The Life Changing Pear

At last...

The time has come...

Prepare yourself...

Take a deep breath...

Because here comes the pear. First allow me to entice you with a picture:



Now, allow me to give you this life changing recipe (courtesy of a YOU book):

Roasted Pear with Raspberry Coulis, Chocolate & Pistachios

• 1 large red pear
• 1/2 cup white wine (high quality)
• 6 ounces frozen unsweeted or 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 tbsp mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 tbsp coarsely chopped pistachios

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pear in half; remove core with a melon baller or metal measuring teaspoon. Arrange pear halves, cut side down, in a shallow baking dish. Pour wine over pears. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Meanwhile, puree raspberries in food processor; strain and discard seeds. Transfer roasted pears to serving plates, cut side up; sprinkle chocolate chips over the pears (the heat from the pears will melt the chips). Combine pureed raspberries and liquid remaining in baking dish in a small saucepan. Cook over high heat until sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon sauce over and around pears; sprinkle with pistachios. Serve warm or at room temperature.

And there it is. Mind you, when I first red this recipe I expected it to be sour and bland. But it most definitely was not. I recommend adding a few more chocolate chips and a tiny scoop of french vanilla frozen yogurt.



The best part? It's healthy! There is no sugar, no butter, no oil of any kind!

Three cheers for pears!!!

A Brief Intermission

Who knew a pear could cause such excitement and such disappointment?

A little over a week ago I promised a post on a life-changing pear, and it never happened. I have been met with much scrutiny for this fact, and for that I apologize. It was absolutely my intention to post the pear, but sadly (as it often does) life intervened. The kind of life that leaves you without internet, without time and without a post.

I promise to post that pear for you tomorrow come hell or high water (what does that even mean???). But for now, if you'll allow me a brief intermission, I have something to else to say.

Those of you who faithfully read this blog (all two of you) will have noticed a change in my posts in October both in frequency and content. It wasn't that I had nothing to say, it wasn't that I was too busy, it wasn't that I lost interest. Quite the opposite actually - I had so much to say, but wasn't ready to say it yet, at least not to the world.

In October I lost my job. Now I know that in this economy, that is a sentence uttered far too often by far too many people. Losing a job means losing income, security, stability. But for me, it also meant losing part of my identity. I realized at the worst moment that so much of how I defined myself was wrapped up in my job. It has been a painful season in many ways, but also the kind of season - the brutal winter - that makes you believe spring will knock your socks off.

I wrote a post back in September that I looked at again today, and I looked back at my own flood season. And I am so amazed at how God was preparing me for it - for every hurt, every hardship He had an answer laid out in front of me. This one met me one October afternoon:

"By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"
-Romans 5:1-5 (The Message)

I spray-painted that verse on my soul and held it out for the enemy to observe. And you know what? I made it through. And I didn't just survive. Something was shaped and built in my life that cannot be shaken. Although this has been the most difficult year of my life, I wouldn't trade it - not for anything. And my identity? It is now free to be hidden in Christ like it was meant to be all along.

I know there are many people out there facing similar circumstances: losing jobs, losing loved ones, just losing. But I hope that this sparks in you the reminder that you will be standing right where you always hoped you would be - out in the wide open spaces of God's grace.

Coming Soon

Dear blogging friends,

I'm sorry that it's been so long in between posts. I have two great distractions in my life currently: cooking and the gym. And I'm not even sorry! I have fallen in love with cooking which I have wanted to do for a VERY long time, but have never had much passion, interest, skill, time, etc. to do it.

And so, since I want to keep this sad little blog alive, I will be posting recipes. Maybe daily, maybe weekly...who knows? But they will be so so good, and so so healthy and so so easy! Because I need that combo in my life, and I'm sure you do too.

Tomorrow will be the first one. And all I have to say is, I never thought a pear could change my life...

Until tomorrow,

Katie

Life Lessons

I've been in Portland the past few days, and I've learned a few things while I've been here. I'd thought I'd take the opportunity to share some of them with you:

1. Don't shoplift, even on accident, which leads me to #2
2. If you're holding clothes for your friend while she is in the fitting room, DO NOT put said clothes under your jacket and then forget about them until you're out of the store and things start falling on the ground and everybody is looking at you and thinking that you're a criminal.
3. Graciously return said items and realize that you nearly started a career as a small time theif.
4. Do NOT buy a denim onesie, just don't.
5. Do NOT buy a yellow polyester onesie.
6. Enjoy your friends - they provide nice memories...and shoplifting stories. :)

Allow Me To Change Your Life...

PICO DE GALLO :
4 small vine ripened tomatoes
2 large avocados
1 lemon
4 small radishes
2-3 inches cilantro (from bunch)
¼ onion
Salt to taste

Finely chop tomatoes, onion, radishes and cilantro and place in medium bowl. Slice avocadoes into 1/2 chunks (larger pieces keep your pico from turning into guac) and place into bowl. Roll lemon with your hand to loosen juices, cut in half and squeeze juice into mixture. Add salt to taste.

Tip: Before placing chopped tomatoes in bowl, put them in a strainer and run some cold water over them and drain well. This keeps the pico from getting too soupy.

That's it! Have your whole life changed! You're welcome. :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. Photo above is not how it should look, but I am unable to take pictures of food without it looking gross to me.

This one is mine. See?

Thankfulness

I admit I've been horribly lax in my blogging. In my defense, my life has changed quite a lot and let's just say I don't have as much time as I used to. I won't make any promises about blogging more. I'll just say that I really hope to!

Anyway, to tide you over I thought I would just give a little shout out to my friends. My wonderful, amazing friends who I look at and can't believe how much God has blessed me. I recently had to say goodbye to one of them and it just cemented in my heart how lucky I am. We go on adventures, we dress like crazies, we throw theme parties every chance we get, we live life together and it's the best.

I love you guys! Thanks for thinking I'm cool. :)

Mmmm...

Clean house
Finished laundry
Soft music
Many candles
Beautiful Psalm
Worn pages
New year
New mysteries
New answers
My pen
His Presence

Sometimes my life is just this good.

Christmas Expectations

Wow, what a year it has been. As I look back on all that has happened this year I realize that this is definitely the hardest season I have ever walked through. And not only me, but most everyone I love has been affected in one way or another.

But it's Christmas!

And Christmas means time with the family, Christmas dinner, presents (grr), laughter, stockings, Mom's quiche, my brother putting on every single present he opens (even if it isn't clothes), and so much more.

At least that's what I was expecting.

But this Christmas is definitely not that. It looks a little more like medical bills, chest xray, new meds, Dad in the hospital, no time for dinner, no money for presents. And honestly, my first reaction was: This Christmas is a bust.

Until I remembered something...

Last week while leading worship, I said something that I was reminded of this morning: "Jesus does not disappoint." This has been a hard year for most people - losing jobs, losing loved ones, losing faith. And if my expectations for Christmas, or any other season for that matter, are placed in the "stuff". Stuff like dinner and quiche and "how it's always been", then I find myself disappointed - disappointed because my expectations were not met. But, if my place my expectations for the season in Jesus - that He will be just as good this year as last, and just as available, and just as much my Savior - He will not disappoint. And suddenly everything else is an add-on. Spending Christmas in the hospital with my family goes from a miserable thing to a wonderful blessing.

Expectations are a funny thing, and I'm learning a lot about how they change my thinking. What do you expect Christmas to be? I hope you find your expectations exceeded in who Jesus is and that you find yourself blessed beyond measure, no matter what comes your way. Merry Christmas!

Thankful and so blessed,

Katie