A Space for Grace

In a recent Bible Study, I was asked to look back over the last 18 months and briefly list what had filled them.  As I made my bullet points, I couldn’t help but get a little teary.  Seeing the fullness of that time reduced to brief phrases was humbling and reinforced a point: the time we have on earth will seem short looking back, no matter how much time we are given.  We will see pain.  We will see joy.  And tying our experiences together, will be the golden thread of grace.

What may not seem significant in the moment, is a planted seed.  Its roots will grow down, its branches will reach out, and one day you will rest under the outstretched limbs of that seed.

How we feed ourselves in the every-day, grows and nourishes us in the long-term.

Yet it is the days that can feel like our undoing.  We are pretty sure we can make it through the month, but can we survive today? In conversations with friends I have found that the most basic things trip us up and stress us out.

One thing that made it on almost everybody’s list was . . .

Supper

What will we make?  Will our kids like it?  Will we like it?

Having said that, I am excited to introduce a new weekly contributor who brings a new weekly feature.

Recipe Monday – brought to you by Angela Hargreaves. 

My friend, (pronounced Angayla), is as warm and spicy as the food she cooks.  While my happy place is buried under papers and books, her happy place is the space between her kitchen sink and her stove.  A former restaurateur, Angela has a wealth of tried and true recipes, but that doesn’t stop her from experimenting with new ones.

Angela’s cooking is enjoyed most by her husband, Brian, her son, Kobin, and her daughter, Neyla.  Being both biological and adoptive parents, Brian and Angela have ministered diligently in the adoptive community – this girl is so much more than the food she cooks!

Welcome to A Space for Grace, Angela!  You have fed my soul.  I can’t wait for your help in feeding our bellies!

This week’s recipe  . . .

Turkey Spaghettini Bolognese

 Ingredients:  

8 slices bacon or 1 cup cubed prosciutto (found in deli section)

Splash of olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped (approx. 2 cups)

2 celery stalks, finely chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed

1 pkg ground turkey

Seasoning salt

1 lg can diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried or fresh oregano

1/2 tsp fresh or dried parsley

 

1/4 (plus extra as required) cup cream (optional)

1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup (for garnish) freshly grated parmesan

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced basil

 

Package of spaghettini noodles

 

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon or prosciutto and sauté until tender and slightly crispy.  Remove from pan with a slotted spoon leaving the fat in the pan (adds flavour to the sauce!)

Add the onion and celery to the pot and sauté until tender, approximately 5 minutes.  In the last minute of sautéing add the garlic (if you add it too soon it will burn).

Add the ground turkey and seasoning salt.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally for approximately 10 minutes until turkey is completely cooked (will be white with a slight tinge of brown).

To the sautéing turkey and vegetables, add the diced tomatoes (tomato sauce works as well but I prefer the lightness of the diced tomatoes), the pepper flakes, oregano and parsley and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, partially cover and allow the sauce to simmer until much of the water is reduced, approximately 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the soup for the noodles and cook as per pkg instructions.

After the sauce has reduced, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the cream, 1/2 cup of the cheese most of the bacon (reserving some for garnish) and salt and pepper (to taste).

For presentation place drained noodles on large plate and put sauce on top.  Garnish with remaining bacon, the last 1/4 freshly grated parmesan and fresh basil.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

{served with fresh tomato, sliced basil and bocconcini cheese, a fresh baguette, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping as pictured above}