tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32079148475608969292024-03-10T08:04:17.551-05:00Tried in BlueUnperfected trials and lessons from the kitchen and lifeMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.comBlogger309125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-10497120009140338332014-02-23T18:27:00.000-06:002014-02-23T18:27:41.445-06:00Refuge<br />
Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. -Psalm 34:8<br />
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The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. -Proverbs 27:12 (and 22:3)<br />
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God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. -Psalm 46:1<br />
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But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge. -Psalm 141:8<br />
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My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge...He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior. -2 Samuel 22:3<br />
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As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. -2 Samuel 22:31<br />
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The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. -Deuteronomy 33:27<br />
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He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. -Psalm 91:4<br />
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The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. -Psalm 9:9<br />
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Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. -Psalm 16:1<br />
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For in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. -Psalm 57:1<br />
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Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. -Psalm 17:7<br />
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Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. -Psalm 62:8<br />
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Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. -Psalm 31:4<br />
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May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. -Ruth 2:12<br />
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But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. -Psalm 59:16<br />
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You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. -Psalm 119:114<br />
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Still hungry? Check out similar posts on these words: <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/11/mindful-monday-patience.html">patience</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/11/mindful-monday-peace.html">peace</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/11/thursdays-thoughts-hope.html">hope</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/12/mindful-monday-trust.html">trust</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/01/mindful-monday-free.html">free</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/02/mindful-monday-self-control.html" target="_blank">self-control</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/12/thursdays-thoughts-joy.html">joy</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/12/thursdays-thoughts-wait.html">wait</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/01/thursdays-thoughts-truth.html">truth</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/02/thursdays-thoughts-true-love.html">love</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/02/thursdays-thoughts-wisdom.html">wisdom</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/03/mindful-monday-mind-itself.html" target="_blank">mind</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/03/thursdays-thoughts-gentleness.html" target="_blank">gentle</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/04/mindful-monday-grace.html" target="_blank">grace</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/04/mindful-monday-receive.html" target="_blank">receive</a>, <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/05/mindful-monday-watch.html" target="_blank">watch</a><br />
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Food for Thought: <b>But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge. -Psalm 73:28</b>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-51630061738743867712013-11-23T14:14:00.000-06:002013-11-23T14:14:31.393-06:00Blueberry Pie<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSA-1O9mq_tvvNEMJlaPRvrvYIdKXcRUgeWJyJ_-GBDXylA3NpIUhE65LcUWRu3xMTS0pC6R0wc1Hkfp1o4stj8Lhty8C1q5yV5GbYwyettSZmh24PP13kOVrtm4ObvP-yr2bKYpCh8yk/s1600/IMG_7905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSA-1O9mq_tvvNEMJlaPRvrvYIdKXcRUgeWJyJ_-GBDXylA3NpIUhE65LcUWRu3xMTS0pC6R0wc1Hkfp1o4stj8Lhty8C1q5yV5GbYwyettSZmh24PP13kOVrtm4ObvP-yr2bKYpCh8yk/s320/IMG_7905.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Soooo now that it's time for pumpkin and pecan pie, I finally get around to showing you the blueberry pie I made this summer. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEial3kmLkf07Y9thfWZXShm6LEwADHw5die4Qxddnj12ty5YJ58EjL8ohKXMloLzlzXUKq32aSMsz5RSVP0LTdu15WPe-RkbyAE4w_bQ7Plo3dipKzA_sk_Y-mV2GO4m3F4brWS75V3-RQ/s1600/IMG_7900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEial3kmLkf07Y9thfWZXShm6LEwADHw5die4Qxddnj12ty5YJ58EjL8ohKXMloLzlzXUKq32aSMsz5RSVP0LTdu15WPe-RkbyAE4w_bQ7Plo3dipKzA_sk_Y-mV2GO4m3F4brWS75V3-RQ/s320/IMG_7900.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Truth be told, I wasn't so sure about showing you these pics. After a few months working for a food magazine your own pictures look more like humble pie. But I might as well finish off the last 3 or 4 posts I started so many months ago, such as this hand-picked blueberry pie. You don't mind, right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ybZpHo8TkybVPJUrG8w8dGg0rcAS3wJ3DL5AkGIfSuw6OkKbbKohHvcdONesspSLxSWXt5bGrtVdQtAvE6kQL6rSAKK7F8BFdV3qjAG1aGuxyQkYg9UKJN5R-IwWMRnJa1dNn2ULjDQ/s1600/IMG_7904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ybZpHo8TkybVPJUrG8w8dGg0rcAS3wJ3DL5AkGIfSuw6OkKbbKohHvcdONesspSLxSWXt5bGrtVdQtAvE6kQL6rSAKK7F8BFdV3qjAG1aGuxyQkYg9UKJN5R-IwWMRnJa1dNn2ULjDQ/s320/IMG_7904.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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After <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/08/buckets-and-buckets-of-blueberries.html" target="_blank">picking buckets of blueberries</a>, I knew a blueberry pie was in the works. Both the blueberries and recipe come from Michigan. While sitting around the table with our friend Gerry I copied down her recipe for blueberry pie. Her secret, believe it or not, is a bit of cinnamon. You can't actually taste the cinnamon, but it definitely makes the berry flavor pop. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxCH3gF41SqOL5ycZcb80KiTrEuImbS_QOqrFzaSD5Tiew5ca1YEUF-u4MvSmsgJmKB9ecQVAkN3P86yymFU5XCpOBYMuf6Y-1hfEnCo1artSNIVsmvzQo8UDjiH027GsErYROb0gZf0/s1600/IMG_7902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxCH3gF41SqOL5ycZcb80KiTrEuImbS_QOqrFzaSD5Tiew5ca1YEUF-u4MvSmsgJmKB9ecQVAkN3P86yymFU5XCpOBYMuf6Y-1hfEnCo1artSNIVsmvzQo8UDjiH027GsErYROb0gZf0/s320/IMG_7902.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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You should probably be making pumpkin pie right now (how about pumpkin with a gingerbread crust?). But, if for some crazy reason, you're not into pumpkin pie and you have frozen blueberries leftover from the summer then go ahead and try this pie now. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkE3qvYjgDREh1RZ_aRw1MsCUfHRZM-4oU1xrEjmdG06O94J3Ofv0aj8BwVtVx8cbUOEFWW-lIKhjKQRx5aFLnZe1KghFcsR1GVOyRnqLBO6-VpbCbMLqKnuMo8NnpVuvDSSHnzIXKjVM/s1600/IMG_7917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkE3qvYjgDREh1RZ_aRw1MsCUfHRZM-4oU1xrEjmdG06O94J3Ofv0aj8BwVtVx8cbUOEFWW-lIKhjKQRx5aFLnZe1KghFcsR1GVOyRnqLBO6-VpbCbMLqKnuMo8NnpVuvDSSHnzIXKjVM/s320/IMG_7917.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Since we had so many pounds of berries I also whipped up a blueberry crisp based on <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/very-berry-crisp" target="_blank">this recipe</a>. The crumb topping has graham cracker crumbs and almonds in addition to your traditional oats. I imagine it would work quite well on apple crisp too. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU_o19EoulwuYMf7-Lw4NKRC5zzRg5R8PKMf-k6H2T1KRMRmjRix3hs0Dzjt-tZ1ESWaFJNfLiND4IusrA1evY-WZUTZ2owtKm_rLVDELvLkAkxgYwbeynYYAjF39t-YOkHd6Uty7d1Q/s1600/IMG_7939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU_o19EoulwuYMf7-Lw4NKRC5zzRg5R8PKMf-k6H2T1KRMRmjRix3hs0Dzjt-tZ1ESWaFJNfLiND4IusrA1evY-WZUTZ2owtKm_rLVDELvLkAkxgYwbeynYYAjF39t-YOkHd6Uty7d1Q/s320/IMG_7939.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Better than fresh pie or a bubbling berry crisp are the friends who shared the recipes and devoured forkfuls as we sat around the table. No matter what season, holiday, or type of pie I am grateful for the gift of true friends.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrL1buunf-JSbFnyZXIy1MQ1l-xjUuqNow4utkG0kYzIEsjXbI1RXrGJgeNpIimPf8Kg5vfkUx4rpcI8jYoaoWe-uEBLDtLp8rMgimeUT14BGRmnbOQDu0YGEjvmEFkiVpTaymDVJxOk/s1600/IMG_7921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrL1buunf-JSbFnyZXIy1MQ1l-xjUuqNow4utkG0kYzIEsjXbI1RXrGJgeNpIimPf8Kg5vfkUx4rpcI8jYoaoWe-uEBLDtLp8rMgimeUT14BGRmnbOQDu0YGEjvmEFkiVpTaymDVJxOk/s320/IMG_7921.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<u>Gerry's Blueberry Pie</u></div>
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<i>recipe from a dear friend, Gerry Embrey</i></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 pie pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie (use your favorite recipe)</div>
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4-5 cups fresh blueberries </div>
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3/4 -1 cup sugar</div>
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3 Tbsp all-purpose flour</div>
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dash salt</div>
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1/4 tsp cinnamon</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out pastry for bottom crust and ease into a 9-inch glass pie plate. </div>
