No kid hungry

I recently came across an E mail (not sent on purpose, and forwarded by someone that I don't even know) that started with the question, "Can someone please tell me what the hell is wrong with the people who run our country???" Now I know this question is probably meant for those who are in the government and political system of America, but, even those people are part of our population who have the opportunity to give and donate and assist those who are in more need than those of us who have more to give.

It proceeded to rant about the fact that America gives millions and millions of dollars to other countries in need, and yet whoever originally started this "chain" e mail obviously felt like people in America aren't doing enough to help their own, and we need to stop giving to other countries and help "US" first......

I felt a couple of things after reading this E mail. Mostly a bit of disgust, ok actually a lot, that this was even started in the first place. America has an overwhelming abundance of "stuff", and ecomically speaking, we are more wealthy than any of the struggling countries who have been hit by natural disaster this last year. We are a county that at least HAS the ability to set up a system that allows disabled elderly, veterans, and others who are unable to work an ongoing income to be able to live off of for the rest of their lives. So, so SO many other countries don't even have that option. They have dirt, living in a "tent house" made with a rope and a piece of bedding.

And, I also don't believe it's ok to stop giving to a country just because they happen to have one of the worst terrorists alive living there. Should the rest of the country be punished for that? I would say no. For what we do to the least of us, we have also done unto Jesus. We ought to be giving, because we have way more to give to others than a lot of other countries have even for themselves.

But, I do not skip that fact that even in America, we have poor, starving and struggling people, children, elderly, veterans, etc., who go without food and often shelter, though there may be available resources to help them. I have pondered why, in all the abundance, people don't have food to eat, a place to live, water to drink. Is it lack of knowledge of where to find these resources? Do they feel humiliated at the thought of walking into the Salvation Army and receiving something they themselves have not worked for to earn? Is their pride getting in the way?
We all make choices, but whether or not it is our place to judge those who are in need and why they have gotten to the place where they are needy, I believe is not our place to go. God just calls us to give and have compassion, and those who live out the consequences for the choices they have made to get them to where they are in life, well, that is between them and God, if they so choose to believe in Him.

I write this to say, as a response to whoever decided to write that not-so-nice E mail about America needing to help their own more, that if you were to just merely google the words "giving in America", you will find multiple ways we as Americans find ways to give to those in our country who are in need.

Luckily, I didn't even have to do that. While looking at the most recent post from my trusted Gluten Free blogger Shauna Ahern from http://www.glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/ , she posted about this

To know that 1 in 4 children go to bed hungry in America is astonishing. Why? Because I truthfully feel that living in America, we have way more resources financially to prevent this from happening, or at least lessen the burden.
But, to know that something like this exsists, for me, is a punch in the face to whoever started that silly little E mail, and I say to you, " Nothing is wrong with us, sir/ma'am, how are you finding a way to give to those in need in your own country, instead of merely complaining about it in an E mail with no action?"

Spice up your life

Last night, I made my 3rd and final new gluten free recipe for December! I knew that since I was not going to be baking much after this week, I had to get them in before the weekend. I will probably do some cooking while visiting with Chas' parents for the holidays, but, probably nothing super hard and most likely nothing new.

The Jerk Chicken was tasty! Even though I wasn't feeling super great last night (hoping I am not coming down with something), it still had a nice spice flavor complimented with the brown sugar and the mango/black bean salad. You can check out the recipe on the food blog that I contribute to http://recipeco-op.blogspot.com/

But, I also wanted to try something else that I had not yet made since going gluten free. Actually, I don't think I have EVER made my own snicker doodles before. So, I guess this is a first in many ways!


Anyway, I stumbled across a tasty looking snicker doodle recipe on the GF blog I follow the most, www.glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com, and she had posted two ways to make the cookies. I ended up trying both, because I was curious as to the difference between using a pre-mixed all purpose GF flour and mixing the individual flour ingredients yourself. Truth be told, the cookies that were made with the individual flours turned out waaaaaay better. More fluffy, not hard, but just crispy enough on the edges to want to eat 3, or 4. Or 6. I made the second batch for the Washington Heights pot luck that Chas and I went to on Sunday, and I am sure no one even knew that they were gluten free, since by the time we got through the line to the dessert table, they were all gone.


