Morning Mix-Up

 

I think breakfast is beautiful. I love everything about it.

Especially eggs!

Everyone has had scrambled eggs. But have you ever had eggs scrambled with hash browns? Hash browns makes them taste 10 times more amazing! 

As if that wasn't great enough, this recipe also includes fried ham and loads of cheddar cheese to top it off.

Make it for breakfast tomorrow!

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R E C I P E

 

 

Recipe from Taste of Home’s “Contest-Winning Annual Recipes 2006” cookbook 

2 C. frozen hash brown potatoes 

1 C. chopped fully cooked ham 

1/2 C. chopped onion 

2 T. vegetable oil 

6 eggs 

Salt and pepper to taste 

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese 

Minced chives 

In a large skillet, fry potatoes, ham, and onion in oil for 10 minutes or until potatoes are slightly crispy. Beat eggs, salt, and pepper in a bowl; add to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set.

Remove from heat and gently stir in cheese; sprinkle with chives. Serve with buttered toast.

God of the Mountains

 

"Thy righteousness is like the great mountains." (Psalms 36:6)

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." (Psalms 90:2)

 

The evil in our world can overwhelm our souls. It towers high, looming over and shadowing all we see. 

 

But even greater than the evil, God's righteousness still stands. Before the world began, His righteousness was standing firm, and for eternity future it will continue to endure. 

 

When evil is rightly viewed in light of God’s righteousness, then we understand that the evil we experience in this world exists but for a moment. Evil will have its end, but we will rejoice in God's righteousness for all of eternity!

The evil may overwhelm our souls, but we can find rest in this towering truth. 

His righteousness is like the great mountains.

Rightful Place

"We can read all the books in the world and read the Bible through once a year, and sing our way through the hymnal, but when it is all over, we will never find peace or victory until God is given the place in our hearts that He has in the universe." (A. W. Tozer)

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38)

Cinnamon Puffs

Do you remember when you first fell in love with muffins?

Maybe it was those huge store-bought muffins. The chocolate ones. Yeah. The chocolate ones that taste like chocolate cake. The ones the size of a dinner plate. When you first clapped eyes on one of those bad boys as a 5-year-old, the sun came out and the angels sang as, at last, your greatest dreams had materialized before you. "It's beautiful!"  

Was that the first time for you?

Or maybe your grandma set a plate of fresh muffins on her kitchen table one day when you went to visit her, and that first bite of fluffy sweetness blew you away. "Please more muffins, Grandma!" you pleaded. (Of course you can, this is Grandma you're asking.)

Me, I was never a huge fan of muffins. Me and muffins, well, we just didn't have anything special between us. Sometimes when I had a muffin as a kid (the store-bought chocolate kind) ith sthuck tho the rthoof of mhy mufth. Then I'd be gulping down milk. In my experience, muffins were just thick and simply, bland. It's like it was trying to be a cupcake. But it just ended up being disappointing. 

One day my disappointment changed.

One of those slim cookbooks with multiple muffin recipes showed up in the house randomly (probably by mail) when I was around 14 or 15, and for some reason I couldn't stop looking at it. I don't know why -- I didn't even like muffins! But here I was carefully reading each recipe title, feverishly formulating the ingredients in my mind, mentally working through every step. 

Some of the recipes didn't interest me -- muffins with cranberries and even blueberries sounded as exciting as salad. Skip those! But some others . . . hmm. Some of them stood out . . . 

 Apple muffins with sour cream in the batter. 

Muffins with chocolate chips in them. 

And something called "cinnamon puffs."  

Huh. Something in that title stood out in a silent appeal. "Puffs," as in, not your average "muffin."

Finally, I got a chance to do some baking and I knew it was time to see if these were different than all the other muffins I had ever not enjoyed. I liked the way the batter came together, with sugar dissolving into the melted butter, and eggs added to that and then beaten into a golden, glossy, thick syrup. Finally flour and the other ingredients were ever-so-gently mixed in. Bake them, then dip them in (more) butter and now dip them in cinnamon-sugar, which will become one with the beautiful butter, creating a topping even yummier than frosting.

