The 10 Commandments Of Slow Cooking

I am so thrilled to have KM Logan, author of The ABCs of Freezer Cooking guest posting on crock pot cooking today!  (I think I've broken almost all of these commandments at some time or another. *blush*)  Be sure to leave her a comment, and then visit her blog or go check out her ebook at Amazon! 

Tell me if this sounds familiar:

You’re combing through Pinterest pictures and you find an amazing looking crock pot recipe.  The pictures are simply gorgeous and you can just imagine how this beauty will smell simmering in your own slow cooker.  You consider licking the screen but your husband is sitting nearby so you resist the urge.

So you follow the link to the original food blog, jot down the ingredients and directions and head to the store the following day.  You’ve got the ingredients all prepped, you’ve got your slow cooker on the counter, and you’re ready to make some culinary magic.  With the slow cooker set to low, you can’t wait for dinner in 6 hours.

Your family is home from their daily activities, and they settle around the table.  You don your best June Cleaver (or Mrs. Brady) smile and lift the lid of your crock pot only to find an EPIC FAIL, a Pintrosity, the grossest thing you’ve ever made.

Maybe your meal was goopy, maybe it was burnt, but whatever it was it wasn’t edible.  Is there anything more frustrating? (Okay I’ll give you waiting in line at the Secretary of State’s office or DMV, but this ranks pretty high too.)

I cannot tell you how often this has happened to me with my slow cooker meals even when I was following a “tried and true” recipe.  It wasn’t until I learned that if you follow some basic rules when cooking with your crock-pot that your recipe will almost always turn out well.

I give you:

The 10 Commandments of Crock Pot Cooking

1) Thou shalt read your slow cooker instruction manual.  Every slow cooker is slightly different, your instruction manual will give you tips and tricks specific to your model.

2) Thou shalt not simply take a recipe designed for the oven and extend the cooking time.  Thou shalt use these tips and your slow cooker instruction manual to alter the recipes for the best results. 

3) Thou shalt not fill your slow cooker over 75%-80%.

4) Thou shalt add in delicate vegetables in the last 45 minutes of cooking only and dairy in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

5) When you are trying a new recipe thou shalt keep an eye on it while it is cooking.  Add more liquid as needed.  (Note if you do add more liquid to a recipe mark it down so next time you can just set it and forget it)

6) Thou shalt not put frozen meat in your slow cooker but frozen vegetables are fine.

7) Thou shalt layer your food with what is least likely to burn on the bottom and most likely to be overcooked on the top.

8) Thou shalt wrap food in aluminum foil that you do not want simmering in juices.

9) Thou shalt brown ground beef first and drain its fat.  Likewise thou shalt trim excess fat from all meat and remove skin from poultry.

10) Thou shalt not just leave your food on low for 14 hours if you’ll be gone all day.  Very few recipes need that much cooking.  If you are frequently in situations where you can’t get home to turn your crock pot to a keep warm setting consider purchasing one with an automatic timer.

Now it’s your turn.  What commandments of crock-pot cooking would be on your list? Have you ever had a culinary disaster take place in your crock pot?

KM Logan is the author of Amazon’s best-selling The ABC’s of Freezer Cooking and writes devotions for women at KMLogan.com.  You would bless her socks off if you stopped by to say hi.

Reminder from the Sparrow House

 

God sometimes uses the most unexpected ways to remind us how much He cares for us.

Confession Time:  I've struggled with worry lately.  The past few years, that seems to come in waves.  There are times when my trust in Him seems strong, when I am confident in Him no matter what is happening in my little part of the world.  And then there are those other times...times when the anxiety hits hard, and it's a battle to keep it at bay.

Last night I was losing the battle.  I began to recite promises in my head, almost by rote, and I prayed, "Father, help me trust you.  I know that you are in control, I know these promises.  Help me believe them in my heart as well as in my head."

This morning, Billy came in and said, "Our neighbors are back."  It was early, I was still trying to get my brain to catch up with my body in the waking up thing, so I said, "What neighbors?  I didn't know our neighbors were gone."

He said, "In the birdhouse.  On the porch."

OHHHH...those neighbors! :)

I peeked out the front window, and sure enough, there they were.  I knew I'd never manage to get a picture.  Our vintage door is old and somewhat noisy, and I couldn't imagine getting it open without scaring them away.

I had to try anyway. :)  I grabbed my camera, carefully pulled the door open just enough to stick the lens through the crack...and they didn't move.  They almost seemed as though they were posing for me, in fact.

