I love Caramel!!!

If you can’t tell, I love to bake! Its especially fun to bake when I know I’ll be serving it to people who love fresh baked goodies! Both of these recipes I made for my Life Group Bible Study. They are wonderful fall flavors and were served still warm. They would’ve been wonderful with a scoop of ice cream, but we didn’t have any on hand.

Oatmeal Cake with Carmel Icing (www.tasteofhome.com)

1 ¼ cup boiling water

1 cup quick cooking oats

¼ cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ c sugar

2 eggs

¼ c unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

For Icing:

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup butter, cubed

¼ cup fat-free milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

In a small bowl, pour boiling water over oats; let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in applesauce and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in the oats. Pour into a 9x13 baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack. For icing, in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Return to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minutes. Gradually beat in confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Immediately spread icing over cake. Let stand until set. Note: I used part white and part whole wheat flour on this one.

~*~*~*~

Fresh Apple Cake w/ Brown sugar glaze (www.lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com)

Apple cake:

1 ½ c all purpose flour

1 c sugar

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

½ c canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ c finely chopped apples

½ c pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Brown sugar glaze:

½ c packed light brown sugar

3 Tbsp butter

½ tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp heavy cream

For the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir with a whisk to mix everything together. In a large bowl, mix the eggs with a hand mixer til light in color and foamy. Add the oil and vanilla and beat well. Stir in the flour mixture with a spoon and continue stirring the batter until the flour disappears. Add the apples and nuts (if using) and stir to mix them into the batter. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the hot cake on a wire rack to cool. While it is still hot, prepare the glaze. For the glaze: combine all the ingredients into a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Spoon the hot glaze over the still hot-from-the-oven cake. Let the glazed cake cool completely before serving straight from the pan.

Quick Breads!

I love bread, but being allergic to yeast, I’ve had to give up one of my favorite foods! So, I’ve turned to quick breads. Often sweeter, they satisfy my hunger for bread and my sweet tooth at the same time. I made these 2 quick breads for my MOPS group recently.

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

For the bread:

3 over-ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 c melted butter

¾ c sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

Dash of salt

1 ½ c flour

For the swirl:

1/3 c sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour loaf pan (9x5). Mix bananas, butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together. Sprinkle baking soda and salt around on top of banana mixture. Gently stir in flour. Be careful not to over-mix. In a small dish, mix together the swirl ingredients. Add ½ of the batter to the loaf pan and then sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture all over the batter in the pan. Add the rest of the batter, and then sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon-sugar on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Notes: I used part white and part wheat flour. I had troubles removing my bread from the pan as I think I put too much swirl mix too close to the edges of the pan. It caused my bread to break apart.

~*~*~*~

Chocolate Swirled Pumpkin Zucchini Bread (www.sweettreatsmore.com)

3 cups flour

1 ½ Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

2 ¼ c sugar

½ cups applesauce

½ cup canned pumpkin

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 ½ cups shredded zucchini

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 8x8 bread pans and set aside. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs, sugar, applesauce, and canned pumpkin together until smooth. Slowly beat dry ingredients not wet ingredients until combined. Stir in shredded zucchini. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring in 15 second intervals until smooth. Pour ¼ of the batter into each of the bread pans. Spoon a few tablespoons of melted chocolate over the batter and swirl into the batter with a toothpick. Pour the remaining batter into the two pans, spoon more chocolate over the batter and swirl in again. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Notes: I used part whole wheat and part white flour. And I used fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned.

S.O.A.P. Journaling

This summer, we had some new people who moved to town from California. They brought with them an idea for a small group they belonged to out west. This Life Group wasn’t like any small group I had been involved with before. This group is centered on fellowship and prayer for each other. Although we study the Bible, it’s not “just another Bible Study”. Each week, we take the time to share a verse or passage that meant something to us. The way we share our passage is through S.O.A.P. journaling.  This acronym stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. We may share from Luke, the book we are studying at Church Sunday morning, or from Matthew, which is what some of us are studying at Bible Study Fellowship. Sometimes, we share scripture from our own personal devotional time. We share what we observed from the verse. Then we share how we applied that verse to our life. Lastly we share a short prayer for our selves. I had never looked at scripture this way and have found that I really enjoy it. I’m going to share some of my journaling with you.

Scripture: I John 1:8-9 (NIV)

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Observation: Several places in scripture remind us that as a descendant of Adam, I have been born with a sinful nature. God asks us to confess those sins to Him. He will forgive us and cleanse us. That’s why Jesus had to die!

Application: Life is hard. I make mistakes. I hurt people I love and am hurt by people I love. I have been making a conscious effort over the past year especially to humble myself and take responsibility for my part in conflict or in the hurt I have caused others. I am working at seeking forgiveness from them and from God. I am working to forgive those who seek forgiveness from me.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Its brought to my mind time and again lately where I’ve hurt someone I love. Please help me to seek forgiveness for what I’ve done wrong. Help me to be content in knowing that I am forgiven by you even if the one I hurt isn’t ready to forgive me. Your forgiveness of my sins is all that truly matters. AMEN.

