Chicken Alfredo, Fettuccine Alfredo, Alfredo ala Anything. Even the names make the dish seem exotic and difficult to create. The truth is, the hardest thing about Fettuccine Alfredo is the sauce. Maybe I’m missing something and maybe my alfredo sauce is “a peasant’s version,” but it tastes great. (Or so others say.) And it is not difficult to make.

          The key (I think) is in using butter, olive oil and whole milk, but I’m not sure. I just know it works.

Fettuccine Alfredo

          Fettuccine

• Approximately 3 quarts of water
• 1 Tablespoon oil or butter
• 1 pound fettuccine

1. Bring water, with oil or butter, to boil
2. Add fettuccine.
3. Stir occasionally to keep the noodles from clumping together.
4. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until fork-tender. (This means you can easily cut it against the side of the pan with a fork.)
5. Drain well.
6. If you are not putting them into the alfredo sauce immediately, rinse the fettuccine. If left sitting hot and unrinsed, they will clump together. It is best to rinse them in cold water, then in hot to reheat them. Instead of rinsing, you can toss them with 1-2 Tablespoons of melted butter.

          Alfredo Sauce
enough for 1 pound of fettuccine

• ½ stick (¼ cup) butter
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup milk
• ¾ cup Parmesan cheese

1. Melt butter with oil over low to medium heat. Don’t let it burn, but do let it heat thoroughly before adding milk.
2. Add milk and heat through. Do not bring to full boil, but do allow to simmer.
3. Add the Parmesan cheese. Stir well and heat thoroughly. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir often.
4. Remove from heat. As the sauce cools, it will thicken. If it does not thicken enough, just return it to the heat and add Parmesan cheese, a Tablespoon at a time.
5. At this point, I mix the pasta with the sauce and serve the chicken and/or vegetables either separately or arranged on top of the pasta.
• Many people prefer to mix the chicken and/or vegetables in the sauce and serve over plain noodles. If you do that, be sure to rinse the noodle and/or toss them with a small amount of butter. This will remove the starch and keep them from clumping together.

What to serve with Fettuccine Alfredo

          Fettuccine Alfredo can be served with anything, but it’s most often seen with chicken and sometimes with vegetables, such as broccoli or green beans or asparagus. I usually steam or stir-fry these items and mix them with the noodles and sauce. As I said before, you can serve them separately if you prefer.

          To stir-fry the meat and vegetables, just add a Tablespoon oil to a wok or frying pan. Heat over medium-high heat. Add meat. Stir constantly to keep from burning. When meat is done, remove from heat. Repeat the process, adding more oil if needed, with the vegetables. When the vegetables are cooked, add the meat to the pan and mix to reheat.

          “My oil just burst into flame! What do I do? Help! What do I do?”

          The first time a kitchen fire occurs can be terrifying. Actually, anytime it happens is scary, but the panic level escalates in proportion to the experience level.

          I’ve heard it said that mentally rehearsing an event three times gives the same benefit as experiencing it once. I’d like to tell you a story in the hopes this is true. Perhaps safely reliving my experience a few times will prepare you to handle similar experiences. If they happen. Which I hope they don’t.

          I put about a half inch of oil in a pan, lit the burner and put on the lid. I’ve done this a thousand times before. I’m not sure what was different about this time, but something made the pan burst into flame. The loose-fitting glass lid, with it’s steam vent hole was not air-tight enough to smother the fire, so the flames licked up and around the lid, reaching for the wall and cabinets.

          Would your first reaction be to throw water on that fire? Don’t! Please don’t ever throw water onto a grease fire. It will only make it worse. A lot worse. You must smother a grease fire. A fire extinguisher is preferred, bu they are not always available. (I keep a small one in my kitchen at home, but I’m renting in China now. There is no extinguisher in this house.)

