(Almost) Missed Blessings

Confession: I am a certified guacaholic. This term, coined by my 12-year-old, indicates that I am addicted to guacamole. Although food makes a nice compliment to this most perfect of condiments, I would eat it, on its own, with a spoon. True Story. And yes, I know it costs extra.

This brings me to lunch. Okay, I am going to confess one more thing that will either further endear me to you, or confirm that you think I am just a pecan shy of being a total nut job. Or both. Here it is: Lunch is my favorite word in the English language. Seriously. I like the way it sounds. Lunch. I like that it makes me think of things like tuna fish sandwiches, tortilla chips and lemonade. If our schedule and lifestyle permitted, lunch would be my family's largest meal of the day. It would be eaten on our terrace, overlooking the quaint village in which we live and we would all nap outdoors after we were sufficiently fed listening to wind blow through the trees.

Alas, our schedule does not allow for said lunch fantasies. Well, that and the fact that we don't have a terrace or live in a quaint village, which are also obvious hindrances to the aforementioned scene. If you've read any previous blog entries, you know these daydreams are quite common.

Moving on.

As a stay at home mom, I very often find myself at home, alone, in the middle of the day. As such, my lunches have, as of late, sadly been reduced to yogurt and granola. It's quick and easy. Extra bonus: there is minimal mess to clean up when I am finished. Now, there is nothing wrong with yogurt and granola. It's quite tasty. But, recently the hubs pointed out how nice it must be to be home at lunch time and get to make whatever I wanted to eat. He lamented that he often has to eat on the go and healthy, satisfying lunch options are limited. Man can only eat at Chipotle so many times before it loses its appeal. Woman can only eat yogurt and granola so many days.

So, today, as I reached for my standard yogurt, I noticed some leftover veggies. I saw some whole wheat tortillas. And then, I saw the thing that would ultimately seduce me into making a real lunch for myself. Guacamole. I had completely forgotten. We had company over for Cinco de Mayo. We had tostadas. We had, wait for it... Guacamole. It was on like Donkey Kong.

           

Don't worry, I am not going to give you a recipe for vegetable quesadillas. I'm pretty sure you know how to throw some veggies and cheese in a tortilla, top it with guacamole and enjoy.

                                            

Although the trip through my thoughts this Thursday has been a long and windy road, my point is how easily I dismiss God's blessings and so often miss out on fully enjoying and delighting in this life I am beyond blessed to live. I was at the park with a girlfriend the other day, also a stay at home mom, and we both acknowledged how easily we fill our days with tasks and to do lists. We confessed the guilt we experience if we sit down in the middle of the day or take a little extra time for ourselves. Oh how it must grieve the spirit when we feel guilty for enjoying the blessings and gifts our generous God gives us each day.

"And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live." Ephesians 4:30

The hubs was right. Most days, I have the opportunity to make myself a proper lunch and even sit down to enjoy the same. Yet, here I was, often carrying my yogurt from room to room with me in an effort to stay busy and be effective. I had failed to recognize a simple lunch at home, a brief respite in the midst of a hectic day and yes, even guacamole, as presents from my Father. Perhaps the most effective thing I could do for me, for my family and for my Savior, would be to slow down, enjoy His gifts, express gratitude, and truly experience the blessings, rather than rushing through one more chore, one more day.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

There will always be to do lists and there will always be chores that need completing. But, every now and then, there is this little space on that list between action items that allows, perhaps demands, that I stop and be still. Time is a gift and when there is time for guacamole, sister, that nearly qualifies as miraculous. So, today I am letting go of the guilt as I sit at my kitchen table and enjoy a homemade, healthy lunch. Today, I choose gratitude.

                                                  "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

          

And who knows? Maybe guacamole, with a side of gratitude, will be on the menu again tomorrow. 

Hometown Tourist

       

I love living in Arizona. I love the 70 degree temps in January and yes, I even love the 115 degree temps in August. I know, I'm a freak. I love being surrounded by mountains and cactus. After having lived just one winter in a snowy climate, I absolutely love that I can visit the snow in a mere two hour drive and yet, not have to shovel the same from my driveway. I love our sunsets and, when I manage to drag my booty out of bed early enough to catch one, I love our sunrises. I truly am thankful each day that God has planted us here. 

