Jan's Classic Baked Spaghetti Casserole

This is a do-it-ahead version of one of America's favorite crowd pleasers. And it comes from a home ec teacher, and so you know it's going to be good!  I had to do some tweaking of this recipe to make the gluten free mushroom soup that goes over the top.  The fresh mushrooms I added to this recipe really made it for it!

Also instead of just using 28 oz of diced tomatoes, I  added 1 14.5 can of tomato sauce. Our international students loved it!  Of course, they love anything with noodles.  I really like the way all these layers come  together to make a fantastic casserole for a fall night!

   

Jan’s Classic Baked Spaghetti – for 8

1.  Prepare vegetables:

(1)  Chop 1 cup of onion and 1 cup of green pepper.

(2)  Slice 3/4 cup of button mushrooms and ½ cup of olives.

2.  Meanwhile cook the noodles:  12 oz.

3.  Make sauce – In a large skillet:

(1)  Brown 1 pound of ground turkey.  Put in a bowl.

(2) Sauté onions and green pepper in 1 T of butter.

(2)  Then add 28 oz. of diced tomato, 1/2 cup mushrooms olives, 2 t oregano, and add back the browned ground turkey.

4.  Assemble casserole:

(1)  Put half of the spaghetti on the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. 

(2)  Top with ½ of meat mixture.

(3)   Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top.

(4)  Repeat layers.

(5)  Pour Gluten free mushroom soup over the top:  Put 2 T of butter into a skillet and whisk in 2 T of tapioca starch/rice flour, then slowly whisk in 6 oz of milk, 6 oz of water, and 2 t of Chicken Better Than Bouillon, 1/4 cup of chopped mushrooms and 1/2 t of black pepper.  Taste and make any adjustments. (Recipe calls for 1 can of cream of mushroom soup mixed with ¼ of water over the top.)

(6)  Sprinkle ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

5.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Other Italian & Greek Pasta Recipes on This Blog:

Italian & Greek Chicken:
Incredible Gluten Free Chicken Souvlaki   (My son-in-law's marinade recipe)
Chicken Cacciatore with Peppers & Mushrooms  (My mother-in-law)
You've Got to Try This Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan!  (From my church cook book, Come & Dine)

Pasta Cassroles:

The Best Gluten Free Lasagna   (From my church Come & Dine cookbook)
Delicious Gluten Free Chicken Tetrazzini     (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)

 Classic Pastas:
My Mom's Splendiferous Gluten Free Spaghetti  (My mother's amazing sauce!)
Ginger's Family Favorite Gluten Free Beef Stroganof   (From my friend Ginger)
Gluten Free Pasta Aioli - Sausage & Vegetable Penne  (From my daughter and son-in-law)
Incredible Gluten Free Pasta Primavera     (Combination of two Internet searches)
Fantastic Gluten Free Salmon Fettucine 
Easy to Make Gluten Free Shrimp Linguini   (From my Syre School Cookbook)

Mac & Cheeses
Fantastic Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese  (Modified from Heritage & Internet search)
Gluten Free Comfort Food - Downright Delicious Gluten Free Tuna Noodle Casserole  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Pizza
Judi's Gluten Free Crazy Crust Pizza -  Spinach, Artichoke & Feta Pizza (From a friend)

Soups:
This is the Best Minestrone Soup!  (From my son's Internet search and tweaking)
Mouth Watering Italian Turkey Sausage Soup   (This is  my friend Debbie's recipe)

Salads:
Tasty Gluten Free Pasta Salad   (I've been making this salad for over 20 years!)
Jeremy D's Sensational Greek Salad  (From my son-in-law who is half Italian)
Michelle's Greek Quinoa Salad   (My daughter came up with this way to use quinoa)

What is the Story Behind the Story of Cain & Abel?

    It didn’t take long after Adam and Eve’s first two kids grew up before another heartache hit the family.  Doesn't the story of Cain and Abel surprise you? Didn't they both grew up hearing the same garden story?  They knew all about how a talking serpent tricked their mom, and how they had lost their garden home because of their parent's disobedience. 

