Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson's Blog, page 3

Tuesday Poetry

 

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weaponed woman 

Gwendolyn Brooks

 

Well, life has been a baffled vehicle

And baffling. But she fight, and

Has fought, according to her lights and 

The lenience of her whirling-place.

 

She fights with sem-folded arms,

Her strong bag, and the stiff

Frost of her face (that challenges "When" and "If.")

And altogether she does Rather Well.

 

Best Peanut Butter Cookies

 

Every so often, I get a craving for peanut butter cookies. This recipe fills my craving perfectly. It was inspired by a recipe I found in the New York Times. The cookies have a cookie texture, without losing the richness of peanut butter. The sugar/salt sprinkling at the end provide that 'umami' flavor combination that is the right finish.

Ingredients:

1 cup of butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups peanut butter

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

 

Directions:

1. Cream together butter, sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and peanut butter.

2. Add in flour, salt, and baking power. Mix until thoroughly combined.

3. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Then, using a large spoon (about 1 tablespoon) scoop rounded balls of dough and place on parchment lined cookie pans.

4. Bake in a oven pre-heated to 350F, for 12 - 14 minutes.

5. Sprinkle cookies with a mixture of 2Tablespoons of sugar and 1 Tablespoon kosher salt.

Enjoy!

Hope Looks Like This

 

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Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you

not perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert

and streams in the 

wasteland.

~Isaiah 43:18-19

 

Hope requires that we let go of the hurt and the pain of broken expectations.

And it's so difficult. How can we let go of the dream, when that is the only thing we have left?

Yet, in this verse, God tells us to forget those things, to stop dwelling on the past.

And there is a reason.

God tells us that we must first let go of the hurt, if we are to accept the new thing, the real thing that God wants to give us.

This is our challenge. 

To swim in the deep end, we must let go of the side of the pool.

To accept God's best plan for our lives, we first must be brave enough to turn our back on the past, let of the thing we hoped for and put our trust in God.

Trust that the new thing He has planned for us is better than that thing we had hoped for.

If we can put our trust in that promise, God has promised to provide nourishing streams in the desert.

 

In the Meantime

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This column almost wasn’t written. At least not on this topic.

 

You see, at the moment, I’m mad at God.

 

But as a faith writer, I feel it’s my responsibility to be encouraging, to always put the best face on my walk of faith. So I wondered what you would think of me if I admitted that I’m getting the silent treatment from God. And it leaves me lonely, impatient, and sad.

 

I feel as if I’ve been praying and pursuing a variation of the ‘home and career’ prayer for the last twenty years, without a lasting or satisfactory conclusion. I’m tired of God not answering my prayers.

 

And I’m tired of failing by my own efforts.

 

I read somewhere that God doesn’t answer our prayer requests, He only strengthens us to bear whatever we are faced with.             That image of a hands-off, Higher Power, doesn’t fit with my understanding of God. It feels too formal: we revere God for His divinity, and expect nothing more.

 

Frankly, this notion of God isn’t Biblical. Throughout the Bible we see God clearly desires to be involved in the messiest parts of our lives. So much so, that his Son, Jesus, lived with us on a daily basis for 33-years, so fully human that he laughed with us, cried with us, experienced our broken hearts and how we love imperfectly. Jesus’ human-ness was so real that he felt humiliation, pain, and even abandonment, as when he cried out for God, and received silence.

 

 God did not respond to his son, not because He was uncaring but so that Christ’s purpose on Earth could be fulfilled.

 

God’s desire to be part of our lives didn’t end at the Cross. But it does give me a clue about His use of silence in our times of darkness.

 

I know that I am not alone in wondering if God has abandoned me now. Job wrote, “Oh for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,” (Job 29:4)

 

The closer we grow with God, the more painful separation from God will feel. But what are we to make of God’s promise, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5) when the only response we receive to our prayer is God’s silence?

 

What are we to do then?

 

In the Meantime…

 

I believe we can find our way through the darkness by following in the steps of David, who was beloved by God.

