MERCY

Mercy is a word with a spiritual connotation and I have always known what it meant on some level but recently our Sunday School teacher shared a definition with the class that she found in a Wall Street Journal article. (April 14, 2011, A Definitive American Life by Barton Swain)  This definition came from an 1828 Webster Dictionary.  It made me realize how much dictionaries have changed.

Mercy:  “That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespass and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant.  In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy.  That which comes nearest to it is grace.  It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders.  Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being.”

This is a beautiful concept.  No wonder we plead for mercy from God in our undeserving state.  And I am completely amazed that he is willing to give it so freely.   I have a scripture that I say to myself after I have gone through the veil during my weekly temple visits.  

Be merciful unto me O God
Be merciful unto me.
For My soul trusteth in thee
Yea in the shadow of thy Wings
Will I make my refuge,
Until these calamities be overpast. Psalms 57:1

There are 4 winged vases in the Celestial room of the Bountiful Temple and they have become a symbol of hope to me for my 4 children.  “….in the shadow of thy Wings will I make my refuge…” (see Wings of Hope)  I cherish this definition of Mercy because it paints a picture of all that I am pleading for as an offender.  I want to be better than I am and I need more consideration than I can ever earn.  I plead for the benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity and clemency promised in this definition.  But can I give Mercy as I beg for it.  It is not easy.  Only with God’s help can I learn to give Mercy when I am offended.

LEMON AIOLI - Multiple Use

This is a delicious recipe and I have used it in a myriad of ways.  I changed the recipe a little with exact measurements for the lemon juice and peel instead of juice and peel from one lemon.  It is lovely with salmon and shrimp.  Fish cakes are dressed up with the aioli.  Below is a chicken recipe that is very good with it.  

Lemon Aioli

Ingredients
1 egg
2 tsp. Dijon mustard (I used coarse grain)
1 clove garlic, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 C olive oil 

1/2 C vegetable oil
4 scant T fresh lemon juice

1 T finely grated lemon peel
 

Method: Blend the egg, 2 T lemon juice, mustard, garlic and seasoning until combined. While the blender motor is running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream until the mixture is thick and creamy. Finally, add the remaining lemon juice and the zest. Season to taste. Keep in a bottle and enjoy on fish, salad, chicken, pasta, veggies or simply dip your finger in it and enjoy!!

Tuna Cakes With Aioli

Serves 5 - makes about 10 fish cakes

Ingredients

3 tins of Albacore Tuna drained
3/4 cup of dry Oats or cracker crumbs
salt/ pepper
zest and juice of a big lemon
3 eggs
1-2 T chopped chives if desired

Method
Mix all the ingredients together and make 10 fish cakes using your hands to shape them. Heat a skillet on the stove and add the oil. Fry them until golden brown on both sides. Serve with the lemon aioli!

Salmon Cakes with Aioli

1 large can of Salmon with bones and skin removed

1/2 C. oats or cracker crumbs

Salt and Pepper 

2 tsp. zest and 1 T. of fresh lemon juice

2 eggs

Mix everything together form into pattys and brown in a little oil. Serve with Lemon Aioli.

I have a favorite Chicken recipe Creamy Lemon Chicken   It is served with salted whipped cream and  lemon slices.  Instead of this I folded 1/4 cup of the Lemon Aioli into the salted whipped cream and it was delicious.  I also tossed spaghetti and asparagus with the lemon aioli and Parmesan cheese.  It was so good I will do it again.

 The chicken served with whipped cream and lemon aioli and the pasta tossed it the same.

  The chicken ready to bake

MOVIE REVIEW - THE WILDEST DREAM

After reading Jeffery Archer’s wonderful book Paths of Glory about George Malroy’s  attempts to climb Everest, I couldn’t wait to see the documentary on the subject “The Wildest Dream.” 

George Malroy lost his life on Everest on his 3^rd attempt at the top in 1924.  In 1999 Conrad Anker found his body very close to the top.  It was never known if he was on his way back from the top or still moving forward.  Malroys body was very much intact after all these years because of the frigid conditions on Everest.   The one thing they didn’t find on him was the picture of his wife he promised to leave at the top if he made it.  Thus the answer to the mystery is forever in question.  Malroy's climbing partner Sandy Irvine was also lost but his body has never been found. 

In the movie Conrad Anker attempts to recreate Malroy's  climb, including having the clothes he wore made to see how they functioned.  The old pictures and film were stunning to me.  I enjoyed so much seeing the pictures of Malroy and his family including many from the actual climb.   I am not an Everest aficionado.  For me this was a love story in conflict--the love of his wife and family and the love of the climb.  4 stars

STRAWBERRY MOUSSE PIE - For Mothers Day

This is cool, creamy, and lovely beyond anything! Try Raspberries this summer.

