Thursday, May 2, 2013

Home



We are blessed! Adam has been called to be the associate pastor at St John Lutheran Church. We will be near family, which we are especially thrilled to hear. During the call service, both of Isaac's grandmas had tissues to catch their tears of joy! This church is large, has a school and we already feel utterly and completely welcomed. The moving process and house plans are underway and we are thrilled to be getting the ball rolling towards this new chapter!

Thanks be to God!

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Today is THE DAY

Today is THE DAY!

Adam and I began this journey in August 2005 when he began the pre-sem program. Now here we are, years later, excitedly awaiting to hear where we will be moving to, who our new flock and church family will be, and where we will be calling "home."

"Each day I long for home,
long for the sight of home."
- The Odyssey

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Muffins for Toddlers

The original title for this recipe is "Toddler Muffins"...but that sounds kinda funny, doesn't it?  So I switched it around a bit. ;-)  Isaac loves LOVES these muffins and your lil one may enjoy them, too.



Muffins for Toddlers
makes 24 mini muffins

Ingredients*
¼ c Vegetable oil
½ c brown sugar
2 large bananas, mashed
1 (4.5 oz) jar baby food
2 carrots, grated
2 eggs, beaten
¼ c yogurt
½ c white flour
½ c wheat flour
½ c oats
1 t baking soda
½ t salt


Directions
  1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 mini muffin cups or 12 standard muffin cups.
  2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the mashed bananas, squash, carrots, and eggs. Stir in the flour, oat bran, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until just combined. Spoon the batter equally into the prepared muffin cups.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Store at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze.

*After reading some of the comments, I changed up some of the ingredients.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Countdown Corner

I remember when Call Day was over 350 days away. 

I remember when the countdown was 182 days.

I remember when we finally broke into the double digits.

But today...today is day nineteen. NineTEEN. NINETEEN. We are finally in the teens, people!

Some of you may not be surprised, but we have a "Countdown Corner" in our kitchen.


A thoughtful fabulous friend snail mailed me this colorful countdown chain. 
Every morning we tear off yet another chain, the length gets shorter little by little. 




This chocolate countdown calendar is a sweet and delicious gift from yet another special friend. 
Every morning I pop the day's chocolate into my hot cup of coffee...or I may share it with the hubby. 


When we first began seminary, people told us, "It goes by so fast!" I believe them! The counting down continues and soon we will be in the single digits.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Because I've Been Asked...

...over and over, here are a couple easy crock pot meals that could easily be turned into crock pot freezer meals. 


Southwest Chicken Tacos*

Ingredients
5 chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies (drained)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can corn (drained) or frozen - optional
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed) - optional 

(To stretch this meal, add the corn and black beans.)

Directions
Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Dump can of diced tomatoes. Sprinkle packet of taco seasoning. Cook on low for 8-10 hrs. Shred meat using forks and  eat plain or serve on whole wheat tortillas with 2% cheddar cheese and non-fat refried beans.

This recipe could easily become a freezer meal (in fact, it is on my to-do list!). You can cook this, then put it in freezer bags...or put the chicken and other ingredients into the bag. Freeze it. Then, when the time comes (like packing season...or unpacking season), simply thaw then pop into the crock pot and cook away. Easy peasy! Quick note: If you get discount meats (exp. date is soon), I suggest you cook the meal then freeze it. 

*To be honest, I can't find the original recipe - I've been making this for years and the recipe is so simple I memorized it rather than printing it out. However, as you can see, thanks to Google, there are 5 billion different ways to make a southwest chicken taco meal. If you'd like to experiment with some variations of this recipe, Google leads the way! (Or Pinterest! ;-))


Idea: Sometimes this dish seems to last  f o r e v e r  in our house because it is just the two of us. To change it up a bit, a make a couple quesadillas with this southwest chicken yumminess:


Southwest Chicken Taco Quesadillas
Oven at 350*

Spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray. Lay two whole wheat tortillas on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle a bit of shredded cheese on each tortilla. Spread approximately  1/3 c of southwest chicken yumminess on tortilla. Top with shredded cheese (feel free to add some caramelized bell peppers, onion, black beans, refried beans, etc...get creative!). Place tortilla on top of each quesadilla, spray tortilla with non stick spray, then pop the cookie sheet into the oven. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!



