Baking Soda Fridge Buddies - Snowmen

I am making and selling these little guys for Christmas this year, and, I'm sure, will be giving a few away as Christmas gifts. :)

To order e-mail me at proverbs31heart@yahoo.com and, please, put SNOWMEN ORDER on the subject line. Snowmen cost $7.50 each, plus shipping and handling ($10.00 for one snowman; $14.00 for two to six) - U.S. and Canada only. 

Sour Dough Biscuits Fresh From The Oven

Sour Dough Biscuits

Recipes: Crockpot Haggis and Scottish Shortbread/Pics From Our 5th Annual 'Night Of Reformation'

Our family got together this evening and celebrated our 5th Annual 'Night of Reformation'. Our focus this year was on Scottish reformer John Knox and the country of Scotland. I made a 'crockpot haggis' and Scottish shortbread. I thought I'd share those recipes with you and a few pics from our celebration tonight. 

This haggis is actually one I made a
while back. Tonight's haggis was three
times as big as this one! 

CROCKPOT HAGGIS

1 pound lean ground turkey
1 chopped red onion
1 cup whole oats
a pinch each of nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup chicken broth

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients, minus the broth, the same way you'd make a meatloaf. Plop it into your crockpot that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Press meat down to form in the shape of the crockpot. Pour broth over top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for about 4. This is cooked fully when it has browned on the edges and is beginning to brown on top. Don't overcook and risk drying out. Using a large spatula, carefully remove from crockpot and place on cutting board (I loosened ours by running a table knife around the edges first and it came out beautifully). (Save broth to serve over top.) Let rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

Scottish Shortbread

Scottish Shortbread

2 sticks butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together by cutting together until crumbly. Pat into shortbread pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. This is one of my favorites to serve with tea!

A few pics from our evening's event...

The Scottish Flag

Scottish Reformer John Knox

Granddaughter Liz Sharing Her Presentation On Scottish Terriers

Granddaughter Audrey Reading A Report She Wrote On John Knox

Grandson T.J. Giving A Presentation On Loch Ness

Granddaughter Abby Presenting A Poster That She Made

Granddaughters Abby and Gianna Waving Their Scottish Flags

Grandson Silas Sharing A Picture Of John Knox That He Drew

Grandchildren Jed, Sarah, and Isaiah Just Kind Of Hanging Out While The Older Children Made Their Presentations

We had a wonderful time this evening and all of the children did an excellent job! I am so proud of each and every one of them!

Have a blessed weekend,
~Rebecca

Book Review: THE THUNDER - A NOVEL ON JOHN KNOX by Douglas Bond

The Thunder by Douglas Bond

Douglas Bond is one of the favorite authors in this home, and has been since, shortly after discovering our own Scottish roots, we discovered and read his Crown & Covenant Trilogy, followed by his Faith & Freedom Trilogy.

In preparation for our upcoming 5th Annual 'Night Of Reformation' get-together, I just finished reading (make that devouring) Mr. Bond's latest book, The Thunder - A Novel About John Knox and, I must say, Douglas Bond has done it again! The Thunder is one of the best books that I have read yet, and through it's pages I was spiritually humbled and challenged.

In the book Mr. Bond tells the incredible story of God's grace in the life of John Knox and the struggle for Reformation in Scotland. In the words of one of the books endorsers, The Thunder is "...historically informative and spiritually inspiring, as well as highly enjoyable and fast-paced..." It's pages tell the life story of a man filled with the love of Christ and made courageous by his faith in God's Word. I suggest that believing families everywhere read this book and read it together (aloud) as The Thunder is a deeply spiritual novel that is sure to stir the heart and faith of anyone who longs to see God's Word triumph in our world today.

In addition to this latest book, Mr. Bond has something else going on that is very exciting, indeed, and I would like to share it with you here...

In celebration of John Knox's 500th birthday, Douglas Bond is hosting a John Knox @ 500 Tour of Scotland and northern England in the summer of 2014! While this is something that my own John Knox and I would love to go on, it is also something that finances simply would not allow, BUT I know that there are others out there (especially among homeschooling families) that might be interested and able, so I am passing this along. If you are interested in finding out more, just click HERE!

Recipes For Sourdough Starter, Pancakes, and Biscuits

An old friend contacted me tonight wanting to know if I had a recipe for sourdough starter...which I did (and do!)...and though I've shared these recipes before, I thought I'd share them again here because it got me excited! So excited, in fact, that I've got a fresh batch of sourdough starter making in the kitchen right now! :)

SOURDOUGH STARTER

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water (potato water is good)
2 cups warm water
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar

Using a quart size (or half-gallon) fruit jar or crock, dissolve yeast with 1/4 cup water. Allow to stand several minutes then stir in water, flour, and sugar. Cover with a cloth. Leave overnight at room temperature. Stir down several times as mixture rises to top. The longer the mixture stands at room temperature, the stronger the sour taste. Replace cover and refrigerate until ready to use. To maintain an ample supply of starter, each time you use it, replenish it with equal amounts of warm water and flour. Makes about 2 cups.


SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

(This is the sourdough recipe that we usually use.)

Mix the night before using:

2 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 cup starter

Let stand overnight at room temperature.

When ready to cook, add:

2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Stir batter until well mixed. Grease griddle if necessary. Pour or spoon pancake batter onto hot griddle. When bubbly and puffed, turn and brown other side. Serve with your favorite syrup. Makes 16 pancakes.

For future use, add to starter:

1 cup water to original jar
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar

Keep refrigerated.


SOUR DOUGH BISCUITS

Mix the night before using:

1 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup flour

Let stand overnight at room temperature.

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
Bacon drippings or butter or olive oil

About 1 hour before serving, turn dough out on 1 cup of the flour on a bread board. Combine remaining 1/2 cup flour with baking powder, soda, salt, and sugar. Knead flour lightly into batter. Make a well in the dough and mix dry ingredients into the batter, kneading lightly to get correct consistency for rolling dough without sticking. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut biscuits with a cutter or into 2" x 3" rectangles. Brush tops with warm bacon drippings or warm butter or olive oil. Place biscuits 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet, or close together in a 9-inch square pan, and set in a warm place to rise about 1/2 hour. Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes. Makes 14 biscuits.

Sanctified And Set Apart For God's Purposes

Some of my thoughts during my early morning Bible study this morning...


"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17).

To "sanctify" means to make holy, to separate or set apart. The evening before His crucifixion Jesus prayed to the Father that His disciples would be a holy people, separated from the world and sin for the purpose of worshiping and serving God. God's people must be set apart in order to be near God, to live for Him, and to be like Him. This sanctification is accomplished by their devotion to the truth revealed to them by the Spirit of truth through the living Word of God (a personal relationship with Jesus Christ) and the revelation of God's written Word (the Holy Bible).

Where are you in the sanctification process? Are you set apart from the world as you seek after God and His ways (hot)? Or can you still be found pursuing the world and it's temporal pleasures (cold)? Or do you find that you're somewhere in the middle (lukewarm)?

In Jesus' message to the Laodiceans He said, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I could thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:25-16).

Perhaps it's time to get off the fence?