As I closed the door, the lyrics to "His Eye is on the Sparrow" began playing through my head:

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

 

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

        
I'm a bit surprised, as much as I love hymn stories, and as much as I love this particular hymn, that I had never looked up the story behind it.  This morning I did.  It was written by Mrs. Civilla Martin in 1905, after she and her husband had visited their friends the Doolittles in New York.  Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for over 20 years, and Mr. Doolittle was wheelchair bound.  The Martins were struck by their strong Christian faith and "bright hopefulness", despite their conditions.  When Mr. Martin asked about this, Mrs. Doolittle explained, "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me."  Those words inspired Mrs. Martin to pen the words to this beloved hymn.

What a perfect reminder of God's care for us always!

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Three Gifts Found in Your Mother {Inspired by Ann Voskamp}

Mother and I in 1973.  Pretty sure this is Easter.  My mom was rocking the long quilted skirt.  Granny Kitty made my pinafore dress.  Check out those knock knees! 

3 Gifts Found in Your Mother. This was the "Joy Dare" in my Facebook newsfeed Monday morning from Ann Voskamp.  I rarely participate in the Joy Dare posts, among other reasons because I struggle to come up with responses for some of her creative gratefulness prompts. 3 Gifts Flat. 3 Gifts Reflecting. 3 Gifts Woven Together.


But on that morning, when the whole world, it seemed, had been reflecting on motherhood from every possible perspective all weekend, I'd done a bit of reflecting myself.


On Saturday, while doing my Bible Study, I was reminded how thankful I am that my mother taught me reverence for God and the things of God. Bro. Kent says that profanity is "treating as common things that are holy." In our home, things that were holy were never treated as common. I learned by example from both my parents, but very much from my mother, to reverence that which was holy. In a world where that is becoming rarer and rarer, I am so thankful for a mother who modeled and taught reverence for God.

Mother and Granny Kitty at my wedding. Not long after this, Mother would become Granny's full-time caregiver. 

On Sunday, I was reminded during Bro. Gary's sermon of two other gifts found in my mother.  My mother taught me, again through example as well as intentional teaching, a love for God's Word and prayer, and the importance of worship and fellowship with God's people.


My mom has kept notebooks for somewhere near 40 years now of prayer needs, praises, Bible Study notes, and sermon notes.  I started similar notebooks (which have gone through various incarnations over the years) as a grade-schooler, and it delights me now to watch my children following suit.


We hear as parents that it is important not only to take our children to church, but to go with them to church.  I would say we need to go a step further...we need to teach by word and example that going to church is a blessing and a privilege.  "I was glad when they said unto me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord,'" shouldn't just be a Bible verse; it should be our heart.


We should crave and enjoy worship and fellowship with the family of God! My parents loved every aspect of church: the music, the Bible teaching/preaching, the opportunity to serve, and the fellowship. I am thankful for that example, and for the love for the church (not a building, but the Body of Christ!) that it engendered in me.

Scrapbook page I did about my mom after she graduated from nursing school at the age of 58.

I am thankful for these three gifts found in my mother. I pray that I pass them on to my children. What gifts are you thankful for found in your mother?  I'd love to hear about them in the comments or on the Ponderings of an Elect Exile Facebook page.

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Washi Wonderful {Gift Wrap}

Super-duper quick post tonight with a little disclaimer: these photos are awful.  I know they are awful.  I took them this morning in the middle of cooking biscuits and gravy and drying my hair and ironing clothes to wear to my sister-in-law's graduation.  (I am so proud of her!  She has worked so hard, and now has her bachelor's in some sort of business-y thing I never can remember. :))


Anyway, in my rush I didn't get any good shots before we took two of the three gifts to their recipients.  Hopefully they'll give you a general idea, anyway. :)

Billy got these super-cute kraft boxes at the hospital gift shop.   When he handed them to me, I decided they were perfect to embellish with my new favorite craft supply: washi tape!!

We left right after he got home with them last night, and didn't get back until late, so I ended up with not quite as much time as I'd hoped to put them together this morning.  That's one of the wonderful things about Washi tape, though:  it is quick, easy, and forgiving of hurried fingers. :)

I picked colors and patterns for all three gifts and then began to layer.  I also had some cute little kraft stickers I got a while back on clearance, which I used for the name tags.  You can't tell it very well in these photos, but I outlined them with some quick doodles in the same color ink as the names.

Washi tape is wonderful for gift wrapping!


Have you succumbed to the wonders of washi tape?  What is your favorite way to use it?

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Of Milestones, Honeysuckle, and Standing Stones of Remembrance....

