Defeating Sugar Addiction, Hot Potluck Breakfast, Pizza + Thrill of the KY Derby
Life is hard; food doesn't have to be #166 [vol5, 4.3]
Did you know on the first Saturday in May - Churchill Downs is the third largest city in Kentucky? Over 100,000 people fit in the in-field and 50,000 in the grandstands! For two weeks prior to the greatest two minutes in sports, the city of Louisville comes alive with festivities. My husband grew up in Louisville and while my grandmother lived here, I grew up two hours east. My family usually went to Grandma’s for a Derby Party but that’s about all we did. I’ve never fully participated in Kentucky Derby shenanigans. This year I bought fun earrings and am diving in! Well except, I plan to stay home Derby Day. Saturday kicks off the party with Thunder Over Louisville with an air show on the riverfront and a gigantic fireworks show at nightfall.
Pizza
My parents gave me a Big Horn outdoor pizza oven (only $120 on Amazon today) during the pandemic because of the influence of
. Her pizza book was released this week and I cannot recommend it highly enough if you want to make pizza at home.Do you have 3 days or 3 hours to make the dough? Instant or active dry yeast? Cast iron (& other pans, benefits of each) indoors or outdoor pizza oven? She's got you.
She explains the nitty gritty like the time it takes to get to the exact temperature of the outdoor oven. And How long pizzas should be in there before turning it with a long handled, small paddle while extending grace if you don't have all the right accouterments and sharing possible alternatives.
All the explaining isn't clunky. It's just what I need to understand and succeed.
What Else We’re Eating
Have you tried these Cheeseburger Bites? Sort of like an egg bite and a cheeseburger rolled into one. Serve with oven fries and you have dinner. If you have chickens, it’s a great way to use up eggs! We eat these bites hot or cold on the go.
Simple Punch - My daughter’s volleyball team surprised the weight training coach with a baby shower at the gym. I took a punch bowl and cups from Goodwill (the girls were all “this is so fancy!”). Punch was equal parts strawberry lemonade from Costco and Passion Tazo Tea (with sugar). Add orange slices and you have extra fancy without artificial colors!
Monkey Bread Pizza - Using Alexandra’s Easy Peasant Bread recipe, I used small spoonfuls of dough dipped in garlic butter and layered parmesan, mozzarella and generous portions of pepperoni in a bundt pan. Served with pizza sauce on the side but you could layer some with the dough. Just remember the dough rises and stop when the pan is half filled. The cheese stuck to the sides so presentation wasn’t the best. My people didn’t complain. I want to try next in just a 9x13 pan.
InstantPot Breakfast for a Crowd
I’ve taken breakfast three times lately to a crowd. My go-to addition has been Amylu’s Chicken Sausages from Costco. They’re pre-cooked so they just need to be warmed. I put them in a steamer basket in my InstantPot, add a cup of water to the bottom. You could use a trivet - just something to keep them from sitting in water.
Set the pressure to high and time to zero. Yes, zero. The InstantPot will heat to pressure, which makes steam in the pot and perfectly warms the sausages. It will stay hot for a couple hours this way. Even after you open the lid, the residual heat from the water in the bottom will keep the sausages warm.
Personal Update
Have you heard the analogy that having dyslexia is like being a PC in a Mac world? Neither are wrong. They just have difficulty talking with each other sometimes. And the operator has to give them different instructions, too.
Having language to talk with my daughter about dyslexia has been so helpful. To describe how her brain is wired differently…and for her to be able to push back to me with “help me understand…” We can now joke about how she will never spell. Before the official diagnosis I couldn’t imagine joking about it.
Alls to say, I can see a big difference between last year and this year. Is it emotional maturity? Confidence in her identity in Christ? Less pressure to perform in a classroom? (We homeschool now.)
Not sure what the difference has been but if you have kids with learning differences, keep talking with them about how God made them different and with purpose. My daughter is an amazing artist - a quality not prized in most arenas.
I’m headed back to the same garden center I worked at last spring as a temporary worker. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I get to talk to people about flowers and be outside and get paid?! Maybe the best is the employee discount of 40% off!
On Sundays I’m leading a group of young moms as we discuss Purposeful and Persistent Parenting (excellent). It is the highlight of my week. In a text thread, I encouraged them to listen to interviews with the author of Don’t Make Me Count to Three. It’s book I read multiple times when my oldest, most persistent child was a preschooler.
Defeating Sugar Addiction
A friend group-texted Sunday asking for prayers as he attempted to remove all sugar (even fruit!) temporarily as he dealt with auto-immune complications. Sugar is more addictive than cocaine. This is no simple task. I asked if he’d chosen a scripture to bolster him in times of being weary. He pointed to Psalm 107:9 “For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” I encourage you to read and reflect on the entire Psalm.
Another wise friend chimed in “When I’ve gone without sugar I found that a heavier dependence on healthy fats is helpful. Like a good (canned) coconut milk latte is satisfying. Or a big spoon full of (unsweetened) nut butter mid-afternoon. Avocados, coconut oil, or a handful of salted nuts can be helpful.”
Lastly, a cheeky friend piped in, “Can we tie some money to this to make it stick? Like a couple hundred dollars if you abort?”
The sugar deprived friend updated us last night by saying, “I feel your prayers friends. I’ve tried and failed so often over the years but the difference I feel this time is strong. I am committed and ready. In the past I would have been cooked by now.”
Food is not just calories. There is an emotional and spiritual element, I’m convinced.
Life is hard; food doesn’t have to be.
Julie
PS - If you’ve wanted to try clean fine fragrances, I’ve figured a way to make samples of Beautycounter’s new perfumes. Fill out this quick form and I’ll drop them in the mail.
What a worthy sacrifice for your friend giving up sugar. It’s absolutely so emotional and spiritual and I love that you inspired him to choose a verse to cling to—so wise.
Thank you, Julie!!