My husband and daughters are natives of this great state. Indeed, they like to call me an outsider and remind me that I'm not a true Arizonan despite that fact that I've been here since I was five years old. Despite my carpetbagger status, they've taken me in as one of their own. The hubs does have some pretty legit street cred when it comes to the issue though. His great grandparents were ranchers in Arizona before it was a state. A fact of which he is very proud and shares often.

Whenever we meet someone new, particularly when we are traveling, and any of the aforementioned facts come up, ninety percent of the time we will inevitably get asked this question: Have you been to the Grand Canyon?

Really? As if the Grand Canyon is the only thing Arizona has going. I mean, we're home to the Cardinals, the Suns and I think we might even have a baseball team. Speaking of baseball, how about spring training? Hello? We play host to one of the premier zoos in the country and the stunning Desert Botanical Gardens are right next door. Are museums your thing? The  Phoenix Art Museum, the Heard Museum and the Musical Instrument Museum all call this great state home. Broadways shows come to Arizona just to perform in beautiful venues such as the Herberger Theatre and Comerica Theatre. Do you like nature? Take a trip to Snowbowl, Thumb Butte and Mount Lemon and cast your sights on views that rival any vacation destination. Speaking of beauty, the Arizona Ballet and Phoenix Symphony Orchestra are not to be missed. I could go on and on about all Arizona has to offer that is not to be missed.

As much as I loathe the Grand Canyon question, it does highlight one glaring fact. I've never been to the Grand Canyon. True story.  In fact, many of the attractions I mentioned as not to be missed, I have, in fact, missed. Many of them I've not visited in years and some I've never even seen.  

This very topic came up for discussion recently as the fam and I drove out to an early Saturday morning hike. Just as we were feeling pretty down on ourselves, we had a stroke of brilliance. (And by we, I mean the hubs.)  Why don't we, he suggested, become tourists in our hometown? Let's create a bucket list of Arizona attractions and make this the year we finally visit more, see more, and do more.  

I know we're not mavericks when it comes to the notion of being tourists in your own city. People have been taking stay-cations for years. But, for us, the idea of being tourists needed to encompass more than just weekend trips to museums or eating at new resteraunts.

Dont get me worng. We definitely want to do those things and those are exactly the type of things on the list. But, for us, being a tourist also means approaching all we do with fresh eyes and renewed excitement. When we're on vacation everything feels fun and exciting. We might see a movie, but there's something about seeing it in a new city that makes it feel special. Dessert tastes sweeter. Hands are held longer. Dinners are lingered over and games last way past bedtime. This is the attitude we want to bring to our school days, our work days, our holidays. Our goal is to approach all we do with excitement and enthusiasm, whether it's a day out or a night in, a meal at a new restaurant or simply dinner and a movie in the living room.

This is the year we become hometown tourists. We certainly aim to do more and see more. But, most importantly, we are striving to be present more. 

All that and I don't even have to pack.

Why Fake Is Sometimes the Most Real of All

In a perfect world I would make all of my family's food from scratch. There would be not a box or a can in sight in my quaint, perfectly decorated farmhouse kitchen. Note: I do not have a perfectly decorated farmhouse kitchen. This, too, only exists in the aforementioned perfect, imaginary world. Moving on.

So, that would be ideal. But, in order for that perfect culinary ideal to be a reality, everything else in my life would also need to be perfect and ideal. I would have all the time in the world to cook and bake. My family would always prefer the all natural, organic version rather than the processed, boxed version. I would always prefer the natural version. I would always have all ingredients on hand to make every recipe from scratch and said ingredients would always be in season, not to mention afordable. 

I do not live in this world. If you do, please tell me where you live. As much as I hate moving, I would pack up my boxes and become your new neighbor and bring you fresh baked cookies daily. 

So, as much as I try to make all of our food healthy and homemade, sometimes that just is not my reality. Sometimes the fake, from a box, pop a can food is what needs to happen. Sometimes, yes, it is even what we prefer.

