Blueberry Almond Oatmeal Bake

There is a snow storm coming, which means I want warm, yummy food. I also have some milk that needs used up before it goes bad. So, with those two motivators combined, I came up with this recipe. It doesn't take a lot to get me thinking about food or what I could cook. Since it is also the weekend, this is great cause we can just warm it up the next day for breakfast. It is quick and easy to throw together, and makes a good nutritious breakfast, or lunch, or dinner if you want.

Step by step instructions with pictures.

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 2.5 quart baking dish. 
2. Whisk 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and 1/2 tsp. almond flavoring together.
    
   Then whisk in 4 cups milk (I used skim) until all is combined.
   It should look nice and frothy.
3. Add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 2 Tbs. honey. Whisk together with milk mixture. 
   
4. Add 2 cups of old fashioned oats.
   
   Give it a quick stir. Pour all of the mixture into the greased baking dish. All the oats will sort of pile up where you pour it in, just make sure they get spread out and evenly distributed.
5. Sprinkle 1 cup of blueberries and 1/4 cup slivered almonds over the top of the oatmeal mixture. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. I used frozen cause that is what I had on hand.
   
   
6. This step is completely optional, but I also sprinkled 3 Tbs. of honey crunch wheat germ on top of everything. Just to give it a touch more of goodness. 
   
7. Pop it in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or so. When it is done most of the liquid should be absorbed and the oats should be cooked completely. if there is still a little liquid that is ok, it will absorb while it cools.
   
   Let it cool for a few minutes and enjoy. Store any leftovers in the fridge to eat later.
   
   
   Here is the recipe all nice and neat. 

The Kitchn Cookbook -- book review

My latest cookbook to take a look through, and actually read thoroughly is The Kitchen Cookbook. This cookbook is by Sara KateGillingham and Faith Durand. These ladies run a popular website with the same name, The Kitchn. The Kitchn website is a sister site to the popular all things home site Apartment Therapy. You may be familiar with both of these sites from their ever popular pins on Pinterest.

The Kitchn Cookbook isn’t just a cookbook though. Actually only a little less than half of the book is comprised of recipes. The rest of the book is comprised of all things kitchen relates; how to organize, helpful food prep tips, guide on basic cooking terms and how to do them, tours of several real kitchens, and much more. So, if you are looking for a good, lot of recipes cookbook this may not be quite what you are looking for. Now, if you love cooking, the kitchen is a central part of your home, or you love all things kitchen related, then this book you would probably enjoy. This would also may a good gift book for someone just starting out on their own in their own place, just getting married, graduating college, or buying their first home.

For me personally, this isn’t a cookbook that I think I would turn to often to find a recipe or get some food inspiration. I might also mention that many of the recipes in the book can also be found on Pinterest. With that said though, The Kitchn is an interesting read with a lot of good information in it. Also a plus is that all the kitchen tours featured in the book are of real kitchens that people really use, not just staged kitchens that aren’t even used. Thus said, the pictures in the book look real, not staged. This is a nice touch that makes this book a little different from a lot of other cookbooks. One of the things that I also liked about the book was these little sections called Dana’s Meditation. Dana’s Meditations are little beautifully written bits about the kitchen or cooking. One last note, the recipes are simple and truly easy to follow. In fact all of the book is simply written and quiet readable.   

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Deborah & Jael

Since both Deborah and Jael are mighty warrior women of the Bible and their stories are part of the same larger story, might as well study them together. Their story begins something like this. The Israelites were ruled by a series of Judges for many years. The Israelites also kept repeating the same cycle of doing well with God and then “the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Judges 4:1, and many other places in Judges.) It was a vicious sin cycle that they were caught in. Deborah was ruling as judge of the land at one of those times when the people had turned away from God. Deborah herself was a righteous, Godly woman. The Israelites, because of their wickedness, had been oppressed by a king of Canaan for something like twenty years. They were especially afraid of the commander of the king’s army, Sisera.

So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin, a king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim. Because he had nine hundred iron chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help. Judges 4:2, 3

The Israelites had good reason to be afraid of Sisera, he was a bad dude.

Deborah knew that it was time to take on Sisera. To do this, she enlisted a man by the name of Barak. She gave him the message that God had given to her for what to do.

