Barnabas Lane: March 2015

Monday, March 30, 2015

Tasty Tuesday Best Ever 3 Ingredient Baked Ham & Recipe Link Up

Hi friends and welcome to Tasty Tuesday! Thanks for coming by!

I know this is probably sad to admit, and I'm probably really flying my "dork flag" high here-but it won't be the first time. I have never been as excited to share a recipe with you as I am today.

My mother is known for many things, but this ham is one of the things that tops that list. If anyone has surgery in her church, loses a loved one, or is just having a hard time, my mother will undoubtedly show up on their door step with this ham. I would not be lying or exaggerating in the slightest when I say it is funny the number of times someone has said to her, I need to get sick or have surgery to get another one of your hams. Local restaurants have borrowed this recipe for catering often. People will even call her and ask if they can pay her to make one of her famous hams for an event or family gathering. It's a running family joke though for how easy it is.

The recipe technically began with her mother, my grandmother, and she was equally as famous as my mom is for it. Little do people know it takes a mere 3 ingredients and no time at all to prepare. We had this ham growing up all the time for the simple fact that it was so easy. As we approach Easter and everyone is getting ready for Easter dinner, I cannot recommend this ham enough!

Here's what you'll need…

1 butt portion of ham (size will depend on how many people you need to feed)

Mustard

Brown sugar

Begin by placing the ham in a baking dish and covering the ham, not the dish, in foil.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 3-4 hours depending on what size of ham.

Remove from oven and disgard foil. Now for the glaze-this step's measurements have been "eye-balled" for longer than I've been alive so trying to pin down some rough measurements from my mom was a challenge. However, we're going with about a cup of brown sugar. Add enough mustard to make a consistency that looks like Elmer's glue. (I'm not joking guys-that is exactly how it has been described my entire life. Stir til it looks like Elmer's glue. Just go with it.)

Pour this on the top of the ham where it will easily "fall" on both sides.

Now put this back in the oven, uncovered, and turn off the oven. (Don't turn it off until you put it in the oven) Set the timer for 10 minutes and get ready to devour.

This could not be easier or more delicious. As a kid, I loved the glaze and my mom would make an extra small "dipping bowl" on special occasions for my sister and I.

Linked up with: Making Memories Monday, Making Your Home Sing, Two Cup Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesday, Totally Talented Tuesdays, Treasure Box Tuesday, The Gathering Spot, Living Proverbs 31, Modest Monday, Inspiration Monday, Making Monday, Create Link Inspire, Wake Up Wednesday, From Dream to Reality, Fluster's Creative Muster, Hump Day Happenings, Wonderful Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Moonlight & Mason Jars, WholeHearted Home, Wicked Awesome Wednesday, Raising Homemakers, Wednesday Round Up, Creative Spark Link, Pin Worthy Wednesday, Work it Wednesday, Create it Thursday, Great Idea Thursdays, Full Plate Thursdays, Women with Intention Wednesdays, Crafty & Delicious, Thursday Favorite Things, Showcase your Talent Thursdays, Think Tank Thursdays, Handmade Hangout, Pin Junkie, Pinworthy Projects, No Rules Weekend Bloghop, The Weekend Re-Treat, Freedom Fridays, Fellowship Friday, Pretty Pintastic Party, This is How we Roll Thursdays

Now on to the party! This week's features are…

Creamy Potato Pie- Vie De La Vegan

Cold Brew Iced Coffee-Bowl of Happiness

Ice Cream Inspired Yogurt Sandwich-Rattles & Heels

Chocolate Chia Mugg Muffin for One-Cat Food is Good for You

If you've been featured feel free to grab a featured button here:

Or the regular party button here:

An InLinkz Link-up

Thoughts on Holy Week

At seven years old on a hot Saturday night in early July I vividly remember asking my mom and dad if we could "go talk" after dinner.
I was a rather dramatic child, especially for my age.
But on this particular evening I'm not sure if we can chalk it up the dramatic side of me, or if something in me knew...my life was going to change forever that night.
Eternity would be sealed.
That night I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

Just like everyone else I haven't had a "perfect" walk with Him. Far from it in fact. Some years as Easter approached my focus was less on the cross as I would have liked. Though growing up we were never even introduced to the Easter bunny concept, we did wake up to Easter baskets at the breakfast table and had Easter egg hunts with the eggs we had dyed the day before. Some years my mind seemed to be consumed with the goodies that awaited me in my basket the next morning than the fact that we were celebrating my risen Lord.

As I got older some years I did focus more on that. I even remember one year in high school promising not to watch any television from Good Friday morning until Easter night. I think I made it until about lunch time on Saturday. After that my mind was just on all my guilt for my epic failure of a commitment. Perfect, I know. One year while I was in college my mind was totally swept up by some silly new guy that I had obsessively started talking to all week leading up to Easter, then we planned a "date" at the upcoming Good Friday service at my church. Which clearly was a rock solid plan I had there as well. The date was a nightmare. So was my heart and mind.

I am not trying to say that there is a right or wrong way to approach this Holy Week (though I probably wouldn't recommend some of mine). If there is anything I have learned it's the fact that God can take the most messed up approaches and turn them into beauty, after all, there is no formula for this kind of thing. However as I have grown older I have found a distinct shift in my heart as this time of year approaches-especially during this week. Because this week changed everything for us.

If there would have been no cross there would have been no salvation, no hope, no redemption. It could come no other way. No plan B.

