The Wild Gems

Spicy-Sweet Candied Bacon With Cayenne Pepper And Brown Sugar

April 4, 2022April 4, 2022 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

Brunch anyone?

What You Need:

12 – 16 slices of bacon

1/3 cup of dark or light brown sugar

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Steps:

1. preheat the oven to 400.

2. Line a baking sheet with foil and place bacon strips on the sheet. (If you have a metal rack you can place that on the foil and then lay the bacon on that. This is optional and not absolutely necessary. If you don’t have a metal rack it will still come out yummy!)

3. Bake bacon for 12 minutes; when it’s sizzling and brown a little. Pull bacon out, flip the strips, and sprinkle on brown sugar mixture. Allow to bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes or to your liking.

4. Once done use tongs to lay on a plate and pat dry with a paper towel to soak up excess grease. Serve warm or room temperature!

Enjoy!

Soften The Heart: Devotional #17

March 17, 2022April 5, 2022 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

“Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:29

I love this scripture. I love this scripture because it’s very relevant today. We are very similar to Thomas or know those like him. We often question what is true or what could be true. We have friends who question the goodness of God. I know many personally. We starve for constant prove and answers until everything aligns to our liking. We need confirmation, and then we can believe. We humans are very curious, and often learn things the hard way.

But as many of us know, it’s reading between the lines. It’s seeking the bigger picture. It’s taking a step back and making connections. It’s getting to the root of the matter.

There are going to be moments where you may question your beliefs. And those moments usually arrive in distress and hard times. Your faith and what you believe to be true will be challenged one way or another.

We live in this type of world where we don’t really believe until we experience it ourselves. And that’s very unfortunate. But it’s true, and happens all the time.

God has a way of humbling us when we believe that we know better. LISTEN, to one another. And pay attention to words that another speaks. Take their word from it. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” To me this says, in trusting me, your road in this life will be smoother and you will be saved many sorrows.

Blessed is the child who doesn’t touch the stove when their mother says it’s hot. Did you touch the stove to test your mother and see if she was being truthful? Did you touch the stove and burn yourself because you wanted to know if it really was hot? Did you trust your mother and not touch the stove? Ponder this.

Jesus came to offer us freedom, peace, love, forgiveness. Our minds think too literal. These are free gifts that he has provided to us and we are encouraged to give freely to others. Trust in what you cannot see. Trust the Lord and be free. Trust the selflessness, the mercy, the grace, the forgiveness, the love, the peace. If we would all practice these, imagine what the world could be.

I believe in Gods love. I know it’s like the wind, and I cannot fully grasp it. But I can feel it, like the wind. Like the wind, I can see its power. And I do believe that each one of us is loved. This life is confusing and sad things happen. Einstein once said, “evil is the absence of God.” And I do believe that. Those who hurt others don’t know God. Which is why is it extremely important that we be an example to others. That we light others with our light. Love everyone. Love them all. We all make mistakes. We are more similar than different. GOD BLESS.

Spiked Lavender Lemonade Cocktail

February 24, 2022February 24, 2022 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

Servings: 2 cocktails

What You Need:

4-6 tablespoons of lavender syrup (give or take)

2 shots of gin

2 Sprigs of rosemary (don’t forget it, every time you sip you get this sweet aroma)

1 1/2 cups of Homemade lemonade divided into two glasses

1 cup of ice

Recipe for Homemade Lemonade

https://thewildgems.com/2021/12/30/homemade-lemonade/

Recipe For Lavender Syrup

https://thewildgems.com/2022/02/17/lavender-simple-syrup-mix-it-in-everything/

Steps:

1. Divide the lemonade into two glasses, and pour 2 tablespoons of lavender syrup into each glass.

2. Add a shot of gin to each glass.

3. Mix well, add ice, and place a sprig of rosemary into each drink.

Sip and enjoy! Add more lavender syrup if necessary.

