The winner is Hetal from Pretty Polymath! Thanks everyone for entering!
Bread & Wine Winner
01 Wednesday Oct 2014
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Category Archives: Uncategorized
Overrated by Eugene Cho Book review & Giveaway
01 Wednesday Oct 2014
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Overrated
Are we more in love with the idea of changing the world
than actually changing the world?
by Eugene Cho
Foreword by Donald Miller
I never really think about justice. Sure I follow A21 and Bob Goff and other great organizations who are pursuing justice for the enslaved, sex trafficked, unfortunate, underfed and mistreated. They fill my news feed. I support a beautiful girl in Ethiopia and I am moved when I hear stories about people rescued and restored. But I never really think about justice.
This book is open and honest. Cho makes himself vulnerable. He shares his struggles, his doubt, his questions. He takes the reader on his journey that follows his desire to change the world. He shapes his passion and shares stories and lessons that helped him get to a point where he could pursue his dreams. Dreams of bringing justice to the world with the right motives, knowledge about the people he was helping, and in a way that clearly brings glory to God.
It was humbling. Compelling. Convicting. It made me pause and contemplate how I live my life. How I give, serve, act. Cho says “I believe you cannot credibly follow Christ unless you pursue justice.” Because Jesus was all about justice. In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus says: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Jesus cared about justice. That’s why he was here. To set people free. To serve the poor. To heal the sick. If we want to be more like Christ, we need to care more about justice. We have to want justice and want to change the world because God loves justice. Justice reflects God’s character. Jesus never drew attention to himself. But beyond caring, we need to take action. We need to DO something. So many people blog and tweet and change their profile pictures to reflect that they care about justice. They are taking a stand. They are talking loud. But that’s where it stops.
What are you passionate about? Do you want wells for people without water, food for the homeless, freedom for the enslaved, medical care for the sick? What tugs at your heart? What are you doing about it? Actions speak louder than words. This book is about moving your words into action. About actually doing something to change the world instead of just talking about it.
“Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” Mother Teresa
Stop talking
Listen
Pray
Show us
Do something
Live a better story
Giveaway: I’m giving away a copy of Overrated! For an opportunity to read this great book for yourself, post a comment answering this question: How do you want to “change the world” and what are you doing about it?
Giveaway ends October 8, 2014
*Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”)Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”
Bread & Wine Giveaway
27 Saturday Sep 2014
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As I’m cooking through Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist, I thought it would be great fun to give away a copy of the book so someone could cook along with me! This is one of my favorite books by one of my most favorite authors.
If you’d like a copy, leave a comment on this post that answers this question:
What is your go-to recipe for comfort food?
One entry per person.
Giveaway ends October 1, 2014.
Annette’s Enchiladas from Bread & Wine
26 Friday Sep 2014
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Tonight I made Annette’s Enchiladas. I’ve never made enchiladas I don’t think. I don’t usually cook mexican food. It’s just not on my radar. Now that I live in the south however, there are Mexican restaurants on every block. Good ones.
As Shauna says “This is serious comfort food – like, ‘eat it with a fork straight out of the pan in the middle of the night’ comfort food.” She’s right. It totally is. After dinner. After we had all stuffed ourselves. After my brother-in-law took another helping saying “I’m not even hungry, it’s just so, so good.” When I was putting it away. I sneaked another fork, and ate some. Right out of the pan. I even texted Lindsay and said “You know in the book, how she says it’s so good you eat it out of the pan for a midnight snack? She’s right!” Its that good. It. Really. Is.
These are layered not rolled. It’s the Mexican version of lasagna. It’s brilliant because nothing gets dried out and its easy to cut and serve. I hope you love these as much as we did!
Ingredients
1 C Sour Cream (I used plain Greek yogurt the 2nd time I made this)
1 28-oz can green enchilada sauce (Las Palmas is best)
2 4-oz cans green chilies, diced
3 C cooked chicken, shredded or diced
2 C Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
12 corn tortillas
1 C chicken broth
Cilantro
Instructions
Mix green sauce with chilies and sour cream.
Smooth 1 spoonful of the sauce around the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
Simmer the chicken broth in a skillet, and before placing each tortilla in the 9×13 pan, use tongs and pass the tortilla through the broth for just a few seconds. If you leave the tortillas in the broth for too long, they’ll fall apart, so just dip each one in for a few seconds to soften it before putting it in the enchilada pan.