This brings me to my cheese danish. Well, that and my desire for a taste of lovely, sugary goodness is what brings me to my cheese danish. This week I sent my oldest off to high school camp with our church. She has been to camp every year since she was 7 but this year, obviously, was different. She's in high school. It's a whole week. It's in California. Did I mention she's in high school? I was excited to send her and she was excited to go. Even so, we cried together the night before she left. 

I wanted to make her a special breakfast for the morning of her departure. Something yummy, but quick and possibly easy to eat on the go. She had to be at church a 7 am and this is a girl who doesn't see daylight before 8 on a good day. It was entirely plausible she'd be rolling out of bed 10 minutes prior to departure time and eating her breakfast in the car. 

I immediately thought of my cheese danish. I ran it by my eleven year old, got the thumbs up, and we set out to give our girl a proper send off. 

This is not health food. It is not all natural. It is not low calorie. 

This is yummy. This does say 'I love you' in a way few breakfast foods can. This is a lovely treat.

This is how you make it.

Ingredients

2 cans refriegerated crescent rolls

2 boxes cream cheese (Please, please do not use low fat. Just go for it.)

1 1/4 cups sugar ( DO NOT even think of using fake sugar.)

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg yoke, slightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread out one can of the crescents in the dish, pinching the edges to close the gaps. In a stand mixer, or with an electric mixer, mix the rest of ingredients until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the rolls. Spread out the second can of the crescent rolls over the top, again pinching the seams to close the gaps. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool on the counter for about an hour. Refirgerate overnight. 

                                 

                         My little made this nearly all by hersef for her best friend, big sister.

                            Dude, check this sweet action shot of my Bean spreading the 

                                                    cheese mixture on top of the rolls. 

Yep. That's it. Way affordable. Way easy. And, most important, way yummy.

                                   

When you are ready to eat in the morning, cut yourself a handsome slice, pop it in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, and enjoy.

You can eat these after they cool a bit, right out of the oven. However, they will be a bit gooey when you slice into them and the cheese filling may run. This is not the worst thing in the world, but if you can make it the day before and wait, you will get nice, clean slices. 

It was a hit. My girl loved it and even got up early enough to enjoy her slice with a cup of coffee at the table. 

Um, yes, my 13 year old drinks coffee. Subject for another blog.

So was it "real?" It was really delicious. And, sometimes, that's good enough. Sometimes, giving your family a little of the fake food that tastes good and reminds them of home, is just about as real as it gets. 

Keeping Score

Today marks the end of Lent. Confession: Before this year I've never participated in Lent. If I'm honest, I'm not sure I ever really understood the purpose or meaning of Lent. Ok - I'm feeling very Catholic: confessing and participating in Lent.  Anyway, the fam and I began an Easter devo in March, the focus of which was Lent. Ultimately we ditched the devo in favor of reading the gospel of Mark togther. However, prior to ditching th devo, we all agreed to participate in Lent and fast. My sweet Emma chose to fast from carbs, bless her heart. Thankfully we ditched that commitment along with the devo. I do love me some bread. I had decided to fast from social media, including Facebook, Instagram and yes, the horror, Pinterest. Admittedly, when I announced this commitment, I sort of thought I took the easy way out. I mean, I didn't give up coffee or tv, or sugar or bacon - you know the tough stuff. This was just a litttle computer time, a little guilty pleasure.  So, even though we stopped the Lent devo, I decided to stick with my decision to fast from these things. How hard could it be, right? Tip of the day: if you're wondering whether something in your life is an addictive stronghold, commit to giving it up for 40 days. As it turns out, Facebook and Instagram were easy. I can honestly say I didn't miss either and I'm not sure I'll go back. But, Pinterest on the other hand...whoa baby. 

My first real test in the Great Pinterest Fast of 2014 occurred when the hubs and I went out of town for our anniversary. I was only a week into the fast and was already experiencing some withdrawal: cold sweats, the shakes, migraines. I'm kidding (sort of.) But, I was missing the mindless scroll through recipes, DIY and home decor. 

So, the hubs surprises me and takes me away to the beautiful cabin of a friend of his. And it was indeed beautiful: beautiful setting, beautiful weather and, yes I'll say it, my beautiful man. Of course the most exciting part for us, as it is with any of our vacations, was cable television. Perfection.

