Thoughts on a recipe for life

Today, no recipe.  Or, if you will, a recipe for life.

The recent twister in Joplin, Missouri, have been on my mind lately.  Especially because of what tore through Alabama in April. It is one of the most frightening events that could ever happen.

More photo documentation on this person's Flickr (including the image above).

The astonishing response to disaster in Alabama was as expeditious as it was tremendous -- particularly from those in the body of Christ.  Similar reports of those desiring to help in Joplin have already surfaced.  This woman's mournful story honouring her self-sacrificing husband is akin to that of the Lee Family in Shoal Valley, Alabama.

Would you lift Missouri up in prayer?  Pray that the Holy Spirit would minister to their spirits and grant much courage for the long-term affects of this tornado.  Pray for recovery and restoration of the community there, that Christ's light would spread far and wide, and reach countless receptive hearts.

"This I recall to my mind,

Therefore I have hope.

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, 

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, 

“ Therefore I hope in Him!”
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,

To the soul who seeks Him.

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly

For the salvation of the LORD."
– Lamentations 3:21-26

We always have a choice, but interestingly, it is desperate times like these that people are forced to consider their lives, fears, and what is really important.  What truly matters, when all else is taken away and laid bare?

Last Sunday, I heard a sermon out of Hebrews 2, on fear.  It could not have come at a more fitting time.  As a Christian, I have nothing to be afraid of in Christ, and there is absolutely nothing earthly that can touch me (not even the Devil, by God).  When Jesus died on the cross, He conquered all of the things that could have frightened me before.

  "The last enemy that will be destroyed is death." 

– 1 Corinthians 15:26

And you needn't be afraid of death, even, if you know where you are going.

Thanks be to God!!!

Roast Chicken and all of the trimmings

Ma manan Poulet Rôti.  My mother's favourite chicken.  This is what I made the other night, and it was nothing short of heavenly.  Seriously, no one wanted to stop eating!  I am excited to share the recipe with you, because I think that you'll like it, too.

Why, you ask?  Well, for one, it is light on your wallet.  These whole birds are often on sale at my local grocery stores, and they are worth every dollar for the pound.  The preparation is also very easy; your oven essentially does all of the cooking for you!

Without further ado, my mother's scrumptious Roast Chicken. (Though, I confess, when asked what I was serving, I couldn't resist replying, "Roast BEAST", with such confidence in my voice that they nearly believed me.  It's a Doctor Seuss reference, but I digress...)

Linda's Roasted Chicken

Yields: Roughly 4-5 servings, depending on the size of the chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 roasting chicken (5-7 pounds -- I cooked two in a roasting pan; firstly, they were buy-one-get-one free, secondly, this was dinner for my family with healthy appetites, and thirdly, no one in their right mind would refuse these leftovers...)
• 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 3-4 T. finely chopped fresh rosemary (this really tastes best with the fresh kind, but if you don't have any on hand, use dried rosemary.  Also, start with around 2 T. and see how much you need for the size bird you're cooking.  I "eyeball" with this one, because you can't go wrong with rosemary.)
• Sea salt (again, assess the size of the bird(s) and go from there...)
• Plenty of freshly ground black pepper

Add-ins:

You can also add other ingredients like lemon, lemon juice, and put whole garlic cloves under the skin of the chicken (but this may add steam -- see step #4 below).
As for side dishes?  Steamed vegetables.  Herb salad with a creamy ranch dressing or mustard vinaigrette.  As you can see, I baked fries to go with the chicken (but we were out of Russets and Yukon Gold potatoes, so I used reds).  Martha's Oven Fries (or her Salt & Pepper Fries) are my favourite.  Trust me, you'll have a difficult time staying away from them!

Directions:

1. Start by turning the oven on to 450°F.
2. Remove the chicken from its wrapping. You'll need to thoroughly wash and dry the bird in the sink before anything else.  This part is kind of actually really disgusting, so don't ponder it too much, OK (the only thought running through my head was how thankful I was not to have to kill and de-feather the bird as well... Whew!)?  Besides that, we are women.  We are child bearers, which means we're strong.  We can do this -- woman up! (If you tell yourself that while you're working, it gets easier and your mind will be distracted in no time.  Or, you could put on some music!)
3. Moving on (because I am obviously past the there-is-a-squishy/slippery-dead-animal-in-my-hands fact... Obviously!), make sure you dry the bird completely (inside and out).  Place it in a roasting pan, and add the seasonings.  Once they're on, rub them in a bit.  
4. Before putting it into the oven, make sure you don't have the lid on.  This will create steam, which defeats the purpose of roasting.  My mum recommends Thomas Keller's Favourite Roast Chicken recipe on Epicurious, where he explains about the whole roasting process.
5. Pop the pan in the oven (sans lid), for about an hour, maybe more (you will want to occasionally check it).  For instructions on how long to roast the chicken, read this forum thread, consult this chart, or Google "roasting a whole chicken".
6. Use a meat thermometer to find out if the meat is done cooking.  It should be 175-180° in the thickest part of the bird (try poking the thermometer into the thigh area).