COOKIE PIE CRUST: Melt 1/2 C. real butter in a saucepan and cook over med heat until it starts to brown (this is optional but I love the flavor it gives the crust) Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 C. sugar 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp. salt  and 1 1/2 C Flour. Crumble together and press into a 10 inch pie plate making the sides as even as possible around the top. Bake in a 350 oven for 10 minutes or until it starts to brown.   This makes a generous 10 inch pie.

Strawberry Mousse:

1.    Blend 1 lb. strawberries until liquified. (blender or food processor.) Press and stir through a sieve to remove as many seeds as possible.  (The finer the sieve the more seeds you can capture.)  You need 1 Cup of puree.

2.   Whip 12 oz. cream cheese with the puree and 1 cup of sugar.

3.   Whip 1 ½ C of cream to stiff .  Add 1 T. Vanilla instant pudding. (I keep a box of instant pudding in a jar to use to stabilize cream when I whip it.  It gives a nice flavor too.) 

4.   Fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture until well blended and pour into the cooled pie shell.  Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.  This pie stays good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.  (If you can get it to last that long)  It also freezes well.  I made it early for an event and froze it.  It was perfect after thawing in the refrigerator for a day.

Sauce:  Crush ½ lb. strawberries.  If you have any puree left over use it in the sauce.  Add brown sugar to taste and 1 T. vanilla instant pudding to thicken a little.  Spoon some over the pieces when serving. Makes 8 generous servings.

This is also wonderful with raspberries!

MOVIE REVIEW - THE NEW JANE EYRE

The New Jane Eyre

I am a Jane Eyre Aficionado.  I have loved the novel since I was a young girl.  The story has so much merit to show us how character can be developed in spite of growing up in difficult circumstances.  Jane Eyre does not compromise her standards and do the thing that feels good rather than that which is right.  We need heroines today who stick to their values and moral beliefs. 

 

There has been 18 versions of Jane Eyre on the screen.  These are my favorites and a critique of the new Jane Eyre.

In 1983 my husband gave me a VCR copy of the Timothy Dalton version, which is 4 hours long.  I have watched it dozens of times over the years.  It is pure escapism for me.  I never tire of it.  No one has ever played Rochester quite like Dalton.  He is too handsome for the part but his acting, brogue, and sheer sparkle is so captivating that your eyes are glued to him.  He definitely steals the show from Jane in this version who is a little too understated and mousy.  But she doesn’t ruin it for me.

In 2006 Masterpiece Theatre produced yet another 4 hour movie.  The chemistry in this version between Jane and Rochester may be the best of all.  This Jane is a little more antimated and pretty.  Rochester is good but not Dalton caliber.  I felt the romance and passion between the characters stronger in this adaptation and the ending is wonderfully delightful as they take the story a step further.  It was a very satisfying conclusion.

The new Jane Eyre, made for the mass market, suffers from its two hours.  I like Mia Wasikowska as Jane.  She may be the best character image.  Michael Fassbender was just OK as Rochester.  He didn’t ruin it but didn’t sparkle in the part.  The chemistry was somewhat lacking and because of the shortness of the movie it didn’t get time to develop.  My husband remarked that the romance didn’t feel quite real.  It didn’t bother me but then I have so much history in the story that it naturally flows for me.

Thornfield hall was perfect, feeling like the residence of Count Dracula.  However the lighting was too dark through the entire movie.  There was lots of natural candle light with shadows and candle glow on faces and places.  It had its charm but more light in parts would have been a good contrast. 

The movie wanted to have a unique twist so it began in the middle when Jane runs away.  Then the story moves in flashbacks.  It didn’t bother me, but I can see how it could get confusing to someone not familiar with the story.

When Jane is taken in by St. John Rivers and his sisters it is never revealed that she is related to them.  I liked that.  It always seemed a little to coincidental but then perhaps it was Providence. 

For the shortness of the movie there was still some long contemplative scenes, beautifully thoughtful and emotional that surprised me were left in.   The ending was rushed and did not satisfy.  But still I liked it very much.   A friend who saw it  was very disappointed.  Maybe it is hard to ruin Jane Eyre for me.   3 of 4 stars. 

CHICKEN BURRITO CASSEROLE

This is a recipe that I have made for many years in different ways.  It is a great family dinner.  Recently I worked up a real recipe, which it never had before.  It makes a big hearty casserole that will feed 8 easily.  The leftovers freeze well or heat up nicely. 

1.In a medium sauce pan put 1 T. oil and grate in 2-3 cloves of garlic and 2 tsp. fresh ground  cumin seeds (in a mortar and pistil)  or use ground cumin.  Sauté until the garlic starts to brown.

2.  Add 3-4 large chopped jalapeno  peppers (minus the seeds and white membrane to control the heat)  or 1 can chopped green chiles.

