butternut squash

The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it.  And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:12

I love eating squash in the fall.  My mom bakes acorn squash halves with butter and brown sugar and nutmeg in the little hollow, and I love love love them.  Recently I discovered butternut squash.  So beautiful and delicious!  How did I survive for so long without eating this scrumptious vegetable? 

Below is a recipe for a butternut squash salad I made earlier this week.  Joe suggested tossing the squash in a little of the dressing before roasting it, and I just may try that next time.  I also think that crumbled feta would be tasty on top.  Or bacon.  Note that the dressing recipe makes more than you need for the salad.  It stores well and tastes good on salads or as a marinade for chicken and fish. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Squash:

1 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded & cubed

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. lemon juice (or to taste)

1 tbsp. dried rosemary or thyme (I used thyme)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Emeril’s Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup olive oil

Salad:

1 bag spinach

Chopped walnuts (toasted would be good, but I just threw them on)

Feta cheese crumbles, if desired

Preheat oven to 450̊ F.  Peel the squash and cut it into one inch cubes.  In a large bowl, toss squash with olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary or thyme, and salt and pepper.  Spray roasting pan with cooking spray and arrange squash on pan in a single layer.  Roast for 30-40 minutes, tossing three or four times during roasting, until squash reaches desired tenderness and browns around edges.

While squash is roasting beat all the dressing ingredients together.  When the squash is done, toss it with the spinach, walnuts, and however much dressing you like.  Crumble feta on top.  Enjoy!

Makes 2-4 servings.

Sources: Squash recipe adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

              Dressing recipe from Emeril Lagasse via Food Network 

we are building things

Lord, you have been our dwelling-place in all generations.

Psalm 90:1  

In May Joe and I bought a house.  When Joe first mentioned buying property, I was freaked out.  We got in a big argument.  Buying a house seemed too grown up for me.  Joe, on the other hand, longed for more space and projects to work on.  A couple weeks later we were out looking with a real estate agent.

When we walked in the front door of what is now our home I laughed.  You will see why below--it's called the Great Wall of Mirrors.  So much work to be done here!  In the car on the way home Joe asked me what I thought.  "I think we should make an offer.  Is that crazy?"  "Crazy awesome," Joe replied.

The house has been a blessing.  A week or so ago we went to Home Depot and bought bamboo flooring.  "Joe, we just bought a floor.  We're basically rich."  Joe agreed.  We have a roof above our heads, and we can get Chinese take-out on nights we don't feel like cooking.  Somehow we are more grateful now.

the great wall of mirrors on our first visit

dining room to living room on the first visit

the death bed (we sold it on craigslist)

carpet removal

uncovering old hardwood floors

before we discovered the sticky tar under four layers of flooring

sanding

backyard fence

alley protection on the way!

new dining room stuff

new old floors

milk and honey

The basic necessities of human life 

     are water and fire and iron and salt 

   and wheat flour and milk and honey, 

  the blood of the grape and oil and clothing.

Ecclesiastes 39:26

OK, so this post is not about questions or theology.  It's about my other love--food.  I could make some theological connection, but frankly I'm too lazy right now.  Let's just say that cookies are a precious gift from God.  These ones contain four of the necessities listed above and a few more.  Please forgive my photography skills.  They don't do these yummy cookies justice.


Honey Bee Cookies


1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I used dark because it's what I had)
1/2 cup honey
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Chopped pecans or other nuts, if desired


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix butter, brown sugar and egg until well blended.  Add remaining ingredients.  Drop by teaspoonfuls or so onto a greased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle pecans on top, if desired. Bake for 7-10 minutes.


Source: Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen

joy

There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil.  This, also, I saw, is from the hand of God; for apart from him who can eat or have enjoyment? 

-Ecclesiastes 2:24

I am a youth leader at a church in Northern Virginia.  I work with a handful of rambunctious middle school boys and a few girls.  Over the past two years I focused so much on content that I neglected the simple joy of having a good time together.  I yelled a lot, trying to get them to focus.

A couple weeks ago I decided we'd do something fun.  My husband, who is a teacher, suggested that I include an educational component.  Fancy that!  The kids are learning the books of the Bible, so I came up with a simple game where they stand across from a partner and toss a water balloon to them while saying one of the books.  The partner returns the balloon, saying the name of the next book.  I yelled, but more like a coach than a dictator: "Ready! Set! Go!  DEUTERONOMYYY!" 

After we learned the first 10 books of the Old Testament, I let them have a free for all--running like crazy, throwing balloons at each other.  As we cleaned up, I heard one boy say "I had fun and learned something!" 

This past week we played the game again.  Afterwards we did a drive-by run down of the Pentateuch--from Adam and Eve to Abraham and Sarah to Noah and Moses and the wilderness and the Law.  We talked about Jacob wrestling with God and gaining the moniker "Israel" ("struggles with God").  (Mental note: need to return to that story. What middle school boy wouldn't love that one?)  To finish up we played hide and seek tag.

Every week we gather in a circle and close in prayer.  Every week kids giggle and make noises.  This week when I asked Matt, an adult leader, to pray, a 7th grader shouted out that he wanted to do it.  When he couldn't think of anything to say his older brother offered.  We bowed our heads.  "Dear God, thanks for having fun together and learning things.  And thanks for tag.  And [tentatively]...may we all...go in peace!"  Amen! This kid's been paying attention in church!  I asked his brother if he wanted to add anything.  He bowed his head, squeezed his hands together, shut his eyes tight and shouted in a flash "Thank you for learning the first 20 books of the Bible!"

Praise God for kids and tag and learning and fun!

faith seeking understanding

Anselm of Canterbury, a Benedictine monk, wrote that theology is "faith seeking understanding."  When it comes to God, I have tons of questions.  During the first week of Systematic Theology our professor said that the God she serves can handle our questions.  I said Amen.   


In my classes at Wesley Theological Seminary we talk a lot about practical theology--a theology that comes out of the stuff of life.  Robert Schreiter puts it this way: "Rather than moving from faith to life (theory to practice), [practical theology] moves from life to faith and then back to life (practice to theory to practice)."  Practical theology is rooted in the stuff of life, our daily experiences.  Washing the dishes, going running, driving past an accident on the interstate.  Practical theology makes meaning out of our everyday lives.

I want this blog to be a place for theological reflection on the stuff of life--my life, in particular.  I will talk about the things I love (food and my husband, not necessarily in that order) and the things I do (cooking dinner, home repairs, stressing, napping, working with teenagers), and look for God's presence in it all. 

I believe in a God who loves so much God chose to live among us, experiencing all the joys and pains of life. The God I believe in gets into all our messy stuff.  Here's my mess. Welcome!


Source: Studying Congregations: A New Handbook