Tea Talk -- Get Yourself Up!

Welcome to my home for Ruth's Tea Talk!
Click on Ruth's button above to participate with me.

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

A quick note--I can't believe I haven't blogged in over two weeks!  I spent several days out of town, and just haven't had any time to blog since I returned home.  I think I'm finally getting back into the routine of my life, though, and I'm very happy to start blogging again by sharing Tea Talk with you all today!


I'm having...a cup of Irish breakfast tea in my Polish pottery mug.  Since you've seen my tea cups before, I'm sharing someone else's cup with you today.

A tea cup from a Christmas tea party

I'm feeling...fine.  Some of the muscle pain in my neck has eased, and I am leaving the rest in the Lord's hands.

On my mind...is editing the final 15 of the 300+ images I took at the SECHDF Mother/Daughter Encouragement Weekend in Georgia.  Not only did I get to shoot the two-day event, I got to spend lots of time with my sister D.  :)  Now I have just a bit of hard work left, then it's organizing everything, getting portraits printed, then mailing them off.  I'm also praying for a few print orders from the event!

I leave you with...a passage of Scripture that brings hope.  I'm looking ahead to warmer weather (though this winter has been nothing to complain about!), to spring and to the celebration of Jesus' resurrection.  This passage also helps me look ahead with hope and excitement.

Get yourself up on a high mountain,

O Zion, bearer of good news,

Lift up your voice mightily,

O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;

Lift it up, do not fear.

Say to the cities of Judah,

"Here is your God!"

Isaiah 40:9 NASB

Looking forward to spring!!

Back to life,
Christine

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Crunch, Crunch!

To complement my potato leek soup, I made homemade croutons--one of those extra foods that are just so easy to purchase at the store without a thought that I could possibly make them almost as easily!  But they are truly very easy to make, and are a wonderful addition to soup, salad, or just munching.  My photos show croutons made with pumpernickel bread given to us by our sweet neighbor Judy, whom we call our food angel.

Since I didn't use a specific recipe, I'll simply tell you what I did.

I took a loaf of bread--pumpernickel in the photos below, as I said--and tore it into chunks.  The size is up to you.  Thickly sliced bread yields more nicely shaped croutons, but that's okay.  I dumped all the cubes into a large bowl.

I then mixed up some herbs.  I started with salt, no more than half a teaspoon for a whole loaf of bread (less if you're watching your salt), then another teaspoon of whatever herbs grab my fancy--garlic powder, oregano, basil, thyme, whatever.  I used an herb blend for these pumpernickel croutons.

I melted about two tablespoons of butter, then drizzled that over the bread cubes and gave them a nice toss or two.



Then I spread the cubes evenly into my stoneware jelly roll pan, and placed them in a hot oven, about 400 degrees F.



After about ten minutes, I checked the croutons, tasted for crunch, and decided they needed to toast a little more so they would dry out a little more and be nice and crunchy.  They get a little browned on the edges; this is just fine!  I baked them about 7-8 minutes more, and declared them done.  They sure were yummy on our potato leek soup!  They were also delicious on my veggie salad, with a chunked hard-boiled egg thrown in.





Back to life,
Christine

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Tea Talk -- So Great and So Far

Welcome to my home for Ruth's Tea Talk!
Click on Ruth's button above to participate with me.

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

I'm having...a cup of tea with honey and half-n-half.  It's my typical morning cup of tea.

Morning tea in my Pfaltzgraff Ocean Breeze teacup

I'm feeling...fine, mostly.  I slipped on the stair into our garage last weekend, and it exacerbated the pain I was already experiencing in my neck due to pulled muscles.  Nothing has worked so far, so I'm off in a few minutes to see a massage therapist.  If nothing else, I'll end up relaxed by lunchtime!  :)

On my mind...is my upcoming trip to Georgia!  Details are swirling 'round my brain, including figuring out how not to have to check a bag (it's $25 each way to check a suitcase; can you believe that??).  I have to get all my photography gear in order, clean my camera's sensor (a tricky procedure I've never done), put together pricing sheets, edit photos for display (digital picture frame) at the two-day conference at which I'll be shooting.  So many details!  I'll soon be in full swing pulling all of this together.  All I do is start making lists, and that eases any panic I feel.  Then I simply start "doing" and checking items off.

I leave you with...a passage from Psalms that brings such comfort to my heart.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

For He Himself knows our frame;

He is mindful that we are but dust.

Psalm 103:10-14 NASB

Sunset in the woods

Back to life,
Christine

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Potatoes and Leeks

I have taken a ton of food photos lately, so little by little, they'll be appearing on my blog in the form of recipe posts.  Won't that be fun?

I don't know where I got this recipe, but it's a good one and it's easy.  If you have potatoes and purchase some leeks, you don't need much else--just staple goods you should find in your kitchen.  Also keep in mind when looking at my photos that my quantities may seem different--I have been known to 1.5x, double, or even triple a recipe to feed all my men.  :)


Potato Leek Soup

3 leeks
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped shallots (I use regular onion)
2 tablespoons butter
1 quart chicken stock (or water with bouillon to taste)
4 potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light cream (I used half 'n half)
2 tablespoons butter

Prepare the leeks by slicing the root end off just a little above the roots.  Thoroughly rinse with cold water and shake out as much water as you can.  Place them on a cutting board and thinly slice the leeks, removing a layer or two as you slice into the tougher, darker green area.

Sauté the leeks with the celery and shallots in the two tablespoons of butter about 5-7 minutes.  While they're cooking, peel and quarter the potatoes.

Once the leeks are soft, add the broth/water+bouillon, and the salt, and simmer 20-25 minutes.

