Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Fruit Pizza

I am that Mom that will serve her children this Fruit Pizza at lunch to ensure that they get their fruit. Yes...I know it is horrible....or is it? I am sure you have seen these fruit pizzas before. Sometimes they are refered to as dessert pizzas. This one I actually came up with....I think...I mean I did not find it anywhere, but got the idea at the market and made it. For the sauce I use Nutella which is comparable to peanut butter in the breakdown of nutrients. Yep, it has protien :-) Ready for the recipe?

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

 pizza dough
small jar of Nutella spread
1 cup strawberries
1 C boysenberries
1 can of mandarin oranges drained well
1/4 C melted white chocolate

Pop open the can of dough and roll into a ball. Now roll it out to make the shape of a pizza. Place dough on cookie sheet or pizza stone (I used a stone) and bake for 13 minutes.

Slice the strawberries as the crust is baking. Wash the boysenberries and drain the oranges too.

Take hot crust out of the oven and immediately spread Nutella all over it. You need to do this while the crust is hot because it will melt slightly and be easy to spread.

Next layer the strawberries, boysenberries and oranges.

Heat the white chocolate in the microwave until melted (about 30 seconds to start and then e10 seconds making sure to stir often). Drizzle white chocolate over the pizza.

Let cool for about 20 minutes. Slice like pizza and dig in ;-)

Friday, May 25, 2012

Raiding the Kitchen For Breakfast

Today is the first day of summer break and I thought it would be fun to do a fun breakfast. So, I made Oatcake Cookies. Basically everything needed to make these is already in your kitchen. Unless you are a single 23 year old male who just has beer.....anyways here is the recipe:

Preheat over to 375

Combine:
1 C Oats (quick or slow cooking)
1 C Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 C shortening or butter
2 - 3 Tablespoons of ice cold water

Once the mixture resembles dough roll out on a floured surface and cut into about 2.5 circles and place on a cookie sheet. Pop in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes. Let them cool on a wire rack as you get whatever you can find in your cupboards to top them with.

The Oatcake cookies are not full of a bunch of flavor. They literally just provide the transportation to get the good stuff to your mouth. The thing I like about this breakfast is there are so many different options you can throw on the top and taste good! You could even do chocolate chips, Nutella,  seasonal fruit, bacon, ham, cheese, or a fried egg. The kids had so much fun with this because I let them choose how they were gonna top 'em. The only rule was they had to eat whatever they made.


I found in my kitchen butter, cream cheese, two types of preserves/jam, peanut butter, strawberries, coconut flakes, and cinnamon and sugar mix.

This is such a great way to use up stuff in your pantry AND create something from nothing :-)

Happy cooking!



Friday, May 4, 2012

Jezebel

I lost my Grandma a few weeks ago and went home for the funeral and burial. It was a sweet precious time of fellowship and reflection was done on her life. My closest cousin, Matt, and I remembered  Grandma would start each and everyday with her Bible study and prayer time. The nights that I slept over I would wake up and go into the kitchen. There she would be in her blue or pink robe and slippers sitting at the kitchen table between the counter that housed her phone that was far to loud when it rang and the table that was scattered with her Bible and other Christian resources. I knew from a very young age that my Grandmother prayed over each and every one in the family each and every day. I am a fortunate woman to have had the faithful prayer of someone for 36 years of my life!


My Aunt, my Dad's sister and Grandma's only daughter, and I spoke about how we were going to follow that example that she left us. I hate to admit it, but I have become apathetic in a way and my relationship with God has been a struggle the last 4 years. However, knowing that I have the ability to prayerfully intercede for my three children (shown above with my Grandma) each and every day has convicted me to get back to my quite time with God AND I committed to doing it first thing in the morning.

Granted, I have only been home for about a week in a half now, but God spoke to me this morning. In fact, God has been whispering to me since I started (and before then, but I was not sensitive to his voice). However, today I feel as though I should blog about what he taught me. Satan has put up a few obstacles just in this last week and staying to my committed time with God in which I study his word and pray over my children has been challenged. Last week I was grief stricken, but I did stick to my commitment. This week I was hit with some incredible pain in my abdomen. Worse than labor pains. In fact, it has been the worst pain I have ever experienced in my entire life. The first day with the pain I did get my Bible study time in, but it was not first thing. Then yesterday, I decided that no matter what I would have my time with God. So I sat hunched over my desk and did it. This morning, I am still waiting to hear back from the doctor and I am having slight pains still, but I was determined to get my alone time in with God. This is what he revealed to me:

Revelation 2:20 - 23: Nevertheless I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the church will know that I am he who searched hearts and minds and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

God loved Jezebel and wanted her to turn from her ways so that he would come and fellowship with her (see Revelations 3:20). How do I know God loved Jezebel? According to the above scripture he gave her time to repent, but SHE was unwilling. Then in Revelation 3:19 it states" Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline, so be earnest and repent." Is Jesus not rebuking her in above scripture? It is like even there as he already knows her future he is trying to get her back. He loves her just like he loves every woman no matter their sin. Are you going through something? Do you feel as though God is rebuking you? Take courage! It is proof that he loves you.

James 1:2 : Consider it all joy, my brethren when you encounter various trials

2 Corinthians 12:9 : "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ dwells in me.

1 Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

I thank God for my Grandma and her strong faith and constant prayer over me and my children. She was a great cook and always had a tin full of cookies in her freezer. She played "Kings in Corners" with my cousin and I. She also had a closet in her hall that always had a stash of soda and chips as well as games. I remember fondly doing the same puzzle at her house over and over again at each visit. She also turned me onto the love of movies such as "Miracle on 34th st" and "It's a Wonderful Life". I hope I never forget the New Year's Eve Game and pizza nights at her house or gathering around her table for holiday dinners in which she insisted on sitting in the chair that was closet to the kitchen so that she could load up your plate with food even though you were no longer hungry. She was not perfect, no one is, but she did have a reverence and respect for the Almighty. I did not realize it until after her death that she was living a life of example by her quite time with God and now it is my job to do that for my kids and someday my grandchildren. So, even though I have not prayed for my children consistently over the years they were covered in prayer each day by her. It humbles me and I feel truly blessed by her faithfulness to God.

Rest in Peace Grandma and may your treasures in Heaven be many!