"Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions."
1 John 3:18
Welcome to something new I'm going to try for the Spring & Summer - Tasty Tuesday!
I was going to start this next week, but I thought verse 18 in our reading was a good segway to the new "Tasty Tuesday" post that I'm eager to do. Don't worry, I won't be posting everyday, but I do love alliteration, so Tuesday it is. I guess I could have done "Food Friday", but Friday's are crazy and it probably wouldn't have happened as consistently as I hope Tuesdays will. So, here we go!
Growing up Lutheran there was never a church gathering that didn't involve some kind of food! I'm guessing it's the same for many Christian denominations and I suspect the Jewish faith is very similar. I've read the Old Testament - there's a lot of meal prep and eating that goes on! Many of the stories about Jesus involved a meal. Then there's the Last Supper - we gather around this holy meal often, remembering the body and blood, broken and spilled for us.
Food is an essential part of living. It is one way for us to show how much we love each other. Just this morning my youngest (age 7) asked if oatmeal is 'comfort food'; to which I replied 'yes'. Food can bring comfort, even when we didn't know we needed it. It has the power to bring hope; it strengthens us; it identifies us; it unites us. There is a new show on the Travel Channel called "Breaking Borders" where a news reporter and a chef "travel to conflict zones to get the story behind the story... to gather people from all sides of the conflict to break bread and explore the issues that divide them." Food offers the opportunity to gather together: whether it's people from different cultures or people of different ages that all live under one roof! There's scientific proof that "the family dinner table" is a powerful tool in raising good children. And what better way to gather extended family than to share a meal together! My mom and her sister started holding "family meals" once a month to gather their 6 children and the many grandchildren together monthly. It has strengthened bonds and brought us closer. My dad's family (9 children, lots of grandchildren and a few great-grandchildren) gathers for every major holiday and life event - you guessed it, around a whole lot of food!!
This week we're going to explore how we show love through food. I show my love for my family by making delicious, yet simple home cooked meals as often as possible. Even if they don't like it, I know the meal is healthy (mostly, usually) and filled with love. Teaching them good manners and engaging in conversation over the dinner table is all part of what I consider being a good wife and mother.
I reach out with God's love to the community by serving meals at Faith Kitchen. It puts a smile on my face and in my heart to share God's love through a hearty, "home cooked" meal with someone who may not get another meal that day. Love is conveyed not only through the food, but through serving as well.
Click here to share your story (and recipe) of showing love with food. Maybe it's a meal that expresses a lot of love or a favorite family recipe that brings back happy memories. Are you that person who always has something in the freezer for those in need? What's your go-to dish for the family with a new baby or the bereaved? How ever you show love using food - we want to hear about it!
This is going to be a regular weekly post, so get your recipe cards ready! I hope to add your favorites to my recipe book! If you love food or cooking will you consider being a guest blogger? Let me know, please!!
Your Partner in Ministry,
Shelly
warrior
"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Proverbs 16:24
P.S. did you notice my personal scripture is about food?!
3 comments:
I am not a very good cook. The running joke in my house is that a Colombian married someone who cannot make rice (it must be love!). Its not that I am un-intelligent. Its not that I haven't tried. Its a talent I don't have. Carry that over to the rest of food. Intentions are good, results are . . . . well, they just "are." Its more that my family shows me love by eating the food that I prepare. And understanding when things don't go exactly as planned. But one thing I make that all seem to enjoy is "salsa fresca" - here we go!
4 cups diced tomatoes (I use plum)
2 cups diced onions (small dice, please)
a bunch of minced cilantro (put in more than you think you need)
2 jalapeno peppers - seeded and finely diced
juice of about 4 limes (you should taste this as you go along) (fresh only, bottled need not apply)
salt
chop the stuff, put it together, add the lime juice and salt to taste
We use this on eggs. We use this on chips. On chicken, And yes, on rice. ;)
Corine, that sounds delicious! Though I'm not sure my Pennsylvania-roots tongue could handle 2 jalapeno peppers! :) Thanks for sharing!!
My Aunt Connie's Chicken Corn Soup with Rivels! This is a common PA soup & an old family recipe, but no one makes it quite like my Aunt Connie! You can taste the love she puts into her cooking. And the warm thick broth, fresh chicken, the crisp PA sweet corn and the unexpected hard boiled eggs makes you feel like you've been hugged on the inside. Although soup is usually a cold-weather dish, this one is delicious and comforting all year around! My aunt makes a lot of yummy food, but this is probably her most requested! It's the one that makes us all go, "Ooo" and hope there's leftovers so we can take some home with us! This is a dish that reminds me of my family, my roots, and love that stretches back generations!
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