Texas Pinto Beans & Rice

  Beans and rice are more than just another way to get  complete protein without eating meat.  They are downright delicious!  I've been making this dish for several years.  It's an adaptation  from a small cookbook I picked up at a Texas airport.  You can also switch out red or black beans for the pintos!

 The smell of these beans simmering on the stove makes me think I'm back in my grandmother's kitchen.  She grew up in Missouri, and she frequently cooked up a pot of beans, but not spicy ones like these!  She liked to make lima bean soup with cornbread.

Texas Pinto Beans & Rice

1.  Prepare beans:
(1)  Put  3 cups of pinto beans in a bowl with water and soak overnight.
(2)  In the morning drain the water.
(3)  Put the beans in a pot with enough water to go 2" above the beans.

2.  Prepare vegetables:
(1)  Chop up 1 large onion.
(2)  Mince 2 cloves of garlic

3.  Combine ingredients:
(1)  Add vegetables to the pot of beans.
(2)  Add seasonings:  1 -2 T of chili powder (to taste), 1 t of cumin (or more if you like), and 1/2 t of black pepper.
(3)  Bring the beans to a boil and then let simmer until tender about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
(4)  Taste and make any flavor adjustments.

4.  Cook rice separately.

5.  Prepare condiments:
(1)  Grate 1-2 cups of cheese
(2)  Slice 3-4 green onions
(3)  Chop up some cilantro
(4)  Put sour cream in a dish
(5)  Put salsa in a bowl; put tortilla chips into another serving bowl.

5.  Serving:  Ladle beans into a shallow soup bowl; put a scoop of rice on top.  Then top with condiments of your choice.



Other Mexican recipes on this blog:

Mexican Casseroles
Texas Style Gluten Free Stacked Enchiladas  (From my Come & Dine cookbook)
Acapulco Delight - A great Mexican Enchilada (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Michelle's Favorite Vegetarian Enchiladas   (From my daughter)
Kathy's Baked Chili & Chips Casserole  (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
Gluten Free Mexican Quinoa Casserole  (From an Internet search)
Fiesta Gluten Free Tamale Pie   (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
Authentic Chicken Enchiladas Verde  (From a church friend)
Rebecca's Favorite Chicken & Chile Enchiladas  (From a church friend)
Delores's Chicken & Tortilla Casserole (Made Gluten Free)  (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)

Tacos, Chimichangas  & Etc.
Rachel Ray's Recipe for the Best Fish Tacos   (From Food Network)
Fantastic Baked Chimichangas  (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Authentic Chicken Flautas  (My hispanic friend Abbie taught me how to make these!)

Delicious Chicken Fajitas  (A mix of many recipes)
Fabulous Vegetarian Gluten Free Fajitas   (From an Internet search)
Easy Gluten Free Baked Taquitos  (From a newspaper clip)

Beans & Rice
The Best Homemade Refried Beans  (From an Internet search)
Texas Pinto Beans & Rice  (From my Texas airport cookbook)

Mexican Chicken & Beef
Anna's Pollo Guisado (Mexican Braised Chicken)  (From a church friend in Phoenix)
Fantastic Gluten Free Carne Asada!  (From an Internet search--a combination of sites)
Belizean Chicken, Black Beans & Rice, and Belizean Coleslaw  (From my daughter's family)

Soups
Mexican Chicken Soup- A Great Remedy for Colds & Flu  (I got this over 25 years ago from a Mexican cookbook)
Bethany's Crowd Pleasing Tortilla Soup  (From a friend in Califiornia)
Southwest Turkey Soup   (From my Syre School Cookbook)

Salads
Baja Salad with Black Beans & Quinoa  (My own version of something I ate in Seattle)
Mexican Salmon & Mango Salad  (Modification of a Betty Crocker recipe)

What is the Surpassing Greatness of the Power in Ephesians 1:19?

    I learned this week from my father what escape velocity is. It's the speed it takes for a rocket to escape the earth's gravity and not fall back. After I read  about the surpassing greatness of Christ's power mentioned in chapter 16 of the Life-Study of Ephesians,  I wanted  to check out a few things about rockets.  One site said a rocket has to go 25,000 miles per hour to break out of the earth's gravity. I don't know about you, but I can't fathom that kind of power. 

  Ephesians 1:19 says And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.  Thinking about rocket speeds gives me a little bit more appreciation for what the exceeding greatness of His power means spiritually!  