Layer 4 tortillas over the first layer of sauce. (I fit 6)
After tortillas, add half the chicken, then 1/3 of the sauce, then 1/3 of the cheese.
Repeat so there are 2 full layers (I ended up with 4 layers)
Finish with a layer of tortillas, sauce, and cheese.
Bake at 350 until warmed through and the cheese is melted, about 30-35 minutes.
Let sit at least 15 minutes before cutting. Top with chopped cilantro.
Serves: 6
Enjoy! It’s SO yummy!
23 Tuesday Sep 2014
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Whenever people confess Jesus as Lord, we are proclaiming that ISIS is not. The US is not. The threat of death is not the greatest power in our lives. We bow in submission to Jesus because we believe in a force more powerful. This is, in short, what the Bible calls “good news.”
– Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove in Acting Liks A State: ISIS, the US, and Jesus as Lord
scars
22 Monday Sep 2014
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You could grieve endlessly for the loss of time and for the damage done therein. For the dead, and for your own lost self. But what the wisdom of the ages says is that we do well not to grieve on and on. And those old ones knew a thing or two and had some truth to tell. For you can grieve your heart out and in the end you are still where you were. All your grief hasn’t changed a thing. What you have lost will not be returned to you. It will always be lost. You’re left with only your scars to mark the void. All you can choose to do is go on or not. But if you go on, its knowing you carry your scars with you.
Inman
Cold Mountain
Cooking through Bread & Wine
15 Monday Sep 2014
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Last week Brighton and I went to see The Hundred Foot Journey. A movie about French cuisine, delicious Indian food, tension between cultures, class and style. Throughout all the tension and struggles there were BEAUTIFUL shots of food and a great storyline. It ended with a meal around a table embracing both cultures, people and food. See it. Its amazing.
We walked out of the theater, stomachs growling: demanding savory foods to satisfy their cravings. The next day we were at Mela’s, devouring a delicious Indian buffet for lunch. Fingers messy. Ripping pieces of naan, soaking up butter chicken and tikka masala with Basmati rice, while sipping warm chai. Delicious.
I started thinking. I need to cook more. I need to branch out more. I get in a cooking rut. I make grilled chicken. Then grilled chicken with salad. Then grilled chicken with a different marinade and rice. Then Thai curry chicken. And sometimes to switch it up I make hamburgers. And I’m better than that. Food is meant to be enjoyed. And savored. Not whipped up and scarfed down. I’m a good cook. I need to embrace it more.
So here’s my idea. It’s not a new idea. Or an original one. But its small, doable, and a good step towards my next new idea which I will share with you later. I am going to read through Shauna Niequist’s Bread & Wine again. I’ve read it multiple times, and even have the audio book. But I’m going to work through it again. This time creating every recipe. Learning all the steps. I’m going to learn how to make risotto, and mousse, and bread. I’m going to learn what exactly a cassoulet is. Because I have no idea. And I’m going to make each recipe mine. And then, I’m going to share it with you!
Shauna tells a story about journalist, Daniel Duane cooking with Thomas Keller, one of the great American chefs. “Keller told him to make the recipe once according to the instructions. The second time, he told Duane to rewrite the recipe in his own terms, adjusting for his taste, cutting out or adding steps according to what made sense to him. The third time, Keller said to make it without any recipe at all, just by his memory and tastes and hands. And at that point, he said, ‘The recipe is yours.'”
I’m going to follow these steps. Make the recipes mine. Have some amazing dinner parties, lots of champagne, and hopefully be a better cook at the end of it. There are 29 recipes. So I figure this will take me about two months. I will make all these and blog about them and share pictures. Hopefully add a guest blogger or two to keep things exciting. And then at the end of two months, I will share my fabulous idea for the next challenge!
Bread & Wine recipes COMING SOON!
If you want to purchase Bread & Wine and cook along with me, click here!
Here’s Daniel Duane’s article about Thomas Keller. I thought it was pretty interesting.
I wrote a book review before Bread & Wine was released. To read that, click here.
Your pain is not a problem
21 Thursday Aug 2014
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We need to stop shaming ourselves about our pain and instead acknowledge that we are all fragile humans who are trying to figure this life thing out. We need to remind one another our pain matters, even when it feels petty.
And especially when we’re tempted to compare and conceal it.