Crock Pot Bbq Chicken
by me, myself, & I

Ingredients
5-6 chicken breasts
¼ c brown sugar
1 bottle bbq sauce
6 strips of partially cooked bacon, chopped

Directions
Place 5-6 chicken breasts into crock pot. Sprinkle on brown sugar and bacon. Squirt entire bbq sauce onto chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs. Shred with fork. Serve on whole wheat buns with shredded cheddar cheese.

Same as the previous recipe, you can cook beforehand or stuff a freezer bag with the ingredients then thaw for when you're ready to pop it in the crock pot.  

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Greek Yogurt Revisited

As with chess, and other strategy games, I had beginner's luck. This Greek yogurt was also one of those times when I had a little bit of luck.... After wasting a few gallons of milk, I decided to try a different way to make Greek yogurt. Maybe it was the type of Greek yogurt I'd mix in with the milk. Maybe it was the milk. Maybe it was the crock pot. I don't know. Regardless, I felt like I needed to change things up a bit.

My mom gave me the following "word of mouth" recipe:



Greek Yogurt
Ingredients
2 % gallon of milk
1 c unflavored Greek yogurt

Directions
Pour milk into crock pot.
Turn the crock pot onto HIGH for one hour.
2 hours on LOW.
3 hours OFF.
Take out 2 c of the warm milk and pour into bowl. Whisk in the Greek yogurt. Then pour the yogurt/milk mixture back into crock pot.
Wrap crock pot with warm blanket and leave overnight.
In the morning, drain for 5-6 hours. (To drain: set colander in large container or bowl. Lay unfolded cheesecloth in colander. Pour yogurt/milk mixture into colander.)
Reserve the whey. 



This recipe worked great! I know it's hard not to, but don't "peek" on the yogurt. Thinking about how the milk is turning into yogurt is neat, but if you lift the lid the heat will escape and may negatively affect the outcome of your yogurt.  Because of how long this process takes, I've found that starting this recipe at 2 or 3 in the afternoon works best for our schedule.  For me, this recipe seems to be easier/more fool-proof than the previous one I posted.

Speaking of the previous post, I haven't yet tried the "Indian Street Beverage of My Dreams".... Cardamon is the magic ingredient for that special recipe and it is nearly $13 at the grocery store. I just couldn't put it in my cart. I couldn't even touch it, actually. Maybe someday I'll be able to try this drink or find a smaller portion of cardamom somewhere. In the meantime, I need to find something to do with all of this whey!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

For Guidance in Our Calling




The time when we wait for our vicarage assignment or call can be...well, tough. We know that the Lord truly knows our inmost thoughts and desires, but sometimes (we are human - and He knows that) we still worry. All of the unknowns. All of the questions. There is fear. There is excitement. Anxiety. And prayer. 

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

The following is a prayer from the Treasury of Daily Prayer (p. 1,315) that helps keep our focus on Him.  Graphic design is not in my repertoire, but I turned this message into a printable. It is hanging in our home where we can see it and be encouraged. There are two versions you can right-click, save and print for yourselves. (I insert this jpg into a Word document to get it evenly spaced on the page.) Enjoy, friends!

Lord God, You have called Your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that Your hand is leading us and Your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
         

"For Guidance in Our Calling" full size printable in black and white:








"For Guidance in Our Calling" full size printable in color:


Sunday, March 24, 2013

Clump of Grass

The dreams about call day have begun. 
Last night's was that instead of being told where we were going, we were given a clump of grass (dirt still attached). This particular grass was indigenous to a certain region. That was our clue and we had to figure it out from there.







Friday, March 22, 2013

You know you're in seminary when...

(This post is a compilation of sentiments from our own experience as well as others' experiences.)

...your DVD collection suddenly becomes netflix. You told your boxes of movies "toodles" a couple moves ago.

...your CDs have also joined the DVDs in storage and Pandora is your new source of music. (I mean, after so many moves, may as well operate in "camping mode".)

However, despite downsizing the DVDs and CDs, half the moving trailer is filled with boxes of books. Theology books. Lots of them.

...you can cook Brakebush chicken five billion different ways. Yes, five billion different ways.

...until corrected, thought "gemutlechkeit" meant "beer and theology". (It actually means "friendliness". Similar. Kinda.)

...Pinterest boards become your collection of recipes. Goodbye, heavy cookbooks. I don't want to move you one, two, three FOUR times.

