Ruth Anne Benziger's Blog, page 40

Mexican Black-Eyes

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) package frozen black-eyed peas, thawed

Olive oil-flavored vegetable cooking spray

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup cooked long-grain rice (cooked without salt or fat)

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained

2 teaspoons low-sodium Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried whole oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried whole thyme

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon hot sauce

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

No-oil baked tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

Cook black-eyed peas according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chopped onion, green onions, green pepper, and garlic; saute until tender.

Add peas, rice, and next 8 ingredients to onion mixture; stir well. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

To serve, spoon mixture into individual serving dishes. If desired, place tortilla chips around edge of each dish, and sprinkle with crushed chips.

Yield: 10 (1/2-cup) servings

Parenting vs Writing/Reading

I want to do it all, I think that I can sometimes, but we have to be realistic. We can’t do it all. That’s okay!

It’s all about making priorities. I’d love to spend my days immersed in books while sitting near the window. I wish that I could. But I make things a priority.

I love writing, reading, and my hobbies. Parenting always takes the number 1 priority in my life.

The choice to homeschooling has strengthened our bond and chanted the dynamics in my home. Can it get overwhelming sometimes? Absolutely! If you don’t, give me your secret!

We have a routine, while flexible, in our home. We do the same things often. We attend church Sundays and Wednesdays. That is another priority that we make as a family.

So, while I want to read books all day and write, it does tend to take a backseat to the rest of my daily life.

I try hard to fit in reading a chapter or two while my kids are doing crafts or independent work. Each morning I do my bible study, which I don’t compromise. I know it feels like there are less hours in the day sometimes.

While, all listed above is something that I wish could happen, I don’t think I’d trade it. My bond with my kids and their education is so important to me. I enjoy teaching and learning with them. I love spending time with them. (Yes, even when they throw tantrums). I love being a part of molding them into the people they are going to be.

It’s important to me. As is writing and reading.

So, next time you are frustrated with your lack of ability in doing something, remember where your priorities are. It’s okay to let things take a backseat. It’s not that you won’t get back to them. You just have to find the time and make the time if it is important to you.

I hope you enjoy your Thursday,

Ruth Anne

featured photo taken from: udemy.com

Almond Roulage

Ingredients

4 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup ground toasted almonds

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar, divided

1 cup whipping cream

1 1/2 tablespoons amaretto

1 cup slivered almonds, toasted, chopped, and divided

1/2 cup red currant jelly, melted, and divided

Directions

Grease a 15- x 10- x 1-inch jellyroll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour wax paper. Beat egg yolks in a large bowl until thick and pale. Add 1/2 cup sugar, beating well. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Beat egg whites at high speed of an electric mixer until foamy. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at at time, beating until stiff peaks form; fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and ground almonds; fold into egg mixture. Spread into pan. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes.

Sift 2 tablespoons powdered sugar in a 15- x 10-inch rectangle on a towel. When cake is done, immediately loosen from sides of pan, and turn out onto towel. Peel off wax paper. Starting at narrow end, roll up cake and towel together. Place, seam side down, on a wire rack; let cool completely.

Beat whipping cream, amaretto, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until foamy; gradually add remaining powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped almonds.

Unroll cake; remove towel. Brush cake with 1/3 cup jelly. Spread whipped cream mixture on cake, leaving a 3/4-inch margin around edges; reroll cake.

Place on a serving-plate, seam side down. Brush with remaining jelly. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Cover and chill.

Yield: 10 servings

Shrimp Curry

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 medium onion, minced

2 stalks celery, minced

1/2 green pepper, minced

1 tart apple, peeled, cored and grated

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 to 2 tablespoons curry powder

6 tablespoons flour

3 cups chicken bouillon

1/2 cup cream

2 tablespoons sherry

1/2 teaspoon Ac’cent

2 pounds shrimp, cooked and peeled

Hot cooked rice

Directions

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, green pepper, apple and parsley. Cook, stirring, until onion is limp but not browned.

Blend in curry powder and flour. Remove from heat. Stir in bouillon and cream and stir until smooth.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and thickened. Add sherry, Ac’cent and shrimp. Heat thoroughly.

Turn mixture into top part of chafing dish. Keep warm over hot water. Serve with hot cooked rice.

Serve with chutney, chopped onion, chopped green pepper, salted peanuts, flaked coconut, and candied ginger.

Yield: 4 servings

Light & Delicious 1994 recipe

Pineapple Skillet Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or margarine, divided

1 2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar, divided

8 slices pineapple

8 maraschino cherries

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in the skillet over low heat. Cover butter with 2/3 cup of the brown sugar. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place 1 cherry in the center of each pineapple slice.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

Beat eggs in a small bowl. Beat in remaining cup of brown sugar until mixture is smooth and slightly stiff. Beat in milk and vanilla. Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter and beat into eggs.

Pour egg mixture into bowl with dry ingredients. Beat until mixture is smooth, scraping down bowl with rubber scraper occasionally.

Carefully spoon batter over pineapple slices.

Cover with vac-control valve closed. Place over low heat and bake 40 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched with fingers. Remove cover and let stand 2 minutes.

Cut around side of cake with a knife. Invert a large platter on top of skillet. Turn over and let stand 1 minute. Remove skillet. Scrape any syrup out of bottom of skillet and place on cake.