          I knew the only way to put it was to smother it, so I ran to find a towel, preferably one I didn’t mind loosing if irreparably damaged. (Yes, I was still thinking that coherently.) I found one and rushed back to the kitchen to throw it over the fire. At first it looked like that would put it out, but then the flames started licking at the edges of the towel. (Panic danced through my mind, but I forced myself to ignore it.) I pulled the towel away from the flame, praying it didn’t catch fire. The towel was safe, but the fire still blazed in the pot, stretching fiery fingers up the wall. (I’m so glad the walls in this kitchen are tile-covered cement!) I tried again to cover the fire with the towel. Again, the flames sought a way around the edges. Again, I pulled away just before the towel could ignite. I did this about 4 times, with Panic screaming more insistently each time. Finally, I noticed the flames getting smaller. (And glared Panic down with that fact.) Another two towel smothers and the fire died. Whew!

          Now I could put on the vent fan and try to get rid of the smoke. (Goodness! The smoke! It filled the kitchen, laundry room and living room from ceiling to shoulders!) I’d almost turned on the vent fan while still fighting the fire. Just as I reached for it, though, I realized it would only create a draft and feed the fire. (Obviously that was before my attention was consumed with ignoring Panic.)

          If only I’d had enough presence of mind to shut the door to the kitchen. While not an air-tight seal, perhaps it would have kept most of the smoke in the kitchen and laundry room. Then again, maybe that would have been worse. I would inhaled more harmful smoke. As it was, with the smoke rising to the ceiling, I had mostly clear air to breathe while I fought the fire. Once the fire (and Panic) was driven away, my presence of mind returned and I fetched a wet hand towel to breathe through while I tackled the smoke. (A thank you nod to a favorite TV show for that tidbit of knowledge. And goodbye to any lingering guilt for wasting time watching it. )

          My stove vent fan is pretty powerful. It had the kitchen and laundry room clear of smoke long before open windows and fans cleared the rest of the house. Now off to clean up the mess. Thankfully, the walls beside the stove are tile. The smoke didn’t damage the other walls.

          I tell you this story because I realize many of my readers would have no idea how to handle a kitchen fire. I want my experience to give you the knowledge you need if you ever have to put out a kitchen fire.

          First, most important rule: NEVER, EVER, EVER throw water onto a grease/oil fire. The water will sink beneath the oil, begin to boil and create an explosion of hot oil and water. Remember: NO WATER on a kitchen fire. You must smother the fire.

          Second: Wrap a wet towel around your nose and mouth so the smoke is filtered out of the air you breathe. This will minimize, or eliminate, any harmful effects of inhaling the smoke-filled air. (And, since smoke rises, stay under the cloud of smoke as much as possible.)

          Third: Don’t panic. Panic removes your ability to think rationally. Use the adrenaline (energy) rush of panic to handle the emergency, but do not give into the emotion.

          I hope you never need this knowledge. I just as fervently hope that if you do, you remember this blog and are able to use this knowledge to kick Panic’s butt as you handle the emergency.

          Now, go read through this two more times to solidify it in your memory.

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isa 40:31

          Another way of saying this is . . .

          I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. Psalm 81:10

          Along with David, . . .

          I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13-14a

          So, along with me, won’t you . . .

          Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14b

          My latest meander found me considering this verse . . .

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.Isa 40:31

          Many years ago I listened to someone teach on this verse. He pointed out that the word “wait” in the original language is not a passive verb. It is active, much as it is when referring to a server “waiting” on a customer. So in reality, that verse in Isaiah is really saying something like Paul said in Colossians 3:23-24.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

         The Lord Christ who also said . . .

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Mt 11:28

         Are you actively working, waiting and finding rest?

          Happy New Year!

          No, I’m not a month late. It really is the new year. Chinese New Year, that is.

          This is the first Chinese New Year I’ve experienced. It’s sort of a lonely time for a foreigner, but an interesting one. All the Chinese have gone to visit family and all the shops and restaurants are closed. Crowds and traffic, which were at all-time highs the past two weeks have dwindled to almost nothing. I’d think the city was deserted if it wasn’t for the continuous fireworks and firecrackers.

          Chinese New Year is the major holiday of the year. Very much like our Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, it is a time to reconnect with loved ones, share large meals and give gifts of money and good wishes to the younger members of the family. Like the January 1st New Year, the Chinese New Year is a time to look back and to look forward, with an emphasis on the new year. Schools end a semester before the holiday and begin another after. Families visit older members during this time as well as tending to the graves of passed loved ones. Various traditions are observed to increase good luck and prosperity.