 

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 130:1-2)

 

During times of worry, we need to speak with God throughout each day. We need to open our hearts as David did, and be confident that God can handle our anger, our tears. Even Jesus cried out on the Cross, “Why have you forsaken me?”

 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1)

 

When I recall how God has helped me in the past, how He has always worked things out for my good, I can use this as a rope of hope to cling to, certain that God’s help will be present again.

 

Being thankful for God’s provision gives me the courage to go out and try again and again. I believe that when we are waiting on God, it’s important to be active, to keep trying and consider my failure as a learning experience that will eventually lead to success.

 

But what am I to make of God’s silence during this time? When my heart still hearts in the midst of my actions?

 

As much as I hate to admit it, God’s silence usually signals that He is building my faith, making me a better person. When I speak with God every day in prayer, seek his wisdom through the Bible, thank Him for my many blessings, my faith deepens. Of course, this doesn’t stop me from telling God I’ve had enough and want things to change.

 

Be confident of God’s plan for my life: “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

 

This familiar verse is hard to believe when I am wondering whether my next step will provide a safe landing or a drop off a cliff. I think it’s been so overused, it’s lost its impact. Yet, I know it is true.

 

That is the imperfect, uncomfortable balance I live with. I know that God’s actions are to make me the best version of myself that I can be, but at the same time, I am tired and I doubt. And so I face the Believer’s Paradox: Jesus said, “All things are possible to him who believes!” Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

 

And that is my faith journey: To embrace my disbelief and hope my love for God is stronger than my fear of the future.  “I will wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” (Psalm 130:5) My hope springs from experience, I can see God has made me better through this winnowing process.  And even when I cannot know the outcome, and I grow weary, I rest in God’s promise, “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” (Psalm 126:3)  

 

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Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson is the author of “A Map of Heaven.” She lives in Breckenridge. Join her at www.Facebook.com/suzanneelizabeths or at www.suzanneelizabeths.com

 

Cooking for Two

 

Cookbook Review: Broth and Stock from the Nourished Kitchen by Jennifer McGruther

I love this cookbook! Bone broth is the latest craze and if you are looking to learn how to create your own bone broth this book is an excellent place to start.

What to do next?

Use those wonderful broths to create soups...lots of wonderful recipes here to try:quick pho, beef stew with winter vegetables, thai-style chicken soup with lemongrass and coconut milk, seafood stew with lemony parsley pesto, new england clam chowder.

And then move to main coarse meals: springtime risotto with asparagus, green garlic, and chive blossoms, beef shank with garlic and basil, chicken in wine with mushrooms, pork pot roast with sweet potato, ancho chile, and lime, spicy chickpea and lamb stew.

I could eat for a month from this wonderful cookbook!

Cooking for Two - Crispy Tofu with Teriyaki Vegetables

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In last week's Dear Quandary column in the Summit Daily News, a reader asked where to find tasty vegetarian meals in Summity County.

I've got your answer right here: Me and you in your kitchen!

In the summertime, I want gorgeous fresh vegetables and lighter meals. This dish ticks both boxes. Best of all, it's so easy, you'll only need one pan!

What makes this recipe appeal to everyone, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike is that the dreaded slimy tofu has been marinated and then given a light coating of cornstarch to give it that crispy crunch that everyone loves. The vegetables are given a quick stir fry in a teriyaki sauce and you're all set in less than 30 minutes.

I promise, this dish will inspire you to head to the farmer's market for the freshest produce, and then home to make your new favorite vegetarian dishes, yourself!

 

Ingredients:

1 block extra firm tofu

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2-3 tablespoons of a neutral oil such as sunflower, canola, etc.

teriyaki marninide / sauce

hoisin sauce

Your choice of stir fry vegetables, for instance, thin slices of bell peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, shredded carrots, zucchini rounds, bite-sized chunks of eggplant, napa or red cabbage...create a colorful variety!