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, if desired.

Light & Delicious 1994 recipe

Veal Scallops With Lemon

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds veal scallops, cut 3/8-inch thick

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Flour

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chicken bouillon

1 lemon, cut in thin slices

Directions

Place scallops between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Pound flat with the side of a cleaver or any heavy object. Scallops should be only 1/4 inch thick.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on scallops. Dust with flour and shake off any excess.

Melt butter and oil in skillet over medium heat. Add veal scallops, a few at a time, and cook about 2 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Remove scallops and set aside.

Pour off most of fat from skillet. Add chicken bouillon and boil about 1 minute scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet.

Return veal to skillet. Place lemon slices on top. Cover with vac-control vale closed. Lower heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until veal is tender.

Place scallops on a heated platter and pour pan juices over top.

Yield: 4 servings

Southern Living 1985 recipe

Peachy Pork Medaillons

Ingredients

2 (3/4-pound) pork tenderloins

Vegetable cooking spray

1/2 cup peach nectar

1/4 cup Chablis or other dry white wine

1 teaspoon peeled, minced ginger-root

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

1/3 cup mango chutney

2 cups peeled, sliced fresh peaches

1/2 cup sliced green onions

Green onion curls (optional)

Directions

Partially freeze tenderloins; trim fat from tenderloins. Cut tenderloins diagonally across grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; Place over medium-high heat until hot. Add half of pork, and cook 3 minutes on each side or until pork is lightly browned. Remove pork from skillet. Drain; set aside, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining pork slices. Wipe drippings from skillet with a paper towel.

Combine peach nectar and next 3 ingredients in skillet. Return pork to skillet. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and slimmer 4 to 5 minutes or until pork is tender.

Transfer pork to a serving platter, using a slotted spoon. Set aside, and keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water; stir until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture and chutney to peach nectar mixture; stir well. Add peaches and sliced green onions.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Spoon peach mixture over pork. Garnish with green onion curls, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Light & Delicious 1994 Recipe

Bible Study Topic: Depression

Depression is all over the world and rampant. I can’t go a day without the topic gracing the news, advertisements, conversations, and reality. It’s all over and doesn’t discriminate.

Let’s consider, the world is tough to live in. There are issues we deal with on a daily basis. Trauma, pressure, financial weakness, stress, work requirements, grief, alcoholism, drug use, health issues, and the list could go on way beyond this blog post.

Deep Waters

When you deal with depression, it can seem like you are walking under water. There seems to be this fog around you that keeps you from clarity. Remember what Samuel says, “He took me; he drew me out of the many waters; (2 Samuel 22:17). Asking God to take out out of the waters of your fog, is something I pray for often.

God Comforts

I’ve dealt with depression on and off since I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. I try to keep in mind that I’m stronger than what plagues me. God is stronger than what I deal with. He will comfort us in the times when we feel most depressed if we turn to him. “Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;” (2 Corinthians 7:6)

If we seek God in the times of despair and depression, he will comfort us in his word. “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

Hope/Hopeless

At times even if we turn to God, it can seem hopeless. We feel the hope slipping away. It causes the depression to go further and we slide deeper into those dark waters. Remember to have faith. “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” (Romans 4:20).

Sometimes we are weak in body because we are weak in faith (Romans 4:19). The more I turn to God’s word, the more joy I find. The less depression I feel.

Joy/No Joy

It can often be hard to find joy in your life when there is so much around you that is going wrong. We often lose the fight to find joy and our voices often become silenced. We end up suffering in silence. One, because we think that everyone else around us is depressed and less likely to take interest in our depression. Two, because you don’t want to voice your feelings and keep them to yourself.

Jeremiah says, “And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field…their shouting shall be no shouting; (48:33). Don’t let joy be taken and don’t let your voice quiet. Seek the small things in life and take joy in them. Shout and rejoice, praise loud to God. Thank him for what you have, pray for what you need.

Depression can suck to deal with and I know that sometimes, we let it win.

I hope this has helped you a bit and given you a glimpse at scripture, and I hope that with prayer and faith, you’ll find peace.

If you have a topic to request for Bible Study, leave it below.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Bent

Twisted into a form

Broken from a gash

Garnished with distractions

Spiced with change

.

Boiled in emotion

Simmered with aids

Broiled in helpers

I just can’t swallow it

.

Mind is tasted

Decisions are drunk

You cannot sip it

No matter the fight

.

I’m molded anew

Grown to adjust

Brightness of bending

Of starting again

.

Bent isn’t broken

Quick Minestrone

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Ingredients

6 beef bouillon cubes

6 cups hot water

1 cup red table wine

1/4 pound bacon, cut in pieces

1 1/2 cups cooked navy beans

2 cups shredded raw cabbage

1 cup diced raw potato

1 cup diced raw carrots

1 cup diced raw celery

1 cup minced onion

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 can (1 pound) tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 pound elbow macaroni

Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Dissolve bouillon cubes in hot water in Dutch oven. Add red wine, bacon, beans, cabbage, potato, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes, seasoned salt, and salt and pepper to taste.

Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low. Cover with vac-control valve closed. Simmer about 1 hour.

Add macaroni and simmer 20 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Serve with lots of Parmesan cheese and toasted Italian bread.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Light & Delicious 1994 Recipe