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* In a large bowl combine blueberries, sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon. Toss until berries are evenly coated; pour mixture into crust. </div>
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* Roll out top crust and place over berries; seal and flute edges. Cut slits (or shapes) in the center to allow steam to escape. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake 50-60 minutes or until crust is golden and fruit in center is bubbling. Let cool completely before serving. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3wqmED3nOBy6DFlYjS5jnA_6IF1_ivFd6ojULW_HPjOGUA8xBfVEUkkPkBIfyxwkwQUaEVY1KqozpWmU8CmrwSutxPTXwucXQWPPUliNj2mDOI_f5b0fRNSdCqTZNrQi67clemuaIjc/s1600/IMG_7923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3wqmED3nOBy6DFlYjS5jnA_6IF1_ivFd6ojULW_HPjOGUA8xBfVEUkkPkBIfyxwkwQUaEVY1KqozpWmU8CmrwSutxPTXwucXQWPPUliNj2mDOI_f5b0fRNSdCqTZNrQi67clemuaIjc/s320/IMG_7923.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Food for Thought: "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart." -Eleanor Roosevelt </b></div>
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-85310381904335430962013-09-22T19:47:00.000-05:002013-09-22T19:47:56.097-05:00Moving CookiesI haven't disappeared, but I have been without internet for a few weeks. Anyway, here's a post I started in the midst of moving. Far too many things have crossed my mind since I set out to make these, but details don't really matter when you add peanut butter and chocolate chips to a thick and chewy oatmeal raisin cookie, do they? I'm mostly unpacked and settled in now, but the following paragraphs are a taste of what I was up to when I should have been packing.......<br />
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Moving cookies. These are moving cookies. Otherwise known as <i>Melissa has way to many things to be doing/packing/finishing up etc. but can't concentrate on any of them so she just ends up making cookies. </i>Yeah, those kind of cookies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKX4J8jiBTbHzY-oQjyljAP_YUaI8y67hzse4swLFpOzlZnL2kD_A_dgyrbbJSjUaI2VxpB_5w2nrd0JmQN_Oj03N-R97qdAvAaoyCoHoWmfeowV2iJdewqcYOwWQmCoqbQd4lLEF_Lc/s1600/IMG_7942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKX4J8jiBTbHzY-oQjyljAP_YUaI8y67hzse4swLFpOzlZnL2kD_A_dgyrbbJSjUaI2VxpB_5w2nrd0JmQN_Oj03N-R97qdAvAaoyCoHoWmfeowV2iJdewqcYOwWQmCoqbQd4lLEF_Lc/s1600/IMG_7942.JPG" height="286" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our first red flag is cookie justification. <i>Oh I could take a break and make cookies to give to people who are helping me pack and move. Thank you cookies. Goodbye cookies. Besides, I do have a recipe that needs testing and tweaking. </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0f0xnmtoBgbtKWhtddF3hXHujMUQ_MJdMVdYgDdHzv9hxbEYuKUhbghtET4JBk1Ec59w1hWc_fkMJmpDUy5SawnBt9Ehx5SOJSR8ntlXmNNPZn2OHbC9IUHc3tbEoLVGgI_1tnICtjg/s1600/IMG_7949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0f0xnmtoBgbtKWhtddF3hXHujMUQ_MJdMVdYgDdHzv9hxbEYuKUhbghtET4JBk1Ec59w1hWc_fkMJmpDUy5SawnBt9Ehx5SOJSR8ntlXmNNPZn2OHbC9IUHc3tbEoLVGgI_1tnICtjg/s1600/IMG_7949.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The first few minutes of measuring and mixing are indeed a therapeutic zone-out to avoid the task at hand. But then comes the dough. Stress eating half a batch of dough and then barely having enough cookies left to give your helpers only heightens the tension and anxiety inside. But it happens. Happened. More than once. Ugh, will I ever learn? Note to self: open jars of peanut butter and half-empty bags of chocolate chips are not helpful, especially after all that cookie dough.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzto9iFPZzzCT-PuAH4tux2H-g6SVWoQMtACi1k1_-p6rndNbQBl_TOF_Kq3-8mmF-aCz6bIJoH_7IDre4gDN5Sw0tkgbrVy_TnL6dyluQvW_k0_94D9ueesKYS_8D_tTjrgZBPUKl-D8/s1600/IMG_7948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzto9iFPZzzCT-PuAH4tux2H-g6SVWoQMtACi1k1_-p6rndNbQBl_TOF_Kq3-8mmF-aCz6bIJoH_7IDre4gDN5Sw0tkgbrVy_TnL6dyluQvW_k0_94D9ueesKYS_8D_tTjrgZBPUKl-D8/s1600/IMG_7948.JPG" height="272" width="400" /></a></div>
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It almost seems like an insult to exchange cookies for moving help, these don't come close to repaying all the help I've received. THANK YOU to all the patient, strong, hard-working helpers. I wish I had words to express how much I appreciate you. I just don't know how to thank you, and so by default I make cookies. <br />
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<u>Moving Cookies</u><br />
<i>recipe inspired and adapted from a conglomeration of too many things for me to tell you about right now</i><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1/2 cup butter, softened<br />
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter<br />
3/4 cup packed brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup granulated sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
2-1/2 cups uncooked quick-oats<br />
1 cup raisins<br />
1 cup chocolate chips<br />
1/2 cup chopped walnuts<br />
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Instructions: (D<i>anger!</i> D<i>o not proceed under stressful situations, you will just eat too much dough. Rapid and mindless consumption of dough, leftover ingredients and warm cookies will not help in the long run.)</i><br />
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.<br />
* In a large bowl cream together butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.<br />
* In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into wet ingredients. Mix in oats. Add raisins, chocolate chips and walnuts; stir to combine.<br />
* Scoop mounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with palm of hand. Bake 9-10 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden brown. Let cool 1-2 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks.<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. -Proverbs 27:12</b><br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-20389656618201458402013-08-29T11:58:00.000-05:002013-08-29T11:58:12.992-05:00Buckets (and buckets) of Blueberries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You should know by now that my favorite color is blue. You may also be aware of my more than slight obsession with fresh fruit and the fact that I'm a sucker for a good deal. Well it turns out if you combine something blue, something fruity and something that's a super good deal, I get more than a little carried away. And by a little I mean a lot.<br />
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On a recent trip to Michigan we stopped at a fruit farm along the shores of Lake Michigan. To say there was an abundance of blueberries would be an understatement. Rows of blueberry bushes stretched farther than I could see. Each bush was absolutely loaded with bunches of ripe, juicy berries. <br />
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I guess I thought blueberries grew on short little bushes and that I would be bending over picking berry after berry one at a time. Instead I barely had to move my hand and an entire cluster would fill it up. As in, so big a handful I was dropping berries left and right. The bushes were taller than me and each one was loaded with little blue balls of bliss. I loved the sound of the plink, plink, plink in the bottom of my bucket, but it didn't last long. <br />
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To be perfectly honest a large portion of those handfuls never even made it to the bucket. I actually had to stop and remind myself (several times) to put the berries in the bucket not just in my mouth. They definitely should have weighed me before and after picking and charged for the difference. I know I ate at least 4-5 pounds while picking. <br />
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Oh and get this, these fresh picked Michigan blueberries were only 75 cents a pound! That's right $0.75/lb. Those pint boxes in the grocery store weigh about 11 oz. and sell for around $2.48 a pop on an average day. At 75 cents a pound we were getting the equivalent of a pint box for around 51 cents each. <br />
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Of course this "good deal factor" only heightened my frenzy to pick more, more, more. And you can't even begin to factor in the fun and delight of picking the berries yourself. Each bush seemed to have bigger, better and blue-er bunches, making it nearly impossible to stop picking. Plus there were no bugs, no thorns and it was a great way to stretch after being in the car for 8 hours. <br />
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Forty pounds of blueberries later we got back in the car to continue our trip. Yep, 40 pounds. I told you I got a little more than carried away. We picked 7 bucket-fulls. By the time we got to our destination we had 6 buckets and 2 very full tummies. <br />
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We picked with our hands, but this blueberry harvester was sitting near the shed. The spokes inside rotate, shaking the bushes so that the berries fall off. I never saw it in use, but I'm pretty sure the farmer was amused that I wanted to take a picture. <br />
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Lot's of other fresh fruit and produce was also for sale as well as a ton of no-one-wants-this-leftover-garage-sale-type items. I fell for a vintage cookbook just like one my mom had growing up. We also bought some fresh peaches and apricots. <br />
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Oh, and a few days later we stopped on way the home and did it all over again. The majority of these deliciously refreshing blue bubbles were eaten fresh by the handful. A good portion were frozen, and I made a blueberry pie and blueberry crisp. Those, however, will have to wait for another day.<br />
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I never once got sick of eating blueberries. If I lived at a blueberry farm, I would never leave the fields. The pictures don't even give you a hint at the whole experience, but here are a few more anyway...because blue + fruit = I got carried away....but in a good way I would repeat in a heartbeat. <br />
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<b>Food for Thought: "One man gives freely yet gains even more; another withholds unduly yet comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." -Proverbs 11:24-25</b></div>
