What's Cookin' Wednesday

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind!  So much to do and so much fun!  We had a great early 10 year anniversary trip!  The weather was beautiful, the scenery was perfect, and just to have several meals with nobody whining or saying they didn't like their food was so wonderful! And speaking of the food...that was amazing also!  We thanked God everyday for the blessing of the trip and His beautiful creation!

We also have been getting ready for fall festivals and classroom parties.  It is a beutiful time of year, but I think this is just the calm before the storm.  I suppose this is preparing us for the next two very busy months to come!

As I sat down exhausted Friday night...October 25th...I looked at my husband and said, "Two months from tonight and it will all be over!" It's not that I don't look forward to the fun that is ahead, but I do have a small amount of dread as we get ready for all the excitement and exhaustion to come.

I did want to share a few of our favorite fall treats before we start talking tinsel and lights.  The girls and I have made some fun things in the past and some of our favorites are linked below.  We tried something new this year.  I had seen an email about making these cupcakes in red for apples, but I thought why not try them in orange for pumpkins.  They turned our super cute!  I hope your family enjoys and I hope you get some rest this weekend because the first of November begins the countdown :)

Frost your cupcakes with orange tinted icing and then roll in orange sugar sprinkles.  Stick a pretzel in the top and voila...perfect and pretty pumpkins!  (Making orange sprinkles is easy with regular table sugar and a few drops of red and yellow food-coloring.  Stir and within seconds you have orange sugar.)

Other Faves:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/the-great-pumpkin-cake/653abe19-da0b-4252-ae6a-48113b669e1c

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/10/candy-corn-sugar-cookies/

http://mansionmoms.blogspot.com/2012/10/whats-cookin-wednesday.html

http://mansionmoms.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanksgiving.html

http://mansionmoms.blogspot.com/2012/11/whats-cookin-wednesday_14.html

Today's Verse

"The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe."  John 1:7

What's Cookin Wednesday

Oh we finally saw the sun in our part of NC yesterday, and it was wonderful!!! It had been 9 days...9 very long and dreary days!  And a I type now, the clouds are back and the mist is here.  It can make me feel sooooo blah!  The only thing keeping me going is the fact we leave for sunny Florida tomorrow.  Yay! 

I have recently been using verses about our heavenly Father being our light.  These verses are so helpful when the blah dark days come.  When our situation is draining us.  Our circumstances seem depressing.  Or if just the clouds are bringing us down.  Remember He can be our light; He can be our strength, and He can get us through the darkness if we just trust and rely on Him. 

I feel certain we'll see the sun again soon, but as I wait I will use these verses to keep my day sunny!

I recently made these delicious cinnamon scones that I saw on the Women Living Well blog.  It certainly brightened our day and the day for some the ladies that work for my husband.  They are a great fall treat! Make them huge like we did or you could cut differently to make them smaller.  They would also be good with chocolate chips, but cinnamon is just so fallish (Is that a word?) and comforting to me.   You can certainly top with powdered sugar or make an icing with milk and powdered sugar to be like a cinnamon roll...yummy! I hope your family enjoys!


Cinnamon scones

• 2 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 4 T butter
• 2 T coconut oil - solid (or shortening which is what the original recipe calls for)
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 egg
• 1 cup cinnamon chips

Instructions

1. Sift together dry ingredients.
2. Cut in the butter and shortening.
3. In a separate bowl, beat cream and egg.
4. Add to the dry ingredients.
5. Stir in cinnamon chips.
6. With floured hands, shape dough into a ball and lay out onto a floured surface.
7. Flatten into a disk.
8. Cut into 8 even wedges using a pizza cutter.
9. Place individual scones onto a baking sheet covered in foil or parchment paper.
10. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Today's Verse

"The LORD is my light and my salvation;"  Psalms 27:1a

What's Cookin'

So the chill is here and I have tried a lot of recipes recently that I can't wait to share.  But I also had a flop this week :( .  It happens!  I am going to still work on it and hope I can share it soon.  It is a great cooler weather meal!

This recipe is so quick and easy! You can use a rotisserie chicken or boil your own chicken breast and shred.  I do this every other week and freeze.  That way I can pull it out and throw in pasta, casseroles, soups or these delicious sandwiches.  I used mini buns for my little ones, but you can use whatever kind you would like. I hope your family enjoys!


