Being prepared

My father-in-law lived through WWII Germany and the horrendous depression that followed.  He vowed neither he nor his family would EVER be hungry again. He expected everyone in his family to follow Jesus, be able to raise a garden, and keep a stockpile of food on hand at all times.  Every time he came to my house, he would inspect my garden and my food stores, sometimes commenting that one or the other needed to be improved, and always reminding me to seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto us.

When everyone started getting worried about food and supplies, I was able to go out and get "fun stuff" - buttermilk and currants for Irish soda bread. Stuff we didn't need, but wanted to have for our St. Patrick's Day celebration.

May I encourage you, after this craziness is over, to start a stockpile?  It doesn't have to be much - just buy an extra one or two things (preferably on sale or clearance) every time you go shopping. It's a wonderful buffer for the unexpectedness of life.

More importantly, I'd also like to encourage you to follow Jesus. When you know the end of the story (Jesus wins!), it is so much easier to relax when the rest of the world is going nuts.

Our world started as a perfect, beautiful place that we humans were to be in charge of (under the rule of God, of course). But, we, being as we are, decided that we could run things a whole lot better than God. We obviously can't - look around. God will only allow this to go on so long. After all, it's His world. So He sent His Son to live the life we could not live (a perfect one) and die the death we could not die (we do NOT want to go to hell). So we have a choice - follow Jesus and live forever with Him in heaven...or not. Make the wise choice. 💗

The Best Banana Bread

I buy bananas when they're REALLY brown. The local grocery store sells bags of them for about a dollar. If I can't get to them before they're rotten, I peel them and freeze them (individually is a bit easier to handle after they're frozen).

This recipe is to make loaves, but I never make it that way. Our family prefers them in muffin form - especially the mini muffins. You can just pop them right into your mouth and there's more of that yummy, crunchy edge!

Best Banana Bread Recipe

¾ cup butter, softened

1½ cups sugar

3 bananas, blackened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup buttermilk

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs and crushed bananas and combine well.  Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix buttermilk and vanilla. Add one-third of that dry mix to creamed mixture, then one-half of the buttermilk mix. Keep alternating addition, stirring gently to combine.  Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.  Bake at 350F for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  If you use muffin tins, start checking at 15 minutes.

Oatmeal Scones

These scones are delicious - I make them often. The most "famous" time I made them was in Maine, while visiting with family. This particular family does not eat a lot of carbs...except when I'm there...then they eat two, three, or even four of these!  Oops!! 

I'm posting this, even though I might be tempting said family members to make them and eat more!

Oatmeal Scones

Makes 8 Scones

1½ cups rolled oats (4½ oz) or quick oats

¼ cup whole milk 

¼ cup heavy cream 

1 large egg 

1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7½ oz)

1/3 cup granulated sugar (2¼ oz)

2 teaspoons baking powder 

½ teaspoon table salt 

10 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tablespoon granulated sugar for sprinkling

 

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375F. Spread oats evenly on a baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes; cool on wire rack. (I must be honest - I skip this step ALL the time!)

Increase oven temperature to 450F. Line second baking sheet with parchment paper. When oats are cooled, measure out 2 tablespoons and set aside.  Whisk milk, cream, and egg in a large measuring cup until incorporated; remove 1 tablespoon to small bowl and reserve for glazing.  Pulse flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined, about four 1-second pulses. Scatter cold butter evenly over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, twelve to fourteen 1-second pulses. (If you don't have a food processor, cut the butter in with two knives or grate cold butter into the dry ingredients.)

Transfer mixture to medium bowl; stir in cooled oats. Using a rubber spatula, fold in liquid ingredients until large clumps form. Mix dough by hand in bowl until dough forms a cohesive mass.  Dust work surface with half of the reserved oats, turn the dough out onto work surface, and dust top with remaining oats. Gently pat into a 7-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Using a bench scraper or chef’s knife, cut dough into 8 wedges and set on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush surfaces with reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. 

Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes; cool scones on baking sheet on wire rack 5 minutes, then remove scones to cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Serve.