3. Add 4 C. chicken broth.  (I usually use a rotisserie chicken for this.  After removing all the meat I boil the bones and skin and strain the broth for use here)

 

4. Simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir together ¾ C. flour and ¾ C. water to make a thickening paste and stir into the broth and cook for 1 minute siring and boiling gently.

5.  Stir in 1 C. sour cream.  Remove 1 ½ C. for the top.  Add 4 cups cooked chicken to the remaining sauce. 

6. Spray a 9X13 pan with non-stick cooking spray and put about ½ c. sauce in the bottom of the dish, spread to cover as much as possible.  Lay 6 , 8-inch flour tortillas around the edge of the dish sticking half out.  Tear one tortilla in half for the bottom.

7.  Spread 1 Can of refried beans across the bottom of the tortillas and one can of drained and rinsed black beans on top.

8.  Cover with 8 oz grated or sliced cheese--cheddar or Monterey jack.  Pour the chicken and sauce over this and fold over the tortillas.  Cover the hole with the other half you used in the bottom.

9.  Pour the saved sauce over the top and top with more grated cheese.  Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 if you just made it.  If you are baking it cold, pre-prepared it will take about and hour.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Cut into squares or just scoop out and serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

I also make this with leftover roast beef and gravy.  Hamburger also works with tomato sauce instead of thickened broth and 1 T.  chile powder with the other spices.  

THE GOSPEL OF LOVE - Religious Essay by Me

The Gospel of Love

Last fall, as we traveled in Europe, we had an opportunity to attend church in the far flung reaches of the kingdom.  The spirit was sweet in a small branch in Southern Hungary.  A fresh faced young missionary from South Jordon, Utah sat with us and translated sacrament meeting.  According to this elder Hungarian is one of the most difficult languages, but he created a spirit and a message for us after only a little over a year in the country.  Most of the women were in slacks, perhaps the only wardrobe piece available.  No one seemed to mind. 

Later in Malaga Spain we attended an English speaking branch.  Southern Spain has had an influx of Immigrants from England who have come to Malaga to get warm and experience sunshine.  Malaga delivers both.  During Sunday school a middle aged male investigator asked the question, “Does this church emphasize love?  For me to be interested Love must be the driving force.”  Do we, I wondered?  Is it our main focus? Are we motivated in our service and devotion by love or do we press forward trying to be obedient without worrying about being loving.  “To obey is better than sacrifice,” (1 Samual 15:22) but is it better than to love. Or is it that to love is the best obedience as we try to be like Christ?

Christ taught, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”  (John 13:35)

Does that mean we love everyone?  Love is not always easy.  How do I judge my day to day loving?  Is avoiding people I don’t feel loving toward OK.   Temple service, church assignments, visiting teaching, prayer—I try to do them out of love, but sometimes I know it is about obedience.  Will God judge me ill on these days of mere obedience?  I cannot answer all of these questions but I have given them a lot of thought.  I desire to be a valiant disciple of Christ and have sought some answers in the scriptures.

Matthew 5

43¶Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, love your enemies bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

 48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

I have joy in the teachings of John Lund concerning verse 48 ”…be ye therefore perfect.” It is taken out of context most of the time.  It belongs to the message of the paragraph of which it is the ending.  Verse 43 has a paragraph sign so we know this is where Christ meant the thought to begin as he teaches us about love.  Then he ends it with “…be ye therefore perfect.”  Surely he meant perfect in loving—perfect in the concepts he just taught. Oh how difficult it is to be perfect in loving our enemies.   But if we believe the promise that he will help us it may be possible. 

Corinthians 13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 8 Charity never failith: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

 12 For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

 13 And now abideth faith hope and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

This list, of the characteristics of love, means a lot to me.  Each concept is clear and by them I can judge my loving behavior.  Many of them are difficult and not natural to most of us.  It is not easy to suffer and be kind and not envy and not be puffed up.  Sometimes it is hard to believe all things and bear all things.  Oh, and it is so difficult to not be easily provoked.  But verse 2 says, “and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  What about all the fast offerings and tithing I paid and meetings I attended, don’t they mean anything? It is clear isn’t it?  We must learn to do all those difficult things on the list.  But how?  The Book of Mormon has such a beautiful answer to the how in Moroni 7:48.  I cherish this scripture above all others because it gives me hope to the possibilities that I can be better at loving and maybe in time approach perfection in one area.  This is a beautiful principle with a promise.

Moroni 7:48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

“…be ye therefore perfect.”  “…we shall be like him.” 

