Can this be right? Has another month slipped by? Is 2025 really and truly half way behind us? That’s scary. But then again, perhaps the best is yet to come. We just need to let go, and trust in Him.
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but did you know that each month of the secular year, the Church offers up a dedication – something to focus on throughout the month. I once thought of begining each month by exploring that dedication, but then life got in the way. Maybe next year. Or on the first Sunday of advent, when the new church year begins. June’s dedication would have been the the Sacret Heart of Jesus. (Heavy sigh)
How many of you have spent any time with Hallow? It’s an amazing site. While I have been praying with Hallow for a while now, this year I joined their Lenten Challenge. One of the things I found interesting were the Friday Challenges followed by Saturday Silent Meditations. I found myself thinking about the 12 Days of Christmas. You know the song.
On the 7th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me Seven Swans-a-Swimming. Legend has it that each of the 12 days of Christmas are connected to the Catholic Catechism. As the story goes, it was a way of teaching children their Catechism during a time when Catholics were banned from practicing their faith openly in England. Now I’m a good Catholic, but there is no way as a child I’d understand the connection between the 12 days of Christmas and the doctrine of the Catholic Faith. As an adult, it’s complicated.
Look at me, wandering off again. Now where was I? Oh yes, silence. While spending time in silence, allowing God to guide me, what came to mind were the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some of these gifts are mentioned in Isaiah 11:2-3
The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him;
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding.
A spirit of counsel and of strength,
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
In 1 Corinthians 12 Saint Paul gives us a much more precise interpretation of the spiritual gifts within each of us.
4 There are different kinds of gifts. But it is the same Holy Spirit Who gives them. 5 There are different kinds of work to be done for Him. But the work is for the same Lord. 6 There are different ways of doing His work. But it is the same God who uses all these ways in all people. 7 The Holy Spirit works in each person in one way or another for the good of all. 8 One person is given the gift of teaching words of wisdom. Another person is given the gift of teaching what he has learned and knows. These gifts are by the same Holy Spirit. 9 One person receives the gift of faith. Another person receives the gifts of healing. These gifts are given by the same Holy Spirit.
Everyone has talents, gifts, abilities. We are encouraged to draw upon these gifts to help make this world a better place. One of my gifts is the use of words. I can talk up a storm. I can use words to convey the beauty of His creation and lift those around me up in the process. I can also destroy you just as easily. My wrath through words is anything but kind. It is the one thing I have prayed upon most – to learn to hold my tongue when moved by darkness. To find a way to speak the truth without tearing someone apart in the process. If you tell me something so outlandishly stupid, often my response is as sharp as a knife. I don’t know if that’s because I have no patients for stupidity or because I sense weakness of character. Whatever the reason you can bet I’m in the confessional yet again, asking for forgiveness but most of all praying that I be striped of this particular gift until I learn to use it properly, as God intended.
Are you still with me? There really is a point to all of this, I promise. Through the Lenten Challenges and time spent in silence, I realized I have been given a great opportunity through this blog, through Social Media, through casual contact with others to speak of the Glory that is the Lord. I know I’ve lost readership in the process, and at times come under attack on Social Media. But I cannot let that change who I am as a believer. We live in an amazing time. We’ve all heard that expression about putting energy out there in the universe. Now we really can send those vibes out there. We can do so in an uplifting way or choose to see the worst in the world around us, reflecting someone else’s negative energy right back at them. While this is an exciting time to be alive, it is also a dangerous time. Each of us is bombarded every day with anger, hatred, hostility – all the works of the one who shall not be mentioned. Evil does exist. It’s up to us as to how we choose to use our talents. We can bring about destruction or glorification. When we speak with cruelty when we let someone else’s words affect how we reaction, but then they win. When we meet anger with gentleness and compassion, when we meet hatred with love we have everything to gain for His glory, for ourselves and those around us. It really is that simple, that black and white. Unfortunately, we often feel the need to justify our actions. “He hit me first” we cry from the back seat of the family car. I am just as guilty as the next person. It’s a daily struggle to stop being that selfish child and grow into the person He created me to be.
That’s my rant for June. Shall we wander into the kitchen and cook up something special as we bid this month adieu? Sounds good to me.
Creamy Mushroom Chicken
12 oz Brown Mushrooms
4 Garlic Cloves
2 large boneless Chicken Breasts
Flour for dredging
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter, divided
Dash Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 cup Heavy Cream
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Clean and slice mushrooms. Peel and mince garlic. Set aside. Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create four thinner cutlets. Dredge chicken in flour, set aside.
Add the oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add chicken. Cook breasts for about 4 minutes er side, until golden brown. Remove chicken from the skillet.
Add the remaining butter to the now empty pan. Let butter melt, swirling the pan to coat the bottom. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Once the mushrooms start to release their liquid, add garlic to the pan. Continue to cook until all the mushroom liquid has been cooked off. Remove mushrooms from the skillet; hold with the chicken.
To the again empty skillet add chicken stock, lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Give the mixture a good stir until the mustard has dissolved into the stock. Simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce. Add the cream to the skillet, whisk until smooth and incorporated.
Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan. Let the chicken cook for another 5 minutes or so until cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.
Roasted “Mushroom Top” Potatoes
2 lbs medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste
Parsley for Garnish
Heat oven to 425-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, spray foil with cooking spray, set aside.
Scrub potatoes, pat dry. Insert an apple corer mid-way up inside the potatoes. With a sharp paring knife, cut around the top of the corer insert. Remove the bottom section of potato. Carefully withdraw the corer. The potato should now resemble a mushroom.
Repeat until all the potatoes have been carved. Arrange potatoes on the prepared pan.
Melt butter. Add olive oil to the butter. Drizzle mixture over the potatoes, gently toss to coat. Season wit salt and pepper.
Place in the heated oven to roast until tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Turn potatoes as needed for even browning about mid-way through.
Snip parsley. Lay Potato “Mushroom Tops” on a serving platter. Garnish with parsley just before serving.
Buttery Green Beans
1 can Whole Blue Lake Green Beans
1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 tablespoon Lemon Pepper
Rinse canned green beans under cold running water to remove the packing liquid and excess salt.
Place rinsed beans in a saucepan with a little butter. Sprinkle with lemon pepper. Heat over medium heat until warmed through, about 15 minutes.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits.
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 