So there we were, on our first night, cuddling on the couch and watching some House Hunters on our favorite channel of all time: HGTV. It was lovely. And then it happened. The hubs grabs his Ipad and fires up what else? Yep. Pinterest. He opens Pinterest and glances over at me and asks, casually, "I'm sorry. Does this bother you?"  Now, let me clarify. I know it may bother some wives when their husbands go on the Internet or read a magazine or a book or answer texts when they're supposed to be spending time together watching tv. Unless it is our weekly Friday night date night, I am not one of those women. It really doesn't bother me. Really. So, his question was not about not paying attention to the gloriousness of cable television, it was specifically addressing his use of Pinterest in front of me. Confession time again: I responded in a less than genuine manner: "No. It's totally fine. Go ahead." Truth: I actually had to change position on the couch so I wouldn't be tempted to peak over his shoulder and steal a look. The sad part is, he scrolls through things like cars, outdoors, watches. AKA: boooorrrrriiiing. 

And yet, I wanted what he had. I wanted a Pinterest fix. And, he knew it.

On the second night of our mini vacation, after a sad, failed attempt to teach me to play pool, we happened upon a game that wasn't really a game. Point of fact, the name of the game was The Ungame. It was simple: a deck of cards with questions designed to help people in a group to get to know one another better. It bears mentioning that we're here, on vacation, celebrating 17 years of marriage. Was there anything left that we didn't know about each other? We were both surprised to find out there was indeed quite a bit we didn't know. It was a lovely evening and I found myself falling in love with him all over again as we revealed fears, joys and dreams. I don't think he'd mind if I shared with you that we became our own romantic comedy that evening: we laughed, we cried. All of this made possible by the absence of technology. Imagine that.

We returned home from our magical weekend more connected than we had been in a long time and refreshed, ready to get back into the grind of normal life. Would we, I wondered on the drive home as I anxiously waited to see my babies, be returning with such joy and enthusiasm if we had spent the weekend next to each other, but disengaged, each doing our own thing? To use one of my favorite words that Erik absolutely hates: prolly not. 

Lent: 1  Pinterest: 0

We settled back into our crazy normal, complete with the demands of home, school and ministry. My next Pinterest challenge came as I attempted to engage in one of my favorite activities, baking. My aversion to Emma's carb fast is making more sense now isn't it? I realized I had come to a point where  I found all of my baking inspiration from Pinterest. I stood in my kitchen, after sending my children off to school, at a complete loss. Moreover, I was staring at 25 pounds of pink lady apples I had just purchased through a local CSA. What was I going to do with 25 pounds of apples and no Pinterest? This seemed like a dauntng, impossible proposition. 

Erik called me that day to check in, as he always does, and asked what I was up to. I told him I was looking through my cookbooks, incuding my fave, The Joy of Cooking, looking for apple recipes. Then he said something that for me became a light bulb moment for the way I wanted to live my life. "Oh," he said in his most charming voice, "your grandmother's pinterest."

Right? I realized in that moment that we, women my age, had become a generation that went to Pinterest, or WebMD, or Facebook, for advice, recipes, home keeping tips. We had traded in the knoweledge, wisdom and expertise of the older women in our lives for the cold, meaningless, rules of the internet culture. My reality had become the things I pinned, not the life I lived. I compared how I looked, who I was, what I was or was not doing, to the people, many of whom I didn't know, that I followed on social media. I had traded joy for status, for reputation. 

Lent: 2 Pinterest: 0

So, what did I do with all those apples? I made apple pies, including one for my new neighbors. I made an apple crisp with a recipe passed on to me by a woman at church whom I greatly admire and respect. I made overnight apple butter that made my home smell like heaven. I made Emma's favorite apple sauce and mini apple pies for my family for dessert. I delivered apple butter to a friend who was going through a tough time. 2nd tip of the day: if you have a friend going through a tough time, visit her in person, with food, and pray with her. It really does make a difference and it is way better than sending a Facebook message telling them you're praying for them. All of this happened without Pinterest. Shocking, I know.