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-59274242467618110352013-08-23T08:54:00.000-05:002013-08-23T08:54:02.267-05:00Flashback Friday: Camp Cookies<i>Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago</i><br />
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Camp cookies are a longstanding tradition at our house. Most of my growing up years we went camping for several weeks each summer. Whether it was a week at a state park or a 3 week road trip packing in as many national parks as possible, we made lots of memories. No matter where we went these cookies were a part of each trip, which is exactly why we call them camp cookies. I know, brilliant, right?<br />
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The best thing about these cookies is we were allowed to eat them for breakfast. Loaded with oats, peanut butter and raisins + the fact that we were on vacation made these a perfectly acceptable breakfast. Many an early morning my parents would carry us to the car still in our sleeping bags. Breakfast on the road meant reaching over the backseat and into the trunk to find the ice cream pail full of camp cookies. Of course they also doubled as dessert, hiking snacks and "are we there yet?" silencers.<br />
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Let's see, what else do you need to know about this tradition? True to our last minute form, a gigantic batch of these monster cookies found their way to the oven late into the night or in the wee hours of the morning before we left. While the cookies baked there was plenty of time to cram things into the car, finish laundry and stuff it into suitcases and gather all the camping gear. <br />
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Oh, you also need to be a strategic spiller when you make these. The M&M's are never measured, just dumped and spilled into the dough. I usually tried to make sure my mom spilled in a few extra. Depending on the length of our trip we would make up to 3 big batches. Penciled into our cookbook are measurements for a double and triple batch, which I've included in the recipe below. I'm not sure we ever made just a single batch, they disappear too quickly.<br />
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Three week road trips definitely meant a triple batch, which barely fit into our <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/06/thursdays-thoughts-how-it-all-started.html" target="_blank">trusty yellow mixing bowl</a>. When the bowl is literally so full the dough falls out, you had better eat some. And trust me when I say this dough is seriously good. It's probably a good thing cookie dough doesn't travel well or I'd never have had room for smores. Though the days of family camping trips are long past these camp cookies are still a family favorite. <br />
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<u>Camp Cookies</u><br />
<i>adapted from an old church cookbook recipe submitted by Miriam Fokema Rogers to "Our Favorite Recipes, United Methodist Church of Kasson"</i><br />
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Ingredients:<i> (double recipe, triple recipe)</i><br />
1/2 cup butter, softened <i>(1 c, 1-1/2 c)</i><br />
1/2 cup peanut butter <i>(1 c, 1-1/2 c)</i><br />
1 cup granulated sugar <i>(2 c, 3 c)</i><br />
1 cup packed brown sugar <i>(2 c, 3 c)</i><br />
2 large eggs <i>(4, 6)</i><br />
1/4 cup milk <i>(1/2 c, 3/4 c)</i><br />
1 tsp vanilla <i>(2 tsp, 1 Tbsp)</i><br />
1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour <i>(3-1/2 c, 5-1/4 c)</i><br />
1 tsp baking soda <i>(2 tsp, 1 Tbsp)</i><br />
1/2 tsp salt <i>(1 tsp, 1-1/2 tsp)</i><br />
3 cups oats <i>(6 c, 9 c)</i> (I used 1-1/2 cups quick oats and 1-1/2 cups rolled oats....or whatever you have on hand at midnight the night before your camping trip)<br />
1 cup peanuts <i>(2 c, 3 c)</i><br />
1 cup raisins <i>(2 c, 3 c)</i><br />
1 cup candy coated chocolate pieces <i>(2 c, 3 c)</i> (please don't measure here, just dump generously or spill in some extra. We usually use both plain and peanut candy coated chocolate pieces...which doubles the spilling opportunities.)<br />
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Instructions: <i>(if making a triple batch, use an extra large bowl)</i><br />
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.<br />
* In a large bowl cream together butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. <br />
* In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; stir into wet ingredients. Mix in oats then stir in peanuts, raisins and candy coated chocolate pieces. <br />
* Using a cookie scoop (or ice cream scoop for monster cookies), scoop dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes (slightly longer for larger cookies) or until edges are golden brown and centers are almost (but not quite) set. Let stand 3 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks. When completely cool, store in airtight containers. (We always used 5-gallon ice cream pails for camping trips.)<br />
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Food for Thought:<b> "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." -John Muir</b><br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-36292372414396866332013-08-12T22:02:00.000-05:002013-08-12T22:02:31.899-05:00Farmer's Market FindsHey! It's been a while hasn't it? I'm smack dab in the middle of transition stage right now, but I'm back for a little bit. Endings, beginnings, life is so full of changes and transitions. Anyway, blogging just didn't seem to fit in the puzzle over the past few weeks. I'm honestly not sure where my blogging will go from here. The posts certainly won't be as frequent, but I don't quite want to stop all together either.<br />
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Oh, and I've been stress-baking a lot lately. You know, when you have a million things to do and somehow end up doing none of them but just bake cookies instead. Yeah, that kind of baking. <br />
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A few of those...occurrences, were captured on camera, but most were the non-recorded throw in some of this and that type thing. I will have a few recipes for you in the near future, but for today we'll just go with some (rather careless) snapshots of this weekend's Farmer's Market Finds. One of these days I'll bring my camera to the market instead of taking pictures of wilted produce that's sat in a hot car for an hour. One of these days, but not today. </div>
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Fresh green beans, which I prefer to eat raw. Is that weird? Whatever, that's just what my family does. </div>
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Zucchini and yellow summer squash at 50 cents a piece.<br />
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I fell for this Swiss Chard at only $1 a bunch. I wasn't really sure how I was going to use it, but the vibrant pink stalks were so pretty. <br />
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Mmmm, fresh basil smells so good. Again, only $1 for a large bunch...much cheaper and more efficient than the $4+ plants I can only keep alive long enough to grow 6 leaves. <br />
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Crunchy cucumbers. I made a batch of pickles yesterday, but really I just prefer to munch on the raw cucumbers. One day I will like pickles, especially if I keep making them. </div>
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This Russian Kale came from the garden of a generous friend. She also shared her sweet corn and tomatoes. Thanks!<br />
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Everything but the green beans and cucumbers went into a super tasty quinoa dish based off of these <a href="http://iowagirleats.com/2012/05/14/farmers-market-recipe-collection-farmers-market-skillet/" target="_blank">Farmer's Market Skillet</a> and <a href="http://iowagirleats.com/2013/07/15/easy-summer-quinoa/" target="_blank">Easy Summer Quinoa</a> recipes from Iowa Girl Eats. I've made this twice in the past two days and both times I inhaled it quicker than the click of a camera. Don't skip the honey-lemon dressing. Fresh basil is also a must. And now that we've eaten our vegetables, I'd say it's time for some baked goods. Cookies are coming up next. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With an unfailing love I have drawn you to myself." -Jeremiah 3:31 </b>(NLT)</div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-20542501112694508352013-07-21T21:12:00.001-05:002013-07-21T21:12:20.956-05:00Mindful Monday: Making Time<span style="font-style: italic;">Mindful Monday: On Monday's I'm going to share what's been on my mind. I by no means have any of this figured out, I'm just thinking out loud here.</span><br />
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I feel like I've had enough on my plate lately that I haven't had room for blogging. But, I've also said many times here that I must make time to be thankful. So, let's start the week out with another thankful list.<br />
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potential for change<br />
sound advice<br />
helpful input<br />
handfuls of wild blackberries<br />
cooler weather<br />
the sound of treetops rustling in the breeze<br />
the smell of a farm (ummm yeah, never thought I would be thankful for/miss that smell)<br />
hills and valleys loaded with trees<br />
vibrant bouquets at farmer's market<br />
a friendly conversation<br />
new books to read<br />
time to play with a few recipes<br />
a thoughtful phone call<br />
abundant provision<br />
laughter<br />
a playful twinkle of the eye<br />
learning life lessons<br />
hopeful expectation<br />
curiosity<br />
clear communication<br />
feeling an inner peace or stillness<br />
support in decision making<br />
fun dishes<br />
sharing recipes<br />
fresh air and sunshine<br />
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Food for Thought: "<b>Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don't." -Steve Maraboli</b><br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-84997137470089896592013-07-17T08:15:00.000-05:002013-07-17T08:15:23.792-05:00Heat-Wave WednesdayIt turns out when you don't have air conditioning the last thing you want to do is stand over the stove or turn on the oven. I mean, I want to, and I have plenty of recipes to test just piling up. But seriously, with a near 100 degree heat index I just don't have it in me to add any more heat. <br />
