Bonnie's Kitchen
by Bonnie Hooley
 Bonnie’s Kitchen is
a monthly column that is sure to get you excited about
entertaining by offering simple ideas and recipes that make every
event a special occasion.
Bonnie’s
favorite scripture is found in Philippians 1:20, “…Christ shall
be magnified in my body…” One of the best ways that she's found
to live out that scripture is through entertaining. Her love for family, friends, recipes and dishes has worked
naturally into this.
When Bonnie's not
in the kitchen, she is Vice-President of one of the largest Trustee
firms in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, Canada. She sits on the board of her church and Kingdom Investments. She is past president of MAIRP.
Her
passion is Christ. The love of her life is her awesome husband of 24 years.
_______________________________________
Cakes from Mom's Kitchen
Bonnie Hooley, May 2008
"Thou art my God since my mother bare me."
~ Psalm 22:10
Being a mom is one of the greatest responsibilities bestowed on a human. If you compare it to other things God asks us to do it can be overwhelming.
I sing on our worship team at church. If I mess up on this ministry, what is the worse that could happen? I sing a flat note? I go a little off key? I might even prevent someone from entering into worship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords—but only temporarily. The ministry of being a mother entrusted with influencing another life is much more awesome in comparison.
Now the purpose of this observation is not to frighten you—but encourage you—honestly.
Take a good look at the children God has entrusted you with. Whether they are 2 or 52 they still need YOUR influence in their lives. God has given YOU unique talents, gifts and qualities perfectly suited to mould and encourage the lives that you parent. He knit you together in your mother’s womb—knowing exactly what qualities you would need for His perfect plan. He is the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End. He saw your child’s life before you were formed. He knew your shortcomings. You were fearfully and wonderfully made.
What amazes me most about the job of a mom is how unrewarding it APPEARS. Sure you get the odd "I love you mom" or a homemade card on Mother’s day—but does that really make it all worthwhile?
When you wash dirty dishes, dirty laundry and dirty faces, do you get a big "thank you?" When you go without sleep just to keep up, does anyone appear to care? When you do without and are thrifty with resources so that your family can have that special something, does anyone notice the sacrifice? The words you impart into their sweet hearts often seem to land on deaf ears. Yet, after all that work and sacrifice, it is mom who lies awake at night worrying about whether she is doing or has done a good enough job.
Remember God made who you are. God loves who you are. He knew exactly what you would, and wouldn’t do. He imparted to you all that was necessary to equip your child for a relationship with Him. If He needed you to be perfect He would have made you that way.
Some mom’s receive a partial reward when they see the life they formed seeking after God. Other mother’s pass away, before ever seeing the outcome of their efforts. What drives mothers and keeps them going, is that in their hearts, mothers know the real reward is not to be found on this earth—it awaits them. A reward bestowed by their Heavenly Father, who sees and knows each and EVERY sacrifice they've made.
So, mom, next time you are feeling unworthy and like you didn’t do enough—take comfort in knowing that you did exactly what God expected you to. Thank Him for the precious life he entrusted you with, and wait with joy for your reward is not of this earth.
 Here are a couple of cake recipes that my mom passed on to me. I remember many Saturday afternoons as a young girl, shredding carrots with my mom for our cake, then later topping that cake with a delicious cream cheese icing that she taught me to make. And I could never forget her Date Cake, for it's truly my favorite of them all.
Carrot Cake
Bake 350°F
1 Hour
Ingredients:
3C shredded carrots
4 eggs
2C sugar
2C flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1C corn oil (add last)
Procedure:
Mix eggs and sugar. Then add shredded carrots.
In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients together. Add to carrot mixture. Pour oil over all ingredients and mix.
Pour into greased 9” x 12” pan (or bundt pan) and bake.
Top with cream cheese icing.
Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients:
2 oz Cream cheese
1 C Icing sugar
1/4C butter
1 tsp vanilla
Procedure:
Combine ingredients and spread over carrot cake.
Mom’s Date Cake
Bake 350°F 30 minutes
Ingredients
Oat Mixture:
1 ¼ C rolled oats
1 ¾ C flour
1 ½ C brown sugar
1 C butter
1 tsp baking soda
2 T lemon juice
Date Filling:
1 ½ C dates
¼ C brown sugar
1T lemon juice
Procedure:
Mix ingredients in oat mixture together until crumbly. Put half of mixture in bottom of 9” x12” cake pan.
Put ingredients of date filling in small saucepan with enough water to cover dates. Bring to a boil. Simmer until thick. Stir constantly. When cool spread over oat mixture.
Place remainder
of oat mixture over top of dates in pan and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
_______________________________________
Embrace the Season!
Bonnie Hooley, April 2008
And as it was budding, its blossoms came out, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. Genesis 40:10b (NAS)
As winter memories fade we begin to see new life springing forth everywhere we look. Tender shoots once again push their way through soil as the sun’s warm beams beckon. The trees look ready to burst into green lusciousness at any moment. The sounds are different, the smells are different. Spring is bursting forth!
There is a newness, a freshness and a feeling of freedom that comes with spring. The world around us is transformed.
Windows closed for months are finally opened to welcome in the elements. Heavy coats and boots are shed for lighter jackets and shoes. Outdoors you find friends and neighbors that seem to have been hidden away for months.
Things are changing--even our diet. Tired of soups and stews that warmed us through winter we look for foods that reflect the new life around us. Fresh fruits and salads are once again craved.
Everything seems transformed.
As we look on in awe we remember… “He changes times and seasons!” (Daniel 2:21a (NIV) What an awesome God we serve! A God who would put so much attention into the smallest details knowing just how each would stimulate all our wonderful senses He blessed us with. Who can fathom that kind of love?
Ecclesiastes 3:1 promises that TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven. Have you every really thought about that? The God who put so much detail into the sights, sounds, and smells of spring puts the same care and attention into each season of your life that He wants you to walk through.
Just like Spring, embrace the season in your life God has brought you to. Take time to absorb all that season has to offer and to soak in the blessings that come with it.
Just like the earth’s seasons, we know that some seasons are harder to bear. Yet, each is beautiful in its own way and each season will end. Don’t miss the blessing of the season you are in, by always looking back. Embrace God where He has you now.
There is both sadness and joy when seasons end. Sadness for what is behind and anticipation for what is to come. Until then embrace Spring for all it has to offer!
Tantalize your senses with one of these...
27 Variations of Spinach Salad:
_______________________________________
He Has Risen
Just as He Said
Bonnie Hooley, March 2008
"He has risen, just as He said."
~ Matthew 28:26 ~
Have you given much thought to yeast? Just a little bit of yeast can have a great impact on a large batch when making breads. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. (2 Corinthians 5:6) Scripture often refers to yeast as sin. Yeast is actually a fungi. Fungi will draw its nutrition from many things including decaying organic matter.
When we think of the last supper we remember Jesus breaking unleavened bread with the disciples. Bread that hadn’t risen. Bread without yeast. This Passover meal was a reminder of when Moses freed the Jews from slavery in Egypt. They escaped so quickly they didn't have time to let their bread rise, and therefore ate unleavened bread. This celebration foreshadowed what was to come.
