Contrasts and Dichotomies

Today’s Sunday School lesson was taken from the Old Testament – comparing the differences between Cain and Enoch. Cain was so disobedient and full of envy and hate that he thought nothing of killing his brother. Enoch, on the other hand, was humble and only wished to serve his God to the best of his ability. Enoch and his city became so righteous and caring that they were all translated! What a contrast!
What would it have been like to live in the City of Enoch where everyone cared so much for one another? I know we can’t have that right now in the world, but perhaps by being a little more patient and kind to one another, we could begin to have it in our homes – mini-Zions.

And what was served for Sunday dinner today? Hmmm – sweet and sour meatloaf.
A contrast in itself -- but in this case it works. I got this recipe around 1975 at a church education class in Phoenix. I’ve tried many meatloaf recipes (because my husband absolutely loves meatloaf! He’ll go to a restaurant and order meatloaf!) and I always come back to this one. Today I wrapped some potatoes in foil and popped them into the oven along with the meatloaf. Put the oven on time-bake and went to church to learn about contrasts there. When I came home, all I had to do was steam some veggies.

SWEET AND SOUR MEAT LOAF

1 small onion, minced
1 ½ slices of bread crumbled
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 t. prepared mustard
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c vinegar
1 egg
1 ½ lb ground beef
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Turn oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare minced onion and bread crumbs.
Mix tomato sauce with next 3 ingredients until sugar is dissolved.
With fork, slightly beat egg; add onion, crumbs, ground beef, salt, pepper and 2/3 c. tomato sauce mixture. Combine lightly but thoroughly. Place meat mixture in baking dish keeping loaf shapely. Pour on rest of tomato sauce mixture. Bake 45 min to 1 hour.

When I’m in a great hurry, I toss ALL the ingredients (except the ground beef) into the blender, mix it into the meat, turn the meat into a casserole dish and pop it into the oven. It always turns out tastily even with this hasty method.

BAKED POTATO TOPPING:
To sour cream, add grated cheese, room temp butter, and finely chopped green onion. Cream together.

Chainsaws and Blackbirds Do Not Sing the Same Song

Today we walked the dirt path along the river southeast of the new bridge. It was the first time I’ve walked that section since they began the construction of the bridge. Although the path is the same (once you get past the major bike/walkway intersection) I had a difficult time focusing on and completely enjoying the woodland around me; on the opposite side of the river backhoes, and bulldozers were parked where they had just finished bulldozing down and scooping into huge piles all of the trees and brush that formed the peaceful riverside ecosystem. The bulldozers had cleared the land right up to the edge of the river – not leaving 12 inches in its natural state. And I seethed inside: How did “they” get permits to do this horrible thing! Didn’t “they” have to do an environmental impact study? And then I questioned myself: Maybe if you’d been more aware, and of the type, you might have gotten up an awareness group to try to keep this development at least 100 feet back from the banks of the river. Who knows, maybe “they” will turn it into a beautiful walkway and it might be better than ever. Maybe I should wait to cast bitter judgments. In ten years I probably won’t care anyway.
But it was a beautiful day for walking: 40 degrees with no wind, clouds that were dappled soft gray. The red-winged blackbirds were singing their raspy songs; juncos were flitting along the river’s edge; we heard a kingfisher downstream; Canada geese lounged in the open areas where the bulldozers hadn’t been; a little ruby-crowned kinglet hopped on the branches of a nearby bush; a northern flicker flew into the top of the tree we passed under; in the heron rookery at least a dozen great-blue herons perched in their treetop stick nests; a red-tailed hawk sat on the limb of a distant tree; two American kestrels perched high up; and in the river dozens of mallard ducks bobbed upside down; and two common mergansers sat on a rock with their heads tucked back – dozing.
If tomorrow is a day like today, we’ll start at the bridge and walk the other direction.