Bar B Q Chicken sandwiches

2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp apple cidar vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
4 hamburger rolls or 8 mini sandwich rolls

Mix all the ingredients except for the rolls.  Simmer on Medium heat for 15 minutes and stirring occasionally.  Serve on warm rolls.

Today's Verse

"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5b

Why Why Why

Every toddler usually goes through a "Why?" stage.  It can be unbelievable as they constantly ask the question at everything you say.

Mom:  "It's time to eat lunch."
Child:  "Why?"
Mom:  "Because we need to eat food."
Child:  "Why?"
Mom:  "Because food helps us grow and be strong."
Child:  "Why?"
Mom:  "Because that is how God made our bodies."
Child:  "Why?"
Mom:  "He knew we needed food for energy."
Child:  "Why?"
Mom:  "Because I simply said so."

We all hated those words as a child, but you end up saying them as a parent.  Even when you promised you never would.  When the "whys" keep coming, you have to finally say it to make them stop!

Our six year old is going through a new "why" stage, and it is frustrating!!!  She is questioning everytime she is told no or not now.  She is questioning discipline.  She is saying "why" at the drop of a hat.  Her father made the "no asking why" rule a few weeks ago.  I think she is finally getting the concept and slowing down on her whys.

But then everything came full circle yesterday!

We were making our usual commute home from school.  After my little one gets out of school, we have a one and a half hour wait until the oldest one gets out.  Then we have a 19 mile commute home in traffic with stopping school buses.  My little one was getting antsy and asking if we were almost home. I blurted out-loud as we pulled into our driveway, "Lord, why can't we live closer to school!"  

My smart little first grader immediately reminded me, "No asking 'Why' Mama!"

I had to laugh.  She is right!  No asking Why!

We are prayerfully considering putting our house on the market for a third time.  We have talked to a Realtor and weighing all the pros and cons. Oh how nice it would be to be closer to school and church, but we are waiting for God's hand to move.

We will look back at all the things that prevented our house to sale in the pass, and we will laugh knowing God had a reason for the wait.  We will be able to give Him all the credit if and when we are able to ever move.  But for now, we are oh so thankful for our house, our wonderful back yard, and the my van that drives us all those miles everyday!

No asking Why!  I am simply glad I had a reminder that it is not nice to ask why! And I am glad for the Father who knows the when to my whys!

Today's Verse

Lamentations 3:25

 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

The real thing

Have you ever tried to make buttermilk?  Well I did for the first time this week, and to me personally, it was not the same.  Buttermilk is rich and creamy.  It adds such a distinct flavor and fluffiness to biscuits and baked goodies.  I have heard of drinking it, but that is not something I would really like to do, but I do love to cook and bake with it.

So when I wanted to make buttermilk pancakes, but found myself without buttermilk, I decided to make my own.  I have read to add a Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to milk to create the concoction.  So I gave it a try, only to be very disappointed.  It was like I had just used plain milk. There was not the same tang and fluffy texture that buttermilk usually gives the pancakes.

It was just not the same as the real thing!

There are so many books I want to read.  Devotions that warm my heart and comfort my soul; books to help with so many of life's trials, and true stories that inspire us.  If I had time, I would read a book a day!  But I can never let those great books replace the best Book for everyday life. Our Bibles can speak to us during happy times as well as hard times.  We can find comfort, guidance, and God's never-ending love written throughout the pages.  I will continue to read other books, but they can never replace or be better than my Bible.

Our Bible is the real thing!

Today's Verse
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  Psalms 119:105


It is pumpkin time!!!!  I love pumpkin recipes.  Here is the pumpkin waffles we made recently.  No buttermilk required!  You can top with maple syrup, melted butter, powdered sugar, chopped pecans or however you like.  The girls love pumpkin and chocolate, so we topped with just a sprinkle of chocolate chips and syrup. I hope your family enjoys!

2 1/3 cup baking mix (such as Bisquick)
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp apple sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Beat all ingredients and pour into heated waffle iron as directed.  Make sure to spray the waffle iron with butter or canola oil for easy cleanup.  Serve warm with desired toppings.