    And in Ephesians 1:19 Paul focuses on the fact that this power is to us who believe. In the chapter he related this verse  to how the first astronauts had to believe that they had enough power to get them to the moon. I really like these particular excerpts because they tie the surpassing greatness of God's power to our faith:

"The transmission of the fourfold power is to those who believe. What we say is what we believe. If you saw that this power toward us is the power that raised Christ from among the dead, would you still say that you are weak?...Whatever God speaks comes to pass... To have faith is to speak what God speaks" (Lee, Witness, Life-Study of Ephesians, Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1978, Print ).

This week I wanted to listen to Program #16 on LSM radio's program on the Life Study of Ephesians and I liked hearing again that we need to say in faith, "This power is to me!!

Other blog posts on the Life Study of Ephesians:

What is the Subject of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians?
What is the Mystery of God's Will Revealed in Ephesians 1:9?
How Does God Head Up All Things in Christ in Ephesians 1:10?
How Does the Spirit Seal us in Ephesians 1:13-14?
What is the Surpassing Greatness of His Power in Ephesians 1:19?
From the Life Study of Ephesians: How Electricity Illustrates God's Purpose to Reach Man
What is the One New Man in Ephesians 2:15?
What is the Stewardship of the Grace of God in Ephesians 3:2?
Do You Know What the Multifarious Wisdom of God is in Ephesians 3:10?
What's God's Calling for in Ephesians 4:1?
What Does It Mean to Learn Christ in Ephesians 4:20?
Seeing the Church as the Bride of Christ in Ephesians 5:32
Seeing the Church as the Warrior in Ephesians 6
How Do We Apply the Armor of God in Ephesians 6?
What are the Seven Aspects of the Church Seen in Ephesians?
Why Did God Abolish the Ordinances in Ephesians 2:15?
Why is the Spirit Mentioned in Every Chapter of Ephesians?

Scrumptious Gluten Free Blueberry Scones

Besides being a great source of antioxidants, blueberries are just plain yummy.  Last month I went  blueberry picking with some friends and because two of my grandkids had spent the night, they also went along. 

    A few days later I made blueberry jam. It was my first time, and wow was it good!  After making that,  I decided to make some blueberry scones from my Heritage School Cookbook recipe.  

      They tasted scrumptious with blueberry jam--this is a word I told some of our international students that I use to describe something that tastes absolutely delicious.  

Scrumptious Gluten Free Blueberry Scones

1.  Prepare dry ingredients -  In a large bowl whisk together:

(1) 2 cups of gluten free flour: 1/2 cup  each of sorghum flour, tapioca flour, brown rice flour,  and  cup white rice flour.

(2)  Then stir in 1  tsp. cream of tartar, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. salt,  and 2 tsp. sugar.

                       

2.   Cut 1/2 cup of butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. 

3.  Combining ingredients:  Pour 3/4 cup of milk over the flour and mix with a fork.  Fold in 1 cup of blueberries.

4.  Preparing the dough:
(1)  Put on a lightly floured counter and knead 6-10 times.
(2)  Divide into 2 balls.  Pat the dough into an 8" circle about 3/4 inch high.
(3)  Cut into fourths and put on a lightly greased baking sheet.
(4)  Put 2 T of milk in a cup and brush the tops.

5.  Bake the scones at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Other breakfast recipes on this blog:

Pancakes
Fantastic Gluten Free Blueberry Pancakes  (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Gluten Free Banana Split Pancakes  (Another recipe from my daughter-in-law's family!)
Outstanding Gluten Free Oatmeal Pancakes  (From my Heritage School Cookbook, where I worked 3 1/2 years)
Family Favorite Gluten Free Buttermilk Pancakes (From my daughter's home ec teacher)
Yummy Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes (From About Gluten Free Cooking)
Crunchy & Delicious Potato Latkes  (From a flier in my sweet potato bag)
Tasty Gluten Free Swedish Pancakes    (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Protein Packed Gluten Free Ricotta Cheese Pancakes  (From my daughter-in-law's family)


Waffles, Crepes,  Fritters & Dutch Babies 
Rachel Ray's Pumpkin Spice Waffles Made Gluten Free & Dairy Free   (This is one I adapted from Rachel Ray)
Easy to Make Gluten Free Waffles  (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Incredible Gluten Free Crepes  (Mix of 2 recipes)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Banana Fritters   (My grandmother's recipe!)
Amazing Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby  (From home ec recipe plus Internet search)