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Instead I'm enjoying cold, juicy melon, massive fresh salads and frozen berries stirred into yogurt. Cereal and peanut butter have been a little too forefront as well. Anyway, all that to say that I have no recipe for you today. Cookies on Friday are still questionable, we shall see. Hmm, cookie dough itself doesn't require an oven, but even that doesn't sound too appealing in the heat. <br />
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From sweet, juicy peaches to thirst-quenching melons and insanely sweet cherry tomatoes, I'm definitely enjoying the pure simplicity of what's in season. And I'm enjoying it so much I haven't given the camera chance to bat an eye before I gobble it up. So there you have it, no recipe and no pictures. I just felt like saying hello. So, ummm, hello. Okay, that is all, carry on with your day.<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"If you really want to eat, keep climbing. The fruits are on the top of the tree. Stretch you hands and keep stretching them. Success is on the top, keep going." -Israelmore Ayivor</b>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-66955085480251435482013-07-11T22:28:00.000-05:002013-07-11T22:28:30.004-05:00Farmer's Market Friday: Fresh Finds This week we're taking a break from our Flashback Friday series. Fresh produce straight from the fields is not something to be messed with. Of course I'm not saying you can't make something with it, it's just that I prefer my peas and green beans raw and crunchy. <br />
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Last Saturday was a perfect morning for a stroll around the Farmer's Market. Music, color, abundance and fresh, beautiful food; it was all there. I didn't bring my camera along, but here are a few of the things I brought home with me.<br />
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Sugar snap peas. Sweet and crisp, these peas were delicious straight from hand to mouth.<br />
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Leaf lettuce. Most of this turned into a <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/07/recipeless-wednesday-strawberry.html" target="_blank">strawberry</a> salad with balsamic and black pepper. <br />
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Rhubarb. Okay, I take back that part about eating everything straight from the field. While I can eat a bite or two of raw rhubarb, it's not exactly something you snack on. A slice of rhubarb pie, however, may have qualified as a snack instead of dessert multiple times last week. <br />
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Free pectin mixes for making jam. Ball was sponsoring a booth and giving out small packets of pectin and salsa kits. Strawberry jam definitely happened this week.<br />
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Yum, I love fresh fruits and veggies!<br />
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Food for thought: "<b>Reflect upon your present blessings- of which every man has many- not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." -Charles Dickens </b><br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-87783302046921850242013-07-09T23:39:00.001-05:002013-07-09T23:39:27.320-05:00Recipeless Wednesday: Strawberry Simplicity <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One does not need a recipe for fresh picked strawberries. They are simply perfect just as they are. These berries were so sweet, juicy and delicate they instantly melted in my mouth. Words can not describe their utter perfection. <div>
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We picked 25 pounds of these red beauties, which we believe were the Jewel and Winona varieties. A few pounds found their way to homemade jam, but most of the berries were eaten straight out of the box. I ate a good 4 to 6 pounds myself. In one day. And yes, it was worth the stomach ache. </div>
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I don't think I could eat 4-6 pounds of berries every day, but I could definitely go for a strawberry spinach salad drizzled with balsamic at least once a day. Strawberries and balsamic vinegar are meant to mingle. It may sound odd to you, but they improve each other, drawing out new flavors you don't want to miss. (Though this particular batch of berries needed no improvement.) </div>
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If I haven't inhaled all the strawberries straight up, then I also enjoy stirring them into lemon yogurt. In my world strawberries straight out of the field are pure delight. I may even pick a few more pounds this week, just because I can. Yes, these berries are a gift that undoubtedly belong on this week's <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/07/mindful-monday-day-to-day-perspective.html" target="_blank">thankful list</a>. </div>
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Food for Thought: <b>"If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable." -Rainer Maria Rilke</b></div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-39310480814964865602013-07-08T07:31:00.000-05:002013-07-08T07:31:04.650-05:00Mindful Monday: Day to Day Perspective <span style="font-style: italic;">Mindful Monday: On Monday's I'm going to share what's been on my mind. I by no means have any of this figured out, I'm just thinking out loud here.</span><br />
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I've been out in the fresh air and sunshine and away from the computer. And you know what? It feels great. Anyway, I'm just dropping in for a quick thankful list. Here goes:<br />
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open communication<br />
farmer's market<br />
bursts of color<br />
freckles<br />
sunshine<br />
a cool breeze<br />
those little cotton seed things that float down from the trees<br />
fireworks<br />
time with friends<br />
thoughtful provision<br />
going the extra mile<br />
abundance<br />
new insights and perspectives<br />
lessons to learn<br />
hope that doesn't disappoint<br />
fresh air<br />
dancing sunbeams<br />
clouds of all shapes and sizes<br />
shade<br />
open fields<br />
fans<br />
cold water<br />
matching socks<br />
hand sanitizer inside an impressively clean outhouse<br />
flip-flops<br />
piano music<br />
reading a magazine outside<br />
soap that bubbles nicely<br />
structure<br />
leaves rustling in the wind<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"You can not find peace by avoiding life." -Virginia Woolf</b><br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-74943241916131611292013-07-05T10:26:00.000-05:002013-07-05T10:26:17.399-05:00Flashback Friday: Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies<i>Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago</i><br />
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This recipe appeared twice in my great-grandmother's notebook. On one page she called them "Cookies, Mamma's White" and on another they were called "Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies." If they were old-fashioned even in her day, what does that make them now? Super-old-fashioned? And when she called them Mamma's White Cookies does that mean this recipe was from my great-great-grandmother?<br />
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Let's just say a few other details have been lost as well. Both times she left out the flour measurement and instructions. <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/06/flashback-friday-mrs-altons-brown-sugar.html" target="_blank">Again.</a> Yep, it's time for another round of guessing games and recipe testing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdvuZ7XHOI8VUlq0oGPKCrWaYpRGqXVL-PD9VoLumMim9ZR-wvm2-eFKkU1ji7MqO0mQT6Q2hFSGqj6EHvxngx8FDKmVsmRTdoZ9JF44Oeqibzivfv0iPIcFvgjJpfQ2CHQ8T0FmP1vs/s1024/20130612_0002_35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdvuZ7XHOI8VUlq0oGPKCrWaYpRGqXVL-PD9VoLumMim9ZR-wvm2-eFKkU1ji7MqO0mQT6Q2hFSGqj6EHvxngx8FDKmVsmRTdoZ9JF44Oeqibzivfv0iPIcFvgjJpfQ2CHQ8T0FmP1vs/s400/20130612_0002_35.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I looked up multiple old-fashioned sour cream sugar cookie recipes. Having old cookbooks comes in handy, but some of the recipes aren't any more detailed than my great-grandma's. Once again I found drop cookies and cut-out cookies, so I split the recipe in half and tried it both ways. The Betty Crocker Picture Cooky Book (which I showed you on our very <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/01/flashback-friday-ginger-creams.html" target="_blank">first Flashback Friday</a>) gave me a good starting point for the cut-out cookies. I never would have picked an oven temperature of 425, but most of the recipes I found used surprisingly high temperatures. <br />
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Other than that, there wasn't a whole lot of excitement here. Great-grandma's recipe had more sugar and less butter than most, no added spices, and only baking soda rather than both soda and powder. Not all that interesting, but after our <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/06/flashback-friday-good-jumbo-raisin.html" target="_blank">pleasant surprise</a> of a cookie last week I couldn't help but wonder. <br />
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Both the drop cookies and cut-out version shown here were rather plain. They were sweet, but not too sweet and varied from hard to soft depending on the exact baking time and temperature. I'll spare you any more details. Let's just say these are definitely the kind of sugar cookie that needs frosting. (If you're looking for a sweeter, stand-alone sugar cookie, try <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/03/flashback-friday-family-favorite-sugar.html" target="_blank">my family's favorite sugar cookies</a>.) <br />
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<u>Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies/ Mamma's White Cookies</u><br />
<i>recipe from my great-grandma (and possibly her "mamma", my great-great-grandma)</i><br />
<i>No instructions were given in her notebook, only ingredients (not including flour)</i><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1/4 cup butter softened<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla<br />
