Scripture & a Snapshot

The view from our front yard yesterday evening...

Genesis 9:13

Lacto-Fermented Salsa

   Lacto-fermentation is a fairly new thing in our house. When I first heard of it, I thought, "That is gross; there is no way I'm eating rotten food!" But when a friend that had started making it gave us a jar, I decided I would go ahead and give it a try since it has good health benefits. It really isn't even bad! You can use many different kinds of vegetables, such as cucumber (this tastes a lot like pickles), zucchini, or cabbage (this, I'm sure, would be similar to sauerkraut). My favorite way is to make salsa and ferment that. It tastes very salty, but that is the important ingredient in this recipe. Since you don't can it, salt helps preserve the vegetables while they are fermenting. There is a big difference between fermented and rotten! :) I just made a batch Tuesday, so here is my recipe.

Lacto-Fermented Salsa

4 medium sized tomatoes

1 green pepper

2 jalapeno peppers

1/2 onion

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

Chop all the vegetables. Add spices and stir well. Fill pint canning jars, leaving about 1"-1 1/2" head-space. Fill the rest of the way with water. Wipe off the outside of the jar and screw lid on tightly. Store in a cool place for about 2 weeks. Fermentation will take place and it will be ready to eat then, but it should last for several months. After opening the jar, store it in the refrigerator. Makes 3 pints.

You can add more jalapenos and spices to taste. I thought since this was supposed to be healing for my gut, I shouldn't make it too hot.

Lacto-fermentation helps replace the good bacteria in your gut.

Praising the Lord

   "O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men." Psalm 107:8

"If we complained less, and praised more, we should be happier, and God would be more glorified. Let us daily praise God for common mercies - common as we frequently call them, and yet so priceless, that when deprived of them we are ready to perish. Let us bless God for the eyes with which we behold the sun, for the health and strength to walk abroad, for the bread we eat, for the raiment we wear. Let us praise Him that we are not cast out among the hopeless, or confined amongst the guilty; let us thank Him for liberty, for friends, for family associations and comforts; let us praise Him, in fact, for everything which we receive from His bounteous hand, for we deserve little, and yet are most plenteously endowed. But, beloved, the sweetest and the loudest note in our songs of praise should be of redeeming love. God's redeeming acts towards His chosen are forever the favorite themes of their praise. If we know what redemption means, let us not withhold our sonnets of thanksgiving. We have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions, uplifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged. We have been led to the cross of Christ - our shackles of guilt have been broken off; we are no longer slaves, but children of the living God, and can antedate the period when we shall be presented before the throne without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Even now by faith we wave the palm-branch and wrap ourselves about with the fair linen which is to be our everlasting array, and shall we not unceasingly give thanks to the Lord our Redeemer? Child of God, canst thou be silent? Awake, awake, ye heritors of glory, and lead your captivity captive, as ye cry with David, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.' Let the new month begin with new songs."

-Charles H. Spurgeon
Morning and Evening

Heidi - Senior 2011

  I had the privilege of doing a senior photo shoot for the first time a few weeks ago. Heidi is a dear friend of mine, so even though I was a little nervous about getting good pictures, I still had a lot of fun taking them!

New Design

  Well, I think I have finished my new blog design! What do you think of it? I also made a new button to match, so if you have my button on your site go ahead and grab my new one!
  I have some photos from a Senior photo shoot to post soon, so stay tuned. *grin*