          One such tradition (which this housework-hater loves) says all brooms must be put away and not used on New Year’s Day lest the good fortune of the year be swept out. After the 1st day, the dirt and dust may be swept inward, away from the front door, and left in a corner. It should not be removed until after the 5th day and should never be swept out the front door, but only carried out the back. I’m not sure how I’m going to accomplish that last. We only have one door.

          Here are a few sites to explore if you are interested in learning more about Chinese New Year.

          http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/christmas/chinese_new_year2011.htm

          http://education2.uvic.ca/Faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/chinese_new_year.html

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year

          So . . . Happy New Year!

          My last post talked about meditating on God’s Word. What exactly does that mean?

          All About Spirituality.org has a detailed definition of meditation and various ways it has been practiced in different cultures. In fact, All About Spirituality.org has a lot of information about many things related to spirituality. Each article gives plenty of information and continually leads back to the truth that true spirituality comes from a relationship with the Lord Jesus. I recommend this site if you want to explore the meaning of true spirituality.

          Back to biblical meditation. What is it? Short answer: focused thinking about what the passage teaches and how it applies to my life.

          I’m renewing the habit of meditation and would like you to join me. I’m calling it a Meditation Meander. That sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? If meditation is focused attention, how can you meander through it? Meander seems to indicate an aimless wandering.

          But consider: A meandering trail is much longer than a trail straight from point A to point B. A meandering walk through the forest gives a person maximum time in that forest. Time to enjoy the sights and sounds and smells of the forest. Time to see and experience details that would be missed during a more purposeful journey. Time to really get to know the forest. A meandering walk is a walk whose focus in not on destination but on experienced moments.

          Meditation Meander. A journey through Scripture; a focus on Scripture’s Author.

          Each week (or so), I’ll chose a verse or short passage. First I will memorize it (or re-memorize, if I already know it). Throughout the week, I will consider what it means and how it can be applied to my life. I will also search my Lord’s Word for other verses that teach the same truth. This is a huge task. There are sure to be multitudes of verses that touch on at least one aspect of my target verse. Obviously I won’t be able to exhaust that search. I’m not even going to try. That’s not the goal. The goal is to meander through His Word, to investigate and discover His teachings, to immerse myself in His truths and to delight in Him.

          I’d love for you to join me. I’ll post my focus verse each week. Sometime during the week, I will post few of the similar verses I’ve discovered and any thoughts that have occurred during my meditations. Feel free to tell me about any verses or insights you glean as you meander through His Word.

Many years ago I was shown these passages from Psalm 1

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

and Joshua 1 (emphasis mine).

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:7-8

          There is a promise here. A promise I have trusted and seen fulfilled in countless ways for decades.

          If I meditate on the law of the Lord, if His Word is my delight, I will prosper. As I meditate on God’s Law, I become like a tree planted by a stream. My life prospers, I bear fruit, I have success, I flourish.

          Some could corrupt that to mean I’ll have a lot of money and material wealth. That’s not what those verses say. That belief cheapens and tarnishes the truth. These verses are talking about true prosperity, a prosperity of soul. A prosperity that has little to do with possessions and much to with a life well lived .

          A prosperous life is one filled with fulfilling tasks and life purpose. A prosperous life includes an ability to find joy and purpose in each day. A prosperous life is rich in relationships, both as mentor and disciple. A prosperous life encompasses each moment of each day, layering it with richness and vibrancy and fulfillment. A prosperous life has little to do with money and possessions and much to do with living.

          The Bible teaches that if I meditate on God’s Word, I will prosper. So I will meditate. Join me!

          What does your new year hold? My 2010 included a lot of changes, which will continue into the new year.

          I’m also making plans, sometimes called resolutions. But not the typical resolutions. Not the resolutions that are forgotten by February. At least that’s my plan.

          This blog is my feeble attempt to share with anyone who will listen the glorious truth of a life lived for, with and through my wondrous Lord. Feeble because there are so many things I want to share, so much I want to say. I write, but my attempted posts become too long, too serious, too full. Or I swing back the other way and they become too trivial. So I don’t post anything. And this blog sits empty. Doing little except reveal my failure to be consistent.