We are encouraged to eat the unleavened bread and drink the wine as a remembrance of Christ’s suffering on the cross. Scriptures remind us to partake in the “Last Supper” as we do show the Lord's death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:23). Partaking of the unleavened bread and wine is traditional for most Good Friday services.
But it doesn’t end there…
We serve a RISEN Savior!
Three days later Christ rose from the dead! Sin no longer had a death grip on mankind. Through the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God, all can partake in His eternal glory.
While unleavened bread reminds us of His suffering and death, it does not signify a Risen Savior! A Savior that overcame sin and death!
When I bake with yeast, I find a unique transformation occurs in my mixture. I start with a bowl ¼ full of ingredients then I add the yeast. While the yeast appears to be the smallest and least significant part of my mixture it starts to have the greatest impact. After I add yeast, things start to transform. As I wait, the dough starts to rise. I can punch down the dough, but the dough will continue to rise. Soon what started out as a ¼ of a bowl of ingredients, rises to a full bowl of dough.
When I make dough it reminds me of my Risen Savior--the Savior who overcame sin through death on the cross. The people thought they had ridden themselves of Jesus by burying Him in the ground. They rolled the stone in front of the tomb to seal away this man who preached a gospel they did not want to hear.
Little did they know that God’s perfect plan was only beginning to unfold!
Little did they know that His death was just what was required! Little did they know that three days later He would rise from the dead!
The risen Christ has spread His gospel so much further than the living Jesus did. The gospel of the Risen Christ has spanned the entire world--generation after generation.
It is very important to partake in the memory of the last supper--the feast of the unleavened bread. The memory of God’s own sinless son, beaten, bruised and crucified for our sins. Christ orders us to do this in remembrance of Him.
But each time you use yeast, take time to remember the Risen Savior! The Savior who overcame sin! The Savior who hid in the earth for just a little while - THEN ROSE – changing your life and mine for eternity!
Bonnie's Easy Easter Cinna-Bons
Bake 350 F 20 – 25 min.
 Buns
2 packs of Instant Quick Rise Yeast
½ cup warm water
6 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 c milk
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
Flour (approx 8 cups)
Topping
1/3 cup butter
½ cup sugar (white or brown)
2 T cinnamon
Scald milk and set aside to cool. Melt butter. In a large bowl, add melted butter, sugar, salt and beaten eggs. Stir scalded milk, water and yeast into egg mixture. Gradually add flour and stir until kneaded into a soft ball that no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Place clean tea town over bowl and let rise in a warm humid place until it doubles in size (approx. ¾ hour). Roll dough out.
Melt butter and brush onto the dough. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon as desired. Roll into tube shape and cut off 1 inch slices of tube to form buns.
Place buns on baking pan 1½ inches apart. Cover with tea towel and let rise again. Approx. ½ hour.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes in 350 F oven
Drizzle with icing sugar (optional)
_______________________________________
Love One Another
Bonnie Hooley, February 2008
If we love one another, God dwelleth in us,
and His love is perfected in us. ~ 1 John 4:12 KJV
February is that month where Valentine’s Day rolls around, and we are told that love is in the air! Would Jesus have celebrated this day? If so, what would His celebration have looked like?
Dictionary.com defines Valentine as: a sweetheart chosen or greeted on this day. I can’t see Jesus bringing chocolates or flowers just because the calendar said to, but I can see him turning a celebration invented by man into something that would honor His Father.
The day holds an interesting mix of people and emotions. As you look around you'll see sweethearts sharing flowers and chocolates, and if you look hard enough, you'll also see many single people left out of the celebration.
Some of those are widows looking back with pain, remembering their loss. Some have never married and look forward with longing and anticipation because God has not brought that someone special into their life yet.
What you see most are self-centered people thinking about themselves on a day that should be celebrating God’s greatest commandment--the commandment to love one another.
I'm challenging you to spend your Valentine’s day bringing glory to God. Spend time thinking about who you will choose or greet as your sweetheart on that day. Make it an opportunity to visit the homeless and bring them a warm cup of coffee. Seek out widows you have been blessed to know and bring them something specially prepared from both your kitchen and your heart.
Get the whole family involved, and if you have kids, let them help you seek out a Valentine to bless on this day we celebrate love.
Let’s spend Valentines Day in a way that would honor our Heavenly Father. Let us use it as a wonderful opportunity to show our love to one another!
Below I have included a recipe that is in keeping with a Valentine’s Day celebration. It is loaded with chocolate and gifts very well.
Triple Chocolate Muffins
 Ingredients:
4 eggs
½ cup oil
1-19oz Deep chocolate cake mix
1-4oz. Pkge chocolate instant pudding
¾ cup water
3 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup sour cream
Procedure:
Beat eggs until thick and foamy. Add oil gradually. Add other ingredients gradually, adding sour cream last.
Line muffin tins with muffin cups. (For standard muffin cup pour in 1/3 cup batter – for larger cups use more.) Note: if muffin cups are filled more than 3/4, muffins will have flat, tops.
Bake in preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 minute; remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Variation - Black Forest Muffins:
Add a bit of cherry pie filling to the center of each muffin before cooking. Top with whipped cream.
_______________________________________
The Yada Yada
Prayer Group
Gets Cooking!
Bonnie Hooley, January 2008
O thou that hearest prayer,
unto thee shall all flesh come. Psalm 65:2
Over the past couple of summers I have been enjoying The Yada Yada Prayer Group series. It is a series of books written by Neta Jackson. Neta Jackson and her husband have authored or co-authored over 100 books including their award-winning TRAILBLAZER series.
 The Yada Yada series is written through the eyes of the main character, Jodi Baxter. The series covers the lives of a group of women of differing ages, races and religions who share a common love for their Lord Jesus Christ. The book takes you through the ups and downs of the lives of these women, who always support each other through prayer and fellowship.
I have been inspired by different characters at different times throughout the series. Last summer it was the character Nony who inspired me to pray my scriptures and learn my Psalms in a more meaningful way.
Throughout the series a number of different foods are mentioned--food for birthday celebrations, food for potlucks, food for their Yada Yada meetings... Being the recipe collector that I am, I began wondering if the food was as fictional as the characters, or whether or not there were actual recipes that went along with some of those meals.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that not only were some of the recipes available, but the recipes are so popular that the Yada Yada books have been reprinted in a Party Edition!
The party editions will have varying recipes listed in the books, including some signature recipes from the main characters. In addition there will be celebration ideas in the back of each book. The author, Neta Jackson, has informed me that she and her husband have tested all the recipes, and that some of them are their old favorites.
Neta Jackson was gracious enough to share with us one of those recipes. It is listed below. This recipe is cited in the books as one of Jodi Baxter’s favorite recipes and is “high on the list of Five-Star Baxter favorites. First, because it’s simple (yea for sales on boneless chicken breasts!). Second, because it’s delicious. If you like lemon, this one is guaranteed to be a family favorite.”
