Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson's Blog, page 6

Cookbook Review: Meat and Potatoes by Rahm Fama

At first, I hesitated to order the MEAT AND POTATOES cookbook because over the course of the past six months I've changed my diet to a 'mostly vegetable' based diet. Where I used to eat meat seven days a week, I now have meat twice a week.

Which is not to say that I dislike meat...I love a good steak. Or a grilled veal chop. And bacon is still my friend....

However, my changing the frequency of eating meat has elevated its place. I expect more from the experience, I want it be special.

Which is a perfect way to think about meat's place in our health conscious diet.

And luckily for us, Rahm Fama's cookbook: MEAT AND POTATOES meets that criteria with flying colors.

Fama has created a cookbook of menus in which he takes familiar meat based dishes, puts a tasty twist on their preparation and then pares them with unique side dishes that will have you reaching for this cookbook the next time you want to impress your family with the comfort of meat and potatoes, but with healthy, taste-forward combinations.

Here's a couple menu combinations from MEAT AND POTATOES that I liked:

Five-spice (slow cooker )BBQ Pulled Pork 
Seasame Brown Rice Cakes
Curry Pear Slaw

Using a slow cooker is my favorite way to prepare pulled pork...Fama's recipe gives turns the usual BBQ flavors on their head with the use of Hoisin sauce, balsamic vinegar, and pineapple juice.
I also think that adding pear to slaw is inspired.


Waffle Fried Chicken
Buttermilk Biscuits
Maple-Bacon Collards

A fun way to combine the popular waffle and fried chicken flavor combination. And as a big fan of collard greens, I can't wait to try Fama's recipe for collards with maple and bacon.

In all, this is going to be my new go-to cookbook for the special days when I add meat into my diet.

Highly recommended!



"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

A Map of Heaven Preview : Chapter Four

Chapter FourCarpe Diem: Elizabeth DecidesYesterday we obeyed kings and bent our necks before emperors. But today we kneel to truth, follow beauty, and obey love.

–Khalil Gibran


A MAP OF HEAVEN is available for pre-order at Amazon.com just click this link and reserve your copy before the December release date!

Quick and Easy Chicken Fingers and Red Cabbage Slaw

It's a perfect autumn day here in my corner of Colorado, so we're enjoying lunch outside on the deck. 
I'm keeping it quick and light to match the feeling of the day. I had chicken fingers soaking overnnight in kefir (tastes just liike buttermilk, and you can use that as well to tenderize the chicken meat and give it great flavor).
Then I place about a cup of flour in a gallon-sized zip top plastic bag, added pepper, season salt, and all-purpose herb seasoning, mixed it all togther and then began adding the pieces of chicken fingers a few a time, sealed the bag, and gave it a good shake to coat the chicken.
After that, I fried the chicken in a little bit of canola oil to brown, and then placed them in a 350F oven to finish cooking.
For the slaw, I finely chopped about two cups of red cabbage so that it looked like thin shreds of red confetti. I used a box colander to shred a handful of carrots. Then, since I had a bit of fennel bulb, I shredded that and added it in as well. Combining the cabbage, carrot, and fennel in a bowl, I mixed in a quarter cup of mayonaise and a teaspoon of vinegar...you can use your favorite...a teaspoon of celery seed and a good grinding of pepper. And that's it!


The entire lunch is ready in less than thirty minutes, which give us time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful golden aspen in our backyard.
Love xo,
Suzanne
Ingredients:
 1 lb chicken breast cut into tenders
1 cup flour
season salt, pepper, no-salt herb seasoning
oil to fry the chicken

for the slaw:
2 cups red cabbage
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup grated fennel bulb
1/4 cup mayo
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon vinegar

Why I Learned to Bake Bread and You Should, Too!

 There is something about breaking your first loaf of bread from 'scratch' that is confidence building and leaves you with the sense that you can take on more than you imagined.

At least, that was my experience after I baked my first loaf of bread.

And that first loaf of bread was thanks to Jim Lahey's 'No-knead' long-rise method of making bread. I believe that everyone should bake a loaf of bread from scratch at least once. And then teach the same technique to your children.