The blossoms that started it all. :)

  

 
Remember the children's book If You Give a Mouse A Cookie?  There was the whole series of "If You Give a _______ a ______" books, and then there were the various "If You Give a Homeschool Mom a ________" knock-off posts that have circulated online.  I love those.  They remind me of me. :)


Today's post should probably be titled "If You Give a MomBlogger a Honeysuckle Vine", because it happened a bit like those books.  :)


I was sitting in the backyard soaking up some of the beautiful sunshine this morning,  (I've been trying to remember to kill two birds with one stone by sitting outside to talk on the phone, read, work on paperwork, etc. while upping my Vitamin D intake), when I realized that we finally have honeysuckle blooming. 


I decided I needed to take pictures of the first honeysuckle blooms of the season.  I went in to retrieve my camera, planning to take my "real" camera out to shoot them, but then remembering that last year when Instagram finally came out with IG for Android tablets, my first IG pictures were of last year's sweet-smelling blooms (and the little girls enjoying them. :))

My very first Instagram post...Emlyn loving the honeysuckle.

So I decided to take the tablet out instead, in honor of those first Instagram photos.  I shot several pictures of the honeysuckle, and then looked up and saw a fat, beautiful Red-Bellied Woodpecker in the big tree about 15 feet away.


I bemoaned the fact that I didn't have my "real" camera, as the woodpecker was in a perfect position for a great capture and the tablet doesn't do that type of distance.  I knew there was no way I could get inside and get my camera before he was gone. Sure enough, by the time I opened the gate and walked back in to the yard, he had flown away.

 

At that point, I went inside to Instagram the honeysuckle pictures.  I was also pondering a quick blog post with some of the honeysuckle pictures and perhaps a mention of the Instagram milestone and the missed woodpecker shots.   I was curious how long ago those first Instagram photos were taken.  I knew it had been about a year, but thought that the honeysuckle was blooming rather late this spring.  

I then decided to check my blog, as I thought I remembered blogging the honeysuckle pictures, and I knew that that would give me an exact date, rather than the "56w" I was getting on Instagram.

 

 

I typed "honeysuckle" into the search box on my blog, and sure enough, there it was...April 10, 2012.  My first thought was, "Yes, the honeysuckle is blooming late this year."  My second was a realization of the post title: "focused on Glory...He Directs the Hearts of Kings {and Insurance Companies}.  

My jaw about dropped, and I decided that my "quick blog post" with a few honeysuckle pictures wasn't going to be quite so quick after all.  It had suddenly taken a whole new direction. 

Just the other night, Billy and I were discussing the standing stones of remembrance that God commanded the Israelites to erect as reminders of His faithfulness.  I said, "That's one of my goals for my blog...that it would contain a series of  'standing stones' of remembrance of God's faithfulness in our lives."

 

I just love it when I go digging around for something on my blog, and God causes me to "happen upon" something completely different that I really needed to be reminded of at that moment.  Those reminders of His faithfulness are those "standing stones" in action!   

And that's exactly what happened this morning.  I've been burdened all week for various friends going through really difficult times, as well as struggling with anxiety over some needs closer to home.  

But there it was.  A standing stone.  A reminder of His faithfulness, sovereignty,  glory, and  abundant sufficiency to meet every need.

 

And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel,  that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’  then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

~Joshua 4:5-7

  And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’  then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over,  so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.^" 

^{~Joshua 4:21-24}

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From Compliant Legalism to a Berean Heart...and an Exciting Announcement or Two!

Me, a Rebel?

The older I get, the more I realize I have a bit of rebel in me. That's been a rather shocking realization for a girl who was known as being ultra-compliant in her growing up years. A little less shocking upon further analysis, though, as I've realized that I'm still very compliant when it comes to submitting to authority; my rebellion tends to come out in relation to "society" or the culture in general.


Submission vs. Compliance

Submission to authority is a good thing. We're told over and over in Scripture to submit to our earthly authorities. As I remind my children often, submitting to our God-given earthly authorities is an important part of learning to submit to God.


On the other hand, compliance isn't always all it's cracked up to be. In my case, a compliant personality went hand-in-hand with deep-seated people-pleaser tendencies. The combination created fertile ground for legalism to flourish.


The Faces of Legalism

Let me clarify "legalism" as I'm using it here. Legalism can be  (1) depending on the law to obtain salvation, (2) depending on the law to keep salvation, or (3) creating/upholding a code of conduct for oneself or other Christians in areas that aren't specifically addressed in Scripture as sin, in order to somehow "prove" one's salvation. 


I grew up knowing better than to fall into the first two.  I knew that salvation was by grace through faith alone, and as a good Southern Baptist girl, "once saved, always saved" was a familiar phrase from early childhood.


