my eyes open, so this will be short. My friend, Ainsley Arment, has created an atmosphere where by hundreds of women can gather and feel camaraderie and encouragement just by being together and holding up ideals amongst like-minded women—speakers, music, and lots of fun with new friends. It reminded me of our years of conferences through Mom Heart. I love gatherings of women—I love friendship of women and their profound thoughts and their love! My friends and I hosted a little get together with some of the women in our membership (Life with Sally) to meet them and hear their stories, and by the time we left one another, we all felt like we had new friends.

"Two are better than one. Woe to the one who has no one to pick him up. A chord of three strands is not easily broken."

We were made for friendship, companionship, love, encouragement. We were not made to walk this pathway of life alone.. Women laughed, teared up, were inspired, and left with words of significance burning in their hearts and minds. I thought you might want to hear from some when were there as an encouragement to you that you are not alone—that others are walking the same road as you. After little sleep and lots of talk, I am off to bed for about 36 hours of sleep! Sweet Dreams.

Don't Give Up; Mamas are Needed!

"Does not wisdom call,

And understanding lift up her voice?

On top of the heights beside the way,

Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,

At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

'To you, O men, I call,

And my voice is to the sons of men.

O naive ones, understand prudence;

And, O fools, understand wisdom.

Listen, for I will speak noble things;

And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.'"

~Proverbs 8:1-6

This summer is another in which, alongside all the picnics and family trips to be enjoyed, we are constantly hearing about the pain so many are enduring around the world. It can be overwhelming, and we know we have to pray and give what we can to relieve the suffering we are so aware of. I have learned to take on this burden of prayer for others, as I feel hopeless to do much from so far away.

As usual, though, after praying and spending time with the Lord, I feel invigorated to do something to help to change hearts and to help build up a broken culture. And what I can do is what’s at hand: loving the people in these four walls well. Reaching out to my sweet ones who have gone on to new homes with their own littles. Checking in on my friends and letting them know I care.

Often, people are tempted with hopelessness and fear. Yet, I am reminded this is why mothers were created by God to teach and to call others to wisdom--because it is only when people learn to think rightly, to honor human beings made in the image of God, to weep over the fallen behavior of lost man, that they can move in the direction of redemption.

Hang in there, mama. Your influence matters so much to the people in your home, and to all the people they will influence over their lifetimes! Find more inspiration here:

The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming By Clarkson, Sally, Clarkson, Sarah

Tolkien's Story of Life Brings Hope

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“If more of us valued food, a steaming cup of tea and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” JRR Tolkien

I had a hard time rolling out of bed this morning. Consequently, I decided to take a few extra minutes to journey into the right sense of self for what would be a very busy day. Tolkien is right—if more of us value all of these things, it would be a merrier world.

The cool mountain breeze that is more glorious than I can express as it blows gently through the pines, my cuppa, music, flowers, all breathed life into me. Take time to give your day a good start—the busier you are the more important it is to breathe in peace before you begin.

Dear JRR Tolkien was a part of my thoughts this week as I get ready to travel to Dallas to speak at Wild and Free. His story was a tragic one, but it led him to write an epic story to his generation to give them a picture of hope—fighting the darkness with light, goodness, and courage. Enjoy the stories and quotes today. What books or stories have been real and given you great food for your own soul? I never get enough recommendations.

Today, there are simple dinner recipes, a book recommendation and a couple of Sally tales.

I pray for each of you that you may find strength for your days, courage for your story, love for those who need it-and that you may not be weary in well-doing. Sending my love to all.

Books Referenced in this Podcast:  FOR MORE

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.

Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!