Finally, while the muffin was still hot and steamy, I took a bite . . . and I couldn't believe how amazing it tasted! Wow! It melted in my mouth like chocolate. 

It was love at first bite!

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R E C I P E

Recipe from the Gold Medal "Let's Bake!" cookbook

1/3 C. butter, melted
1/3 C. sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 C. flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. milk
 

Topping:

1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffins tins or use paper liners.

Mix melted butter and sugar, then add egg. Combine dry ingredients. Stir dry mixture into egg mixture alternately with milk. Do not over-mix. Divide batter evenly among muffins cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Immediately after baking, dip tops of muffins in melted butter, then in cinnamon-sugar mixture. 

 

Serve warm.

Outside, Inside

Outside: Frosty cold.  

Brr . . . 

 

Inside: Warm kitty. 

Hang your head over . . .

 

Hear the wind blow.

 

Don't you love the way grass bends down after it rains? Weighted down with moisture, they gracefully touch their toes while they soak up sunbeams.

Some things are designed to yield to the harsher elements. The mighty oak stands strong and invincible to the elements, enduring in its stolid resistance. But the strength of other things, like grass, is found in its yielding nature. Flexible and supple, they fly with every wave of stormy wind. Then, as the gales soar far away, they perch there from the ground perfectly unharmed, as if no storm had ever made them quiver.

 

Sometimes endurance is found in yielding to the storm, and sometimes the storm is all wind. It may blow us around, but we'll be okay in the end.

Onion Rings

What to do when Fred Meyer Bush Shopping sends you not sweet onions, but yellow onions, two weeks in a row?

I mean, onions are great in the right proportion in a casserole or a soup, but you can only go so far in consuming that many onions in a reasonable amount of time.

Onions rings would be amazing, I thought, but I've never made them before. And they're probably hard to make. And they won't be any good. Nix that idea.

But it wouldn't be nixed. Like an the aroma wafting from a 1950's diner, it kept coming back to me. 

So there I was in the kitchen, dropping the first battered onion slice into the bubbling oil. Please be good, I pleaded. I could think of nothing nastier than barely-cooked onions coated in a greasy batter that refused to bond to a veggie interior. But my hopes rose as the batter transformed into a puffy golden brown. After cooking the other sides of the onion rings, I avidly placed the first steaming-hot goodies onto a plate lined with paper towels. I eyed them as they cooled, dropping the second batch into the hot oil. Finally, after squirting some ketchup onto a plate for dipping, I took my first bite . . . and . . .

. . . Bliss.

Heaven. Perfection. 10/10. 

 

They. Were. So. Good. 

 

Like, someone-please-stop-me-I'm-going-to-eat-them-all.

How did I not know that onion rings of this magnitude were so simple to produce? It just goes to show ya that our doubts often tend to hold us back from really awesome things.

You might be reading this and you're thinking, Great, now I want onion rings. Uh, let's see . . . Got some onions in your kitchen cupboard? Yeah? Basic staple ingredients? You do? Well then, whatcha waitin' for! You should definitely make some. :) 

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R E C I P E  

 

 

Recipe from Food.com

1 egg

1 C. milk

1 C. flour

3 T. oil
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Oil for frying

Slice onions and separate into rings.

Pour oil into a medium or large-sized pan. Heat oil.

Combine all ingredients; stir until smooth.

Dip onion rings into batter.

Let excess batter drip off.

Fry for 2-3 minutes and place on paper towels to drain.

Freezing instructions: place in freezer bags and freeze. To reheat, place on tray in 375 degree oven for a few minutes.

Friday Evening Notebook + Banana Pudding Recipe

I am hearing . . .

Children are playing outside and their laughter is coming through my little window above my desk, which is open. The temperature is beautiful, 60 degrees, and it's sunny. At 9:53 pm. :)

In the kitchen . . .