Lemon and Thyme Chicken Breasts
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. butter (or margarine)
1 cup chicken broth (or 1 cup water and 1 tsp. chicken bouillon)
3 Tbsp. lemon juice (fresh if possible)
1 Tbsp. fresh or 1/2 Tbsp. dry thyme
lemon wedges
2 Tbsp. chopped, fresh parsley
Shake the flour, salt, and pepper together in a lunch-size paper bag. Add the chicken and shake to coat. (Save the excess seasoned flour.) Put the chicken breasts into a large skillet in which you have heated a tablespoon of olive oil over a medium heat. Brown the chicken on one side (about 5 minutes) and turn. Add the second tablespoon of olive oil, and brown on the second side.
Remove and set the chicken aside. Melt the butter in the skillet and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the remaining seasoned flour and stir until smooth. Add the chicken broth, thyme, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir constantly while you bring the sauce to a boil.
Return the chicken to the skillet and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the skillet and cook until the chicken is tender (about 15 minutes).
Remove the cooked chicken breasts to your serving plate. Stir the remaining lemon juice into the sauce and pour over the chicken. Garnish with parsley and extra lemon wedges.
Serves 4. (For a quick, easy, and luscious meal, serve with rice and steamed broccoli, which you prepared while the chicken was simmering those last 15 minutes. Use some of the pan gravy over the rice.)
______________________
This recipe along with many others can be found in the Party Edition of the Yada Yada novel series, Book #5: The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught by Neta Jackson (Thomas Nelson Publishers, original copyright date 2006, Party Edition 2008).
(Click here to find it at Amazon )
The recipe will be most delicious if shared with friends that you fellowship with, and pray for.
_______________________________________
Joy to the World
The Lord Has come!
Bonnie Hooley, December 2007
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:10 KJV
Christmas is such a joyous time when it is spent celebrating with friends and family. The day we set aside to celebrate the birth or our Lord is not enough. We try to spread it over a Christmas season. There are many traditions and gatherings that we have come to hold dear. Every family seems to have its own. While the tradition may be unique to your family, the celebration of Christ’s birth is universal.
One tradition that is commonly celebrated is the Christmas cookie. We all have our favorite cookies and our memories of making them. We spend time baking Christmas cookies with family. Who doesn’t remember spending time in the kitchen with mom, grandma or aunt? Many now pass on that tradition to children who are dear to them. The Christmas cookie is served at gatherings. Delivered to shut-ins. Gifted to friends. Mailed away to family afar. We gather for cookie exchanges and are always looking for the right cookie recipe.
The taste of some cookies will bring back memories--memories of warm times celebrating the joyous Christmas season.
In honor of the Christmas cookie tradition, I held a contest asking for cookie recipes. Below are a few I chose to feature in this month’s article.
Please try some of these recipes and make them a part of your Christmas tradition. Use the Christmas cookie to bless others and create warm joyous memories.
(Note: The winner--randomly chosen--is Candace M. from Michigan. with her "Not Your Average Sugar Cookies" recipe.)
EASY COOKIE
Bake 10 minutes at 325 degrees
Here is a simple, simple cookie recipe that has lots of variations!
It's great for cookie swaps, gift baskets, etc.
Watch out, they are addictive!!!!!
EASY COOKIE
1 box cake mix (strawberry, lemon, chocolate, etc.)
1 8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 egg
powdered sugar
Mix cake mix, and egg. Fold in thawed whipped topping and roll batter
into balls.
Roll in powdered sugar and press slightly flat. Bake 10 minutes @ 325 degrees.
You can even blob icing on for an extra touch!
Thanks,
Bitsy
OLD FASHION SOUR CREAM COOKIES
Bake 10-12 minutes at 355 degrees
(Makes approximately 4 dozen nice soft chewy cookies)
3 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Cup soft margarine
1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 eggs
1 C. Sour cream
1 Tsp. Vanilla
Topping
1/2 C. Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Refrigerate the batter for at least 1 hour. Drop from spoon onto greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with Topping. Bake. If you prefer, don't add the topping before baking.
After cooling you may prefer to top with your favorite icing recipe.
My Favorite from the Mennonite Cookbook.
Dallas Turner
Not Your Average Sugar Cookies
Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees
I guess everyone’s mother has a recipe that she insists is the very best. This one was my mom’s. She got it out of her 1938 Greenville Michigan Congregational Church Cookbook (and now it is back in a church cookbook – hooray!) Her testimony for these cookies was that they taste better than regular sugar cookies because “the recipe calls for cream of tartar instead of baking powder, so you don’t get that dry, almost bitter flavor like you do in other sugar cookie recipes that use baking powder.” Why was this so important to her? Who knows…but I do know, that to this day, if I don’t make these for my brother at Christmas time…he has a fit! Mom even used to cut a few in a circular shape and fill one half of the circle with cooked dates. Then, she’d fold over the other half and seal it. Then, sprinkle a little sugar on top and bake along with the rest of the cutouts. These were Dad’s favorites! Jackie Mercer was right – they really ARE good…try them this Christmas and see for yourself. You’ll never buy Pillsbury sugar cookie dough again!
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 cup butter
3 eggs
3 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
Cream the butter and sugar with electric mixer. Add the beaten eggs and the dry ingredients and mix with electric mixer. Add vanilla and mix. Cover batter and refrigerate over night. Roll out on flour-coated pastry board about ¼ inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Using spatula, carefully lift each cookie onto cookie sheet. When sheet is full, sprinkle all cookies lightly with red or green colored sugar (or plain sugar if you prefer.) Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes.
Candace, Michigan
Whipped Shortbread
Bake 12 -15 minutes at 350 degrees
1 pound butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 cups all-purpose flour
Cream butter, icing sugar, vanilla and salt. Gradually add cornstarch and flour. Whip with mixer until fluffy. Place into a cookie press and press out cookies on cool baking sheet.
Decorate with candied cherries if desired. Bake.
Let cool for 2 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Jillian Taylor-Mancusi
Nature’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees
1 cup real butter (room temperature)
2 cups wheat flour
1 tsp soda
1 cup organic sugar
2.5 cups blended oatmeal*
16 oz dark chocolate chips
1 cup organic brown sugar
½ tsp sale
2 organic eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
¼ of blended flax seed*
* Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Measure flax seed and blend into a fine powder. You can use a blender or food processor.
Mix the butter and both sugars.
Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, flax seed, salt, baking powder, and soda.
Add chocolate chips and mix. Flour hands and roll dough into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees. Baking stones take approximately 3 minutes longer. This recipe makes approximately 5 dozen cookies. Bake some now and store the rest in the fridge for another day!
Enjoy!
Much love,
Amy Grant Bayliss
In Pursuit of Proverbs 31
FENEKIA (Honey Cookies)
Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees
(Makes 6 dozen - plenty to share and plenty to eat:)
Just for fun, I am entering this one...There is a recipe that has been passed down to me. Warning, these cookies take TIME, but they are such HOLIDAY cookies...you would not make them just because. That is why I am sharing, they are just THAT good!
Trust me, they are worth the effort and PERFECT as a gift!
1 pound butter
1C oil
2/3 C sugar
3 1/2 Teaspoons baking powder
@ 6 Cups of Flour
Beat butter in mixer on high for about 10 minutes and slowly add the oil and beat for another 10 minutes.
Add in sugar slowly and beat for 5 minutes
Mix baking powder and 5 Cups of flour. Add the flour slowly, just until blended.
