New Year, New You?

It's that time again. New Year resolutions have been made, and now we have to try and follow through. The beginning of a new year provides an opportunity to try and make things "new", make a change, become a better person. Funny how the change of date can motivate so many. There are few ideas about where New Year resolutions originated, some from Roman and Babylonian cultures. The new year has not always begun on January 1st, so these traditions have changed over the years as cultures and ideas changed. We start out with good intentions and by the second or third month many of us have become less motivated to keep our resolutions.

I usually don't make a New Year Resolution, just try to make the best things as they come. Today I was looking at a cookbook a friend had given me and realized that I have a huge collection of recipes and I have gotten into a rut and cook most of the same things over and over. I resolved to cook at least one new recipe each week to take advantage of all these recipes. Why have them if I am not going to use them, right? So, for my friends who have asked to know what I am cooking, here you go. Tonight's meal was not new, but not something we have everyday. I used a black bean recipe from a Vegetarian Times cookbook (Thanks Patty!) and tweaked things to my liking.

Black Bean Burritos:

In a tiny bit of olive oil saute' 1 large onion diced, 2-4 cloves of garlic slivered. When this is nice and tender add in: 1 can black beans drained and rinsed, about 1/2 t. cumin, 1 t. cilantro, 1/2 t. turmeric and salt and pepper to taste. (adjust these to your taste, I don't really measure, just toss it in.) You could also add in some chilies if you wanted some heat. Cook til tender, add in a bit of stock or water if needed to keep from sticking.

Use whatever tortillas float your boat, we had large flour tortillas, I layered the bean mixture with some 2% cheddar cheese, salsa, lettuce and fat free Greek yogurt (good alternative to sour cream) and sliced avocado that had been sprinkled with lemon to prevent browning. Roll all this up and Voila'! Quick, easy, pretty healthy supper. Good protein and plenty of veg. You can adjust the portions of things to suit your needs, I am using weight watchers so I use the point system. Very filling and not too pricey. You can also add in whatever yummy veggies you prefer. That is the beauty of this kind of supper. Use what you have! We finished ours up with a sweet delicious orange for dessert.

As for me, all those resolutions that are tempting to make, I am giving to God this year. He is really the only one who can make me a better person. You see, I know the REAL me. The one not many people get to see because of social etiquette and pride. He knows the real me too, and even though I can be a really nasty person inside sometimes, He loves me still the same and makes all things new. Thank you Lord.

And he that sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new".Revelation 21:5

Many Blessings and Much Love,
Stace

Time for Tomatoes!

It's that time. For those of you who really love tomatoes, you will understand how I feel. If I could only plant one thing in my garden, it would be tomatoes. Chris and I share the love of these wonderful fruits and will happily eat more than our share of tomato sandwiches until they are all gone this fall. Even then I hope to have some wonderful salsa and sauce canned to enjoy this winter. I even love the smell of the vines when you pick the sun warmed tomatoes, so warm and earthy and wonderful. In the past few years I have discovered the joy of heirloom tomatoes. They definitely have the taste of "real tomatoes" that I remember as a young person. My Grandfather would drink homemade tomato juice and it was so good. I have memories of my Grandmother canning all the garden veggies and freezing, breaking beans, picking corn. Oh, but those tomatoes, they were the best.

Chris and I enjoy homemade salsa this time of year. It's really easy to make and you can make it as you need it or you could can some for later. I don't really have a recipe I follow, just a sort of guide to how I like it. Goes something like this:

Green onions and sweet onions diced small.
Tomatoes diced small with juice
Garlic chopped fine
Hot peppers of your choice chopped fine (remove the seeds)
Lemon or lime juice
Salt
Cilantro roughly chopped

I mix all these things together until it we like the way it tastes. I would say I probably use 1/2 the amount of onions to tomatoes and garlic and peppers to taste. A good bowl of homemade guacamole is always good with this as well. We use mashed avocado with a bit of sour cream, lemon juice and salt.

All the tomatoes and canning plans really make me think of growing up, my old hometown and where this journey of life has taken me. I know that there are plans for all our lives, and that God has led me along this journey to help me acquire the skills I need for the rest of it. I believe that it is that way for all of us. Sometimes He asks things of us that are difficult, uncomfortable and that truly we don't want to do. So having faith that His way is best and that he knows the big picture and what needs to be done we follow His lead. Along the way, He provides reassurance that we are His and He will care for us. God is really very cool that way. In the end, maybe we will see the whys and whats and it will make sense, or maybe not. Whatever the outcome, we know we are where we need to be. There is a peace like no other that comes from the act of faith and knowing God is there. A young lady at church today shared this verse that helped her through a week of missions. Thanks Lyndsey, I needed this today too.

