It all happened because I was thinking how boring my black candles were–I had bought them for my Halloween mantelscape and had foregone the much-more-expensive-but-way-more-cute black and orange striped candles. What could I do to liven up these boring tapers?
Crayons!
So I went to the crayon drawer and started hinting for orange, green, and purple (I love those colors together for Halloween!). And I knew that they needed to be fairly light in color to show up on the dark candles. My girls and I lit the black tapers, peeled back the paper on the crayon, and hoped for the best as we held the tip of the crayon near the candle flame and watched it melt, droop, and drip its way down the taper’s sides.
Instant satisfaction!!!
And we just couldn’t stop! It was so much fun that after we did the black tapers, I grabbed a bright red crayon and melted it over some old white tapers. SO FUN!
Now maybe red drippy candles is too creepy for you. That’s fine. But do you see the possibilities here? What a fun way to decorate for next to nothing! And the drippy look made my candles pop on my mantelscape! LOVE IT!!!
Have some fun with this one–grab some cheap tapers and your kids’ old crayons and just play!!! It’s strangely addicting!!
Too dry. Flattens out too much. Doesn’t taste great.
No, no…I’m not talking about THIS recipe! I’m talking about all the recipes I tried up UNTIL I found this recipe.
I searched the world over for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. I spent years trying and testing.
I’d find recipes with shortening instead of butter. While I appreciate the texture, well….I’m just a butter snob.
I would find recipes that tasted pretty good but the cookies flattened out too much during baking. “Oh, I just add a lot of flour and then it won’t do that!” I was told. Yuck. I don’t want MORE flour. I want the flavor, the texture. I want perfection!
Is that too much to ask?
Well, maybe it was. But I found the perfect recipe–at least my family and I think so. We loooooove these cookies and make them often. Too often.
And I can’t believe I haven’t put them up on the blog until now! My kids will thank me….we lost the original recipe card a long time ago, and have several not-so-great copies on scraps of paper (that always get lost) and in text messages.
But now, finally, it’s in a place of honor!
We hope you enjoy these cookies–they are one of my family’s most used recipes.
My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
2016-09-13 08:35:46
Yields 2
A yummy combination of the classic cookie, with peanut butter and oats for fun!
Using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Scrape down the sides.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well to combine.
Slowly add in the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to combine.
Add in the chocolate chips and mix on low just until evenly distributed OR mix them in by hand.
Use a cookie scoop and scoop balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 or 18-20, depending on the size.
Notes
Baking time depends on how large you make them. My family loves to make cookies using a large cookie scoop and those take longer (18-20). A medium scoop will take more like 10-12. You just want them to be golden brown across the top and slightly brown on the edges.
I always use Old Fashioned Oats, but you can use Quick Oats that's what you have on hand.
We love to use large chocolate chips, but you can use whatever kind you like best.
If you use the large cookies scoop, a batch will make about 2 dozen. With the medium cookie scoop, about 5 dozen.
So finding a recipe sized down for quick 30-minute rolls was so exciting for me. I don’t make rolls often because I’m really not supposed to have wheat, and these are so good that I can’t stop eating them. This size recipe is perfect for my family and means that, even if I do indulge, I don’t have too many to tempt me!
My cast iron skillet is 12″ across and I got 19 rolls out of this recipe. It’s great for a family meal! Brush the rolls with melted butter when they come out of the oven and they will be absolutely delicious!
Quick Skillet Rolls
2016-09-13 08:03:43
Yields 1
Delicious dinner rolls baked in a cast iron skillet.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, oil, yeast, and sugar. Whisk together, then set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
Add 2 cups of the flour, salt, and egg to the yeast mixture. Use the dough hook on the mixer to begin mixing/kneading the dough. Add in the remaining flour until the dough is in a workable state (not too wet to work with).
Shape the dough into golf ball sized balls, tucking under to make smooth tops. Place in a cast iron skillet and allow the rolls to rest for 10 minutes.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are a golden brown.