I am just glad to know that I have one more victory to add to my list of tasty gluten free receipes.

In the world, not of it

Sometimes, the heart of human fate creates a debacle....

What is a debacle, you might ask?

A sudden downfall, or disasterous fallout.

That's what sin is, a debacle. Otherwise known as a ludicrous failure.

Sin is a part of who we are, but not what defines us. I believe.

I know my heart, and what is in it. But, more importantly, God knows all the depths of my heart, and why I do the things I do. And sometimes, why I don't.

Why I have an internal and deep down desire for positive reinforcement, to be noticed, to be liked.
Why when I don't get that reinforcement I tend to start blaming others that they aren't doing enough, instead of looking at myself thinking, do more for them, dummy.

There are simple things in life that make me happy. Sharing my thoughts and goals and things I want to be held accountable for and having people actually acknowldge that I am opening up myself enough to even share those things in the first place, makes me happy.
The why behind that, though, is a very complicated and deep rooted issue from the way that I was raised.

I place no blame on those who simply take a gander at my readings, and then continue to pass on by.

But, just for the sake of my sanity, if you do desire to keep on reading the knowings of what is going on in this petty little tiny seed of life that I tend to live in every day, please, just make a comment.

Thank you from the bottom of this sinful debacled heart.

The things you miss

When you miss oatmeal, you are thankful for companies like Bob's Red Mill for Certified Gluten Free Oats.

When you miss pancakes, you are thankful for people like Shauna Ahern who learn how to make things like oatmeal pancakes that are so delicious, even someone who doesn't have to eat gluten free like them. More like, love them.

These pancakes will definitely become a staple in our home for weekends to come. That blueberry compote, soooo good with this little tasty morning breakfast treat.

Find the recipe here if you are interested in trying it.

(Side note: I have yet to buy actual oat flour. I have just been using my handy little food processor to make the oats into oat flour...it really works well)

Two recipes down, one more for December to go. Next up, Jamaican Jerk Chicken.

A staple for Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, Chas and I did a few things that were pretty traditional, and we also did something not so traditional.
I don't know many people who make home made sushi for Thanksgiving, but that's what we decided to do.
It's all about being different for him. Plus, I really like sushi, a lot.
Of course, I had to try out my pumpkin pie recipe as part of the three gluten free recipes that I will be making in the next month. This crust was a little different than one that I tried a couple of years ago, mostly and only because it contains a couple other flours that I hadn't used before. Lucky for me I had just enough almond flour left, and Good Earth thankfully carries Teff flour. Notice all those flours I started with on the counter.....
And then, on to mixing the sandy dough....I learned a neat trick for adding in the butter to the flours too, thanks to www.glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com . She recommended that the butter be frozen and grated into the dough. I tried it and it worked really well.

The ball of dough ready to be rolled out and of course the most tasteful part of the pie, the filling.....Thanks to the side of a Libby's pure pumpkin can.
And, the finished product! It turned out really good, for my taste. Chas liked it too, so I would say overall it was a success.
Thanksgiving would not be complete for me without deviled eggs. I will tell you a family secret, in case you ever decide to try it, or maybe have already. I think deviled eggs taste the best with dill pickle juice added to the mix. Just sayin.
And now, onto the sushi rolls. We didn't want to get too crazy, so we decided to go with a salmon roll with cream cheese and cucumber in the middle and a little bit of spicy mayo on top. Check them out, I think they turned out pretty darn good.
Chas cutting up his outside salmon roll. I decided to roll mine on the inside with a few very small slivers of lemon in them.
And here's all three of our sushi rolls. We made a spicy california too with crab meat and some mayo and Sriracha mixed together, one of Chas' personal favorites, besides the wasabi.
And here is our table for two Thanksgiving spread. We ate every last piece of the sushi, didn't get sick, had room for pie, and ended the night with the latest Harry Potter movie with a good friend and her family. Even though our meal wasn't super traditional, we made it our own for our first Thanksgiving and enjoyed making dinner together.