An Old Discipline and Shepherd's Pie

The season of Let is upon us. Throughout High School I observed Lent fairly regularly. Once I went off to college however this practice fell by the wayside. Wanting to revisit this spiritual discipline in a God honoring way, I reread the chapter on fasting in Donald Whitney's Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. In his book, Whitney convincingly writes about practical ways to cultivate the habits that make up the life of a healthy Christian. The study of scripture, prayer, worship, evangelism, serving, stewardship, solitude, journaling, learning and fasting are expounded on while Whitney provides practicable steps for the reader to follow through on the disciplines he outlines. In this way, this book is not just another list of good ideas. (All italicized quotes that follow are from Whitney's book)

Let us put aside all legalistic expectations of this discipline and remember that we should habitually practice this discipline because we love the Lord...that's it. 

"Fasting can be an expression of finding your greatest pleasure and enjoyment in life from God. That's the case when disciplining yourself to fast means that you love God more than food, that seeking Him is more important to you than eating. This honors God and is a means of worshiping Him as God. It means that your stomach isn't your god as it is with some. Instead it is God's servant, and fasting proves it because you're willing to sublimate its desires to those of the Spirit."

Whats more, this discipline is coupled with other such disciplines, especially prayer, in the lives numerous examples in the Bible. Throughout scripture we see fasting in the lives of those who earnestly sought the Lord. Ezra and Esther fasted along with their companions to seek the protection of the Lord (Ezra 8, Esther 4:3). Nehemiah and Joel wrote about fasting as a companion to repentance (Joel 2:12, Nehemiah 9). In Acts we see the early church fasting alongside prayer and worshiping the Lord (Acts 13). Isaiah wrote the most about wrong types of fasting as well as what the opposite looks like (Isaiah 58). Christ does the same in Matthew 6. Long story short, we are not without many examples and guidelines concerning fasting. Why then do many in the church shy away from this discipline that is so highlighted in our sacred text?

Fasting is so much the opposite of everything we normally do that it is sometimes placed on a pedestal as one of the things that only the extremely devoted or fanatic Christians do. Just as the distinction made between those who serve in full-time ministry (pastors, missionaries, etc) and "everyday" Christians is wrong, this dichotomy is wrong as well. We do battle with the flesh in so many ways, it seems natural and obvious that we should strive to literally take control of our flesh through dedicating that very basic of instincts as eating to the Lord. (There are other things we can fast from but food is the most common) 

"Christians in a gluttonous, denial-less, self-indulgent society may struggle to accept and to begin the practice of fasting. Few disciplines go so radically against the flesh and the mainstream of culture as this one."

Why do we fast? Well why do we practice any spiritual discipline? Paul answers this in his first letter to his dear friend Timothy "Rather discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Tim 4:7b-8) Godliness, sanctification, becoming more like Christ...all these mean the same thing and all should be our basis for everything we do.

"Without a purpose, fasting can be a miserable, self-centered experience...Rightly practiced, however, it does make us more receptive to the One who loves to guide us."


Original recipe credit to Po'Man Meals blog http://www.pomanmeals.com/loaded-shepherds-pie/

What you'll need for
Mashed Potatoes:
5 Large Russet Potatoes, skinned and sliced
1 cup Milk
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 Cheddar Cheese

Meat filling:
8 slices of Bacon
1 1/2 lbs ground meat of your choice (I used ground Turkey)
1/2 Onion, chopped
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 cup Corn
1 cup Beef stock
3 Tbs Flour

Preheat your oven to 400 F. You'll need a 9x9 baking dish. The original recipe called for a 9x13 dish but I did not have enough meat to cover the bottom of this dish.

Start by boiling your potatoes. Place your sliced potatoes into a pot with just enough salted water to cover them and boil them on high for 15-20 minutes. Poke them with a fork to check them when you think they're ready. The fork prongs should easily slide through the potato slice.

Drain your potatoes and place them in a bowl or container large enough to mash them in along with the milk and butter (you can add the cheese now if you want or sprinkle it on top at the end). Using an electric mixer or a hand masher for those who need to work their arms, mash your potato mixture until you have the consistency you want. When it is as lumpy or as smooth as you like, set it aside.

Next, fry up your bacon slices in a high sided pan on Medium-High heat. You may want to chop up your bacon before you fry; otherwise you will have to crumble it by hand later. Do not throw out your bacon grease when the slices are done.

In your pan with the bacon grease, add your ground meat and brown. 

Once you have cooked all the salmonella out of your meat, add the garlic, onion and corn. Saute everything for a few minutes. Then add the stock and the flour to the pan. Drop your temperature to Medium or Medium-Low for a few minutes. You will see the sauce start to thicken and your mixture come together.