          It’s time for that to change. I will post something to this blog at least twice a week.

          I’m still floundering, trying to decide exactly what to write. Do I write about my writing? Or my hobbies? (Which ones?) Or homeschooling? Or being a wife and mom? Or what? I have many interests, many thoughts . . . and many doubts. (Who really wants to hear what I have to say? Anyone?)

          Even so, I will post something at least twice each week. I will do that for the next two months. In February, my domain name is due to be renewed. If I have not posted to this blog on a regular basis by mid-February, I think it wise to let the domain expire. Whatever happens, whether renewed and regular blog postings or termination of a useless and unused blog, this year will be a year of following my wondrous Lord wherever He leads.

          Won’t you join me?

This is part of an ongoing series that establishes the foundation of my faith. It may seem a little academic to some, too light for others. I have endeavored to strike a balance in order to provide clear reasons and support for each belief. The bottom line of my faith is that I believe the Bible has a message from God, the Creator of all life. That message is one of truth and love, justice and forgiveness and above all, an invitation to abundant life.

Adam was created perfect, without sin or any fault; He chose to rebel against God.

Because we are descended from Adam, we bear his guilt, propensity to sin and condemnation.

          This is probably one of the most significant premises in my belief system. Everything else radiates from this one truth. Instead of believing we are all inherently good, I believe what the Bible teaches, that we have an inclination to do evil. Because of the rebellious choices made by the first man and woman (see Genesis 3), all their offspring have that same propensity toward rebellion, violence and cruelty. In theological terms it is called a sin nature. In practical terms, it means that every one of us is capable of great depravity.

          Before Eve and Adam chose to disregard God’s instruction, life was idyllic. There was no death, no destruction, no unhappiness. With that one act of disobedience and rebellion, they condemned all of mankind to a battle with a dark nature. Only divine intervention could negate the consequences of their choice.

……………………..Supporting Scripture……………………….

• Genesis chapters 2 and 3.
• Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12 NIV)
• We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:22 NIV)
• Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? (Proverbs 20:9 NIV)
• for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 NIV)
• For the wages of sin is death, (Romans 6:23a NIV)
• As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10 NIV)
• Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. (Romans 5:14 NIV)

This is part of an ongoing series that establishes the foundation of my faith. It may seem a little academic to some, too light for others. I have endeavored to strike a balance in order to provide clear reasons and support for each belief. The bottom line of my faith is that I believe the Bible has a message from God, the Creator of all life. That message is one of truth and love, justice and forgiveness and above all, an invitation to abundant life.

          God created the world, the planets and stars, the entire universe.

          There are multiple Scripture references to God creating the world. You can find a few at the bottom of this post. Because I believe the Bible to be the Word of God, I believe it when it says God made the world. Interestingly, though, so many of the physical aspects of geology, archeology and anthropology corroborate what the Bible says. Renowned scientists admit there has to have been some design to the world’s creation. It does not take rejection of science to believe the Bible when it says God made the world.

          Again, I’m not capable of answering all the arguments against believing the world was created. I’m not a technical, scientific type of person. I’m a creative. Get too deep into the technical and scientific explanations for anything, and my brain glazes. I am intelligent, though, with a reasonable ability to logically observe and evaluate others’ arguments, explanations and suppositions. While I may not totally comprehend all the facts and nuances of origins, the facts seem to more clearly indicate the world was designed and created than that everything happened by chance.

          Of course, not everyone believes that. That’s fine. As Paul said, “And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.” (Philippians 3:15b) I’m not trying to persuade anyone. I’m organizing and verbalizing my beliefs so readers will understand my perspective as they read my posts. If you would like to know some of the facts and evidences that point to a created world, sites like Institute for Creation Research and Answers in Genesis are great places to begin your search.

……………………..Supporting Scripture……………………….

• In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
• For this is what the LORD says—he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited—he says: “I am the LORD, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:18)
• the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the LORD, who remains faithful for ever. (Ps 146:6)
• “I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor? The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in their dungeon, nor will they lack bread. For I am the LORD your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD Almighty is his name. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand—I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’” ( Isa 51:12-16)