Faithful Food: Interesting Times

Interesting Times

January 1, 2020 was a morning which did not prepare me for anything the ensuing years brought. The sunrise over the lake was like a painting, intricate and mysterious and breathtaking. Talk about holding your cards close to your chest, that sunrise did not give away a single hint of any of the changes we have seen in these past two years. While I do not like the destruction they bring, I have been drawn to storms since childhood; the way the wind blows, stops, and picks up again, the feel of that wind on my face, and the acknowledgment of all the energy it contains. The concern people feel about inflation, illness, and the general state of things are a storm of a different kind; one which I am not enjoying at all. Many of us are trying to find the beauty in small moments which seem increasingly more cherished. Many are digging deeper into the Catholic faith by returning to adoration, praying a daily rosary, and taking stock and counting blessings. And in those blessings I hear the whisper of an old comfort from childhood... “peace be still.” Last week found me in the grocery store with list in hand. I realized it had been some time since I had to be quite so careful with my budget. I realized that there were a few things I could do without. It was a good feeling to know that I had “just enough” and that my needs were met. Oh don’t get me wrong, I would have loved not shopping from that side of my list so to speak but we must adjust with the times. I am using this as an exercise in reflection on what I truly need, on what I can make rather than purchase, and how to make the best choices for my family. During the stay home order of 2020 I became reacquainted with some skills I had not used in years. One of those was preserving food using a pressure canner. Last week, a friend and I met at the church and before long we had three pressure canners whistling away on the large commercial stove. After weeks of bargain shopping and freezing my spoils, I canned 21 pints of chicken. I realize not everyone is interested in food preservation and the words pressure canner can strike fear in the bravest of cook’s hearts, but I must tell you, inflation notwithstanding, home-canned food is the original convenience food. Case in point, one day I worked later than I had planned. With family coming for a late lunch I was pressed for time. I took jars of chicken and stirred them into the yellow rice,

faithful food

Birthday Chicken Salad

Two of my daughters-in-law, Jess and Nikki, requested this for birthday lunches. It is a variation of the recipe for Coronation Chicken Salad and is always a winner.

• 2 pints of chicken (or 6 cans of chicken from the grocery store) • 6 stalks of celery with strings removed and finely diced • Pecan chips (1 to 2 packages sold in the baking aisle. These are usually small. If you are lucky enough to have pecans put away in freezer, chop them fine using a good knife or the food processor.) • If using home-canned chicken, break up meat with your fingers, if using chicken purchased in the store, put it in a food processor and pulse one to two times to break up chunks. Put meat in large bowl and add celery and pecan chips.

In a separate bowl whisk together the following:

• 1 small carton of sour cream • Mayonnaise (enough for your desired consistency) • ½ jar of mango chutney • Salt and pepper to taste • Start with ½ teaspoon of curry powder and stir and taste and adjust to your preference.

Mix all ingredients together ( I wash and use my hands) until well blended. Store in fridge until ready to serve. Goes well with crackers, buns, and lettuce.

warmed a jar of pinto beans and added some sausage from the fridge, opened another jar of apple pie filling and made a lazy man’s cobbler. In less than an hour a delicious meal underway, all thanks to home canning. Canned food is versatile and will take you as far as your culinary imagination wanders. As we navigate our current times, days which many of us have never seen, let us root ourselves in prayer, secure in the belief that God indeed has a plan and each of us has a place in it. If we incline our ears and hearts we may again hear that familiar comforting truth “peace be still.”