"Come away with me for a while. The world, with its nonstop demands, can be put on hold. Most people put Me on hold, rationalizing that someday they will find time to focus on Me. But the longer people push Me into the background of their lives, the harder it is for them to find Me. You live among people who glorify busyness; they have made time a tyrant that controls their lives. Even those who know Me as Savior tend to march to the tempo of the world. They have bought into the illusion that more is always better: more meetings, more programs, more activity. I have called you to follow Me on a solitary path, making time alone with Me your highest priority and deepest Joy. It is a pathway largely unappreciated and often despised. However, you have chosen the better thing, which will never be taken away from you. Moreover, as you walk close to Me, I can bless others through you.
Song of Songs 2:13; Luke 10:42"
This passage really resonated me - the queen of the perpetual to-do list. Pursuing the Lord is the most important thing that we could ever do...but do our daily lives reflect that? It's can be tough to answer that honestly but it definitely made me open my eyes to the truth and strive to bring the Lord into brighter focus while pushing that silly to-do list further and further into the background. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24.
Despite all the craziness, I did manage to find a couple new recipes to share. Both are delicious, easy, and oh-so comforting. (Speaking of comfort food, James and I decided recently that we would eat healthy in the few weeks before our trip since we'll be on the beach and all....yeah, too bad we've been eating our endless supply of first-anniversary-wedding cake every.single.night. Yay for sarongs and cover-ups!)
Three Cheese Baked Ziti
Baked ziti:
4 cups cooked pasta, penne or ziti
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
2 cups marinara sauce, preferably homemade (recipe below)
*I went for the homemade...Oh my goodness...I'm going to keep this recipe forever! It's SO good and SO worth it!
1 cup grated mozzarella, divided
1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, ricotta, marinara sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan. Stir to mix well.
3. Pour into a greased casserole dish, or individual ramekins, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted. Best when eaten immediately.
Marinara sauce:
(makes 4 cups)
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz can crushed or ground, peeled tomatoes
1 5-6 oz can tomato paste
1 Tbsp dried oregano
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan completely.
2. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, until browned. Lower the heat if they begin to burn. The more color that develops on the onion and garlic, the more flavor they'll add to the finished sauce.
3. Once the onions and garlic are tender and caramel in color, add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
4. Add the remaining ingredients (oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper), stir, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Lower the heat to the lowest setting, cover and let cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Chicken Pot Pie: Deconstructed
(The original recipe made 8 servings. I halved it so some of the measurements are a little funky)
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/4 sliced celery (I didn't have this on hand so I just did more peas and carrots)
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp butter
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp chopped onion (I also added more onion to make up for the celery, plus I just chopped too much and didn't want to waste it ha!)
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp celery seed (didn't have on hand....you can tell I really plan ahead for my meals....)
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp chicken broth
1/3 cup milk
**I made little biscuits to serve alongside the chicken pot pie, rather than baking it in a pie crust, hence the "deconstructed". They were good but to be honest, next time I'd probably just use the can of yummy, flaky biscuits. My biscuit-making has some room for improvement :)
1. In a saucepan, combine the chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
2. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick.
3. Add chicken and veggie mixture to sauce and let simmer together for a few minutes to let all the flavors come together.
4. Serve with biscuits and enjoy!
This sauce is so thick and creamy, you will need to resist the urge to lick your bowl. Of course if no one's looking.....:)
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