Directions:

For the tofu:

 slice the block of tofu into horizontal slices and then again into bite size pieces. 
place the pieces of tofu on a clean cutting board, put another cutting board on top of the slices and a 28 oz can to weight down the board. Let stand for 10 minutes, this will drain the excess liquid from the tofu.
place the tofu into a shallow baking dish and season with a tablespoon of teriyaki sauce, let stand for 10 minutes. 
Using a small sieve, sprinkle each side of the tofu with cornstarch, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all side are coated. The cornstarch will create a gummy coating on the tofu.
Heat the oil in a flat frying pan until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Add the tofu and let each side brown before turning. 
Remove the tofu from the pan, to a plate. Then go to the txt step to stir fry your vegetables...

 

For the vegetable stir fry. 

 chop your variety of vegetables into bite size pieces. While you do this, heat a tablespoon of oil in the same pan you fried the tofu.
add your chopped vegetables to the pan and cook until tender, string frequently. At the end of the cooking process, add 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce and 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce to vegetables to season. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if you'd like a kick!

 

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Cookbook Review: Broth and Stock from the Nourished Kitchen by Jennifer McGruther

I love this cookbook! Bone broth is the latest foodie craze and if you want to learn how to create your own bone broth this book is an excellent place to start.

What to do next?

Use those wonderful broths to create soups...lots of wonderful recipes here to try:quick pho, beef stew with winter vegetables, thai-style chicken soup with lemongrass and coconut milk, seafood stew with lemony parsley pesto, new england clam chowder.

And then move to main coarse meals: springtime risotto with asparagus, green garlic, and chive blossoms, beef shank with garlic and basil, chicken in wine with mushrooms, pork pot roast with sweet potato, ancho chile, and lime, spicy chickpea and lamb stew.

I could eat for a month from this wonderful cookbook!

My Father, Our Father, and all God’s Children

 

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My father was like the best book in the world wrapped in one of those brown grocery bag book covers we all made in high school to protect our textbooks.

 

From the outside, there was the non-descript, humble shell. In my dad’s case, it was a baggy pair of jeans, a navy windbreaker, a blue striped polo shirt with a penguin instead of polo player, and a pair of brown heavy-soled shoes, well-worn at the heel.

 

When you opened the book’s cover, oh the glorious knowledge and full-color photos! If ibooks had been around when my father was alive…he would have been one. He was a wellspring of knowledge. He would speak easily with anyone from a U.S. Ambassador to Kyrghistan to a homeless man sitting in front of Winn Dixie. David Wallace Anderson was brilliant and humble.

 

He worked the night-shift at the U.S. Post Office, sorting mail for forty years, because it paid more than working days.

 

By the world’s standards, he was a simple man, some might call him a failure.

 

He is the finest man I’ve ever known.

 

When I was a swimmer in high school, he would come home from the post office at 2 a.m., then wake up again at 4 a.m. in order to get me to swim practice at 5 a.m. He came to every swim meet. Not content to sit in the stands, he became a lane timer, and then took the test to become a lane judge, which enabled him to join our team at U.S. Junior Nationals and be there when I set the Junior National Age Group record in the 100-meter freestyle.

 

He baked huge trays of lasagna and chocolate chip cookies to share with the team.

 

When I came home from college, I asked my father, with all my new found college smarts and arrogance, what his dreams were. He said, “I live my dreams through you.”

 

I am only sorry that he passed away before I stopped being a selfish brat and became a woman who understood the real measure of a life is what we share of ourselves, so I could tell him, “Thank you Dad, for showing me what a successful person really looks like.”

 

I wrote my first novel, A Map of Heaven, for my father. It’s about my view of life, his death, and what I imagine a conversation with him would be like in Heaven. It took me twenty years to get it right, and I believe it’s a very fine book. Daddy would agree.

 

***And this is the point in my essay where I was supposed to transition into the wonder of all fathers.

 

But then Orlando happened.

 

On Monday morning, Father Charlie Brumbaugh of St. John’s Episcopal Church, called and invited me to join a community prayer service that evening ‘in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Orlando, Florida’. I welcomed the opportunity because I’d spent the last 24-hours feeling a combination of anger and sadness at the heinous slaughter that had occurred.

