Grilled Stuffed Chicken

Just a note about my cooking.  I tend to loosely follow recipes.  I tend to not measure a lot, and go more by taste and what we like.  If you have any questions about any recipes I post, please e-mail me at foodinthebarrenland@gmail.com and just ask!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast portions

1/2 cup chopped each:
Fresh Tarragon
Fresh Dill
Fresh Basil
Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

3 (or 4, depends on how much you like) oz. Mild Goat Cheese (I used the Garlic and Herb flavor)
1 Lemon
Toothpicks
Non-stick cooking spray (Like PAM)

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Finely chop all of the herbs and mix in a small bowl.  Zest the lemon into the mix.  Remove half of the mix and reserve.  Use a fork to mix the goat cheese into the remaining herb mix.
Clean and trim the chicken breasts. In the fattest part of the piece of chicken, cut a slit and use your fingers to enlarge to a pocket.  Place even amounts of the cheese mixture into each of the pieces of chicken and use the the toothpicks to tightly seal the pockets.  Spray each side of the chicken with the non-stick cooking spray.  Sprinkle the reserved her mix over the chicken, and squeeze some of the lemon juice over the chicken.

Grill until chicken is cooked through.


I served this with Garlic and Herb Cous Cous, and Grilled Asparagus (recipe to follow)



Grilled Asparagus

1 Bunch Asparagus, cleaned
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Whatever spices you enjoy

Place cleaned asparagus in a zip lock bag, pour in about a 1/4 cup of EVOO, and add the spices to your liking.
Toss to evenly coat the asparagus.

Grill in a grilling basket until desired tenderness is done.

I like to use lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic, any fresh herbs.





(NOTE: The Chicken recipe is adapted from the Weight Watcher's Sizzling Cook Book  I think that I about doubled the amount of the herbs called for, as we like stronger flavors. I also chose the garlic and herb variety of goat cheese, as the recipe called for plain)

Always At The Right Time...

Remembering back over the last year I can't help but think that it has flown by.  It seems like just yesterday we were packing up to stay at my parents home while we made some home improvements in our own house.  That's right, we got our referral call on May 16, 2010 then voluntarily chose to tear apart a large chunk of our main living space and remodel.  Ourselves. Yes, we are crazy.

I was looking back over my journal from that time as well, and remembering the sermon series at our Church last summer - called "Summer In The Psalms".  I think God planned that series for me. 

In one of my journal entries I  wrote about Psalm 1, verses 1-3 (NIV)

" Blessed be the one who does not walk in the steps of the wicked,

Or sit in the seat of mockers

But whose delight is in the Law of the Lord, 

and who mediates on His law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, 

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither-

whatever they do prospers!"

At the point I was reading/writing this we had just accepted our referral and were waiting for that precious travel call to come.  I knew in my heart that our adoption was ordained by God, that He alone had spread the path before us.  But it was still hard to wait - oh so hard to wait.  In reading this passage one part stuck out to me and has stuck with me since.  The best fruit comes when the time is right.  Not before it is ready, not after.  When the time is right - the tree yields the fruit. If you try to pick the fruit too early it is hard and bitter, too late and it is soft and spoiled, unusable. You have to wait for just the right time.

 The call would come when it was time - not a moment before or a moment after.  I have learned a lot about waiting on God, and it isn't always easy. There were times during our infertility and adoption that  I was so angry at God, but that is another post.  What I have learned is that God's timing and plan is the best, the most beautiful - but getting there isn't always the easiest.  Although, you do get the best fruit.

Vanishing Cucumber Squares

Over the weekend we attended a party, and I brought these cool, refreshing summer snacks! They were a hit!
Here is the recipe - I don't remember where I originally found the recipe, but I am sure that this is not the original recipe!

Vanishing Cucumber Squares

(Single Batch- I usually double this)

1 Seedless Cucumber (Sometimes called English Cucumbers)

1 brick of Cream Cheese (either regular or light - do not use fat free)

1/2 small container of Plain Greek Yogurt

Packet of Italian Salad Dressing Mix (Like Good Seasons Zesty Italian)

Package of Pumpernickel cocktail bread

Toasted Sesame Seeds

1.)  Thinly slice the cucumber - I use a handheld ceramic mandolin style slicer pictured below.  (NOTE: ALWAYS use the safety guard with this!)

If you do not have one of these you can use a sharp knife to slice the cucumber as thin as you can.

2.) In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, yogurt, and Italian Dressing Mix with a handheld mixer

(This can be done as far as 24 hours ahead)

3.)  Spread the mix on to the Pumpernickel cocktail bread, top with the sliced cucumber. After plating top with the toasted sesame seeds for garnish

You can also us french bread if you do not like pumpernickel

Almost Wordless Wednesday

{Contentment}

As I finished the dishes Monday evening I looked out to see this in the back yard.  At that moment, my heart swelled and I could not think of a thing I would change about this moment.  I love these two!

What's In a Name...

I have been asked how I came up with the name for my blog.  Since you asked so nicely, I will tell you.

I have often read and love the story in Exodus when the Israelites fled Egypt and wandered in the dessert.  They chose to follow God, and left everything behind.  They were, if you will, in the barren land.  They were hungry, and could not find anything to eat.  The Lord responds with "I will rain down bread from heaven for you, the people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day..." (Exodus 16:4 a).  God provided what they needed for each day.  Each day they had to go out and find it, it may not have been what they wanted - but they were fed.

