Freshwater: Roasted Cabbage and Potatoes

Freshwater

Located in the wilds of Wyoming, the name Freshwater was chosen as a Western analogy to Christ. Just as He is the Living Water, and we must have Him to have eternal life, any desert dweller knows the importance of fresh water to life, both for self, and the nourishment of crops or livestock. By taking nourishment in God and His word, we strengthen our own relationship with Him, our faith, and the quality and abundance of our fruitfulness.

Our keystone verse is from Jeremiah, Chapter 17, Verse 8: "For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see whenSave heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

The fruit that we speak of is mentioned in Galatians 5:22
"²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

And the heat could be anything we experience that might test our faith in God; trials and tribulations, relationships, anything that focuses our love and attention anywhere but on Him...

Monday, August 20, 2012

Roasted Cabbage and Potatoes

We had impromptu company last night. I was just o sthankful I remembered to put supper in the crock pot for once that we had to share :) (Usually Sunday evenings are complete with Ramen Noodles and egg sandwiches because by the time we get home from church we're too tired to cook and forgot to put anything in to be ready when we get home).

I happened to have a head of cabbage left from the last Bountiful Baskets, so I cross-searched cabbage and crock pot, and came up with several recipes. I took this most promising one, Roasted Cabbage and Potatoes in the Crockpot, and using some ideas from this one, Potatoes and Cabbage in the Slow Cooker, and some of my own ideas, created a culinary concoction that disappeared, right down to the last bite!

The first recipe listed cabbage, potatoes, salt and pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar as the basic ingredients. I washed ten potatoes, and Becca helped me cut them into chunks. Hannah chopped up the clean cabbage, and we actually tossed the seasonings in our big metal bowl before dumping them into the crock pot. I didn't measure the olive oil or balsamic, but just added a glug and a lot of sprinkles. I'd forgotten the salt and pepper, so a healthy dose of that got sprinkled over the top. I thawed out several frozen chicken breasts, chopped them, and added those. Then I chopped up a kielbasa and added that as well. Me being me, I had to add a cap full of sesame oil :). I also (shh, I think this is my secret ingredient for everything), added about a teaspoonful of instant coffee. Something about it just seems to add a little extra richness of flavor. I turned it on low, and we just left it to cook from about 10 AM on. When we got home from church I stirred it up, and it was ready to serve by the time we all got settled :).

Justice and I also put together this fabulous Irresistible Irish Soda Bread. I absolutely loved it! It's moist and crumbly, while still light enough not to weigh down your stomach. It's just a touch of sweetness, but absolutely delicious, and the perfect compliment to the cabbage and potatoes dish. We rounded the meal out with a salad by Laramie, some tomatoes fresh from the garden, and a cut up honeydew.