Tag Archives: Foodie

Deby DeSarro’s Mississippi Mudslide for Fat Tuesday

06 Saturday Feb 2010

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Fat Tuesday is just around the corner, the night preceding the forty days of Lent. Lent is a season to practice the discipline of fasting in the Catholic Church. 

Our family has seen astounding answers to difficult questions after we fast, pray and earnestly seek His will.  Please consider that Jesus said “when you fast,” not “if” you fast in Matthew 6:16. 

Fasting: the discipline of abstaining for a time from all or certain foods.  In the Bible, fasting often accompanies prayer for the purpose of intensive intercession, repentance, worship, or the seeking of guidance. (Grudem, Wayne, “Systematic Theology“ Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994, pg.1242)

The recipe was created by Deby, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Hope Bible Fellowship  is blessed by this great woman of faith and prayer.  We are currently studying “Becoming a Woman of Simplicity” together.

Splurge your last night before your Lenten fast on this!

Crust:

2 cups chopped pecans

2 cups flour

1 cup powdered sugar

2 sticks melted butterfof

Mix together, spread in 13x9x2 pan, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool.

Cream Filling:

1 8oz. pkg. soft cream cheese

1 box confectionary sugar

1 container cool whip.

Cover crust with this filling.

Chocolate Layer:

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 tbs. cornstarch

2 cups half & half

2 tbs. butter

3 tbs. cocoa

 5 egg yolks

pinch salt

1 tbs. vanilla

Mix all ingredients in top of double boiler. Cook on medium heat to soft-ball stage, (12 minutes) stirring frequently. Cool. Place chocolate filling on top of cream filling. Cover entire concoction whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

Earnestly Seeking Him,

Trish

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A Walgreens Christmas Dinner

28 Monday Dec 2009

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The Christmas season in a pastor’s home is always an active time, and this year is no exception, but our family planned ahead, purchased and shipped all our gifts early, and managed to send out one box of  Christmas cards to most of our family.  At  the store a memo was posted notifying us no time off would be granted in December — no need to ask.  With that the pace quickened as Christmas approached, and my part-time job became a full-time thing.   There was less time to prepare for Christmas than in previous years,  and we encountered a few unanticipated “opportunities” for faith and laughter, but it had been a fun-filled month of anticipation.   On the weekend before Christmas we had an Open House for young and old from our church, Todd’s folks arrived the twenty-third, the house was tolerably clean, and we waited excitedly for the Texas and North Carolina cousins to arrive.  And then…

“the night before It was Christmas and we were without…”, gifts needed wrapping, and the trip to the grocery store was fast disappearing.  My husband who had been down for the count sick for three days finally arose in the morning of Christmas Eve day with no voice, and it was looking like this year’s sermon would be retitled “Silent Night” and the Christmas story would be done in pantomime.    His voice recovered, a few packages got wrapped.  I dressed in my most festive attire and off to work I went at eight am.  Somewhere during the day my husband called to see if I would be up for going out to lunch.  I looked at my boss and asked her if I was crazy to go out given I only had a cooked Country Ham for Christmas dinner and was unable to find a Crown Roast at any local store.  I was still absent of the necessary sides for dinner. She and I concurred I must go and be carefree for a couple hours and “just shop later”…perhaps very quickly before our six pm Christmas service. Sounded like a good idea at the time.

The story picks up quickly at this point because with so many unwrapped presents, the only rule as every one wrapped that afternoon was that you could not wrap your own.  We ran out of wrapping paper at one point and began wrapping with scraps…a real patch job.  We then left at five for the service and decided a little run to the market after the service would have to do. 

Around eight pm Marilyn (Todd’s Mom) and I left for the one place we were sure would be open on Christmas eve.  I know you’ll shudder if I put the big box store name in print so we’ll leave it out and let you fill in the details.  We pulled into the parking lot just as the doors were being locked, lights turned off, and shoppers left the store, bags in hand.