Yes, I truly believe that the act of turning bread, water, and yeast into bread is that powerful...it is one of those seminal moments that are confidence building and empowering and will teach you that you are braver and better than you thought you were.

Why?

I believe there is something mystical and elemental about the act of baking bread that doesn't occur in other forms of cooking.

You take flour and water. Both relatively flavorless bland ingredients. You combine them with a teaspoon of yeast, and suddenly you have a rather bland paste.

You let that dough 'rest' for 12-18 hours and this paste becomes a fluffy dough.

Form it into a round, fluffy 'boule', let it rise for an additional two hours.

Then you bake it in a covered Dutch oven in a blazing hot oven set at 450F.

Forty-five minutes (or so) you have a beautiful crusty, airy loaf of bread. A thing of beauty that you can share with family and friends and which they will 'oh' and 'aw' about.

You will never be able to buy something similar in any store or bakery.

You might buy a fancier loaf from a professional baker, but I doubt you or your family will admit that your bread tasted any less spectacular than the one from a bakery.

Because it was made by you.

Is that a lot to ask from a loaf of bread? Sure.

But I promise you, take the challenge, bake your own bread and let me know if I'm wrong.

Here's a copy of Jim Lahey's recipe taken directly from his Sullivan Street Bakery website.

He gets full credit, I believe, in creating an entire new generation of happy home bread bakers.
I've mentioned him on this blog before, and I probably will again and again, but that's because I believe he deserves the accolades.



Baking the Perfect Loaf of Bread at HomeFormula and Process created by Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan St Bakery Formula: 3 cups (430g) flour
1½ cups (345g or 12oz) water
¼ teaspoon (1g) yeast
1¼ teaspoon (8g) salt
olive oil (for coating)
extra flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal (for dusting)Equipment: Two medium mixing bowls
6 to 8 quart pot with lid (Pyrex glass, Le Creuset cast iron, or ceramic)
Wooden Spoon or spatula (optional)
Plastic wrap
Two or three cotton dish towels (not terrycloth) Process: Mix all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add water and incorporate by hand or with a wooden spoon or spatula for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lightly coat the inside of a second medium bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest 12 hours at room temperature (approx. 65-72°F).Remove the dough from the bowl and fold once or twice. Let the dough rest 15 minutes in the bowl or on the work surface. Next, shape the dough into ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal; place the dough seam side down on the towel and dust with flour. Cover the dough with a cotton towel and let rise 1-2 hours at room temperature, until more than doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 450-500°F. Place the pot in the oven at least 30 minutes prior to baking to preheat. Once the dough has more than doubled in volume, remove the pot from the oven and place the dough in the pot seam side up. Cover with the lid and bake 30 minutes Then remove the lid and bake 15-30 minutes uncovered, until the loaf is nicely browned.


Enjoy!

Love xo,

Suzanne

Walking with God - A Self-Employed Job Seeker's Meditation

If you are a long-time reader of this blog, you know that I have been job hunting for a long-time without much luck. It's frustrating because I know that I am qualified and that if given the opportunity that I could be an outstanding contributor to a company.
My first love is writing. I am proud of the books I've written, because they represent a dream-come-true. When I left my investment banking job in New York, almost 20 years ago, it was to discover and pursue a career I loved. I sincerely believe that writing is that career. Unfortunately, at present I do not make enough from the sale of my books to call this sustaining.
So, I have been looking for other ways to supplement my income. During the upcoming holiday season, I will be starting a home based baking service to supplement my income.  


That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God. ~Ecclesiates 3:31
I know that God wants us to be 'fruitful', that He values our efforts at work. Which is why I am confused that my prayers for success in my job hunt have gone unanswered and all the resumes I've sent out have been rejected. 
It doesn't make sense...because I am qualified for the positions I'm applying for.
Yet, despite the lack of tuition, this has been the most productive time of my life. I am writing, I am teaching myself to bake. I haven't haven't found a way to turn both of these skills into sustainable income, but I have become the woman I've always dreamed of becoming.