See?  Proof of its delectableness.  Don't mind a very hungry Wimbledon here... My mother did give us etiquette lessons in table manners, but I think he needs reminding (more like scolding?)!

In case that photo on the far right didn't scare you enough, here it is again.  Positively FRIGHTENING!

"He brought everything back, all the food for the feast. And he, he himself, the Grinch, carved the roast beast."

Fröhlichen Muttertag

Mother of mine...

I love my mum so very much.  She is—in two words—truly incredible.  When we lived across the country from each other last year, hers was the soul that came to mind the oftenest and whom I missed the most.

(This is a recent photo of the two of us – it was a bright afternoon, hence the sunnies!)

"Are we not like two volumes of one book?"

– Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

 She is always there; providing loving support, encouragement, and advice from having traveled life's path before me (godly wisdom beyond my years).  I am so thankful for her and all that she does!

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies."

– Proverbs 31:10

    

These are from Sunday's party with friends and family, in celebration of our extraordinary mothers.  The dads grilled meat outside, whilst the rest of us busied ourselves prepping inside, and successfully keeping our mums OUT of the kitchen.  They deserve the day off, don't you think?

  

"Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." 

– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

  

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."

– Washington Irving

  

  

 Can I mention how delightful this wine was?  Sofia Coppola Rosé (I think it was vintage 2010).  It tasted like roses and strawberries and all of the sweet summery fruits you can
think of.  I don't usually fancy Rosé, but this was maravilloso. 

  

    
"God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers. "

– Jewish Proverb

  

  

"Never marry a man who hates his mother, because he'll end up hating you." – Jill Bennett

  

Have I mentioned how much I love these two?  They're my younger (though far taller than me, so would that make them "Little-Big"?) brothers.

And this one is for you, Mum... Thanks for putting up with all of our wonkiness!

"Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children."

– Sam Levenson

¡Te amo, Mamia!

Close to my heart **UPDATED**

"The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,

         To all who call upon Him in truth.
 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
         He also will hear their cry and save them."

– Psalm 145: 18-19

Source: Generation Cedar

Yesterday, enormous and incredibly powerful tornadoes ripped their way across Northern Alabama and parts of Georgia, leaving horrendous devastation.  If you've been following my blog for a while now, you'll know that I lived much of last year in the heart of Birmingham (which was right in the path of the storm), so this hits very close to home.

The Lord mercifully protected my family members and many friends in the B'ham area, sparing them from harm; however, not without loss.  Those gravely affected included some of the families from the church I attended out there, and more than one family lost their entire home (except for the basement, where amazingly, they sought and also provided others with shelter from the storm; see here as well).  Please especially be praying for the Crawford and Lee Families (their story here, and a tremendous tribute to the memory and legacy of Mr. Tom Lee written by my sweet friends the Whites, here).

“Our homes are literally flat, trees are uprooted everywhere-it is unrecognizable. ....but God is mighty to save—all is not lost.”  
– Mr. Crawford

Please be lifting up this community of dear and wonderful people to Jesus; in their pain and hardships, as they rely on the Lord in beginning to recover and rebuild.  Pray for direction, consolation, healing, and encouragement.  Pray for much grace, patience, funding, and assistance -- both for those affected and those ministering to them.

"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

– 1 John 5:14-15

In the throes of heartbreak, the following words of wisdom and gratitude express what true faith in Christ Jesus means:

“There is only one thing I know...my God is faithful, gracious and might to save. Underneath all the destruction there is a brewing peace that things are going to be OK because of the God I serve. Even while the roads were still blocked, friends, church family and people from all over started pouring in-walking miles through the treacherous darkness and debris to bring in supplies-food, blankets, generators-people even from other states. I am overwhelmed.” 
 – Mr. Crawford

AMEN!

Here are some ways to help them out:

• Generation Cedar (my friends, the Crawfords)
• Christ Church Branch Cove Tornado Relief Fund (my church family out in AL)
• Disaster Fund (via A Wise Woman Builds Her Home)
• Tornado Relief Efforts (via Providence Church ministries)
• Help Hurting Families in Alabama (via BRADRICK Crisis Leadership Network)

I will update this list as I find/hear of more resources.

"Hear my cry, O God;

Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
         When my heart is overwhelmed;
         Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
         

For You have been a shelter for me,

A strong tower from the enemy.

I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
         I will trust in the shelter of Your wings."

– Psalm 61:1-4

Above all, please keep praying (and thank you so much), and remember:

God is good, all of the time.

Easter Two Thousand Eleven

Hallelujah, He is RISEN!!!

"Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer;
Death is strong, but Life is stronger;
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right..."
– Phillips Brooks, "An Easter Carol"
 

 Let's start with dessert then, shall we?

Let them eat cake.  Gluten-free Double Chocolate Trifle with fresh blackberries (I'll post a proper before-it-was-dished-up photo in an upcoming post), and Aunt Tom's Italian Cream Cake (pity about the name, though; Aunt Tom?  Reeeally? Scrumptious as this cake is, the unanimous vote is that the responsible party needs to have their head(s) checked...).