Once the potatoes are tender, remove them to a bowl.  It's okay if you get leeks in with the potatoes, and it's okay if you leave some leeks in the broth.  Then, mash the potatoes with a potato masher, and return them to the broth and stir until incorporated.

Then, stir in the milk, cream, and remaining butter, reheating if needed.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with some parsley or croutons.  We like putting cheddar cheese on top of our individual bowls of soup.  This soup has a nice, potato-y flavor, and the onion taste is super mild.  If you (your kids) can't stand even the sight of an onion in any shape, take an immersion blender and blend everything together once you've completed the recipe directions.  (They'll never know.)

We tried making pumpernickel croutons (click here for recipe!), which turned out yummy.  They complemented the soup well.


Back to life,
Christine

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Tea Talk -- Examine and Probe

Welcome to my home for Ruth's Tea Talk!
Click on Ruth's button above to participate with me.

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

I'm having...a cup of tea with honey and half-n-half, in Fernando's Stone Mountain Park mug.

I'm feeling...pretty good.  My neck has had some pulled muscles for a while, but things are getting better.

On my mind...continues to be Jacob's internship issues at school.  He is handling things very well by himself, and he lets me know everything that is going on.  No matter how this turns out--whether or not he actually receives an internship--we know the Lord will be honored.  Also on my mind is losing my mind!  This week Joseph and I drove to an "expo" featuring community service organizations.  We pulled up to the recreation center where the expo was being held, and I glanced at the article again--the day was wrong.  Then I glanced again.  The expo is in February.  How could I have missed that??  Joseph was very patient; he hardly ever gets mad.  Then we enjoyed a nice ride home.  :)

I leave you with...a short passage of Scripture as our country is getting into gears with upcoming primary elections, and then the presidential elections this coming autumn.  We need, so very much, to return to the Lord!

Why should any living mortal, or any man,

Offer complaint in view of his sins?

Let us examine and probe our ways,

And let us return to the LORD.

We lift up our heart and hands

Toward God in heaven...

Lamentations 3:39-41 NASB

 

• examine (2664)--search, ponder, ransack (there's an interesting connotation!)
• probe (2713)--ascertain, examine, investigate, make a search, ponder, taste

The Lord had Jeremiah use these two words, not just one.  To me, both of these words lend emphasis to the importance of making sure our hearts are indeed turned toward the Lord in everything and in all areas.  It doesn't mean a quick check to see if something is there.  It is a thorough search!  I loved reading that one of the translations was ransack.  This word gives the connotation of tearing the place apart to find every little thing, such as a burglar ransacking a house to steal every single item of value.  This is what I am exhorted to do with my ways!  And taste--I've "sampled" a leftover dish in the fridge, just to make sure it's still edible.  I mean, it looks good.  But how does it taste?  This refers to a second examination of something that may, at first glance, appear to be okay.  Again, I need to apply this to my ways--my time, my money, my thoughts, my actions, my words...

Lord, is there anything--anything at all--that is hindering my relationship with You?  Help me to search, probe, and ponder, and expose those areas one by one.  Purify my heart to keep it turned toward You!

Snow on our lawn

Back to life,
Christine

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Where's the Beef?

We waited and waited, and wondered and wondered.  We had purchase a side of beef from our farmers, and we were supposed to get it in early December...but it was January and we still didn't have it.  We finally received a phone call with our beef order, and the guys and I went to pick it up last weekend.

Eric and Samantha raise Murray Grey cattle for our yummy beef.

Because their cows were smaller on average this past year, Eric gave us the option of purchasing a second side.  So instead of a 1/4 side of beef, we ended up receiving a very large quarter side, but not quite a half.

The boys did all the work, and Fernando and I drove home happy.  Our freezer is now stocked again with yummy, 100% grass-fed beef.


Back to life,
Christine

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Tea Talk -- My Hiding Place and Shield

Welcome to my home for Ruth's Tea Talk!
Click on Ruth's button above to participate with me.

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

I'm having...a cup of Trader Joe's Irish breakfast tea.  I drink it every morning, and drink other teas throughout the day (in winter).  I'm posting a photo of the below teacup (from a recent Ladies' Christmas Tea) because it reminds me of spring.

Thinking of spring!

I'm feeling...cold!  That's why I'm dreaming of spring.  :)

On my mind...is my crazy schedule today and for the next several weeks.  Thomas joined a local math team!  I think it's great, but they're currently meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which are the two long days for Jacob and Danny down at Joliet Junior College.  Plus Fernando has physical therapy on some of those days, so my Tuesday/Thursday afternoon schedule looks like this:

• 12:30pm -- take Fernando back to work so I can have the car in the afternoon
• 1:00pm -- arrive home from taking F. to work
• 1:45pm -- take Thomas to math team meeting
• 2:15pm -- home from dropping Thomas off
• 3:15pm -- pick up Fernando from work and take him to therapy
• 4:00pm -- drop off Fernando at therapy and drive down to pick Thomas up
• 4:30pm -- arrive home for dinner preparations!?!

This is no fun.  But at least there are only a few math team days when Fernando has therapy, so all I have to do is take Fernando back to work at lunchtime in order to have the car.  I'd really like to have a steady routine for at least a little while.  I think the Lord has other plans for me.  :)

I leave you with...as usual, a Scripture verse.  Short and sweet.

You are my hiding place and my shield;

I wait for Your word.

Psalm 119:114 NASB

• hiding place -- a covering, secret place, shelter
• shield -- buckler; from 1598 (to cover, surround, defend, protect)
• wait -- await, have hope, wait expectantly

Told you I was thinking of spring...!

Back to life,
Christine

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