What to do with a bundt pan...

A couple of friends, Tina and Laura were chatting earlier about bundt pans and just what to do with them. It got me thinking about one of my favorite cakes... So, I went in search of the cookbook amid a sea of cookbooks around here. I love cookbooks. I pick them up everywhere...garage sales, auctions, family and friends, Amazon, and thrift stores. I love to flip through them and read them cover to cover and mark pages and add post-its to recipes I would like to try. This recipe is from a book titled Recipes and Reflections. It is a good old church cookbook (gotta love 'em) that happens to be older than I am.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. soft butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. grated orange peel (I don't always add this, I do if I have it and usually more like 1 tsp.)
2 c. coursely shredded zuccini
1/2 c. milk
1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts (I normally leave these out)

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. Beat together the butter and sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel and zucchini. Alternately stir the dry ingredients and the milk into zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition. pour batter into a greased and flour-dusted (I always dust with cocoa powder, you won't get weird looking flour marks on the outside of your cake that way) 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then turn out on a wire rake to cool completely.

Glaze (I never make the glaze, the cake is yummy with out it)
2 c. powdered sugar
3 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all together until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cake.

I have substituted grated pear for the zucchini and it worked great. This cake also freezes well. I have never froze it whole, but sliced it up then froze it. I make this a lot in the summer when I have zucchini from the garden coming out of my ears and who doesn't like chocolate cake!

I'm remembering a beer bread like recipe that I've made in a bundt pan before too. I will post that when I remember it.

I'm off to the spa in a little while...just waiting on the babysitter...my mom! I'm looking forward to a day away, but am already sad about leaving the girls, especially the baby. I have never left her before (and not looking forward to the pumping involved by not having the baby with). Wish me luck! And on a side note, this is my 99th post...thinking I should do something special for number 100...not sure what yet...any ideas?

God bless!

Simple Things

Simple things make me happy. When the girls and I were out grocery shopping today, I stumbled on to a great deal.

Guess what I paid for these.....

Four quarts of organic cream of chicken soup..... .68.

That's right.....68 cents for all 4.

They were marked down to $2.17 each and I had $1.00 coupons for each and Rainbow doubles coupons on Wednesdays. So glad I always have all my coupons with me for just such an occasion. I got a number of good deals today, but this was by far my favorite.

On a side note, I have a bunch of things to share if I ever get a minute to get words to screen. Future stuff will include more of my cute kids including some more funny stuff from Charlie, my ideas on why I want to homeschool (Tina's post got me thinking), more reflections from my Bible in 90 days reading and posts on prayer and balance. So, check back often.....

or not your choice.

God bless!

Multitude Monday

83. A sweet good night mom from Charlie
84. When bedtimes go easy
85. A babe that naps well...
86. ...and eats well
87. Flannel sheets
88. Warmness of my hubby beside me
89. Long underwear...
90. ...and warm slippers
91. Children who love God's Word...
92. ...and are interested in memorizing scripture (she does better than I)
93. A husband who loves me just the way I am...
94. ... and a great reminder of it from Ann - here

95. Sisterly love...
96. ...and sisterly forgiveness
97. Thursday mornings with friends to study God's Word...
98. ...and warm lunches to share together
99. A 2 year old who helps herself at lunch...

100. ...even if it means a lot of crackers with her soup

Thank you Lord for all our blessings large and small! I am forever grateful!

God bless!

When did my baby get so big?

(She does not really know what to do with a bottle)

God bless!

Bible in 90 Days - An Update

Day 23 already and I am caught up still! Since my update last week, I've read the rest of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel and most of 2 Samuel.

Joshua 24:15 - But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

I love this verse. I try to remember this always and pay attention to whether or not our family is serving the Lord rather than someone or something else. It is too easy ot get distracted in other aspects of life and family and God gets moved down the list. I've been guilty of it numerous times. Lindsey over at Passionate Homemaking had a great blog post the other day about a way of live becoming an idol to you.....very well said, I couldn't have said it so well.

1 Samuel 2:2 - There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

Amen!!.....is all I have to say.

1 Samuel 3:21 - The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

How cool is that? God reveals himself in His Word. I have been an on-again, off-again Bible reader and studier over the last few years. Which is pretty sad since I have been involved in a Bible Study group with girlfriends during that whole time. This is the most consistant I have been.....probably ever! And the Lord is revealing himself to me. I am reading things I never read before and am seeing new things that I thought I already knew.

1 Samuel 16:7 - But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

It is reassuring that God doesn't look at our outward appearance. But unnerving that he does know us so well...from our head to our toes, inside and out, heart and soul. This was a gut check for me. What am I holding in my heart?...love and compassion or bitterness and anger? Lord, forgive me for those times I am not so forgiving to those around me...my husband, my children, my friends. Thank you for your unyielding forgiveness...let me show the same to others.

2 Samuel 14:14 - Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him.

That is awesome! God will find, arrange, reveal a plan to bring us back to Him! Prasie the Lord for this opportunity to spend so much time in His Word. It has not been easy, but I'm so glad I am doing this.

For more info on the Bible in 90 Days reading plan, head over to Mom's Toolbox or to The Bible in 90 Days website.

God bless!

Can you guess.....

.....who dressed Charlie yesterday?

God bless!

Well-Adjusted Wednesday

God bless!

Note to self.....

.....do not let the baby play with a pen!

Have a great day.

God bless!

Charlie.....Charlie.....Charlie

Where did the last 2 1/2 years go? It amazes me that I have this big little person to spend my days with and that she is always talking. We were talking the other day about getting ready for Kelly's bridal shower and Charlies says...'No shower mom, a birthday for her wedding dress.'

Charlie and a bunch of her babies...all who have been named 'broccoli' recently. I was rattling off a bunch of girl names for them the other day and Charlie didn't think any of my names would work because...'those are people names and this is not people, its a baby.'

