A cherished book

This cook book belonged to my mother. I don't remember where she got it. (Mom you can comments and tell us.) As a child I remember her using it often. It must have gotten wet in some accident in the kitchen at some point because the pages are wrinkled in places. This just makes me love it more. My mom often used the biscuit recipe on page 13. It's the only one I use now. The book naturally opens to the page. When I married a Mennonite and he told me about these little cookie his mom made, of course I wanted to make them for him and on page 279 I found, "Pfeffernusse". This young bride had a happy husband.

Recently, in an attempt to make cheap, healthy food for my family I decided to try the very affordable cut of pork, 'the ham hock.' What's a girl to do with ham hock? I opened my cookbook and there I found a wonderful recipe for Split Pea Soup (pg 41) Because I love this recipe so much I thought I would share it with you.

1 ham hock

2 1/2 quarts water

2 1/2 cups split peas

1 large onion

3 medium carrots

Salt and pepper

Cook ham hock and peas together slowly for about 3 hours. Dice onions and carrots and add 30 minutes before severing. Season.

It's that easy! I added celery and cooked it longer that 3 hours because I started with a frozen ham hock. I also added the meat off the bone (its not that much) back into the soup. Mine is really thick after cooling and I like it like that. But if you didn't want it really thick just don't cook it till it gets to that point. And if you do just add water when you are reheating the leftovers! Yummy, easy, healthy, affordable soup. What more could you ask for.

At the end of the book the author has included a little jewel.

"Food for a Barn Raising" This list was found in an olds handwritten recipe book.

115 lemon pie

500 fat cakes (doughnuts)

15 large cakes

3 gallons applesauce

3 gallons rice pudding

16 chickens

3 hams

50 pounds roast beef

300 light rolls

16 loaves bread

Red beet pickles, pickles eggs, cucumber pickles

6 pounds dried prunes, stewed

1 large crock stewed raisins

5 gallon stone jar white potatoes and the same amount of sweet potatoes

Enough for 175 men.

Wow!!!! That must have taken quite the cook force. Talk about team work.

So there you have it- my favorite cookbook. Maybe one day I'll have the privilege of giving it to Grace...if she wants it...if not...I'll keep it!!!!

blessings

The Jungle Book

I was putting some books away today. I picked up "The Jungle Book" and flipped through it. The book opened to the story " Toomai of the Elephants". This is the poem the story begins with.

I will remember what I was. I am sick of ropes and chains.
I will remember my old strength and all my forest affairs.
I will not sell my back to man for a bundle of sugar-cane,
I will go out to my own kind, and the wood-folk in their lairs.

I will go out until the day, until the morning break,
Out to the winds' untainted kiss, the waters' clean caress:
I will forget my ankle-ring and snap my picket-stake.
I will revisit my lost loves, and playmates masterless!

I was moved by this short poem. I was a nice moment in my day, amid all the folding, cooking, disciplining, bum wiping, nursing and so on.

Shake Hands With the Devil

I am currently reading L.Gen. Romeo Dallaire's account of the genocide in Rawanda. I had read a book earlier this year which was a personal account of the genocide. I of course was moved by the story and became interested in learning more about what could have caused and allowed such a massacre to occur.
Dallaire's account is lengthy. There are times that I skim pages as he details all the politics and work that went into even getting a small force of Peacekeepers into Rawanda. I have to admit I love a story, so when the book become more detailed history I getting a little bored. The endless names and ranks are confusing. Not to say that this is unneeded. I'm sure there are lots of people who understand and I feel as though this book is Dallaire's account to the nation and the world for his actions and the events that unfolded.
Having a family member in the Armed Forces, I am very interested in the way his mind works as a soldier, the affects his work had on his family, his honesty about his failings to the job and his family, and the affects the genocide had on his mental health. He is very candied about his pride and ignorance going into the mission. It was his first mission overseas and he was still quite young.
In the introduction he describes a scene in which he and his patrol meet a lone boy standing in the road. The stop the truck look for his parents in the forest surrounding them and can not locate anyone who is caring for this child. (This is well into the genocide.) The boy runs into a house near by and they follow him. Inside the boy sits down beside his dead mother. The rest of his family is lies dead there too. Dallaire takes the child out of the house and he clings to him. I quote, " I made up my mind: this boy would be the fourth child in the Dallaire family. I couldn't save Rwanda, but I could save this child." I think this situation is a good example of his compassion and utter need to do something about all the destruction and death he sees around him. Who would not want to take this child to safety and give them a home? His humanity compels him to save this child. O fcourse the story ends with the child running off into the forest never to be seen again.
I"m not quite done the book yet. I'm sure once I'm into the account of the genocide I'll have more to write about.
blessings

Blueberry blue

Today Grace wanted frozen blueberries after lunch for dessert. The result...blue (purply-blue) face and hands. What a kid.


This is my kitchen almost any time during the day. Morning till night. Elijah especially really loves drawing, cutting, gluing, stringing beads, sticking fun foam on paper, etc... I'm really happy that he can entertain himself like that, and that he's getting really creative, but my house is so small and my kitchen therefore is small and he rarely remembers to put away the mess (being a 5 year old this comes naturally). I'm trying really hard to love him through this. I guess I just got to keep reminding him..."honey, can you put it away now?" Ah, the life of a mother!

I had to add this one. Elijah and Ian are smiling so nicely. And then there is Grace. She looks like she's half monkey. This photo is reflective of her diverse colourful character. What's not to love? This picture sums up my kids so beautifully!
blessings
Amie

Betsie ten Boon

In the final year of the first world war, when food was scares and hope thin corrie remembers Bestie saying to the family,
" It is going to be a harder winter than we have ever had before. We must show through our joy the worth of being a Christian. We should already be doing this, because seeing the dark clouds approaching is often harder than being covered by them."
In the second world war, the the sisters had been taken as prisoners for hiding Jews. At the concentration camp before she went to be with Christ, in that dark place, she knew the love of Christ, and not only that but wanted others to know it as well.
"We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still"

Oh that my faith would rest so in Christ.

Blessings

Currently reading...

Jonathan gave me a read through the bible in the year Bible. It is divided into daily readings which include Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, and New Testament. It is very easy and enjoyable. I like how my reading for the day is right there and no flipping around is necessary. I have been excited each day to come to the Word. I am hopeful that I will be able to read the whole bible this year.

I am also reading "Life Lessons from the Hiding Place. Discovering the Heart of Corrie Ten Boom." I stole this one from my parents book shelf when we were there visiting this Christmas. Besides the wisdom and beauty of Corrie that is so inspiring, I am finding all the information on Holland very interesting. My Grandfather immagrated to Canada from Holland. I have always been disappointed not to learn more from him about this place from which our family comes. It sounds like a beautiful country with strong, resourceful people.
I'll leave you with a quote that caught my attention last night. " We never know how God will answer our prayers, but we can expect that He will get us involved in His plan for the answers. If we are true intercessors, we must be ready to take part in God's work on behalf of the people for whom we pray." Pg. 38
Blessings

Sick

Not feeling really well today. The kids and I didn't go to church today. Jon had to go because he was leading the service. I thought about it but as the time grow closer and I still needed a shower I decided I wasn't going to make it. I feel achy and tired. Jon let me have a nap this afternoon. I slept for two hours. I felt a bit better after that. It's a little after 9:00pm and I'm wasted. I'm heading to bed. Ian hasn't been sleeping well, so who knows how much I'll be awake tonight. I can't figure out what's wrong with him. Teething, growth spurt, the tea I'm drinking. I guess I'll never know.
Off to bed.