Gluten Free & God Seeking

Monday, October 21, 2019

Something Else to Make Out of Apples! Grandma Verbula's Apple Walnut Cobbler

After my grandmother passed away, my aunt let me go through her recipe box. How I wish I could have sat down with her and asked her how to make some of my favorites. This recipe was one that she clipped out of a Pennsylvania newspaper.

Even with all of my modifications, this apple cobbler was so yummy especially with some ice cream. It reminded me of an upside down apple pie. Hopefully this recipe will prove that cobblers aren't just for blackberries!

1. Prepare apples:
(1) Wash, core, peel (if you like; I left mine on because they were organic apples), and slice up 5 cups of apples.
(2) Stir in 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, (I used about 1/3), and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.
(3) Put apples in a 9 x 13 pan.

2. Combine dry ingredients - In a medium-sized bowl put:
1 cup of gluten free flour and 3/4 cup of brown sugar (Again, I used about 1/2 cup).

3. Mix together liquid ingredients:
(1) Melt 1/2 cup of butter and let cool slightly
(2) In a medium-sized bowl beat 1 egg and then stir in 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. I'm on a reduced dairy diet, so I used almond milk, and it came out fine.

4. Combine milk mixture with the dry ingredients:
(1) Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.

(2) Spoon cobbler over the apples.

5. Bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes. Check and make sure apples are cooked through.

Desserts with Fruit:

Sensational Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake (From the back of Costco's organic sugar)

Terrific Gluten Free Strawberry & Peach Trifle (Modified from an Internet search)
My Favorite Gluten Free Strawberry Cheesecake (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Just Like Grandma's (But Only Gluten Free) Berry Cobbler (My husband's grandma's recipe)
Gluten Free Lemony Rhubarb Bars (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Old Fashioned Strawberry Buckle (Made Gluten Free) (A recipe I picked up from a berry farm)
From New Zealand - Triple Berry Pavlova (A friend's recipe - My Heritage School Cookbook)
A Northeast Classic - Blueberry Grunt (From a student)

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Looking at the Spiritual Meaning in Ezekiel's Visions - What Ezekiel 14:3 Shows Us About Israel's Captivity

God keeps His Word. God had warned the children of Israel if they worshipped the gods of the Canaanites, they would lose the land of Canaan. It's surprising to me that after walking through the Red Sea, eating manna, drinking water out of a rock that followed them for 40 years, and seeing God's victory again and again in so many battles that the Israelites got ensnared by the ugly looking gods of the people of Canaan!!

And even after Elijah had the show down with Baal on Mt. Carmel, the Israelites still kept forsaking God. In Ezekiel 6:9 God tells us this hurt Him--"...how I am broken with their heart of idolatry, which turned away from Me...." Finally God had no choice but to let them be taken captive by Assyria and Babylon.

I learned in chapter 14 of the Life-Study of Ezekiel that Ezekiel was taken into captivity around 606 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar came and captured King Jehoiachin.

About 11 years later when King Zedekiah of Judah rebelled against Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar came with his army and destroyed the temple and burned the city of Jerusalem. Through the Israelite's idolatry, God had lost His place on the earth!! That was a huge blow to God's purpose. In chapter 13 Witness Lee talks about the reasons the Israelites became so degraded: Here is an excerpt from the section on page 144 on how idolatry still snares people today:

"We should not consider that an idol is always an outward image. Idols are substitutes for God. Ezekiel 14:3 says, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart.... a scholarship, education, money, clothing, a wife, a husband, children--all these can be idols, something or someone that we love more than God and that replaces God in our life. Whatever is more important than God is an idol. The first reason for the fall and degradation of Israel was their idolatry" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Ezekiel. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1998, Print).

In this section he also reminds his readers that all spiritual degradation begins with idolatry. And this parallel is clearly seen in Revelation 2:4 where the Apostle John points out to the believers in Ephesus that their failure was due to their losing their first love for the Lord. Our heart are so important, and this word makes me think of a song that is more like a prayer called Lord, Keep My Heart. We're prone to loving other stuff, the only thing we can do is to ask the Lord to turn our hearts from everything else and love Him.