From a beach walk with family on September 29

   But from my reading of the Bible it's obvious that these kids didn't really get what had happened  when their parents ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The nature of Satan actually got inside of their flesh.  We can see this fact in God's own word to Cain:

Sin is couching at the door and its desire is for you. Genesis 4:7

    When they grew up both brothers chose different occupations.  Cain grew a garden, and Abel took care of sheep.  I learned in the Life-Study that during this time period nobody ate sheep. In Genesis chapter 4 we hear about what happened when they both brought their offerings to God.  Cain was first, and he brought some of his garden vegetables, and then Abel gave God a lamb.   God didn’t particularly like Cain’s offering, but He accepted Abel’s.  This might seem a bit baffling, why would God not accept vegetables, but take  a lamb? 

   Actually there’s something more here than God’s personal preference, and Witness Lee even admits that at first he didn’t understand it either.  And this is the excerpt that helped me get what was going on here.  It's on page 305 from chapter 23 of the Life-Study of Genesis:

Cain offered the fruit of his own labor to God (Gen. 4:3). He brought the fruit of the ground with no blood for shedding.  This means that he had rejected God’s way of redemption which he had heard from his parents.  God’s way of redemption as revealed to Cain’s parents was that of a sacrifice in which the blood was shed, for without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Heb. 9:22). Man was fallen, ruined, sinful, and polluted in the eyes of God. He needed the shedding of blood for the remission of sins. Although Cain’s parents surely spoke to him of God’s way of redemption, he rejected it, casting it aside.  Cain did not care for God’s way; he invented his own way according to his concept (Lee. Witness. Life-Study of Genesis. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1974, Print).

    What I never would have picked up here is that what displeased God so much was Cain’s inventing his own way of worshipping God.  He points out in this chapter that  this might not seem so bad because  he wasn’t doing what we would call evil.  but God knew that His enemy was behind this offering.  The Bible tells us that God’s reaction caused  Cain to scowl,  and God came and told him that sin was crouching at his door trying to have him. 

  I really appreciated it how Witness Lee clearly shares  that when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit from the tree of knowledge something fundamental happened to their being—sin came into them.  (You can check out Romans 5:19.) And with it came jealousy, anger, murder, and lying—all the things we see in Cain.   This is a truth not all Christians see—although you are regenerated, you still have the fallen nature of Satan within you until your body is transfigured at the Lord’s coming.  To me this is the battle between God and Satan brought down into our very being.  ( Romans 7 is all about this.) And it matters what we choose.  The story of Cain and Abel  profoundly shows us that.  

You can  also listen to live excerpts from these messages on  Genesis on Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.  

Other Posts on the Life-Study of Genesis:

From the Life-Study of Genesis - What is the Focus of the Bible?
What Happened Between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2?
Why Did God Create Man in Genesis 1:26?
Why Did God Create Man With 3 Parts in Genesis 2:7?
Why Did God Put Man in Front of the Two Trees in Genesis 2?
Seeing God's Purpose of Life & Building in the Book of Genesis
What is the Story Behind the Story of Cain & Abel?
What Did Enosh Learn to Do in Genesis 4:26?
How Did Enoch Escape Death in Genesis 5:24?
Why Did Noah Need to Find Grace in Genesis 6:8?
What Does the Rainbow Symbolize in Genesis 9:13?
How Did God Call Abraham in Genesis 12:1?
How Did God Fulfill the Birth of Isaac in Genesis 12:7?
What Does the Marriage of Isaac & Rebekah Show in Genesis 24?
How Does the Story of Jacob Show God's Selection in Genesis 25?
Why Did Jacob Dream About a Ladder in Genesis 28:12?
Seeing Our Spiritual Journey in the Lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, & Joseph
Why Did Jacob Call theTwo Altars in Genesis 33 & 35 By Different Names?
How Do the Stories of Jacob & Joseph Mirror God's Purpose in Genesis 1:26?
How Did Joseph's Dreams Really Get Fulfilled in Genesis 41?

