November 22, 2024

Breakfast

November 1, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Hold the milk, put back the sugar
They are powerless to console
We’ve gathered here to sprinkle ashes
From our late friend’s cereal bowl
Breakfast Clubbers, say the motto
That he taught us to repeat:
“You will lose it in your gym class
If you wait ’til noon to eat”

Back when the Chess Club said our eggs were soft
Every Monday he’d say grace and hold our juice aloft
Oh, none of us knew his checkout time would come so soon
But before his brain stopped waving, he composed this tune

When the toast is burned
And all the milk has turned
And Captain Crunch is waving farewell
When the big one finds you
May this song remind you
That they don’t serve breakfast in hell

Breakfast clubbers, drop the hankies
Though to some our friend was odd
That day he bought those pine pajamas
His check was good with God

Those here without the Lord
How do you cope
For this morning we don’t mourn
Like those who have no hope

Oh, rise up, Fruit Loop lovers
Sing out sweet & low
With spoons held high
We bid our brother, “Cheerio!”

 Singer/Songwriters: Peter Furler, Steve Taylor along with the NewsBoys

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Breakfast is often said to be the most important meal of the day. The meal is one of many starting points for our days. Some of us eat eggs, bacon, toast, or whatever. Others eat cereal or pop tarts. It just depends on what is in the pantry and different tastes. For some people, it is their favorite meal of the day. Yet, it is not the most important thing on earth.

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked,
“Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said,
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 25:26

Men make meals. Men make things. We, as humans, come together to make wonderful things happen. Yet, we cannot do these things without God. Yet, men cannot save themselves from death. They can join groups of men, but they cannot do what God and His Son and His angels can do.

In the song, Breakfast by the Newsboys, the Breakfast Club (a group of eaters) has lost one of its members. The song illustrates that they are saying goodbye to this person, but that they know that they will see that person again because when they died they were children of God. Using the examples of the breakfast items, the song reminds us that the good things we experience here on earth will not be in hell—the choice we make when we refuse God.

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have nothing to worry about. We don’t have to worry about where we are going to spend eternity. Jesus gave His life for us so we may enjoy eternity in His glory and not in the fires of hell. We get to live with Jesus in Paradise.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for being able to choose to accept You and spend eternity with You. We know where we will be spending eternity—in Your glory. Your love has saved us, and we don’t have to worry about where we will spend eternity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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At Home with GCH: Coconut Flour Pancakes

April 12, 2013 by

coconut flour pancakes

Through my gym, I am doing a Paleo Challenge.  For 5 weeks I am cutting all processed foods out of my diet, as well as some other “irritant” foods, so no sugar, no grains, no legumes, no dairy, and no alcohol.  The goal is to eat the way our “caveman” ancestors ate, with the belief that all the chemicals and lab-created foods we eat are not good for us, and that our bodies work the way they’re supposed to when we only eat meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fats (like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado).  Just the way God created us!

Does that mean that all the “fun” foods are off limits?  No!  No grains mean no flour, no oatmeal, no corn—and that takes a lot of American food off the table.  Coconut flour, to the rescue!  This is flour made from the dried and ground flesh of the coconut.  It’s full of protein, has lots of fiber, is gluten-free, and is pretty all-around great for you.  It’s much coarser than wheat flour, so when you make these pancakes, they won’t be the cakey, smooth type you get at a diner.  These are more substantial, and they keep and reheat well.  The next day after I make them, I like to nibble on them, slathered in homemade almond butter.  Yum!

Coconut flour can be found at Whole Foods, other health food stores, and online at Amazon.  I like Bob’s Red Mill brand, but there are others out there too.  A one-pound bag will last you a while, so don’t think you’re getting cheated.  Just keep it in a Ziploc bag in your pantry, and stay tuned for more coconut flour recipes from me.  I’m in love with the stuff, and I can’t wait to share.

