A Handy Baking Tool

October 16, 2015November 3, 2015 RefreshHer9 Comments

A few weeks ago I attended my daughter’s birthday surprise Baking Party with Francine Bryson, first runner up of the American Baking Competition. Francine shared a couple of tips that I’ve implemented into my baking, and one of them is the addition of a flour jar with a sifting/shaker lid on top. It’s helpful to have a jar like this filled with flour for:

Adding a little bit of flour to the counter before rolling out dough
Sprinkling in flour to sauces or gravies

Any time you need just a little flour, this is the perfect container to grab. I was thrilled to find this jar at a little shop near me for only $5. The lid is metal with three openings – one for pouring, one for sifting out smaller amounts and also one for sifting larger amounts. I love it because when I need flour at those times, my hands are usually a mess, so if I go to the canister to get the flour, I lift the lid with my messy hands and add flour to the lid, the counter and possibly the floor!

For those in my area, I got this in Jonesborough at a great new shop called, Type A. It’s adorable with all kinds of fun merchandise that you need to check out! If you’re not from here, any kind of jar with a shaker lid will work. Those tall jars that many put confectioners sugar in would work well, too.

Another tip Francine gave was to crack your eggs on a flat surface, rather than the edge of your bowl. That edge causes the egg shell to push into the inside of the egg, then fall into your bowl! That makes complete sense; why didn’t I think of that before?

What helpful tool or tip could you share?

Stay refreshed,

Uncategorized

The One Thing We All Need

October 14, 2015November 3, 2015 RefreshHer5 Comments

I shared yesterday that I was recently in California for a Ladies’ retreat. It was a great blessing! My husband traveled with me, and I was soooo happy to have him at my side! We had a sweet time away. We left on Wednesday and returned home Sunday night.

Let me share a few pictures, then a truth the Lord laid on my heart during my time away.

This was a funny display at the Los Angeles Airport. After my lost luggage adventure last spring, I found this hilarious!

wpid-20151008_100551 — We got to walk through Old Sacramento. Lovely city, and yes, we had a cup of that Heavenly Brew!

Wolf Mt. campsite – such a joy to see God’s blessing in giving these folks this property to use for Him.

20151010_111658_resized — Westward ho! Time for a group picture. What sweet ladies!

20151010_111839_resized — More of the retreat attendees. Only a few days were spent with these ladies, yet my heart was knit with theirs!

Saying goodbye and giving encouragement for the days ahead!

This dear lady received Christ as her Savior last weekend! Here we are, hands clasped. Sisters in Christ! — This dear lady that I’m talking to received Christ as her Savior last weekend! Here we are, hands clasped. Sisters in Christ!

We got to see Lake Tahoe before heading home! It was beautiful! — We got to drive to Lake Tahoe before heading home! It was beautiful!

He’s asking, “I wonder what’s on the others side of that mountain?” That’s always his question! He’s quite an adventurer! He drove us all over and never got turned around or lost. He’s amazing and far more dependable than a GPS!

The striking thought during our whole trip was “common ground.” Everyone in every part of the country or the world needs the Gospel –

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: I Corinthians 15:3,4

After receiving the Gospel for our salvation, we all need God’s Word to direct our every step. Times spent at a retreat are for sharing the Truth from the Bible in relevant, practical ways. Who needs help for life? Who needs answers for the tough times we face? Who longs for encouragement that it will be worth it all One Day? Sum it all up to ask: Who needs hope? ALL OF US! It’s a common need, a common thread a common ground.

It’s not just people at a retreat that need hope – it’s every single person we meet. We were made aware of the desperate need when we talked to:

A shop owner
A bakery employee
An athletic trainer
A businessman
A fellow-traveler
A young woman

Some understood their need for hope that only the Lord can bring and theyare searching for the Truth. Others rejected it bluntly and proudly. We will pray for their eyes to be opened.

Are you filled with hope because you know the Lord as your Savior? Or are your days filled with despair because your only hope is what you can conjure up on your own? This Gospel Video will tell you how you can have a relationship with God now and for all eternity.

If you have the common ground of knowing Christ, with whom are you sharing the hope of the Gospel? Don’t keep it to yourself; a whole world out there is desperate for the hope you possess! Share the Gospel with someone today!

When was the last time you shared the Gospel? How was it received?

Lovingly,

Stressing Over the Temporal

October 13, 2015November 3, 2015 RefreshHer6 Comments

Last Wednesday found me and my husband on board an airplane flying west to California! I had the blessing of speaking at a Ladies’ Retreat in Grass Valley from Thursday through Saturday. I had never been to the camp before, and I knew only two people there – the director and his sweet wife.

