Women’s Ministries

Singapore Chicken Stew May 29, 2010

submitted by Karin Rowles

Since summer isn’t fully here yet, I love to still have a good soup recipe on hand for those “not-quite-warm” evenings.  I’ve made a few modifications from the original recipe I got from Sunset Magazine several years ago – it’s an easy recipe to add or subtract from, according to your tastes.  The light flavor of coconut milk and Asian spices make it the perfect “we’re ready for summer anytime it shows up” meal!

Singapore Chicken Stew

Yield – Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

•  1  pound  boned, skinned chicken breasts (I’ve also used shrimp and it was good)
• 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  hot chili flakes
• 1/2  teaspoon  Chinese five spice (see note above)
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 2  cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1  tablespoon  grated fresh ginger
• 1  can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
• 1  can (14.5 oz.) fat-skimmed chicken broth
• 2  cups  lightly packed washed baby spinach leaves (about 4 oz.)
• 1  can (14 oz.) baby corn, drained (or frozen kernel corn)
• 2  Roma tomatoes (about 8 oz. total), rinsed, cored, and chopped (or one can diced)
• 1/4  cup  sliced canned water chestnuts (I substitute zucchini for this…)
• 1/4  cup  thinly sliced green onions
• 1  tablespoon  lime juice
• 3  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro leaves (this isn’t essential, but adds a nice flavor)

If you can’t find Chinese five spice, substitute equal parts ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and anise seeds.

Preparation

1. Rinse chicken, pat dry, and cut into 1-inch chunks. In a bowl, mix flour, salt, chili flakes, and five spice. Add chicken pieces and mix to coat.

2. Pour oil into a 4- to 5-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture, garlic, and ginger. Stir frequently until chicken is cooked on the outside but still pink in the center (cut to test), about 3 minutes. Add coconut milk and broth and bring to a simmer. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook to blend flavors, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in spinach, corn, tomatoes, water chestnuts, green onions, and lime juice and cook, stirring often, until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving from pan.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 429 (57% from fat) Protein: 33g Fat: 27g (sat 19) Carbohydrate: 18g Fiber: 5.2g Sodium: 499mg Cholesterol: 68mg

Roxanne Chan, Albany, California, Sunset, APRIL 2003

Suburban Sarah Comics May 9, 2010

Happy Mother’s Day

More Suburban Sarah is available on-line by clicking the comic.

Aging is not for Sissies! May 1, 2010

article by Paula Guest/photo by Tammy Circeo

The Bible has many good things to say about getting older; gaining wisdom, respect – and all that.  But it says nothing, gives you no guidance whatsoever on how to deal with the day you look in the mirror, and find yourself facing a stranger.  “Who is that??  And what have you done with my body??”  Where is that ‘sweet young thing’ who used to turn heads?

Grandchildren bring great joy.  But they also bring great humility.  There was the day that Nathan said, “Grandma, how did your hair get so gray??”  “Well, Nathan, that is what happens when you start getting older.”  “How old are you, Grandma?”  “I’m 60” “Oooohhh Grandma, that IS old!”

And then there was Isaac.  While I was sitting on the bottom stair helping Dillan put on his shoes, Isaac came up beside me and gave my upper arm a swing.  “Grandma, why do your arms do this?”

At 20, you cannot imagine being 40.  At 40, you cannot imagine being 60.  But at 60, you can imagine all too well, being 80.  Because at 60, you have  watched your parents age – and perhaps die. You have entered, once again, into the care giving stage. And the fear is always with you, “Oh Lord, is this going to happen to me?  Am I going to become my child’s child??”

Time begins to speed up after 50.  Each moment becomes precious, a chance to make a memory. These days, and years, speed by with breathtaking speed. We look back and rehearse the memories from when our children were young, and we now see them parenting children of their own.  In each adult child, we see echoes of the past.  We celebrate what they are today, but we are nostalgic for the days when we were young, and so were they.

The birth of each grandchild is a day to savor.  While parents celebrate when the last child is potty trained; grandparents mourn.  “No more babies.”  It is a joy, an honor, and a privilege, each moment we have these precious grandchildren to ourselves.  But we are relieved, oh so relieved, when their parents come to retrieve them.  Because we are tired, oh so tired.  It is abundantly clear why God gave children to young people.

These years between 60 and 80 are precious years.  God’s plan is perfect.  These years are to be treasured. In these years, God has given us the gift of time. As we retire, hopefully with the feeling of a ‘job well done,’ we have the chance to rediscover our mate without the stress of careers, or child rearing.  We enter into a period where we have time.  Time to read.  Time to serve. Time to give back.  Time to simply enjoy God, and all His creation.

These are the years of Jubilee.