The Best Gluten Free Shepherd's Pie

  With fall here, it's time to cook up some comfort food!  My younger son had a birthday a few weeks ago and he asked me to make him shepherd's pie.  I thought for sure he'd ask for ribs or lasagna, but I thought okay I can do this. 

One trouble with making shepherd's pie is that there are countless versions out there.   He wanted the shepherd's pie that's made with a gravy instead of the one with tomato sauce.  My Heritage Cookbook (that's from a school I worked at) has the tomato sauce version. When I did a quick Google, I saw Rachel Ray had one, and everything I've cooked from her recipes have been amazing, so I just tripled her recipe for gravy in order to make enough for the large shepherd's pie you see in this picture.

My son loved it and so did our international students who have never eaten anything like this before.  I think that's a good gauge.

 Shepherd's Pie - for 8-10

1.  Prepare vegetables:
(1)  Chop 1 medium onion
(2)  Mince 2 cloves of garlic
(3)  Chop 2 large carrots.
(4)  Scrub and chop 8 organic potatoes and cook in water to cover about 20 minutes.  

2.  Prepare meat gravy:
(1)  Put 1 pound of organic hamburger meat into a skillet and cook a few minutes.
(2)  Add the onions, garlic, and carrots  and cook for about 5 more minutes.
(3)  In a small mixing bowl put:  3 cups of water, 4 t beef Better Than Bouillon,  2-3 t gluten free Worcestershire sauce, 1  salt, 1 t black pepper, 6 T tapioca starch, and whisk together and  then pour over the meat and whisk the gravy until thickened. 
(4)  Taste and make any adjustments. I had to add a bit more Better Than Bouillon.

3.  Mash potatoes:
(1)  Drain excess water off the potatoes and put that liquid into a cup so you can use some to help mash the potatoes.
(2)  Add 1-2 T of butter to the potatoes and mash  them a bit.
(3)  Then add  1/2 cup of milk,  1 t salt and 1/2 t black pepper.and mash until smooth, adding a bit of potato water to get the right consistency.
(4)  Taste and make any adjustments.

4.  Assemble shepherd's Pie:

(1)  Pour the meat gravy into the bottom of a large 9 x 13 pan.  

(2)  Scatter two cans of drained green beans over the top of the meat gravy.

(3)  Mound the mashed potatoes over the top. 

(4)  Sprinkle with paprika.

5.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

List of other casseroles 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)
Authentic Chicken Enchiladas Verde  (From a church friend)
Fiesta Gluten Free Tamale Pie   (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
Rebecca's Favorite Chicken & Chile Enchiladas  (From a church friend)
Delores's Chicken & Tortilla Casserole (Made Gluten Free)   (Come & Dine)

Pasta Casseroles:

Fantastic Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese  (Modified from Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Comfort Food - Downright Delicious Gluten Free Tuna Noodle Casserole  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

American Favorites:

From Scratch Gluten Free Turkey Pot Pie
Gluten  Free Comfort Food That Hits the Spot - Chicken Divan

Breakfast for Dinner:

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)

Seeing God's Purpose of Life & Building in the Book of Genesis

    The Bible doesn't tell us so much about the Garden of Eden. I've been to some pretty cool gardens with with brick paths, ornate fountains, and  flowers of every hue.  But the Bible doesn't go into details like these.   Instead it says the Garden of Eden was full of fruit trees, a river with 4 branches, gold, bdellium, and onyx stone.  So it's not your typical garden description.  Is anyone going huh here? 

Rose Garden in Seattle

 Usually when I read something I don't quite get in the Bible, I just gloss over it.  So to be honest with you, I never thought much about the lack of description here until I read chapters 11 & 12 of the Life-Study of Genesis. 