Notes
Try to use the least amount of flour that you can when adding in the remaining flour. You don't want the dough to be totally dried out. Just make sure that it's got enough body to it that you can form rolls--your fingers will still get a little messy with dough.
These little “MormonAds” would come out in every issue of The New Era, the LDS magazine for youth and as a teen, looking for the new ad each month was a ritual for me as I leafed through each shiny, new issue.
This particular ad was my favorite. For a couple of reasons.
One, I absolutely love daisies! And to see a daisy in comparison with all those roses….yeah, I got that, because I’d rather get a bouquet of daisies than roses. (Not that I don’t also love roses!)
But the main reason I loved it is because I never really “fit in” and needed reassurance that it was okay that I didn’t. I don’t know that I always internalized the message from this ad as well as I should’ve (and still don’t). I still spent countless hours wishing I was something I wasn’t (and still do).
But I have always remembered the image of the daisy among the roses.
And I thought of this ad recently when I watched a documentary about body acceptance. The film addressed the pressure that women are under to look a certain way in order to be acceptable. Basically, to all be roses. But not just any roses. We must all have perfect petals with no flaws. Our stems must all be long and straight. Leaves in just the right places. If not, then we just don’t belong in the bouquet!
It was very eye-opening to see just how much we have let the media influence who we should be and that we have reduced the definition of ourselves to the appearance of our outer shells.
How sad that must make our Father in Heaven!
Here we are. A diverse garden of unique and beautiful flowers. And all we want to do is look like one kind of flower. What a boring garden that would be!
How much more beautiful for each flower to be the best flower it can be, “flaws” and all. To bloom where we are planted. To face the sun, grow up strong, and be proud of who we are.
Supermodels?
Beauty Queens?
No.
Daughters of our Heavenly Father.
That alone makes us exquisite. That alone makes us beautiful.
And we enhance our beauty with the lives we lead. By being kind. By loving fully. By serving others.
That kind of beauty is the highest form of beauty.
And while I’m not gonna stop wearing makeup, I am going to try to look for and embrace my own kind of beautiful. I am going to try harder to love this imperfect body that has grown and birthed five amazing humans. And I am going to work on believing in the beauty that is already there, deep down in side.
It’s time to embrace being a unique part of a beautiful, diverse garden of womanhood.
Have you ever tried a new recipe? Have you tried a new recipe when guests were coming over in a few hours and there was no time to make anything else if it failed?
Sunday morning I had high hopes for the Apple Fritter Bread. The recipe pics looked amazing! But here’s the thing about trying new recipes: you gotta make sure you have all the ingredients and you gotta actually follow the directions!
Both situations got me in trouble.
I didn’t have enough fresh apples so I subbed some freeze dried apples. And this normally is not a big deal because subbing works well with freeze dried if you refresh them first and then drain them well.
I was in a hurry.
So I didn’t prep the apples well AND I didn’t read the recipe well in my rushing around.
So here I was with dry, ugly apple-cinnamon bread for dessert.
It was okay. I mean, it wasn’t gross. It just wasn’t….right. And I had no time to make anything else. What was I gonna do?
Have I told you how much I love Pinterest? I’m so visual and that’s always the easiest way for me to narrow down a search…Google is just…too many words! I thought maybe a caramel sauce would do the trick…I could still serve the apple bread, salvaging it with a buttery rich sauce to hide the #recipefail.
So happy to have found this recipe. I can’t believe how ridiculously easy it is to make, and it tastes delicious! And NO CANDY THERMOMETER!!
It’s like caramel sauce for dummies! 😉
Easy Caramel Sauce
2016-09-13 07:07:51
An easy, rich dessert sauce that whips up in no time in the microwave!
Have you ever seen that movie, The Paper? I saw it once on TV. It was edited, obviously. It’s a rated R movie so I wanted to make that clear from the get-go.