Stop the mixer and mix by hand the flour, the mixture should be smooth, not too dry or too sticky. If its too sticky add more flour.
Shape into small oval shapes and press with a grater to get a design on top.
Bake 350 degrees for @ 20 minutes.
SYRUP:
2 C sugar
2 C water
1 C honey
ground nuts
cinnamon
Boil sugar and water for 10 minutes and add honey and boil SLOWLY for another 10 minutes
Dip cookies in syrup before serving, and roll in nuts and cinnamon mixture
The cookies can be stored for several weeks in an airtight container separated with wax paper .
The cookies get dipped when ready to serve or give away.
I package them in or serve them in cupcake holders with one cookie in each one...
The honey is stored in the fridge and heated whenever it is ready to use.
**the two tricks in making these is to beat the dough and to use Land O Lakes butter...We have tried other butters and they just don't turn out as well....
enjoy!
Keeping the Thanks in Thanksgiving and the Christ in Christmas,
peace,
Lori,
Blog:
I Will Take it Lord, All You Have to Give
Dad’s/Grandpa Cookies
Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees
(Makes about 3 dozen)
1 cup soft butter – although butter works best you can also use margarine or butter flavour Crisco.
3 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup flaked coconut
2 cups rolled oats
1 large dose of fun and love provided by grandchildren who are not old enough to measure, read, and/or care how much mess they make.
Take a deep breath and have fun.
Have the youngest one measure out the butter (top up what’s missing) and put into a bowl.
Measure out the brown sugar (you can clean up the floor later) and add to same bowl.
Have the little ones measure out the vanilla - hold their hand while they measure (a little extra vanilla never hurt.)
Crack eggs into a separate bowl – take out all the egg shells (remember egg whites on the cupboard come off easily). Add to bowl with butter/sugar/vanilla.
Tell them what a great job they’re doing.
Give them a spoon and ask them to stir carefully (while you find the sanity to continue).
Call Grandpa in to see what a great job their doing and ask Grandpa to help the little one measure out the flour and other dry ingredients. Watch face as little one taste the baking soda. That’s okay a little spit in the cookie dough makes up for the lost egg liquid.
Beat the mixture until fluffy. By this time Grandpa will be covered in flour. Suggest to Grandpa that he continue with the rolled oats and coconut while you finish measuring out the other dry ingredients.
Add these to the butter/sugar mixture and blend.
Ask if the rolled oats and coconuts are ready and have them added (dumped) into the mixture. This mixture goes well with the sugar and flour currently on the flour and adds a little crunch.
Have little one stir. Okay now you have cookie dough on the floor – that’s okay we can pick it up later. Watch face as they taste
Finish mixing. Show little one how to get a big rounded tablespoon of dough and have them put it on the cookie sheet. Adjust cookies so that they are not touching but are about 3 “apart.
Ask little one to help you squish the cookies. While a fork works well, flat hands are more fun. Squish so that cookie is about 1/8 “ thick. Praise little one for work well done.
Tell them to stay away from the oven that has been set at 375. Have them help you set timer for about 10 minutes (or until nicely browned).
Turn on over light and let them look at cookies cooking. Explain about hot ovens. Take cookies out when done, let cool and then let little one take off plate and serve to Grandpa and Dad.
To make cookies nice and soft – store in a paper bag.
Yield approximately 3 – no make that 2 ½ dozen cookies. The other ½ is on the floor.
Smile – you’ve just made great cookies and lasting memories.
Kathy Paul
_______________________________________
Plan a Safari
Bonnie Hooley, November 2007
"The land we passed through and explored
is exceedingly good."
~ Numbers 14:7 NIV
You have heard of the adventurous safaris of the rich and famous. Well, you don’t have to go overseas on a hunting expedition to get the joy of the journey. You can have one in your community. Try a salad safari.
I went on one a few years ago that was organized by our church. It was great fun. We  had a few volunteers agree to open their homes and treat the safari group with their favorite salad. A group of us loaded on a couple of buses and went from house to house sampling the salads.
It was a great way to meet new people, visit homes and sample new recipes. You never knew what you were in for when you hopped back on that bus. Would the person beside you be someone you know, or someone you were about to meet? Would the next house be large or small? Would the next salad be spinach, Caesar or pasta? Would the driver make us do another fire drill around the bus in the middle of traffic?
A salad safari is a great way to fellowship without the pressure of having to entertain a group for the evening in your home. Often after a meal has been served, you second guess whether there was enough variety. Then there is the uncomfortable moment of what will come next--relaxed conversation or the dreaded charades.
A salad safari eliminates all those uncertainties. You are only responsible for making one dish--there will be plenty to sample throughout the safari. The evening is fairly fast paced, always moving on to the next adventure.
An evening of entertaining in your home is always a blessed occasion. A safari merely offers a different type of fellowship.
I have included a couple of salad recipes to get you started on your safari. For a different twist that’s certain to keep you warm this November month, try a soup safari.
Also…..
I found another great website to check out, which has some great tips and recipes. It's worth your time to check it out. Click on the link:
The Frugal Feast: A penny-wise approach to
living and eating like a king.
Broccoli Salad
Salad:
1 head broccoli cut small
½ C sunflower seeds
½ C raisons
8 slices cooked bacon (cut into bacon bits)
¼ C chopped red onion
Dressing:
½ C mayonnaise
½ C sugar
1 T Vinegar
Mix salad ingredients together separately from the dressing. Mix dressing with salad. Keep refrigerated until served.
Orange Salad
Ingredients:
2 C creamed cottage cheese
1 package orange gelatin
1 C miniature marshmallows
1 can mandarin oranges (drained)
1 can crushed pineapple (drained)
1 C Prepared whip topping
Procedure:
Mix ingredients together except whipped topping. Chill 1 hour. Mix in whipped topping and serve.
©2007, Bonnie Hooley
_______________________________________
Truly Great Recipes
Bonnie Hooley, October 2007
A time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
~ Ecclesiastes 3:6 NIV
If you love recipes, you may, have quite the collection as I do. I literally have scores of recipe books and haven’t tried the recipes in most of them. When I actually do try one, rarely does it turn out to be something I would make again.
It's disappointing to have invested time and money into a delicious looking recipe only to find out that it significantly lacks in taste.
How do you choose a recipe that will result in a good investment? I have discovered a couple of secrets:
- Buy the right recipe books.
- Choose recipes with ingredients that you like.
The Right Book
This summer I found “community” recipe books. These are books that hold recipes collected from people in a community such as your women’s ministry. I have discovered the recipes are usually delicious, practical and often include ingredients already in your kitchen.
It makes sense. If you were to donate a recipe for your women’s ministry, it would be your best! Your name is attached to it, your friends will be trying it. It would be the recipe your guests repeatedly ask for. You wouldn’t even submit a recipe unless you had something wonderful to offer.
I was given such a treasure book this summer from the women’s ministry in our area. I tried some of the recipes and true to their testimony, they were delicious, practical, and I had all the necessary ingredients in my kitchen.
Ingredients
In trying to be adventurous I often pick recipes with exotic ingredients only to discover why those ingredients are exotic to me. The other mistake I make is choosing recipes with ingredients I use all the time. I then wonder why everything I make tastes the same.
