Porcupine Meatballs

I promised several friends that I would share my recipe for Porcupine Meatballs. This dish seems to be quickly becoming one of my "signature dishes"!

My version is slightly different than the traditional recipe, with an addition of crushed red pepper and a few other things for an added kick of flavor. The uncooked rice gives the meatball a delicious texture. This recipe will feed your average Mennonite family, or a small crowd. :)

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
4 slices of white bread (I've used both my Amish Loaf Bread and Potato Bread with great success)
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. milk
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 c. rice, uncooked
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. (or so) black pepper
4 c. tomato juice
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Directions:
Tear bread into pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour the milk over the bread. Soak for a minute until bread disintegrates. Add eggs and mix again with a wire whisk until well integrated. Set aside.
Mix together tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce and set aside.
Grease two 9x13 casserole dishes.
In a large bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Add milk mixture. Using hands (you will get messy!) mix together and shape into meatballs. Place into greased casserole dishes.
Pour sauce over the top.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and continue baking for 30 minutes.

These meatballs go beautifully with mashed potatoes!

Blessings,

Read More

Garden Progress!

This was the garden spot in May. It was so exciting to see the neat rows of baby plants popping up!


And now, at the end of June and into July, the plants are huge and starting to produce food! It's so neat to see these little seeds become beautiful plants, and even more exciting to see these plants giving food.

I'm excited to see what all will come from the garden. It's so rewarding to see the hard work bearing fruit!

In His Love,

Read More

Faith of a Child

Jacob has been asking a lot of questions about faith lately. Really good questions! He's always been the type to seek knowledge and understanding, even from a very early age. But, lately his questions have been deep and challenging!

He loves to listen to the sermon excerpts at the end of the "Home" cd from the the Esh funerals. Wednesday we were listening and the minister said, "If you don't accept the salvation that God provided, you're going to go to Hell!" Jacob turned to me with wide eyes and says, "The world needs to hear this! I need to hear this! We all do!" Oh, such wisdom there!

Then Thursday forenoon we were listening to another segment from the same cd. The minister is recounting a story of a ship captain and a young cook boy. The boy is reading Isaiah 53:5 to the dying sea captain. He reads it again, but this time inserting his name in the verse. Jacob came up to me as I was sewing and said, "Mommy, will you read it to me, putting my name in it?" Of course I immediately stopped what I was doing and grabbed my Bible! I began reading it to him,

But he was wounded for Jacob Goodman's transgressions, he was bruised for Jacob Goodman's iniquities: the chastisement of Jacob Goodman's peace was upon him; and with his stripes Jacob Goodman is healed.

He listened intently and then asked, "Will you write it down for me, with my name in it?" Is there any other answer than "YES!" Oh my heart was leaping with joy to see my precious son embrace the sacrifice that my precious Jesus made for each of us!

This week he also asked me to explain the difference in knowing that Jesus died on the cross, and accepting it. Wow! It is so amazing to have these talks with him, to watch him crave more understanding. I can just see his heart growing by the day.

What a responsibility to us as parents! I pray God will lead us and guide us as we direct this little child, and train him up in God's ways!

Love in Christ Who Died for Even Me,

Read More

Love Your Enemies

Love your enemies...Returning good for evil... Yes, this is something that I've written about before. Something that I struggle with, and something that I'm determined to live out.

God knows my heart. He knows this is not something that comes easily to me. People sometimes assume that because I am "nice", this must come easily to me. It's true, niceness and sweetness does come easily to me, but loving my enemies...well, that's a whole 'nother story! Truthfully, my human nature can be vicious, especially in regards to protecting my family. If someone is unkind to those I love, it's very, very (shall we add in another very?) difficult for me to not want to lash out. Sometimes it has felt like simply holding my tongue was enough of a challenge. I didn't lash out, isn't that enough?

Jesus didn't tell us that "it would be nice if maybe you could not hate your enemies." No, He said, "Love your enemies". It goes further than that...He even tells us how to love them.

"But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful."

Luke 6:27-36

Giving to those who take from you. Showing kindness to those who are so cruel. Loving those who hate you. It's not easy! But, it's not impossible either.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

How is our Father merciful?

He created this world, this beautiful world, for us, and we defiled it with our sin. He destroyed the world we defiled and made it new again for us. We defiled it again. He then went a step further. He gave us His Son. And what did we do? We set out to destroy Him, too. And yet...and yet, He chose to give His life for us...for ME. We spit in His face with our sin and He looks at us and says, "Yes, my child, I will die for you. I love you that much!"

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Can we show this kind of love? Can we choose to sacrifice even for those who wish us harm?

When our enemy knocks on our door, can we invite them into our home? Can we share our bounty of food with them? Can we offer them a warm comfortable place to sit? Can we be kind to them?

Can we love them that hate us? Can we show the mercy our Father shows us?

