Blogging Day 2 --The Miracles in my Instant Pot

I have always liked the idea of cooking in a pressure cooker but I was terrified of them.  We bought one from QVC and were both afraid to use it even though they are supposed to be safe. No more exploding pots with peas on the ceiling or mashed potatoes on the walls.  But still we were too scared to try cooking in it and I don't like to admit it but we gave it away brand new.

Ok fast forward awhile when I started reading about the Instant Pot.   What is an Instant Pot? I didn't know so I went to You Tube and started watching videos!  I was mesmerized.  "I can do this!" I told myself. So I went to Amazon and ordered the 6 qt one.   I joined several online Instant Pot groups on Facebook and Googled Instant Pot recipes.  So the fun began.

I bought a 3 lb boneless chuck roast and followed a recipe I found online.  Because my IP is not oblong I had to cut the roast into 3 or 4 pieces. It has a saute button so I pushed it and put some olive oil in the pot and put in the meat to brown.  After the meat was all browned I took it out with tongs and put it on a plate. Then I started adding my vegetables - sliced onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms and seasonings.  When they were lightly sauteed I added the meat back, added a can of beef Consume (beef broth works too) and a half a can of water and whole peeled potatoes.   I pushed the off button, put the lid on, turned it to seal and pushed the manual button the + adjusted it to 55 minutes. The pot had to build up steam, so it took longer than 55 minutes but basically about ten minutes. Then I checked to see if the little silver button was popped up, show it had built up to pressure.  Then it started counting down. After it reached 55 minutes it beeped and I released the pressure by turning the release knob carefully to let out all the steam.  When it stopped hissing and the silver button was down, I opened the lid and took out everything onto a serving plate.  I mixed up some corn starch slurry and whisked it into the remaining liquid, making a delicious thickened gravy.

Here is the result:  A delicious, melt in our mouths tender pot roast with cooked vegetables and potatoes.  A One pot meal.   

I've made this several times along with pork chops, the most delicious rice and chicken I've ever eaten and spaghetti where I push uncooked pasta into the sauce, cover the pot and cook for TEN minutes!  Yes, 10 minutes for delicious spaghetti with enough left over for 3 more meals.

I call these my miracles in my Instant pot. I bought a second pot which has come in handy.

I am not an affiliate for the Instant Pot but one can make yogurt in it,  and it can be used as a slow cooker, and more.  I've even read about people making cheesecake in the pot and cooking hard boiled eggs.  It's amazing what this little pot can do and the price is under $100! I will never be without one now.

 Spaghetti in my Instant Pot

Spaghetti on my plate.

Miracles

Day 15 Today's nudge - What is something you know for sure?

We are Miracles!  All of us!  Life is a Miracle! Even though we can create life in test tubes we can't actually make the cells and put all the atoms together to create a human. We cannot put the veins and blood vessels together or make eyes or ears that work.  So if anyone doubts that Miracles don't exist just think of how we are so wonderfully made.

We don't know how to make a cloud that stays in the sky, we don't know how to make the sun rise and set.  We don't know how to create a tree from a seed or how to keep a bird flying.  

Releasing Old Vows

Releasing old vows

“Dear God,” I wrote in my diary in 1957-58.  “If you will bring me a man who loves me I will be the best wife imaginable.  I have a lot of love to share.”

A miracle day is ordinary

Wednesday Tarot class

Every Wednesday I will be giving you a free tarot card class. I will be talking about one card a week using the major arcana cards, the main ones. I will be showing you how you can use these cards without memorizing each one, but using your intuition and learning what the card means to you when you see it. This can be a lot of fun and when we are finished you will be able to give readings for yourself or other people.

I’m not going to bore you with the history of the Tarot cards, but they tell the story of us and our inner growth. Each of us is or has lived each one of the cards. I will explain more as we learn more about the cards. If you want to study the Tarot, buy yourself a deck of cards. There are hundreds to choose from and no deck is right or wrong. Look at the different artwork on the decks and select the one that appeals to you. Trust your intuition.

If you want to change your life, shuffle the cards each day, asking “what is my message today?” If one or two cards fall out as you shuffle they are your cards for the day. If no card falls out, turn the cards face down, running your hands over them and pick one card that feel right to you. Turn the card face up and take a look at it. What catches your eye? Is it a color, a picture, a number, or the writing on the card? You might want to buy a notebook or set up a file on your computer and date the top of the page, then write down what you saw or what thoughts come to your mind. Write the first thought that pops into your head. Don’t stop to figure it out or if you are right or wrong. Just write. If there is a person in the card, imagine stepping into the card and talking to this person. Ask him or her “what do you have to tell me?” Try to have a conversation in your mind with this person. Again write down what you heard or felt. Later you can check back to see what happened during the day and if the card gave you a message. Be patient if you don’t get anything right away, just keep trying and above all, have fun. Don’t stress over it. If you don’t get any information pick another card.
Most Tarot decks are made up of seventy-eight cards. They are divided into the major arcana (22 cards) and the minor arcana (56) cards.

This week I will talk about the first card in the major arcana - Number zero - the Fool.
When you hear the word fool what immediately comes to your mind? Someone who does stupid things is silly or makes a laughing stock of himself, right? None of us wants to be thought of as fools do we? So we try to live our lives safely, acting sensible, normal and doing what is expected of us. Is that working for you? Are you happy plodding along, not taking chances, and worrying, being stressed? Whose life are you living? Are you in a career because your parents wanted it for you? Are your life choices yours or someone else’s? Is your relationship treating you nicely or are you doing all the work? Do you wish you had the courage to take risks, change your career, and live your passion? “ But I can’t throw out everything I’ve worked for to follow my passion?” “I’ve got kids to take care of; I can’t leave them to follow my bliss.” We all have reasons why this kind of thinking is not possible for us. Sure it looks good on paper, but of course it won’t work for us, most people feel. What about you? You don’t have to throw everything out to begin living your life. Just begin to examine your inner self and take one small step toward your new future.

Actually the fool represents our unlimited potential. The fool is not stupid, he is innocent. He has an open mind with the courage to see his life filled with adventures. Because he is trusting, he has no room in his life for fear and doubt. He trusts his instincts. How many of us are that trusting? How many of us have the courage to try new things, to have an open mind and to let go of our fears? How many mistakes did Thomas Edison have to make before he invented the light bulb? What if he had given up and closed his mind, fearing that he’d never invent anything? Yes someone other creative person would have come along and invented the light bulb, but how long would it have taken?

In the fool card is a large white sun shining above him. This shows that the fool is being guided from above, plus he is looking upward. The fool looks like he is about to step off a cliff into the great beyond. He has a knapsack on the end of a stick. In this knapsack are all the tools that he will need for his trip.
If your life is not working, try becoming brave like the fool. Ask for guidance from above – God, the Universe, the ALL, your Angels and Guides, whatever name works for you. Then trust that you will be guided. Know that you were born with all the tools you need – intuition, a sense of adventure, unlimited potential, Guides and Angels. Ask yourself in what area of your life do I need to act like the fool and take chances? Other words you can think of that correspond with the fool are: Be exhilarated and excited; Be active; leap; seek new ways; be adventurous; take risks; try a new state of being; expect a miracle; dare to be unconventional; get to know and love the child within you; be open minded and have a fresh point of view.
Next week we’ll talk about the Magician and how you can become the magician in your own life. Until then enjoy exploring your fool self.