Heavenly Springs

Holding Fast The Doctrines of Grace

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Christina’s SUPER Secret Thick and Hearty Lentil Soup Recipe

February 23, 2015 by Christina

lentilsoupfinalSo here’s a soup I’ve been hearing about all winter but have yet to try my hand at.  Lentil soup.  Partially inspired by my friend and co-worker Raeann, who makes this pretty regularly, I decided today was the day.  All I have to say is, “Wow. Why did it take me so long to make this soup?” It’s hearty, healthy, and very nice on the wallet. Not to mention it’s the perfect comfort food for these brutally cold winter days.  No doubt I’ll be making this again, tweaking it some more.  But in the meantime, here’s my first stab at Lentil soup.  Not for nuthin’ but you can kind of understand how Esau lost his mind over a pot of lentils.  They’re very good!

Ingredients:

1 small onion
1 celery stick
1 carrot stick
1 small garlic clove
1 16 oz bag of lentils
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
6 – 8 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
2 tablespoons of olive oil OR 8 tablespoons of vegetable or chicken broth for oil-free soup!
6-8 bay leaves
salt and pepper

Saute chopped onions, celery, carrots, and garlic until tender.

LentilSaute

Add 6 cups of broth, lentils, tomatoes, and bay leaves.  As you can see here, I forgot the tomatoes.  I added them much later.  Doesn’t seem to have made much of a difference.

LentilSoupPrep2

Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for about 50 mins or until lentils are tender.

Lentilsimmer

Add a little parmesan cheese, a nice piece of Italian bread, and come on!  It doesn’t get much better than this. Nice. Easy. Healthy. Cheap.  What more do you want?

LentilAlmostThere

Christina’s SUPER Top Secret Bread Recipes!

January 30, 2015 by Christina

Well, tomorrow is shaping up to be an exciting day.  The women’s ministry at our church is hosting “Ladies in the Word.” Not only will it be a full day of fellowship and Bible study, it offers yet another opportunity for me to conquer my fears.  How is that?  Well, I get to brave the traffic on the Belt Parkway all by myself.  To boot, I will work on my highly undeveloped parallel parking skills — on both the Queens and Brooklyn side! I grew up riding the subways, and taking taxis. City driving and parallel parking are brand new experiences.

I hope to get there by 8am to help set-up with a handful of other women. I’ll also bring a couple of goodies.  I’m a working gal so words like “quick” and “easy” mean a lot on a Friday night.  My breads are not the most beautiful things in the world, but they ARE good.  Now, just a heads-up, the recipes I’m about to share are SUPER top-secret so please don’t tell anyone where you got it.  And if you DO tell someone, make sure to tell THEM not to tell anyone. (“Horton Hears a Who,” anyone?)

So, here you go. This first is a recipe that I’ve shared here before.  It’s one of those no-fail, go-to recipes that every baker should have hidden in their stash.

bananabreadwithglaze

Christina’s SUPER Top Secret Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoon oil
2 eggs
1 cup banana (2 medium ripe)
Cream all together

2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Mix in separate bowl. Gradually add to wet mixture above.

1/2 cup of chocolate chips — fold in last.

Bake in loaf pan at 350 degrees for 50-60 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.

The next is a new recipe that someone passed on to me.  Once again, quick and easy wins the day!  And by the way, for both of these I made a simple glaze — and I mean simple! Completely optional of course, but glaze recipes are below if you are up to it. I could have drizzled the glaze in much more aesthetically pleasing manner, but it’s late and these breads will be served sliced anyway.  No one’s gonna see them like this but you!

lemonbluerrywithglaze

Christina’s SUPER Top Secret Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe
1 cup sour cream
1 cup white sugar
3 large eggs
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil
1 and 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (divided as per below)
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

In a large bowl, stir the sour cream, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and oil. Set the wet ingredients aside.

Gently mix 1 tablespoon of flour and blueberries together and set it aside.

In a separate  bowl, whisk the 1 and 1/2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry to the wet mixture until smooth.  Fold in blueberries last.

Bake in loaf pan at 350 degrees for 50 – 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Optional Glaze Recipes: 
Quick Vanilla Glaze:  Mix 1 cup of confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla.  Tada!

Quick Lemon Glaze:  Mix 1 cup of confectioners sugar, 2 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Vuala!

So, there you have it! Quick, easy, and delicious! I hope you have a beautiful day tomorrow and if you remember, pray for me as I conquer my fear of city driving and parallel parking!

Batter Up! We’re Making Fish & Chips!

August 7, 2012 by Christina

Ok, so right off the bat I am compelled to tell you there is nothing spiritual about this post. Of course, for the Christian everything is spiritual but the subject of this post is plainly fish and chips. Though I haven’t been able to watch much, the London 2012 Olympics has me thinking about my friends across the pond – you know who you are 😉 and with that, some good old-fashioned English cooking.