Marilyn and I start to laugh hysterically as we and an army of late shoppers sped across the street to another grocer only to see the same thing unfold. My face went pale and my mind numb as I started envisioning my bare pantry and lonely, country ham — naked in the middle of my beautifully set table with nothing to dress it up. My mother-in-law was not phased and said “Trish we just need to find a 7-11, we’ll be fine, we’ll make-d0.”  The light bulb went on for me in that moment as I realized the Walgreens would be open.  Others would soon realize the same thing, and another stampede was about to begin.  The first ones to Walgreens would get the choicest crops from their canned goods aisle.  We sped off in a hurry…   

We leapt out of the car, grabbed one of the last carts available and there we were, standing in the canned goods aisle at Walgreens preparing Christmas dinner, laughing uncontrollably as Marilyn author of , Taste and See That The Lord Is Good ~ Psalm 34:8,  ( a published cookbook) creatively put together dishes from what was available for our Christmas Dinner.   

Our menu:

A jar of green olives and a can of black olives

Green beans and Campbell’s Mushroom soup (no French-fried onion available) home- made caramelized onions topped the dish

Peas and mushrooms

Au Gratin potatoes (from the box)

Corn pudding made with canned corn

Orange jello and crushed pineapple ( my daughter’s contribution)

Frozen Mrs. Smith pumpkin pies

Our Country Ham and Sweet potato biscuits from Smithfield, Virginia shipped earlier that month from the Southards. 

Don’t you all wish you were here for this delicious Christmas dinner from Walgreens.

Trish and Marilyn

Patty’s Cakes

22 Sunday Nov 2009

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We ran out of flour so I made do with a substitution of 1 cup of “Hodgson Mill”, whole grain brown flax seed and 1/4 c of 100% whole grain whole oats.  The family raved about them, and we have now switched over on a permanent basis. 

1 c of whole grain brown flax seed

1/4 c of whole grain whole oats

2 ts baking powder

1 beaten egg

1 c milk

1 tbsp oil (your favorite)

2 tbsp sugar

Mix well till smooth, and allow to cook thoroughly on the griddle.  Take care when flipping and use two spatulas if possible.  Makes 8 small patty-cakes. 

Serve with a dash of sugar and a squeeze of lemon.

Flipping cakes,

Patty

aka Trish

The Pumpkin who dressed up as a Sweet Potato ~ Margie’s Pumpkin Squares

23 Friday Oct 2009

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Here is the recipe for the delicious Autumn dessert that Margie Orr made for the church potluck.  I posted  a note on my wall asking who had made the tasty flavorful dish and no one fessed up.  I ran into Margie at the Women’s Retreat last weekend and she said very humbly it was hers and she gave me permission to share on my blog.  Margie is a lovely lady, beloved Sunday School teacher, mother of 4 grown children, and  volunteers as the Hope Treasurer.  All the flavors of fall, and  a colorful comfort-food that fooled me into tasting sweet potato when it was actually pumpkin.  Sweet!

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Pumpkin Pie Squares
 
1 c. flour
1/2 c. quick oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) Imperial margarine (the only one I use)
 
Combine in a mixing bowl.  I use a pastry hook to mix well.  Pat on bottom of 13 x 9 inch pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
 
While the crust is baking combine
 
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
 
Mix well and then pour over crust when done.  Continue baking for 20 more minutes.
 
Combine 1/2 c. brown sugar and 1/2 c. ( about 2 1/4 oz) finely chopped pecans.  Sprinkle over pie filling then continue baking for 15 to 20 more minutes or until filling is set.  Cool in pan on rack.  Cut into 2 inch squares.  Top with a swirl of Cool Whip topping.  Makes about 2 dozen.
 
Enjoy.
 
Margie Orr

Vegetarian Refried Beans

19 Saturday Sep 2009

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 This week our church started reading Ann’s book “Not So Fast”.  We had a  lot of laughs as our leader Debbi Keller had us name off all our roles on any given day.  The small group  spent most of the time just  getting acquainted.  We will meet for the next ten weeks to discuss two chapters a week, and pray for our children.  Two of the Mom’s are vegetarian and from India. Interesting to hear their stories of having arranged marriages.  Looking forward to next week and developing friendships with all the women in the group.

 

 

 October Fest Carnival

 Rosh Hashanah is literally the head of the Jewish New Year followed by ten “Days of Repentance.”  I think of my Jewish friends on Jewish holidays and of the many blessings they bring into my life.  I have learned the importance of planning meals ahead of time for the weekend and lessons of their Jewish faith, both lasting gifts from Stacie, Elisa, Julie and Wendy.   They prepare dishes early on Friday mornings so they can enjoy their family over the Shabbat or Sabbath. 

