We will rise.

This year I think I have listened to Josh Garrels more regularly than I have any other musician in my life. In itunes play counts, a few months of Josh Garrels surpasses even several years of Hem. You should download his most recent album, Love & War & The Sea in Between, for free on his website here.  Christianity Today voted it their 2011 album of the year and described it as "prophetic, incisive, achingly human, and longingly spiritual." So many of his songs communicate so well some of the themes of my thoughts and experiences this year in China. My favorite song of his is almost always whatever I am listening to at the moment. At the moment it's this song:

Rise

I hung my head, for the last time
In surrender and despair
Before I'm dead, I'll take the last climb
Up the mountain, face my fears
The time has come, to make a choice
Use my voice for the love of every man
My minds made up, never again
Never again, will I turn round

Though they may surround me like lions
And crush me on all sides
I may fall, but I will rise
Not by my might, or my power, or by the strength of swords
Only through, your love, my Lord,
All that's lost will be restored

Take courage sons, for we must go under
The heart of darkness, and set them free
But don't lose heart when you see the numbers
There's no measure for the faith we bring
It's given to us, to overcome
If we run where the Spirit calls us on
The greatest things, have yet to come
With the dawn, we will rise

Though they may surround me like lions

And crush me on all sides

I may fall, but I will rise

Not by my might, or my power, or by the strength of swords

Only through, your love, my Lord,

All that's lost will be restored 

Someone thought it would make a nice touch.

Recently, in the kitchen

. . . I learned about Wacky Cake and how to make it.  Wacky cake, a chocolate cake made without eggs or milk, is a brainchild of the World War II era when rationing made milk and eggs scarce.  (or so wikipedia tells me; another website tells me it was from the Great Depression era for similar reasons)


This is the recipe I followed:
      2/3 sugar
      1 1/2 c. flour
      1/3 c. cocoa
      1 tsp vanilla
      1 tsp. vinegar
      1 tsp soda
      1/2 t. salt
      1/3 c. salad oil
      1 c. cold water
Mix sugar, flour and cocoa. Put it in an ungreased 9-in square pan and shake level. Make three holes in dry mix. In first hole put vanilla and vinegar; in second hole put soda and salt and in the third hole put oil. Pour water over all. Stir gently until mixed. Bake 35 minutes at 350. Let cool.

I baked a couple cakes, but for the second I poured 1/2 cup cold coffee and 1/2 cup cold water over the top.  That cake was the better one.  I also made dulce de leche icing which was slightly less successful, but still not bad.

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A couple weeks ago, I made a crock-pot meal that called itself "chicken curry."  I think it was good enough to try again, but next time I'd add more spices because it was a little boring, though toppings of  sliced green onions, shredded coconut, peanuts, and raisins helped.  For leftovers the next day, I cut up a really ripe plum tomato as another topping and that was great.  

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1 small onion, chopped

2 sweet potatoes

2/3 cup orange juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 tsp. curry powder

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbs. cold water

Everything but the cornstarch and water cook on low for 5-6 hours, and then you remove the chicken and vegetables , turn the crock-pot to high, and add the water cornstarch to thicken the sauce.  Serve on rice.

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I tried my hand at another bread recipe. I thought maybe I should stop trying to make Honey Wheat Bread without actually having wheat flour. This recipe for American Sandwich Bread looked good, and it wasn't bad. I think one thing I haven't learned yet about bread is how to know when it's finished baking. It's not as easy as brownies or muffins, especially in a toaster oven where the tops of things are likely to get burned. When I made this bread, I tried to give it a nice brown crust by putting a tray with water in the bottom of the oven, but it ended up getting too dark before I covered it with foil to keep it from burning.  Then I took it out after about 45 minutes and took it out of the pan to discover the bottom wasn't fully cooked, turned it upside-down as best I could and put it back in the oven. . . 

But it was still good with special marmalade at breakfast, and nutella at teatime.  

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And this weekend I tried to make granola bars, but it's sort of more like extra-chunky granola. Very good on yogurt. Next time I try, I'll know not to simmer the stuff that sticks it together for too long.  

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It seems Scattered Wits has turned into a bit of a neglected food blog this year. I'm not sure what to think about that, but for now here we are.