Egg Dishes
Sweet Potato Hash With Poached Eggs  (From my daughter's Internet search)
Hash Brown Egg Casserole  (From my friend Lisa)
Mexican Migas Breakfast Casserole  (Modified from a recipe from an airport cookbook)
Baked Zucchini Frittata  (I picked this up from a Whidbey Island farmer's market)
Jan's Sausage & Vegetable Frittata  (From a friend who was a home ec teacher)
Huevos Rancheros - A Fantastic South of the Border Breakfast  (I learned this years ago!)
Beautiful Eggs Florentine (Adapted from an Internet search)
Gluten Free Crustless Zucchini & Spinach Quiche  (From my Syre School Cookbook) 

Cereals
 Honey Almond Granola   (From the Heritage School Cookbook)
 Gluten Free Baked Oatmeal   (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)

Breakfast Muffins
Banana Nutty Muffins   (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Bursting with Blueberries Gluten Free Muffins  (From the Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Tremendous Pumpkin Muffins  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Scrumptious Gluten Free Blueberry Scones  (From Heritage School Cookbook)
Thanksgiving Gluten Free Pumpkin Scones  (From an Internet search)
Sassy Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Claudia's Blueberry Coffee Cake (Made Gluten Free!) (From a neighbor)

How Does the Spirit Seal Us in Ephesians 1:13-14?

    Ephesians is an amazing book! I never get tired of reading it; there's always something new to see. Last week while I've been in Arizona visiting my father, I read a message on the sealing of the Spirit. The record temp so far has been 114, and during the hottest part of the day we like to read a bit from  the Life-Study of Genesis.   So I have had to fit my Ephesians Life-Study reading on the side. So I'm a bit behind but still plugging along.

     Anyway I read something on the Spirit's sealing in Ephesians 1:13 that I've read before, but it stood out to me in a different way.   Ephesians 1:13 says In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise. This seal is not a once for all kind of seal but one that is continually sealing us.  Here's a great excerpt that explains this sealing: 

"The Holy Spirit is moving within us, and His moving is His sealing, His sanctifying, and transforming...This implies that the sealing of the Holy Spirit is still taking place, that it is daily saturating our mind, emotion, and will" (Lee, Witness, Life-Study of Ephesians, Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1978, Print).

 It's a great thing that the Holy Spirit is in us, but not only that--He's not stagnant! This chapter made it so clear--He's daily sealing us, spreading  into all the parts of our heart This must be how the Lord makes His home in us in Ephesians 3:16!!

Other blog posts on the Life Study of Ephesians:

What is the Subject of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians?
What is the Mystery of God's Will Revealed in Ephesians 1:9?
How Does God Head Up All Things in Christ in Ephesians 1:10?
How Does the Spirit Seal us in Ephesians 1:13-14?
What is the Surpassing Greatness of His Power in Ephesians 1:19?
From the Life Study of Ephesians: How Electricity Illustrates God's Purpose to Reach Man
What is the One New Man in Ephesians 2:15?
What is the Stewardship of the Grace of God in Ephesians 3:2?
Do You Know What the Multifarious Wisdom of God is in Ephesians 3:10?
What's God's Calling for in Ephesians 4:1?
What Does It Mean to Learn Christ in Ephesians 4:20?
Seeing the Church as the Bride of Christ in Ephesians 5:32
Seeing the Church as the Warrior in Ephesians 6
How Do We Apply the Armor of God in Ephesians 6?
What are the Seven Aspects of the Church Seen in Ephesians?
Why Did God Abolish the Ordinances in Ephesians 2:15?
Why is the Spirit Mentioned in Every Chapter of Ephesians?

How to Make & Can Your Own Blueberry Jam!

  I just figured out today that I've been canning fruit and making jam for about 30 years.  And to think I never made blueberry jam!  It just never appealed to me. I'd rather freeze them for blueberry muffins and pancakes.


   After making this jam, I took a bite of it, and I was like wow this is some of the best jam I've ever made! The day after I made the jam, I made some blueberry scones, and they tasted great together.

How to Make & Can Your Own Blueberry Jam!

1. Prepare fruit: 

(1)   Gently mash a layer of prepared fresh/frozen blueberries in a flat pan or container. The instructions for Ball No Sugar Needed Pectin says it will take 6-7 cups of blueberries to get the cups of mashed berries you'll need. 

(2)   After mashing, measure into a saucepan 5 cups of mashed berries. This will make five  8 oz. jars of jam with a bit of extra for a little to put on some toast for breakfast the next day.