The secret is to choose recipes with ingredients you love, but don't always choose the same ingredients. You will open your taste buds to wonderful new flavours, just by combining your favourite foods in new ways.
* * * * *
If you want a great recipe, go out and find the collection your women’s ministry group has put together. Then look for a recipe with the most delicious sounding ingredients. The cost of the book usually supports the ministry and the recipes you receive will more than likely be ones you'll try and use again. You will be pleased with your purchase because like me, you will discover truly great recipes.
Below is a recipe from our Women's Ministry book. It is a perfect recipe for a Sunday dinner.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Merrilyn Nehring
1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 ¼ cups rice
1 can cream of chicken soup Salt and pepper to taste
1 rib celery, cut up
2 tsp butter or margarine
1 onion, cut up
4 chicken breasts or chicken pieces
1 can water
Mix and put in a 3 quart casserole. Place chicken pieces on top. Cover with foil and cook for 2 hours at 325 F
©2007, Bonnie Hooley
_______________________________________
Serving Through Hospitality
Bonnie Hooley, September 2007
Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home,
and he must love what is good.
He must live wisely and be just.
He must live a devout and disciplined life.
~ Titus 1:8, NLT
Once in a while you meet someone or come across a website that you just have to tell others about. I have discovered such a treasure.
This summer I was introduced to Sandy Coughlin, through her website, 4 Reluctant Entertainers.
Sandy describes herself as a mother of 3, who loves her family and loves blessing other people's lives, usually by entertaining in her home. Her mission is to write for reluctant entertainers and guide seasoned entertainers in bringing their art back. As busy as she is, she has also co-authored a book with her husband entitled, Married but not Engaged.
She lives by her 10 commandments of being HOSPITABLE. These commandments, found in the sidebar of her homepage, are referred to intermittently throughout her articles.
Sandy's rules for entertaining remind us to keep things fun and simple. It's not about us and how we look and sound, it is about blessing others. It is about showing our passion.
Her website is filled with practical ideas, stories from her home, and delicious recipes. It is definitely worth looking into. Below is one of her favorite dishes; I am looking forward to trying it.
ZUCCHINI NOODLES &
ALFREDO SAUCE
by Sandy Coughlin
Copyright © 2006-2007
A huge “hit” with company and also a great side dish is my fabulous Zucchini Noodles! They are a great substitute for pasta and can be served with an Alfredo sauce, any kind of meat, or with spaghetti sauce. Anywhere you’d eat pasta, you can substitute zucchini noodles.
This dish is also an excellent way for kids to learn how to eat zucchini, and an easy way to use up those over-sized zucchini hanging out in your garden bed!
Get your kids in the kitchen with the potato peeler and put them to work!
ZUCCHINI NOODLES
12 zucchini
Olive Oil
(Potato Peeler)
Take approximately 12 zucchini and create long ribbons with you potato peeler, starting at the top of your zucchini and peeling wide ribbons down the length of it. Continue turning and peeling until you use all of the green, and continue until it becomes too thin, or you reach the seeds. Discard the rest (or use in soup).
Heat a large skillet on medium-high and add your olive oil and noodles. Sauté for approximately 2-3 minutes. Do not over cook (they will become soggy). Add salt and pepper.
Make your favorite Alfredo sauce to add to the noodles and serve!
Alfredo sauce
10 garlic cloves
Olive oil
2 c whipping cream
1 c parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
Press about 10 garlic and sauté in olive oil in a small fry pan. Add 2 cups of whipping cream and heat on high until it starts to boil, then turn down to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Visit Sandy's website:
4 Reluctant Entertainers
_______________________________________
Apples are Coming
Bonnie Hooley, August 2007
Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket. ~
Proverbs 25:11: NLV
It’s that time of year, when apples of all shapes and sizes start falling from the trees. Apples are nutritious, low in calories and delicious. Apples can be sweet, bitter, crunchy or soft depending on the type. God has made hundreds of varieties of apples to suit each unique taste.
We have two apple trees in our yard and every year I face the same dilemma--trying to find new ways to cook the apples so they can be stored longer. This year I am a step ahead. I have begun the hunt early.
The internet is a rich resource for finding hundreds of different recipes using apples. I have discovered apples can be used in salads, breads, pizzas, cakes, cookies, dumplings, syrups, sauces and drinks--and that is just the beginning!
My friend Diane has had her apple trees longer than I have, and has her apple routine down pat. She gets her girls helping in the kitchen. Every summer the family freezes dozens of apple pies. What does one do with dozens of apple pies? She shares them, of course!
Diane is known for bringing a homemade pie to a friend or shut-in just when they need it. When the Lord blesses her abundantly with apples, she knows there will be a lot of people needing a kind word and a visit over the coming winter months.
I am sharing Diane’s recipe with you here. What is unique about her recipe is that the top crust is more like an apple crisp than a traditional pie crust. Try a pie from Diane--and remember to share one with a friend!
Diane’s Apple Pie
Ingredients:
Filling:
7 C apples
1T lemon juice
1/2C sugar
2T flour
½ tsp cinnamon
Topping:
1/2 C sugar
1/2C flour (or oatmeal)
¼ C butter
Procedure:
Filling:
Mix lemon juice with apples. Add remaining filling ingredients and mix together. Place in unbaked pie shell.
Topping:
Crumble topping ingredients together and spread evenly over filling.
Cover lightly with foil and bake at 400°F for 15 – 20 min. Remove foil and bake additional 45 min – 1 hour at 350°F
(Freeze before or after baking – if desired)
__________________________________________
Cooking with Kids!
Bonnie Hooley, July 2007
Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me;…” (Mark 9:37, NIV)
My earliest recollection of “cooking” was at about age three. I remember sneaking out of bed in the early morning as I made my way toward the kitchen--hoping not to get caught. It was there that I prepared the first creations from Bonnie’s Kitchen; uncooked oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon and milk. I called it Mush. It was delicious, and, little did I know--nutritious.
Was it a coincidence that all the ingredients I needed were kept in one low cupboard? Never gave it any thought until recently. My mom understood that even at that early age, kids need and want, to be creative in the kitchen.
To this day I love to get together with little ones and work in the kitchen. Sure it slows down the process a bit, but isn’t the process our goal? As adults our work in the kitchen seems to be goal oriented. If that recipe we worked on all day doesn’t turn out just right we’re frustrated.
Not so with kids. They couldn’t care less how things turn out. They take time to enjoy how the eggs look when they swirl around in the bowl. They love how the dough feels, being squished between their fingers. Even more than these, they love the attention an adult is giving them as they create something wonderful in the kitchen.
When my mom worked nights, our dad would often take us to the kitchen to entertain us. It was during one of these times that I learned that even if you plan to only pop a handful of kernels, you must put a lid on the pot. While hot popcorn flying through the room was a joy to me as a child, it brought horror to my father who scooted us out of the room.
Use some of the time the kids have off this summer to let them enjoy the kitchen. Choose recipes that are age appropriate. Choose recipes that are fun to make. Be creative and try new things. It can be as easy as buying prepared cookie dough and letting the kids get creative.