I believe that we can. We serve a loving Father, and He will not ask us to do something that He won't equip us to do. If He sends us to serve as missionaries, He will provide the grace, If He sends us to die as martyrs, He will provide the strength. If He asks us to suffer for His sake, He will send contentment. If He asks us to live in prosperity, He will send us the self control to be good stewards. If He asks to be a mother, He gives us what we need to fulfill this role. Whatever He asks of us, He gives us the strength, ability, courage, restraint, love...He provides. It's just a matter of whether or not we accept this.

He asks us to set aside self. Take up your cross, and follow Him.

When my enemy knocks on my door, I pray He will give me everything I need to show them love. Let my self decrease and only Your precious love shine through instead. Let my enemies see only the love that You have for them, and not my own selfish heart.

In His Name,

Read More

Mother's Are...

Mothers are people who cook things

Like breakfast or lunch or a snack;

Dexterous people who hook things

Which button or zip up the back.

Mothers are people who blow things,

Balloons and kisses and noses;

Green-thumbish people who grow things
Like ivy and puppies and roses.

Mothers are people who send things

Like letters and strawberry tarts.

Magical people who mend things

Like blue jeans and elbows and hearts.

Mothers are people who find things

Like mittens and homework and germs;

Fuss-budget people who mind things

Like words and snowballs and worms.

Mothers are people who sweep things

Like porches and cobwebs and rugs;

Softhearted people people who keep things

Like artwork, report cards, and hugs.

Mothers are people who nurse things

A boy or a girl or a spouse.

And, all in all, there's not better thing to have

than a Mother in your house!

Author Unknown

In His Precious Name,

Read More

His Own Way

The boys were playing outside and came running in. "Mommy, Daddy, we found a baby bird! Come quick!" There, underneath the tree by our walkway, was a baby grackle. We decided to help him, especially with our cat lurking around. We had found a bird's nest on the ground the week before, so we put that inside a diaper box and nestled the box in the branches close by the original nest, which still had the other babies in it. We had read that if you place the bird back near the nest, the parents will usually continue caring for it in the new nest. We made sure he was safe and kept watch to make sure the parents found him.

The next day, we noticed this same bird, standing atop the edge of his new nest. He seemed just determined to hop right out again. Sure enough, the next day we found a dead baby grackle near by. He had been deheaded, most likely by a cat.

It was sad to see the bird meet such an unsightly end. But, I was reminded of a poem that the children recited at the church school program, "His Own Way." I've been trying to find the words to it, but it doesn't appear east to find!

Read More

Strawberry Freezer Jam

One of my dear friends, Sadie, has given us her excess strawberries this year. She said she already has a good supply put back in her freezer, and she knew that our plants wouldn't produce this year with it being their first year. So far she has given us ten gallons! What a blessing!

We are making freezer jam this week with our berries. The recipe is surprisingly simple, and simply delicious!

I decided to use clear gel (not the instant variety) rather than pectin, since you can adjust the amount of sugar with better results. Clear gel also freezes nicely, without leaving a gummy taste.

Ingredients

4 c. crushed berries

1/4 c. lemon juice

1 1/2 c. sugar

7 T clear gel

Directions
Place berries and lemon juice in pot. Combine clear gel with 1/4 c. of the sugar and add to berry mix. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Add the remaining sugar. Boil for one minute, continuing to stir constantly.



Pour into freezer safe containers.

*Note* You can also can this recipe. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process for ten minutes in a boiling water bath.

In His Name,

Read More

Cowboy Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. uncooked old fashioned oats
3/4 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts (I usually use pecans but sometimes use walnuts)
1/2 c. raisins
1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. soda

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Beat butter, egg and vanilla in a bowl until blended (mixture may appear curdled). Add remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed.
Drop two inches apart in rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

As I was making these today, Joshua was enjoying watching. "Mommy, I'd like you to put chocolate chips in the cookies." he says. I told him that I was making cowboy cookies, so he'd just have to wait and see what all went in. He said, "Cowboys like chocolate chips." I couldn't help but to giggle. Then, as I added each ingredient he'd say, "Oh cowboys like vanilla. Cowboys like sugar. Cowboys like raisins..." I finished making the dough and had put the cookies into the oven. "Mommy?" he asks, "Cowboys ride horses, right?" "Yes, they do." I answered him. He then begins galloping across the kitchen. "Well., I'm a cowboy then." :) I like his way of thinking.

In His Precious Name,

Read More

Marking Puzzles

Our family enjoys jigsaw puzzles. If you have puzzles and small children, then you know how easy it is for pieces to disappear only to be found months later under a table leg!

My simple solution to the obvious question of "Which puzzle is this from???" is this: I mark each puzzle with a number or letter (I used numbers for children's puzzles and letters for grown up puzzles) and then I mark each piece of that puzzle with that letter or number. So, if I find a puzzle piece marked "M" on the floor, I know just where it belongs! It takes a little time (especially on a 1000 piece puzzle!) but the time is definitely worth the effort later.

Read More