Here is a simple, heart healthy starter dish you can prepare for your family in advance for the weekend.  Top off salads, fish or tortillas, convert to chili, or do or anything else you imagine for that matter:

Boil 2 pounds of pinto beans for 1 hour  and drain off the water completely

Saute in EVOO, one ice-cream scoop full of chopped garlic 

Chop 1/4 of a red onion and toss in with the onions

Slice off 1/4 of a fresh jalepeno

1/4 cup of Valentina Salsa Picante 

Combine all with drained beans in crock pot on low and add water to about 1/2 way up the beans

Put the top on and set for 3 hours on low 

 The beans will be quite dry the first time served, but after a day or so in the fridge they’ll be quite nice. 

Serve with fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and if your diet allows, La Morenita, Queso Fresco crumbled sparingly on the beans.

The only oil in the recipe to help justify the refried title is the extra virgin olive oil.

Cynthia Heald speaks on the Sabbath and rest in her new release this month.

“Jesus confirmed that the Sabbath, a day of rest instituted by God, was made for us (See Mark 2:27). Christians now set aside the Lord’s Day for worship, for our rest is not in a day, but in a Person. We are no longer bound by the Old Testament law to keep the Sabbath, but nevertheless I think that as we observe the rhythm of God, we would be wise to rest one day a week. I do my best to schedule one day where I do not have to do anything. It doesn’t mean that I sit all day and do nothing, but I avoid pressing appointments or obligations for that particular day. For me, at my season in life, it is a day for quiet, for extended time with God, or for time with a friend. I know what it is like to have children, activities, work, etc., but even with your family, do what you can to keep a day that is commitment free. I think that this is God’s way for us to manage stress – to stop and rest from our labor one day a week. ”  

                                                                                                                                       –  Cynthia Heald, Becoming a Woman of Simplicity,Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2009, pg.122, www.navpress.com

Rest up this weekend,

Trish

Brian’s Chopped Salad

07 Friday Aug 2009

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Daniel 1: 14 -16 The steward agreed to do it and fed them vegetables and water for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked better and more robust than all the others who had been eating from the royal menu. So the steward continued to exempt them from the royal menu of food and drink and served them only vegetables.

   17 -19 God gave these four young men knowledge and skill in both books and life. In addition, Daniel was gifted in understanding all sorts of visions and dreams. At the end of the time set by the king for their training, the head of the royal staff brought them in to Nebuchadnezzar. When the king interviewed them, he found them far superior to all the other young men. None were a match for Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  

 The Message

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 My brother-in-law Brian is the only person I know who eats more veggies than my husband.   My husband likes salad but has observed that the animals in the wild that appear to be the largest, fattest animals on the planet seem to be vegans: elephants, hipopotamus, rhinocerous, manatees…all salad eaters, while the sleek, lean kings of the African plains and Eastern jungles are all carnivors: lions, tigers, and such.  Anyway,  After Brian made the salad and it was such a big hit at the beach even with my pack of carnivors, I decided to try it out on my health conscious family in Iowa on my recent visit.  On a particularly beautiful day back home on the Mississippi River I made “Brian’s Salad” for my sister Peggy and her family…We ate it for 4 days straight, sometimes for lunch and as a side for dinner. 