Easy Jambalaya With Beef Smoked Sausage And Bell Peppers

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022 The Wild Gems1 Comment

What You Need:

2 bell peppers of your color choice chopped

1/4 to 1/2 of an onion chopped

1 can of fire roasted tomatoes undrained

Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Hillshire farm beef smoked sausage (12oz) sliced into 1/2 inch thick

1 box of Goya Jambalaya Rice

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Steps:

1. Sauté the sausage in the olive oil for about 5 mins until the sausage is a little crisp on each side.

2. Add the bell peppers and onion and sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until veggies are soft.

3. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and the fire roasted tomatoes undrained to the skillet with the veggies and meat. Add the contents from box (rice and seasonings). Cover with a lid and cook for 25 mins.

4. Once all the water is absorbed garnish with fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

Avocado Toast With Pan Roasted Grape Tomatoes And A Fried Egg

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

Servings: 1 piece of toast

What You Need:

A piece of hearty multigrain bread

1 small ripe avocado

A small handful of grape tomatoes cut into halves

Salt, pepper, and rosemary for seasoning

1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 Tablespoon of Olive oil for cooking the tomatoes

Cooking spray for the egg

Steps:

1. Heat up a small skillet on a low medium heat. While that is heating up slice open your avocado and smash it into a bowl seasoning it with salt and pepper.

2. Throw the tomatoes on the skillet in the olive oil and garlic. Sauté until soft. Set aside.

3. Spray the pan with cooking spray leaving behind a little bit of the leftover olive oil and garlic from the tomatoes and begin cooking your egg seasoning it with salt and pepper.

4. Place bread in toaster. (This is where you gotta move fast.)

5. Once the toast pops, smear on your avocado, place the roasted tomatoes right on top, place your fried egg gently on top of the tomatoes, season with some rosemary.

It’s so delish!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Raw Honey

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022 The Wild Gems3 Comments

What You Need:

4 sweet potatoes cut into cubes with skin

1/4 cup of raw honey

Salt, pepper, and cinnamon for seasoning

Olive oil (3-4 tablespoons)

Steps:

1. Lay out foil (optional) on a baking sheet. Scatter your sweet potatoes and drizzle on the olive oil and honey. Season the potatoes with the salt, pepper, and cinnamon.

2. Mix it all together and ensure all the potatoes are evenly coated with the oil, honey, and seasonings.

4. Bake at 375 for 30 to 45 mins.

Pairs so deliciously with chicken breasts covered in a hearty pesto sauce! Trust me!

Softening The Heart: Devotional #16

February 22, 2022February 25, 2022 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

John 20:23

Forgiveness is so powerful. It’s a weapon to conquer suffering. But it’s not easy to forgive, we know that. And it’s not usually something you do once. You go to battle with it many times, if not everyday.

Forgiving is to let resentment go, against others, against yourself. It’s to release yourself from the pain that you’ve been holding for so long. It’s time to let it go. Let it go.

Jesus gave us this gift of liberation. He took the weight from us. He knew how challenging this life would be. So he dedicated his life to saving people from themselves. He reminded us of Gods love.

How freeing and beautiful is it that God loves us no matter our flaws. No matter what, we are loved. And always have been. He continues to love and forgive us because that is how much God loves us.

We are human, we are flesh. We feel guilt for many things, we hold mistakes over peoples heads never letting them forget the pain they caused, we have a difficult time moving forward because we are still replaying scenarios we wish we could have changed. We beat ourselves up for our choices. And the choices of others.

Unfortunately, the truth is we can’t rewind time, we can’t undo what has been done, and we need to come to accept what is. And trust, trust that God will take our hurt and brokenness and turn it into something that would be impossible without his guiding hands. God will make it great, and He always does.

If God can forgive us and continue to love us despite our flaws, wrong doings, and mistakes then we must provide that same love and forgiveness to others and to the reflection in the mirror.