“The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”  Judges 4:6, 7

Barak said that he would go, but only if Deborah would go with him. Now when I read this it seems a bit strange. Why would Barak need Deborah, a woman, to go with him into battle? It wasn’t common practice at that time for woman to fight in battles alongside the men. I read a few commentaries on this and they seemed to reference the fact that since at the time Deborah was the Judge and leader of the land, Barak would want her with him. Another commentary put it sort of in this way; Barak didn’t want to go where Deborah was not willing to go herself. It would be like when a friend dares you to do something, and you say, “Ok, I’ll do it if you do it with me.” Deborah agreed to go with Barak into battle. She warned him that it would cost him the honor of victory, instead that would go to a woman (Judges 4:9.)

During the battle, Sisera managed to escape by foot. He ran right into the tent of Jael. She welcomed him in.

Sisera, however, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there were friendly relations between Jabin king of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite. Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come, my lord, come right in. Don’t be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she put a covering over him. Judges 4:17, 18

Sisera was tired and thirsty from having been on the run. Jael took him in, gave him a place to lay down to rest, and a drink of milk. This would be when Jael steps into the role of a mighty warrior woman.

But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died. Judges 4:21

Jael was a woman not to be messed with. I bet her husband didn’t want to get on her bad side after this incident. I can only imagine the amount of force it would take to put a peg through someone’s head. Because of what Jael did, the words of Deborah came to pass in that Barak wasn’t the one to get the credit for conquering Sisera.

Barak came in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. “Come,” she said, “I will show you the man you’re looking for.” So he went with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple – dead. Judges 4:22

The death of Sisera was also a key in the Israelites becoming stronger over the Canaanites. Without Deborah and Jael this may not have happened. They were both honored in Judges 5 in the Song of Deborah. Both of these women were honored in their land for their heroic deeds and Godly character. 

Rahab

When Joshua, along with the Israelites was going to take the city of Jericho they had some help from an unlikely source. Her name was Rahab, and she was a prostitute. Not exactly the first type of person who comes to mind when you think of those God would use to accomplish His mission. When you look at the story, Rahab was the right person to play a part in the defeat of Jericho.

Two men were sent out from the Israelites to spy out the land.

So they went and entered the house of a prostitute names Rahab and stayed there.  Joshua 2:1b

When you think about it, it makes sense that the men would go to a prostitute’s house as a safe place to hide out. Since Rahab was a prostitute it wouldn’t be an odd thing if men, whom she didn’t know, were going into her house. The king of Jericho quickly found out that spies were in his land, and he knew they had gone to Rahab’s house. Rather than give these spies up, Rahab chose to protect them. She hid them on the rooftop until the coast was clear for their escape. Rahab risked her own safety to protect these men because she knew that the land was to be theirs.

Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.  Joshua 2:8-10

All the people of Jericho knew the reputation the Israelites had. The Israelites were conquering lands right and left, and they could be next. Rahab could have been faithful to her country, but she recognized the true God that was with the Israelites.

When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD you God is God in heaven above and on earth below.  Joshua 2:11

Rahab knew that the Israelites would be successful in conquering Jericho. She made the choice to turn from her ways and acknowledge their God, the true God.

Rahab took a risk in protecting the Israelite spies in order to protect not only herself, but also her family for the time when the Israelites would defeat the city. The spies agreed to this protection.

“Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land.” Joshua 2:14

They devised a plan to signify where she and her family would be so they could protect her. A scarlet cord was to be tied in the window that the men used to escape from. All of Rahab’s family was to be gathered in her home for protection. The acts of Rahab literally saved her whole family.

The day came when Joshua led the Israelites to Jericho to take over the city. It must have taken faith for Rahab to believe that she and her family would be saved because of an oath she had made with the spies.

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.  Hebrews 11:31

Because Rahab’s home was in the city wall, they would have seen the army marching around the city day after day. The faith that Rahab had must have been tested. When the walls of the city came down, her faith paid off for her and her family.

Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to ber. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. Joshua 6:22, 23

Rahab and her family were saved, but at the same time they lost everything they had and their homes. Everyone else in the city was killed. They would have been left with nothing, but their lives.

But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho – and she lives among the Israelites to this day.  Joshua 6:25

Rahab not only ended up living among the Israelites and serving their God, she married into the Israelites as well. Rahab married Salmon and became the mother of Boaz.