Last August, my long-time friend Sheila and I took a recreational class at a well-known culinary institute here in NYC.  On the agenda were several traditional English foods, not the least of which was – you got it, fish and chips!

Regarded by many to be a venerable British institution, there isn’t much that can compare to a properly made meal of fish and chips! In fact, Winston Churchill once referred to the combination as “the good companions”. Traditionally wrapped in newspaper, fish and chips became the meal of the working class with its cheap ingredients and unmatched ability to warm the tummy on a cold day!

Below are two great videos on our topic. The first is a delightful little documentary of sorts that provides an entertaining yet informative historic overview. If you like learning about the intersection of food and culture, you will appreciate this one! The second is largely instructional but it too includes an introduction that, at least for me, is a little reminiscent of old-school Coney Island. In this video you will learn how to make fish and chips as good as any “chippy” shop in the UK! And as you will see, it’s all in the technique!

But before you watch the videos, here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure — just to prove that I actually did take the class!

This is the HOT oil boiling at 375 degrees. Frying, by the way, is a science. For example, each time something is thrown into the pot, the temperature drops. Once removed you must wait for the temperature to rise before you can add the next batch.

Here is the fried fish. As you can see, there is an unopened jar of mayonnaise.  The plan was to make the tartar from scratch but we only used vinegar.  Sadly I don’t have a photo of the chippy’s. Being behind schedule  meant taking pictures made it’s way to the bottom of our culinary priority list.

And here is the Shepherds Pie. Did you know that Shepherds Pie is made with ground lamb while Cottage Pie is made with ground beef?

 

My inclination right now is to say, “Buon Appetito” but instead, how ’bout “Cheers, mate! ” 🙂 Here’s to setting aside one night in the near future to enjoy a homemade meal of fish and chips!

Total depravity, chocolate-chip banana bread, a book giveaway contest, and other miscellany

February 4, 2011 by Christina

Hello everyone!

I thought I’d take a moment and provide an update on a few personal items.

First of all, as some of you are already aware, I will be teaching a series on the Doctrines of Grace to the women at our church. Kim, wife of Pastor John Verdi, who also leads the Women’s Bible Study presented the idea to me early this year.  Kim has definitely set a very high biblical standard.  In the first place, Kim studies diligently.  Those of us who attend her Bible Study know full well that when we go to Kim’s house we do not eat fluffernutter sandwiches.  We eat the solid meat of God’s Word. In the second place, she treats her commission to instruct the women at our church with the utmost reverence.  I want to follow her as she follows Christ.

The plan is to start in March with the doctrine of Total Depravity and, God willing, work our way through TULIP.  Would you please pray that I study well?  This will be a first for me and it is truly my hearts desire to communicate effectively these beautiful doctrines that changed my life and put me on solid theological ground.

In the interim, I considered following Diane’s lead and shutting down my blog.  Ultimately I decided against that.  As I work through my studies on the Doctrines of Grace, I think it will be good to post.  However, my on-line activity will definitely be less in the near future. I hope you will forgive me if I don’t get to your blog as regularly as I’d like to.

Incidentally, my friend Hollie who blogs at Freckles and Faith is also blogging through The Doctrines of Grace. She posted early this week on Total Depravity.   I absolutely encourage — no, I insist that you visit her blog. I so love this sister and have been inspired by the grace of God that is so clearly at work in her!   Also, Hollie is currently having a book giveaway contest. If you have a heart for the great Reformer, Martin Luther, you will not want to miss this. She is giving away, “Through the Year with Martin Luther: A Selection of Sermons Celebrating the Feasts and Seasons of the Christian Year.”

The next item that I would like to share is a recipe! It is for an outrageous (and I do mean outrageous) chocolate-chip banana bread! This recipe was passed on to me by the wife of a former co-worker who, if I told you the kinds of  things that came out of this woman’s kitchen you would not believe me! This recipe is ridiculously easy and I have yet to meet someone who didn’t rave about it! Trust me on this one!  I am telling you, it’s good!

Christina’s SUPER Top Secret Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp oil
2 eggs
1 cup banana (2 med. ripe)
Cream all together

2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Mix in separate bowl. Gradually add to wet mixture above.

1/2 cup of chocolate chips — fold in last.

Bake in loaf pan at 350 degrees for 50-60 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.

Lastly, my husband and I will be on vacation February 11th – 21st.  During this time we will be attending the True Church Conference in Muscle Shoals, AL. This will be our first conference since coming to embrace Reformed theology!  The theme this year is: striving to avoid extra-biblical excess in the local church. As an added bonus, we will be spending some time with brother Jon Cardwell and his family who, as most of you already know for yourselves, are a true gift to the body of Christ!

So, that’s my little update! Oh, and one more thing. If you come across anything that you think would benefit me as I prepare — sermons, essays, quotes, etc., please do send.  It will be most welcome! Send it to my email at christinalangella@me.com.

May you have a beautiful and blessed weekend in the Lord!

Your sister in Christ!

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