Julie

Are you holding up an umbrella?

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I got so many inspirational messages in last night’s General Women’s Meeting from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I especially loved the addresses of Sister Marriott and President Uchtdorf.  One thing he said stuck with me, and with many others I’m sure since a graphic depicting the message had already begun circulating only an hour or two after the talk.

President Uchtdorf said that sometimes we imagine that Heavenly Father has this store of blessings locked away with Him and that He will only send them down to us when we have done a list of certain things.  But President Uchtdorf said this is not true.  He said that Heavenly Father is constantly raining down blessings upon us but that we often block these blessings, not recognizing them, because of our own actions.

Image Credit:  lds.org

This made me think of a few things.  First of all, it made me realize that Heavenly Father is indeed always trying and wanting to bless me.  He loves me.  Not just as one of billions of His children, but that He loves me uniquely and individually and really is interested in my happiness.  He knows my name and everything else about me.  He knows me better than I know myself and knows what blessings I need, not just the ones I may ask for.

Secondly, it made me think of all the blessings that I do receive but take for granted.  In a video presentation during the same meeting I noticed a woman walking to her front door.  Her door was made of just plywood, unpainted and unadorned.  This scene pierced my heart because I thought of how often I have complained about my house being too small, not pretty enough, etc.  I was humbled.  I need to be content with the blessings Heavenly Father has already granted me.

Lastly, I began to think of what I am doing to block the blessings my Heavenly Father is so earnestly trying to give me.  How is fear stopping me?  What doubts are blocking the blessings?  What sins are acting as an umbrella?  These are deep questions and ones that I need to ponder for a long time to figure out.  Deep questions require deep thought and meditation.  Once the answers are unearthed, deep commitment is then required.  This will be a long process for me, I am sure.

Are you holding up an umbrella?

Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce

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This is a great sauce and it’s full of healthy fat and flavor.  I served it with some cubed, cooked chicken and rice vermicelli noodles (since I’m avoiding wheat).  But you could serve it with any noodle you wish and have it as a main dish or as a pasta side dish.

Ingredients:
1 ripe medium or large avocado (pitted and scooped out of the skin)
1/2 lemon
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

(Begin cooking your pasta before you start the sauce.  By the time it’s al dente, your sauce will be all ready to go!)

In a food processor blend the garlic, the juice from the half lemon, and the olive oil.   Add the avocado, basil, and salt.  Process until smooth.  If too thick, add water a couple of Tbsp. at a time through the feed chute until it reaches the consistency you want.

Garnish your pasta and sauce with zest from the lemon half and with extra chopped basil if desired.  You may also want to add some salt and pepper.

Mine was pretty thick even after about a third cup of water added, but once it was mixed in with the pasta it was perfect!

Source:  greatist.com

Itty Bitty Pancake Muffins

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It’s time for us to share some freezer meals on Mormon Mavens in the Kitchen!  I mean, it’s back-to-school season and we are all pressed for time with all the added stresses that entails.  So how about we take the next couple o’ weeks and share some of our favorite freezer-friendly recipes with you?

I chose to share a breakfast freezer recipe.   Pancakes?  Well, not exactly.  These are pancakes disguised as muffins!  Make a big batch ahead of time, cool, freeze, and take them out the night before to thaw.   Serve with warmed maple syrup and you’ve got a great breakfast treat without having to get up early!
Itty Bitty Pancake Muffins
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
blueberries or chocolate chips, optional
warmed maple syrup for serving
1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients and whisk well to combine.
2.  Combine milk and vinegar and allow to sit for one minute.  Then whisk in the eggs and the vanilla.  
3.  Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and mix by hand until just combined.  Then added the melted butter adn stir to combine.  (Add more milk if batter is too thick, more flour if it is too runny.)
4.  Spray a mini-muffin tin with baking spray and fill cups only 2/3 full.  Then top with 3 blueberries or a few chocolate chips (I use maxi chips, so I only need 3 chips).
5.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Tops don’t really brown much, but the sides do.  Let them sit in the pan for a minute or two and then take them out of the pan.  I use a plain ol’ cereal spoon for this.  I run it around the edge and then the muffin scoops out easily!
To freeze, just let them cool completely and then place them into a freezer bag in one layer, flat.  Seal the bag almost all the way and then use a drinking straw to suck out as much air as you can.  Seal, date, and freeze.  Use within a few weeks to avoid freezer burn.
Source:  very slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Baked Eggs in Avocado

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Although I love oatmeal and have it most mornings, sometimes I grow tired of the same-old, same-old.  I thought I’d break out of my routine a bit and give this a shot.  Glad I did!