Ladling up Stew

On Sundays I like to go to church knowing that the after-meeting meal is planned, prepared, and in the process of cooking (There is hope shining brightly before us . . . ). For some reason sitting in meetings for three hours is hard work and we come home famished! Here is what was served up at our house yesterday within 30 minutes of our getting home:

SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW
3 potatoes - peeled and cubed
4 carrots - cut into bite-sized slices
1/2 onion (or how much onion you like) - chopped
2 celery ribs
3 tbsp flour
3/4 lb beef stew meat, but into 1-inch cubes (I used top round roast - it was cheaper)
3 tbsp veg oil
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c beef broth (I used instant boullion)
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp browning sauce (I didn't have browning sauce -- I couldn't find any -- so I left it out. Sources say you can find it at the grocery store near the gravies going by the title Kitchen bouquest, or Gravy Master)

Layer the potatoes, carrots, onion and celery in a slow cooker. Dredge the stew meat in the flour. In a skillet, brown the beat in the oil. Place the meat over the veggies.
In a bowl, combine tomatoes, broth, mustard, salt, pepper, thyme, and browning sauce (I will admit I added about 1/2 tbsp brown sugar.) Pour over beef. Cover and cook on high for 1.5 hours. Reduce heat to low and cook for 7-8 hours or until meat and veggies are tender.
This stew could cook all night long, or all day long.

I have had a Paula Deen recipe for EASY ROLLS for quite some time and have wanted to try them, so yesterday was the day! And they were great -- the texture is a cross between biscuits and muffins, with more of a taste of biscuits. But they were good and just right for the stew. And they wereindeed, EASY!

EASY ROLLS
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup milk
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Lightly grease or spray a 12-cup muffin tin (and the recipe did make exactly 12 rolls) (of course Paula Deen's recipe asked you to grease the muffin tin with butter - I used spray)

In a large bowl, combine flour and milk. Add the sugar and mayonnaise. Stir until just combined. Spoon batter into muffin tin.
Bake 12 - 15 minutes, or until golden brown. (15 minutes worked for me)

These rolls were great with Jerilynn's homemade raspberry jam! (Haven't had the privilege of tasting her famous blackberry jam -- yet!)

The Great Blue Heron

THE GREAT BLUE HERON

The great blue heron
Had swallowed a fish,
And it was stuck halfway down his neck.
He looked this way and that
Checking to see if anyone
Were witnessing his indignity.

I chuckled to myself,
Albeit a little uneasily.
He reminded me of me,
When with wounded pride and ego,
I strut and argue, pout and stamp;
Anything to avoid admission of guilt.

That heron walked stiff-legged
Through the knee-deep water
Stretching his neck and bobbing his head,
But the fish stuck fast
Making an unsightly bulge
In the otherwise graceful neck.

The display lasted only a minute.
Then, resigned to the fact
That he had a fish stuck in his neck,
He relaxed
And the fish slid down to his craw.
But, the next day, I saw him again
With a fish stuck in his neck.
© 1991 Linda Muhlestein

I wrote this piece several years ago when I was in the habit of getting my foot stuck in my mouth.
I hadn't thought of it until just two days ago, when out on a walk by the pond I chanced upon a Great Blue just 30 feet away -- standing, fishing. Instead of stopping, I continued watching as I walked. Mistake! I stepped on the edge of the conglomerate walkway, my ankle turned and down I went scooting down the path on my ellbows! First thought: I think I'm okay - just some bad road rash. Second thought: Oh no! My binoculars are between me and the cement. Third thought: Is anybody watching! And there was -- of course! I don't know why you can't do these things in privacy. Trying to get up with some dignity, I assured the on-lookers that my body was intact, and I hobbled on down the path to find a more secluded spot to lick my wounds. I hunkered down in a small cul-de-sac by the side of the water and was treated to a male Hooded Merganser and his harem of 3 females bobbing on the water right in front of me! My day in the park was redeemed! My daughter asked me, "So was it worth it -- scraping your elbows?" And I truly don't know the answer!