Other posts on the Major Prophets

Life-Study of Isaiah:
You can listen to excerpts of Witness Lee's speaking the Life-Study of Isaiah on Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. You can also read the online Life-Studies of Isaiah and check out other resources available to enhance your study of the Bible on Living Stream Ministry's website.

How Can the Son in Isaiah 7:14 & 9:6 Be the Mighty God?
Seeing Christ as the Great Light in Isaiah 9:2
Why is Christ Called the Cornerstone in Isaiah 28:26?
Taking a Closer Look at Isaiah 53 - Christ's Crucifixion Foretold - Part 1

Taking a Closer Look at Isaiah 53 - Christ's Resurrection &Ascension Foretold - Part 2 of 2

Life-Study of Jeremiah & Lamentations:

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Dairy & Gluten Free Yukon Gold Potato Mini Frittatas

A few weeks ago I made this recipe that I had picked up several years ago at an oil & vinegar tasting shop. I needed a fall brunch idea and I chose this recipe. I'd never made it before, so I was just a tad nervous. But I've made roasted vegetables and that intrigued me about this recipe.

The original recipe calls for bacon and 8 egg whites and 4 whole eggs, but I just used 10 whole eggs. This is one of the few recipes I've seen for frittatas that doesn't call for any milk or cheese. Because this recipe didn't have a copyright, I'm able to share it easily. And for sure this is the kind of recipe that you can make a lot of personal adjustments with.

I was surprised how pretty they came out. And the eggs didn't flatten out after cooling down either. And, of course, they were delicious.

We served these mini frittatas with pancakes with apple topping, and a fruit plate.

Gold Potato Mini Frittatas

1. Prepare vegetables:

(1) Dice 3 cups of gold potatoes.

(2) Slice 1 onion

(3) Coat them with oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt, pepper, rosemary and oregano. Set aside.

2. Prepare eggs - In a medium-sized bowl put:

(1) 8 eggs and whisk

(2) Add 1/8 cup of olive oil, 3 T parmesan cheese, 1 or 2 sliced green onions.

(3) Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined.

3. Spray a muffin tin and then:

(1) Put a spoonful of roasted potatoes and onions in the bottom of each tin.

(2) Fill each tin 3/4 full with the egg mixture.

4. Bake at 350 for 7 - 10 minutes.

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)
My Son's Egg & Sausage Burritos

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Looking at the Spiritual Meanings in Ezekiel's Visions - The Man on the Throne in Ezekiel 1:26

The fact that there's a throne in heaven is huge. When there's been chaos on every front in my life, this truth has held onto me. And that throne is not empty! The Lord is on that throne! In fact hundreds of years before the Lord was exalted to the throne of God, Ezekiel saw him there! And it is very meaningful that the one on the throne in Ezekiel 1:26 is not portrayed as the Almighty God but as a man.

...Upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man upon it. Ezekiel 1:26

And from the midst of it, there came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man. Ezekiel 1:5

In chapter 12 of the Life-Study of Ezekiel I saw some things I wouldn't have gotten on my own. Witness Lee opens up this chapter by saying this vision actually shows God's intention with man. If you look at the four living creatures, their appearance as the above verse notes is also like that of a man. What's this all about? Here's some incredible excerpts on page 125 that helped me get what this means:

"The One on the throne and the four living creatures both have the appearance of a man, indicating that the four living creatures on earth are the expression of the One on the throne....God's grace works upon a group of people to such an extent that their condition now is the very condition of heaven....The place of the throne is the place where heaven and earth are connected. Because with the living creatures on earth there is a throne above a clear sky, God is not only the God of heaven but also the God of the earth. Through these living creatures, who have the throne over their heads, heaven and earth are joined" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Ezekiel. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1998, Print).