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocados
2 eggs
salt, pepper, chopped chives

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  Slice avocado in half and remove the pit.  Scoop out about 2 Tbsp. worth of avocado from pit area of each avocado half.  This allows for more room for the egg.
3.  In a loaf baking pan, arrange a large sheet of foil so that you can kind of scrunch it to make an area for the avocados to rest without moving.  Place avocado halves in pan.

4.  Sprinkle each avocado half with salt and pepper  (The pic doesn’t show it, but I’m suggesting it after the fact!).  Crack an egg into each half, slowly.
5.  Bake until egg whites are set.  (Original recipe said 15-20 minutes but it took my oven 25-30 minutes.)
6.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with more salt and pepper, if desired, and garnish with the chopped chives.

Source:  fitsugar.com

What a Beautiful World

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If you read my recipe posts you know I spend a lot of time on Pinterest.  Okay, maybe too much time.  But one thing I love about watching my Pinterest feed is seeing all the beautiful photos of places that people want to visit, want to duplicate with watercolors or oils, or just want to pin because of the beauty.  Our earth is truly a magnificent place.

Whenever I see gorgeous autumn color or a spectacular display of flowers or a rich sunset I almost always think how much our Heavenly Father loves us to have given us such a beautiful place in which to live.  My mother once told me that sometimes when she sees a beautiful scene she just says, “Thank you” as a little tiny prayer to Heavenly Father.

Communing with nature is such a powerful way of connecting with the divine.  Prayer and meditation are often best enjoyed in a quiet, majestic, natural place.  What a beautiful world we have–our hearts should be full of gratitude for the beauty of this place.

Spinach Chopped Salad

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Ever since my sister posted this recipe two years ago, I’ve been in love with chopped salads.  I’ve followed recipes and also just played around with putting together my own favorite ingredients.  It always seems to turn out great.  I came across this recipe the other day and thought I would try and share.

P.S.  I also like to eat chopped salads with a big spoon instead of a fork!  Much, much easier.

Ingredients:
8 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
1/2 cup kernel corn
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 large avocado, sliced and diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Dressing:
3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. Dijon or Dusseldorf mustard
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Combine all salad ingredients in a very large bowl.
2.  Combine dressing ingredients and whisk together.  Pour over salad, a little at a time, and toss.  Serve.

You may not use all the dressing; it just depends on your taste.  Also, if the dressing has too much tang for you, add a little sugar to it.  Taste it first before you dress the salad.

Source:  Recipe Girl

Chocolate Sorbetto

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Earlier this year we took a trip to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia.  I was in the midst of a 3-month elimination diet to help cure some GI problems and was off of all sorts of foods including dairy, wheat, and–of all things–vanilla.  As we were passing through “Italy” my husband spotted a little gelato stand and pointed it out.  I thought this was really cruel at first because I happen to ADORE gelato and obviously couldn’t have any.  However, it turned out to be fortuitous because they also had sorbetto.  Now, I’d never heard of it but it sounded like something worth investigating.  We asked and to my delight we were told that it had no dairy and no vanilla!  SCORE!!!  We shared a chocolate sorbetto and later returned for a combo of strawberry and chocolate because it was so good.  I vowed to find some sorbetto recipes and make some for myself.  This recipe comes VERY close to the Busch Gardens one.  All my kids loved it!  We served it with homemade strawberry jam to cut the richness a little.

Chocolate Sorbetto
Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract*

1.  Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring often to make sure all the sugar dissolves.  Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 4 minutes.
2.  Take the saucepan off the heat and add in the chopped chocolate, whisking until the mixture is completely smooth.  Add the cocoa and whisk till smooth.  Add vanilla and whisk.
3.  Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl to cool to room temperature.  Stir often while it cools.
4.  Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
5.  Pour into ice cream machine and process by manufacturer’s directions.  Transfer to freezer container and freeze at least 2 hours.

To serve, remove container from freezer and allow to stand at room temp for 15 minutes.

FYI–Sorbet and sorbetto are sometimes used interchangeably.  From what I can tell, sorbet is French in origin while sorbetto is Italian.  From what I have experienced, sorbetto seems to be creamier in texture than sorbet.