Lent: 3 Pinterest: 0

Oh, and one more thing about that woman that I admire and respect. I took her to lunch to seek her advice about some issues I was facing with my daughters. Her words dripped wisdom and were filled with love and warmth. She shared her life experience with me and encouraged me in ways no website ever could. She checks on me. She hugs me. She is real and I am better for knowing her. These are sentiments I could never use to describe the Internet.

Lent: 4 Pinterest: 0

In the absence of Pinterest, I realized how self focused my thoughts had become. I came to recognize that I often scrolled through Pinterest searching for ways to make me better, to look better, to dress better. Pinterest had turned my attention to the outside of the cup while I let the inside get dirty and filthy. I had to admit that I did not live the life God was calling me to because I was afraid that that life wouldn't like or even remotely resemble the one I aspired to live in my faux Pinterest reality. I had reached a point in my life where I often dreaded getting up in the morning because it would be one more day I would engage in the rituals of fitting into the mold I bought from the world and tried and failed to follow the rules no one had set but me. 

As I neared the end of the fast, I was faced with the decision: would I go back? With Facebook and Instagram, the answer was a pretty easy no. I would leave my accounts open to send pictures to my dad and get  messages, announce new blogs posts (!),  but really didn't feel the need to check in on these forums daily, or even weekly. Easy. done. Pinterest...

Pinterest isn't evil. It can be a fun, sometimes helpful and harmless source of information. But, my fast had taught me it could be a lot of other things as well. I knew as I made the decision to re-engage in Pinterest, there were other decisions that needed to be made first. Namely, what kind of life did I want to lead? I needed to make some decisions about who I was, who I wanted to be, and how I wanted to raise my family, before I went back to Pinterest. Why? Because if I engaged in this seemingly innocuous past time absent a confidence of my own identity, I would run the risk of letting someone or something else dictate those answers and deciscions to me and for me. 

I'm no longer willing to relinquish that control to anyone. Anyone except the One who should have always had control over my life. I am surrendering and giving it all to God. Wow. I think I may have actually come to finally understand Lent. 

Lent, nay, God: Everything Pinterest, nay, the world: 0

Happy Easter. The victory has been won, it's time we claimed it and lived it. 

Attention to Detail

There is an old saying that goes something akin to, “The devil is in the details.” That may or may not be true, but I’ve learned recently that even if the slimy bugger is there, so is God. God is most definitely in the details.

 

“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” Psalm 147:4

 

Last week I took on a long overdue project. I am a master procrastinator. It’s something of an art form for me. I had a white serving tray that desperately needed to be repainted.  Actually, I had repainted it about 18 months ago. It was an ugly, beat up brown tray I painted bright white. On to which, I then proceeded to stencil some very mod black chandeliers. I think it was at the height of my Mad Men phase. It turned out pretty cute but I never did seal the darn thing so, with two kids and the hubs, it got pretty beat up pretty fast. Life is like that it, isn’t it? We start out so great and then we fail to finish strong. Ugh. Alas, that is a subject for another day.

 

   The before pic. I started to prime it before I thought to snap a pic. It wasn't really that dirty.

Anyway, back to the tray. Design wise, I have happily returned to my shabby chic, rustic roots. Let me pause for a deep breath here. It just feels good to surround yourself with stuff that feels like you, like home, doesn’t it?  So, my design plan for the tray was to repaint the whole thing ivory and then do a teal chevron pattern on the surface.  I’d never painted chevrons, but really, how hard could it be? Um, yeah. Special Note To My Kids: Yes, you will indeed use math when you get older. I promise.

 

I had to carefully measure the length and width, find the half way points, find the mid points again and then tape it off matching up each mid-point with it’s corresponding point on the opposite side. I needed to measure to the sixteenth inch or the chevrons came out askew and failed to create the desired effect. It was tedious.  It was time consuming. It was frustrating. But, in the end, I am happy I took the time and I am generally pleased with the outcome,save a few paint smudges. I paid attention to the details and it paid off.

   First round of paint done. Chevrons measured and taped. Ready to carefully cut out the design.

  I traced, with a sharpie, the tape that should stay. Ready to paint with the ivory.

