Dear Ladies,
Happy Thanksgiving! Things have been busy here in the Hammett Family since our last update. We are all well, though, and praise the Lord for His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men. He indeed loads us with benefits, daily. It’s just up to us to notice them most of the time!
Of course, we are eagerly anticipating the birth of Baby Hammett any day now. He or she is due on November 29, but we are all praying for an early arrival! Joel and Anna are beyond excited. We trust that will remain. :o) We will be sure to send out an announcement when our blessing arrives. Come the new year and our return to Africa, I do plan to update on the web again. The kids are doing well. They both speak of Africa and we all look forward to our return on February 3. They can’t wait to see their doggie, Cocoa. Honestly, it can be an overwhelming thought to think of ‘return tickets’ when I haven’t even had the baby yet. God has daily been very real to me. Times of impatience and uncertainty have pressed me closer to Him. I know that He is able to do far above anything I can ask or think. I rest in that and find such hope and joy knowing that.
We are enjoying the Fall weather that we don’t have in Africa. There is something about all the colors, smells, and cool, crisp air that makes it my favorite time of year. I think if it wasn’t loaded with sugar, I’d have apple cider all the time! Someone suggested making an apple cider float – just like you would a root beer float. And yes, I tried it. It was good. It looked scary for sure, but looks are deceiving!
Another Fall favorite of ours is cornbread. Now, we are fortunate in South Africa to have an abundance of corn meal (or mealie meal) available very cheaply. It differs from American corn meal in that it is white. The Africans use it to make mealie pap. It is a staple of their diet. They usually eat it 2-3 times a day. You prepare it similarly to grits (or cream of wheat for you fellow Yankees out there who had to ‘google’ grits), except that it is thicker than mashed potatoes. To be African, it must be thick enough to break off chunks and eat with your fingers. Mealie pap may be cooked over an open fire or on the stove top. After the water comes to a boil, the mealie meal is stirred in by hand. When the consistency is right (never any measurements, all by sight and feel) the lid is replaced and it is left to steam for a long time. It is ready in 30 minutes, but they will often let it steam for far longer. Africans love the pap when it is burnt around the inside of the pot. Some don’t think it even tastes right if it doesn’t have the ‘smoky’ essence to it. I try to avoid burning it at home. :o)
Now if you make cornbread with white cornmeal, what do you have? White cornbread. Now I’ll admit that my anemic –looking cornbread threw me for a loop the first several times in Africa. I’ll also admit that I’ve been known to add yellow food coloring to my cornbread batter a few times. It can be quite hilarious if you are too heavy handed as the result is a nearly neon-yellow, highlighter-type color! Hey – it adds excitement – and chemicals – to dinner. After becoming accustomed to Africa, I did omit the food coloring and we got used to our pale looking cornbread. I’m sure all you other missionary wives are laughing at me (or with me) right now. Last week my kids and I were stirring up a batch of my favorite cornbread. When we stirred the wet into the dry, the familiar yellow unadulterated batter appeared! The golden bread was good. Very good.
So I share my favorite cornbread recipe with you all. Whether you make it with white or yellow cornmeal, it comes out thick, moist, and slightly sweet. Yellow food coloring is purely optional. :o) And whenever you partake of cornbread this season, do pray for us!
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Kristin’s Cornbread
1 C. flour
1 C. cornmeal
¼ C. sugar
4 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
2 eggs (beaten)
1 C. milk
¼ C. oil
Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add eggs, milk, and oil. Beat or stir till moistened.
Pour into 9x9 pan. Bake 425 for 20-25 min.
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With Love in Christ,
Kristin Hammett
Psalm 16:11 "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
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