Anyway, there is a scene in this movie that I will never forget because it made an impression on me.
The main character (played by Michael Keaton) is working on a huge story for his newspaper, The Sun. I mean, this story is ginormous if he can get it verified and to press before the paper “goes to bed”. He’s supposed to be meeting his very pregnant wife (played by Marissa Tomei) and her parents for dinner. But he’s late. Again.
He calls her to explain why he’s late. She’s heard these excuses way too many times and is fed up. She feels that he cares more for the paper than he does for anything else.
During this phone call, she surprises him with this:
Wife: You know that. – Let me give you a hypothetical.
Husband (annoyed): Really?
Wife: A guy breaks into the apartment. – Breaks into the apartment. He’s got a gun, holds it to my head. He says, “I blow your wife’s brains out or I blow up the “Sun” building.” Choose. Now. What do you say?
Husband: What do you think I say? It’s ridiculous. It’s not gonna happen.
Wife: That is exactly my point. It is never one big dramatic choice. It is little, vague situations every day…and you’re either there or you’re not. If you keep waiting for the guy with the gun to show up, it will be too late.
That stuck with me. Because our lives our mostly about all the little decisions that we make every day. Those are what really define us, right? I mean, sure, there are big decisions like marriage. But we don’t have ginormous, dramatic decisions to make every day. Our days are crammed with little decisions.
Which, when you think about it, makes each of those decisions a lot more meaningful. (And obviously, I’m not talking about decisions such as “should I have Frosted Flakes or Cheerios?”) The mundane (or what we think of as mundane) acts of service each day, such as making a meal for your family or smiling at the cashier. Decisions on what kind of media we decide to watch or not watch. The thoughts that we allow to take hold in our minds. Whether we will read the scriptures. All these “little, vague situations every day” give us ample opportunities to show what we’re made of.
And we’re either there or we’re not, to paraphrase Marissa Tomei’s character.
from lds.org
All these decisions, like the ones mentioned in Elder Bednar’s quote above, are little brushstrokes “on the canvas of our souls”. Up close each brushstroke may not seem important, valuable, or beautiful. But stand back and these decisions and actions are part of a beautiful picture that we paint.
Every day.
With every decision.
Let us paint something beautiful with each brushstroke.
No, don’t run away! Just hear me out for a little bit.
It’s Vegan.
It’s Paleo.
Okay, if you are a die-hard, flour-filled cake lover you can run now. (Honestly, my kids did, but they don’t have the evolved taste buds that I do.)
Here’s my situation: I have Leaky Gut. And while I do make stuff for the family that has wheat and dairy (two foods I’m not supposed to have anymore) I do try an occasional alternative recipe in an attempt to find treats that might be “legal” for me. And I’ve found that you have to make a taste adjustment most of the time–that’s something I’ve started to get used to.
So I actually like this recipe!
What does it have going for it–besides being wheat and dairy free?
It mixes up IN the skillet. Less dishes.
It’s ready pretty quickly. Cravings kept at bay while it bakes.
It uses ingredients I already have on hand. Yes!
It’s rich and fudgy. Oh, yesssssss!
Is it my favorite cake in the world? No. That’d be one o’ them there flour-filled cakes of my yesteryear. <sigh>
But I think it does fit the bill if you are someone who has to or wants to eat treats without grains or animal products and want something rich and chocolate-y.
I would recommend adding some dairy-free ice cream or whipped topping when serving, though. It just needs a little creamy loveliness to balance out the fudgy!
In a large cast iron skillet set over low heat, melt the coconut oil completely.
Turn off burner and add remaining ingredients, whisking well to combine.
Run a rubber spatula around the edge of the skillet to get the batter down with the rest of the ingredients.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the center is mostly set.
Notes
It should be pretty moist still so don't bake it until a knife comes out clean--that's too done. It took 20 minutes in my oven. Cast iron retains heat well, so this will continue to cook a little when you take it out of the oven.