^{Proverbs 3: 5-6
5} Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Much Love and Many Blessings,
Stace

Our dreams............

It's been awhile since my last post. Wow, a long while. Life has gotten so busy. Work is long, days are short and there is too much to do. I recently found myself making several cakes and preparing food for a church function. During all the busyness, I have been reminded while making those cakes how much I enjoy creating food that I enjoy and sharing that with others. I get so much pleasure out of seeing a dish come together, and watching others enjoy it. It doesn't have to be a pretty cake, or something fancy. The simplest bowl of soup shared with others who can also enjoy it is a wonderful experience. So, all this of course has me thinking about Tea and Dreams, and how cool it could be. I think our dreams are what get us through the tough times. We must have hope, we must have goals, or dreams. In our country we are blessed to have opportunities to make those dreams happen. I keep praying and dreaming. Maybe one day you will come visit me at my shop and I will welcome you with open arms and a great cup of tea. Until then,

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Stace
( I will include another recipe with my next post!)

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself also in the LORD,And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Blessings and "Bugs"

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I have had enough turkey to last until next year! Unfortunately this is also the season when catching a "bug" no longer means children catching fire flies to watch in jar or a cute ladybug on a twig. My husband Chris is feeling a bit under the weather, so tonight I decided to cook up some garlic soup to help fight off the "bug." Now I know that most of you are already holding your nose and crying "ewww, that can't taste good!" I have to say that if you really really don't like garlic, you are probably correct. But for those of us that LOVE garlic, it is fabulous! I also must give garlic a pat on the back because it is a great germ fighter and the health benefits are numerous. I also roasted some heads of garlic for bread or whatever I get in the mood to put it on. Roasting gives it a more subtle sweet flavor. ( Yes, garlic can taste sweet... *smile*)

Roasted Garlic
Slice the top off of a head of garlic just thick enough to open up the top of the cloves. Place the head of garlic cut side up in a oven safe dish and drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Place in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes until soft. The garlic cloves should be soft enough that when cool you can squish them out into a bowl.

Now, what can you do with this wonderful roasted treasure? You can add a bit of salt if you like and eat it on a cracker. Put it on a piece of buttered bread for the best garlic bread you ever tasted. Add it to mashed potatoes. I just had some on a piece of left over turkey. Use your imagination; it will be great any number of ways!

This Thanksgiving season, I found myself so overwhelmed with gratitude for all the blessings that God has given to me and my family. As topics of discussion turned to giving thanks in church groups and talks with family and friends, I kept thinking how much we have to be thankful for. I'm not talking about material goods necessarily, but things that money can't buy, like God's grace. No matter what our situation, how great the hurt, how unsure our future, we as Christians have the peace of knowing that God's grace covers us. As with most people, I have known both tough times when it seemed like every day brought a new hardship; and easy times when things just seemed to fall into place. Through it all, God's love and grace has given me peace in my heart, my very soul. So, when asked what I am most thankful for this Thanksgiving my answer is God's love and grace. He loves me even when I don't deserve it and continues to bless me in ways I could only imagine. I could make a list a mile long with all the wonderful people and circumstances that God has put in my life, but there is just not room. I wish for you this Thanksgiving season to know that great peace.

"When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul."

Wishing you a bountiful Thanksgiving and Many Blessings,
Stace

Follow your dreams........

It's been awhile since my last post. It's been busy, but we had a great vacation in the Smoky Mountains. We spent some time hiking, went to the Cherokee Reservation and just really enjoyed seeing God's creation. It was nice to have time away from work and responsibility, and coming back to that has been difficult. I did find this great book from Foxfire about Appalachian Cookery. It is full of stories and recipes of the people from the mountains when they cooked over fireplaces and then in wood fired ovens. Turns out the "new fangled" convenience of a wood fired stove wasn't as appreciated as one might think. Many women found it difficult to cook on and wood had to be added repeatedly to the fire to keep the heat constant. There are many fond stories of cornbread cooked over the fire in iron skillets. Sounds like heaven to me.