...you really really really want to reorganize all of the closets in the house. But...you'll be moving in just a few months, so why bother.

...you've heard the saying "you can do anything for a year".

...there's this awesome local deal on furniture. But...you have no idea what kind of home you'll be moving into next year, so it's a no go.

...you know what time Applebee's closes on Tuesday nights.

...you have countdowns. Multiple ones. One for vicarage assignment day, moving day, call day, moving day...and the baby's due date.

...you pay the large month to month renting fee in the summer as you gear up for the move to vicarage or call.

...Tuesday is grocery shopping day...beginning at 6:30 a.m. because the hubby leaves for class at 7:30 a.m. and the food co op closes before he gets home from class and work.

...a precious new baby is born nearly every week within the seminary community.

...you've got at least one vehicle that needs to begin its funeral plans.

...you long for "home".

...you know which moving boxes you like best. Lowe's or Home Depot? (Lowe's. They have handles.) Or boxes from behind the local grocery store.

...March and April suddenly become the longest months in the whole year.

...you know what "Zap, North Dakota" means.

...you get extremely frustrated when you can't find the end of the packing tape roll. (You know what I'm talking about. This is when you go to the store and buy not one, but two tape dispensers to save your sanity.)

...you've spent hours comparing moving truck rates between four different companies for the best deal. This comparing adventure includes any other discounts the companies may offer including AAA, clergy, Lutheran and student.

...you've had eight different jobs over a course of only four years, simply trying to provide for your family.

...getting a pet is something your family would like to do, but you don't know if vicarage housing would allow pets.

...you have a pet, but your vicarage housing doesn't allow animals. Sad goodbyes.

...you can list the top four popular apartment complexes for seminary families.

...you can list, by memory, all the staffing agencies in Fort Wayne.

...you learn that fog delays do indeed exist.

...you visit the seminary campus on a snowy day. It is breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful. A sight you will always remember.

...you received a much needed check at precisely the right time for the exact needed amount from a generous church. And then, on your knees, you cry tears out of thankfulness and awe of the Lord's providence.

...something that has been on your wish list suddenly shows up at the co op. And then you cry again.

...you've met wonderful friends that become more than that. They become cherished members of the family.

...you experience trials and tears...but the seminary community is there supporting, encouraging and praying for you.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt has been a staple in our house for about a year and a half now. We like it because it is a bit different than regular yogurt, in that it is a bit more firm and has a lot more protein. Protein. That's really why we like it. In this new year we have been striving towards better health and combined, we have lost over 30 pounds! Eating healthy means not forgetting the protein and, in our house, eating lots of Greek yogurt. 

As you know, Greek yogurt is not cheap. After some persuasion, I (Sarah), finally took the plunge and made our own Greek yogurt. I was nervous because, well, making yogurt is somehow different than baking a cake. I was afraid of somehow making it bacteria ridden and killing someone. However, I had some a couple days ago and am still alive! Making this yogurt is pretty easy and as long as you have some milk, a cheese cloth, a crock pot and a cup of Greek yogurt, you can make it too! 

Eating from the Ground Up has a fabulous recipe for Greek yogurt. She describes each step so well and it is easy to follow. Hop on over and find her recipe here. (To the friends at seminary: the food co op always has milk. Free Greek yogurt, anyone?)


image source



Veggies are a great side dish for any meal. If you're having fresh veggies, consider the following recipe. We made this over the weekend but omitted the feta cheese and green onions. Instead of salt we added sea salt. We used fresh spinach rather than frozen.

Ingredients
1/4 c chopped onion
4 green onions, chopped
1 T minced garlic
8 oz frozen chopped (1/2 of l lb package)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t fresh lemon zest
2 t fresh lemon juice
1 c Greek yogurt
1/4-1/2 c finely crumbled feta cheese
2 t dried dill
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Microwave frozen spinach, onion, green onions until onions are limp. Drain. Pulse in food processor until pureed. Add remaining ingredients. Pulse once more.




