Monday, October 27, 2008

Apple Recipes



Crock Pot Applesauce

Ingredients: 10 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced or cut into chunks
1/2 cup of water
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup to 1 cup of sugar

Directions: Put all ingredients into crock pot. Should be about 3/4 full. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or on high (3-4 hours)



 Apple Pie

prep time: 25 mins
cook time: 55 mins
ready in: 1 hour 20 mins

Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt 
3/4 cup shortening
4 tablespoons cold water

Filling:
7 cups thinly sliced peeled baking apples ( Gala works great!)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Directions: 1. In a bowl, combine flour salt; cut in shortening. Gradually add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly with a fork until dough forms a ball. Chill for 30 minutes. On a floured surface, roll half of dough into 10-in. circle. Place into a 9-in. pie pan.

2. In a bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, slat and nutmeg; add to apples and toss. Pour into crust; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie;  cut slits in top. Place over filling; seal and flute edges. Beat egg yolk and water; brush over pastry. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. ( Be sure to cover the edges of your pie crust with some foil to prevent it from burning)
Reduce heat to 350 degrees F;  bake 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

Tip: If you are in a hurry and don't have much time, I bought the store brand pie crust for $1 at Aldi and used it with this recipe. It turned out fabulous.


Monday, October 20, 2008

Bring on the apple pickin' =)












Today we went to Sky Top orchard in North Carolina and picked a peck of apples. =) Emma loved grabbing the half-rotten ones off the ground and mixing them in our bucket. But don't worry we threw them out before they got overlooked. 
I personally, have never been apple picking before so it was a fun first experience. It was kind of chilly but after we were done bagging up our apples we stood in line for some warm homemade apple cider doughnuts. mmmmmmmm....they were soooooo good!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Emma's Barnyard Birthday



























We had Emma's party at Herdklotz park last Saturday. The weather turned out beautiful although a bit windy. We were worried our cardboard barn would blow down but it waited until everyone had left and then toppled over. =) It was neat to see how much more Emma's enjoyed her birthday this year. Tissue paper and cupcakes were two of her favorite things, ha! 
I want to thank my friend Kim Rackley for making the awesome cake farm. It was super cute!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Long-awaited pictures for Grandma!! =)




Chase got Emma an early birthday present yesterday. He went out and bought a Tony Romo football jersey for her. We put it on her last night for Monday night football and she loved it! She ran around the living room falling on the floor like 'real' football players, then she would lift her arms in the air and we'd shout, touchdown! =) 

Monday, October 6, 2008

Showing Compassion


"There was a railroad running through the town, Grove City, where Fran [Edith's husband, Francis Shaeffer] was pastor after he graduated from Seminary. Often hobos or tramps--rather derelict-looking older men, unshaven and ragged of clothing, who traveled by riding on the bottom of freight cars, or hidden inside an empty one--came to our back door asking, "Cup of coffee, ma'am, and maybe some bread?" 
"Wait a minute," I'd reply, "just sit down there, I'll fix you something." It was too dangerous to invite such a stranger in, alone with small children; but I would have been wrong to send him away. I would get out a tray, put the kettle on, and look in the fridge for some left-over soup. Into a small pan would go the soup, with the gas on under it. I would cut bread, enough for two big sandwiches (not too thin, he'll be hungry) and wonder what sort of a home he had had when he was a little boy--and wonder who he is, or whether maybe he is an angel in disguise!.... A diagonal cut through the first sandwich showed red tomato and green lettuce attractively displayed in the slash. The walnuts crunched as the knife went diagonally through the second sandwich. Alternating these four triangles on a lovely dinner plate came next, with pickle trim on one, and parsley on the other. Now for the steaming hot soup left over from our lunch. I would put a good bowl of this on the tray, and the children would help me fix a tiny bouquet of flowers nested in an ivy leaf. 
"What'll he think of all that, Mummy?" Priscilla would ask with big, wondering eyes.
"Well, perhaps he'll remember something in his past--perhaps he had a very nice home once, where he had meals prepared for him. Anyway, he'll stop and think, and we'll give him this little Gospel of John to read while he is eating. He can take it away with him and, who knows, perhaps he'll do a lot of thinking, and some day, believe. Anyway, he may realize we care something about him as a person, and that's important."
Priscilla would hold the screen door open as I took it out, and watch his surprised face as he saw the tray.
"For me? Is this for me?"
"Yes, and the coffee will be ready in a minute, eat the soup first. This Gospel is for you, too. Take it with you. It really is very important."
All this for a tramp? Flower arrangements for a tramp on a rainy day? Why? Is it worth it? Is it just romantic? Does he even notice? If the Bible is true, this is the way to be doing something "unto Jesus", and at times perhaps to entertain an angel."
"What a waste of time!" some might remark. But the 'waste' is what brings forth the most amazing results, many of which are hidden from us in this life." (Taken from Hidden Art by Edith Schaeffer)

This morning several missionaries taught different classes at our church. I went to a class entitled 'Compassion' and it was very thought provoking and also a blessing. It was a reminder to me to slow down and see other people around me and their needs. I learned that I need to focus especially on their need of a Saviour. Often I can be selfish and unwilling to be 'bothered'. However, Jesus himself performed miracles and helped others when he was tired and hungry. He did not care about his personal comfort.  We should strive to see people through the eyes of Christ with compassion.

"Compassion : Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it." 
The American Heritage College dictionary

" But when he (Jesus) saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because, they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." Matthew 9:36