Harvest Season Favorites

I love fall baking. There are so many things you can make with pumpkin! I’m going to share 2 of my favorites today. I recently made both of these desserts for my Life Group Bible Study. They were huge hits.

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Brownies (www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com )

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup flour (whole wheat, white, spelt or even oat!)

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt

2/3 c sugar (or xylitol, or ½ c maple syrup or agave, but it’ll be gummier with liquid sweetener)

1 packet NuNaturals stevia (or 1 more Tbsp agave/sugar)

½ cup canned pumpkin (or pureed pumpkin or sweet potato)

3 Tbsp oil (you can omit but be warned: the brownies will be gummy)

2 Tbsp non-dairy milk

1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

½ c chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients, and mix very well. Combine wet ingredients, then mix into dry. Pour into a greased pan (it will fill up half an 8x8) Cook for about 23 minutes at 330 F. I’m not sure why this is the case, but these brownies seem to taste ten times sweeter if you don’t eat them for at least an hour after they come out of the oven. Notes: First off, I doubled the recipe so I could use a 9x13 pan. I used a mix of white and wheat flour. I used regular sugar and fresh pureed pumpkin. I have always used oil (this time it was coconut oil). I have used almond milk prior, but this time I only had skim on hand and it worked fine.

~*~*~*~

Lightened up Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bars (www.cookiesandcups.com )

1 (8oz) block 1/3 less fat cream cheese

¾ cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp water

1 (16 oz) Angel Food Cake Mix

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

¾ cup water

½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp cinnamon

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray. In your stand mixer combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp water mixing on Medium high for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Set aside. In a large bowl combine box of dry cake mix, pumpkin, ¾ c water, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until smooth and combined. Spread pumpkin mixture into your prepared pan. Drizzle your cream cheese on top of the pumpkin mixture and swirl it in with a butter knife. Bake for 25-30 minutes until center is set and toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Refrigerate if desired. Notes: I don’t have a stand mixer, so it was hard work for my handheld mixer. I did microwave the cream cheese just a few seconds to make it easier.

Muffins

 

These are a favorite of my family. The ingredients can get a little more spendy, but the result is so yummy and healthy! This can be considered gluten free as there is no flour in it! But as always, check your labels! I don’t remember where I found this recipe.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

½ cup butter or coconut oil

½ c honey

½ c cocoa powder

¾ c peanut butter or almond butter

4 large eggs

½ tsp baking soda

¾ c chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gently melt together butter and honey. Whisk in cocoa powder and peanut butter until smooth. Whisk in eggs and baking soda. Pour into lined or greased muffin tin. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until done. Yields 12 muffins. Note: I used coconut oil and peanut butter and they were moist and cakey.

~*~*~*~

This was another one that made my kids happy. J This one isn’t as healthy but is supper good. I got this one at www.thehappyhousewife.com. She always has some wonderful recipes that are really easy to make.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Muffins

1 ¾ cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 egg

¾ c milk

¼ c canola oil (or applesauce)

Brown sugar

Cinnamon

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add egg milk and oil. Mix together. Fill muffin cups ¼ full with batter. Add a pinch of brown sugar (or a little more). Cover the brown sugar with additional batter. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve. Note: I used some wheat flour with white flour. I did use the applesauce. I also doubled the recipe.

I love my husband!!!!

And so it begins... One of the joys with writing a blog is connecting with people who feel encouraged by the things shared. One of the problems with writing a blog is the people who comment and put you down for the things you share. The other day I shared the link to my testimony post on Facebook. There were so many encouraging words from people who cared about me. Then, somebody who knew my hubby and myself back when we first started dating and when we first got married had commented some very mean spirited things. He felt that I was doing a disservice to Galen for sharing when I had actually had his permission to share. He felt I had only shared my testimony to stroke my own ego. I could say more about what he said, but its not worth it.

I feel bad that somebody would misunderstand my testimony and blog to such an extent. I felt I did a good job representing how my past shaped my side of the marriage problems. I thought I made it clear that my dear hubby made changes because he realized how much he was hurting me, not because I was forcing him to cut something out of his life.

I love my husband. He is a wonderful, Godly man. He is a hard worker and a great leader. He is a wonderful provider and an amazing father. He loves me for who I am. He loves me for who I was. I love that he isn't perfect and doesn't expect me to be perfect. I love that he wants me to stay home and focus on being the best wife and mom I can be. I appreciate how he takes care of me when I'm sick, comforts me when I'm sad, and encourages me when I'm stressed. Next to God, he has been such a rock through my struggles with depression and anxiety. He has supported me with my struggle to lose weight.

I'm going to keep writing. I'm going to keep sharing my struggles. I'm going to keep sharing my victories. I'm going to keep sharing what I learn about myself and my marriage. I strongly believe that God has allowed me to go through the things I've gone through to teach me, to teach my family, to teach others... to show there is victory in Him. All relationships are worth the work to make them last. And I'm going to keep working to make our marriage better every day. I want my kids to look at mom and dad, knowing that we love each other, knowing that we fight sometimes but we still love each other. Marriage is about compromise and sacrifice. Marriage is God first, spouse next and kids last. This is me. Take me as I am.