2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 medium)
1/2 teaspoon

grated orange zest
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature or slightly warmed
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into chunks. Steam over boiling water until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (Or, pierce unpeeled potatoes with fork and microwave on high (100% power) 12 to 14 minutes, turning over halfway through, let cool and peel.)
2. Transfer sweet potatoes to mixing bowl and mash, blending in orange zest, buttermilk, butter and brown sugar. Transfer to serving dish. Can be made ahead, refrigerated and reheated in microwave.

Makes 8 servings.

Variation: Substitute lemon zest for orange zest. Add ground cinnamon or nutmeg to taste.

all-purpose flour   2 Tbsp --- dried basil   1 tsp --- dried oregano   1 tsp --- salt   1/2 tsp --- black pepper   1/2 tsp --- boneless top round steak   --- 1 1/2 lb large onion, sliced   1 ea --- clove garlic, thinly sliced   3 med. --- green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks   1 med. --- spaghetti sauce low sodium low fat   1 1/2 cups --- egg noodles   8 oz --- balsamic vinegar   1 tsp --- Preparation Instructions1 In a small bowl, stir together the flour, dried basil, oregano, salt and pepper   2 Cut the beef into 6 pieces. Sprinkle half the flour mixture over one side of the beef. Using a meat tenderizer pound the flour into the meat. Turn over. Repeat withthe remaining flour mixture pounding until all of the flour is absorbed into the meat.   3 Put the onion in the slow cooker. Put the meat on the onion. Sprinkle with the garlic, then with the bell pepper. Spoon the spaghetti sauce over all. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours untill the meat is fork tender.   4 About 15 minutes before serving time, prepare the noodles using the package directions omitting the salt and oil.   5

To serve, spoon the noodles onto a plate. Top with meat. Stir the vinegar into the sauce. Spoon the sauce over all. Sprinkle with fresh basil.  

Amount per serving
Calories 322
  Calories From Fat 36
Total Fat 4  g
  Saturated Fat 1  g
Cholestrol 60  mg
Sodium 256  mg
Total Carbohydrate 38  g
  Dietary Fiber 3  g
  Sugars 8  g
Protein 31  g

Don't throw away your low-calorie sweeteners just because sugar is safer than you thought. Low-calorie sweeteners are "free foods." They make food taste sweet, and have no calories and do not raise blood glucose levels. They do not count as a carbohydrate, a fat, or any other exchange. They can be added to your meal plan instead of substituted.

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of these low-calorie sweeteners. The American Diabetes Association accepts the FDA's conclusion that these sweeteners are safe and can be part of a healthy diet.

Saccharin (Sweet N Low, Sugar Twin)
Saccharin can be used in both hot and cold foods to make them sweeter.  You may recall that some studies giving very large quantities of saccharine to rats raised concerns that saccharin could cause cancer, but many studies and years of use have shown saccharin to be safe in the quantities used by consumers.

Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)
Aspartame is another low-calorie sweetener. Because high temperatures can decrease its sweetness, check the manufacturer's Web site or call their toll-free number for guidelines when using aspartame in recipes. 

Acesulfame potassium (Sweet One, Swiss Sweet, Sunett)
Another low-calorie sweetener on the market is acesulfame potassium, also called acesulfame-K. This sweetener is heat stable and can be used in baking and cooking.

Sucralose (SPLENDA)
Sucralose is the newest low-calorie sweetener on the market. Sucralose is not affected by heat and retains its sweetness in hot beverages, baked goods, and processed foods.

The memories I hold most dear with my mom are the times we sat on her bed late at night just talking. I treasure those moments now that I’m not living at home and able to chat until the wee-morning hours.

This Mother’s Day, tell your mom what she means to you. Share your heart with her. Reminisce about times in your life when she inspired and encouraged you. Praise her for her godly character – her servant’s heart, giving spirit, and strong faith. Also, be transparent with your mom. Share what’s going on in your life – your concerns and your triumphs. Showing that you love and trust her will help build a strong friendship between you.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. Lightly coat muffin pan with cooking spray or grease with shortening. In a blender container combine milk, egg, and oil. Cover and blend smooth.

With blender running, add banana and blend into mixture. Pour into dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Fill muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake in the 400-degree oven about 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Recipe makes 10 to 12 muffins.

Nutrition information could vary slightly depending on the type of bread your use as well as which type of milk you prepare the French toast. The information below is based on using 1 percent and a typical store-bought loaf of cinnamon bread.

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 132
Total fat: 4g
Saturated fat: <1g
Cholesterol: 22mg
Sodium: 162mg
Carbohydrate: 22g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Acts 10:43
"To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."

John 1:12
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:"

The Psalm writers give us a number of images of forgiveness that help us to understand the complete effectiveness of what God does when he forgives our sins.

Forgiveness means that God covers our sins [32:1]. This image of forgiveness teaches that when God forgives our sins he no longer looks at them.

Forgiveness means that God no longer counts our sins against us [32:2]. This teaches forgiveness in terms of the cancellation of a debt or an accusation, a cancellation of all that God could hold against us. God simply does not hold our sin against us anymore.

Forgiveness means the removal of the guilt of sin [32:5]. God no longer holds us guilty; God no longer treats us as guilty.

Forgiveness is God blotting out our transgressions, washing away our iniquity, cleansing us from our sin [51:1,2,9]. All the record and all the guilt of our sins is wiped off. There is nothing in our debit file - it has been permanently erased.

Forgiveness is God hiding his face from our sins [51:9]. This is another indication that God chooses to no longer look at out sins.

Forgiveness is God removing our sins from us as far as the east is from the west [103:12]. He has taken our sins as far away from us as they could be, so that never again can they interfere between God and us.

From the New Testament perspective we know that God applies this comprehensive forgiveness to us because of the sin-bearing death of Jesus Christ.

This forgiveness is total. It is for all sins: past, present and furture; known and unknown; deliberate and accidental; open or hidden. God forgave all our sins in and through the death of Christ [Colossians 2:13-14]. Because of that death we have forgiveness as a present and permanent possession in Christ [Ephesians 1:7].

1. Put the ground sirloin in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until beef is no longer pink. Drain off any fat or juices.
2. Measure 2 tablespoons of the onion; set aside. Put remaining onion, garlic, and bell pepper into the pot and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano, tomatoes with their liquid, and beef broth.
3. Lower heat to simmer and cook, covered, until meat and vegetables are tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, finely mince the reserved onion. Place in a small bowl and stir in remaining topping ingredients. Set aside.
5. When chili is done, ladle into bowl and offer topping to spoon onto each serving.