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 cup sour cream<br />
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Instructions:<br />
* Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.<br />
* In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl combine flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream to the wet ingredients. <br />
* On a well-floured surface roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies using a 2-inch cookie cutter and transfer to greased baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake 6-8 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown and edges are just starting to turn golden. Remove from trays and let cool on wire cooling rack. When completely cool, frost with your favorite frosting.<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. -Proverbs 4:23</b></div>
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-6668847066823469112013-07-03T11:55:00.000-05:002013-07-03T11:55:30.137-05:00Random Recipe Wednesday: Instant Frozen Yogurt <div>
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I bet you remember the frozen banana "soft-serve" craze of last summer. I made countless batches of the creamy concoction, but this summer it's time for something new. Instead of whirling up creamy frozen bananas, I decided to play with frozen grapes. </div>
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Have you ever tried frozen grapes? You should try frozen grapes. They're a great snack in the summer heat. Unlike other fruits they stay semi-soft even when frozen, kind of like bananas do. With that same frozen-but-not-icy-or-rock-solid texture, I figured gapes could also be turned into a creamy frozen soft-serve. Of course this had nothing to do with the 2 gallons of frozen grapes in our freezer (you'll never guess what was on sale a few weeks ago).</div>
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While frozen grapes are smooth (small ice crystals), they don't have quite the same creaminess factor as frozen bananas. Enter yogurt (which, ahem, was also taking too much fridge space and needed to be used.) You can use whatever flavor of yogurt your heart desires. The grapes provide a sweet base, but don't lend much grape flavor. Your frozen yogurt will taste like the flavor of yogurt you use. I went with lemon and blueberry here, thinking the grape skin flecks looked like blueberry skins, but your options are endless. I'm thinking black cherry or raspberry would be just the thing along with a little cocoa powder. <br />
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Besides being totally customizeable, this cool treat is nearly instant and requires no ice cream maker. All you have to do is pulse frozen grapes in the food processor until finely chopped, as shown below. <br />
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Then just add your yogurt and process until smooth. <br />
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Eat it right away for a smoother, softer spoonful, or put it in the freezer an hour or so until it's slightly more scoopable. If you freeze it overnight, ice crystals will form, making it less smooth and creamy. Not to worry, just let it soften a few minutes before you dig in. And watch out for brain-freeze. <br />
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If you don't have an abundance of frozen grapes and yogurt then try one of these other frosty treats for 4th of July:</div>
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<a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/09/tuesdays-twist-strawberry-mango-basil.html" target="_blank">Strawberry-Mango-Basil Frozen Yogurt</a></div>
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<a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/07/fermented-friday-frosty-beer-kabobs-and.html" target="_blank">Frosty Fruit Kabobs</a> (can easily be made non-alcoholic)</div>
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<a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/07/fermented-friday-frosty-beer-kabobs-and.html" target="_blank">Watermelon Beer Pops</a> (again, if you leave out the beer trend from last summer these are non-alcoholic)</div>
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<a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/05/weird-recipe-wednesday-watermelon.html" target="_blank">Watermelon Cucumber Cooler with Mint and Lime</a></div>
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<a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/06/fermented-friday-riesling-strawberry.html" target="_blank">Riesling Strawberry Slushies</a></div>
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<a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2012/09/weird-recipe-wednesday-fruity-red.html" target="_blank">Fruity Red Cabbage Smoothies</a></div>
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<u>Instant Frozen Yogurt</u></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1-1/2 cups frozen grapes**</div>
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1/2 cup flavored yogurt (any flavor, I used half lemon and half blueberry here)</div>
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**Wash grapes and remove from stem. Place in resealable plastic bags and freeze overnight. Make sure your grapes are frozen all the way through before you start. </div>
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Instructions:</div>
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In the bowl of a food processor pulse frozen grapes until finely chopped, scraping down sides as needed. Add yogurt and process until smooth, scraping sides as needed. Work quickly and do not overprocess or mixture will melt. Eat immediately or freeze for an hour or so for a slightly firmer texture. </div>
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Food for Thought: <b>"Pleasure has this unique trait: the more intensely you chase it, the less likely you are to catch it." -Kyle Idleman</b></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-49297442430719973712013-07-01T09:16:00.000-05:002013-07-01T09:16:03.627-05:00Mindful Monday: A Slice of Daily Bread<span style="font-style: italic;">Mindful Monday: On Monday's I'm going to share what's been on my mind. I by no means have any of this figured out, I'm just thinking out loud here.</span><br />
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Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. -Psalm 34:8<br />
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Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. -Proverbs 16:3<br />
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Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. -Proverbs 4:23<br />
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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. -Matthew 5:6<br />
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Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. -Psalm 90:14<br />
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For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. -2 Timothy 1:7<br />
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But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. -James 3:17<br />
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Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith....let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. -Hebrews 10:22-23<br />
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Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. -Hebrews 11:1<br />
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But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. -Romans 8:24-25<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:5-6</b>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-75147738758270692422013-06-28T09:56:00.000-05:002013-06-28T09:56:15.505-05:00Flashback Friday: Good Jumbo Raisin Cookies <i>Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago</i><br />
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These cookies more than make up for that disappointing <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/06/flashback-friday-mock-angel-food.html" target="_blank">Mock Angel Food</a> cake I told you about last Friday. I expected a rather plain and boring old-lady cookie full of nuts and raisins, but boy was I wrong. Each lovely bite was soft and just a hint chewy, but not cakey. You know, like all the goodness of a fresh, warm cookie....only they stayed that way even when they weren't straight out of the oven. And believe me when I say I taste tested them at multiple stages; as dough, straight from the pan, cooled 5 min, cooled 10 min, 30 min later, 2 hours later, breakfast the next morning, within 20 seconds of walking in the door after work, and, well, you get the idea. Not even possible to just eat one. <br />
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This plain-looking recipe was anything but boring. Near as I can tell the jumbo part of the title must refer to the plumped raisins, not the size of the cookie. These sweet and juicy raisins are perfectly complemented by warm spices. You'd never guess the exact spices, but they linger in the background just enough to let you know there's something special in there. That usually happens in oatmeal raisin cookies too. Speaking of oatmeal, I actually thought these were going to be oatmeal raisin cookies, just like I thought they would be jumbo. But after reading and re-reading the ingredients I realized oats were nowhere to be found and thus assumed all I'd get was a dull sugar cookie with raisins. <br />
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Though we have a white sugar cookie base, the cookies taste more like a brown sugar cookie. They're sweet but not too sweet thanks to an unusual amount of salt. I was hesitant about adding so much salt, but using 2 whole teaspoons makes for an addictingly sweet-salty balance. Seriously addicting.<br />
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I should probably just stop talking now and let you go make cookies. These soft little nuggets of gold are just what I was hoping to find in my great-grandma's notebook. Yes, this recipe definitely holds up to the test of time. As for the cookies themselves, well, they only last as long as your self-control (which will be significantly shorter after the first bite). <br />
