After Ten Weeks of "Coronavirus Stay-at-Home"

Even during these ten weeks of coronavirus and of "staying-at-home" ...

Life continues on as always,

one moment at a time. For our days, our weeks, our months, are still made up of moments. The daily, and the present. We've viewed life through fresh eyes maybe more than ever before. And I hope we have been learning, and are continuing to embrace that life is really about the simple and the quiet, about the basic things - of faithfulness, of love, of paying attention, moment-by-moment - in the present. For this is where God is, where we can hear His still, small voice. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:23) And even though we may miss the going, and the doing ... just maybe He is transforming us for the better.

How are you doing these days?

May you be filled with His love,

His grace, His mercy. Each day.

Each moment.

And isn't it a blessing that

we've been able to welcome

the beautiful season of spring

during these ten weeks?

New life and beauty in our yard

has brought us so much joy.

The blossoms on our crab apple tree

(photo above) were so beautiful,

and now we've finished planting

our veggie garden and our herb garden.

So much beauty everywhere ...

In the Kitchen: During These "Stay-at-Home" Weeks

Sharing some fun things happening in my kitchen in recent days/weeks when there has been a lot more time for cooking!

I love that food is both delicious, and also so beautiful! This is a recipe that I made for the first time recently ... Spinach and Bacon Quiche. You can find this recipe at Tastes Better from Scratch, a website where I often go to find tasty recipes.

A few little notes: I used a homemade pie crust that I had in the freezer (already rolled out in the pie pan), and also added an extra egg or two along with a little extra evaporated milk (which I used instead of the half and half that the recipe calls for). It turned out so delicious - love this recipe!

This is one of our favorite breakfast dishes, and usually gets made at least once a month here. And it's a treat for me that it's my dear hubby who makes this, as well as some other breakfast recipes! He likes to make a big pot of this (photo above) which lasts for multiple breakfasts for the two of us.

I've posted this before, but will include the recipe again here ...

Print Recipe

Cinnamon Date Oatmeal

Source: Family Favorites

Course: Breakfast

Main Ingredient: Rice & Grains

Serves: 2 or more

Ingredients

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• ¹⁄₄ cup fructose
• ¹⁄₃ cup nuts chopped
• 1 cup dates chopped
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ³⁄₈ teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 ¹⁄₂ cups water

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients.
2. (Can add extra dates and/or other fruit, such as frozen sliced peaches.)
3. Boil in saucepan, stirring constantly, until thickened.

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We often prepare it with extra dates, and also some frozen sliced peaches, or other fruit. Or, it's great with the ingredients as listed. A nutritious, satisfying, and very yummy breakfast all the year through! (You can find my original post for this recipe by clicking here.)

I've also been baking a constant supply of bread here during these weeks ... enough for the two of us to always have bread on hand each day, with extra in the freezer, and also extra loaves to bless others with. I use my brand new Bosch machine (Christmas gift!), which mixes and kneads six loaves at a time. A topic for another post in the future! We love this bread!

These stay-at-home days have also prompted me to try making a few basic ingredients at home, such as this Cream of Chicken Soup. You can find the recipe by clicking here.

This can be made in bulk and frozen. It has even made a quick lunch for us a few times. Just add about 1 1/2 cups of extra milk to a single recipe, along with some extra shredded chicken.

__________

I have really been loving extra time in the kitchen these past weeks! And haven't even missed eating out for seven weeks in a row!

What have you been cooking up in your kitchen during these "stay-at-home" days/weeks?

Give Thanks in All Circumstances

Does anyone else

need to be reminded as I do?

If often takes me awhile to give in,

to give thanks in a difficult situation.

In hindsight, I can readily see

that God was at work, and I can

offer genuine thanks from my heart.

But in the midst of a hard time,

a challenge? A roadblock?

Well, I need His mercy and grace

to lift my eyes from circumstances

that may be confusing; lift my eyes up 

to our loving Father who is in control.

"For believers aiming to be set apart

and made more like Christ,

every circumstance becomes an

opportunity to rejoice and give thanks,

having access to the Father through

prayer while waiting to understand

their circumstances."

(Beholding and Becoming,

Ruth Chou Simons)

Thank You, Lord, for Your patient

love and grace, enabling us to see

You at work today, giving us joy

in the process, in the present -

all for Your Glory, and our good.

The Lord says,

I will guide you along

the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you

and watch over you.

(Psalm 32:8)

A Collection: Springtime, Re-learning Embroidery, and at the Sewing Machine

Sharing a few fun things happening here, in the midst of "stay-at-home" coronavirus days!

First of all, we're starting to dream of planting our veggie, herb, and flower gardens! It looks like this coming week will bring warmer, beautiful spring weather! In the meantime, we're making plans and getting new ideas for a new season of outdoor fun.

Another fun thing has been to start up a new hobby, perfect for these weeks of "stay-at-home" ... embroidery! I had done some cross-stitch embroidery many years ago, but this type of embroidery is a new venture for me ...

This blog post (click here) by author/blogger Jessica Turner was the inspiration for me to get started! I purchased the "Isolate & Stitch" pattern (pictured above) from a great Etsy shop (click here). It focuses on stitching 15 different flowers to learn a variety of the embroidery stitches. The tutorials were initially on Instagram, but are also available on YouTube (click here). 

I've completed the first row, and also am in process of organizing the embroidery threads that I had from the past, as well as those I purchased from Amazon recently. 

I also came across a YouTube tutorial for making masks ... click here. 