In some of the darkest times of my life I have been reminded of this.  God will provide for you each and every day.  Your physical and emotional needs will be met.  It may not be the way you would like to have them met, but they will be met.  I have known the Lord as my Savior for almost 22 years and I still need to learn this lesson.  Jesus tells us that when we choose to follow Him that we will not always have an easy life.  As a picture in my mind I see that I am on my own trek across the barren land and along they way the Lord provides me with what I need to make it.  Oasis of rest when I just can't take another step - places where my soul and mind are restored.  Finding what I need, and seeing that God has provided.

To be honest, part of this also is a play on words.  I found the most rest, the most provision during the time I was (and am) physically barren.  During the times that God gave my soul just what I needed.  I found food in the barren land.

So welcome to my little place on the web.  I have had this blog for some time, and felt it was time to go back there.  You will see some older posts, and I will be migrating a few posts from my other blog here. I plan to share a little of my life with all of you.  I hope you enjoy and join the journey of finding your own food along the way!

Gracie

As promised in my first blog entry, here is more about our Gracie.


First, today is her first birthday. I know, she is a dog but it is still a big deal for us. Gracie came to us on a fairly warm March Saturday (March 24, 2007). We had talked about getting a puppy - a labradoodle or goldendoodle. When we would see an add in the paper we would always call. They either had no females left or were too expensive. One evening we decided to go out to dinner and do a little shopping. I had been having a rough time with something and was pretty depressed, so my wonderful husband wanted to take me out. We went to a fairly large shopping area near here that has a very cute (ok, expensive-spoil-your-dog-rotten type of place). We had dinner and went in to check things out. (They usually had puppies that they kept in an antique crib in the store) When we walked in there was this tiny little white fur ball sitting in the bottom corner kennel just staring at us. She had crazy hair, and the saddest eyes you have ever seen. She was also being pummeled by her two "sisters" who were playing in the same kennel. The shop owner saw us looking at her, a yellow labradoodle, and told us that the pups had been there for a week and on display for three days. No one had wanted to see her, only her sisters and two brothers. They were all first generation labradoodles, and the other 4 pups looked just like yellow lab pups, with yellow lab fur. She was the only one with the crazy hair. Her eyes looked just like my soul felt, like I was her last hope. So, I looked and my husband and we looked at the lady and said we would like to see her. Well, the rest is history. That night we brought home a 10 pound scared to death little puppy. We had to stop at my parents house to get their old kennel and at PetSmart because we had absolutely nothing for this pup except the stuffed piggy we picked at the store for her.


For most of the way home she just sat on my lap and shook and cried. She was just scared to death. One time she did peek her head up just to bark right at me, then licked my cheek. I laughed for the first time in a very long time. So we named her Gracie, because we knew she would save us. Now that we have had her for a little over 10 months, I can honestly say that she has. She makes us laugh all the time, she cries with me when I am sad, and is just a great dog. Oh, and she is spoiled rotten. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Happy 1st Birthday Sweet Gracie Lou!




Gracie's First Night (And Piggy)






This is the look she had for about the first week we had her. This was her first night with us, and you can see Piggy is there as well.

Her Favorite Nap Places

She likes to dig in the yard, then tries to sneak back in the house without us noticing the mud....




And what Princess is complete without the Princess Purse.

A Year In Review

2007 started for me with a Sermon from Pastor Paul Sartarelli at the Chapel in Akron. On that Sunday he preached about Isaiah 40,



Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;
31 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.



I have read this passage many times over the years and have turned to it in many times of need. What Pastor Paul said that day forever changed my view of this passage, and helped me understand God just a little better than I had the day before. He talked about the strength of God, and the power of God and then he got a little more quiet. He talked about how sometimes, as Christians, things will happen here on earth that there is just not an explanation for. Times when believers will soar over the earth like on the wings of eagles. Sometimes there will be the stamina to run this race without fail, and to finish as strong as we started. Times to run and not grow weary. And there are also times when God gives you nothing more than the strength to take the next step. There is a promise in this passage, a promise that whoever hopes in the Lord will get this strength.

2007 was a time for my husband and I to see examples of all three. We saw friends of ours who conceived and gave birth to a child, when there was no medical reason as why this was able to happen. We saw them soar over the earth like on the wings of eagles. We saw other friends adopt children into their families, and run like they have never run before. We saw ourselves struggle through what has been the hardest struggle of our marriage, and saw how God gave us the strength to do nothing more than take the next step. I don't know if he realized it at the time, but Pastor Sartarelli saw us one of these morning eating breakfast at a little diner. He stopped at our table to say hello, and witnessed one of those moments where God gave us the strength to take the next step- because we were to weak to walk on our own.

It is amazing to look back at where I was last January first, and remember the hopes and dreams I had for 2007. 2007 was a hard year, but looking back it was a good year. We finally got a puppy, Gracie. She is the perfect pup for our family. (And yes, she is spoiled rotten) We have made new friends and old friendships have gotten even stronger. We had a new nephew come into our family as well.

I can't wait to see what 2008 holds......