Sometimes you've just gotta have brownies. Why not add a lil boost of protein? With these healthier brownies, you don't need to feel as guilty after a lil dessert.
image source

Skinny Mom has this nifty recipe. I actually just baked these. The kitchen smells delicious and these brownies are, too (it is only proper to sample one's cooking, to make sure it is tasty enough for others). I added about a 1/4 c of chocolate chips and a 1/2 c of chopped walnuts to the mixture before spreading it into a 9 x 13 pan.
Ingredients
1. 1 6-8 ounce container of fat free yogurt. (You can use any type of non-fat yogurt. Greek is thick so you will need to add some water to thin the batter down a bit. If you use regular non-fat yogurt, you may not need to add water to it at all. The thicker the batter- the thicker the brownie so really it is to your taste.)
2. 1/2 cup of water
  • 3. Box of brownie mix. (You can use any brownie mix of your choice. Usually, I buy the reduced fat brands)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. In a mixing bowl, add the brownie mix, the entire container of yogurt and slowly add the water (if using Greek yogurt).
3. Use a zero calorie spray (such as PAM) to grease the baking dish.
4. Pour batter into pan and stick in preheated oven.
5. Let cook 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean of the center.


What are your favorite recipes using Greek yogurt?




Thursday, January 31, 2013

Spinach!

Spinach has been a key ingredient lately. Sometimes the co op carries a large bag of spinach...it's just so packed full of spinach that I don't pick it up because I'm afraid I won't use it all...and I'll feel wasteful.

However, I found the following recipes!

Green Monster Hummus from Namely Marly

image source

Ingredients:
1 can chick peas
1/4 cup tahini
1 t garlic powder
1-2 T lemon juice
1 T Bragg (an alternative to soy sauce)
1/2 c water
1/4 c olive oil
1 t salt
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried basil
2 c raw spinach

Directions:
1. Pour all hummus ingredients into a food processor and pulse until well-combined.
2. Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl and then process until you achieve a fine consistency.
3. Pour the hummus into a serving bowl and garnish with olive oil, pine nuts, and sliced black olives. Serve with pita bread or your favorite crackers.



Another great spinach recipe is this green smoothie. The blogger says it is a great smoothie for during pregnancy, but this healthy smoothie would be great for anyone - pregnant or not. :-) (And no, I am not pregnant!)

image source

Ingredients:
*Blender
*Crushed ice
*Water/{Orange} juice
*Spinach
*{Mixed} frozen fruit
*Banana

Pop these in the blender and voila! I usually add 1/2 a cup of Greek yogurt for the protein as well as some milk or soy milk. I know it may sound weird to add spinach to a smoothie, but you can seriously hardly taste it! 


In light of the new year and the popular resolution of getting healthier, we have been using these recipes quite often and enjoying them quite a bit.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Wait - Where am I?

Wait - where am I?

I've asked myself that a few times lately. For example, I'm in Wal-mart and try to find pretzels. I push my squeaky cart to where I think they'll be...and they're not there. Ohh, that's right. The pretzels are in this area at the other Wal-mart.

Or I'm in Barnes and Noble, turn and walk towards the cafe and expect the bathrooms to be to the right. Nope. Not at this Barnes and Noble - I was confused with a different Barnes and Noble...one in a different state.

Or ponder the idea of visiting the local animal shelter to browse at kitties, I'll just pop on over there after going to Target, because the shelter is just down the road from Target. No, that's in a different city than Fort Wayne. Not here.

Driving down a main road in town I look to my left and recognize a friend. I get excited...but then realize that she is from Chicagoland. She doesn't live here. It's not her. It just looks like her.

When we got home from Christmas vacation I forgot how to operate our bathtub faucet.

Moving every year for the past several years gets confusing.

Maybe someday...someday I'll remember what is where and who lives where.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Slow Cooker Recipes

It's the new year! And you know what that means...healthy living, healthy recipes and getting more active seem to be the top resolutions for this time of year. I (Sarah) am not a resolution type of person, however I do try to make healthy choices. Perusing Weight Watchers recipes I discovered the following


Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
image source

Ingredients:
2 medium uncooked carrot(s), peeled, cut into large chunks   
2 rib(s) (medium) uncooked celery, cut into large chunks  
1 medium uncooked onion(s), cut into large chunks 
2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced 
2 cup(s) dry lentils, picked over   
3 leaf/leaves bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed  
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste  
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste 
8 cup(s) canned chicken broth   
4 oz uncooked Canadian-style bacon, diced (4 or 5 slices)   

Instructions:
Place ingredients in a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker in the following order: carrots, celery, onion, garlic, lentils, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper and broth. Cover slow cooker; cook on low setting for 6 hours. Uncover, stir in bacon and heat for 30 minutes more; remove bay leaves. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Notes:
To thicken soup, remove 1 cup of cooked lentils and puree in food processor; stir back into soup. 
For a lighter flavor, replace 4 cups of chicken broth with 4 cups of water.



