Blurb

The shoes didn't fit. It was an omen.













Sunday, December 18, 2016

Chocolate Pumpkin Black Bean Chili and Gluten-free Corn Bread

Last Friday I played around with a chili recipe since I have GERD, tomatoes are a no-no. I replaced it with canned pumpkin. A crockpot comes in handy for this too.

Here are the ingredients:

1-lb ground meat (any kind- I used turkey)
2 chopped onions
Garlic cloves (as much as you like-make sure you crush them)
1 can of black beans (make sure you rinse them)
1 can of pumpkin
3 cups of broth (chicken, vegetable, or beef- I used chicken)
1/4 Cup of water (or more-its to cook the ground meat before adding all the other ingredients)
4 TBSP Chili powder
1 TSP Cumin
1 TSP Cinnamon
1 TSP Cocoa powder
1 TBSP Raw honey
Optional: add any kind of hot pepper, zucchini, and squash. You can also use any bean you desire.

Steps in preparation:

1. Set your crock pot on high. Add your ground meat and water. Cover and cook for two hours.

2. After two hours, dump everything in. Turn down the temp to low and let it cook. Mine cooked for 6 hours. If you cook on high. Do so for 3 hours.

3. Let it cool for ten minutes.

4. Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, and gluten free cornbread if you like.

5. Eat up!

Well...since I shared my chili recipe y'll will need my gluten free cornbread recipe.

Here are the ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 Cup any kind of unsweetened milk (I use almond)
1/4 Cup of water
1/3 Cup maple syrup or honey
1 TBSP coconut oil (make sure it's softened first)
3/4 Cups frozen or canned corn
1/2 Cup of raisins or chopped dates
1/2 TSP salt

Steps in preparation:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400.

2. Grease a 12 count muffin tin with coconut oil.

3. Mix your salt and cornmeal together.

4. Stir in the rest of your ingredients.

5. Then, fill your muffin cups a third full.

6. Pop them into the oven and bake for twenty minutes.

7. Once out of the oven, let them sit for five minutes. They're yummy with butter. Even with a swipe of coconut oil.

Enjoy!

Hope everyone has a happy week!

Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly


Sunday, December 11, 2016

RACISM

What is racism? According to a Google definition, it is the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

*Predjudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.

In the limelight, Obama has played the race card. Race wars have been spawned by white cops on black lay people. The mainstream media has used it to stir up the people. Hillary and others on the left have accused Trump of being one. The world has just gone plain crazy. But then...

I was raised in twisted and crazy.

"That boy is a good worker," my grandmother said. "They all need to take some lessons from him." She forked her steak and sawed her knife into it.

"Yeah. He's good a nigger," my grandfather agreed.

Born in 1965 this was common talk around me. In my house, African-Americans were referred to as 'jungle-bunnies, boy, girl, them, and porch monkeys''.

"If you touch one, your skin will turn black." My grandfather loved telling me this when I was little. Just to let you know, I've shook hands and have hugged many different races of people. Guess what? I'm still white. Skin colors don't rub off.

In high school, I dated a Puerto Rican boy and a Laotian one. My grandparents and parents didn't appreciate either. Wet-back and Gook were how they were referred to. I didn't care what they thought. Love sees no colors.

When God sees us, He sees our hearts. He shows partiality to no one. For there is no respect of persons with God. Romans 2:11 KJV

In 2000, I worked for a law firm. One day, I left late with all the attorneys. As we entered an elevator so did the nightly cleaning crew. Three had to be Spanish and one was African-American.

"Hi," I said to them.

They all bowed their heads and huddled toward a corner. "Sorry," one of them said. It was as if they were standing before royalty.

The attorneys didn't even acknowledge them.

When the elevator doors slid open, the cleaners stayed back to let the attorneys out first. I lingered behind waiting for them to get half way down the corridor.

"Y'll shouldn't be afraid them. They're just a bag of bones in suits."

Their faces flushed. They let out small giggles.

"Besides," I said. "We all bleed red no matter who we are." After, I walked out into the hallway and glanced back at them. "Don't forget that."

The rich and the poor have a common bond. The Lord is the maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2

And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation. Acts 17:26

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Galations 3:28

There are a ton more scriptures on what God believes about racism. It shouldn't even exist. But it does. If you ask me, I believe that governments created it to keep the world in chaos. Think about it. They've used religion.

In the meantime, pay attention. No worldly leader is going to lead us to national salvation. Our hope is in Yeshua only. He's in control.

Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly









Thursday, December 8, 2016

ISWG:My Broken Arm Update

"I expected more from your arm," the doctor said. "We're going to get you a bone simulator."

Well, the bone isn't there yet. It should've been. But my body has decided to be different. Hashaimoto's is running this show. Aw man...

Still can't drive or go to work. Can't lift my arm like a normal person?

The bright side, typing is getting easier. I can hopefully finish what I had started-actually, I was halfway there with a novel when I broke my humerus.

How can anyone make a 5 year plan with the unexpected hiding around the corner?

This post was brought to you on behalf of Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Group. If you're interested click on the icon toward the top right of your computer screen.

Hugs and chocolate,

Shelly

PS The xray pic was taken today
Yep. That's my broken humerus. Purdy, huh?