Coconut Flour Pancakes

(Recipe courtesy paleospirit.com)

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup coconut milk (you can use regular milk too!)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon coconut nectar (or honey, or 1 packet of stevia)
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice!)
  • coconut oil for frying (you can use cooking spray to coat a non-stick pan, too)

Directions:

  1. Beat eggs in a stand mixer (or just whisk mightily!) until frothy.  Mix in milk, vanilla, and sweetener.
  2. In a small bowl combine coconut flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Mix together.
  3. Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture and blend well so there are no lumps.
  4. Grease pan with coconut oil (my favorite!) or, if you are a using a good non-stick pan, spray with cooking spray.  (Side note:  Trader Joe’s sells both coconut oil in a jar, and coconut oil cooking spray.  Love!)  When the pan is hot, use a large tablespoon to pour out pancakes.  I make mine about 4 inches in diameter.  These are thick, and you may need to smooth them out a bit.  Cook until dry on top, just like regular pancakes, about 2 or 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another minute or so.  Serve hot!

This recipe makes 12-16 pancakes, depending on the size.  Store any leftovers in a Tupperware container in the fridge – they reheat nicely in the microwave, or eat them cold with nut butter, cream cheese, whatever you like.  My older daughter is a traditionalist and likes hers with butter and maple syrup.  My younger daughter likes her with fruit and maple syrup.  I  like them with sliced bananas, walnuts, and some flaked, unsweetened coconut on top – tastes like Hawaii.  😉

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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At Home with GCH: Vegetable Pancakes

March 8, 2013 by

Vegetable Pancakes

My Jewish friends call them “latkes” and my Korean friends call them “jeon.”  I call them veggie pancakes, and I wonder why I don’t make them more often!  Kind of like hash browns, these crispy little guys are a great way to get more vegetables in your diet.  I also like them for cleaning out my fridge and getting rid of my “singleton” vegetables – you know, that ONE zucchini in a plastic bag, or the last carrot in the sack.  Frugal, I say!

If you have a food processor with a shredder attachment, you can have this recipe mastered in minutes.  If not, you’ll have to get out the box grater and put some muscle into it.  You can experiment with a large variety of firm vegetables—roots are best—like potatoes, carrots, yams, parsnips, or turnips.  You can also mix in some softer veggies, like zucchini, and any kind of minced herbs you like.  I usually just use green onions, because I always have those on hand, but feel free to try thyme, tarragon, or very finely minced rosemary.  Top with sour cream or plain yogurt and you have a nutritious, unusual side dish that’s at home next to a salad or a steak.  These make a great breakfast, too—add eggs, bacon, and fruit, and you’re in business!

Vegetable Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 2 small potatoes (Russet or white), peeled
  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 1 smallish zucchini
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons flour, optional
  • vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

  1. In the food processor with shredder attachment, shred the potatoes, carrot and zucchini.  If you are using a box grater, use the largest holes and coarsely shred all the vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside, in a large bowl, for ten minutes.  
  2. After ten minutes, squeeze out the water accumulating in the bottom of the bowl.  This will keep your pancakes from getting soggy!  Then mix in the beaten egg – I just use my hand.  If it’s still really watery, you can add a teaspoon or two of flour.
  3. In a large non-stick pan over medium heat, add about 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil.  You aren’t deep-frying the pancakes, but you do want to make sure there’s plenty of oil, so they don’t stick to the pan.  Drop quarter-cup sized dollops of pancake mixture into the pan, and make sure they don’t touch each othe… they are hard to separate, and won’t cook evenly.  Fry for 3 to 5 minutes per side, so they are crispy and firm.  Repeat with the rest of the pancake mixture, adding more oil to the pan if necessary.  Drain on a paper bag or paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt.  Serve with sour cream.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

If you would like to contact Dana in regards to this blog, please email her at Dana@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – Biscuits & Gravy

November 13, 2012 by

Southern Breakfast with Biscuits & Gravy… mmmm mmmm good!

Today I’m sharing my recipes for biscuits and gravy, a Southern staple.  Any Southern girl who’s worth her salt has a good recipe for biscuits & gravy in her back pocket… everybody’s recipe is different and everybody thinks theirs is the best one 😉  Well I’m no different…. These are actually my dad’s recipes.  He loved to cook and had several of his own signature dishes.  Most every Saturday morning while I was growing up, I would awaken to the smell of bacon.  Mom and I would walk into the dining room to see a breakfast buffet set up on the table, including biscuits, gravy, scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage, and bacon.  He even made the hash browns from scratch!  I’m not that good, I use store-bought hash browns and I usually persuade my husband to make our scrambled eggs since his always turns out better than mine!