Last week, we started a more formal school/craft/project time. We started with the letter A and a scripture memory beginning with A. It's been fun and she seems to enjoy it. Last week's verse was - All we like sheep have gone astray. Isaiah 53:6. She did great and had the first part down the first day and will finish it easily with a little help. About midweek, I asked her if she remembered her verse and she said...All we sheep have gone to sleep. I gave her an A for effort and it was pretty close with no help from me. Since I started reading the Bible in 90 Days, she will come up to me when I'm reading and ask to hear from Jesus. One morning she sat with me for 10 minutes and listened to me read a bunch about old testament sacrificing.

  

We made cinnamon rolls and she liked them!

She was looking at her daddy here...love it! A final Charlie funny from last week...'Mom, my mango taste fruity.'

God bless!

Multitude Monday

73. Quiet blog time at a local coffee shop
74. Hubby that takes care of the little ones
75. Hot chai tea lattes
76. Little one's imaginations

Charlie was baking me a cake and needed all the pots out to do it. She loves to pretend to cook and always wants to share with you.

77. A wonderful sister-in-law

 

78. The blessings of marriage

79. God's Word and all I am getting from it

80. Coupons

81. Getting a deal...I saved roughly 45% on groceries last week between coupons and sales

82. Having a full pantry and freezer...Praise the Lord for his provisions

Thank you Lord for all your blessings! Let me never forget them!

God bless!

Cori.....Cori.....Cori

She started on her back on the blanket moments earlier. My 5 month old is all about rolling around. I can't believe how big she is getting...kind of makes me sad.

Cori would love to be in charge of feeding herself.

Oh, but what a mess that applesauce can be. She loves to eat and like her big sister will eat anything. I think it's too early for a favorite, but we eat a lot of squash, sweet potatoes, pears and bananas. Even with added solids, she still manages to nurse a lot and is usually still up at night once for some yummy milk.

I think it's time to start strapping her in. And is it bad that I needed to take a photo before I saved her?

So serious...just waking from a little cat nap. She seems to be growing like a weed. I have no idea what she weighs, but she has some cute little rolls...and no neck. Cori spends a lot of these cold winter days in her jammies...and no one minds.

God bless!

Bible in 90 Days - Day 11-16

This past week was rough. I was behind on my reading all week long and just finally caught up this morning. The reading for the last week included Numbers 8 on, all Deuteronomy and Joshua 1-14.

Numbers 23:19-20 (Balaam's Second Oracle) - God is not a man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

I need to remember that the Lord fulfills his promises...always! His commandments were all the people needed. They were to trust and follow Him.

Deuteronomy 4:2 - Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.

We are not to pick and choose what we like about God's commandments. He is all knowing and has given them to us for a reason. I believe The Ten Commandments are still valid and should be followed to the best of our ability. But I also know that it is impossible to do and am ever more thankful for the gift of Jesus and the perfect sacrifice that He is on our behalf. I have never spent this much time reading the Old Testament, but it has been a great reminder of exactly why we need a Savior and why Jesus is that for us.

The following is my favorite from  the last week of reading. As a parent, I would say I will always be there for my children to come to...even when they have strayed and sinned and done wrong. But, I also know that I'm human and I may not do it as lovingly and mercifully as our Heavenly Father. He is a constant refuge for us. How amazing is that?!?!

Deuteronomy 29-31 - But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Joe's favorite verse...

Deuteronomy 24:5 - If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.

How awesome that the Lord thinks marriage is important and that husbands and wives should have time together! Thank you Lord for this great opportunity to spend attentive time in your Word and what it is doing each day in our home. I have been (I think?) a more patience and level-headed mama and wife lately. Joe has been supportive of this time I have committed and Charlie will actually sit and listen to me read aloud for a while (10 minutes...pretty good for a 2 year old). I pray for continued success in this great adventure and and praise the Lord for the sacrifice of the Cross that we are not still bound by the sacrifices and rituals of the Old Testament.

God bless!

These moments.....

.....are PRICELESS!!

Charlie was having fun reading to her little sister the other day. And Cori was actually just looking and not trying to eat the book. Adorable book by the way - 9 Fruits Alive - all about the fruits of the spirit.

God bless!

Multitude Monday

61. Warmer weather
62. Beautiful sunsets

63. Country life
64. Space to grow and raise our own food
65. Friendly neighbors
66. Dear friends
67. Little ones helping with thank you notes

68. Having another lefty in the house

69. Warm showers

70. Getting to shower by myself

71. Leftovers

72. Popcorn for supper

God bless!

Bible in 90 Days - Days 5-10

So.....I spent the last 5 days reading Exodus and Leviticus and to be honest some of it was boring.....really boring.....lots of repetition. But with God's Word, there is always something to be learned. A few of my favorite verses were.....

Exodus 4:10-12 - Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

There are so many times that I am afraid to say something/anything because I don't trust that I have the words or that I will be able to say it in the right way. Lord, forgive me for not trusting that you are here to help me and that you will give me the words.

Leviticus 4:27 - "If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, he is guilty.

It's always a good reminder that sin is sin, even unintentional sin. This verse really makes me feel so thankful for Jesus. I mean you can't go through live without sinning, so to have that perfect sacrifice of Jesus is just amazing!

Leviticus is so full of rules, laws, rituals and sacrifices to understand and follow. I couldn't keep up. I couldn't imagine being there at that time and not yet knowing what was to come.....who was to come as the ultimate sacrifice. Lord, thank you for your son Jesus and all that he means for us. Thank you for your Word and for the insights and understanding that I am learning each day.

Head on over to Mom's Toolbox to check out what everyone else is learning from reading the Bible in 90 days.

God bless!

Dad = Fun

God bless!