Wednesday Inspiration

Technology Woes

by Mindy Obenhaus

I am not in a good mood. Technology has gotten the best of me. I mean, I bought a new computer. That's supposed to be exciting, right? And it was, until I tried to sign on the next day and discovered I was locked out. I tried that password every which way and nothing worked. Tech support said the system would have to be reset. Fortunately, I hadn't added any files yet, only Microsoft Office. And I was thrilled to discover that those files still remained after the reset. Except they didn't work. That meant I had to go one-on-one with Microsoft tech support. 

The good news is that, as I type this, most everything has been squared away and things are starting to look up. But I'm still cranky. So to lift my spirits, I must tell you about the fun we had this weekend.

Guess who turned one?

Can you believe it's been a year since Max came into the world? Little does he know that this will likely be the only time in his life when he gets an entire cake to himself.

Of course, Miss Taegan had to come see her favorite cousin. It's always interesting when these two get together. 

Hey, this chick is smaller than me.

Me thinks he likes his cousin.

And, of course, I was in Grammy heaven.

I'll take babies over technology any day.

So what's going on with you? Are you technologically savvy or does it drive you bonkers, too? Has spring finally come to visit you? If so, what are you doing to celebrate?

Three-time Carol Award nominee, Mindy Obenhaus, lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com

Herbed Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker...or Instant Pot!

Jan here, in between deadlines. And at the same time, I'm traveling. It's a good thing writers can work while traveling, right?

I'm sharing this post from 2013 because while it's still a favorite recipe, I've updated it a bit to fix it in my counter-top pressure cooker.

I have to tell you, I love my Instant Pot. I know people gush about these things, but I use it so much that I'd rather do without my stove than this baby.

So here's a rerun of my post from 2013, with the new Instant Pot directions in red!

* * * * * * * * * *

This is my husband's favorite beef stew, and I'm so glad it is because it's quick and easy to put together.

I use my slow cooker a lot - there's nothing like being able to put a meal together in the morning while the family is getting around and off to school and work, and then be able to forget about it all day while I zone out in my writer's cave. (A habit left over from homeschooling days, when I'd zone out in academia-land...)

With the Instant Pot, I start cooking about ninety minutes before meal time.

Here's the recipe:

Herbed Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 to 2 pounds beef - I used arm roast this time, but you can use stew beef, round steak, chuck steak...whatever is on sale or in the freezer! - cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

4 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
4 carrots, sliced
4 medium (or 2 humongous) potatoes, cubed
1 onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon marjoram

(if using fresh herbs, double the amount)

Okay, there are a lot of ingredients, but oh, they blend together so well!

Put the flour, salt, pepper and paprika in a plastic bag, or use one of these handy slow-cooker liners (I never use my slow cooker without one of these!)

Add your cubed meat and shake well until all the pieces are coated with flour. Put the meat in the slow cooker.

When you're using the Instant Pot, save the seasoned flour for the last step.

Cube your beef, then brown in a tablespoon of oil in your Instant Pot set on saute, medium heat, until only a little pink is showing. Add 1 - 2 cups of the beef broth, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 20 minutes.

Add all the other ingredients and stir.

After the meat is cooked, open the Instant Pot (after releasing any pressure) and add the vegetables, herbs, and 1 more cup beef broth (reserve one cup). Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.

Ten minutes before serving, open the Instant Pot. Whisk the seasoned flour into the 1 cup reserved beef broth and stir into the stew. Set the pot on saute, high, and let the stew come to a boil, stirring often. Once it comes to a boil, turn the pot to slow cook, low to keep it warm until you're ready to serve it.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 6-8 hours.

Serve with your favorite salad or fruit and bread.

(Speedbo time: I used refrigerated crescent rolls...)



And now that supper is cooking away in the slow cooker, let's get back to writing!!!

What is your favorite quick meal in your slow cooker? Or the Instant Pot?

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.

You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com.

Millennials Can't Cook

A note from Missy: Y'all may remember my bragging on my daughter a few weeks ago, and sharing her proud moment of cooking stir-fry. Well, earlier this week when she said she had been asked to send a writing sample for a summer internship she was applying to, I asked her to consider writing a blog post for us. So... here's my daughter!

Three generations of home cooks (we hope!)

By Michelle Tippens

According to a study by Porch.com in “Cooking Nightmares: A Generational Look at Capabilities in the Kitchen,” millennials make an average of 13 meals at home a week. Apparently, this is a shamefully slim number of meals cooked at home. To me, this is an extremely impressive number. As a junior in college, my extent of cooking knowledge goes as far as stir fry, which is still a feat to me. I may average 2 homemade meals a week if I’m feeling ambitious. 

            Cooking feels like an Olympic sport to me. Having a frying pan, a pot and the oven on at the same time is a circus of dinner preparation that I cannot seem to handle. Most of my cooking attempts involve multiple phone calls to my mother, as well as bouncing my eyes from the pan to the YouTube video I have pulled up on my laptop. I cooked rice for the first time a week ago, and I felt the same stress I feel when taking an exam. 