As I prepared for the retreat, I found myself in my normal mode stressing over “What should I wear?!” Will it be cold, moderate, or hot? Will I need a jacket? Will I be over-dressed? What shoes should I wear? Then I remembered my last retreat in the spring and the lessons I learned, and I let it go. I packed a skirt, two tops, a dress, a pair of jeans, a jacket and casual shoes. Done. I thanked the Lord for the reminder that my external isn’t nearly as important as what’s in my heart.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Matthew 23:25

Why do we get so hung up on the non-essentials and not nearly so concerned about what really matters? Because that’s how our flesh and the devil operate. They strive to get us distracted away from the Lord and from the eternal. For instance, it’s easy to get titled sideways over:

A mess – spilled Cheerios, a puddle of milk, a pile of books,
Too much on our schedule
Lack of communication from our spouse
A shortage of money
Getting treated unfairly
People!

But do we get just as upset over:

Our own messy attitude?
Not enough time to read and meditate in God’s Word?
Not enough time to spend in prayer?
A desire to give more to God’s work?
The way God’s name and ways are abused around us?
The needs of a lost soul?

Now that I’m safely back home, maybe I should just leave a suitcase out to remind me each day not to let the temporal, external things stress me! They truly don’t matter.

Oh, Lord, help me to be bothered to the point of change about what is relevant for eternity!

What’s bothering you today? If it’s something that will only matter in this life, let it go. Give it to the Lord in prayer, if need be, but don’t dwell on it. Ask the Lord to help you focus on what’s really important – that which is eternal. Oh, and if you’re traveling to the other coast, just layer outfits and you’ll be fine. 🙂

Lovingly,

Main entree · soup

Spicy Pumpkin Soup – A Different Angle on Pumpkin Spice!

October 12, 2015October 5, 2015 RefreshHer4 Comments

I am not one who has jumped on the “Pumpkin Spice Everything” Bandwagon! I like pumpkin just fine in a few things, but I’m not even crazy about the PS Creamers that most are wild over.

So, when I saw a recipe for Spicy Pumpkin Soup in the recent issue of Southern Living, I was quite skeptical. However, once I looked over the ingredients, I could tell that the pumpkin was not the main flavor in the soup. It has Chicken broth that smooths out the pumpkin flavor. And rather than the spices that make pumpkin pie, the spice added is the heat of a chili pepper and adobo sauce. The little bit of heat makes it perfect! It also has smoked sausage, which I love, and black beans added to it, to round it out. The result? A lovely, creamy, soup that doesn’t shout, Pumpkin spice at you!

Here’s the recipe from Southern Living:

Ingredients

1 cup diced yellow onion

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 (29-oz.) can pumpkin

6 -6 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can

1 medium avocado, peeled and diced

1/2 cup whole buttermilk

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8 ounces smoked sausage, sliced

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preparation

1. Place onions, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and 1 tsp. salt in a Dutch oven over medium heat; cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic and cumin; cook 2 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin and 6 cups broth; add chipotle pepper and 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce. Increase heat to medium-high, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 12 minutes.

2. Process soup, in batches, in a food processor or blender 1 minute. Add up to 1/2 cup broth, 2 Tbsp. at a time, to reach desired consistency.

3. Process avocado, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a blender until smooth. Add up to 1/4 cup water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, to reach desired consistency. I personally didn’t think the soup needed the avodaco sauce. It added no extra flavor – just a pretty dollop of color.

4. Cook smoked sausage in remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in black beans and paprika, and cook 1 minute. Ladle soup into serving bowls; top with sausage mixture and avocado cream.

I trusted Southern Living’s good reputation, and I’m glad I did! This was a nice supper and also made a delightful leftover for lunch the next day (I halved the recipe). You need to try this – even if you’re like me and don’t LOVE Pumpkin Spice. I would definitely make this again!

Are you a Pumpkin Spice fan? If so, how do you enjoy it?

With love from my country kitchen,

Fall

Yummy Fall Snacks

October 9, 2015November 3, 2015 RefreshHer2 Comments

It’s hard not to gain weight in the fall, isn’t it? Cooler evenings where you spend time inside watching a movie or reading just call for snacks. Campfire S’mores, Apple treats like Caramel apples or Apple Cake are tempting! In case you haven’t seen a couple of our favorite fall snacks, I thought I’d share them today.

This microwave Caramel Corn is so good and so fast! If you like popcorn, you have to try this simple recipe!

Microwave Caramel corn

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white corn syrup
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp salt

Place 3-4 quarts popped popcorn in a brown grocery bag. Pour syrup over corn. Close bag and shake. Cook in bag on high for 1-1 1/2 minutes. Shake and cook another 1 – 1/2 minutes. You may need to cook another 1 – 1 1/2 minutes. Pour into a pan and cool. Be sure to shake part way through or popcorn will burn!Combine all of the above in 2 quart dish. Bring to a boil in microwave, then cook on full power for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in 1 tsp baking soda.

Another popcorn recipe that is delicious!

Almond Toffee Popcorn