Whole Wheat Pie Crusts

Things I've learned this week:
1. Do NOT use hard red or white - makes a heavy crust.

2. If you put coconut oil in the fridge to harden to shortening consistency....don't leave it to long or you will need a chisel to get it out of the measuring cup.

3. I had "ok" luck with soft white, ice cold water and chilled coconut oil....I plan to use all butter next and see if I get even flakier.

4. I repeat, do NOT use all hard wheat flour or it doesn't taste like pie crust. For instance Jamin and Jared asked for lots of milk when eating the first crust made with hard wheat. They said the chicken pot pie crust with soft white was much better....next I try all butter which my friend Adrienne and her dh Kwame swear is the secret.


Basic recipe:
2 C soft white flour (whole wheat pastry flour if buying)
2/3 C chilled butter (used coconut oil - calls for shortening)
2 T chilled butter
4 - 5 T of ice cold water

Makes double crust pie...was sticky with coconut oil...roll out between wax paper for easier moving, handle as little as possible...

I'm open to suggestions from others who have been baking longer than I with fresh ground whole wheat....please don't suggest mixing bleached all purpose white flour with the whole wheat...If I'm going to do that, I'll simply make my killer crusts with shortening and all purpose flour. LOL Trying to conquer this before the holidays.

Country Chicken (Or VEGETABLE) Pot Pie (makes 2)

Here you go, Kelly. I thought I'd shared this already, but hadn't. LOL

The Vegan Version 

Original recipe
1 C chopped onions
1 C chopped celery
1 C chopped carrots
1/3 C melted butter
1/2 C flour (soft or hard will work)
2 C chicken broth
1 C half and half or cream
4 C cooked/chopped chicken
1 C frozen peas (or favorite veggie)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 pie crusts

BUSY DAY PIE
1 C chopped onion

omit all other veggies and use a bag of mixed veggies
continue as above...LOL

Of course you can simplify even more but it begins to suffer in taste and health - you CAN use canned chicken, mixed veggies, evaporated milk and prepared pie crusts. {vbg}

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375*. Saute first 3 ingredients in butter over medium heat until tender. Add flour; stir until smooth. Cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and cream; cook, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly. Stir in chicken, veggies, salt and pepper.

Vegan Version 

While filling is cooling, assemble bottom crusts. Divide filling in 1/2 and put in crusts. Assemble top crusts. Pinch the edges of the two crusts together and then flute or crimp. Make slits in top crusts.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, then bake covered with foil 30 more minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Note - if you don't need two pies you can freeze the filling in a Ziploc bag. Defrost and assemble on the day you want it. I also sometimes get creative with this in a 9 x 13 pan and make ahead mash potatoes (also in freezer) on top with cheese....heat and serve.

I usually make 3 - 4 x this recipe and freeze the filling. Our family needs two pies when Mike and the girls are home.

Vegan Option - Omit the chicken, use Almond Milk instead of cream, make your crust with coconut oil instead of butter or lard.... pump up the veggies....whatever you have in the bin or freezer....chick peas or lentils are optional if you'd like more heft.

PARENTING/DISCIPLINE IN PROVERBS - Chapter 11

11:2 "When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom."

~Guard against pride in parenting - do not discipline out of anger that a child has wounded my pride or tarnished my "reputation".

11:13 "He who walks about as a talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy conceals a matter"

11:22 "As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion."

~These verses dovetail with yesterday's observation on gossip. Why do we think that God would give us a "free pass" with our children. I wouldn't reveal the secrets of my best friend....why would I reveal the secrets of my husband or children? I aim to be a woman of discretion and this certainly would apply in my interactions with my children as well.

11:14 "Where there is no guidance (KJ counsel) the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory (KJ safety)."

~First comes to mind the fact that the Bible is FULL of counselors for me to interact with and imitate.

~If I don't understand an issue of parenting there is NOTHING wrong with finding a godly counselor who can instruct me and mentor me in parenting...always remembering to guard the trust of my family.

11:29 - "He who troubles his own house will inherit wind, and the foolish will be servant to the wise hearted. "

~How could I trouble my house...lack of integrity, lack of discretion, lack of care and concern for family's needs, over emphasis on greedy gain, supporting dissension in the family, being overly critical of others in my child's hearing...

PARENTING/DISCIPLINE IN PROVERBS - Chapter 10

10:1 - "A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother."

~Goal - to keep in sight on those days in the trenches when we seem to be plodding and sowing but not soaring and reaping.

10:9 "He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out."

~You can't fool your family - children included. If you are a walking hypocrite, no parenting method or formula will produce wise and godly children. Children will imitate what they watch. If I do not love the Lord wholeheartedly, I can hardly expect to see my children love the Lord wholeheartedly.

10:10 - "He who winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will be ruined."

~Do not wink at character issues that need to be dealt with....pray, fast, train, but don't label character flaws as "cute".

~GUARD your mouth. I've seen so many women break trust with their husbands and children by talking too MUCH to their friends,their ladies Bible Studies group, email lists, etc. Gossip is gossip. NEVER gossip about your family. Make it your goal for your husband and children to be able to trust you with any confidence, knowing you will not spread their heart around to all your friends.