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<u>Good Jumbo Raisin Cookies</u><br />
<i>recipe from my great-grandma, Caroline</i><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 cup water<br />
2 cups raisins<br />
1 cup shortening (I used butter-flavored shortening)<br />
2 cups granulated sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)<br />
4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
2 tsp salt<br />
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
1/4 tsp ground allspice<br />
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Instructions:<br />
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small or medium saucepan combine water and raisins. Boil for 5 minutes; let mixture cool to room temperature.<br />
* Meanwhile, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, mixing well. Add vanilla, cooled raisin mixture and nuts. <br />
* In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.<br />
* Drop (or scoop) teaspoonfuls** of dough onto greased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges just turn light golden brown. Let cool on sheets 1-2 minutes before transferring to wire cooling rack. <br />
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** The amount dropped from the actual spoons used for tea, not a 1 tsp measuring spoon. <br />
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Food for Thought:<b> "Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in his hands." -Elisabeth Elliot </b>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-4834055121980865312013-06-25T09:03:00.000-05:002013-06-25T09:03:05.700-05:00Tuesday's Twist: Cupcake Project<i>Tuesday's Twist: A basic recipe with a fun twist. In other words, just another excuse for me to play around with weird recipes I've been dying to try.</i><br />
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Instead of testing out recipes this weekend, I baked and decorated around 250 mini cupcakes. These bite-sized desserts weren't blogging related, they were requested for a private party. I decided to snap a few pictures to share with you before I delivered the order. <br />
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There were 4 kinds of cupcakes: </div>
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Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting and chocolate sprinkles.</div>
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Almond-flavored white cake with an almond buttercream and decorating sugar crystals.<br />
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Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate curls.<br />
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Lemon cake with a lemon cream cheese frosting and yellow decorating sugar. <br />
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The lemon was my favorite, but I must admit I had fun using my vegetable peeler to make the chocolate curls for the red velvet cupcakes. <br />
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The whole process went fairly smoothly. I made the frosting earlier in the week, then baked the cupcakes the night before the event. The original order was for 10 dozen, but I didn't realize one batch made 5 dozen of the mini size. With 4 flavors I ended up with 20 dozen cupcakes spread across my table and counter. Umm yeah, only double what I needed. But now I know for next time. The next morning I frosted and finished each cupcake. Of course I doubted myself and freaked out that I wouldn't have enough frosting. After all, I had prepped for 10 dozen not 20.<br />
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So I hastily made one more batch of frosting and then rewhipped each previous batch, adding just a little more butter and powdered sugar to stretch it. My brain, however, was still in frosting conservation mode and I went light on the frosting while decorating. I ended up with way too much leftover. Oops, guess I should have stuck with the original plan and gone with my instinct, not the doubt of the last minute rush. Hmmm, I've never said that before. Oh and by last minute rush, I actually mean cram everything into half the time and have it done several hours early. I had a little too much fun using that extra time to play with my camera. <br />
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Food for Thought: "<b>Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice reduces the imperfection." -Toba Beta</b></div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-61570807068253098732013-06-21T08:33:00.000-05:002013-06-21T08:33:44.636-05:00Flashback Friday: Mock Angel Food<i>Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago</i><br />
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While paging through an old cookbook a recipe for Mock Angel Food caught my attention. Boiling water is poured over a flour and sugar mixture which then sits overnight. The remaining ingredients are added in the morning and baked in a pan that has been rinsed in cold water but not dried. All of this sounded a little odd to me so I decided to give it a go. Well, except for the part about starting "about 5 o'clock' in the afternoon." Because in my book 5 o'clock isn't afternoon, it's evening (but somehow 4:59 is still afternoon?). <br />
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Anyway, I stirred up the flour/sugar/water mixture in the morning before work and baked the cake later in the evening when I got home. I believe the idea is to let the mixture cool to room temperature. As for egg whites, you'll only need 4 instead of a dozen. I interpreted, "beaten not too dry" to mean beaten to stiff peak stage. But let's just skip the details and get to the cake. Sound okay?<br />
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According to <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mock" target="_blank">the dictionary</a> mock has several meanings. Let's just say that the "mock" here seemed to fall more along the lines of,"to disappoint the hopes of" than "to imitate closely." While this cake kind of looked like angel food but in sheet pan form, it certainly didn't taste like it to me. I think adding cream of tartar when beating the egg whites would provide a more characteristic angel food taste. But I'm no expert on angel food. I had one taster declare it was just like angel food and ask for the recipe. The next taster's opinion fell more in line with mine when she noted the texture certainly wasn't the same. <br />
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This mock angel food wasn't angel food, but a more tough and chewy, sweet vanilla cake. If you're going to go to the effort of beating egg whites, you might as well go all the way and make real angel food. I don't imagine too many angels prefer cake like this. To be fair to the author, there could have been a few things off with my technique (besides not starting a 5 o'clock in the afternoon), but I'm not curious enough to try this one again. Let me know if you have better results. <br />
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<u>Mock Angel Food</u><br />
<i>recipe slightly modified from Mrs. Wm. J. Kohout's submission to the Restoration House Cookbook, Mantorville, MN, 1976.</i><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1-1/2 cups cake flour**<br />
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar<br />
1 cup boiling water<br />
4 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
4 egg whites, beaten to stiff peak stage<br />
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Instructions:<br />
* In a large bowl combine cake flour and sugar. Stir in boiling water and let stand overnight (or cool to room temperature). <br />
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. When mixture has completely cooled, stir in baking soda and vanilla. Gently fold in beaten egg whites.<br />
* Rinse a 9-x-13-inch baking pan with cold water, but do not dry. Pour in batter and bake 30-35 minutes or until top is dark golden brown and springs back when pressed with fingertip. Cool up side down before removing from pan.<br />
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** If you don't have cake flour, check out <a href="http://joythebaker.com/2009/09/how-to-make-cake-flour/" target="_blank">this post</a> for a simple substitute.<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'" -Lamentations 3:21-24</b>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-656284382211398322013-06-19T00:05:00.000-05:002013-06-19T00:05:22.302-05:00Random Recipe Wednesday: Lemon-Fennel Cottage BreadWhile the Internet is a great recipe resource I've more recently found myself lost in the pages of a good cookbook or magazine. Not everything can be found online. Lately I've been testing an awful lot of recipes straight out of cookbooks. I'm not quite sure how the copyright aspect works so I haven't been posting them here. Sometimes I think I can only tell you about recipes I've changed and developed, but that's silly, like a musician only playing songs he wrote himself. <br />
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I'm currently loving <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0812969677">The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book</a>. As in I'm actually reading it page by page, not just flipping through to glance at recipes. There's just so much practical information on bread baking. I get this dorky, excited sparkle in my eye as I digest the wealth of knowledge in every chapter, as if someone were sharing a vast secret with me. A thorough understanding of the hows and whys is the key that unlocks, well everything. Okay, maybe not everything, but it gives you the power to create and fix and improve to your heart's content. Plus, everything about making bread just feels so...right. <br />
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Since I can't post the copyrighted recipe here, I'll just tell you about this loaf. (For the recipe and fail-proof instructions check out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0812969677">The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book</a> from your library, renew several times, then finally give in and buy yourself a copy.) I've been planning all along to post a recipe for a yeast bread made with cottage cheese. When I got to the chapter on dairy products and read the recipe for a lemon-flavored loaf utilizing cottage cheese, I just couldn't resist any longer. Later I saw a lemon-fennel loaf and knew I had to try the flavor combination. The cottage cheese, which completely disappears, gives extra rising power while boosting the protein and calcium in each slice.<br />