1 Head of Bok Choy

1 Bunch of Turnip Greens

Bag of Spinach

1 Head of Cabbage

1 Head of Lettuce

1 Bunch of Red Leaf Lettuce

1 Bunch of Sprouts

1 Bunch of Cilantro

1 Stalk of Celery

3 Lemons squeezed onto the salad

6 tb. of chopped Garlic

1/2 Vidalia or Sweet Onion chopped

Radishes ~ sliced

Cherry Tomatoes

Sliced Almonds

Sunflower Seeds

First, rinse all your veggies thoroughly.  Trust me on this, its a lesson learned the hard way: a few extra minerals are good for you, but too much grit is a bad thing as far as your fellow diners are concerned (just ask my father-in-law).  Chop every thing into small bite size pieces according to your personal size preference.  I prefer ours very small, like a chopped salad for more intermingling of flavors and textures.  Add green scallions, 8 tb. of chopped garlic, (1) vidalia onion sliced or chopped, radishes, and cherry tomatoes if available, bag of sliced almonds and a handful of sunflower seeds. Squeeze (3) lemons on top of it all and toss.  Add tomatoes onto your plate when serving.  You will be able to keep this in the fridge for 5 days with a loose cover on top saving you time in the kitchen, keeping your kitchen cooler during the summer, and providing a healthy food alternative for your family.  The salad tastes better every day and it’s so refreshing without dressing.  I recently served this gigantic salad in a punch bowl for a Friday night pizza party.  Everyone laughed about the punch bowl, but the salad was completely gone after sending a small bit of left overs home with a few new fans.  There is no fixed formula with this salad, so change it up as often as you like adding other items you prefer, being careful to add only items with a long shelf lives into the salad mix, and then adding the shorter shelf life items to your plate at the dinner table.  Otherwise, all your hard work chopping will be spoiled in short order and you will be feeding your garbage disposal in a day or two instead of your family and friends.

Resting from Chopping,

Trish

Sashimi “No Cooking Allowed”

01 Saturday Aug 2009

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The men of my family head out to sea most summers, deep seas actually about 50 miles out into the gulf stream where Yellow Fin, Big Eye tuna, Dolphin, and Swordfish abound for the  to enjoy not just at the beach, but for at least 6 months afterwards as we all head home to different parts of the U.S.  The wives and daughters meet the boats and ooh and aah and cheer on our brave men back from the deep over the catch as it’s laid out before us on the dock.

The men caught 139 lbs. in a nice variety of fish and the first taste is always fantastic as it’s cut fresh that evening and bagged for freezing and traveling via suitcase.  Our first taste of  the Yellow Fin tuna is  raw in soy…aka…sashimi.

Jeff, Camille, Todd, Brian and I are passsionate for sashimi.

Raw tuna allowed to set out will start to stink and become rancid when its unholy alliance the parasite arrives to make it stink.  The tuna and the parasite have an unhealthy relationship.

Our boundary for sashimi is non-negotiable.  Tuna is toxic if the limits of raw are pushed.  We cut it fresh and enjoy it together.  Hold the thought on the company of others and the ability to remove yourself from toxicity.

Certain relationships  occasionally cause soul horror.  Think of it as the gory movie lived out in real life slashing up your sanity and invading your thoughts.  This is the raw tuna bacteria lying in wait to attack and invade when you forget the necessary boundary of fresh and cold.

My husband batter dipped Mahi Mahi for breakfast in corn meal. Later my brother-in-law Tom, an accomplished chef, worked with our daughter to create a feast of tuna bites and tuna ~encrusted with sesame seeds served with mango salsa.  The key to the delish on all the dishes is the fresh factor.  The fish is moving briskly into the company of its fellow coated friends and not allowed to set out alone.

When I encounter the above I meditate in John 10.

Stay with friends (sheep) and our Shepard (Jesus) to protect yourself from the theif aka. the bad shepherd coming through your roof (mind) .

Remember when a toxic individual tries to corner you alone, step away and remove yourself from the situation.   Chill in the company of others quickly  or be smelly.  The freshest fish will take on the odor of the stinky fish.  A miserable inedible mess.  The miserable stinky fish makes the fresh fish take on its characteristics.

Dr. Henry Cloud refers to this as following the misery in your life and make a rule.

Look at the misery, and then make a personal rule that will keep it from happening.”

The One Life Solution, Dr. Henry Cloud,  page 154

You are frying in oil when you allow yourself to meet with them or be alone with them in any situation.

Enjoying the omega 3’s,

Trish

Recipe:

Pan~Seared Teryaki Tuna

Marinate in teriyaki (30 minutes minimum or 6 hours max on the triage marinade) pan- sear tuna ~encrusted with sesame seeds in evoo till a lovely tan surface (watch closely this happens in just a few minutes)  and serve with mango salsa —- chopped mangoes,  cilantro, lime juice, tomatoes, garlic powder, pepper.  In a hurry buy the fresh salsa or if desperate in jar, and lots of chopped mango and wha..laaa, such a crowd pleas-er.

Tuna Bites

Throw cubed tuna in freezer bag with 1/2 flour  & 1/2 cornmeal with a smidge of  Old Bay and fry in peanut oil or whatever oil is handy till a lovely golden crunchy surface appears.