Pantry Revisited

Today faith is on my mind.  Are you firm in your faith, or struggling?  Faith plays a very important role in our religious beliefs.  It is the belief that things will turn out well and that we can enjoy our "now" because we know we have a future. The dictionary tells us that "faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing or belief that is not based on proof."  In the Bible we read, Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. God's word (the Bible) can give us knowledge to live a good life.  But along with that knowledge, we need faith to enjoy God's promise of eternal life. Atheists and agnostics refer to faith as superstition and put it in a category with other material concepts.  I believe we can have faith in God the same way we have faith that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake or George Washington cut down a cherry tree.  While we cannot see God, we have the Bible to guide us, which is ...

Hope.  What is it?  Hope is the feeling that what is desired can be obtained or that future events will turn out for the best.  We all need hope and yet it seems to be a vague concept for many people.  Hope deals with the things we cannot see and also with the things we have not received.  Without hope, how can we move forward?  When the world says give up, hope whispers within our hearts to keep trying. Hope is never passive in the Bible. It is life sustaining. We do not have to look hard to find verses in the Bible showing us positive results in the lives of those who believe and live accordingly.  It is not an escape from reality or problems.  Our hope, if based on God's promises, will strengthen us and lift us up! In the following verses, we find that hope has rewards and blessings.  It gives us courage, joy, protection, peace, strength, comfort, and confidence.  Psalms 33:22 May your unf...

This is day two of sharing my daily devotional with you, the readers.   I will have seven days of these and then return to my food posts.  Please leave comments if you agree or disagree.  We can learn together. Let's start by defining love.  Most of us think of love in romantic terms or having to do with family members.  Love is an "intense feeling of deep affection."  Love is "an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment." The Greek uses four words to describe love. 1.Eros, meaning sexual or romantic love. 2.Phileo, a brotherly love. 3.Agape, the deepest love. 4.Storgay, which is the love of one's relatives. When most people today speak of love, they generally are referring to the love of a mate, parent or child. Most Christians believe God is the source and essence of love.  In 1 John 4:8 we read "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." Jesus called these two the greatest commandments:...

My blog has been used for the primary purpose of sharing recipes with my friends.  This week, however, I would like to share my thoughts and have a daily devotional with all of you who read on a regular basis.  I am not a professional in these matters.  My only intent is just to blog about matters of the heart and share my own personal feelings. Yesterday I spent five hours in the emergency room.  I'm okay and hopefully my doctor will get my medicines straightened out soon.  If you have ever been to an emergency room, I know you will agree with me that being there gives you plenty of time to think while you are waiting. . and waiting. . and waiting. One subject that came to my mind yesterday was "forgiveness."  Have you ever needed forgiveness and it did not come, or knew you needed to forgive someone but you did not want to?   If you are human and you are reading this post, at some point in your life you have been hurt.  S...

One of my favorite blogger friends, Margaret of Tea and Scones is hostess this week and she chose Ellie Krieger's Tuscan Chicken.  I'm hardly ever disappointed in Ellie's recipes, plus I always know I am eating healthy when I prepare one. This is basically a chicken dish loaded with good vegetables - zucchini, tomatoes, fennel.  I love fennel - so licoricy.  Is that a word?  You can google the recipe or you can find it at Margaret's webpage. Going into the oven: And the finished product was a delicious, healthy dinner! We loved this!  Thanks Margaret for a great pick this week.

Hostess this week is Mary of  Popsicles and Sandy Feet .  You can find the recipe for this fabulous loaf cake - prepared the "correct" way at her webpage.  Sandy is in a couple other groups with me and she always has delicious goodies to share on her webpage.  Check it out. Would you believe Publix did not have any dried dates?  I used to remember always buying Dromedary dates that came in a box.  I wanted to make this so I ended up getting dried apricots.  Dorie's recipes are usually very adaptable so I figured it would work. The recipe says your mix will look curdled at first and not to worry.  I'm glad it said that because mine looked really curdled in the bowl until I added the flour. I have to say that the smell coming from my oven was heavenly.  It was a mix of almond flavoring and apricots.  You have to love those smells!  It seemed like it took a long time to cook, but bread loaves usually do.  I couldn't wai...