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I was super impressed with the texture of this bread. It was soft and tender with a fine crumb, but not so soft that your fingers or teeth left indents when making or eating a sandwich. The bread was firm enough to make thin slices but wasn't hard, dry or at all crumbly. You could have fooled me that the loaf was 100% whole wheat, it had a texture more similar to a partial white/wheat loaf. This is likely due to the 20 full minutes of kneading by hand and 3 separate rising/proofing phases. Well worth the wait in my opinion. I could go on forever about bread, the whole process is so therapeutic. <br />
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Anyway, if you want in on the whole bread making experience (and the comforting satisfaction that comes along with it), I'd highly recommend The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book. It's an indispensable learning guide to bread making, whether you're a beginner or a pro. It's also about as close as you can get to having an expert bread baker standing next to you in the kitchen. Years of experience, trail and error are crammed into the pages of this book. I think I'd be nearly perfectly happy if I could bake bread every day for the rest of my life. Sigh. <br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory." -Mahatma Gandhi </b><br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-23444804950027251392013-06-16T22:59:00.000-05:002013-06-16T22:59:28.096-05:00Mindful Monday: Choosing Thanks<span style="font-style: italic;">Mindful Monday: On Monday's I'm going to share what's been on my mind. I by no means have any of this figured out, I'm just thinking out loud here.</span><br />
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To be honest I'm not in a very thankful mood right now. Hopefully by the time I finish this list my attitude will have changed for the better.<br />
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fresh air<br />
sunshine<br />
new books<br />
a neighborhood with a trail to walk on<br />
decreased humidity<br />
pleasant conversation<br />
thoughtfulness of a neighbor<br />
the fragrance of peonies wafting though the air<br />
my dad (Happy Father's Day again)<br />
reconnecting with friends<br />
a new mixer<br />
kneading bread dough by hand<br />
freshly baked bread<br />
pink and purple tinted clouds<br />
the outline of the moon<br />
learning opportunities<br />
color<br />
quiet morning space<br />
potential change<br />
patience<br />
grace<br />
hope<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears." -Anthony Robbins </b><br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-55577174909661890882013-06-14T00:01:00.000-05:002013-06-14T00:01:31.642-05:00Flashback Friday: Mrs. Alton's Brown Sugar Cookies<i>Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago</i><br />
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Going through my <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/05/flashback-friday-taste-of-great.html" target="_blank">great-grandma's recipe notebook</a> is going to be a little more time consuming than I first anticipated. I decided to start off with a recipe she'd copied down twice- Mrs. Alton's Brown Sugar Cookies. I haven't figured out who Mrs. Alton is yet, but my great-grandma must have liked her cookie recipe. Though it appears in two separate places, neither recipe gives instructions or lists a measurement for flour. Great-grandma either knew it by heart, or couldn't quite figure out Mrs. Alton's secret. <br />
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I can only guess at what Mrs. Alton or my great-grandma might have done. What I wouldn't give to have just a picture or description of the original cookie! Was it a drop cookie or a cut-out cookie? Do I add enough flour to make a spoonable dough or a rollable dough? (at least in <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/01/flashback-friday-pfeffernusse.html" target="_blank">these pfeffernusse cookies</a> she noted to add enough flour to roll the dough like a rope). There are more possibilities than I have time to test, so I'll just tell you about the assumptions I made.<br />
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Butter and Lard:<br />
Her recipe calls for "1/2 cup butter and lard." Did she mean 1/2 cup of each or 1/2 cup combined total? After looking at numerous old cookie recipes with similar ingredients I decided she likely used 1/2 cup total fat. I didn't have any lard and ended up using all butter. <br />
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Flour: <br />
Flour wasn't even included in the ingredients, but is obviously needed for the cookies. The amount of flour was my biggest variable as it determines the stiffness of the dough. Considering the amount of fat, sugar and liquids in the dough I knew I would need between 2-1/2 to 4 cups of flour. The lesser amount of flour would make a soft, sticky dough for drop cookies, while a higher amount would allow for a rolled cut-out cookie. I began by adding 2-1/2 cups of flour, but at this point the dough was still very wet. I could either add more flour or chill the dough overnight, allowing it to absorb moisture. I used a total of 3 cups of flour and felt that adding more would have resulted in a bland, floury tasting cookie. <br />
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Chilling and Baking: <br />
The dough was scoopable at this point, but I decided to chill it overnight to firm it up a bit. Looking back, I doubt my great-grandma would have had the means to readily chill the dough overnight. Or maybe she varied her amount of flour depending on her baking schedule and the status of the ice box. Anyway, I chilled the dough overnight for a stiffer dough. <br />
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Scoop, Roll or Cut:<br />
The dough was still too soft to make cut-out cookies with a rolling pin. The raisins were also a good clue that these were not intended to be rolled then cut. I was able to roll a few into balls using the palms of my hands, but the dough quickly warmed up and became too sticky. In the end I went back to a drop cookie. I tried baking the chilled dough at 350 and unchilled at 400. Both gave similar results. Had she written down instructions I'm guessing they'd be along the lines of, "bake in a hot oven until done". <br />
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Mrs. Altons Brown Sugar Cookies are not like sugar cookies made with brown sugar. Think of them more like a soft and cakey molasses cookie, or like the top of a cupcake. (Or a huge version of Alvina's <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/01/flashback-friday-ginger-creams.html">Ginger Creams</a>.) Raisins made a perfect addition to the sweet molasses and warm spices. A thin powdered sugar glaze would also work well here but is certainly not needed. I'll never know whether or not these turned out like Mrs. Alton's or my great-grandma's, but I had fun attempting to reconstruct the recipe. I do know that cookie dough disappears just as quickly around these parts whether it's old-fashioned or not.<br />
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<u>Mrs. Alton's Brown Sugar Cookies</u><br />
<i>recipe found in my great-grandma's notebook</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Ingredients:<br />
1/2 cup butter and lard (I used 1/2 cup butter)<br />
1 cup packed brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup molasses<br />
1 large egg<br />
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used 2 tsp lemon juice plus skim milk to make 1/2 cup, then let it stand 5 min)<br />
3 cups flour (she did not include a flour measurement, see above)<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp ground ginger<br />
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
pinch salt<br />
1/2 cup raisins<br />
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Instructions:<br />
<i>No instructions were given, so I tried a few things she may have done. </i><br />
* In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in molasses and egg, then buttermilk; mixture will appear curdled. (<i>She may have added the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk to prevent curdling.)</i><br />
* In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Gradually stir flour mixture into wet ingredients. Stir in raisins. <br />
* Option 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets and bake 10 minutes or until an indent barely remains after pressing the edge of a cookie with your finger. <br />
* Option 2: Chill the dough overnight or until stiff. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll or scoop the dough into balls and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until an indent barely remains after pressing the edge of a cookie with your finger.<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"The idea of waiting for something makes it more exciting." -Andy Warhol</b></div>
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-42585316958792944462013-06-12T08:57:00.000-05:002013-06-12T08:57:28.779-05:00Random Recipe Wednesday: Chocolate OverdoseI had every intention of sharing a slice of homemade bread with you today. I've also been waiting to tell you about a pie crust, a few rhubarb recipes and several red cabbage recipes I've been playing with. <br />
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Instead you get chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. Plus a hefty dose of peanut butter. Because after making 10 pies and 7 cheesecakes at work, that's what I'm giving you too. If you're looking for an ultra rich dessert this <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Deep-Dark-Chocolate-Cheesecake-236209" target="_blank">Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake</a> is just the thing. The cheesecake is rich enough on it's own, not to mention the chocolate cookie crust and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate ganache poured over the top. This recipe also scales up well, just in case you were wondering what to do with that extra 14 pounds of cream cheese in your fridge.<br />
