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 

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.

X-treme Chicken - Feeding the Flock 23

2-3 chicken leg quarters (preferably thawed but mine were partially frozen)

16 oz. Brussels sprouts (I used frozen that I got at IGA marked down for $1)

3-4 tbsp. XTREMELY hot hot sauce (we got this hot sauce from Palmetto State Armory...it is so HOT)

1-2 tbsp. olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

This was so easy.  A wing ding of a meal and Tall Cool ☺ne loved it.  Even the  cat loved the chicken (he's a junk food junky and eats everything cuz he thinks he's a dog).

Preheat oven 350º

Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Salt and pepper both sides.  Place on baking sheet.  Spread hot sauce over the chicken generously.  Bake for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and drain off greasy liquid.  Spread Brussel sprouts around the chicken and drizzle them with olive oil and a little pinch of Kosher salt.  Feel free to add more hot sauce to the chicken if you like it XTRA XTREMELY hot. 

Bake another 20-30 minutes and remove from oven.  Place aluminum foil over to keep warm until ready to serve.  It's best if it sits at least 15 minutes after removing from oven to incorporate all of the flavors.  With the olive oil and hot sauce, the Brussel sprouts did not need any other seasoning.

Enjoy.

Check out my X-Ray Vision over at Crackerberries

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?

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.

Diet Soup - Feeding the Flock 23

 

2 stalks celery

4 small carrots

1 onion

2 banana peppers

½ head cabbage

8 oz. pkg. sliced mushrooms*

48 oz. vegetable broth

14.5 oz. can tomatoes

15 oz. can of tomato sauce

1 tbsp. thyme

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

2-3 tbsp. hot sauce

¼ cup rice vinegar

Combine all ingredients in crock pot in order listed * with the exception of the mushrooms.  Cook on high 3 hours.  Add mushrooms and stir.  Continue to cook on med/low heat for 3-4 more hours.  

Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh greens.

Enjoy!

Don't forget to check out the devotional.