Nectar

 

Sometimes it's not about food for us, this is the time of year for our little feathered friends to make their way back.  Make sure you have a clean hummingbird feeder and fill it with nectar.  Here's an easy homemade recipe.

• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 cup boiling water

Mix sugar and boiling water together until sugar is dissolved. Cool the mixture, then fill feeder. Refrigerate leftovers.  

Your feathered friends will thank you

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries 

Chili

 

BEANS:

16 oz. dry red kidney beans

½ cup sugar

½ ketchup

¼ cup molasses

2 tsp. dry mustard

½ cup chopped onion

¼ lb. salt pork

Salt and pepper.

Soak beans overnight, drain, rinse, and put in crock pot with just enough water to cover.  Add ingredients and cook on high for 3 hours (DO NOT TAKE COVER OFF DURING THIS COOKING TIME)  Turn down to low and cook 5-6 more hours.

CHILI

1¼ lb. chopped steak, (leftovers from Tall Cool ☺ne's grilling)

1 pkg. hot sausage links, removed from casing

1 qt. stewed tomatoes (from last year's garden)

1 can tomato paste

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp. minced garlic

4 tbsp. chili powder

1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. basil

2 tbsp. paprika

Cook sausage and drain off grease. Add all other ingredients and let simmer for about 1½-2 hours.

The thing I like about chili is no matter how many times I make it, it always seems to get better.  Even when I follow my favorite recipe, I add something or change something and it always gets better. Recipes are like that.  They can always be improved upon.  

Do you have a favorite chili recipe?  Do share with me.

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Be sure to visit other players and don't forget to check out Crackerberries.

Enjoy!

It's coming

Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy!  My favorite time of year is coming up. Stay tuned next week for the awesome THEME REVEAL. Can you wait? I know I can't!

The team's theme for this site for April 2024 will be hope, positivity, and living your best life blogging your best blog. Victorious Blogging.

I kind of have my theme mapped out, but I still have a little tweaking to do.

Who's with me for the challenge?   Who's with me to just follow along with my posts?  I really hope you'll play along.  You won't be disappointed.  Money back guaranteed!☺

Cheers,

 

Reflections on Feeding the Flock 23

Another A-Z challenge completed. This is something I’ve been doing since 2015. I actually dabbled in it in 2014 but was not very successful.  It disciplines me to actually take the time to write. I always have full intentions of continuing to write throughout the year, but life seems to get in the way.  We all have priorities and each one takes a different precedence over someone else’s concerns. What is important to me is probably not important to you. My cousin Eric writes a newsletter every month about rocks.  For the life of me I don’t know what is so special about rocks? click here if you really want to know., But he loves it. I applaud him for all the work he puts into that newsletter every month, even though I don't understand most of what I read.

I enjoy this challenge very much. Every year I get to reconnect with the fellow blogger’s I’ve met over the years.  Every once in awhile I'll make a few new friends.  It’s like a family reunion online.

This year I stretched myself too far. My theme this year had to do with The Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all the nations…” FEEDING THE FLOCK 23 was my theme. Check out W-WAKE UP.  That’s where my theme idea originated.

I took on more than I should have by opting in to do both blogs. I learned a lot throughout this challenge.  I didn’t think I was going to be able to finish. I lost my stepdad on Earth Day and I still had seven days (14 posts) to go.  How was I going to function and go to work and post a blog each day? Do you know what God said to me?”…O you of little faith.” If GOD leads you to it, He will see you through it. (praise Lord!)

I was successful at posting to both blogs for every letter. I did slack at visiting others and I apologize for that.  I do want to say thank you to those who visited me. Kristin was consistent at leaving a comment on every recipe I posted. ☺ Little comments mean a great deal in bloggy world.

At this time, I don’t have any suggestions about improving the challenge.  I liked the graphics and KUDOS to whoever took the time to do them this year.  If anyone who is reading this post is interested in volunteering to get your talent out there…click here

 

Here are the links for each of the posts this year… the food was supposed to go with the devotion but somehow I meandered and got lost along the way.  It happens.  Hope to see you all next year. And you never know, I might come up with a post here and there.  Stay tuned.

 

DEVOTION

Anxiety, Allergies and Arthritis

Blessing Blitz

Cat Kisses

Dazbar’s Run

Embrace the Smooch

Friendship

Ground Meat

Halfway

Interpretation

Jake’s Cake

KISS: Keep it Simple Stupid

Letter Writing

Mason Jars

No Darkness

Old Pine Tree

Paper Cuts = Perilous Days

Quite Life

Raccoons

Step in Time

Today is the Day

User Friendly vs. Uncomfortable  

Victory

Wake UP!