After reading this I felt like wow, man has such a special place in God's plan. Through my reading through the Life-Studies of the Bible, I've learned that Satan is always trying to push God out of the earth. But through His people, God is always seeking to regain the earth so He can bring in His kingdom. There's a lot more in this chapter, and I truly hope you'll click on the above link and read it for yourself!!

Other posts on the Major Prophets

Life-Study of Isaiah:

You can listen to excerpts of Witness Lee's speaking the Life-Study of Isaiah on Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee. You can also read the online Life-Studies of Isaiah and check out other resources available to enhance your study of the Bible on Living Stream Ministry's website.

Taking a Closer Look at Isaiah 53 - Christ's Resurrection &Ascension Foretold - Part 2 of 2

Life-Study of Jeremiah & Lamentations:

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Savory GF Greek Lamb Pasta

I pretty much follow recipes word for word.
In the past few years, I've taken some cooking challenges and concocted a few of my own recipes, and here's one I did this summer.

We made some Greek Lamb chops that my son-in-law gave me the recipe for, and I had an extra one and was wondering what to do with it. So I thought about trying it with some pasta. I don't know anything that doesn't taste good with pasta! My husband and I were wowed by the results!!

1. Prepare lamb chops & marinade: Marinade 1 lamb chop for 2 people

(1) Squeeze 1/4 of a lemon into the bag and 2 T of extra virgin olive oil.
(2) Add seasonings: Then add 1 large grated clove of garlic, 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, 1/4 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. dried parsley, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper.

(3) Massage the marinade into the lamb chops for a few minutes. Then let the bag sit out on the counter for 1 hour. When you can, give it a few more massages and turn the bag upside down.

2. Prepare vegetables:

(1) Chop up 1/2 cup of fresh basil. You can use more if you like.

(2) Chop up half of a sweet onion and thinly slice half of a red bell pepper and sauté.

(3) Mince 6 cloves of garlic.

(4) Slice in half 1/2 to 1 cup of cherry tomatoes.

3. Prepare penne pasta according to instructions. Note: You need to time the pasta preparation, the aioli, and the grilling so that everything times out close enough so the pasta isn't cold!

4. Meanwhile prepare the aioli - In a small saucepan put:

(1) 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil and warm up on medium high.

(2) Stir in the 6 cloves of minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you like a bit of spicy heat. Then bring the heat down to a simmer.

(2) Let it simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes being careful not to overcook the garlic so it doesn't burn and become bitter.

(3) Jer said you can add a bit of fresh basil--like half a tablespoon chopped up.

5. Meanwhile Get your grill going:

(1) Turn your grill on high about 450, and sear the lamb chops.
(2) Jer told us to grill the first side of the lamb chop for 7 minutes. Then turn the grill down to medium-high and flip it over to do the other side for about 4 minutes. Check them.

(3) Chop up the lamb into bite-sized pieces.

6. Assemble the Lamb pasta - In the pasta pot put:

(1) Stir in the aioli and the sautéed vegetables.

(2) Add the lamb pieces and basil.

(3) Taste and make any adjustments.

(4) Put into a serving bowl and garnish with the sliced tomatoes and some fresh basil.

Other Pasta Recipes:

Pasta Casseoles:
The Best Gluten Free Lasagna (From my church Come & Dine cookbook)
Delicious Gluten Free Chicken Tetrazzini    (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Jan's Classic Baked Spaghetti Casserole

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)
Carmine's Authentic Italian Pasta Sauce (From my son-in-law's father who was born in Italy)

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)
Northwest Crab Mac & Cheese - From a 5th grade friend's recipe project
Whidbey Island Crab & Noodle Bake - A classy crab mac & cheese recipe from my mother-in-law

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Looking at the Spiritual Meaning in Ezekiel's Visions - The 4 Living Creatures in Ezekiel 1:5

Ezekiel's vision of the four living creatures looks like something out of Lord of the Rings or the Chronicles of Narnia. I was definitely wowed when I read in chapter 3 of the Life-Study of Ezekiel that these four heads actually correspond to the revelation of Christ in each of the four gospels.

