Wheat-free Falafel

I've made these three times the past week. They were much tastier to the kiddos when I used a Texas 10-15 Sweet Onion. I doubled the recipie and froze little patties on cookie sheets covered waxed paper. After they were frozen, I put them in a freezer bag. I have tried so many different versions, but this one was different because the chickpeas were only soaked and not cooked and no flour or bulgar wheat. We generally can't keep yogurt in the fridge for more than a day or two before it disappears. The kids really like them with sour cream. I mixed sour cream, a splash of apple cider vinegar, tahini and a little garlic powder and they really liked it.


2 cups chickpeas (soaked overnight) {about 1/2 pound}
1 medium onion chopped
5-6 cloves garlic
1tablespoon cumin
1teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Grind the chickpeas in a food processor until they resemble crumbs. Transfer to a bowl, grind the onions, garlic, cumin, baking soda and salt until well chopped but not pureed. Add to the chickpeas, stir well. Form into small patties and carefully slide them into a cast iron skillet with about 1/2 inch of very hot oil. These are fragile, but once they hit the oil, they stick together really well, fry until medium brown on one side, carefully turn them over until they are evenly brown. Cool on paper towels. This makes about 10-12 patties. 
We eat these wrapped in romain lettuce leaves instead of pita bread. Yum!  

Jesus

Today during the consecration, Number Two Son turned to the altar and said, "Jesus!" he did not point to the statue behind the altar, he raised his hands toward the altar where Fr. Bill was holding the Precious Body of Christ. I would never make this story up, at our old church, they would ring the bells, but Sweet Baby knew Jesus was there because he was!

Hugs all around!

Hubby and I have had a rough week. Hubby has needed to work extra long hours and I have not been feeling well and have spent much of the past few days in bed. My sweet children have given me numerous hugs spontaneously! Number Two Son walks up or crawls into bed next to me and says, "Hug Momma." Number One Son and Number One Daughter have just walked up and hugged me out if the blue too! I know our special Saint in Heaven is behind the hugs, God knows I needed them!

My Mantra for the rest of my life...

774 "+ Oh my Jesus, I understand well that, just as illness is measured with a thermometer, and high fever tells us the seriousness of the illness, so also, in the spiritual life, suffering is the thermometer which measures the love of God in a soul."
from Divine Mercy in My Soul, Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska

Prayers for Mothers and Babies

Dear Lord Jesus,
Please keep all the babies safe and healthy growing inside their mothers; protect their Mommies in childbirth and allow them the strength, faith and wisdom to raise them as your Mother has taught all of us. Amen.

RE

I have about 16 children my 3rd grade RE class. From the children's report, 5 can say the Hail Mary and 10 can say the Our Father prayer. Most of these children have made their first communion. I have been working daily so that Number One Son can know the prayers he will use and need to know for his First Holy Communion. I guess I should just relax. He is doing well. I'm still not sure how he is behaving in his RE class. After the first week, he didn't ever want to go back, but each week since then, he has come out with mostly positive things to say. I really hate that they do academic work, there is so much that they can learn without doing search word puzzles. I have kids in my class who are not good readers, but that is okay. Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. We made it through the beginning, one Glorious mystery and then the closing prayers. They did a good job, even the chatty boys! Immaculate heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

Not Smart Little Mousie

Last night, Hubby ordered pizza while Number One Son and I were at RE. I forgot the boxes were in there and turned on the oven. This normally wouldn't have been a big deal, but a mouse (or more) took out the pepper and parmesan packets, chewed them open and scattered cheese all over the pizza stones at the bottom of the oven. It also appears that the mouse mafia tried to carry the garlic butter off through the bottom of the oven where the gas elements are. Yup, melted plastic smoke bellowed out of the oven almost immediately. I guess I'll set a mouse trap in the oven, a very strange place for a mouse to hide out, especially in our house, where the oven gets used everyday. Hubby always makes a comment about how we feed our three cats and two dogs too much and they have forgotten a vital instict. Big Dog barks sometimes in the middle of the night, I guess it wasn't nature calling, just the scratching of a little mouse. If Little Dog were still alive, he'd bust out of his crate to get the mousie!