Days 317 - 318 - Refrigerator creativity

Ok, I've been gone a week and poor hubby didn't quite know what I'd had in mind with what he calls mystery containers in the fridge and freezer.  A stash of beets, avocados, red pears, colorful peppers, carrots and onions came home from the market to accent those containers of "manna" (Ken's name because Manna means 'what is it').

The red pears combined with leftover apples to make a chunky pear-apple compote.  Their sauce was honey and bay leaves, and 1/2 capful of Watkins carmel flavoring cooked about 3 minutes.  Toss the apples and pears and bake until tender to taste (35 minutes for us at 375).  I topped mine with roasted sliced almonds and a bit of creme fraiche mixed with 1 tbsp. of International creamer - amaretto flavor.

The peppers and onions combined for the Chicken and Brie dish which we finished at lunch today with a little Chicken-Rice with lemon oil replacing the butter called for in the recipe.  Shown above with the Pear-Apple dessert.

The avocados dressed up leftover Mushroom Perogi and the Carrots, Onions and more Lentil soup is ready for tomorrow.  I do love to get creative over the stove.  Ken prefers a larger serving but a plainer dish so he got more rice, more chicken and no cream on his dessert. He was pleasantly surprised at the lentil soup which was very simple to make with Chicken Broth, carrots, onions, and salt and pepper.   It's better to start with a small amount - say 1 cup of lentils and a few vegetables covered with broth, seasoned to taste and cooked for almost an hour.  Lentils do expand a bit in cooking so be prepared.

I've been studying various Bible characters, including Esau, who was so hungry he sold his inheritance for a bowl of lentil stew.  The Bible says we should not be an ".. immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal." Hebrews 12:16

 Those are pretty strong words, yet if food, or anything else controls us to the point we would sell all for it, or even feel like we might, it's time to run - RUN - to the Lord and seek strength to see food for what it is - necessary to live, delightful to taste, but not created to satiate our souls.