Time to Change Gears

As I was taking the dog for his morning walk a few months ago, I could hear a car approaching us. Not an unusual thing. After all, we live on the main "drag" and we were walking next to the road. What caught my attention was that the car's engine was racing. Also, not an unusual thing. While the speed limit is 25 miles per hour, most people choose to ignore it.

Assuming this was one of the local "Mario Andrettis", I pulled the dog close to me and stood way back in the back of the ditch to let him pass. As the car rounded the corner, I could tell that he was going well under the 25 MPH speed limit. But, the engine sounded like it was on the final straightaway of the Indi 500.

"Geez", I said to myself, "the fool's got it in too low a gear". Then, I thought, "He's gonna blow his engine if he doesn't change gears!". Hmmmm, change gears.

This simple thought made me realize how our lives have all come to revolve around speed. We have cars that go twice the posted speed limit. We have fax machines that can send a letter halfway around the world in an instant. We have remote controls on our TVs so we can quickly surf the other channels to get lightening fast glimpses (that's if the Husband is in control of the remote) of other shows that just might be better than what we are currently watching. We have microwave ovens that can "nuke" our dinner in seconds. We have, well, you've got the point and can probably think of a thousand more examples from your own life. It seems like all we do is hurry up and then hurry up some more.

What ever happened to "slow and steady wins the race", "take time to stop and smell the roses", "all good things come to he who waits"? I don't know. Some where along the way these got shoved aside. Probably by the people who brought us concepts like 'bigger is better", "he who dies with the most toys wins", and, my personal favorite, "if one is good, 10 is better".

Now, I have to admit that I am as guilty as others in this respect. I've fallen into the "speed trap". Why, I've honed my morning routine to less than 30 minutes from feet on the floor to out the door (and that includes a shower, hair washed and dried, dog walked, and animals fed). I want to slow down. My fervant prayer is, "God grant me patience". To which, I quickly add, "and grant it right now!"

But, now seems to be a good time to change gears - slow things down. After all, we have just survived the most hectic time of the year.....The Holidays! And, the weather outside is, by and large, pretty unhospitable. So, pull out the Monopoly board or find a cozy place to settle into with a good book or stoke up a blazing fire in the fireplace while you make a lazy dinner.

Chicken Cacciatore for Crock Pot
Serves 4.

4 chicken breasts -- boned and skinned
1 medium onion -- coarsely chopped
4 stalks celery -- chopped
1 large red pepper -- chopped
6 cloves garlic -- chopped
14 ounces stewed tomatoes -- chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf
2 dried japanese peppers
1/2 cup white wine
salt -- to taste
pepper -- to taste

Place onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic into a crock pot. Sprinkle oregano and basil over vegetables. Lay bay leaf and dried peppers on top of vegetables. Cut each chicken breast into 4 pieces and place on top of vegetables. Pour wine over chicken breast pieces. Pour in stewed tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 4 - 6 hours. Serve over cooked pasta or rice. A sprinkle of parmesan cheese works well. Add a side salad and some crusty french bread and you've got a great meal.

Chili for the Crock Pot
Serves 8.

2 pounds ground beef -- extra lean
1 medium yellow onion -- chopped
1 medium red onion -- chopped
6 cloves garlic -- minced
3 jalapeno peppers -- finely chopped
1 red pepper -- chopped
32 ounces beans (black, kidney, or pinto)
16 ounces canned tomatoes -- chopped
4 ounces tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cumin
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf

Brown ground beef, drain, then place in the bottom of a crock pot. Add remaining ingredients. Stir to fully mix ingredients. Cook for 6 - 8 hours. To serve, top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions, and finely grated cheddar cheese. Serve with corn bread or buttermilk biscuits.

Beef Stew for Crock Pot
Serves 8.

2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat -- cut into 1 in. cubes
6 whole carrots -- cut into 1" pieces
2 pounds red potatoes -- cut into 1/8ths
6 cloves garlic -- chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms -- cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup red wine
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup beef broth

Place all ingredients except soup, red wine, beef broth into the crock pot. Mix soup, red wine and broth together. Pour into crock pot. Cook for 6-8 hours. Serve with biscuits and a green vegetable.