feed my family

Well, it's been a few weeks of menu-making and I'm persevering!  Some days, like last night, I want to give in and get fast food.... so tempting!  But having things on hand that I can throw together quickly (even when I don't have the mental energy to make what's on the menu) has really helped!  For example, last night I had planned to make chicken stirfry, but I couldn't decide what kind of sauce to make so I threw together whole wheat spagettini and meat sauce.   (it sounds really pathetic that stirfry sauce was more than my brain could handle, but that's just the truth!)

Last week I made another dish from a church cookbook, and that's the recipe I'm going to share and link up to Feed My Family Fridays.  This one was from our own church's cookbook and was submitted by my dear friend (who is an awesome cook!).

I will say, I love this recipe in the book because it lists the ingredients and an 8 step, hour long process to making it, followed by a "variation" that says to throw everything in a roaster and cook for an hour!  Every time I make it, I ask myself 'is there anyone out there that would rather do the 8 steps and stand over the pot for an hour??'

I'll give you the easy method!

PAELLA (spanish rice)

1 19 oz can diced tomatoes

chicken legs or thighs (I usually use breast (3) and thighs (8))

1 Tbsp oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 small onion finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp paprika

3/4 tsp tumeric

dash of cayenne pepper

3 c. chicken stock

2 c. long grain rice

1 red pepper, cut in strips

1 c. frozen peas

(traditional Paella would also include shrimp or other seafood and possibly charizo, feel free to add, but I never have)

Throw all ingredients (except peas) in a small roasting pan and bake in the oven for about 1 hour @350 F, stirring occasionally.

(yes, that's raw chicken in there... the recipe says an hour, but in this corningware dish it usually takes about an hour and 15 or 20.  gotta make sure that chicken is cooked through!)

About 50 minutes into cooking I add the peas.

You can add them at the start, but they get that grey-green colour that is not super pretty.

I served this with 

(guess what?) 

herbed peasant bread,

but didn't take a finished product picture because we had company for dinner  and that may have been weird....

just trust me - it comes out looking and tasting great and the leftovers are even better!

let me know if you try it!

hands

It's 'taco tuesday' at the Hall home!  As I considered what we would need to make a fabulous fiesta, I suddenly realized I didn't have enough soft shells to satisfy my troops.  With a bit of time stretching before me I thought of walking to the grocery store, but only until I remembered I have a recipe for soft tortillas.  It's from my aunt and I've had it for years but never attempted it.

Today is the day!

Simple ingredients dumped into a bowl, followed by butter and water.  As I used my pastry blender to cut the butter in, I wondered if I was doing it right.  The recipe just said to "add" the butter.  I know some people use two knives, and some people use their hands to combine butter into flour....

I kneaded the dough and cut it into pieces.  As I attempted to roll out (not-so-perfect) circles, I looked down at my hands and thought,  Even if I botoxed my face to oblivion, my hands will always give away my age.  I laughed to myself remembering when one of my beloved children said to me, "no offense, mom, but your hands are disturbing."

nice.

I continued to roll as the radio played in the background.  I hummed along with a song I know well, but was struck when it came to chorus.

"I lift my hands to believe again..." (listen here)

Just like the Israelites, gathered to hear from the Word of God:

⁵ Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. ⁶ Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. (nehemiah 8:5-6)

As a sign of their belief and in response to the truth they hear, they lift their hands.

Hands.  Just like these "disturbing" hands of mine that often ache from years of piano practice and data entry jobs.  These hands that wipe noses, rub backs, brush hair and touch foreheads to check for fever.  These hands that fix lunches, hang pictures, fold laundry and scrub toilets.  These hands that create and conduct and make music.

My hands are one of the most active parts of my body and so it seems fitting that they would take action in my personal worship.  I lift my hands to believe, to respond, to agree - Amen! Amen!

¹ You, God, are my God, 

   earnestly I seek you; 

I thirst for you, 

   my whole being longs for you, 

in a dry and parched land 

   where there is no water...

⁴ I will praise you as long as I live, 

   and in your name I will lift up my hands. 

(ps 63:1,4)