Today I made a nanner puddin to finish off our 4th of July meal. (For those of you not acquainted with southern terminology, that's banana pudding.) I think I ate almost as many vanilla wafers as I laid down in the bottom of the pan. I forgot how yummy they are! Kind of like picking berries . . . gotta keep your strength up. ;) Then the smooth, soft layers of banana and the simple but comforting process of making homemade pudding. Is anything more homey than homemade pudding? Stirring away as the pudding steams and thickens . . . those thick, warm, vanilla bubbles are almost mesmerizing. We top our banana puddings with meringue, always a special finishing touch.

It has been years since I've made a nanner puddin myself, probably since I lived in Wainwright. I've eaten my share in the past five or so years, living in the south as I did before moving back to Alaska. A dear lady at my home church in Florida made nanner puddin devotedly for all of our church fellowships, which was at least twice a month. To this day hers are my absolute favorite. The reason why I haven't made a nanner puddin in so long is probably self-explanatory at this point -- I haven't had the need to! :) But now that I'm away from Mrs. Brenda, I need to make my own again.

(Recipe at end of post.)

I am reading . . .

Tread Upon the Lion, Book 3 of The Liberty Bell series by Gilbert Morris, Revival Praying by Scott Pauley, Lighting Styles by Kevin McCloud, and the books of Ezra and Psalms in my devotions

I am enjoying. . .

Reading blogs that I have recently discovered

My plans for next week. . .

Help with the building project going on at our property. Move a deep freezer and its contents into our kunichuk (Arctic entry room). General housecleaning, and maybe tackle a few areas that haven't been targeted yet this summer. Create plans for a standing shelf for behind the dryer (you can see it here). And hopefully a few bike rides with my sister, photography included!

 

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R E C I P E

 

 

Recipe from Great-Grandma Addie Chisholm

Vanilla wafers

6 bananas

3 eggs, separated

3/4 C. sugar

2 T. flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 C. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. butter

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 C. sugar

Place cookies on bottom and sides of one 9" x 13" dish. Slice bananas and layer evenly over cookies.

 

Separate eggs. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt; stir in milk. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Take 1/3 of hot mixture and, in a medium bowl, stir with egg yolks. Mix egg mixture with contents in saucepan; cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, for five minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter, stirring until butter is melted. Pour pudding evenly over banana layer.

Make a meringue with the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium with an electric mixer. When peaks begin to form, turn on high and slowly sprinkle in the sugar. Continue beating on high until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over the banana pudding. Place under a preheated broiler for about 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully, wait for even browning, and remove as soon as possible.

 

From: Jesus

 

1 Corinthians 1:3 

 

"Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." 

 

We can only find grace and peace in Him. Are you running short today? Jesus is waiting for you to come into His presence where He can pour these precious gifts upon you! 

 

Have a blessed Lord's day, friend!

Frozen Chocolate Pudding Treats

 

 

The first bite of one of these creamy, dreamy pudding treats is instant love!

My mom made these in the summer when I was kid. It was one of those desserts that I got lost in. You know, the ones where the rest of the world fades away, and it's just you and the pudding treat as all concept of space and time is erased...

They're so good it'll make your eyes cross!

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R E C I P E

 

 

Recipe from "The Jell-o Pages" cookbook

3/4 C. graham cracker crumbs
3 T. butter, melted

3-1/2 C. whipped cream
1/2 C. peanut butter
1 C. milk
1 (4-serving) pkg. instant chocolate pudding

Line 12 muffins cups with paper liners. Combine crumbs with butter; press 1 T. of mixture into bottoms of lined cups, top with 1 T. whipped cream. Gradually beat milk into peanut butter until smooth. Add pudding and stir until well blended, then fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon mixture into cups. Freeze.

Blue and White

Soothing hues of spring.

The Maker

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

"Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee."

(Jeremiah 32:27, 17)

For me, a lot of things are just too hard, but not for God. He's the Maker of heaven and earth.

He's almighty, and accessible.

"Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

(Jeremiah 33:2-3)

Break Up, Phase 2

Break up is not a simultaneous event here on the Kotzebue Bay. Two rivers empty into the bay. After the original bay ice moves out, the bay gets dumped again with the river ice.

When the rivers broke up a few days ago the community was surprised by the sheer amount of the incoming ice from the rivers. According to this news report, we were "threatened" by the fast-moving ice. It wasn't quite that bad, but it did tear up a building, dug up cement culverts, and created a contest for two front end loaders that had teamed up to protect other beach-front properties from destruction.

My Bonnie lies over the ocean (or bay, in this case)

I wish I could bottle the sounds of break up. The gentle gurgle of water, the deep crashing of icebergs, the crisp shatter of ice, and the smooth crackle of slush, makes for quite an Arctic symphony!

Chocolate Biscotti

This has got to be the most decadent thing you can enjoy with a nice cup of coffee.

This cookie that, at first glance appears to be a chocolate brick, once slipped into liquid bliss (ie coffee), soaks up said bliss like a sponge, transforming the brick into melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

They're terrible.

I used to make these for my family every other weekend or so. I think I did it for the light of sheer joy that sprang to my brother's eyes as soon as he saw them.

I think it's a family tradition I need to start up again.

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R E C I P E

 

 

Modified recipe from Allrecipes.com

1/2 C. butter, softened

2/3 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-3/4 C. flour
1/4 C. cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and chocolate chips. It will form a stiff ball of dough. (I like to use my hands to work it all together.)

Divide the dough in half and place on a greased baking sheet. Shape each half of dough into a 9-inch long and 1 1/2-inch wide log.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Flip the baking sheet around for even baking and bake for 20-25 more minutes until golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let biscotti cool until able to handle. Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch wide diagonal slices. Place biscotti cut side down on baking sheet. Bake again until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Spring Break Up on the Kotzebue Bay

I'm very blessed to live in Alaska.

 

It's finally one of our favorite times of the year here in the Arctic. 

It's the end of May and the sun rises at 3 am.

It's sets at 2 am.

All the daylight inspires you to get out there and get started on all your summer work.

Shortly after the bay breaks up is the best time for harvesting herring.

The herring are highly prized for their eggs, meat, oil and mash, and also because they are the first fish of spring. The return of the herring breaks the winter scarcity of fresh food and heralds the spring renewal of life.

“Herring provide the food source for almost every other animal in the water that we gather,” said interviewee Tammy Young. “They are on the ground floor.”

“Herring are the key to the ocean. They are our buffalo,” said Mike Miller of Sitka in the study.

https://www.uas.alaska.edu/about/press-releases/2019/191122-herring-roe.html

I like herring now and then, but for many people here herring is an important food source.

 

The change from winter to summer is so drastic. Beautiful days like this make up for the cold, dark weeks of winter.

(Those are the days I don't even want to think about!)

Can you believe it's already the end of May???

Summer days slip away way too fast.

 

I'm planning to enjoy every single one of them!

Cinnamon Bread

Just one bite of something special can take you back to other times and places. This bread does that for me.

I've really lost count of how many loaves of this yummy bread I've made over the years. I've made dozens of these warm, spicy loaves for my family, dozens for bake sales, and another dozen for pre-church nibbles.

My grandma in Iowa makes an Amish friendship bread that tastes similar to this loaf. Which makes me think of lots of nice Amish things. Like barns, horses and buggies, and so many incredible baked goods.

 

Y - U - M.

But back to the recipe. 

 

The cinnamon flavor in this loaf is carried through strongly with lighter notes of vanilla and butter singing along. But the very best part?

The carmelized cinnamon-sugar crusted on top.

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R E C I P E

 

 

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

2 C. flour

3/4 C. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 C. buttermilk

1/4 C. vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 T. sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly dust one 9x5-inch loaf pan with flour.

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then combine just until moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons butter until mixture resembles brown sugar in texture. Sprinkle over batter, then lightly swirl into top of batter with a knife.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer loaf from the pan to a cooling rack.