Home Cooking for Body and Soul Lesson #7--Bible Blueprint

Home Cooking for Body and Soul

Lesson #7—Bible Blueprint

Dinner: Casserole Blueprint (see below)

Verses: Matthew 7:24-27; Exodus 20:1-17; Proverbs 1:7, 3:13-18, 12:26, 13:20, 15:1, 16:28, 22:1

What is a blueprint? A blueprint is a plan for building something. It has exact details for the foundation/support of the building. It doesn’t not include fluff like color of walls, style of furniture, etc.

The Bible is our blueprint for life. It gives us all the “plans” for living life. There isn’t a lot of fluff, but exact details. If we follow God’s blueprint for our life, then our life will be successful. Christ even talks about this in one of His parables. Let’s read Matthew 7:24-27.

Christ very specifically tells us that it is wise to build our “house” (life) on the Him (the rock) and all that He teaches. We are foolish if we try to do things are own way. We need to listen to the expert and follow His plans.

What are some of the “walls” on the blueprint for our life? Well, the Bible is full of them, but let’s look at a few.

Exodus 10: 1-17 10 Commandments

Proverbs 1:7 fear of the Lord is the beginning on knowledge. We won’t follow the commands unless we fear the Lord’s power and strength

Proverbs 3:13-18 we will live a happy life if we find wisdom. Wisdom in this verse is “chokmah” and means “skill” and refers to ability in craftsmanship, in war, and in trade. The most common form of “chokmah” is in reference to wisdom in daily living—not only intelligence but in moral integrity. A sinful lifestyle is ultimately self-destructive; therefore, wisdom is the only path to a full and fruitful life.

Proverbs 12:26 & 13:20 how to choose friends

Proverbs 15:1 soft talk subdues anger

Proverbs 16:28 don’t gossip

Proverbs 22:1 reputation is worth more than money

As I said before, the Bible is full of the “walls” for our blueprint of life. Off the top of your head, can you think of any other “walls”?

Money-saving tip: Get creative with what you have in the house! Don’t run to the store just because you need one or two items for a recipe. You will end up spending more than you planned. Start throwing stuff together and see what you get!

Health tip: Most Americans don’t eat enough vegetables. When a casserole recipe calls for one vegetable, either double the amount you put in or add another. Not only will you increase your vegetable intake, you will stretch the meal!

Casserole Blueprint

Choose one or more from each category.

Meat: ground meat, shredded chicken, cooked beef, tuna, etc.

Vegetable: green beans, peas, carrots, onions, broccoli, etc. (canned, frozen or fresh)

Filler: rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, millet, stuffing, biscuit topping, etc.

Pizzaz (optional): shredded cheese, sliced almonds, bread crumbs, etc.

--Cook the meat if it isn't already cooked. Sautee onions and garlic if you are using them.

--Make a simple gravy by melting a couple tbsp of butter, mixing in a couple tbsp of flour, and then stirring in appropriate broth (chicken, beef, or veg. depending on your choices). You can also stir in some milk if you want it a little creamier. Also, stir in salt & pepper to your liking. You can also add any other spices at this time (rosemary is good for chicken or beef, parsley is good for anything, oregano will give a slight Italian flavor). You will want to leave this a little "runny" so it can bake into the other ingredients.

--You can either mix everything together in a 9x13 pan and then bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or you can put mix everything except the filler and/or pizzaz and then put the filler and/or pizzaz on top. If you are using potatoes, you will either have to bake for an hour or pre-cook the potatoes by boiling them or sautéing them. If you are doing a biscuit topping, you can mix your pizzaz into the biscuit before putting on top of casserole or sprinkle on top of the biscuit.

--If you are cooking for a large group, then just increase all parts.

Magic Pumpkin Buckle

1/2 cup butter, melted 1 cup flour

1 cup sugar 4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt 1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Filling:

3 cups cooked or canned pumpkin 2 eggs

1 cup sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp flour 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp each of ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg

Topping:

1 tbsp butter 2 tbsp sugar

Melt butter in a 9x13 pan. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. In a mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin, milk and eggs. Combine the remaining filling ingredients; add to pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust mixture (do not stir). Dot with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. serves 12