February 10, 2010

Today I am grateful to be celebrating 9 years of Gabrielle in our family. The sun is shining and the heavy rains we've had this past several days have cleaned the air and freshened the view. The almond tree in the yard is beginning to bud, and the apricot trees are showing signs of life as well. Almond blossoms smell so good--they are right up there with cherry blossoms for me.
I'm grateful that each member of my family can get up and move and go and do as we please without physical impairment. I'm grateful for clarity of mind (when I have it) and the blessing of agency. I've often felt that my discretionary time was a burden--that I could be or feel more "important" if I had a set schedule by way of a career or great responsibilities. I am learning that more than being a burden, the way I use my time is a challenge and a test for me--an opportunity to learn to choose wisely. I am grateful for the time I have to pursue my goals, but I know too that I must choose between those things that are "good, better, or best" (Elder Oaks).

Lou's Addiction Cookies

This recipe came from BHG.com, but I've modified it (May). It is my favorite cookie recipe, hands down. The dough is marvelous--I like it better than the cookies.

Ingredients:
3/4 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. peanut butter (I use chunky)
1-1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1-1/4 c. granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1-1/3 c. regular rolled oats, measured and then ground into flour (use a food processor or blender for this)
1-1/3 c. regular rolled oats, whole
1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. butterscotch chips
1/2 c. mini M & Ms

Directions:

1. Beat butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars, baking powder and baking soda; beat until combined. Scrape sides of bowl, then beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in flours. Stir in oats on low speed. Stir in chips and M & Ms by hand or on low speed.
2. Drop dough using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly w/ back of spoon. Bake @ 375 for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookie centers have begun to set. Allow cookies to rest on cookie sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks.

This makes a big batch of dough, but it freezes well if you want to save some for later.

Pioneer Market Potato Salad

I learned to make this potato salad while I worked at Dad's "Pioneer Market" in LaConner. We never used any measurements, so make it to your liking, using the following ingredients:

6 large russet baking potatoes, boiled in their jackets, then peeled and diced
6 eggs, hard boiled, then peeled and sliced
3 large or 6 small dill pickles, diced small
4-6 green onions, chopped

Prepare above ingredients (let potatoes and eggs cool thoroughly) and set aside. To a large mixing bowl, add (remember, all measurements are approximate!):

2 c. mayonnaise (use light if you like)
1/3 c. yellow mustard
1 handful granulated sugar

Stir until well mixed. Add the first four ingredients to mayonnaise mixture, folding them in carefully with a rubber scraper until the salad looks uniform. Add garlic salt and/or pepper to taste, again carefully stirring it in so that the potatoes and eggs don't get mushy. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with paprika, cover and refrigerate. This recipe will make 10-12 regular-sized servings.

Note: Troy doesn't do egg whites, so when I make this for him, I double the eggs and use only the yolks for the salad.

Poppy Seed Loaf

Okay, this is not really a bread, but if we call it "bread", instead of "cake", then we feel fine about eating it for breakfast, right? This recipe came from Troy's mom, and it is my Gabrielle's absolute favorite.

3 eggs
2 1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. + 1 Tbsp. oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 tsp. butter flavoring
3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Cream all together. Pour into 3 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
Let cool 5-10 minutes.

Glaze:
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. orange juice
1/4 tsp. butter flavoring
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Blend thoroughly with a fork or small whisk.

Loosen cooked loaves with knife and cover with glaze while still warm.

Chastening

Today I'm grateful that the Lord loves me enough to chasten me when I need correction. I've realized, from the reading I've been doing ("Spiritual Survival for the Last Days" by Brent and Blaine Yorgason--Read it!), that I've allowed myself to slip slowly but surely into worldliness and greed. Not that I haven't always been somewhat worldly and greedy, but now I know I am, and I want to change. I know that my constant desires for the praise of the world are a bottomless black hole that can never be filled, no matter what I might achieve. That's why I was so bummed after I ran Boston (one reason, anyway). I worked hard and achieved what I wanted, but in the end I was still me. That's why getting into this house is not what I thought I needed; I'm still me. And losing 10 lbs. or running one more race or getting my degree will never change who I am.
But serving the Lord by serving others, striving to be humble and loving and giving and prayerful--these things will change me, and then that "black hole" can and will finally be filled, because I can become who the Lord wants me to be. And because of Him, I don't have to be what I've always been. Mosiah 3:19 reads: "The natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
I know the Lord can make so much more out of me than I can ever make of myself, but I have to let Him do it. I am grateful for my children, who show me their meekness and submission, their love and their patience when I am such an imperfect parent. If they can submit to me, in all my weaknesses and faults, why do I find it so hard to submit to my Heavenly Father, in His perfection?
I am grateful for His constant love and care. I am grateful that I can go to Him anytime, anywhere, for anything, and He always has time for me--as much as I need.

Grateful

I've been a little hesitant to journal lately because I'm not sure who might end up reading all this. But I've decided I can't worry about it or I'll never write. The rain over the past week has cleaned the air and removed the haze from the mountains around us. It's been beautiful outside. Crisp, I'd say, if that's a descriptive term one can use in the deserts of southern Nevada. And here I sit, inside, pecking away on my laptop. Go figure.
Anyway--I want to catalog some things I enjoy; partially so I will remember, and partially so someday my children will know that their mother is/was a real person.
I enjoy reading aloud to people--my kids and Troy, in particular. I like to write. I like fitting words together in ways that blend and flow. I like to do hair--to braid, style, "fix" it. I like to follow a pattern and sew something. I love to build things--to follow a pattern exactly and to have something come out the way it is intended to come out. I used to love "paint-by-number" paintings when I was a little girl. I think I am creative, to an extent, but as I get older I see more and more the conventional side of me. Maybe I would be a good accountant? I like to do math in my head. Baking has always been a great release for me. That's part of my pattern-following nature, although I do tend to make minor changes whenever I am feeling brave. To me there is great reward in crossing my t's and dotting my i's and ending up with a finished product that I (and hopefully many others) can enjoy. I like to ditty around on the piano, although I'm not very good. I like to have a clean environment because then I can finally relax. I like to sit on my porch swing, but usually not when I'm alone. I like to play board games, I like to laugh, I like to eat homemade popcorn (none of that microwave junk for me). I like farmer's markets--with fresh produce and bread and kettle corn (Yum!). I love eating garden-fresh anything. (I need to be done for today, but the more I type, the more I'm thinking of. I will have to make this "Part 1".)

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

This recipe came from "Family Fun" magazine. It has sour cream in it, one of my very favorite ingredients for baked goods. LOVE IT!!! (But don't ask me to eat it on my taco salad. YUK!!) I added milk chocolate chips to this recipe, because you can never have too much chocolate.

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Sift dry ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. (I use a whisk for this entire recipe.) Set aside.

1 c. butter
1 c. water
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1/2 c. sour cream
2 eggs
1 c. chocolate chips (any variety--butterscotch or peanut butter would be good also!)

In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine butter, water, and cocoa; bring to a low boil. Add to flour mixture in bowl and mix thoroughly. Let cool a few minutes, then stir in sour cream and eggs. After mixture has cooled completely, stir in chips.

Pour into greased 9" x 13" x 2" cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-38 minutes. Let cool 5-10 minutes while you make the frosting:

Frosting:

1/4 c. butter
3 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. baking cocoa
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In saucepan, combine butter, milk, and cocoa; bring to a low boil. Remove from heat, stir in sugar (one cup at a time) and vanilla with whisk. Pour over warm cake.