Serve with ice cream or whipped topping (dairy or not--you decide).
It hit me the moment I sat down, all in a huff. I’m a hypocrite.
This morning I slept in because of the late BYU game last night (No, I don’t want to talk about the game!) and started thinking about what to feed the missionaries coming over for dinner following afternoon church today. I picked a couple of recipes out–one to make after church and one before–and began working on the dessert recipe.
I could just get it all done in time. IF I hurried!
In between my rushing around with ingredients I barked out an order for my 7-year-0ld to get in the bathtub. And he immediately rushed in, got in the tub, and scrubbed up obediently.
NOT.
No, he dawdled. He whined. He stalled.
He was ruining my no-room-for-error plan!
And then I remembered….oh my gosh, I haven’t prepared a Morsel post for today! Dangit!
So I rushed in to the computer trying to remember the topic I had thought of during the week. What was it…..
Nothing. Nothing came to mind. My topic was gone!
Okay, what can I post about? What have I been thinking about this week? Lemme check lds.org real quick. Anything there? Hmmm. Pinterest graphic quotes? Maybe.
And then…
“Mom?”
“What?”
“Mom!!”
“What???”
“MOM?”
“WHAAAAAAT??!?!?!?”
“MOOOOOOOOOOM!!!”
And the anger fueled me as I sprang from my chair and stomped into the bathroom where my little 7-year-old squatted in the bathtub.
“Um…I….um….I’m gonna…um…wait until the water is….um….cooler before I scrub up, okay?”
<insert ridiculous Mom lecture here on various points including, but not limited to: listening, hurrying up, making Mom late, what we don’t have time for, etc.>
Then I huffed and stomped back to my chair and sat down, as stated previously, in a huff.
Now, back to my SPIRITUAL THOUGHT POST.
Yeah. I’m a hypocrite.
Here I was trying to impart some kind of profound/spiritual/inspirational/motivational/thought-provoking message to our readers, and what was I doing?
Being a jerk.
<sigh>
Sometimes “material” presents itself.
In my Sunday morning rush (and shouldn’t I NOT be rushing around on the Sabbath?) I had allowed my self-induced stress to creep into my reactions to my son.
Was it his fault that I didn’t get up in time to calmly make a dessert for dinner? Was it his fault that I had gotten him into the bathtub during the crucial final hour before leaving for church? Was it his fault that I was too busy worrying about a blog post to “bother” with helping him at bathtime?
Of course, the answer is….no.
So, here I sit. Waiting for my probably-failed new recipe to come out of the oven. I’m late for church because it took longer than I thought to bake. And it stresses me out a little (I hate being late!).
But I feel pretty good.
Because I have a 7-year-old who quickly and lovingly obliges his mom when she asks him to forgive her for losing her temper.
Sometimes you just need some oozing, melty cheese.
Now, to get this one right and achieve oozing, melty nirvana you really do have to use White American cheese.
Wanna know how I know that?
Failed attempt. That’s how I know that. I tried subbing Monterey Jack and queso fresca and ended up with a big ol’ blob of seized cheese curd. Even after a trip to the blender, it just couldn’t be saved.
Time of death: five minutes before I ran to the store to get the good stuff.
Using the microwave makes this a super easy dish. I mean, you can really do this in less than 10 minutes, you know?
And it’s a crowd pleaser.
Wanna know how I know that?
Successful attempt. That’s how I know that. Multiple children crowded around dripping oozing, melty nirvana all over my kitchen counters.
Yep. Sometimes you just need some oozing, melty cheese. And maybe an ice-cold Dr. Pepper to wash it down with. 😉
Easy Queso Blanco
2016-09-02 06:17:57
Oozing, melty cheese nirvana. From the microwave--easy!
Cut the cheese (ha ha ha......sorry) into 1" cubes and place into a large microwave-safe bowl with the milk and water.
Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stopping two to three times to stir the melting mixture.
Use a whisk to incorporate the melted cheese fully into the milk/water.
Add the remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine.
Notes
White American cheese can be purchased at the deli counter. My grocery store only had Boar's Head brand, but it was super tasty.
I had never heard of pickled jalapenos before! But there they were, right in the Hispanic food aisle. I had to hunt a little bit, but I found one brand--La Costena.
You can serve this as a dip OR as a sauce for a Mexican dish.
Store any leftovers in the fridge and simply reheat in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring well, until it's heated through.
I remember the first time I saw that quote. Somebody–can’t remember who–posted it on Facebook. But what I do remember, is how it cut me right to the core.
Why? Well, I’m sure you can guess.
I’ve been much TOO busy lately.
Summer was chaotic, or at least it felt that way. It seemed as though I was constantly putting out fires or spinning plates or whatever analogy works here. I kept thinking, “Okay, but after ______ is all done, I’ll be able to relax and work on some fun projects, organize my time, and get my life in order!”
Yeah.
That time never came.
Or if it did, I was too exhausted to notice it.
Now couple that busyness with this confession:
I stink at remembering to pray and read scripture. <guilty face>
As I was driving around town dropping off some kid to some thing this week, I pondered how sad it is that I am so prone to just let those VERY important things just drop out of the picture. I know we all struggle with eliminating bad habits and maintaining good ones; but these habits just seem especially hard for me to nurture. And yet, they are so very vital to my happiness.
And as I pondered this neglect, a song popped into my head.
“My Goodness” by The Belle Brigade
Now, I have no idea what the artist’s thought process was in writing this song. I just know that, in that moment, the verses seemed particularly meaningful to me. For my purposes, let’s just say that “my goodness” and “my love” have to do with my spiritual well-being and my relationship with deity.
My goodness is a tumbleweed, blowing away from me
I neglected the garden, it wilted and it hardened
Like a lifeless bouquet I let it blow away
My love is a broken wing
And it doesn’t beat
I neglected the arrow that tore into the marrow
In a feather cascade I let it blow away
Wow. Seems really depressing, huh?
But my point is, I have been negligent. And the result is….well….a wilted spiritual garden that yields no fruit. A broken wing that makes it hard to soar above problems.
And all this frustration, stress, anxiety, irritability.
Why?
Because I tried to do it all backwards.
And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.
Mosiah 4:27
I didn’t put first things first. I did it out of order.
You’ve seen it. We all have. That object lesson with the rocks, pebbles, and sand. It’s been done to death but that’s because it’s just so dang applicable. And just in case you are the one person on earth who doesn’t know what I’m talking about….
I’ve been pouring sand into my jar first, stuffing a few pebbles in, and shrugging my shoulders that the rocks didn’t fit. “Oh well,” I said. “Maybe there’ll be room for them tomorrow.”
Problem is, tomorrow is a really bad day to work on good habits because it’s always in the future. It’s never in the present.
Now, as much as I’d love to say, “And now to tell you all about how I slayed the busyness monster and reclaimed my spiritual life”…well…I’m just not there.
Yet.
I’m in the awareness phase. The phase where you realize your awful situation and are, well, kinda stymied as to how you got yourself there and why you struggle so much! But it’s a good phase because it’s a beginning.
Or can be, if you take action from awareness.
So, this is me. Moving from awareness to action.
So while you wait for me to start that post–you know, the “And now to tell you all about how I slayed…” post–how about we both watch this epic General Conference address by Elder Oaks and start figuring out how to stop just being busy and how to sift through the GOODS and BETTERS to make sure we are doing the BESTS first.
Because really, I just don’t want to be THAT busy.
It all happened because I was thinking how boring my black candles were–I had bought them for my Halloween mantelscape and had foregone the much-more-expensive-but-way-more-cute black and orange striped candles. What could I do to liven up these boring tapers?