            So why am I, and many other millennials, challenged in the kitchen? One study cited by MarketWatch.com in “Why Millennials Don’t Know How to Cook,” states that it may be because many millennials still live at home. We don’t need to cook because Mom and Dad still do it for us. This could be due to millennials getting married later in life than our parents, as well as being burdened with student loan debt. However, neither of these excuses my own inability to cook well and often. I simply ignored my mother’s requests to teach me how to cook when I was growing up because I just was not interested. If only I’d known the struggle my future-self would be having!

            

For the time being, I will survive on pasta with jarred sauce and stir fry that almost kills me to prepare. I will also continue calling my mom with basic culinary questions and finding recipes on YouTube. 

At least now I know I’m not alone. 

Immersed in History Book Research Appomattox Court House

This is an artist's rendering of what the Virginia town of Appomattox Court House looked like when General Lee of the Confederate Army surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army. The final Confederate attempt to slip through the growing stranglehold of the Union forces was thwarted in part by a brigade of black soldiers called "United States Colored Troops". How justified that a black regiment was critically instrumental in the final battle of April 9, 1865... And that as a result, General Lee offered up his surrender to Grant.

Docents at the Visitors' Center were absolutely wonderful! We were on a short time frame and they gave us advice about what to see (the short film) explore (the very small town buildings) and they even offered to tuck us in with a scheduled church tour group, but we were due in Durham NC by noon... so we had to decline.

I was so impressed by what I learned... how Lincoln met with influential army officers offshore and when asked what to do with the prisoners when Lee surrendered.... which they figured was going to happen soon... he said "There will be no prisoners. People have suffered enough."

They set up printing presses in the living room of the McClean farmhouse in Appomattox  Court House, a small town not far from Lynchburg, Virginia. They printed over 26,000 pardons.  They strung clotheslines across the living room and hung the pardon sheets over them to dry... then cut them to size, a few pardons to each sheet. The soldiers laid down their arms, accepted their pardon papers, and went home. With their horses, no less. Lincoln's proclamation that there had been enough grief and sorrow began the long healing process.

This is a selfie with a regular camera, LOL! That's Dave back there by the farmhouse, but I know my kids were doing selfies long before there were cell phones, so I tried it and you know what I discovered?

I have a lot of cheeks!!! :)

The staff was being flown at half-mast to honor Barbara Bush, a lovely woman I really liked.... she was confident in herself, and she reminded me of my Aunt Isabelle, a grand woman in her own right.

Look at those wide-planked floors! We have these in our kitchen.... and stuff gathers in those gaps between each board. And I still love them!

A reproduction of the slave quarters behind the farm house. It was set on blocks of stones at each corner and mid-line, so any form of creature could skulk below... and I can't imagine how cold it got mid-winter.

Dave photobombing one of the re-enactors!

The general store, filled with potions.... and dry goods. Candles, oils, some dishes and cookware, spices, herbs.... and barrels and buckets of salable goods.

I felt like I'd just walked into Olson's Mercantile in Little House on the Prairie! Or Ike Godsey's store on Walton's Mountain.

For a quick visit/tour, I was able to glean some interesting facts about that period, and I also studied the set up of the homes, village, etc. 1865 to 1900 is a time that interests me.... and I've set several novellas there. Next year I'm hoping to indie publish a three-book series set in the pioneer west....because this walk into the past really shows us how to be strong for our future!

What historical places have you visited? What did you love? And... what surprised you most?

Multi-published award-winning author Ruth Logan Herne loves writing stories, old and new. She loves to cook, bake and create, so old kitchens and stores draw her like a moth to a flame! Follow her on Twitter, friend her on facebook or swing by her website to see what's going on with her books... and with her pumpkin farm in Western New York.

Cate Nolan's "Bok Choy" For the Win!

Here is one of Cate Nolan's first posts! Yes, I will admit that I did not know what bok choy was... but Cate's got this canny eye for healthy foods (but I'll share my Veggie Straws with her anytime!!!) and she came on board Yankee Belle Cafe as the Healthy Writer....  And she's brought us lots of great ideas for incorporating healthy choices into good food! Here's a redoux of one:

Do you ever stand in the supermarket looking at the greens and have this feeling that you've been there, made them all before?

Ever had a longing for something a bit different?

I felt that way just tonight. I didn't want kale and spinach wasn't exactly what I was looking for (although I did settle for it).

How about bok choy?

I happened to notice the organic section of my supermarket selling packages of bok choy.

Our weekend farmer's market has it too.

I've often meant to investigate the health benefits of bok choy. I know bok choy is a Chinese cabbage, and I know that vegetables in the cabbage family are rich in health benefits, so I decided to do some research in the name of healthy eating (says she who is eating blueberry pie a la mode as she types this).

So,      bok choy.