 With the beginning of the New Year I have once again begun my bible in a year reading plan. In addition to devotional reading with the fam and bible study with my girlfriends, the yearly plan is one that remains a constant in my spiritual growth. As you might have guessed, I started at the beginning: Genesis. I was reading the instructions God gave to Noah for building the ark. Such details God gave. Exact measurements, precise materials, minute details. At the same time I was reading this, the hubs was reading about the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle. Again, no detail left out. Nothing overlooked. No direction forgotten. All necessary information was included and all information included was necessary.

 

“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25

 

God cares about the details. He cares about our attention, our obedience to the details. He doesn’t call for us to skim His commandments and get the general idea and mostly follow them. No. We are to know them, to wear them on our hearts, to live them, in every detail. I’m not talking legalism here. I’m speaking of wisdom, of obedience. Just as with my tray, when we attempt short cuts, when we fail to fully obey, we fail to achieve the desired effect. We fail to receive the full blessing of God because we fail to fully obey Him.

 

“Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.” Deuteronomy 11:1

 

As believers we have all been told that God can answer prayers three ways. Right? He can say yes, no or not now. But often, I am convinced, the yes answers come with conditions. Often, God may say, “Yes, child. And here is what it will take to see this come to fruition.”  But we act like kids and plug our ears and start humming after we hear just the “yes” part. We don’t really want to know what it will take, what our responsibility is, what we may be called to give up or go do to see our answered prayer become a reality. God says yes, but, scared of giving up our comfortable, self-centered life, we say, “Never mind.”  

 

“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession . . .”  Exodus 19:5

 

The details of what it takes to obey, to receive the blessings of God, to have the promised freedom of Christ, are where we become like the rich young ruler. The young ruler, upon being told by Jesus that he would need to give up everything to follow Him, turns around and leaves. And, just as with the ruler, Jesus doesn’t change his standards and run after us. The bar has been set. Will we let go of everything else to take hold of that which has been promised to us?  What if, upon hearing the measurements of the ark, Noah said, “Never mind. It’s too hard.” What if, upon hearing the detailed attention required for the Tabernacle, Moses and the Israelites refused because God asked too much of them. God’s purpose would still have been accomplished. He and His plan are bigger than our no’s for sure. But, Noah and Noah’s family would feel the effects of Noah’s refusal. The Israelites and their families would have felt the effects of their refusal.  

 

“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” 2 John 1:6

 

Refusing to obey God, to pay attention to His details, is not a victimless crime. What are you saying no to? Who is suffering the effects of your refusal?

 

“This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” Revelation 14:2

 

Here is my finished tray. It’s not perfect. But, following instructions and attention to detail got me a lot closer to the desired outcome. It usually does.

 

                                   

 

 

 

Bread, Cookies & Cake, Oh My

Oh the weather outside is frightful... Um, yeah. 90 degrees in the middle of November? I'd say that's pretty freakin' scary.

But... last week it was a cool as a cucumber 74 degrees. Brrrr! Laugh if you must, all of my friends who are watching actual leaves change color instead of putting out faux fall foliage as I am forced to do. But, if you live in Arizona as I am blessed to do, you know anything below 80 degrees in November could qualify as a true miracle of God. And, as miraces are not to be wasted, last week I donned my apron, made just for me by my bestie in Texas, and took to the kitchen for some much anticipated baking.

The firs thing I made, by request from E, were snickerdoodles. Come to think of it, everything I've made lately has been by request from E. Hmmm... good thing I'm still head over heels for this guy.

E came to discover he liked snickerdoodles when he tried one just to be nice to his wife who had labored in the kitchen all day doing some holiday baking a few years ago. For years he claimed he was not a sugar cookie fan and the snickerdoodle was just a dressed up version of the same. If you are a snickerdoodle fan, you know what a grave error of assumption he made. Now, when I bake them, he enjoys one every morning with his coffee. If you have not had a snickerdoodle, um, why? Try one. You will be hooked, especially if you use this recipe adapted from the queen of holiday baking, Martha Stewart. By the way, these are the perfect accompaniment to my favorite fall tradition, the pumpkin spice latte.

      All you need to make these yummy little treats. In fact, you don't even need the baking soda. I know, prop picture fail. Am I lazy since I didn't reshoot the picture?

