I love gingerbread and I love chai tea, so when I came across a recipe for Chai Gingerbread Bars I had to make them! I'm sure you've seen these, because if you read this blog then you probably also follow Tasty Kitchen. So, let me just tell you that they were good. Mine turned out much more cake or bread like, making me think that possibly I left something out, but it was still tasty so it doesn't matter. Also, I made mine with light brown sugar instead of dark brown and regular flour because these were what I had (which could possibly account for the difference).
People have rather liked them and the spice makes them a little refreshing and different from the sweety-sweets on the table right now.
They would also be perfect for a breakfast treat year round!
Chai Gingerbread Bars
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
A love letter to charcoal
It's the actual week of Christmas, so I'm guessing most of us are at the point where we have had so much rich and sweet food that we only want plain sandwiches or rice until the new year. I know I was craving lemon sorbet last night because I wanted something tart and sour to combat all of the sweet (and I love the sweet!).
Well, this really is related - promise, yesterday I went to a Christmas meal full of super yummy casseroles. I took a plate home for supper because the chicken casserole really was divine even if it was basically straight up cream and fat with a bit of chicken thrown in. And because I trust these people. They wouldn't make me sick, right? I reheated this plate for supper and went to bed happy.
Until about 3am. Then, I was not happy. My stomach was basically on fire and expanding and screaming at me. I laid there for a long time until I finally woke up enough to go get some pepto to buy me a little sleep time. When it was time to get up, I was in gross, unhappy pain. So, I went to my charcoal tablets.
I was introduced to charcoal tablets by a lovely little Indian doctor lady at a doc-in-the-box in Arlington, VA. I was there because my stomach literally felt like I had eaten rocks and they were just hanging out and rolling around in there. This was at the point in my DC time where my body was acting out quite a lot because it wanted me to move home. This lovely little lady told me that I didn't officially have a hole in my stomach, but I almost did. Then, she told me I was a sweet girl and that I should go home and get out of that place. After that, she told me to always keep charcoal tablets handy. She said she never travels without them, particularly since you might not know what you'll be eating when you travel.
Basically, the charcoal soaks up the toxins and gas in your stomach and helps control the culprit of the pain. Be careful, because you can't take it immediately before or after you take other medicine because it will soak that up too and keep it from working. Also, if you ever actually get tested for salmonella or E. Coli, which I have been, it can mess with the test results because of how it soaks everything up. (But it also meant I made it through until I got to the doctor).
You can find it in most pharmacies, but it may be with the herbal supplements.
I took some today, and it totally saved the day! And, it allowed me to take part in my office's Phillippino Christmas lunch, prepared by our Phillipinno Momma (one of my coworkers).
Well, this really is related - promise, yesterday I went to a Christmas meal full of super yummy casseroles. I took a plate home for supper because the chicken casserole really was divine even if it was basically straight up cream and fat with a bit of chicken thrown in. And because I trust these people. They wouldn't make me sick, right? I reheated this plate for supper and went to bed happy.
Until about 3am. Then, I was not happy. My stomach was basically on fire and expanding and screaming at me. I laid there for a long time until I finally woke up enough to go get some pepto to buy me a little sleep time. When it was time to get up, I was in gross, unhappy pain. So, I went to my charcoal tablets.
I was introduced to charcoal tablets by a lovely little Indian doctor lady at a doc-in-the-box in Arlington, VA. I was there because my stomach literally felt like I had eaten rocks and they were just hanging out and rolling around in there. This was at the point in my DC time where my body was acting out quite a lot because it wanted me to move home. This lovely little lady told me that I didn't officially have a hole in my stomach, but I almost did. Then, she told me I was a sweet girl and that I should go home and get out of that place. After that, she told me to always keep charcoal tablets handy. She said she never travels without them, particularly since you might not know what you'll be eating when you travel.
Basically, the charcoal soaks up the toxins and gas in your stomach and helps control the culprit of the pain. Be careful, because you can't take it immediately before or after you take other medicine because it will soak that up too and keep it from working. Also, if you ever actually get tested for salmonella or E. Coli, which I have been, it can mess with the test results because of how it soaks everything up. (But it also meant I made it through until I got to the doctor).
You can find it in most pharmacies, but it may be with the herbal supplements.
I took some today, and it totally saved the day! And, it allowed me to take part in my office's Phillippino Christmas lunch, prepared by our Phillipinno Momma (one of my coworkers).
Friday, December 17, 2010
The Tough Stuff
It's not grand a revelation that some relationships are challenging. Particularly the ones we can't hide from. We've all got one. What do you do when you really love a person but have no clue what to do? And you want to love them while not losing yourself or becoming a freak of anxiety?
With this particular relationship, I am a different person than I am with any other person on earth. I wouldn't even recognize myself if I didn't know it was me. I had a major struggle with this yesterday. I was being ugly inside, and it was in my face that I was being ugly. This was even more shocking to me after a blessed weekend of revelation and healing at a retreat. The truth was that I had an ugly thorn that I needed to pluck out.
