A Whatty-what?!!

"You have options", I explained to Matt when he asked what's for supper.

 

"You can do your meal in a wrap or a power-plate. 

"A whatty-what?! he asked looking confused (justifiably) 

"Well, you know how some restaurants have power-bowls on the menu...

its like that but we're using plates!"

I chose the plate option, he chose the wraps.

Tonight's supper was inspired by a picture of a power-bowl 

and the sudden remembrance that it's Thursday and 4:00 

and I don't have anything planned for supper!

So with the help of some veggies in the fridge 

and the power-bowl ad from Red Lobster

this happened...

 Thinly sliced/chopped veggies (rutabagas, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, red onion)

light drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of kosher salt (optional) and freshly-ground black pepper...

steam till tender...

For the power plate I topped a huge serving of veggies with black beans,
 browned ground beef seasoned to taste (I used salt and taco seasoning)

 (instead of shrimp, like the Red Lobster picture;-)

and a light garnish of shredded old cheddar and goat cheese.

Some things I wished I had on hand to add; chick peas, red pepper and quinoa!

That would have made it perfect!

Sometimes summer almost seems to spill through winter’s whitewashed gates

Catch of August through October thrilling, filling supper plates

Making us feel like the gardens are not sleeping after all

While the chill wind shakes the ramparts from which star-shaped flowers fall

Sometimes we are humbly honoured because we have eyes to see

...see where beauty spills its colours in a world of artistry

And that we can smell and taste and hear, what marvels are these things

Suddenly a simple supper seems a favour fit for kings

…now the culinary artist dons a sort of sacred air

 Peeling, slicing, dicing, stirring turns into a tender prayer

Where the perfect words escape us so we praise Him while we cook

Thanking God for bount’ous blessings we too often overlook

Sometimes, when we lose sight of love's countless, somewhat common range
It is time to look longer at what is apt and bound to change
Then as we begin to ponder Mercy and wonder's buffet
Suddenly, something like supper feels like a fine holiday

© Janet Martin

Two gorgeous versions of the doxology...
a great blessing before a meal hymn
but also a great any time of day tune
to the One who, each day grants mercy renewed
behooving us to serve Him with a heart of gratitude!

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 107:1


Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 136:1


Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 118:1

Like Next of Kin...

Last night's supper; roasted vegetables, pulled pork and coleslaw!
(Buns, not pictured, were available for those who preferred pulled pork on a bun.)
 
I love the happiness that happens at meal-time when everyone is hungry!
Oh, how much we have to be thankful for! It reminds us of what we are here for, right?!
Not to over-indulge if we are blessed enough to entertain that thought...
but to live soberly and righteously in the present age/world,
where to whom much is given much will be required.
(For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.
It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, 
and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 
as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance
of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.…
Titus 2:11-13

The chords of a love song the Lord composed and wove within

Makes all of us together feel kind of like next of kin

For though we are like strangers living continents apart

We have so much in common in the matters of the heart

Man’s struggle to survive is this world’s universal quest

Where we all need each other to succeed and be our best

God gives to some to give to those who have no bread to share

(No one is more or less deserving of Mercy’s kind care )

My dear, we are all fearfully and wonderfully made

Though shapes, shades, sizes vary as the bloom that gilds the glade

We, oh, so very diff’rent are so much the same as well

Where hope-hurt-hunger-wonder tolls a keen and kindred bell

We all face challenges, oh yes, this is the way of life

We all need to kneel at the cross to gain eternal life

We all want to be loved; we all need to learn how to love

And all who trust the hand of God will find his grace enough

Who doesn’t like a hearty feast of food and fellowship

Who doesn’t need a hand to hold so our feet won’t slip

And who of us forever finds contentment all alone

Where there is so much more to us than forms of skin and bone

Time takes its toll until all that is left of you and me

Is living soul; for none can annul immortality

Then pray we make our calling sure in He who gave His all

Today is the day of salvation; pray we heed His call

Let’s live as though we’ve met before on some shore left behind

Make a collective effort to be more gracious and kind

Let’s live out the Great Love Song that our dear Lord wove within

So when we meet on yonder shore we’ll feel like next of kin

© Janet Martin

 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalm 23:5

On Sunday our church family enjoyed a meal cooked by kind, willing people

to be enjoyed along with an opportunity to help fund

a week of kid's camp in Eucuador!

When we got the report this week that thanks to the funds raised we/they

are able to bring many kids to camp,

suddenly Ecuadorians felt a bit like family!

Taste-tests, Recipe-tests, and Faith-tests

 

Yesterday's bean-cooking and bagging for the freezer made me crave a good batch of chili

so I tried the recipe on the kidney beans bag for something different.

We didn't care for the the cinnamon flavour.