10:26 - "like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who send him."

~I must avoid laziness in parenting. What I don't deal with today, will be tomorrow's heartaches. Rest, play - yes.....laziness - No.

FRIDAY

Speech this a.m. at 8:30. She still didn't have exercises for low tone to give me....but did have a sheet of some activities we can do at home.

I made bread today (1 7 grain, 2 7-grain garlic/Italian, 1 7 grain Cinnamon). I finally threw in the towel on the school week. I figure we've got a great start for next week.

I took a nap while Stacia napped so that I can survive tonight. {G}

I attended a Pampered Chef party at Mandy's tonight. I can't believe I've not gone to any in over a year and have had 3 in one month now. The chicken broccoli braid tonight was yummy. I did, however, realize that most PC recipes are just not going to work for us any longer. LOL I found myself thinking about adapting the recipes all night.

I got called home because Stacia had gone "ballistic".

Josiah surprised everyone by buying "CARS" for us. How fun. He's such a nice young man. I've meaning to share a comment he received a few weeks back at a restaurant. A man came up to him and said, "You have such well-behaved children." He said, "Tell my MOM". LOL

*The Barbarian Way by Erwin Raphael McManus*

Hmmm...how to sum up this book? If I have one book I've read this year that I would want all to read: THIS little book is it. Krista, our 19 yo, gave this book to me to read. She said it reminded her of me - and I am humbled by her observation. I'm not sure I live up to her observation, but I wholeheartedly desire to live up to her observation. {watery smile}

Erwin McCmanus begins this little book by attempting to define for us, in vivid pictures, what the barbarian way looks like. He begins by telling us of Robert the Bruce, who died in 1329, at the age of 54. Robert the Bruce requested that his heart be removed from his body and taken on a crusade with a worthy knight. James Douglas wears the heart of his king in a small container around his neck from that time forward. He carried the heart of his king into every battle he fought. Legend tells us of an ill-fated battle where death was certain and imminent. Douglas removed the heart of the king, threw it into the midst of the enemy's line, and yelled, "Fight for the heart of your king!" One historian quotes Douglas as shouting, "Forward, brave heart, as ever thou were won't to do, and Douglas will follow his king's heart or die!" The motto of the Douglas clan to this day is reported to simply be "Forward". {Note the author takes time to be sure that we are not glorifying the crusades in any way.}

This picture resonates with me. Our Father came and gave His heart. He now longs for those who will follow His heart into enemy territory and fight for His heart and the heart of those who are lost. This is a call to follow the Heart of the King wholeheartedly - rather than content ourselves with civilized religion. It is so much my desire to follow my King's heart.

This is a quick read. It's profound. You may not agree with everything in the book, but it is sure to call you to your knees.

If you have youth raised in the church, who may be a bit bored by "church", I highly recommend this book. I think it presents truth in a way that will resonate with this generation. I remain convinced that this generation is looking for something worth giving their life to and worthy dying for. This book goes a long way in presenting Christ as that way.....to our shame many churches have succeeded in "taming Christ" and making Him very unappealing to a hurting world. We have succeeded in civilizing the Gospel to the point that it no longer calls as something that requires our very lives...and therefore our youth continue to search. I encourage you to get a copy of this book and read it with your husband. If you agree with my analysis, pass it off to your youth. Be prepared for a revolution in your home....

From the back of the book: Two thousand years later the call to follow Christ has been repackaged to be smooth and trouble-free, filled with opportunity and promise but lacking risk, passion, and sacrifice. Is this really what Jesus died for? If he chose the way of the cross, where would He hesitate leading us? Is it possible that to follow Jesus is to choose the barbarian way?

Jesus never made a pristine call to a proper or safe religion. Jesus beckons His followers to a path that is far from the easy road. It is a path filled with adventure, uncertainty, and unlimited possibilities - the only path that can fulfill the deepest longings and desires of your heart.

This the barbarian way: to give your heart to the only One who can make you fully alive. To love Him with simplicity and intensity. To unleash the untamed faith within. To be consumed by the presence of a passionate and compassionate God. To go where He send you, no matter the cost.

*Dark Tort* by Diane Mott Davidson

This is a series that I've read previously. It's always fun to find a sequel in an old series.

Goldy Schulz is the owner of "Goldy's Catering - where everything is just right" and the wife of detective Tom Schulz.

Goldy has a way of discovering murders and helping the police solve those same murders.

In this book Goldy stumbles over her young neighbor and goes on to discover that things are not as they appear in Aspen Meadow. As always there are several recipes included in the book and mouth-watering menus to imagine as Goldy goes about solving the murder.

"A series that remains as reliable and satisfying as a favorite casserole recipe." Plain Dealer

"The divine diva of the culinary cozy returns with a crime novel that will have fans of Godly Bear Schulz, caterer and caffeinated sleuth, cheering as they race for the nearest pastry shop." Publishers Weekly