    Two of my favorite baking tools: my jadite mixing bowl and sifter. The sifter was my grandmothers and the one I have used since I was a young girl. I love thinking of her everytime I use it. Sifting the flour is key in this recipe! I know it's one extra step, but the end result is so worth the effort.

      Mix the dough until it is very light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. This is key for a fluffy cookie as opposed to a very flat cookie. But, I can tell you from experience, a flat cookie still tastes pretty darn good! 

    Also, I pop the dough in the freezer while I prepare the cinnamon sugar. It's easier to roll slightly chilled. 

     The cinnamon / sugar mix. Play with the ratio if you want. After trial and error, I found my family definitely prefers more sugar than cinnamon. 

    It takes longer, but I only bake 8 at a time and I don't double up on trays in the oven. I find I get a more even bake and the cookies have room to spread out a little. Don't we all need our space?

    See? They're super fluffy and oh so soft. Make sure to eat one while they're still warm, preferably with a cup of coffee. That's when they're best and hey, after all, you deserve it!

Snickerdoodles

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar (for the dough)

2 tablespoons sugar (for the cinnamon sugar coating)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Tip: Spray your baking sheet with a little cooking spray first to help the parchment paper adhere better to the tray. 

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Put butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and mix until just combined.

4. With speed set to low, gradualy mix in the flour mixture. Tip: put the dough in the freezer now while you prepare the cinnamon sugar. Chilled dough is much easier to work with.

5. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Roll the dough into 2 inch balls. Roll each ball of dough in the cinnamon sugar and place on the baking sheet about 3 inches apart.

6. Bake about 10-12 minutes. I have a gas oven and found that my cooking time is reduced to 10 minutes. Depending on your oven, your time may be a little longer. Just watch them. When the edges are golden, so are you. Cool on a wire rack.

     Yummo - my new favorite breakfast. Homemade bread and butter. Oh baby. 

Next up in my baking bonanza could be my new favorite recipe for it's ease and the amazing results you get from such little effort. Homemade bread, using only 4 ingredients, none of which include dairy or sugar and, the best part, no kneading. Seriously. I was skeptical too, but I am a convert now. In fact the whole family loves this bread. If you are a traditionalist who needs the bread to be in a pretty loaf shape, this may not be for you. But, if you are a rule breaker like me, have a go. I think you will be delightfully surprised.

Super Simple Bread

Combine in a large mixing bowl the following: 4 cups bread (high gluten) flour, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Slowly add cool water, about 2 1/2 to 3 cups. Add it slowly and work it in with your hands until the ingredients have come togther. The dough should be sticky and moist, but not dripping wet. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise 8-10 hours, or overnight.

After the first rise, remove the dough from the bowl and fold it over just a couple of times until it forms sort of a ball. I promise, that's all the kneading there is to do! Place the dough, seam side down, on a smooth, cotton towel sprinkled generously with flour. Do not use a terry cloth towel. A linen napkin will work as well. Fold the corners up over the dough and let it rise again for about 1 1/2 hours.

      Make sure to get enough flour on the towel so your bread doesn't stick. I'm pretty sure 

      this is one of the best gifts I've ever unwrapped!

At the one hour point on the second rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a dutch oven or large pot with a lid in the oven as it preheats. You want the oven and pot very hot when it's baking time.

After the second rise, carefully place the bread in your preheated pot. You may need to shake the pot a little bit to help the bread even out and settle. 

     I wish I had a legit Dutch oven, but I don't. However, my stainless steel pot works just fine.

Bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking another 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. 


Now, some people save carrot cake for the spring, and more specifically for Easter. Not sure why, but for us, carrot cake has always been a autumny recipe. Yes, before the grammar police, a.k.a. E, start firing off comments, I know the correct word is autumnal. But, I have a rule. Simply add a 'y' to any word and it become an adjective. Hence. autumny. So, try my carrot cake. It may be just the fally recipe for which you've been searching.