 

For me these words helped me to see that I need to pray every day to be “filled with …love.”   I have tried hard to say every day in my prayers “help me to be filled with love.” This prayer has changed me.  I find it easier to not envy and not to be easily provoked. But when I fail I know I can begin again.  I am far from where I need or want to be in the charity list but I see improvement.  With Christ it is not so much as where we are but what direction we are going.  I believe that as I continue to pray for love with “energy of heart” that He will be with me.  This prayer will be answered.

Is seeing “through the glass darkly,” not understanding the precepts of the gospel of love?  I wonder.

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM QUESADILLAS

Spinach with Mushrooms is one of my favorite taste combinations, Spinach and Mushroom Crepes especially with cheese and a little thyme.  The Pioneer Woman  had this recipe Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas.  I adapted it some.  Here is my recipe.  This is something I will make often, I know.  It is easy and so yummy! This will make 4 Quesadillas or enough for 4-6 people.

12 Oz. sliced mushrooms
8 C. packed spinach leaves (I used my 4 cup measuring cup and packed it twice.)
6-8 T. butter.
1-2 cloves garlic
8 oz. grated Monterey Jack cheese
8- 8 inch flour tortillas

Melt 3 T. butter in a large frying pan.  Add 1-2 cloves of grated garlic as per your taste and 1/2 tsp. dry thyme leaves.  If you have fresh use a generous 1 tsp.  Stir fry until the mushrooms are starting to brown.  Remove from the pan and add the spinach with 4 T. water and 1 T butter.  Stir until all wilted.  Cover and simmer on low for 2-3 minutes.   Cool slightly and chop a little.

Spread a little soft butter on the bottom of all the tortillas as you cook them.  Sprinkle a tortilla with cheese, scatter some mushrooms and then some spinach over and  more cheese and another tortilla.  Grill until brown on both sides and the cheese is melted. Cut with a pizza cutter into 4 sections and enjoy.  If you like to dip Marinara sauce is good.

Sometime I am going to try them with pepper jack cheese and omit the thyme leaves.  This variety would be good dipped in salsa.  Also a little chicken would be nice sprinkled in if you need meat.

WHAT MANNER OF MEN AND WOMEN OUGHT YE TO BE?

I have thought a lot about Brother Lynn G Robbins  talk from April Conference 2 weeks ago.  Brother Robbins geared it to teaching children but I thought the principles were far reaching in evaluating our discipleship. Here are some of the thoughtful passages. To me this talk was unique and clever.

To become as He is, we must also do the things He did: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do” (3 Nephi 27:21; emphasis added).

To be and to do are inseparable.  As interdependent doctrines they reinforce and promote each other.  Faith inspires one to pray, for example, and prayer in turn strengthens one's faith. 

The Savior often denounced those who did without being—calling them hypocrites: “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Mark 7:6). To do without to be is hypocrisy, or feigning to be what one is not—a pretender.

Conversely, to be without to do is void, as in “faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17; emphasis added). Be without do really isn’t being—it is self-deception, believing oneself to be good merely because one’s intentions are good.

Do without be—hypocrisy—portrays a false image to others, while be without do portrays a false image to oneself.

Many of us create to do lists to remind us of things we want to accomplish. But people rarely have to be lists. Why? To do’s are activities or events that can be checked off the list when done. To be, however, is never done. You can’t earn checkmarks with to be’s. I can take my wife out for a lovely evening this Friday, which is a to do. But being a good husband is not an event; it needs to be part of my nature—my character, or who I am.

Or as a parent, when can I check a child off my list as done? We are never done being good parents. And to be good parents, one of the most important things we can teach our children is how to be more like the Savior.

Christlike to be’s cannot be seen, but they are the motivating force behind what we do, which can be seen. When parents help a child learn to walk, for example, we see parents doing things like steadying and praising their child. These do’s reveal the unseen love in their hearts and the unseen faith and hope in their child’s potential. Day after day their efforts continue—evidence of the unseen be’sof patience and diligence.

Because be begets do and is the motive behind do, teaching be will improve behavior more effectively than focusing on do will improve behavior.

What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to be - Lynn G Robbins 

ROASTED PARMESAN ASPARAGUS

Asparagus season always has me looking for new ways to eat it.  This is simple and very good.  Trim off the woody ends of a bunch or whatever you plan to eat.  Put 1-3 T. of olive oil in the bottom of a cookie sheet or small baking pan.  (depending on how much you are going to cook)  Grate fine 1-2 cloves of garlic into the pan.  Arrange the asparagus in a single layer in the pan and roll around in the oil until it is all covered nicely.  Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the bunch.  Broil on high for 3 minutes and toss a little with a spatula to turn as best you can.  Broil for 3 more minutes.  Check for desired crispness.  Some stalks are larger and need more time.  Turn off the oven, remove to a plate and sprinkle generously with coarse grated Parmesan.  Put back into the warm oven until melted and serve as soon as possible.