"If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." ~ Luke 12:28-31

Each month, God has supplied for our needs. I am grateful for everything we have, most especially health insurance and good health. We do get by. Yet, I confess that I wish that I could do more, like taking my mother on a vacation to see the Christmas lights of New York, which is something she speaks of often.
Is it wrong to wish for more than just enough?

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. ~Psalm 139:14
I am grateful for every talent and ability that God has given me, and I long to use it to accomplish more. 
I confess that I often feel embarrassed in the company of family or friends, because I am not financially self-sufficient. I feel that I must be a disappointment to my family because on paper I seem to be very well qualified, but in life I have not yet figured out to turn those talents into income. 


"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." ~Matthew 6:24
Over the last four years, I've learned a lot about myself and money. When I had a lot of money, I felt secure, yet I was very unhappy because I was not pursuing my 'right' career. 
Now that I have gone though much of my savings trying to get my writing career off the ground, I am less financially secure, but much happier in myself and in my relationship with God. 
Ironic, huh?

Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. ~Isaiah 2:8
What I have learned when stripped down to the essence of who I am, is that God cares most of all for and about us. He is less concerned with the stuff we have.
And maybe that is what all of this has been about. God has been trying to get me to unclench my hands, to release the money I held onto because I was so insecure, and to learn to trust Him.


But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." ~2 Corinthians 12:9
Through this journey, I have learned to rely upon the fact that God is with me. 
I look forward to the day when my book sales sustain me, or when I have found a job that will do the same. But I hope I never lose the closeness I have found when I have had to rely completely on God's goodness and mercy, because that it truly is never-ending.

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31

I hope eventually my writing will become my sustaining career, I love it so. And I hope that it will be pleasing to God, so that as with the parable of the talents, God will look at the books I've written and say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
Love xo,
Suzanne

A Map of Heaven Preview : Chapter Three

Chapter ThreeAn Unexpected Evening at the MuseumThe distinction between the past, present, and future is a stubbornly persistent illusion.

–Albert Einstein


A MAP OF HEAVEN
is available for pre-order
at Amazon.com
just click this link
and reserve your
copy before the December release date!

Gorgeous Rustic Slow Cooker White Bean and Kale Stew with Chicken Meatballs and Herb Pistou: Assemble in 5 Minutes, Ready in Two Hours

This is my favorite slow-cooker soup of all time and so simple to make! You can literally throw together the ingredients in five minutes, turn on your slow cooker, and come home to a delicious rustic stew that your entire family will love.

Ingredients:
3 carrots quartered and diced
1 shallot or small onion diced
1 small bunch lacinato kale chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 or 3 cloves of garlic - finely diced
2 bay leaves
1 rind of parmesan cheese
2 or 3 15oz cans of canelini or navy white beans drained and rinced
grating of fresh nutmeg to taste
1 package of your favorite pre-made chicken meatballs or  if you want a spicier soup: take 1/2 pound of fresh chorizo ground pork, form into little meatballs and add them to the soup...they will cook with everything else.
Two quarts of low sodium chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of cream or half-and-half to finish
pesto (homemade or jarred) to garnish soup

Here's my quick food processor version...Pistou/Pesto:
1 bunch basil
1 handful walnuts
1 clove garlic
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste

Directions:
1. Combine all but the last two ingredients in your slow cooker. Turn on low and let cook for 4-6 hours, or on high for two hours. 
2. At the end of the cooking, you can give some of the beans a mash with a potato masher or emersion blender to give the soup more body. Then, add in cream before serving. Garnish each bowl of soup with a dollop of pesto and serve with crusty bread.
3. Enjoy!

Do You Feel Inadequate to Share Your Faith?

