Mark 7:7 GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Their worship of me is pointless, because their teachings are rules made by humans."
What rules do you follow and where do they come from? Is your heart led by the spirit or the law?
These are questions I ask myself. I have many times been justly accused of being legalistic, of "beating people over the head" with the letter of the law, forgetting the spirit of that very law. I have always been a rule follower, yet in the past few years I have been learning more about the heart. Leaning into my own heart and the heart of God, seeking a place of love, mercy, and grace. I don't always get it right, and still revert to my old, strict, rule-based ways pretty much daily, but I catch myself faster, recover more quickly, and forgive with more ease than I ever have. So today I ask you, where do you fall on the spectrum of rule versus spirit, and whose rules are you following and why?
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For today's flavorful Friday I return to an oldie but goodie. This is the first recipe I ever published on this blog, and it is the one most-used in my kitchen. I aim to use bone broth daily, and generally prepare a batch every two weeks. Homemade bone broth, also known as soup stock, is packed with nutritional value. It is an excellent aid in rebuilding gut health, strengthening the immune system, and recovering from stomach illness. Sometimes I make it with just chicken bones, sometimes just beef bones, and sometimes both. Whatever suits your fancy, I hope you'll try this and make it a part of your everyday kitchen experience.
Happy eating!
Country Mama Hippie Chic
aka Brandi Schunk
bouncybrandi@gmail.com
Bone Broth Recipe
For the best results, use organic produce and organic free-range beef and chicken whenever possible.
Ingredients:
- The bones of one chicken (You may include the skin as well, and leave on little bits of chicken if you like for more nutrients and flavor.)
- About a pound of beef soup bones or meaty bones or marrow bones, or a combination thereof
- 1/4 C Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar
- The inner pieces of a stalk of celery, all the ones you may not normally eat by themselves, leafy tops included
- A few carrots, or a large handful of baby cut carrots
- One medium onion (I use yellow, but you could use whatever you like)
- One half to one head of garlic
- Celtic Sea Salt to taste
- Fresh course ground pepper medley to taste
- One bunch fresh parsley (at the end)
Place bones in large pot (the biggest one you have, mine is 6 quart) or crock pot. Add about ¼ cup of Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (the kind with “the Mother” in it.) Add enough filtered water to cover the bones. Cover and let sit about half an hour, while you wash and chop your vegetables.
Rough chop celery, carrots, and onion. Smash garlic cloves to release their flavor and goodness, you may also cut them in half if you like. Add all veggies to pot with bones and cover with filtered water, leaving 1 inch between the top of the water and the top of the pot. Bring to boil and then use a strainer spoon to remove any scum that rises to the top. Add Sea Salt and Pepper. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cover. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 24-72 hours. (Chicken bones are often done by the 24 hour mark, beef bones do well to go longer. If your vegetables are starting to blacken, go ahead and stop the process and strain your broth.)
Ten minutes before you are done, rinse the entire bunch of fresh parsley and add it to the pot, stirring it into the mix. (You can also raise the heat to high and boil gently for the remaining time.)
Remove from heat and let cool about half an hour. Use slotted spoon to remove the large chunks of veggies and bones from the pot and dispose of these. Then pour remaining contents of pot through a fine mesh metal strainer. I strain into a 3 quart saucepan. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove the fat that has risen to the top and you are done! (Or, if you need more fats in your diet, you may leave some of the fat if you like.)
Bone broth may be used right away to make any kind of soup or beans, or you can freeze or refrigerate it for later use. I generally make one pot of soup right away, and then freeze the rest. Ice cube trays are perfect for this job! Simply fill the trays (I use two) and freeze overnight. Then remove the cubes and put them in a freezer safe plastic bag. These are great for adding nutrition and flavor to practically any recipe! Examples: sauted veggies, boiled veggies, scrambled eggs, sauces, soups, beans. You can also add a cube or two to a cup of warmed water for a comforting and nutritious boost when you feel tired and wore down or when you are getting sick. The possibilities are endless!
We don't get real snow often, so when we do it's lots of fun! I was particularly surprised and in awe at how beautiful and perfect the snow flakes are. I have been to snowy mountains in California, and I have lived in Colorado, yet I don't remember ever seeing such amazingly perfect flakes.