2. Get the canner ready: Fill your water bath canner with enough water to cover the jars and bring it to a boil because this takes about 30-40 minutes.

3. Prepare jars: 

(1)   Wash the canning jars you will need in hot sudsy water. 

(2)  After they’ve been rinsed, fill them with hot water until they’re needed. This will keep the jars from breaking when they’re filled with the hot jam.

4. Into the saucepan add: 

(1) The 5 cups of mashed berries.

(2) Stir into the berries 2 T of lemon juice and 1 cup of apple/white grape frozen juice  concentrate or 1 cup of water. Last week when I made this jam, I used  straight frozen apple juice concentrate to cut down on the amount of sugar I needed to add.

(3) Gradually stir in 1 package of Ball No Sugar Needed Fruit Pectin that's been stirred with 1/4 cup of sugar. Whisk to remove lumps. 

(4) Add 1 t of butter to reduce foaming. 

(5)   Bring this mixture to a full rolling boil (one that cannot be stirred down) over medium high heat. Stir the jam constantly so it doesn't scorch! Skim off any foam while cooking.

(6) If you want to add sugar:  You don’t have to add any sugar to this kind of pectin to get it to set, but the instructions say the lack of sugar will affect the appearance and the taste will be a bit tart.  Taste the jam to see how much sugar you want to add—this can be from nothing up to 3 cups.  If you add sugar, bring it back to a boil for 1 minute and then remove from stove.

  5. Meanwhile Prepare lids: 

(1)   Put about 1-2 cups of water in a small saucepan and let it get hot or set lids in a bowl with hot water poured over them.

(2)   Put the lids into the pan when the jam starts to boil, but make sure the water in the pan the lid goes in doesn’t start to boil. One site said this could make the seal not work as effectively.

 

6. Ladle the jam into the jars: 

(1)   Empty the jars as you need them of their hot water, and then ladle in the jam leaving about ¼” space. 

(2)  Wipe the rim and threads clean with a damp cloth. If you leave some jam on the lid, it might prevent a good seal from forming.

 

7. Put on the lid and screw on the band:  Put the lid on the jar and hold it steady with your fingertip while you screw on the band until it’s what they call fingertip tight (which means don’t overdo it!). I am using the picture from when I made applesauce to show this technique that my friend Marie taught me around 1984.

8. Finish the rest of the jars: Go through steps 6 & 7 until all the jam is gone.

9. Process in the canner - Put in when the water is boiling: 

(1)  Put the jars in one by one with the jar lifter. 

(2)  Make sure they don’t touch each other on the rack. 

(3)   Add more hot water if it doesn’t cover the top of the jars. 

(4)   Put the lid on the canner and process jam for 10 minutes—you count the time when it comes to a full rolling boil. Follow altitude directions on your pectin package.  

(5)  Let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing.
(6)  Take jars out with your lifter and put on a flat surface where they can sit undisturbed for 24 hours.

10 Test seals: 

(1)   A good seal:  The next day you can check the seals by pressing the center of each lid. If the lid doesn’t flex up and down, it’s sealed.

(2)  A bad seal: If a jar didn’t seal, you can put the jam in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or you can reprocess it with a new lid for 10 minutes.

11. Clean jars & remove bands: Wipe down the jars and remove the bands. Store the jam in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. 

Other jam posts you can check out on this blog:

Making Low Sugar Blackberry Jam

How to Make Low Sugar Raspberry Jam
Homemade Apple Butter
Triple Berry Low Sugar Jam
How to Make & Can Your Own Blueberry Jam
Just Like Grandma's Homemade Low Sugar Strawberry Jam
Grandma's Recipe for Dandelion Honey

Other canning posts you can check out on this blog:

You Can Do It Yourself - How to Make & Can Applesauce
Tasty Countertop Pickles - Naturally Fermented Without Vinegar!

How is a Ministry Formed According to 2 Corinthians 4?

    I like to paint.  Every year I try to make it to the pottery shop so I can work on something.  Yes, and as I'm working there's a lot of spiritual connections running through my mind.  Like I can make any kind of design I want on this bowl, and God's like I can draw any kind of design I want on your life.  

  And if I'm not satisfied, I can wash it off and start over.  God is the Potter, and we are the clay whether we like it or not! 