God does not want us to live a life full of heavy burdens and heavy weight. He wants to free us from ourselves, He wants us to love. And He has shown us the benefits of doing so.

Who do you need forgive? What do you need to let go of?

May God give you the strength to do so.

Lavender Simple Syrup – Mix It In Everything

February 17, 2022February 17, 2022 The Wild Gems1 Comment

This lavender syrup is so good. Mix it in your lemonade, your favorite cocktail, a mimosa, raw honey, cream cheese frosting, the possibilities are endless!

Enjoy!

What You Need:

1 1/2 cups of water

3 tablespoons of dried lavender

1 1/2 cups of sugar

Steps:

1. Bring the water and lavender to a boil.

2. Add the sugar and mix until it dissolves completely. Allow to simmer for 15 mins. Boiling lightly.

3. Remove from the heat and let sit for 2 hours. The aroma is so relaxing.

4. Strain the liquid into a mason jar discarding the dried lavender. Store in the fridge for 2 weeks.

Soften The Heart: Devotional #15

February 12, 2022February 14, 2022 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

“For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.”

1 Corinthians 7:22

Everyone has a designated plan or purpose in this life. We are apart of this miraculous design, yet we do not know quite yet what we are creating. All we know is it’s something beautiful and something we can trust.

God works through each and every one of us everyday. Strengthening us, as well as , using us to strengthen others. In this time or maybe even decades to come. We are the project and the tool. Some are aware and some are oblivious to the way God is working for them. God is on our side though, always.

Sometimes we see humans do things that we don’t quite understand. Then we judge. Then we think they need God. But who’s to say they aren’t in the process of receiving God in their life? They have to go through the motions just like anyone else. One could say you were lost before you let God into your heart. If anything we should be giving those who are “in the process” or “lost” more love and compassion. Everyone’s path is a little different. Some smooth and some very rough. A person’s sacrifice and hardship are never in vain.

God will soften their heart, God will liberate those souls, but it takes time like anything else. Certain steps need to be taken the same way certain recipes have to be followed specifically. Have you ever cooked or baked something and forgot a necessary ingredient like salt, or baking soda? God doesn’t forget. He knows the steps that need to be taken for complete liberation.

We can’t see the whole picture. We can see maybe but a small corner. Not the front, back or side, but a tiny, tiny, corner.

This scripture reminds us that we belong to God in whatever state we are in. And those that know God (the slaves of Christ) are to help and encourage those who are in the process of receiving God and accepting His love. If we go back to the scripture it reads “The Lords Freedman”. If we define ‘freedman’ it means an ‘emancipated slave’. And if you define emancipated it means process of being set free. We must be patient the way God has been with us. Each one of us is loved, and God doesn’t love anyone less or more. Nobody is more righteous than another.

The truth is we live in a broken world with much pain and suffering. And Everyone is in need of mercy and grace and we must give it and give it often to one another. We must be that example that many need, we have been given our own power to help liberate others and point them in the right direction. We have been given a gift to encourage others to seek God themselves and find that comfort, peace, and love. And we know in our hearts they will find that mercy and grace that has been given from the very beginning.

God loves us all. He knows this is hard. He reminds us that we are not alone. We are bound together.

German Pancakes With Powdered Sugar And Honey

February 6, 2022February 6, 2022 The Wild Gems1 Comment

Servings: 2 large German Pancakes

What You Need:

4 eggs

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2/3 cups of flour sifted (I used a small strainer and it works just fine)

2/3 cup of milk

2 tablespoons of soft butter

2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and honey for drizzling (optional)

Would also be great with some fruit compote, maple syrup, or baked apples with cinnamon

Steps:

1. Heat oven to 400 and butter the cake pans well.

2. Best eggs well, and then add remaining ingredients.

3. Once mixed well pour evenly into the two cake pans.

4. Bake for 20 mins at 18 mins. Then open oven to release some heat and turn down to 350. Bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!