Let’s practice more compassion without comparison. Let’s gain more eternal perspective while giving ourselves permission to mourn our worldly losses.
Your pain is not a problem.
Charleston/Chapin/Greenville
18 Monday Aug 2014
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My good friend Allie travelled with me to Asheville. It was great to have a travel companion and such a blessing to have someone help me unpack and get settled in my new apartment! I love her so much! We decided to take a break from unpacking and cleaning and go off on some adventures.
Our adventuring took us to Charleston last week and on to Chapin, SC to visit our dear friend/most awesome lady ever, Debbie and finally to Greenville.
Charleston is a very old city with colorful stucco buildings and cobblestone streets.
We ate amazing southern food, and explored the town walking down street after street of little shops, antique stores, and tiny restaurants.
It’s such a colorful place.
We sat by the ocean, watching dolphins swimming, fish jumping and pelicans soaring overhead.
This is at a plantation we visited. I just love Spanish moss. It is so eerie and whimsical. Beautiful.
Debbie took us out on her boat for dinner. We sailed around, swam in the lake, ate delicious food, watched the birds circling this island where the come to sleep at night, and watched a glorious sunset.
The next day we headed home but made a pit stop in Greenville. Greenville is about an hour from my new house. It is a small, fun city with a river walk, delicious coffee and bubble tea, and great streets to wander.
When we returned to Asheville, Allie packed her things and continued on her summer trip. Kansas was next in her sights. I worked more on settling into my apartment and getting it ready for my next two guests who will stay for the rest of the summer!
I do want to show you around my apartment, so look for that coming soon!
gluten free crepes
10 Sunday Aug 2014
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YUM. Can I just say. We had the BEST breakfast yesterday morning. We had stayed up super late watching movies, so we slept in late and when I finally rolled out of bed, I decided that I would make crepes for breakfast. One of the kiddos staying with me has to eat gluten-free, and I was up for the challenge. Gluten free crepes. How hard could they be? I pulled out my crepe maker. (Yes I have a crepe maker) and got to work.
They turned out fabulous! They weren’t crumbly. They were nice and soft and spongy and delicious. We had nutella, peanut butter, sliced star berries and an amazing creme fraiche filling. Lets just say we were very spoiled for Saturday morning breakfast! We will definitely be making these again. And again. And again.
Gluten-Free Crepes
1 3/4 C gluten-free flour blend
1/2 t salt
3 eggs
2 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 C milk at room temperature
Directions
- In a large bowl, place the flour blend and salt, and whisk to combine well. In a separate, small bowl, place the eggs, butter and milk, and whisk to combine well. Create a well in the center of the flour and pour in the wet ingredients. Whisk until very well combined. The batter will thicken a bit as you whisk.
- For best results, cover the bowl and place the batter in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 2 days. Before using the batter, remove it from the refrigerator, whisk until smooth, and allow it come to room temperature. The batter should be about the consistency of half and half (thicker than milk, thinner than heavy cream). Transfer the batter to a large spouted measuring cup.
- Heat a heavy-bottom nonstick 9 inch skillet (or a well-seasoned and lightly greased 9 inch cast iron skillet) (or a crepe maker: follow crepe maker instructions) over medium heat for 2 minutes. Holding the warm skillet just above the flame, carefully pour about 5 tablespoons (a bit more than 1/4 cup) of batter right into the center of the skillet and swirl the pan to distribute the batter evenly across the entire flat surface of the pan. Once you get a rhythm going, you should be able to begin swirling as soon as the first drop of batter hits the pan. Cook over medium heat until the edges and underside of the crêpe are lightly golden brown (about 90 seconds). With a wide spatula (and/or your fingers, carefully), turn the crêpe over and cook until the other side is lightly golden brown (about another 45 seconds). Slide the crêpe out of the skillet onto a parchment-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the finished crêpes on top of one another.
- The crêpes may be covered well with a moist towel and kept at room temperature for about 2 hours until you are ready to serve them, or wrapped tightly in freezer-safe wrap and frozen until ready to use. Defrost at room temperature, and refresh the crêpes in a warm, nonstick skillet for a few moments per side, per crêpe
Creme Fraiche Filling
1 8oz container of creme fraiche
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 t almond extract
2T heavy cream
Put all ingredients in a mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat slowly to mix and then on high for 3-5 minutes.
I found the crepe recipe here
Gina DiMartino 