We are starting a new group and we need you to particpate!!  Yes you.  All of you!!  If you love Ina Garten's (the Barefoot Contessa) recipes and are willing to cook along with us twice a month, please join in!  All you have to do is cook the recipe and then link up below.  As a courtesy, we do ask that you mention in your post where you linked up.  It is as easy as that! Once per month we cook together what that month's host has chosen and two weeks later we choose what we want to cook from a "theme."  April of 21st Century Housewife chose Comforting and Delicious Chicken Recipes for the theme this week.   Check out April's blog to see what wonderful chicken dish she cooked this week. I chose the Chicken Piccata.  Made for a delicious dinner for the two of us.  You can fine the recipe here .  It is a fairly easy recipe and oh so delicious.  I'm a huge fan of Ina's.  My breasts were huge.  Se...

A great blogger friend, Kayte, of Grandma's Kitchen Table , chose this week's recipe for our Ellie Krieger group.  She chose Cinnamon Raisen Toast with Honey Walnut Spread.  You can find the recipe on Kayte's blog or in Ellie Krieger's cookbook, So Easy .  Or I am sure you can find online. This was an easy recipe and with summer here, we all need easy.  I love cinnamon bread so I was anxious to try it with the spread on it.  You just heat up the walnuts to get the flavor going, mix in with yogurt and honey.  I used a fresh pear to top mine.  The spread will keep in your refrigerator for a few days.  Delicious.  Thanks Kayte for an excellent pick this week!

My sweet blogger friend, Joanne, of Applecrumbles.com was the hostess for this week's CEiMB group.  I really wanted to make these muffins with her. The DH and I have gotten hooked on Mexican Train dominoes.  We play whenever we get the chance.  We do not like regular dominoes, just the train ones.  Tonight, we decided I would put the muffins on and he would grill some pork chops and while they were both cooking, we could get in a game or two of dominoes.  You know where this is going, right?  While we were playing, it did not dawn on me until too late that he had closed the door to the patio and I could not hear my beeper go off in the kitchen.  When I did realize, I rushed to the kitchen only to find twelve burned bottom muffins!!  I tried to salvage what I could and we ending up eating the tops of them and they were good. Please go to Joanne's webpage and see what glorious muffins she made.  I would do a remake tomorrow night...

This week in our Barefoot Contessa group, Louanne of Louanne's Kitchen chose Tabbouleh for us to make.  You can get the recipe from Louanne.  We are a new group trying to work our way through some of the Barefoot Contessa's recipes.  On the first Thursday of the month we cook the same recipe together.  On the second Thursday of the month, we cook any recipe of our own choosing from Ina's collection, as long as it fits with the theme chosen for that day.  Be sure to link up at the bottom if you have made Ina's tabbouleh.  I'm traveling this week so my post will be short.  The tabbouleh is easy to make, just a lot of chopping.  It is minty and refreshing! Be sure to come back in two weeks when our theme will be "Comforting and Delicious Chicken."  If you want to join in, make any Ina chicken dish and come link up with us!

This week's host is my sweet friend Marthe.  Her blog is bakingbluefinger.wordpress.com Marthe has chosen Ellie Krieger's Spicy Egg and Avocado Wraps.  I made them tonight but we are planning to eat them in the morning so I cannot give a review on how delicious they are.  But I trust Ellie.  I have never made a recipe from her collection that I did not think was healthy and tasty.  I am hoping my avocado does not turn brown in the refrigerator overnight!  I left the yolks in my eggs even though the recipe only called for a few yolks. I have a lot of trouble photographing "wraps."  If anyone has a secret to help me, please free free to advise!! Check out the other cooks at Cravingellieinmybelly.blogspot.com  We are a small group that enjoys cooking together on Thursdays and posting healthy, delicious Ellie Krieger recipes.  Come join us!!