Let’s get started!

 

Biscuits

 

The Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour

5 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup milk

You’ll also need extra flour for your counter top and extra butter to butter the tops when they come out of the oven.

You’ll also need:

Bowl

Large spoon

Cookie sheet

Biscuit cutter or cookie cutter

 

Instructions:

First, mix the flour and butter together in a bowl, using your fingers to work the butter into the flour.  This will take a few minutes, so you can use this time to pray and thank God for butter 🙂 When it looks like little peas in the bowl, it’s done.  I have to admit, I hate getting all that mess under my fingernails, so I use a latex glove for this part.  I’m not crazy, my mother had me tested.

Next, add the milk and mix it in.  Then dump the mixture out on a floured surface and sprinkle flour on the top, then press it out with your hands until it’s about ¼ inch thick.  We like big, thick biscuits, so I leave mine thicker than this, it’s up to you.  Also, instead of messing up my counter top with all that flour, I use a very large baking sheet as my surface.  Then I can just take the baking sheet to the trash can and dump all the excess flour and eliminate all that mess on the counters!

Cut out the biscuits (you can use a cookie cutter or do what I do, I use a large drinking glass to cut them out) and place them on a cookie sheet.  No need to grease the cookie sheet, there’s plenty of butter in the biscuits to keep them from sticking.   Now you’ll notice in my photo above, one of the biscuits is quite large.  That’s what we always called the “pone”.  This happens when you get to the end of cutting out your biscuits and you have about enough dough left for one or one and a half biscuits.  Don’t bother pressing it out and cutting it again, just mash all the dough pieces up good with your fingers and flatten it out, then put it on the cookie sheet.  The pone is always the most desired biscuit of the bunch since it’s a little larger…. I always give this to my husband 🙂

Bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for about 12 minutes.  When the biscuits are finished baking, remove from oven and butter the tops.  If you make small-ish biscuits, this recipe will make 10-12.  But I like big biscuits, and I cannot lie  – (sorry I couldn’t resist!! LOL) so I only get about 6 biscuits from this recipe.  You can double it up if you want to make more.

 

Now for….

Gravy

 

The Gravy

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 ½ cups water

½ cup oil (or bacon / sausage grease if you prefer)

½ cup self-rising flour

½ teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

You’ll also need:

Bowl

10-inch skillet

Whisk

Instructions:

Before you begin, mix the milk and water in a bowl and set aside for later.  Then put the oil in your skillet and turn the burner on high.  When the oil is hot, add the flour and salt (and pepper if desired.  I always wait until it’s done to add pepper and more salt, but it’s up to you).  Stir constantly with your whisk until it’s as brown as you want.  I like brown gravy, so in order to get a good, brown gravy as my result, I have to let my flour and oil get pretty brown because after you add the milk and water, it gets a few shades lighter.  Just make sure you don’t let the flour and oil burn.  Burnt gravy doesn’t taste good, just a FYI 😉

When the flour and oil mixture have browned enough for your taste, quickly pour the milk and water mixture into the skillet and whisk rapidly.  Reduce the heat and continue stirring with your whisk to get all the lumps out.  When it gets to the thickness you want, take it off the heat.  My rule of thumb is to stick a spoon in the gravy and hold it over the skillet.  You want the gravy to cling to the spoon and slowly drip off back into the pan.  If it immediately drips off the spoon, it’s too thin.  If it clings to the spoon and doesn’t want to drip off at all, then it’s too thick and you need to add a little water to it.

Now you want to finish the rest of the fixin’s for your breakfast buffet…. Scrambled eggs, bacon (we like turkey bacon best), sausage, hash browns, or whatever else your little heart desires.  Pile it all on a plate, thank God for it, and enjoy.  I hope your family will enjoy this little taste of the South as much as mine does!

God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food!

<3 Shauna

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You can also find Shauna on her personal blog, www.workhomeplay.net.

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