So in this chapter Witness Lee explains with insight how these faces show us aspects of Christ revealed in the gospels. The prominent face that is facing forward is that of a man, and the Gospel of Luke is full of Christ's beautiful humanity seen in His care for others.

Then on the right side is the face of a lion which symbolizes the kingly Christ portrayed in the Gospel of Matthew. Then on the left side is the face of an ox, and we see this in Mark's account of Christ as the Servant of Jehovah. Last of all is the eagle which is at the back and this typifies Christ's divinity portrayed in the Gospel of John. Now you can say wow!

The image that spoke to me the most was why the man's face is in the front. In chapter 5 of the Life-Study of Ezekiel and on page 50 Witness Lee says:

"The vision in Ezekiel 1 reveals three crucial matters concerning the four living creatures' bearing the appearance of a man. First, God's glory is manifested upon them....Where they are, there God's glory is....Second, these living creatures are the means of God's move....Third, the four living creatures, who bear the appearance of a man, are the means of God's administration. Ezekiel 1 reveals that God is sitting on the throne....However, the center of God's administration depends on the flour living creatures having the appearance of a man" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Ezekiel. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1998 Print).

These four living creatures are also in sync with one another, and it was remarkable to learn that these creatures depict how believers today should coordinate together to carry out God's purpose. This is a remarkable picture of God's move through His people. There's a lot of amazing imagery here, and I would highly recommend that you click on the above link and read the entire Life-Study.

Other posts on the Major Prophets

Life-Study of Isaiah:

Taking a Closer Look at Isaiah 53 - Christ's Resurrection &Ascension Foretold - Part 2 of 2

Life-Study of Jeremiah & Lamentations:

Sunday, September 8, 2019

If You Like Fajitas, This is Your Kind of Casserole! - GF King Ranch Chicken

If you want to change things up and not always make a tomato based enchilada, then you should try out this recipe. I've been making this recipe gluten free for many years, and it's delicious. Sometimes when I have leftovers from making fajitas, I'll make this casserole. So yummy. It's easy to tweak like most Mexican casseroles.

1. Prepare chicken: Poach 2 chicken breasts in 1 1/2 cups of water. Reserve water. When cool, chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.

2. Prepare vegetables:
(1) Chop 1 yellow onion.
(2) Chop 1/2 red bell pepper and 1/2 green bell pepper.
(3) Sauté veggies and put aside.

3. Grate 2 to 3 cups of cheddar cheese

4. Prepare GF soup (instead of mushroom, cream of chicken, & cheddar cheese soup):
(1) Put 1/4 cup of butter into a skillet
(2) Whisk in 2 T of rice flour.
(3) Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of milk
(4) Stir in the reserved cup of chicken broth with 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. chili powder, and 1/4 tsp. cumin. Taste and make adjustments.

5. Combine:
(1) Add the chicken pieces and sautéed vegetables to the GF soup skillet.
(2) Then add 1 can of Rio-Tel tomatoes and a small can of sliced, drained black olives.

6. Assemble casserole:
(1) Slice 12 corn tortillas into strips and line a 9 x 13 pan.
(2) Scoop chicken mixture evenly over the tortilla strips.
(3) Top with cheese.
(4) Repeat until all ingredients are gone

7. Bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes.

8. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

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)
Kathy's Baked Chili & Chips Casserole (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
Fiesta Gluten Free Tamale Pie (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
Authentic Chicken Enchiladas Verde (a church friend's mother-in-law's recipe)
Rebecca's Favorite Chicken & Chile Enchiladas (From a church friend)
Delores's Chicken & Tortilla Casserole (Made Gluten Free) (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
Great Beef Enchiladas - (From my church cookbook, Come & Dine)
El Dorada Beef & Cheese Casserole (From my Heritage School cookbook)
Mexican Beef & Bean Pie (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)

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