   When I was in college I heard for the first time that this description is actually very meaningful because it mirrors the end of the Bible!!  Here's Genesis 2:9-12:

And out of the ground Jehovah God caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, as well as the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  
   And a river went forth from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided and became four branches.
   The name of the first is Pishon [Heb. Flowing free]; it is the one that goes around the whole land of Havilah [Heb. to cause to grow], where there is gold.
   And the gold of that land is good; bdellium, and onyx stone are there. 

     In Genesis 2 everything is in its natural state--we can see there's gold by the river, bdellium (which is a pearl-like substance formed from trees), and onyx stone, which is a precious stone.  Then when you turn to Revelation 21 you see a vision of a spiritual city that's built with gold, pearl, and precious stones.  I was like wow when I saw this correlation. Even more than that this city God's desire is to build up all the believers into His habitation. 

     And in Revelation the city has a river flowing from the throne and on both sides of it grow guess what? The tree of life!  You can say wow again, because that's what I did.
 
But how is this all going to happen in you?  In chapter 11 of the Life-Study of Genesis Witness Lee shares that the gold, bdellium, and onyx stone are produced in us by the flowing of the river of life.  Now that really amazed me.  Here's some short excerpts from page 144 that show all the connections: 

In Romans 9 we are dust; in Revelation 1 we are gold. How can dust be replaced by gold?  The divine life must flow within us to bring gold into us.  This is even true of physical gold which is frequently found by a river….Now through the flowing of the divine life we had some gold within us. Something precious and weighty, the very divine nature has been brought into us….The flowing of the river also produces pearl….Furthermore, the flowing of the river brings forth onyx stone, which typifies the transformed man expressing God's glorious image (cf. Rev. 4:3; 2 Cor. 3:18)….The materials brought in through the flow of the river of life are for the building of God's habitation. They can only be brought in by the flow of the divine life. In other words, the divine life flowing within us makes us the materials for God's building (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Genesis. Anaheim: Living Stream  Ministry, 1974, Print). 

So this really encourages me to spend time in the Word and make sure I get the water that's there. 

Other Posts on Life & Building From the Life-Studies: 

From the Life-Study of Matthew:
What is the Significance of the Parables on the Treasure & the Pearl of Great Value in Matthew 13:44-46?

From the Life-Study of John
What's the Focus of the Gospel of John?

From the Life-Study of 1 Corinthians:
What is God Building in 1 Corinthians 3:9?
What Does it Mean to Build in 1 Corinthians 3:12 With Gold, Silver, & Precious Stones?

From 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?

From the Life-Study of 1 Peter:
How Does God Get the Living Stones in 1 Peter 2:5?

From the Life-Study of Revelation:
What is the Controlling Vision of he Bible Seen in the Book of Revelation?

You can  also listen to live excerpts from these messages on  Genesis on Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.  

Other Posts on the Life-Study of Genesis:

From the Life-Study of Genesis - What is the Focus of the Bible?
What Happened Between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2?
Why Did God Create Man in Genesis 1:26?
Why Did God Create Man With 3 Parts in Genesis 2:7?
Why Did God Put Man in Front of the Two Trees in Genesis 2?
Seeing God's Purpose of Life & Building in the Book of Genesis
What is the Story Behind the Story of Cain & Abel?
What Did Enosh Learn to Do in Genesis 4:26?
How Did Enoch Escape Death in Genesis 5:24?
Why Did Noah Need to Find Grace in Genesis 6:8?
What Does the Rainbow Symbolize in Genesis 9:13?
How Did God Call Abraham in Genesis 12:1?
How Did God Fulfill the Birth of Isaac in Genesis 12:7?
What Does the Marriage of Isaac & Rebekah Show in Genesis 24?
How Does the Story of Jacob Show God's Selection in Genesis 25?
Why Did Jacob Dream About a Ladder in Genesis 28:12?
Seeing Our Spiritual Journey in the Lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, & Joseph
Why Did Jacob Call theTwo Altars in Genesis 33 & 35 By Different Names?
How Do the Stories of Jacob & Joseph Mirror God's Purpose in Genesis 1:26?
How Did Joseph's Dreams Really Get Fulfilled in Genesis 41?