Below is a recipe I got from my 9-year-old niece, for a "Wildberry Smoothie." She found it herself, and asked me to make it with her. It's simple--making it a great recipe to share with a little one.
Wildberry Smoothie
 2 scoops vanilla or strawberry ice cream
½ cup of wildberries
1 cup of milk
Put liquid in blender first. Add remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth
Garnish with your favorite berries as shown.
Lay in the grass while you sip, and watch the clouds sail by. :)
__________________________________________
Love of the Father,
Easy as Pie
Bonnie Hooley, June 2007
"These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers
all over the world, but your Father already
knows your needs." ~ Luke 12:30
As we approach Father’s Day. I think about the love that our Heavenly Father has for us. He loved us enough to give us His Son.
I am blessed to have an earthly father who continually shows me his love. I am sure that there is nothing my father wouldn’t do for me.
Last year I went through a time of sickness. My dear father came to my house to visit and check in on me practically every day. He was continually bringing meals that he and my mom had prepared and always offered to get me things that I needed.
At one point I couldn’t lie in a bed and needed to sleep sitting up. My father brought me his own easy chair. He knew it would be comfortable enough to sleep in because he had tested it many times. During those times I wondered a few things:
- If my earthly fathered could care for me this much with his resources--how much more must my Heavenly Father be caring for me with His!
- I also wondered if my husband would ever eat my cooking again after being spoiled by the kitchen of my parents.
One thing my Dad brought during that time that touched me more than anything else, was his coconut cream pie. It touched me because I knew that he made it himself. I was also blown away by the fact that that, with six daughters to care for, he remembered which pie was my favorite!
Our Father seems to know just what we need and when. Sometimes our Father’s love for us is as easy as pie!
Coconut Cream Pie
(Dad’s Easy Recipe)
250 ml Whipping Cream
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 package vanilla
cooked pie filling
1/3 cup coconut
1 9” baked pie shell
 Prepare cooked pie filling according to directions. (Microwave method works great). Add coconut. Pour pudding mixture into cool baked pie shell.
Whip cream with sugar and vanilla. Spread over top of pie.
Garnish with toasted coconut (optional).
Keep refrigerated.
Pecan Pie
Bake 400°F 15 min., reduce heat and
Bake 350°F 30 – 35 min.
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 C light corn syrup
1/8 tsp salt
2 T melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 C light brown sugar
1 C pecan halves
9” unbaked pie shell
Whipped Cream for topping
Procedure:
Beat eggs. Add corn syrup, salt, vanilla, brown sugar and butter. Mix well. Stir in nuts and pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake.
__________________________________________
Celebrating Mothers!
Bonnie Hooley, May 2007
"Parents rejoice when their children turn out well; wise children become proud parents. So make your father happy! Make your mother proud!"
~ Proverbs 23:25, The Message
The significance of mothers is reflected in our “Mother’s Day” traditions. Florists know Mother’s Day will be their busiest time of the year, even busier than Valentine’s Day. A survey by AT&T estimates 122.5 million calls will be made to mom on that one day alone. If you don’t have a reservation to a restaurant on Mother’s Day, you will likely not get in.
Why wouldn’t we celebrate mothers? They birthed us, bathed us, changed us, clothed us, held us, comforted and fed us. That was just in our first week! Most of us have had the blessing of having our mothers continue in those roles. I still love to visit mom and sup at her table with a large plate, while I listen to the never ending motherly advice. Who will forget their mother’s advice?
Proverbs 1:8 reminds us to never forget the counsel of our mothers. After all, we need this counsel when we too experience the joy of motherhood. We need mom’s counsel for when we are entrusted with our own precious life to feed and form. In this circle of life we become the mother that our children will look to for everything they need to grow up and be proud parents.
One of the many things we glean from our mothers are their recipes. Most would agree that no one can cook like mom! This is why in celebrations of Mother’s Day I requested submissions through our blogroll, on your favorite recipes your mom has passed to you. I am excited to share one of these with you.
It was difficult to choose a winner. All submissions were excellent and brought different perspectives of family life and mothers. The common bond in all of the articles was that the food we eat is very often connected to tradition, memories and family. It isn't always so much about how it tastes. It is more often about how it's made, or who we eat it with, and when.
Please enjoy the following recipe from our winner Helen.
Helen's Poppyseed Dumblings
My grandparents on my mother's side, came from Silesia which belongs to Poland nowadays. My grandmother told heartwarming stories about how she got known to my granddad during World War II, and with those stories there came a lot of different dishes that I grew up with.
This recipe for Poppy Seed Dumplings is a special dessert that we only serve between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day--usually one bowl for Christmas Eve and another one for New Year’s Eve.
It was passed from my grandmother to my mother, and she taught it to me. Just the smell reminds me of my childhood--the snow and Christmas Trees, and my Mom and I together in the kitchen.
Let me share three small episodes with you that are linked to this dessert.
Childhood Christmas
When I was in first grade, I was allowed to help my Mom make Poppyseed Dumplings for the first time. We prepared them the evening before Christmas Eve so they were ready and waiting in the fridge to be served. We brewed a special tea to drink it with it that we had chosen a few days before, while on a visit to town.
After cleaning the kitchen, we sat down at our table to check what we wanted to do on Christmas Eve. We went through music-papers to find a song, that we could play on the flute together. We chose a song called “Shepherd’s Song,” which would be the one that we'd play each year for my Dad to listen to under the Christmas tree.
On Christmas Eve my dad read the Christmas story to us, my mom and I played the “Shepherd’s Song”, we exchanged our presents, and then we sat down with our new gifts like books and games while we ate the dessert, enjoyed the presents, and each other. This is mainly what we did each year from that time on.
The First Try Alone
When I moved away from home, I tried making the dessert myself, for friends who were coming over for New Years Eve, but I forgot one small detail...
Well, Poppy Seeds are soooo small, I thought, why should I grind them before? Remember, you must, or the dessert ends up tasting like you have a lot of sand between your teeth.
What does a good daughter do, if a cherished dish somehow does not taste the right way? Right! I phoned Mom and we had a good laugh together about it, and I learned a lesson for the following years.
The Last Christmas Together
In December 2005, on Christmas Eve my Mom had only 2 more weeks to live; this Christmas was heartbreaking. She was too weak to prepare the dessert herself, but she asked me to make it for her, since she said it wasn't a real Christmas without it. I stood in the kitchen all alone, tears rolling down my face while I made them, because I knew that this would be the last time we'd be sharing Christmas.
After finishing, I wiped away the tears and tried to act normal with my Mom--not making her anxious about me. We had precious talks this day. I held her hand sitting next her bed, and we shared many loving thoughts that carried me through the weeks ahead.
That last Christmas the dessert stayed in the fridge and was not ever taken out, since my Mom was no longer able to eat anything from Christmas Eve on. I simply couldn't eat any of it without sharing it with her, so the bowl sat there ready for our Christmas wish that had not become true anymore.
So far I haven't done the dish again. I make many things now thinking of my Mom with love and a thankful heart, but I think it will be a few more years till I'll be able to stand in the kitchen again and make this very dessert for my own family. Maybe I'll teach my daughter one day how to make it, while telling her about her grandparents and her grand-grandparents.
That day the dessert will again be where it belongs: at a Christmas table with love and laughter.