I also added green beans for more veggies which 

didn't impress some of my 'supper-kins' much.

They love green beans...but could have done without them in their chili!

Green beans is one of my fav veggies so I thought they added a nice touch😀

My kids often tease me and say I turn everything I eat into a salad.

I prefer everything I eat on salad! yum!

This was a simple salad of romaine lettuce, thinly sliced cabbage and toasted sesame seeds.

With chili it needed no dressing though some used their favorite bottled variety.

I enjoy watching cooking shows...esp. the ones filmed in places like Italy...

 

...but no matter how much they mix and stir and sip and taste and rave and m-m-m!

I can't smell or taste a thing!

I can imagine what the air might smell like in a vineyard, sun-steeped and musky,

or the aromas as they sear and season,

or the flavours as they taste-test to see if it is good!

But that's it...I can only imagine.

So it is with everything in life;

until we experience it we guess at what it might be like.

Have you ever wished you could make someone taste something because you love it, 

but they refuse, certain they will not like it! 

And until they have a change of heart pleading is vain!

...and there it is; the change of heart which we cannot force.

So too then, for all who have not 'tasted to see that the Lord is good,'

we pray for that sacred eternity-altering change of heart.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; 

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Psalm 34:8

We cannot force love or belief

The heart must first concede

To the small voice that stirs the chief

Of choice to sense its need

For hope and faith and humble trust

Mere Must cannot achieve

No matter how we kick the dust

Where death does not deceive

The thread of numbered centuries

Unfurls a world of ‘should’

Wise is the one who tastes and sees

That God alone is good

…for He is love; all goodness starts

With He who is its Source

Belief begins with change of heart

…a choice that none can force

Then pray, before it is too late

That one and all will choose

To taste what naught can imitate

And none should dare refuse

Yes, pray before it is too late

We taste more than enough

Not from a laden dinner plate

But God's redeeming love

 

© Janet Martin

To be filled with awe and wonder
At the love of God for man
Satisfies howling heart-hunger
Like nothing in this world can



 

The Beauty of the Bitter (or Burnt;-)

 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
    who daily bears our burdens. 

 Our God is a God who saves;
    from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.

Psalm 68:19-20 

I was looking for a beginning for today's post (Thursday-what's-for-supper)

and when I read this quote that my friend Bren L shared today on her FB post

it set thought's wheels in motion:

"Reflect on your present blessings 

of which every man has many, 

not on your past misfortunes, 

of which all men have some." 

~ Charles Dickens

...When the door bell rings and you answer

and a neighbor hands you a box of Christmas treats along

with best wishes for a blessed Christmas,

is that not one of life's sweetest happiness-es?

 (even before you taste the goodies in the box?!😋😊)

 Does it not make worth burning the first batch of white sauce

you were cooking for supper's green bean casserole

'cause you've been sweetly distracted by treats?!

but then, in the glow that can only come from love/friendship we try again...

melt butter, stir in a few tbsp. of flour, 

then whisk light cream or milk into it until it's a smooth, white sauce, not too thick, not too thin

 pour over green beans, canned or frozen,

Top with shredded cheese...

...and crushed cornflakes tossed with a bit 'o melted butter

Bake at 350 till bubbly...

We served it with Christmas coleslaw;

red and green thinly sliced cabbage, red onion, 

bit of chopped romaine lettuce, red cranberries and toasted sunflower seeds. 

Toss with your favorite vinaigrette dressing. 

...and chicken-pasta-casserole left from lunch;

cooked pasta tossed with chopped cooked chicken breast, 

cream of mushroom soup and cheese.

Imagine if what heaped our plates was all pudding and cake

If consequence would not follow the choices that we make

Imagine if our wish and whim were granted on the spot

And we would never have to work or wait for what we’ve got

Imagine if the bitter never did reveal the sweet

Or wake in us most sacred awe for bread we break and eat

Imagine if destruction was not the first-fruit of pride

How greedy we would be, never thankful or satisfied

Imagine if the plans we made played out beneath our touch

And hope would not be honed by broken dreams and hearts and such

If we would never taste the sting of meek trust’s bitter tears

Then we would waste the would-be sweetness turning days to years

Because the bitter makes sweeter the blessings that we count

It keens our sense to sparkles soft-spilling from Mercy’s fount

Imagine if we did not need each other constantly

How cold, covetous, ungrateful and lonely we would be

© Janet Martin

some more hand-delivered sweetness from friends yesterday afternoon...

This morning's breakfast from the treat-box above is an annual anticipated treat! 

Surely life's bitter parts would be too hard to bear

but for its sweetness-es kindly tucked between!

Here's to being somebody's sweetness today!

Victoria just became mine as she walked into the kitchen dressed for work💝