At church, we sing a song that includes the line "Break my heart for what breaks Yours". I have always thought to myself that this is a powerful prayer that none of us should sing flippantly or without true consideration. This line came to me after being frustrated at realizing just how ugly (angry, fearful, unforgiving,controlling, misplaced) that dark spot was in my heart. (But, thankfully, I didn't take up shame and condemnation about it - just realized it was there and couldn't stay. Big thanks to God and Brooke's blog post yesterday for this one.). Then, God showed me how that ugly breaks His heart, and in turn it broke my own heart. (Hope you can follow this - it was a bit like having my heart look at itself in a 3-way mirror). Then, He showed me just a glimpse of how much His heart breaks for that person and it gave me infinite more freedom to love that person and feel compassion.
How to love this person with established boundaries is still another issue, but my heart is now free to love.
With this particular relationship, I am a different person than I am with any other person on earth. I wouldn't even recognize myself if I didn't know it was me. I had a major struggle with this yesterday. I was being ugly inside, and it was in my face that I was being ugly. This was even more shocking to me after a blessed weekend of revelation and healing at a retreat. The truth was that I had an ugly thorn that I needed to pluck out.
At church, we sing a song that includes the line "Break my heart for what breaks Yours". I have always thought to myself that this is a powerful prayer that none of us should sing flippantly or without true consideration. This line came to me after being frustrated at realizing just how ugly (angry, fearful, unforgiving,controlling, misplaced) that dark spot was in my heart. (But, thankfully, I didn't take up shame and condemnation about it - just realized it was there and couldn't stay. Big thanks to God and Brooke's blog post yesterday for this one.). Then, God showed me how that ugly breaks His heart, and in turn it broke my own heart. (Hope you can follow this - it was a bit like having my heart look at itself in a 3-way mirror). Then, He showed me just a glimpse of how much His heart breaks for that person and it gave me infinite more freedom to love that person and feel compassion.
How to love this person with established boundaries is still another issue, but my heart is now free to love.
Authenticity
Here's a moment of being real - since ladies need those. My friend gave me a nail polish for Christmas last night and testing a new nail color on my thumb is just plain fun, so I did it. Especially since it matches the dress I wore today. Then, of course, I didn't stop to remove the nail polish. Instead, I bring it with me to work thinking I can paint the rest of my nails there. But, of course, I have actual work to do at work, and I don't relaly think that's an ethical use of work time. I could use my lunch break, but I have a meeting during lunch.
So, my bets are currently 5 to 1 that my left hand will look like this for the rest of the day:
Although, hopefully less odddly extended.
So, my bets are currently 5 to 1 that my left hand will look like this for the rest of the day:
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
You Rescued Me
The past week has proven to me that God:
And I'm a big 'ol sobby beautiful mess over it. And I'm finally old & free enough that it's just fine with me.
- still reigns,
- still sets people free,
- still loves us more than we could ever imagine,
- longs for us to live in a law of love,
- cherishes our hearts to pieces,
- is inifinitely mysterious
And I'm a big 'ol sobby beautiful mess over it. And I'm finally old & free enough that it's just fine with me.
Pretty Cookies!!
Piping cookies with royal icing is one of the things on my bucket list. I thought about starting to try this Christmas, but I think my Christmas list already has sufficient unrealistic expectations and why upset myself?
This Bakerella blog post brought joy to my heart.
This Bakerella blog post brought joy to my heart.
So did this Pioneer Woman post about a Christmas Cookie how-to class: Piping cookies
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Chicken and Dumplings?
You may not share this experience, but I have found Chicken and Dumplings to be very controversial. Perhaps even as controversial as whether or not to put sugar in cornbread.
This started long ago with my mother's chicken and dumplings. You see, she only made for reals ones like once in my life. She claims they are too much work and left the real chicken and dumpling making to my Mamaw (which I have a story about for another time). Most often, my mom would throw really random (and sometimes scary) stuff in a pot and call it chicken and dumplings and make me eat it. It was really about the only thing I rebelled about during my teen years. Once, my friend Tara was over and she asked what was in the pot and my mom told her "Chicken and Dumplings" and she said "Um, no it's not." She still comments on my facebook about it, 15 years later.
Then, in my college years, I ran across a recipe for Chicken and Dumplings in a cookbook that sounded absolutely nothing like them. It sounds like a lovely chicken soup recipe with some biscuits thrown in , but it's not chicken and dumplings. This recipe was very similar to the recipe posted today on the Pioneer Woman's blog. It includes carrots, celery, onions, tumeric, thyme, and parsley. And the dumplings include cornmeal. Again, it sounds lovely, but it's not chicken and dumplings.