     Anyway a few weeks ago I was working in my kitchen listening to a message on Living Stream Ministry's Webcast Subscription Service (It's on the menu under Broadcasting).  The brother was speaking on how a ministry is formed according to 2 Corinthians 4, and he read a remarkable passage out of a book called Watchman Nee--A Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age:

 Receiving a revelation is similar to having a picture painted upon us; but this painting must be burned into us to make the painting one with us. When the painting is burned into the vase, no one can erase it; neither can the vase be separated from the painting... It is the same with us. The only way for us to be burned is by suffering.  (Nee, Watchman. A Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age.  Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, Print).

I like the ending thought that comes out in this section--"The person is the message." 

Other blogs on books written by Watchman Nee or Witness Lee:


Watchman Nee
Why God Has to Forgive us   -  The Gospel of God  
Hearing God     Tell Him - The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, Volume 18
 Experiencing the Divine Potter at the Pottery Shop   Worshipping the Ways of God  
Adventures in Handing Out Gospel Tracts - Part 1     How to Distribute Tracts - The Collected Works of Watchman Nee

Witness Lee
Did You Know God Has a Biography?   The History of God in His Union with Man
  Seeing God's New Testament Economy in the Book of Acts Part 2 of 2      The Economy of God
What Causes the Seed to Grow in the Parable in Matthew 13? - The Collected Works Of Witness Lee, 1964, Vol. 4

Amazing Gluten Free Thai Wraps

You can put about anything into a wrap and it tastes great!  The first time I made this recipe we were all like wow, this is sooo good!  It's like a thai taco!!  The peanut sauce is incredible!  I got this delicious recipe from  Gluten Free Mommy--she has a lot of great recipes you can check out.  

I made this again a few weeks ago for the Taiwanese English teacher who has been boarding with us this summer. I served it with fried rice--it was a great combination.

Thai Chicken Wraps - Serves 6

1.  Prepare veggies:    

(1)  Slice 1/2 of a red onion into thin slices

(2)  Grate 1 t of ginger

(3)  Purchase a bag of broccoli slaw

2.  Make the peanut sauce: In a small saucepan combine ¼ cup of sugar, ¼ cup of peanut butter,
 3 T gluten free tamari, 3 T water, the 2 tablespoons cooking oil, and 1 t minced garlic. Heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Set aside
. 

NOTE: Depending on the brand of gluten free tamari and peanut butter you may need to adjust the sugar!  I would double this sauce--it is so delicious!

3.  Prepare the chicken:  Meanwhile, in a medium-size mixing bowl, put in 2 chicken breasts cut into strips and season  with ½ t salt and ¼ t pepper.

4.  Cooking the chicken:  In a large skillet heat the 2 T coconut oil. Cook and stir seasoned chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and put in a covered bowl to keep warm.

5.  Adding vegetables:  Add 1+ T coconut oil and stir fry the red onion and ginger in it, and then add the package of  broccoli slaw   Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. 

6.  Add the sauce and let it cook 1-2 minutes.  Spoon this onto warmed rice or corn shells and enjoy!

Glutenfreemommy's note:  The sauce is thin and I absolutely loved it that way. My sister and I discussed thickening it, so the wraps would not be as messy, but I wouldn’t hear of it.

My Note:  We have made this several times, and this peanut sauce is restaurant quality!  We put ours in corn tortillas, and I don't use cornstarch either to thicken the sauce. 

Check out some of the other curries on this blog!

Tasty Thai Red Curry   (Modified  recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Fantastic Thai Green Curry (Modified a recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Rose's Authentic Chinese Yellow Curry  (From a Taiwanese friend who brought this to dinner)

Thai Salmon & Vegetables in Green Curry  ( Modified recipe from Internet search)

Massaman Chicken Curry with Yams & Pineapple (Modified  recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Spectacular Chicken Panang Curry (Modified  recipe from back of curry paste &  recipe)

Amazing Vegetable Panang Curry (Modified recipe from back of curry paste & Thai recipe)

Gluten Free Thai Chicken & Pumpkin Curry  (From Internet search)

Other Thai Recipes on This Blog 

Making Gluten Free Pad Thai With a Thai Student (A combination of recipes & student's know how!)

Gluten Free Thai Basil Beef    (From Internet search)

How to Make Your Own Thai Fresh Rolls   (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)

Rachel Ray's Thai Chicken with Basil & Pineapple   (From Internet search)

Gai Pad Prik (Chicken with Peppers) in a Peanut Sauce  (From Internet search)
A Great Thai Soup - Gluten Free & Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup  (Modified from Internet search)
Delicious Gluten Free Thai Wraps  (From Internet search)