Poppy Seed Dumplings
250 grams of finely ground poppy seeds
1 litre boiling hot milk
about 5 thick slices of dry white bread
150 grams of sugar (or half sugar, half honey)
50 grams sweet ground or chopped almonds
4 tablespoons rum (optional)
Add the ground poppy seeds to 1/2 litre milk, add 100 grams of the sugar and bring to boil. Set aside, and let settle for 10 minutes to allow poppy seeds to soak and well up. Add chopped almonds to the mixture.
Cut the white bread in small pieces.
Add the rest of the sugar to the other 1/2 litre milk and add the rum to that.
Set a layer of the bread at the bottom of a big glassbowl. Soak the bread in some of the sweetened milk. Spoon a good amount of the poopy seed mixture on top of the bread until its covered with a thin layer of it.
Set another layer of bread on top, soak again with sweetened milk and add another layer of poppy seed mixture.
Go on with this procedure till everything is finished.
Attention: the last layer has to be poppy seed mixture, so that no bread has a chance of drying again.
Cover the bowl and let everything cool down. Then allow it to stay in the fridge for one day till being served. The taste needs some time to develop.
If you try it and realise that the mixture has become too dry (should mainly feel like poppy seed cake), you can let some more sweetened milk soak in from the top.
You can serve it pure in little bowls or plates. Optionally you can add vanilla sauce or some kind of raspberry syrup with it.
__________________________________________
He Has Risen Indeed!
Bonnie Hooley, April 2007
"It is true! The Lord has risen" (Luke 24:34 NIV)
I researched “traditional” Easter dinners and discovered that there is not a lot of tradition to the Easter meal.
Sure some groups have their favorite foods they prepare annually, but many more do not. Also, when going from house to house you will find different “traditions” depending where you eat.
While ham is a favorite in America, a lot of egg dishes will also be served. The Messianic Jewish homes still honoring the Passover Seder, will likely serve lamb.
Breads are also popular at Easter. Hot Cross buns might honor the table in many Anglo Saxon homes, while honey pastries will be popular with Syrian and Jordanian Christians. Easter is a great time to find a Czech babobka or a Polish baba, while in Greek and Portuguese homes there may be a variety of round flat loaves.
What I find amazing about my research is that while Christians world wide are celebrating the same event, the food they choose to celebrate with has little in common.
I think it is because Christians understand that the most holy and awesome day of the year has little to do with what we eat. It is about the greatest sacrifice ever made--that of God allowing His Son to be sacrificed for us. Allowing His Son to die--paying the ultimate price. The wages of sin (my sin)… death.
That fact that Christ died for us would be more than wonderful on its own. Yet the truth gets even better. Three days later Christ rose from the dead! Conquering death, so we might also have eternal life!
The gift of salvation is personal to each one of us resulting in a unique relationship with the Living Christ. A common food tradition could not possibly enhance the experience.
The tradition that will be shared this Easter with Christians world wide is that of remembering:
“It is true, the Lord has risen! He has risen indeed!
Impossible Quiche
Bake 400°F 40 min.
 Ingredients:
Base:
2 cans flaked ham
10 oz chopped broccoli
1 ½ C grated cheddar cheese
1 C milk
3 eggs
½ C multi purpose mix
¼ tsp pepper
1/8 tsp thyme
Topping:
½ C multi- purpose mix
¼ C almonds
¼ C Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 T butter
Procedure:
Mix ingredients for base together in Casserole dish. Bake 20 min.
Mix ingredients for topping together. Add topping to base and bake 15 – 20 min. more.
__________________________________________
Share the Faith
Bonnie Hooley, March 2007
They overcame him because the Lamb
gave his life's blood for them. They overcame him
by giving witness about Jesus to others.
They were willing to risk their lives, even if it led to death.
Revelation 12:11 (NIRV)
Most Christians underestimate the power of their testimony. Sharing you faith is one of the most powerful ways of defeating the enemy.
Something happens when we break bread together, in fact if you want to get close to someone try having a meal together. Using that time as an opportunity to share your faith will make that bond even more powerful.
You have a story--a testimony that is unique to you. And that testimony will bless those around you more than you know. Many times we think that our story is not interesting enough, so we choose instead to share the testimony of others. I assure you that while the testimonies of others may have power, nothing will have more power than when you share your testimony with others.
When we share our testimonies we share a piece of ourselves. People are inspired by our vulnerability, by our courage--by our testimony.
Invite someone over for soup and sandwiches, or cake and a coffee. Overcome the enemy by sharing your faith.
Here are two great cake recipes So make one, and invite someone over!
________________________
Carrot Cake
 Bake 350°F 1 Hour
Ingredients:
3C shredded carrots
4 eggs
2C sugar
2C flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1C corn oil (add last)
Procedure:
Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add shredded carrots and blend in. Sift dry ingredients and add to carrot mixture. Pour into greased 9” x 12” pan and bake.
Top with cream cheese icing.
Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients:
2 oz cream cheese
1 C icing sugar
1/4C butter
1 tsp vanilla
Procedure:
Combine ingredients and spread over carrot cake. (Or any other favorite cake.)
______________________________
Baked Cheesecake
Bake 350°F 40 min.
(8”x8” pan)
Ingredients:
1 lb cream cheese
½ C sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 eggs
Procedure:
Cream cheese and sugar. Add salt, beaten egg yolks and vanilla. Fold in beaten egg whites and pour into graham crust before baking.
Top with favorite topping.
Graham Crust
Ingredients:
30 graham wafers or 2 C crushed
¼ lb. butter (1/2 C)
¼ C sugar
Procedure:
Mix ingredients together and press into 8”x8” pan. Add topping before baking.
__________________________________________
Love Your
Leftovers
Bonnie Hooley, February 2007
"When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.'" John 6:12, NIV
Leftovers have always been around. I know I have been eating leftovers since my mom first put a spoon in my mouth. With six kids there were not a lot of leftovers from each meal but there were certainly some.
My mom’s trick for feeding a family of 8 on leftovers was to store them in the fridge and serve a few days worth in one smorgasmeal.
In our world of new technology and time-saving kitchen gadgets people should have more time than ever to prepare a family meal. Yet we seem to be busier than ever with almost no time to cook. Using your leftovers wisely can provide quick delicious meals for your family that save you a lot of money that is often otherwise spent at the fast food outlets.
I have a brother-in-law who is a great cook! He spends hours in the kitchen perfecting his recipes so that they taste just right. He's also very efficient. When he makes up a recipe of his favorite soup or sauce, he makes enough to feed an army. A few storage containers and a pop in the freezer ensures that his family has delicious meals and lunches at the press of a micro-wave button.
Batch cooking can be economical. Buying in bulk can save money. Finding someone else who batch cooks and trading some meals, save time and adds variety. Soups, stews, sauces and casseroles are very conducive to batch cooking. Cooked rice, pasta and mashed potatoes (surprisingly) freeze well.
Always make extra. By adding a few ingredients you can remake your leftovers into a totally new meal the next day. Here are some recipes that use leftovers. “Let nothing be wasted!”