Do you ever feel embarrassed to share your faith?
I do.
Which is why I often write about my own doubts and insecurities in my relationship with God, rather than trying to convince anyone else to do things my way.
These verses from the Apostle Paul have changed my perspective.
No matter how inadequate I feel, I don't have to worry. If I am willing to get out of my own way, the Holy Spirit will work through me and take my inadequate words and make them into a Message that God wants me to share with others.
We don't all have to have the same words. After all, we all have our unique and individual relationship with God.
So let's promise to meet each other simply, honestly, and with words from our own heart.
God will meet us there and the Holy Spirit will give us the perfect message to share.
Love xo,
Suzanne

No Such Thing as Writer's Block From God's Perspective

Whenever I'm about to start a new writing project, no matter how excited I am, or sure that it's a great idea, I am beset with insecurities.
For example, this week I decided that a six-week Bible study of Ephesians would be my next Christian living book. I'd been praying and seeking inspiration for a book idea for the last six months, but nothing sparked my imagination so strongly that I knew its excitement would stay with me through the long hours required to bring a book into existence. 
Although I think of myself as a writer of women's novels, my faith is such a central part of who I am that it seemed only natural to write about it as well. For me,  writing is an endless conversation with readers. 
In matters of faith, writing about my walk with God, my fears, my doubts, my wonder of His Love, my frustration with waiting for answers to prayers, are ways for me to share what I believe we all experience. In sharing my experience, I hope to let you know that you are not alone.
Which is why I was so excited this week when I finally had that 'aha!' feeling while reading through the Bible book of Ephesians. It's only six chapters, and I've been reading just one chapter a day so that I can really savor the wisdom that I'm finding in every verse. 
And that's when it happened. 
All of a sudden I realized that I wanted to write about the wonderful promises and truths about God's love for us that I've found in Ephesians. 
I was so excited, I got up from where I was reading, went to my computer, opened a new document and typed out chapter headings. My prayer for inspiration had finally been answered, I couldn't wait to get started!
And then I froze. The negative thoughts flooded my mind ...
Who are you to write a Bible study?
You're not qualified.
You're not talented.
You're certainly not holy.
You better leave this subject to someone better than you.

I was crushed. My heart said yes, my mind said no. What was I going to do? Oh, I knew I'd eventually work through it, I know that writer's block is just another word for fear. And the best way to overcome a fear of something is simply to go ahead and do it, work your way right through the fear and watch it fall away.

But, I longed for a word of encouragement.

Which is exactly what I found the next day as I was doing my devotions and read the following passage in Oswald Chamber's classic, My Utmost for His Highest:

God does not ask us to do the things that are easy to us naturally; He only asks us to do the things we are perfectly fitted to do by His grace...

I can honestly say that as soon as I read those words, the fear left, the excitement returned, and I knew everything was going to be okay. I will write this Bible study to the best of my abilities and God will be with me every step of the way.

I believe this is the approach we can take toward any challenge we face in life: if God is for us, we can be confident that He will give us the strength, perseverance, and resources we need to accomplish His Purpose.

I'd love to hear your thoughts or experience on this topic, please leave me a comment!

Love xo,
Suzanne

BRASSICAS : A Cookbook Review

BRASSICAS by Laura Russell, is described as 'cooking the world's healthiest vegetables. I would describe it as a practical, entry-level cookbook that will encourage you to add these vegetables to your weekly cooking menus.

For this review, I tried out Laura's recipe for broccoli frittata with pepper jack cheese. In addition to the broccoli, I added mushrooms and some mixed 'super greens' (which included kale, spinach, and arugula) that I had in the 'fridge. The frittata turned out beautifully and was part of a simple and easy brunch to share with a friend who'd stopped by the house.

I'm looking forward to trying out Laura's recipes for 'charred brussels sprouts with pancetta and fig glaze', the 'red curry soup with broccoli and shrimp', but especially, 'broccoli rabe with romesco sauce'...since broccoli rabe is one of my favorite leafy vegetables.

I recommend these straightforward, tasty recipes in this cookbook for anyone who wants to expand the variety and taste of the vegetables they serve in every meal.

Brassicas is filled with beautiful photographs of many of the dishes as well as charming narration that explains the origin of the dish. My only wish is that the book was published in trade paperback rather than hardback.


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"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."