Fleurs.  My friends keep a lovely garden, don't you think?  I am always in awe of green thumbs.  It was a beautiful, albeit windy day!

"'Twas Easter-Sunday. The full-blossomed trees
Filled all the air with fragrance and with joy."
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Spanish Student
 

 Entrées.  Lots of colours and textures!

 Cheese.  I really ought to write an ode to it someday (professing my lifelong-love for its creamy, supreme goodness), especially after trying a new variety with chives in called Double Gloucester Cheese.  Trust me when I say that it was positively divine.

 Grilled vegetables.  Nearly everything tastes better grilled.  (Well, there are a number of things I can think of that you wouldn't want near a grill, but you know what I mean, right?)

"Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness."

– Floyd W. Tomkins

Appreciating the little details.  This has to be one of the prettiest wine labels I have ever seen (besides the fact that it's very Trinitarian).  It should be saved and scrapbooked or framed!  (Gracias a los Españoles por este full-bodied blend; it went well with our meal, though the Bogle Zin was my personal fave of the day.)

"We live and die; Christ died and lived!" 

 – John Stott

Brothers.  I love these two to pieces.  I admire their ever-evolving/improving sense of style.  I love that they can make me laugh without even saying a word (they are masters of hysterical expressions and dance moves).

Wimbledon is on the left, Pembleton on the right (brilliant nicknames, yes?  These titles hail from many years ago... Ask me, and I'll tell you!).

Friends.  This one came out super cute, albeit a tad blurry.  Yours truly on the left, with my adopted little sister, Christina, on the right.  Sweet Nina has surpassed me in height (she has the ideal model body: tall, leggy --which reminds me, I need to photograph her for her future portfolio!), so it's a wonder that I somehow look taller in this photo... It must be the rocking retro beehive helping me out?!

Our party's hostess keeps a lovely garden, don't you think?  I am continually in awe of my friend's prodigious "green thumb", and her impressive memory of flora and fauna (both, of which, she inherited from her German parents, who take their gardening as seriously as the Brits do!  Oh, and I just like including the fact that they are Deutsche, because I am half-Deutsch myself).

Such a clear view out over the Bay.  It was a beautiful, albeit windy Sabbath!

Well-spoken words from Miss Brontë:

"There is not room for Death,
Nor atom that his might could render void:
Thou - Thou art Being and Breath,
And what Thou art may never be destroyed."

– Emily Brontë

They say it's your birthday...

That is, according to that famous Beatles song.  Today happens to be mine, and yes, and I still have five minutes to go until it's officially past (or, at least I did when I started writing this!).  The nice thing, though, is that my birthday always carries on throughout the rest of the week, due to belated well-wishings and tardy presents.  We call these "extended birthdays" in my house, and I happen to enjoy receiving unexpected greetings and such just when I thought everyone was done giving them.

Today's special dinner menu included Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Linguine, sautéed greens, a lettuce and herb salad, and a superb bottle of Rabbit Ridge Allure de Robles.  Oh, and let's not leave out one of my favourite desserts: Tiramisu!

More on that tomorrow, since there is something else that I've been bursting (pun fully intended) to share with you all:

Introducing "Wicked Good Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cups" from Bakerella!

One of my brothers eagerly showed the recipe to me after seeing these the other day (ha, I know it's just because he was hoping I would make some...).  Clever idea, no (though, I must admit I'm a tad worried about the finished products tasting like Latex... Gag!)?  I love that Bakerella involves her children in the process.  Gosh, it really saddens me that my niece and nephews aren't nearer, or they'd definitely be in on the party!

'Don't have your own munchkins yet?  Then take this opportunity to bless one of your friends who is a busy mama by offering to borrow hers for the afternoon.  Balloons + chocolate + ice cream & sprinkles + playing in the kitchen with little people sounds like a good deal of fun and laughs to me!

Oh, and speaking of sweet Bakerella (A.K.A. Angie Dudley); please be praying for her, as she is desperately in need of a kidney transplant.

What are your thoughts on these unique pudding cups?  Will you be making some, or does the very idea turn you off?  Can you think of a better shape/tool to make the chocolate bowls with than a balloon?

Well, I'm off to sweet dreams (which will—funnily enough—probably be chocolate or sugar-related)... Goodnight!

Out of the mouths of babes...

This is how daily conversations with my little niece often go:

(from this morning)

"Aun' Sairwah, how old are you?"
"Do you remember what I told you earlier?"
"Two."
"No..."
"Free?"
"No..."
"Twenny-free?"
"Yay!"
"Aun' Sairwah, I older dan you."

(later on...)

"Aun' Sairwah, how old are you?"
"You know..." (said with a wink and a grin)
"You firty-six, I two!"
"Thirty-six, huh?  Do I age well?"
"Nope." (Apparently, it's all downhill from here, folks... ;))

(from this evening)

"Aun' Sairwah?"
"Yes?"
"I need to check your heart."

Gosh, I love that baby girl (who is also quick to tell me that she is no longer a "baby").