 

At 6:30 that evening about thirty people gathered, from different faith traditions, and listened to Father Charlie and Reverend Claire McNulty Drewes, and others lead us in prayer, a beautiful 23rd Psalm sung in Hebrew, and sharing by anyone who cared to speak.

 

I stood and read a passage from the Bible that seemed to express the longing I’d felt all day.

 

How lovely is your dwelling place,

    Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,

    for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out

    for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,

    and the swallow a nest for herself,

    where she may have her young—

a place near your altar,

    Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

    they are ever praising you.

 Psalm 84:1-4

 

After the prayer service, I understood why this psalm spoke to feelings I couldn’t adequately express. Underlying my fear, was a longing for refuge with my Heavenly Father. I needed reassurance that amidst all the insanity of Orlando, there still existed love and goodness in this world.

 

What we lost in Orlando wasn’t 49 lives defined by initials, like LGBTQ.

 

We lost 49 beautiful, loving individuals who were connected to this world through families and friends and lovers who will never again hear their voice or feel their touch or know what their lives would have contributed to our future.

 

Let’s agree now and forever, that we are all children of God.

 

Yes, that’s the easy part. But, I still cannot make sense of the loss. I cannot answer, “Where was God?”

 

Yet, I know God was there. In the carnage and wreckage and sorrow. And in the miracles. I know that always in the end, Love wins. And God is Love.

 

My friend Barbara lent me a book by Thomas Merton. Last night I picked it up and read this: The more I become identified with God, the more will I be identified with all others who are identified with Him. His Love will live in all of us. His Spirit will be our One Life, the Life of all of us and Life of God. And we shall love one another and God with the same Love with which He loves us and Himself. This love is God Himself.

 

But in the in between place, I need to go to my Father’s House. I need to seek God and ask difficult questions and know that I won’t hear an answer that makes sense.

 

But I will hear, “Love. Peace. Holy.”

 

When I gathered with others at St. John’s on Monday, I was reminded that community opens a space for the Holy Spirit to be among us. In times of crisis, we gather to share our grief and our hope and our certainty that we will do what we can to make things better in the future. And what we cannot do, God will.

 

God will show us how to love in the face of hate. Because that is what He did for us on the Cross.

 

In the House of My Heavenly Father, my heart is filled.

 

P.S. On July 10th, the Summit Interfaith Council continues its Second Sunday Film series presenting Making a Killing: Guns, Greed, and the NRA.  The film discusses how guns affect the lives of everyday Americans. It features personal stories from people across the country who have been affected by gun violence, including survivors and victims’ families. Whatever your stance on gun issues, I hope you will attend. Location to be determined, watch for more information in The Summit Daily News.

 

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Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson is the author of “A Map of Heaven.” She lives in Breckenridge. Join her at www.Facebook.com/suzanneelizabeths or  www.suzanneelizabeths.com

June is Your Mid-Year January....Time to Set New Goals!

 

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"What do I want to be thankful for one year from now?"

- Ray Edwards

 

I read this quote tonight on a pdf download from Michael Hyatt. 

It stopped me in my tracks. 

What a great idea to consider when I consider where my life is heading.

Our New Year's resolutions have either become a wonderful part of our life, or they are long forgotten.

Which makes the middle of June, the middle of our year, the perfect time to see where we are with the things we wanted to change in January, and whether we still want to change them now...

Or whether we want to set new goals.

What do you want to be thankful for a year from now?

I'm going to be thinking about this question this weekend and coming up with answers.

I invite you to join me. 

 

 

 

 

Spicy Thai Chicken Kebabs and Quinoa Salad with Cumin Lime Dressing Cooking for Two

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Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson

 

Summer inspires me to cook colorful meals. The gorgeous palate of farm fresh vegetables encourages me to create meals where vegetables are the stars of the show and meat, if present at all, plays a secondary role.