     My sweet family ate this carrot cake so fast after I made it I a) didn't get a picture of the complete cake, and b) was barely able to get this slightly blurred pick before my girlies had dessert. 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Grate carrots until you have about 3 cups. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat together 4 eggs, 1 1/4 cups oil, 2 cups white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until doubled in volume and very pale in color. Mix in 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons each baking soda & baking powder, 1/2 teasponn salt and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in 1 cup finely chopped pecans. Pour into prepared pan. Hint: If the batter looks kinda gross and nothing like anything you'd ever put in your mouth... yay! You're on the right track!
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. To me, it sort of resembles a giant oatmeal cookie when it is finished baking. 
5. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup softened butter, 8 oz cream cheese (one block), about 4 cups confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake. Enjoy!

That concludes this week's carb celebration. I hope your autumn is in full, fiery red and orange, leaf falling, apple picking swing. May it be cold enough to have a fire and snuggle, yet mild enough to get out and enjoy this most wonderful of seasons. 

Make Way For Ducklings

 Yay! Spring has finally sprung around our place. In fact, we may have skipped spring and gone traight from winter into summer. But, we're not complaining!  After snow in April and freezing temps in May, we are welcoming the sunshine and mild weather with thankful hearts and open arms. While we continue to pray for rain, we are most grateful for God's provision of these warm, beautiful days so that we may get some work done outside. 

I am so excited that our garden is finally, at last (after a couple of failed attempts) underway. In fact, not only is it underway, we actually have sprouts. We look forward to a harvest of corn, squash, beans, peppers, cucumber and lettuce. Not to mention, our herbs we started in containers are doing well. We planted basil, rosemary and, our favorite, cilantro. 

     Our little patch of land that would become the garden. 

      Building the planter box. We used three 1 x 12 planks and built a 12 x 6 box. And by "we"

      I, of course, mean Erik. 

    See? I did help some. 

    The completed box before we filled it with soil and compost.

    This is a victory garden indeed as we definitely felt victorious after filling it with 5 truckloads

    of soil and compost. We had the help of some awesome friends who not only picked the dirt up

    in their truck but helped to fill the box as well. 

    Corn

     Summer Squash

     Cilantro. Yum!!

And, there is an unexpected addition to our spring line up: five sweet, Blue Swedish ducks, courtesy of some generous friends who gave us some from their brood. The ducks are cute and fun, and most important, they are dearly loved by all of us. Well, almost all of us love the ducks. Bella the Beagle is still warming to them. We are excited to have eggs in about 4 months and thrilled to up our pet total from one to six. And, in response to the question we seem to get most often: no, we will not be¨ eating these ducks. We've named them, how could we eat them? The girls named them (until we figure out for sure our male to female ratio): Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna. Fitting, as they are quite magical little creatures if I do say so myself.

Of course, our ducks needed a home. I had to smile and giggle as Erik, who merely tolerated our decision to get the ducks, attempted to use some scrap pallets to build their home. When the pallets truned out to be a bit more worn than we anticipated, he decided it just wouldn't do for our little feathered friends. He went and bought all new wood and wire and built them a duck mansion.  He was even patient enough to let the girls get in on the fun.  They loved helping their daddy and learning to use his new tools. 

     Hahahaha - If you know my girls, you know why this is indeed picture perfect!

    They had so much fun helping daddy.

     Eventually we will add an upper shelf with a ramp for a nesting area. But the ducks already

     love their new digs.

So, what to do with all that pallet wood we collected for the ducks? Erik, determined to not let it go to waste, tackled a few other honey-do projects. How blessed am I that it brings him joy to make me things? Here are a few of the projects he completed:

 A pallet tray for my patio table.

    Jilly made this for me for Mother's Day.                                   

    A shelf for my kitchen to hold some of my dry goods. This is such a great storage solution

    in our little kitchen. I painted the rims of the mason jars a mint color and the top of each is painted in chalkboard paint and labeled with the contents.

     My Valentine's Day present from my love. 

Oh, and the birdcage? I found that in our alley dumpster when we were clearing out some debris from the garden. Score! A fresh coat of light blue paint and it makes quite a cute addition to our cozy living room. 

I can't look around my little backyard farm or home and not see signs of new life, restoration and growth. These are such lovely reminders of the work Christ is doing in my heart daily. I hope your summer is off to a blessed start and continues to be full of the joys and delights that only come in this sunniest of seasons. 

In Christ,