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose    mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.  Matthew 1:5, 6a

This is significant because it means Rahab is in the genealogy of Jesus. Rahab went from being a prostitute to being a significant person in Christian history. Rahab was remembered among the Jews for what she did. James says of her, “In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?” (James 2:25.) Now that is a transformation and redemption story.

For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.  Joshua 2:11b

One Pot of Yumminess - book review

I seem to have a slowly growing collection of cookbooks. One Pot, the newest book from The Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living, is one that I am happy to add to that collection. This is a cookbook that I don’t want to simply review and then pass on cause I will never use it, this one will (actually already has been) be used.

One Pot is composed of over 120 different recipes that are divided into categories by what they are cooked in. You have crock-pots, dutch ovens, skillets, baking pans, and more. Here in lies one drawback of the book, they don’t include any suggestions of how to switch up the cooking method for any of the recipes. Let’s say you want to take a crock pot meal and cook it in the oven instead because you don’t have a crock pot, there are no tips or instructions for how to do this. For people who have some experience cooking this may not be a problem, but for a beginner it could be a frustration. Now, there are lots of other helpful tips throughout the cookbook. Some are things like cooking tips, ways to simplify the process, and a guide on the type of cooking vessel at the beginning of each section.  

Most of the recipes in One Pot are pretty simple and easy to follow. Also, there is a picture of every recipe in the book. I love this! We eat with our eyes first you know. I like to be able to see what the end product is suppose to look like and I am more likely to try a recipe that I can see a picture of. The pictures are all beautifully done. I also have to mention that there is a wide variety of recipes that are included. Included are traditional American recipes and lots of International cuisine. Another note about the recipes is that they are designed to use just one pot, thus the name. Some may require a mixing bowl too, but who doesn’t love foods that require less dishes and less clean-up. I am a big fan of yummy recipes that don’t require using several dishes.

So far I have tried two of the recipes in the cookbook, the Skillet Chocolate-Chip Cookie

 (mine) 

 (their's)

 and the Chicken and Dumplings.

Both were fantastic! In fact, I may need to make the Chocolate-Chip Cookie again very soon. I plan to try out another recipe today, the Mexican-Style Lasagna.

I’m sure I will keep using One Pot for a long time to come.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Cookbook Giveaway!

Blogging for Books (which is who I receive free books to review from) and Read it Forward have partnered together to give away 5 copies of Sweet from the editors of Food Network Magazine. 

If you have every looked through a Food Network Magazine, you will know that it is full of delicious recipes. I'm sure this cookbook is no different. Not to mention it is fully devoted to sweet treats. Who doesn't love a little bit (or a lot) of sweetness in their life every now and then. To enter, follow the link here. Simple as that.  

Economics, Politics, and Religion, Oh My! Godonomics - book review

In Godonomics, Chad Hovind digs into what many would consider subjects that shouldn’t be combined: economics, politics, and religion. From a biblical perspective all of those things should go together. Hovind isn’t afraid to broach these topics. In this book he takes a look at several different economists and philosophers that have impact the economics of our country. Each section of the book is devoted to a look at a different person of economic influence. Hovind then reflects on the economic philosophy of each person, how they have had an impact on America’s economics, and what a biblical response to them would be. It isn’t until the last section of the Godonomics that he focuses solely on what God’s Word says about how to handle your own finances and what you can do to affect the American economy.

Godonomics is more of a look at economic philosophy than it is a guide to managing your finances according to the Bible. So, if you are looking for more of a Dave Ramsey esque book, this isn’t it. In fact, the only part of the book that is really a personal financial guide is the last section and the short discussion guide that has been included in the back. Throughout the books there are Biblical truths of finance that are brought up, mainly in opposition the philosophy of whoever is being discussed. Then there might be some more discussion of that Biblical truth for a bit, but that isn’t what the book is mainly comprised of. I thought that there would be more Scriptural references and more discussion of the biblical principles of finance. Godonomics includes those things, but not as much as it could have.  

If you are interested in economic, or want to take a look at America’s economics through a biblical perspective, then this would be a good read for that. Chad Hovind may be a pastor, but clearly he has done his research on this topic. That fact that this is something that is very important to him shows in the writing. Don’t let the fact that it is about economics and philosophy scare you away from reading it. I am generally not a reader of either of those subjects and I was able to follow along with the book just fine.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.