This soup was quite delish! The fact that it is inexpensive is definitely a plus. (Beans are a daily staple around here.) Another great thing about this recipe, other than it being inexpensive and easy, is that almost all of these ingredients can be found at the seminary food co op! 



Slow Cooker Pulled Barbeque Chicken Sandwiches
image source

This recipe was easy, too (do you see a theme? ;-)). It filled our home with a mouth watering aroma of barbeque! This Texan loves that smell. Recipegirl.com is a fun website to click through and easy to navigate. Her delicious recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup barbecue sauce (a flavor you like)
1/3 cup Italian dressing (reduced-fat or fat-free okay)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons chicken broth
additional barbecue sauce, if desired
rolls, for serving as sandwiches
bread and butter pickles, optional


Directions:

1. Place chicken in the slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 1/2 to 5 hours.
2. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and chicken broth. Stir it into the sauce in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until the sauce is thickened and heated through (10 to 15 minutes). Meanwhile, use two forks to shred the chicken. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir. Add additional barbecue sauce if more sauce is needed or desired. Cover and continue cooking on low for 45 minutes. Serve chicken piled onto rolls. Add pickles, if desired.
Tips:
*The brand of barbecue sauce that you use can make a big difference in the flavor of the chicken. I like Sweet Baby Ray's!

The sides I chose to serve with this main course were yummy, too. I made acorn squash like this. Then some sweet potatoes like this. I also had a cold pasta salad left over from the day before, which is similar to this recipe. 

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Back to Normal

Adam's Christmas break was eventful. We traveled a few hours west to visit family for a couple weeks. We enjoyed seeing our dear family again and were sure to fit in some time for chillaxing. Isaac was sure to fit some of that into his busy schedule, too.



A couple days before Christmas a seminary family's infant son passed away. Baby Christian spent Christmas with Jesus - the best place to be for Christmas. Their journey was inspirational and their family is so strong. You can read about their journey and offer support here. We've been following their story from the very beginning. Baby Christian's mommy wrote beautiful updates in the CaringBridge journal throughout the entire journey. When you stop by their site, be sure to bring some tissues with you.


My (Sarah's) kitty, Inkin, began to not feel so well a couple months ago. Her health began to rapidly decline during break. I've had her since I was 9 years old and she was 10 weeks old. However, her time with us came to an end. She now rests peacefully. I'm sad about her passing, but the timing couldn't have been better. Her passing away while we visited my parents' home was best, because she is now resting there instead of us wondering what to do if she passed away while here in Fort Wayne. We wouldn't have wanted to bury her here at our rental home. It was an odd feeling coming back home to Fort Wayne after the Christmas travels and seeing her food and water bowls waiting for her.


On a brighter note, Isaac's Auntie Laura took some fabulous photos of him. She is quite the talented photographer and captured some really lovely moments:

Bath time!


Isaac is very good at unwrapping gifts. He loves loves paper!


Auntie Laura is finally in front of the camera! What a sweet photo.


Isaac seems to like doing a certain thing (blowing bubbles, a fake cough, etc) for a week or two
and then moves on to something else. For one of the weeks during Christmas break he discovered this
expression. This was particularly funny because his uncle did the same thing when he was this age! 


While visiting GG and Grandpa, Isaac was sure to enjoy some puppy time...

...including Sooner! Isaac is drawn to animals, which is so sweet! 
We are glad heenjoys animals, because we do too! 
Isaac likes to hold the puppy's face and then give it a kiss on its nose. So sweet. :-)


During the last week of break we've been trying to get back to normal and get back into a routine. I've been busy making freezer meals (may as well get ahead if I can!), catching up on laundry and putting away Christmas stuff little by little. Adam has also been taking advantage of this last bit of free time; he's been working very hard on his studies and getting ahead in some classes. As this break came to a close, we couldn't help but realize how close Call Day is becoming...

...after all, Call Day is only 114 days away. 

Which is also 9,849,600 seconds. 

Or 164,160 minutes. 

Or 2,736 hours. 

Or 16 weeks.