X-Ray Vision

Yankees are Allowed

Zombie Apocalypse

THE FOOD

Asian Broccoli Salad

Banana Bread

Cookies

Diet Soup

Enchilada Chicken Dip

Fig Coffee Cake

Grits Casserole

Hushpuppy Griddle Cakes

Irish Sourdough Soda Bread

Jerking the Chicken

Jalapeño Muffins

Jalapeño Artichoke Spread

Kartoffelkloesse

Lemon Cake

Meal Magnificient

Naughty Sourdough Bread

Open-Faced Omelet

Penguins

Potato Sausage Casserole

Quick & Easy Pork Loin

Rosemary Lemon Cookies

Sourdough Starter

Tangerine Salad

Unleavened Bread

Veggie Pork Stir-Fry

Waffles

Xtreme Chicken

Yuppy Brownies

Zymurgy Biscuits 

Zymurgy Biscuits - Feeding the Flock 23

 

Zymurgy is technically referred to in beer making and wine fermentation.  But since I decided to use my beer sourdough starter, I figured it could work for the name of my new biscuit creation.

½ cup beer sourdough starter

¾ cup almond milk (only because I was out of regular)

½ cup jalapeño pimento cheese (I cheated and used store bought —didn't make my own)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. sugar

1 stick butter

¼ cup Crisco

Place dry ingredients in a bowl, mix to combine and then cut in the butter and the Crisco to make small round pea shaped crumbs.

Combine sourdough starter, milk and pimento cheese in another bowl and mix until well combined.  Pour into the dry bowl and mix.  Dough will be sticky.

Use an ice cream scoop and drop in globs onto ungreased cookie sheet.  I made 20 but you could make them bigger if you wanted to.

Bake in 450º oven for 11-14 minutes. 

Enjoy

Find out about the ZOMBIES in the writing studio.

Yuppy Brownies- Feeding the Flock 23

 

Preheat oven 350º

1 box supreme chocolate chunk brownie mix (prepared the way the box says: 1 egg, 1/3 cup vegetable oil and ¼ cup water)

1/3 cup trail mix (I used Great Value Indulgent Deluxe)

1 cup mini marshmallows

½ cup coconut

Mix all ingredients together and spread into a lightly greased 9X9 cake pan.

Bake at 350º for 35 minutes.  Let cool, remove from pan, slice.

Enjoy,

Find out if Yankees are allowed over in the writing studio.

Waffles - Feeding the Flock 23

 

WAFFLE BATTER

1 cup beer sourdough starter

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

2 tbsp. baking powder

1/3 cup melted butter

2½ cups all-purpose flour

FILLING

4 oz. Jimmy Dean sausage cooked according to package instructions

2 eggs

2 tbsp. roasted red pepper cream cheese

Prepare the waffle batter.  Cook the sausage and then scramble in the eggs and cream cheese.  Place ½ cup batter in waffle maker, top with ¼ cup of egg mixture, then cover with ¼ cup more batter.  Close waffle maker and cook 8 minutes.

Using a PowerXL Stuffed Wafflizer

Makes 4 waffles.

Don't forget to find out about WAKING UP to smell the COFFEE!

Veggie (GREEN) Pork Stir-Fry - Feeding the Flock 23

14 oz. (just under 1 lb.) pork tenderloin, cubed

¼ cup flour

1½ tsp. salt

Canola cooking oil 

1 cup veggie stock

2½ cups broccoli florets

1 green pepper, chopped (I should have used red to add more color)

1 onion, peeled, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

½ cup soy sauce

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

Place the flour and salt in zip lock bag.  Add pork to the bag and shake to coat well.

In large skillet or WOK, add 2-3 tbsp. cooking oil and heat.  Add pork and cook until golden brown, stirring often. Remove pork and add more oil if needed.  Add the celery and onions and stir fry for about 2 minutes.  Add pepper and broccoli.  Stir fry a few more minutes. Add the pork, soy sauce, rice vinegar and veggie stock and cover to simmer about 5 minutes over medium to high heat.  Remove cover, stir until sauce thickens to desired consistency.

Enjoy,

  
 

Find out how to have VICTORY.

Unleavened Bread - Feeding the Flock 23

 

If you have been following a long,  you know I have been trying to come up with recipes for the sourdough starter that my friend gave me at Christmas time.  All of the recipes I could find have all included YEAST in the recipe.  Of course I've been working mine in the bread machine (because it's faster and easier). Any hoot, I did not use any yeast in these two loaves. 

SUNFLOWER SEED BREAD                                        BASIC UNLEAVENED

½ cup beer sourdough starter                                              ½ cup sourdough starter 

½ cup buttermilk                                                                 ½ cup buttermilk   

2 tbsp. grapeseed oil                                                            2 tbsp. melted butter

¼ cup brown sugar                                                              1½ tsp honey

2 cups all-purpose flour                                                       3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour                                                      1½ tsp. salt

2 tbsp. slivered almonds

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds

1½ tsp. salt

Place ingredients in bread machine in order listed. (Note there are two different loaves of bread there).  Set for the dough cycle.  Once cycle stops, remove from bread machine, create loaf and let rise 45-60 minutes.  (It will not rise much...it's unleavened).  Bake in 375º oven for 30-35 minutes.  This is a very dense bread.  I thought it was going out to the offering corner (where the wild animals feed), but I tried it as toast, and it makes really good toast.   Not one of my best recipes, but I couldn't find the Unicorn Kibbles that I wanted to make.