That last one, though...that one has taken a bit longer to learn.  Between my personality and various influences in my youth and young adult years, I ended up with a pretty good list of "What a Real Christian Looks Like" imprinted deeply in my mind and heart.  It wasn't that those who didn't adhere to those standards weren't Christians, they just weren't "serious" Christians. 


But God is Gracious!

God has spent much of the past 8 years graciously, patiently, and lovingly growing and teaching me in this area.  It's been quite a journey which could fill a book of its own.  That "list" didn't go easily!  There are still times when I want to pull it out and start checking things off...in my own life or the lives of others.  I'm still definitely not "there"...spiritual growth and maturity is a lifelong process that doesn't end as long as we are on this earth.   I'm so thankful for the promise of Philippians 1:6:

And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (Amplified)

A Passion and a Burden

In the process of burning away the dross of my legalistic tendencies, God has also been developing in my heart a deep passion for the truth of the Word.  Along with that passion has come a deep burden for those affected in so many ways by Satan's twisting of the truth in the church and among those who call themselves Christians.


As those who read here regularly know, when something is heavy on my heart, it tends to come out in writing.  For quite some time, posts related to this burden have been percolating in my heart, in my head, and in draft here on the blog.


God has finally begun to pull those fragmented pieces together, with the result being a new series titled "Ponderings of a Berean Heart".   Check back here tomorrow for a detailed intro to this series on living in Biblical truth. I'm excited about sharing this journey with you!



In the meantime...

As I posted on Wednesday, I'm so excited to be part of the new writing team at Homeschool Toolbox!   My first column went live on the site today...you can read it here.   I'd love to hear any feedback you have!  You can comment there on the column itself, or come back here and comment.  Or if Facebook comments are more your thing, you can comment on the Ponderings of an Elect Exile Page or the Homeschool Toolbox Page on Facebook.  (Be sure to like both pages if you haven't already!)  

And for those who are joining us from Homeschool Toolbox...Welcome!!  I hope you'll get comfy, grab a drink, and stay for a while! Please take a minute to follow Ponderings of an Elect Exile on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.  Or subscribe by email via the box in the sidebar.  I'd also love to hear from you in the comments or using the email option on my profile page. 

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A New Adventure with Homeschool Toolbox!

I shared yesterday on Facebook that there are changes coming here on the blog...although there hasn't been a lot of posting going on here lately, there has been much work going on behind the scenes, and I'm excited about "going live" with some of those changes over the next few weeks.


Today's announcement, however, doesn't directly involve the blog (although I did get a cool new contributor button that you can see over in the sidebar under my profile info! :)), but does involve writing.  (And yes, I promise, I have been doing some lately, even if little of it has made it's way past the "publish" button here. :))


Today marks the relaunch of the Homeschool Toolbox website.  Homeschool Toolbox is a fantastic collection of resources for homeschoolers and those considering homeschooling.  Those who have been homeschooling a while may recognize the names of some of the site's former columnists such as Terri Camp, Maggie Hogan, and Robin Sampson.


As owner Beth Cranford explains here, the site has recently undergone major changes, including a new content manager, Hillary Gould, and a whole new crew of columnists.  That's where that cool new button in my sidebar comes in:  I'm blessed to be part of this great group of writers, and I'm looking forward to sharing a monthly column on the site.


There are lots of exciting things happening at Homeschool Toolbox as we celebrate this month's relaunch.  There will be an opportunity to "meet" all the new columnists throughout the month as our "debut" columns are posted.  This month's focus is on encouragement for homeschooling parents, and I can't wait to read what others share on this topic.


There will also be giveaways throughout the month in honor of the relaunch.  Be sure to sign up for today's giveaway from Little Learning Lovies, and check out the freebie and coupon code, too! 


Also, don't miss Hillary Gould's introductory column today. Her new series, "Why Homeschool?" will be a great resource for those considering homeschooling. It will also be good for those of us who have been homeschooling for a while but who have "those days" when we need a gentle reminder of why we do what we do.


My column goes live on Friday (yay!!), and there will be new columns and giveaways throughout the month.  The best way to keep up with it all is by liking the Homeschool Toolbox Facebook Page.  I'll also be posting updates here on the blog, and via the Ponderings of an Elect Exile page on Facebook. 


We'd love for you to help get the word out about the Homeschool Toolbox relaunch!  You can share this post on Facebook, Google +, and Twitter using the easy "share" buttons below.  Or share on Pinterest using the "Pin It" button above.  Thanks!


There's lots of other new stuff coming soon here on Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Don't want to miss anything?  Please take a minute to follow Ponderings of an Elect Exile on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.  Or subscribe by email via the box in the sidebar.  I'd also love to hear from you in the comments or using the email option on my profile page.