Pour your meat into the bottom of your baking dish. Artfully cover your meat with the mashed potatoes just as you might frost a cake. Top your potatoes with cheese and bacon. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until the top of the potatoes begins to brown.

Done! This dish is a throwback to my lovely days in Scotland but it's not just nostalgia that earns this recipe 5 stars. I deviated from the original recipe because of lack of supplies but I think the Loaded Shepherd's Pie would merit top marks in my book as well. Next time

(Just because the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond are so pretty)

The Obedient Life and Lo Mein

So often Christianity gets criticized for being merely a list of moral instructions which lacks a beating heart. The reason for this stereotype is because Christians live this way and attempt to convince others, both Christian and non, to follow their example. Our church today is full of whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). We get so caught up in our lists of do's and don'ts in life that we forget the first commandment that we are given. God through Jeremiah reminded his people Israel that they had forsaken the greatest commandment and because of this they allowed themselves to be led into all sorts of idolatry. 

"For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’" (Jeremiah 7:22-23) 

Initially God did not give Israel the Law but merely called them to obedience. Reviewing the law of the Old Testament leaves most of us with a sense of having just crammed for a test in a subject that we perceive to be irrelevant. This is not true and the OT, in its entirety, has just as much relevance to our lives as 21st Century Christians as the New Testament does. The point I am trying to make right now is, yes, there are extensive laws in the OT for the faithful Israelites to follow but they all stem from the same source: those who love the Lord should live in a way that is sets them apart. Christ summed it up in this way: obedience to the Lord. When this commandment is lived out faithfully it bears a striking resemblance to love.

"But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.  And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?' And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.'”

Matthew 22:34-40


Original Recipe credit to The Wholesome Dish blog http://thewholesomedish.com/one-pot-wonder-chicken-lo-mein/?crlt.pid=camp.GrI5VDSj4IFu 

What you'll need
1/2 lb uncooked Chicken Breasts (I used tenderloins but chicken is chicken)
1 box Whole Wheat Pasta, broken in half (I used Linguine but any type of long pasta will work, ex Spaghetti, Angel Hair, Fettuccine etc)
1 bag frozen Pepper and Onion 
1/4 cup Soy Sauce (preferably low sodium)
4 cups Chicken or Vegetable broth
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Corn Starch
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cut up your chicken and break all your pasta noodles in half. Place your chicken in the pot first than add all the other ingredients along with it.

Bring your covered pot to a boil on high then drop it down to medium-high. Stir it occasionally and keep it boiling for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone.

That's it. I know I was surprised too. 

I love Chinese food and easy recipes. This Lo Mein is probably healthier than any take and only dirties one dish. 5 stars

Complete Dinner

Hello my hungry friends. Sorry these recipes are so late. I've been trying to come up with something pithy to write at the beginning of this post as I have done in the past for main dishes but inspiration continues to allude me. 

In the mean time here are my recipes for Sweet Potato Cakes and Onion Crusted Chicken.

Original recipe credit for the Sweet Potato Cakes goes to Best Food Book blog http://www.bestfoodbook.com/2014/07/sweet-potato-corn-cakes-with-garlic.html I did not make the dipping sauce but it sounds good.

What you'll need:

3-4 Sweet potatoes (mine are in plastic because they came ready for the microwave)

1/2 can whole kernel Corn

2 Green Onions, chopped

1/4 a bunch of Cilantro, chopped

1 cup Bread Crumbs

1/3 cup Yellow Corn Meal

1 Egg

Start off by cooking your sweet potatoes thoroughly. I cooked mine individually in the microwave. I find if I cook more than one in the microwave at a time they do not cook the whole way through. Stab them or slice them up the middle about an inch then microwave them for 5 minutes each. If you prefer to cook them in the oven, stab them a couple times with a fork and bake them for an hour at 350. You see why I prefer to use the microwave.

Once your potatoes are cooked, let them cool and then scoop out the insides. Mix the potatos with the corn, onion and cilantro. Next break your egg into a separate bowl to check it. This is a good habit to have because if your egg isn't good it will ruin all your other ingredients. Mix the bread crumbs, corn meal and egg into your veggies. Let everything sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. Your bowl might look a little dry at first but after it sits the bread crumbs & corn meal will absorb the moisture from the rest of the ingredients. If you're making the chicken as well or another dish you may want to start it while you wait.

After the 30 minutes is up, it's time to get your hands dirty. Grab a handful of your potato mixture and form it into patties about the size of your palm. Put enough oil in your pan to cover the bottom of it. Cook your patties in the oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes on each side or until they brown. You may need to add more oil as you go.