Enjoy,

Are you user-friendly or uncomfortable?

Tangerine Salad - Feeding the Flock 23

 

3 tangerines, peel and separated

1 apple, chopped

¾ cup vanilla yogurt

2 tbsp. cinnamon honey

1 tbsp. coconut

1 tbsp. dried cranberries

¼ tsp. poppy seed

Add the apple and tangerines in a bowl together. 

Combine the yogurt, honey and poppy seed and mix until smooth and the consistency of dressing.  

Pour over the fruit and mix.  

Sprinkle with coconut and cranberries.  

2 servings

Enjoy,

Read about what TODAY is.

Sourdough Starter - Feeding the Flock 23

 

BEER SOURDOUGH STARTER

1 cup Sam Adams Alpine lager

¾ cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. rice flour 

1 tbsp. whole wheat flour

Open bottle of beer 24 hours in advance of making dough and let it go flat.

Mix dry ingredients together.  Add beer and stir well to combine.

Cover with cheesecloth and then plastic wrap.  Let stand 24-48 hours, stirring every 12 hours. After the 48 hours, either refrigerate or feed.

It will be bubbly and smell strongly fermented.

You can find out how to "feed" and maintain your sourdough starter here.

I do not have the recipe for the white sourdough starter because it was given to me.  The recipes that I have found use a commercial dry sourdough starter (there must be a better way)!

I'm going to use my beer starter for the first time today.

Enjoy.

Don't forget to check out what's going on over at the Step in Time.

Lemon Cake - Feeding the Flock 23

 

1 cup al purpose flour

½ cup toasted chopped slivered almonds

¼ cup brown sugar

1 stick butter

1-15 oz. can crushed pineapple

2-3 oz. pkgs. lemon gelatin

1 cup boiling water

2 cups ice cubes

4 medium bananas, sliced

1 cup miniature marshmallows

½ cup sugar

2 tbsp. flour

2 eggs, beaten

1½ cups Cool Whip

1 cup coconut flakes (optional)

Drain pineapple, reserving the liquid.  In large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Stir in ice cubes, stir until melted. Let chill in refrigerator while prepping other ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350º

Mix together 1 cup flour, brown sugar, and almonds in a bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Press into greased baking dish (13"x9") and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool.

Combine pineapple juice and enough water to measure 1 cup.  In small sauce pan combine ½ cup sugar, 2 tbsp. flour and pineapple juice.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture becomes thick and bubbly. Reduce heat.  Stir a small amount of hot mixture into eggs and stir well.  Add back into sauce pan and stir and cook 2 minutes longer.  Remove from heat and cool.

Fold the bananas, marshmallows and pineapple into the chilled gelatin. Spoon over crust.  Refrigerate until firm (about 45 minutes).

Fold Cool Whip into pineapple mixture.  Spread over gelatin layer. Chill over night. Sprinkle with tinted coconut if desired. 

Okay so it's not really a cake, it's more like a lemon-nana-mallow-Jell-O treat.

Enjoy

Don't forget to check out the Letter Writing-devotional.

Irish Sourdough Soda Bread - Feeding the Flock 23

 

3 Cups flour

1¾ tsp. Kosher salt

1-1/8 tsp. baking soda

1 cup sourdough starter

1¼ cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450º

Line cast iron Dutch oven (with cover) with parchment paper. 

Whisk flour, salt and baking soda together for one minute to combine well.

Add the sourdough batter and the buttermilk together and shake well.

Pour buttermilk mixture into flour combination and using a wooden spoon stir until fully moistened.

Scrape sticky dough mixture into the prepared Dutch oven.  

Smooth with rubber spatula to make a rough boule shape.  

Score deeply with sharp knife, cutting into quarters.  

Cover and bake 45 minutes.

Remove cover and bake 15 minutes longer.

Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack for at least 30 minutes.

Enjoy.  This is great bread for brushetta. 

Cheers,

Don't forget to check out my Interpretation.

Grits Casserole - Feeding the Flock 23

 

3 cups water

1 cup stone ground grits

2 tbsp. butter

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 lb. sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

½ green bell pepper, chopped

½ red bell pepper chopped

2 eggs

½ cup milk

Preheat oven to 350º

Bring water to a boil in a medium size pot, add a little salt to it.  Add grits and cook until the water is absorbed, stirring often.  Add the butter and half of the cheese and mix in until blended.

Cook and scramble sausage in cast iron fry pan, until no longer pink.  Add onions and peppers and sautè until softened.

In medium measuring cup, or bowl, whisk the eggs and stir in the milk.

Add sausage mixture and egg mixture to the grits.  Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.  Add jalapeños (optional) for garnish if desired.

Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden.

This recipe can be made the night before and then bake 45 minutes instead of 30.  Serves 4-6.

Enjoy,

Check out the devotional.