From Wikipedia:
Chinese cabbage can refer to two distinct varieties of Chinese leaf vegetables used often in Chinese cuisine. These vegetables are both related to the Western cabbage, and are of the same species as the common turnip.

World’s Healthiest Foods offers this information about health benefits.

Did you know that bok choy (Chinese cabbage) is great for losing weight? One cup of cooked cabbage contains only 33 calories but supplies you with a wealth of health-promoting nutrients. Like its other cruciferous cousins, broccoli, kale. Brussels sprouts and mustard greens, cabbage is not only an excellent source of vitamin C and dietary fiber, but also contains the precursors for unique sulfur-containing phytonutrients, such as indole-3-carbinole (I3C) and sulforaphane, which are produced as a result of cutting, chewing or digesting cabbage . Cabbage’s sulfur compounds help activate and stabilize the body’s antioxidant and detoxification mechanisms, and, increase the liver’s ability to produce enzymes that neutralize potentially toxic substances.

 Bring on the bok choy!


I don’t know about you, but the main thing that keeps me from trying new vegetables is being clueless about how to prepare them.  

 This website gives very clear directions on How to Prepare Bok Choy.


WebMD (one of my favorite go to sites) shares 10 Facts about Bok Choy and includes a recipe for a healthy Sesame Asian Bok Choy Salad. The salad sounds delicious, but frankly after a long day teaching and then trying to make time to write in the evening, it appears to take too much effort. But your're welcome to try and let me know.

I tend to stick with some easier recipes.

Here’s a recipe for Stir-fried Bok Choy with garlic and ginger.

4 minutes sounds perfect to me!!!!  World’s Healthiest Foods has a recipe for 4 Minute Healthy Sauteed Bok Choy and shares The Healthiest Way of Cooking Bok Choy.


But if you love nuts, how about Baby Bok Choy with Cashews? The site specifically asks people not to repost the recipe, but to link instead, so if you think that sounds good, try looking here. 

The easiest way of all is just to stir fry with some garlic. You could add in a dash of lemon. I love that combination. Or, to make a meal, stir in some beef, chicken, shrimp, or tofu.  My choice is the shrimp. :)

Is Bok Choy a new to you vegetable or something you cook with regularly? Please share if you have any recipes.

Cate Nolan lives in New York City, but she escapes to the ocean any chance she gets. A devoted mom, wife and teacher, Cate loves to leave her real life behind and play with the characters in her imagination. She’s got that suspense writer gene that sees danger and a story in everyday occurrences. Cate particularly loves to write stories of faith enabling ordinary people to overcome extraordinary danger. 

It's Dewberry Season!

by Mindy Obenhaus

Yes, it's dewberry season here in Texas. 

I'm sorry. What's that?

What are dewberries?

Dewberries are, well, berries, that grow wild here in Texas. They're akin to black berries, though smaller and a bit more tart. They start out white on their thorny vines, then turn a robust red before ripening to a deep purple. You can see a couple of ripe berries in this lower pic.

We had some gorgeous weather this past weekend--mid to upper 70s, lots of sunshine--so we decided to venture into the woods to pick some dewberries. And our quest paid off.

We yielded about five quarts, but there are still plenty of red berries out there, so we're expecting our haul to increase in another week or so.

By now you're probably wondering what you do with dewberries. Same thing you would do with blackberries, raspberries or blueberries. Pies, cobblers, crisps, jams, jellies...

On this day, I decided to go for a cobbler. I mean, the first picks of the season have to be a cobbler.

This is similar to my peach cobbler recipe. You can find that recipe here.. And even a little bit like the Chocolate Cobbler recipe Missy shared on Friday. You can find that recipe here. You'll see in a minute what ties these recipes together.

Okay, so here's what you'll need for Dewberry Cobbler.

• 1 stick of butter (8tablespoons)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups dewberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter in square baking pan and place in oven until melted. 

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Add egg, milk and vanilla and stir to combine.

(I recommend doing this after the butter is melted).

Pour/spoon batter over melted butter and do not stir.

Top with dewberries.

Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Serve alone or with whipped topping or ice cream.

I love doing cobbler this way. So easy, so delicious. And this recipe brought out the delightful taste of these springtime berries.

You know, one thing I really appreciate about living in the country is that I don't have to battle traffic. There are no three-car pileups, however, we do have this.

Yeah, that was more than a break-tap. That was a bring-it-on-down-to-20, 25-if-you're-lucky.

So one of the things I like best about picking wild berries is that it reminds me of the times I used to pick wild blueberries with my grandparents in Michigan. We'd park alongside the road, Grandpa would hand each of us a coffee can (the metal variety) and off we'd go. Then our efforts would be rewarded with Grandma's blueberry pie and jam.

Now it's your turn. Have you ever gone wild berry picking? What's your favorite berry to pick? And then once you bring your haul home, what are some of your favorite ways to use those berries?

Three-time Carol Award nominee, Mindy Obenhaus, lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com