For example, like how God showed me this CS Lewis quote this morning, and it almost moved me to tears:

For one to try to explain to another how God is working in one's life can be difficult, from my experience. 

To try to share the joy, the excitement, the beauty; I am finding myself unable to relay the experiences! 

I want the world to know what He is teaching me this morning and right now and through these connected events and readings... but , really, they're not for anyone else. 

They're for me. 

He's teaching me, right now, to-day, right here.  

Thank You, Father, for this morning, and how much You showed me. I won't try to pretend it will be like this every day, but I rejoice knowing that, when I timidly asked for a sign, You responded vociferously. You are great! You are mighty! You are holy! You are full of wonder, power and might! There is none like You!

Recipe #19 Beef Stroganoff

 This was initially going to be done with venison, but when my adorable wife questioned the soundness of a cut of venison frozen since 2019, I honored her and procured a pound and a half ribeye from our local meat market. The spaetzle was my first go at this type of thing, and I look forward to many more tries.

For the Spaetzle:

1/2 c AP flour, more if needed

1 egg

pinch of salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper powder

1 tbs sour cream

2 tbs heavy cream

5 tbs butter

3 quarts water

1 tbs kosher salt

For the Stroganoff:

4 tbs butter

1 1/2 pound good red meat

1 medium red onion diced

2 garlic cloves minces

10 oz button and bella mushrooms sliced

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp dried dill seeds

1/4 c Winking Owl California Moscato

1 c sour cream, at room temperature

I started the spaetzle first, and this was my first time ever trying this.

Combine the first five ingredients with a whisk. You want the batter thick, so that it runs slowly off your utensil. If too runny, add flour; if too thick, add heavy cream.

Cook the butter until it gives off a beautiful brown butter sheen. Turn off the fire, and keep nearby. We will warm up the dumplings in this butter before assembling the stroganoff.

I do not have a spaetle-maker, so I used my Wolfgang Puck colander upside-down on a 4 quart stock pot. Get the salt water boiling and get ready to mush the batter through the holes! 

I

The butter browned up well before I cut off the fire.

When the salted water comes to a rolling boil, pour a large spoon full of batter on top of the colander. Mush it through with a rubber spatula, and then remove the colander. [Careful - tis hot!]

 

When the mini dumplings rise to the top, let them go another two minutes. Remove them to a resting place until all the batter has been boiled in this manner.

I rested them on a cookie sheet.

The batter should be thick enough so that it does not fall through the holes on its own. 

When you have all the batter converted to boiled joy, Heat up the melted butter (medium heat), and add the spaetzle to it. 

When the spaetzle have turned that delicious golden brown, they are ready. Remove from heat, and reserve for later.

I put a special secret ingredient dry rub on the beef and let it rest on the cutting board for a couple hours before cooking. 

Slice the mushrooms - keeping them large and sizable. Sear the meat in the butter - making sure all the edges are crusty and charred. Set aside the meat.

To the same pan, add the wine and deglaze the good bits, then add the mushrooms and onion for a quick saute. When the mushrooms and onions have softened, add the garlic and other seasoning. Reduce for another couple of minutes, then add the meat back in.

I sliced the meat thin. 

Cook until much of the redness is gone from the meat, then add the sour cream.

Bring this together for a couple minutes, then serve over a bowl of spaetzle. 

The classic stroganoff taste is worth the work on this. I will definitely make this again with spaetzle, but you can substitute egg noodles, linguine noodles, or even serve over a slice of bread. My beautiful wife loved it, and I am thankful I swapped out the fresh beef for the questionable venison. God be praised!

Prayer

 Father, I come before You tonight thankful for Your mercies, for Your blessings - so great You are!

Thank You for the driveway carved out from snow, thank You for the deck shoveled off and the notes from the giver(s) of the gift. Thank You, LORD!!!

Thank You for the beautiful drive home these past two days, with everything covered in snow. Thank You for getting me home safely, and thank You for a warm home to come home to.

We love You, too; amen.

Liam and his ba broken thumb

 I love this little man

 Rooting for the Bengals this afternoon - Burreax just thew a touchdown to Chase and then completed a two point conversion to tie this game going into the fourth quarter. :-) 

Tied at the end of regulation, go figure. Wowsers what an ending! ...

In overtime, Bengals win!!!

Now to Matthew's game...beautiful National Anthem tonight. 63 outside and 66 inside. Rams in blue jerseys and gold pants. 

... driving... ugh. 

First score - Matthew to Kupp!! yes

missed fg... ugh

looking for rams home radio station ... now neither alexa nor echo are playing anything... are there sunspots flaming up?? ...

Finishing this post up Tuesday morning, the First of February - the Rams did win, but it was another thriller. More about that later. But, outside of a couple of games I missed the first weekend, every playoff game has been a good one. I firmly believe playoff football (AND baseball, AND basketball [from when I used to watch it], AND hockey) is a full step and a half better than regular season competition. Just my opinion xoxo