Well, Well, Well...What Do We Have Here?

What is wellness? What does it mean to be well? Thank you Walgreens for always encouraging me to "Be Well", but let's ask the good Lutheran question:

What does this mean?

You cannot go online without seeing some new way to lose weight, studies about a new superfood, or a new exercise sure to target your "problem areas".

Sin is our problem area. Chasing after what is temporary and neglecting what is eternal. We go through life trying new fads or reverting back to the way things were in the "good old days" before processed foods and childhood obesity. The one thing that has not changed is God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. 

James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Cling to Jesus, Our Savior, who was crucified and rose again so that we need never fear that our salvation or His grace for us will ever be taken away. Eternal life is not a fad, the best superfood out there is Christ's body and blood shed for you. He shed His blood for you and we partake of His body in Communion. A diet rich in forgiveness, grace, and salvation never added a pound. Looking to have a perfect body? Look to Jesus the only perfect body you will ever need.

Find your rest in Him, trust your health to Him, thank Him for your daily bread.

Vanilla Cream Pie

I love pie. I've made one truly wonderful pie in my lifetime before this one. My husband and I made a pecan pie from scratch together for Thanksgiving last year. We even shelled the pecans for it and baked it in a heart-shaped pie plate.

This recipe is delicious and I must give credit where credit is due. This is not my own recipe and I'm not even sure whose it is. However, my co-worker, Stella O'Brien gave it to me. Make, bake, and enjoy!

Yum yum yum!
By the way, isn't this pie plate just darling?

Never Fail Pie Crust

3 cups flour 

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

1.5 cups shortening

1 egg

1 tsp vinegar

5 tbsp water

Sift flour, salt, and sugar into the bowl of your mixer. Add shortening to the bowl and mix on low/medium speed.

In a separate bowl, beat an egg and add vinegar and water to it. Add the liquid mixture to the mixing bowl a little at a time while you continue to mix on low/medium speed.

It is done when dough clings to the beater. This will make three pie shells (9") or one shell and one double pie crust.

Separate the dough into three balls and refrigerate/freeze what you don't need. Roll out the crust and place in your pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees (lightly browned).

Vanilla Cream Pie Filling

3/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

In saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add milk and mix well. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Cook 2 more minutes, then remove from heat.

Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the three slightly beaten egg yolks. Immediately put the egg mixture into the saucepan and cook all together for two minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.

Pour the whole thing into a cooled, baked pie shell.

Meringue

3 egg whites

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

6 tbsp sugar

Beat the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.

Gradually add sugar while beating until stiff peaks form and all sugar is dissolved.

Spread on top of pie filling and over the crust. Trust me on this one. I did not (as you can see in the picture) and my meringue shrunk after a couple hours of cooling!

Bake this beauty in a 350 degree oven until meringue is golden (about 15 minutes). Cool before serving.

Imperfections

Since starting this blog, I have cooked and baked various things. The result of these attempts has been fraught with disappointing results.

Examples:
1. Salmon Burgers - I attempted to make my own recipe using canned pink salmon. One piece of advice: don't. My husband did like them and I liked the teriyaki/pineapple/grilled onion topping.

2. Coconut Shrimp - I used a recipe and followed it to the letter and they were all right. Not mind-blowing like a Honey Walnut Shrimp recipe that I adore.

3. Apple Pie - This actually turned out really yummy. HOWEVER, in the process of peeling the apples I took about half of one of my fingernails off and the pie crust (that was supposed to yield two crusts) only made one crust. That was actually a blessing though because I made a scrumptious crumb topping.
P.S. I also made vanilla ice cream in our new ice cream maker. The combination of the pie and ice cream was out of this world!

I have definitely been humbled by my first couple weeks in the blogosphere and I'm sorry that I haven't posted any actual recipes yet. The Blogger app on my phone refuses to take direction from me and the app is easier than using my computer at school.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! As a newlywed and middle school teacher, I may not have a lot of extra time. However, one of my passions is cooking and baking. After a long school day and half hour drive home, I still enjoy creating something wonderful to share with my husband.

This blog will focus on my adventures in the kitchen, but as the title of the blog suggests, I may wander to other subjects of importance to me. My faith in God as the "Fount of Every Blessing" drives me each and every day and I'm sustained by the daily bread he gives.

Blessings,
Lisa