 

Today’s dinner is a prime example. I’ve used just two chicken breast halves to create four kebabs. I was able to do this because I punched up the chicken with a spicy Thai marinade and used a large and colorful variety of vegetables. This marinade would also be wonderful for creating kebabs using a firm white fish, shrimp, or scallops (but marinade the seafood for only 30 minutes) or even tofu or beef.

 

By the way, this column has a new name. I’ll still be cooking from scratch, but I’m going to feature recipes for two people.

 

Quite honestly, I’m tired of leftovers. Cooking for two means a couple can enjoy this meal, or a single person will have enough for lunch tomorrow…instead endless leftovers that end up in freezer purgatory.

 

On the other hand, this recipe could also feed a crowd at your next cook-out. Adjust the amounts for the marinade and quinoa salad to suit the number of guests. The kebabs and salad can be made one day ahead so that you can enjoy your guests. Cook the kebabs, once the guests arrive.

 

Note: I’ve created this recipe as if I was cooking the meal, so that you can see the order in which each step will take place in the cooking timeline.

 

Marinade for Meat

 

1 Tablespoon red curry paste

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon lime juice

½ teaspoon turmeric

 

Combine and marinate 2 chicken breast halves (cut into 12 pieces) for 1 hour or overnight

 

While the chicken marinates, make the quinoa salad:

 

Quinoa Salad

Bring to a boil: 1 cup of quinoa and two cups of water. Once it has reached a boil, turn down to a simmer, and let it cook until the water has evaporated and the quinoa is tender. Put the quinoa in a bowl, and refrigerate to cool it down.

 

Make the Salad dressing:

Combine:

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

3 Tablespoons lime juice

¼ neutral oil such as sunflower, canola, grapeseed

2-3 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

1 teaspoon salt

 

Pour over the chilled quinoa and toss with 1 cup of diced cucumber, 1 cup of shredded carrot, ½ cup chopped parsley or cilantro. Return the salad to the ‘fridge and let the flavors combine while you assemble and cook your chicken kebabs.

 

Assemble your kebabs:

 Pre-heat oven to 450 F, if using an oven instead of a grill

Create your kebabs using the following ingredients:

4 bamboo kebab skewers that have been soaked in water to prevent burning.

12 chunks of marinated chicken

A variety of your favorite vegetables, for instance I used:

 ½ each red and yellow bell pepper

1 small onion, red or sweet white

1 small zucchini

10 cherry tomatoes

** Use any variety of veggies that catch your eye at the grocer’s or farmer’s market. Kebabs are a wonderful opportunity to play with new flavor combinations.

To cook the kebabs:

Ideally, cook over a grill to get that wonderful charred flavor
Cook in an oven at 450F for twenty minutes, turning once

 

 

Serve the kebabs with the quinoa salad. Enjoy!

 

This week’s cookbook recommendation:

 

Since we’re focused on eating healthy and delicious meals, I’m going to give you two cookbooks to investigate, this week…

 

Super Natural Every Day – Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen by Heidi Swanson

This is a great place to start if you want to cook more vegetable-based meals but still crave comfort food. Earthy flavors and hearty soups will expand your horizons and you won’t miss meat. Meusil, Multi-Grain Pancakes, White Bean Spread with Toasted Garlic Pita Chips, Summer Linguine, Weeknight Curry, Wild Rice Casserole, Buttermilk Cake with Plums

 

 

The Healthy Mind Cookbook – Big-Flavor Recipes to Enhance Brain Function, Mood, Memory, and Mental Clarity by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson

Meals that are good for your brain and taste good, too. Mediterranean Roast Chicken, Thai Steak Salad, Wild Salmon Kebabs with Asian Pesto. Finish your meal with Slow-Roasted Peaches or Chocolate Cherry Walnut Truffles.

The View from My Mountain Town

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I've fallen in love with going grey...to be truthful, I'm obsessed at chronicling the progress of my hair.

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And look! The sunset matches my sweater! We have beautiful sunsets in my Florida hometown. But there is something particularly beautiful about a sunset over the mountains.

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And while we're on this purple theme...there is something odd about knitting a heavy wool sweater in the middle of June. But I can't help it...knitting, it's kinda of addicting.