Noodle Bread
(Make with leftover noodles)
Bake 300°F 1 hour
4c cooked noodles (best with homemade noodles)
¼ c chopped onion
¼c butter
¼c shredded cheddar cheese
2 beaten eggs
¼ tsp Allspice
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp crushed cloves
Saute onions & butter. Mix with cold noodles. Add beaten eggs & cheese. Press into loaf pan. (Top with extra cheese if preferred) Bake 300°F covered for ½ hour then uncover for remaining ½ hour. Serve sliced.
Baked Spaghetti
(Make with left over spaghetti & sauce.)
 Bake 350°F Aprox. 3.4 hour
Ingredients:
Spaghetti
Meat sauce
Part skim Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Paprika
Procedure:
Make spaghetti and meat sauce as you would normally. Mix and place in baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Top with slice of mozzarella cheese until top is covered. Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake in 350 °F oven. Check after ½ hour. If top is nicely browned remove, otherwise cook for another ¼ to ½ hours. Top will be nicely browned.
Garnish with parsley flakes (optional)
Heart Stoppers
(Make with leftover mashed potatoes)
Microwave 20 min. on med. Or Bake 250°F 1 hour
Ingredients:
4 cups mashed potatoes
Sour cream
½ to 1 pound Bacon – cut in small pieces
Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
Procedure:
Fry bacon pieces until crispy. Grate approximately ½ to 1 pound cheddar cheese.
Add sour cream, cooked bacon, grated cheese and salt and pepper to mashed potatoes. Transfer into a casserole dish and place in Microwave for about 20 minutes on medium heat. (Can also be placed in 250 degree oven for about 1 hour. )
If you are a cheese lover like my family, top the casserole dish with grated cheese before placing in microwave.
Fried Rice
(Make with leftover cooked rice)
Ingredients:
6 strips of bacon
4 C cold cooked rice
4 T Soya sauce
4 T oil (or bacon grease)
3 (scrambled) eggs
½ tsp salt
½ C chopped green onions
Dash of garlic salt
Leftover meat or veggies (optional)
Procedure:
Cut bacon with scissors and microwave. Scramble eggs in 1T of oil. Heat remaining oil. Add to rice and blend with fork.
Add Soya sauce, salt and garlic salt. Add eggs, bacon and green onions. Add whatever cooked veggies or meat you prefer for further flavors.
(OK, I had to throw in a Valentine Recipe...)
Almond Glazed Sugar Cookies
 Bake 400°F 7 - 9 min.
Ingredients:
1 C butter
¾ C sugar
2 C flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp Almond Extract
Procedure:
Mix butter, extract and sugar. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Roll dough and cut out cookies with a heart shaped cutter. Bake.
Glaze cookies with a mixture of:
1 ½ C powdered sugar
1 tsp Almond extract
4 –5 tsp water
(Use either bought icing or butter cream icing to decorate)
_____________________________________
Have A
Souper
New Year!
Bonnie Hooley, January 2007
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
~ Philippians 3:14 NIV
The month of January starts the new year. For many, it means a chance to set new goals. It's good to set goals, and it's also good to stop and measure how close you are to achieving your goals. Some people set goals annually as part of their New Year resolutions.
Making New Year resolutions has been given a bad rap. Those with years of experience in trying them look at resolutions quite cynically--I was one of those. I found that I was making the same resolutions year after year, yet never achieving my goals.
The problem wasn't that I was setting goals, or even that my goals weren’t Godly. The problem was that I was trying to achieve my goals through my own efforts.
Galatians 3:3 teaches:
"Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" (NIV)
I take time to set and review my goals. I now do this on my Christian birthday which is December 30th. I chose this time because it reminds me that in setting and trying to keep goals, I must rely on the Holy Spirit if I want any success at all.
The types of things I review annually include the following:
- Am I closer to God?
- How am I doing with stewardship?
- Where is God leading me?
A new year reminds us of new beginnings--a chance to start fresh, to try again, and to try new things. I encourage you to invite the Holy Spirit’s guidance in setting and working on your goals. You will be much happier with the results.
With that said--make it a goal to try one of these recipes...
 The month of January is a cold month, as such I chose to introduce you to the world of soups. Homemade soups are so nutritious and easy. You basically start with a base of your choice, add your favorite spices and then throw in whatever is left in your fridge.
Be brave, experiment a little. It's a New Year--try something new. Then relax with a warm bowl of soup while you prayerfully work on your resolutions.
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients:
4 C chicken broth
3 C chopped Broccoli
½ c diced celery
½ tsp crushed garlic
1/c c chopped onion
dash pepper
½ tsp salt
Pinch of Thyme (optional)
2 C cream
4 T cornstarch
1 C grated cheddar cheese
Boil broccoli, celery and onion, in chicken broth approx. 8 min. Blend until mixture is smooth. Mix cornstarch, salt & pepper with a small bit of cream to make a paste. Then mix paste with the rest of cream Add to broth. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Stir in shredded cheese until barely melted. Experiment with different cheeses. Use Romano and parmesan for a more decadent flavor.
Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients:
1 C wild rice
1 medium carrot
3 green onions
2 T flour
1C cream
1 can mushrooms
½ stalk celery
1 can mushroom soup
Procedure:
Cook wild rice until it splits (approx. ¾ hour) Finely slice vegetable and cook but do not brown. Mix flour and cream and stir into mushroom soup. Add everything to drained rice. Cook to thicken.
14 Carrot Soup
Ingredients:
1 T butter
2 cloves garlic
½ T minced ginger root
1 tsp curry powder
¼ C diced celery
1 small diced onion
4 C chicken stock
4 C thinly sliced carrots
2 small potatoes
1 T white wine
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lime juice
½ C heavy cream
Procedure:
Sauté the butter, garlic gingerroot, curry, celery and onion. Add carrots, potatoes and broth. Boil until potatoes are tender. Mix in a blender then add remaining ingredients. Ready to serve.
Green Borscht
Ingredients:
½ lb ham (or farmer sausage)
½ cup chopped Green onions
½ cup chopped fresh dill
Package of frozen spinach
(Or fresh equivalent.)
6 potatoes
Salt to taste
Procedure:
Boil Ham ½ - 2 hours. Add Greens. While greens boiling, peel and cut potatoes. Add to mixture with salt to taste. Boil until potatoes cooked aprox. 20 min.
Add sour cream and serve.
Red Borscht
Makes a VERY large batch:
Bring to a boil, and then simmer for ½ hours:
1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic salt 1 tsp dill seed
1 large onion large pack spare ribs
½ stock of celery with leaves on
Enough water to cover
Skim grease off, let cool and remove bones. Add the following and
Bring to boil, simmer ½ hour:
3 batches of beets with tops (chopped)
1 chopped cabbage
6 grated carrots
1 tin yellow beans
1 small tin tomatoes
½ hour before serving Add:
3 T vinegar
2 C sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste.
Serve. (OK to freeze)
_________________________________
___________________________________________________________
The contents of this website are the copyright of either the
individual authors or Christian Women Online Magazine and can not be
reproduced in any form without written permission from the author.
Christian Women Online is produced by
Spilt Milk Publishing, Words that Nourish
the Soul
a division of Art Bookbindery
________________________________________________
|
CWO Cover
Bonnie 