What are real chicken and dumplings? They are the dish most similar to what is popularly served at Cracker Barrel (although theirs are super thick and could use some more salt, and they use biscuit and chicken strips out of mass production convenience). They are composed of chicken, drop biscuits, and creamy goodness. You can get away with the bought dumplings as long as you buy one of the brands made by small plants in the South, particularly the ones with the old lady and the scriptures on the bag.
As I write this, I am a total hypocrite. I have never made real chicken dumplings all on my own, I've just helped a bit. Perhaps I should try it.
I tried to find a photo to go with this post - but none of them looked real or appetizing. And a lot of them had peas in them. Again, I like peas, but not in my dumplings.
This started long ago with my mother's chicken and dumplings. You see, she only made for reals ones like once in my life. She claims they are too much work and left the real chicken and dumpling making to my Mamaw (which I have a story about for another time). Most often, my mom would throw really random (and sometimes scary) stuff in a pot and call it chicken and dumplings and make me eat it. It was really about the only thing I rebelled about during my teen years. Once, my friend Tara was over and she asked what was in the pot and my mom told her "Chicken and Dumplings" and she said "Um, no it's not." She still comments on my facebook about it, 15 years later.
Then, in my college years, I ran across a recipe for Chicken and Dumplings in a cookbook that sounded absolutely nothing like them. It sounds like a lovely chicken soup recipe with some biscuits thrown in , but it's not chicken and dumplings. This recipe was very similar to the recipe posted today on the Pioneer Woman's blog. It includes carrots, celery, onions, tumeric, thyme, and parsley. And the dumplings include cornmeal. Again, it sounds lovely, but it's not chicken and dumplings.
What are real chicken and dumplings? They are the dish most similar to what is popularly served at Cracker Barrel (although theirs are super thick and could use some more salt, and they use biscuit and chicken strips out of mass production convenience). They are composed of chicken, drop biscuits, and creamy goodness. You can get away with the bought dumplings as long as you buy one of the brands made by small plants in the South, particularly the ones with the old lady and the scriptures on the bag.
As I write this, I am a total hypocrite. I have never made real chicken dumplings all on my own, I've just helped a bit. Perhaps I should try it.
I tried to find a photo to go with this post - but none of them looked real or appetizing. And a lot of them had peas in them. Again, I like peas, but not in my dumplings.
Monday, December 13, 2010
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Hello to the land of people that know this blog exists and actually read it :).
I've had enough in my mind the past few days to make an excessive amount of blog posts. Until I sort all of that out, I will leave you with this very insignificant thought:
I have not watched Bama Belles on TLC and I really don't want to. I don't want to join the legions of Alabama women that are ill that TLC has decided to put this on television. In order to save my emotions and blood pressure for things that really are more important, I will just act like it doesn't exist...
(I must add the disclaimer that these types of things are usually on a marathon during Christmas and I often fall into tv marathons that are a waste of my time - so I may actually watch this in the future).
I've had enough in my mind the past few days to make an excessive amount of blog posts. Until I sort all of that out, I will leave you with this very insignificant thought:
I have not watched Bama Belles on TLC and I really don't want to. I don't want to join the legions of Alabama women that are ill that TLC has decided to put this on television. In order to save my emotions and blood pressure for things that really are more important, I will just act like it doesn't exist...
(I must add the disclaimer that these types of things are usually on a marathon during Christmas and I often fall into tv marathons that are a waste of my time - so I may actually watch this in the future).
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Why should I care?
I could write on this extensively, but today I won't. You're welcome :-).
I will say that today is World AIDS Day, and that Alabama is part of the world. Approximately 17,000 cases of HIV/AIDS have been reported in Alabama (which means that there have most likely been at least 20,000 if estimating the unknowns). To get a better understanding of what these means, the number of persons with HIV/AIDS in the state have totaled the population of cities such as: Fairhope, Talladega, or Selma. If any other cause wiped out this many Alabamians, we would not ignore it, so we cannot ignore the number of preventable cases of HIV.
Also, it is important for people not at risk to talk about it in order to diminish stigma. There is at least one person in this state that falls out of disease management because she is still so afraid of people knowing her status. She contracted the disease from her ex-husband and is a normal, productive member of society that has a home and goes to work everyday. But she doesn't make her visits to her case manager or properly stay in treatment because to do that she would have to go places that people with HIV/AIDS go. And someone might see her. And then what? This makes me so sad because it means that there is a woman out there shortening her life because of fear of shame and condemnation. I feel like there is so much love and mercy that she is keeping herself from. Breaking the stereotypes that say only a certain kind of person has HIV means that more women like this one can live a longer life.
Today, I am overwhelmed by the mercy and grace of God in Christ Jesus, and that this mercy and grace is why I am alive and healthy. I encourage us all to make choices for life instead of death, no matter what that might look like in your life. It might mean getting tested or ending a relationship. Or, it might just mean holding your tongue in the workplace. Let's choose life all around :).
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