Done! Your patties will resemble salmon patties and you can top them with the same types of dipping sauces you would use for their salmon cousins.

Original recipe credit for Onion Crusted Chicken to French's http://www.frenchs.com/recipe/frenchs-crunchy-onion-chicken-re1309-1

What you'll need:
2 cups French's French Fried Onions
2 Tbs All Purpose Flour
1 Egg
4 thin Chicken breasts (I had 2 and cut them both in 1/2 horizontally)

Crush the onions in a plastic bag then mix with the flour. How finely you want to crush your onions is up to you; I left mine a little chunkier. In a bowl that is big enough to fit your chicken pieces beat your egg. Dump your onion-flour mixture onto a plate. Line up all your materials so you are not dripping egg or breading while you are transferring your chicken from place to place. Dredge your chicken pieces in the egg then coat them in the onion mixture. I baked my chicken pieces on top of a wire rack to make them crispier. If you have one of these make sure you put a cookie sheet underneath the chicken to catch the crumbs.

Bake on a greased baking sheet or wire rack for 20 minutes at 400 F flipping your pieces half way through.

These two dishes go great together and satisfied the critics. I give both recipes 5 stars. 

Enjoy what's left of your weekend. Hopefully this week's post will be a bit more timely.

A White Girl's Take on a Mediterranean Classic

One of the most understated and delicious desserts in the known world is Baklava. Don't let my travels fool you, I never once made it while I was in the Middle East though I did enjoy it of a few occasions. Minus the Turkish coffee and argeela smoke, Baklava, in all its glory, is easy to enjoy state side as well. The recipe I originally followed online no longer exists so I am going to take full credit for the creation of this particular recipe. I encourage you to read through the whole recipe before pursuing this undertaking. 

A few notes before we dive. The most intimidating aspect of any Baklava recipe, other than the filo dough, is the fast array of spices that it requires. Being partly resourceful and partly cheap, I cut corners here and substituted the quintessential white girl spice: Pumpkin Pie spice is a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and autumn spices that your dessert will need. Another difference I take ownership of is the type of nuts I included. The most common nut used in Baklava is Pistachio but I substituted in Almonds and Walnuts. I also left out white sugar from the filling because I think it's sweet enough without it. Another note: you cannot have too much butter melted and ready to cover your filo sheets. I always end up melting extra butter near the end because I run out. Lastly, prep your filling beforehand. Once you start cooking you have to move quickly to make sure your dough does not dry out. If you notice your dough drying out, wet a paper towel to place on top of it. By "wet" I mean the towel should still feel relatively dry. If your towel is too wet the dough will stick to it.

What you'll need 

9x13 baking dish

For syrup:

1 cup Honey

1 cup Water

1/2 cup Brown sugar

Zest of 1 Lemon

For Filling:

1 cup Almonds, chopped

1 cup Walnuts, chopped

3 Tbs Pumpkin Pie Spice

For Crust:

1 1/2 - 2 cups Butter, melted

1 roll Filo dough, thawed (1 box holds 2 rolls)

(missing from photo: butter)

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Chop up your nuts and mix in the spice so it's ready to go for later.

In a sauce pan, mix all your ingredients for the syrup over Medium heat. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes then turn the heat down to medium-low for about another 5 minutes. You really want the a proper consistency to your syrup.

Set your syrup aside to cool. Melt the butter completely, use some of it to grease the bottom of your pan. 

Unroll your filo dough delicately.

Carefully pull the top sheet of your dough off of the stack. This will take a steady hand but remember to move quickly. Lay the single sheet in the bottom of the pan and brush it with butter so it is saturated. Lay another sheet on top of it and do the same. There will be four sheets per layer. 

In between the layers you'll sprinkle a 1/3 of your nut/spice mixture. Pattern: 4 sheets filo, 1/3 filling, 4 sheets filo, 1/3 filling and so on

Once you have used all your filling use the remainder of your filo dough to make the top crust. 

Cut the raw dough into the size pieces you want to serve. This is very important because your syrup will need to go in between the pieces once your dish has finished baking

Bake at 350 F for approximately 40 minutes. After you pull the pan out of the oven immediately pour your syrup evenly over the dish. It may sizzle or spit a bit, don't be afraid.

Allow your dessert to sit covered overnight. There's no need to refrigerate. If you need it the same day let it sit for at least 5 hours.

It feels unfair to rate my own recipe so I'll let you try it out and let me know what you think or what you would change. Baklava is easier than it looks and is sure to impress. The only thing I ask is that you use your new found powers wisely.

See you later in the week for our next dinner date