Using up fabric that I already had on hand, I sewed up some for the two of us, and also made some to mail off to a brother of mine in Portland, who lives alone and had requested some. This was a good reason to get out my sewing machine again!

Though we have given up a lot, and miss being with our family and friends, these little joys are a gift! I'm thankful.

Have you picked up some new hobbies during these past weeks of staying at home?

What is My Default?

This is the key;

though it isn't always

our default in times of

concern and when facing

the unknown.

It's easy to find ourselves

filled with anxious thoughts

as we hear the news, as we

are suddenly in situations

where we have never been.

But when we become immersed

in turmoil and unrest, and

can't seem to calm our

restless hearts, there is

a steady light for us.

During these COVID-19 days

and now into Week 5 of 

staying-at-home ...

Let's keep our eyes and our

hearts focused on Him ...

more time at home equals

more time for extended devo

times in His Word.

Picking up His Words to read

throughout the day, turning

our worries into prayers.

Thinking on the good and the

lovely, picking up a new

creative hobby to learn, 

focusing on serving others. 

And we'll soon find ourselves

experiencing perfect peace.

"You will keep in perfect peace,

all who trust in You, all whose

thoughts are fixed on You."

(Isaiah 26:3) 

Happy Easter!

These "stay at home" 
coronavirus days/weeks
have slowed us down.

Have pulled our hearts
back to the basics, the
essentials, and the most
important of all.

Have caused us to be still,
and to look more intently
at what matters the most.

It has done this for me;
has this been true for you?

I'm re-learning in deeper
ways than ever before ...
of what my heart longs for,
what I am made for.

For I am made for eternity.
Life is not about us, what
we accomplish, what we do.

Why do we hurry about?
When we can rest, trust,
and enjoy His presence, 
His daily gifts of grace.

Aligning our hearts to His,
reading His Words, turning
our thoughts to Him each day,
all through the day, today.

Reflecting His love, and 
creativity in all I do ...
loving our family, our friends,
writing, cooking, capturing
memories in photos, encouraging
others, creating a warm home.

Each of us in our unique ways,
resting, living, breathing,
creating, soaking up His words
and His love, serving others.

And watching Him at work;
for He is God. And we are not.
And He will be exalted. And He
is exalted even in a pandemic.


"Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
(Psalm 46:10)

May you overflow with joy
this Easter 2020!

Chicken Katsudon (Memories from Japan)

Chicken Katsudon is one of my favorite Japanese dishes. I spent most of my childhood in Japan as an MK (missionary's kid), and sometimes still crave some of the Japanese dishes from my past. Katsudon is a dish probably made with pork most often, but I just love it prepared with chicken, too.

It had been so long since I had made this recipe. In my search online for Chicken Katsudon, I came across the most amazing blog where I found the recipe that I wanted to try! Click here to find the original version of this recipe, at justonecookbook.com. I am looking forward to trying more of her authentic Japanese recipes in the future!

COVID-19 has us all at home more, and in the kitchen more. This delicious recipe was on my menu during the first week of staying home.

Below is my slightly edited version of the original, adapted to use ingredients that I have on hand.  

Print Recipe

Chicken Katsudon

Course: Main - Special/Holiday

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless chicken breast or chicken tenders
• salt & pepper
• ¹⁄₂ cup all purpose flour
• 6 large eggs divided
• 1-2 cups panko bread crumbs
• canola oil
• 1 onion medium
• 4 servings of rice cooked
• parsley
• SEASONING SAUCE:
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp mirin
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp sugar

Directions

PREPARE THE INGREDIENTS:

1. If using chicken breast, cut into about 1 inch slices, pounding to even thickness first if needed.
2. Beat two eggs in one small bowl, and four eggs in another small bowl.
3. Prepare three bowls for dipping the chicken ... (1) flour (2) two beaten eggs (3) and the panko bread crumbs.
4. Slice the onions.
5. Mix together the ingredients for the SEASONING SAUCE: chicken broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar.

COOKING STEPS:

1. Sprinkle the chicken slices with salt and pepper, then coat with flour, then beaten egg, then with the panko.
2. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a frying pan (I used my 10-inch cast-iron skillet) and deep fry until golden brown, turning until evenly browned. Take out the chicken and set on plate lined with paper towels. Drain oil, leaving enough for frying the onion next.
3. In the frying pan, bring the Seasoning Sauce and the onion to a boil.
4. Lower the heat to medium and cook onion until wilted.
5. Add the cooked chicken to the frying pan and turn the heat to medium high.
6. Pour the four beaten eggs evenly over the cooked chicken.
7. When the eggs are half cooked, add the parsley and turn off the heat.
8. Serve the rice into the donburi bowls, and carefully dish a portion of the chicken and egg mixture on top of the rice.
9. NOTE: Best served with authentic Japanese rice (Nishiki medium grain rice is what I use), and best with chopsticks!

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The photo grid below shows the various steps of preparation, beginning clockwise with the top right photo. 

And sharing a few more photos showing the authentic donburi bowls that I used to serve this dish.

Here's my collection of special donburi bowls from Japan ... some purchased for myself, and some were inherited from my dear mother.

These bowls are perfect for this recipe, but any kind of dish will work. The rice is placed in the bowl first, then the chicken egg mixture on top. The lid keeps it warm until serving.

And finally, sharing a fun little note about this recipe! Our oldest granddaughter & her husband just left a month ago for Japan, serving with World Venture. They love this dish, as well, and made it over there, shortly after I shared this recipe with her. How fun is that!

Happy cooking in your kitchen these days!

I'm sure you will enjoy this dish 

if you decide to serve it at your table!