Source:  bittersweetblog.com (slightly adapted)

Dilly Ranch Dressing Mix

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My family loves Ranch dressing.  I mean LOVES.  This mix makes a tasty ranch that’s sure to please you ranch-lovers out there.  I’ve also added some variations you can try.

Dilly Ranch Dressing Mix

Ingredients:
1/4 cup black pepper
1 1/2 cups parsley flakes
1/2 cup garlic salt (5.25 oz can)
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup garlic powder
3/4 cup onion powder
2 Tbsp. dill weed

Mix together and store in a quart jar.  Makes about 3 1/2 cups of mix.

To make into dressing:  Stir 2 Tbsp. of mix into 2 cups mayo, 2 cups buttermilk, 1 tsp. lemon juice.  Chill for 2 hours.  Makes 1 3/4 quarts.

Variations:

  • Add powdered Parmesan and/or Romano cheeses to make Parmesan Ranch.
  • Add 4 Tbsp. Dijon mustard and a touch of honey for Dijon Ranch.
  • Add 1/4 cup finely chopped cucumbers and 1/4 tsp. celery seed for Cucumber Ranch.
  • Add a touch of BBQ sauce or Sweet & Sour sauce.
  • Add salsa and cumin for a Southwestern Ranch.
Source:  BYU Aspen Grove 

Coconut Oil Fudge

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Here’s another recipe found while searching for dairy-free dessert solutions.  I also have to have vanilla-free, so I subbed another extract for the vanilla in this recipe.  But if you’d like to use vanilla, use 2 teaspoons of it instead of the almond extract.  You could also try mint, coconut, orange, etc.

Now I’ll be honest with you–I wouldn’t make this if I didn’t have issues with dairy.  I’d much rather have regular fudge.  But in the absence of said fudge, I’ve learned to make some adjustments.  And I love trying new ways to satisfy a sweet tooth in the face of my recent food restrictions.

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. almond extract
pinch of sea salt

1.  Use a 4-cup Pyrex glass measure to melt the coconut oil in the microwave (just eyeball a generous cup’s worth).  Pour any excess back into the original container until you have exactly one cup melted in your measuring cup.
2.  Add the remaining ingredients and whisk well.
3.  Place a few cups of ice in a mixing bowl large enough to place the Pyrex measuring cup in; drizzle a little water in with the ice.  Set the Pyrex measure in the larger bowl so it is sitting on the ice.  Whisk the mixture every few minutes until it begins to thicken.  Don’t let it sit there too long or it will begin to hard on the bottom and edges.  This thickening is important because if you don’t do this, your coconut oil will separate and float to the top.*
4.  Pour fudge into parchment-lined 8×4-inch loaf pan.  Place in freezer until set.  Cut into pieces and serve.

*When I made this I followed the directions exactly (which say to mix and pour and freeze).  When I peeked into the freezer, the coconut oil had all risen to the top and solidified in a white mass.  So I took it out, melted the mixture and tried the ice technique just to see if I could save it.  It worked!  My pic at the top right is the mixture without the ice technique and you can tell it’s very liquidy.  Make sure to do the ice thing or you’ve have gross fudge!

Source:  slightly adapted ingredients and methods from Seeds of Real Health

Nutella Cookies

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The original recipe calls for a filling, which we have used before as a frosting.  Didn’t use it this time but I’ve included it in case you would like to try it.  I’ve also just made a simple chocolate frosting to use on these.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Nutella
sugar for sprinkling

1.  Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugars.  Add the egg and scrape sides of bowl.  Add the Nutella until well combined.  Mix in vanilla.
3.  Add dry ingredient mixture to wet ingredients and mix until combined.
4.  Using a scoop or your hands, form cookie dough into balls.  Place on parchment on a baking sheet a couple of inches apart.  Press tops of cookie balls with a fork and sprinkle with sugar.
5.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Allow to cool completely on racks.  Frost or fill (or eat plain!).

Filling/Frosting6 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch salt
3/4 cup Marshmallow Creme
1/2 cup Nutella

1.  Cream butter and sugar together, then add vanilla and salt and mix well.
2.  Mix together the Marshmallow Creme and Nutella with a whisk until it’s light and fluffy.  You can add more powdered sugar if the mixture is not thick enough to spread.
3.  Use 1-2 Tbsp. of filling on half the cookies, then top each filled cookie with a plain cookie OR just frost all the cookies!

Makes about 2 dozen thin cookies

Source:  Wish I could remember……somewhere on Pinterest!!  Not my recipe, though.  If I can find it I’ll update here to link to the original site.