I believe that because of the work on that cross on Calvary that you have not sinned so much that He can't forgive you.
You have not gone so far that He cannot reach you.
You have not sunk so low that He cannot lift you.
You have not stayed gone so long that He no longer knows you.
You have not said so much that He has nothing else to say to you.
You have not sold your soul until He cannot redeem you.
You have not destroyed/been destroyed so much that He cannot rebuild you.
You have not hated/been hated so much that He cannot love you.
You have not been dead so long that He cannot raise you.

That's what this week is. Holy. Miraculous. Dying to flesh. Raising to life. Anyone needing some of that in their life too? Right there with you sister.

So no, I don't have a formula for approaching Holy Week. I'm not trying to dismiss or disapprove family traditions or fun activities for the children. I'm simply praying for a focused mind, a heart towards the cross, for what is life-changing this week. My prayer being that our eyes be opened, and yes, even re-opened, today to the power of the cross thousands of years ago.

Linking up with: Making Memories Monday, Mommy Moments, Making your Home Sing, Modest Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Titus 2 Tuesday, Living Proverbs 31, Inspiration Monday, Making Monday, Wake Up Wednesday, Hump Day Happenings, Wonderful Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Moonlight & Mason Jars, WholeHearted Home, Wicked Awesome Wednesday, Raising Homemakers, Wednesday Roundup
Creative Spark Link, Pin Worthy Wednesday, Work it Wednesday, Create it Thursday, Great Idea Thursdays, Women with Intention Wednesdays, Thursday Favorite Things, Showcase your Talent Thursday, Think Tank Thursday, Handmade Hangout, Pin Junkie, Pinworthy Projects, No Rules Weekend Bloghop, The Weekend Re-Treat, Freedom Fridays, Fellowship Friday, Pretty Pintastic Party

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Scripture Sunday

Friday, March 27, 2015

Flashback Fridays

Hi friends and welcome to another Flashback Fridays! Link up as many oldie but goodies that you'd like and be sure to browse the linkup as well. Happy Weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Top 10 Easter Tablescapes

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Linked up with: Create it Thursday, Creative Spark Link, Crafty & Delicious Party, Think Tank Thursday, Great Idea Thursdays, The Project Stash, On Display Thursday, Artsy Fartsy, Doggone Dirty Craftin, The Weekend Re-Treat, Friday Flash

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

How to prevent itchy allergy eyes

As much as I love Spring my allergies do not, and my eyes suffer the most. For most of my life I have spent this time of year in and out of my eye doctor's office to the point I should have just set up a standing appointment for once a week this time of year. For a few weeks each Spring I would run around sans makeup with giant red, miserable itchy eyes. That was until my early 20's when I started working for an eye doctor as a receptionist/appointment scheduler. My job greatly increased during the Spring months and I felt like fist bumping every allergy-eye-sufferer that walked in the door as a sign of solidarity. But I noticed these fellow sufferers weren't returning as I typically did and I finally figured out why.

A little secret was being handed out in the exam room with a simple, seemingly common household item

I had my serious doubts about this theory but I have tested it for a few years now and cannot recommend it enough. Here's how I do it-

Take a wash cloth and soak it with as hot as water as you can stand. Put about a dime size amount of soap on the towel and rub together with the other side, and close your eyes and rub it on, making sure to get the eyelashes as well where so many germs and dirt hide. Keep your eyes shut until you rinse with warm water. My eye doctor swears by this method and recommends doing this twice a day during really bad allergy season. This is such an easy and economical alternative to hanging out in the eye doctors office all season!

Linked up with: Wake up Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, From Dream to Reality, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Project Parade, Whimsy Wednesday, Fluster Buster's Creative Muster, Wednesday Whatsits, Inspire Me Wednesday, Wonderful Wednesday, Wise Woman, WholeHearted Home, Pin-Worthy Wednesday, Women with Intention Wednesday, Creative Spark Link, Hump Day Happenings, Create it Thursday, Crafty & Delicious Party, Think Tank Thursday, Great Idea Thursdays, The Project Stash, On Display Thursday, Artsy Fartsy, The Weekend Re-Treat, Friday Flash

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Tasty Tuesday "Healthy-fied" Tator Tot Casserole & Recipe Link Up

Welcome to another Tasty Tuesday! I'm so glad you're here!

Yesterday I shared about my new gluten free lifestyle here and the ups and downs of it. The hardest meal by far for me to figure out how been dinner. It seems like I can somehow easily put together a breakfast, meal, or snack. But by dinner time I'm all out of ideas and I'm tired which makes me a little sad that I can't just have "whatever" anymore. Between the fatigue, drama, and lack of ideas-it's a hot mess up in here.

I don't know how I came across this gluten free casserole idea, but I am so very thankful I did. Casserole spells comfort food for me and I was in need of a good dose of comfort food. Surprisingly, this recipe did not disappoint. Even if you aren't gluten free you should give this recipe a whirl. I paired it with an easy green salad and dinner was served. Here's what you'll need:

32 oz. frozen tator tots, thawed (Ore Ida is typically gluten free!)

1 cup of frozen peas, thawed

8 oz. shredded cheese

1 1/2 lb. ground round (not pictured because I'm an airhead sometimes and already had it on the stove)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

salt and pepper to taste

Begin by browning the ground beef with chopped onion. Once the meat is cooked (if needed, drain) add in everything else except the tator tots and cheese.