I haven't done much cooking this past week. We are still trying to get things settled in from our trip. Since we had an outdoor service for church today and a picnic afterward, I decided it was time for some sweet potato cupcakes. They are made with cinnamon and sweet potatoes and have cream cheese icing. Perfect flavors for fall. The recipe can be found on the Better Homes and Gardens website. I used my own cream cheese icing recipe, it has Almond bark melted and added in. I was given this recipe when I attended a cake decorating class given by Judy Ward, the Ohio Co. cake lady. Hopefully one day these will be on the Tea and Dreams menu.

Speaking of dreams......Being the big kids we are, we attended a magic show while we were Pigeon Forge. It was a great presentation, full of "bigger than life" characters who seemed to really enjoy entertaining. I was really impressed when at the end of the show, the magician began to share his story of " not giving up on your dreams and putting God in the drivers seat." He did a wonderful job of sharing his faith without being "preachy". As I thought about my life and my dreams, I realize how easy it is to try to be the one in charge of things. The whole fact of the matter is that the only way to truly be satisfied and have peace with where we are in life is to let God handle things. He will give us the "desires of our hearts." I believe that God is happy to give us our "dreams", but we must keep Him in front; in charge, so that our "dreams" are in line with His will. As we grow closer to Christ, our dreams and desires become what He wants, not what we want. So, never give up on your dreams. We all have different dreams related to different areas of our lives. Wishes, hopes, prayers....... Give them to God, and let Him have everything, you, your life and your dreams. It's all His anyway. He'll take care of the rest. Maybe one day we can share a great cup of tea over a table of good food at "Tea and Dreams"; maybe not, but until then I will praise God and give thanks for all the blessings and dreams he has given me.

Psalms 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Many Blessings,
Stace

These boots are made for hiking!

What an emotional week. My father passed away Wednesday after a long illness. It has been good to see family, but sad that it happens due to such terrible reasons. My heart is aching for my family and for myself. I am thankful to have a supportive, wonderful husband and a God who loves me even though I don't deserve it. I know that my Dad is with that God now, and that gives me hope.

We are leaving today for our anniversary trip to the Smoky Mountains. I am really excited as it has been years since we have had a vacation. I am looking forward to peace, quiet and rest. I have a pair of new hiking boots that are rarin' and ready to go. They have been strolling around the neighborhood and house getting ready for this trip. For our trip, we decided to make some trail mix, which is so super easy, and you can add what you like instead of buying pre-made.

OUR choices:
Cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, dried pineapple and blueberries, Candy corn and M&M's.

We have a big baggie of this stuff ready to go and munch on. Maybe I can use it to catch a bear.....

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

God's rest, like God's time is perfect. Thank you Lord, for your awesome rest.

Much love and many blessings,
Stace

Tea and Time.....

It has been a thought provoking week. I have had many conversations which have caused me to begin to rethink "time" in my life. With my fathers passing I have been reminded all too harshly that we do not always have tomorrow. A conversation with an old steady friend who is always there, even when we are far apart reminds me that even though we are always there for each other, for our families; we need to take the time to say I love you even when we are busy and can't say anything else. An email from a friend who has lost a pet who was a dear friend also makes me realize that we just never know when a sweet life will end, when the time we have with them will be over. Never be too busy to love someone who needs you, even if it is a quick word, visit or call.

So, how do we slow down, how do we find the time? I believe we pray for God to show us the moments we can use for this, and we seek them out, we plan for weekend calls or regular emails. And we should never be afraid to say," I love you".

I of course have dealt with my problems as usual with a good cup of tea and a new recipe. (Hence the need for Weight Watchers... : ) Oh, but this one is very calorie friendly and healthy. I had two wonderful spaghetti squash from the farmers market, so thus was born the Spaghetti Squash with Tomato and Mushrooms.

Halve the Spaghetti Squash and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or a bit of Olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees until soft, around 45 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and it will string like spaghetti.

Sauce: I used a little bit of Bertolli Olive Oil and Garlic Marinara I had left.
1- 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
2 to 4 cloves of Garlic slivered
1 cup Portabella Mushroom chopped ( I use a spoon to scoop out the black gills, they will turn your meal black)

Saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil til tender.
I then halved about a cup of baby cherry tomatoes off of our plants in the garden and added them in until they warmed. Add salt to taste.

Serve squash topped with a bit of sauce and then ladle the veggies on top. I enjoy a little Parmesan Cheese grated on top as well.

God's time:
Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
And the list goes on.

They say time heals all wounds. May we all intentionally spend more time loving, laughing and dancing... the weeping and mourning will take care of themselves.....

Thank you Lord, for Your time and Your love.
Wishing you Many Blessings and Much Love,

Stace