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If you don't feel like using 14 pounds of cream cheese in 7 cheesecakes, then perhaps you'll fall for this <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Black-Bottom-Peanut-Butter-Mousse-Pie-235617" target="_blank">Black-Bottom Peanut Butter Mousse Pie</a>. Graham cracker crust, a layer of silky chocolate and light peanut butter mousse make one rich forkful after another. As if we don't have enough reasons to love chocolate and peanut butter. But I'll leave the rest of the swooning to you, I've had more than my fair share of chocolate for the day.<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." -Proverbs 12:25</b>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-45227472108132331952013-06-09T23:11:00.000-05:002013-06-09T23:11:33.894-05:00Mindful Monday: Daily Bread<span style="font-style: italic;">Mindful Monday: On Monday's I'm going to share what's been on my mind. I by no means have any of this figured out, I'm just thinking out loud here.</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. -Psalm 84:11<br />
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The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. -Proverbs 21:5<br />
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I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.' -Lamentations 3:24<br />
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Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. -Psalm 34:8<br />
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You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. -Isaiah 26:3<br />
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The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. -Psalm 19:1<br />
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Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. -Psalm 51:10<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever the posture of the body, the soul is on its knees." -Victor Hugo</b>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-78191093250783557122013-06-07T08:39:00.000-05:002013-06-07T08:39:22.414-05:00Flashback Friday: Colonial Date-Nut Bread<i>Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago</i><br />
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Everything about this recipe intrigued me, not to mention the fact that the recipe belonged to my great-grandma. Hmmm, where to start? I've heard of baking bread in cans but have never actually done it, that is until now. When I asked my great-aunt about this recipe she explained the reasoning behind the cans, "to make the loaf round, of course." Any other shape is apparently unthinkable. <br />
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I was more interested in the recipe method than the can aspect. The first step of the recipe involves pouring boiling water over your dates, baking soda and butter. I was puzzled by the concept of dissolving the baking soda in boiling water rather than adding it at the end with the dry ingredients. Wouldn't it lose some of it's leavening power? Then again, the amount of soda is quite high for the amount of flour used, and there doesn't appear to be a whole lot of activating acidic ingredients. Perhaps the soda is just there to help soften the dates. Trusting my great-grandma's experience rather than my over-thinking-the-science perspective, I went ahead with the recipe. But to be honest, I was half expecting a flop with that soapy baking soda aftertaste. <br />
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Fortunately these round slices have sweet date and vanilla flavors. They also taste surprisingly buttery, especially considering the batter has only 2 tsp of butter. For some reason I expected a pale bread studded with dates and nuts. Instead the loaves turned a dark brown similar to a molasses bread. These sweet, sticky loaves were most unusual, to say the least. Though a little on the sweet side for me, it's not hard to see how the seeming unusual quickly turns to a usual treat. <br />
<i><br /></i>
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<u>Mother's Colonial Date-Nut Bread</u><br />
<i>recipe from my great-aunt, who got it from her mother, my great-grandmother</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Ingredients:<br />
1-1/2 cups dates, chopped<br />
2 tsp baking soda<br />
2 tsp butter<br />
1 cup boiling water<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)<br />
<br />
Instructions:<br />
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 No. 2-1/2 cans**(see note below)<br />
* To a large bowl add dates, baking soda and butter. Pour in boiling water and let cool to lukewarm. <br />
* Add sugar, egg and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in flour and salt then fold in nuts. Pour into prepared cans and bake 50-60 minutes (or less if using smaller cans as described below). Let stand in cans 5 minutes before turning out. <br />
<br />
**A No. 2-1/2 can holds approximately 3-1/2 cups and usually contains food weighing 27 to 29 ounces. If you don't have 3 cans this size try replacing one or more cans with two 15-ounce cans each (also called No. 300 cans, these cans hold approximately 2 cups). Reduce the baking time for the smaller cans. I made half of a recipe and used one 28-ounce can and one 15-ounce can. <br />
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Food for Thought: <b>"The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar, familiar things new." -William Makepeace Thackeray</b>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-26359093143243076532013-06-03T08:47:00.000-05:002013-06-16T22:09:51.478-05:00Mindful Monday: Thankfully Busy<span style="font-style: italic;">Mindful Monday: On Monday's I'm going to share what's been on my mind. I by no means have any of this figured out, I'm just thinking out loud here.</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>
The weekend was jam packed and this week promises to be just as crazy. I'm not sure I'll get to any new recipes in the next few days, but one can always make time to give thanks. <br />
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a full schedule<br />
farmer's market in the early morning sunshine<br />
tart rhubarb<br />
crisp, juicy watermelon<br />
a day without rain<br />
helping hands<br />
strength and energy for moving boxes, furniture, etc<br />
an abundance of items to move in the first place<br />
leaders and directors<br />
organizers<br />
teamwork<br />
motivation<br />
the old loft bed my dad made for me<br />
a new bed (with no more ladder climbing each night)<br />
handmade quilts<br />
vacuum cleaners<br />
a field of bright yellow dandelions<br />
blowing fluffy, white dandelions<br />
walks in the sunshine<br />
a phone call with a friend<br />
laughter<br />
fragrant lilac bushes<br />
kitchens with windows<br />
busy productiveness<br />
churning clouds<br />
crackling lightening<br />
rumbling thunder<br />
beams of sunlight<br />
multiple shades of blue in the sky<br />
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Food for Thought: <b>Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths. -Proverbs 3:5-6</b><br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3207914847560896929.post-3608172268150143442013-05-31T08:51:00.000-05:002013-05-31T08:51:11.522-05:00Flashback Friday: A Taste of Great-Grandma's Recipes<i>Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago</i><br />
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I'm super excited about the recipes Alvina shared with me during my <a href="http://triedinblue.blogspot.com/2013/05/mindful-monday-trip-to-alvinas.html" target="_blank">visit to her farm</a>. The stained and tattered old notepad belonged to her mother, my great-grandmother. Contained on these now yellowed and brittle pages are her best recipes. I can hardly wait to go through them all. In fact, I'm so excited I've just got to share a few of them with you now. Here's a taste of what one might find in Great-Grandma Caroline's kitchen.<br />
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Her notepad contains handwritten recipes for everything from pies...<br />
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...to pickles...<br />
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...to perpetual yeast (sourdough)...<br />
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She even wrote down ingredients for cement wash and spray for the hen house.<br />
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Spots and splatters are indications of a well-used recipe. <br />
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Some pages are half missing, but most are quite readable.<br />
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What stories they must tell. Who is the Mrs. Thompson behind Mrs. Thompson's Raised Doughnuts?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmetrco9GcA_4EFVe28Kl3kNj10J6Du0VaPhyO20rEz5hnQNY9vKhiTDdX6M-kIBpDedYZ2G24tZbXB1kfgyc-PDsAjV9rCbES_1ATHH1Fyzx9CrVo05toBZAZ2phMu3X7SFhPcdrEU68/s1600/IMG_7253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmetrco9GcA_4EFVe28Kl3kNj10J6Du0VaPhyO20rEz5hnQNY9vKhiTDdX6M-kIBpDedYZ2G24tZbXB1kfgyc-PDsAjV9rCbES_1ATHH1Fyzx9CrVo05toBZAZ2phMu3X7SFhPcdrEU68/s400/IMG_7253.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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What about Ruth or Mrs. Alton, whose brown sugar cookies appear on several pages? Are Mama's White Cookies my great-great grandmother's? How I would love to sit down at the kitchen table and hear the stories behind each recipe. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjZGLzIUgI5kOZl3y7PoJlESBKiHssm50DygQk_V1SUpqJpFSLZoxJCmmtaYc8pwEuo8goG4RSO7PpjzBZEcaQlOeGX5g1XWRPmzJ10l-aeuA4ncJr3zx8iuBiYN56BjbLE8fTo5dj7A/s1600/IMG_7217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjZGLzIUgI5kOZl3y7PoJlESBKiHssm50DygQk_V1SUpqJpFSLZoxJCmmtaYc8pwEuo8goG4RSO7PpjzBZEcaQlOeGX5g1XWRPmzJ10l-aeuA4ncJr3zx8iuBiYN56BjbLE8fTo5dj7A/s400/IMG_7217.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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We'll dig more into each recipe in the coming weeks. Thanks for listening as I share my excitement! </div>
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Food for Thought: <b>"We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be." -May Sarton</b></div>
<i><br /></i>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13885329643087141347noreply@blogger.com0