Gluten-free fruit muffins

(Photo by kingarthur.com)

Here is a recipe I tried before we went on our getaway.  We always like to get a couple of those large grocery-store muffins  [I know, I know.  Most unhealthy!] to take along and enjoy with coffee, and of course that was out for me this time since I have stopped eating wheat.  I tried this recipe from the King Arthur web site: Gluten Free Fruit Muffins and took a few of those along instead.  They were very good!

The recipe calls for a streusel topping, but I chose to leave it off to save time and calories.  I'm sure it would be good, but the muffins were tasty enough that a topping really wasn't necessary.  The recipe calls for either blueberries or chopped apples, but I chose to use raspberries and was pleased with the result.  Other variations, such as cranberry orange, were suggested and I think they would be wonderful as well.  This is one of the best gluten free baking recipes I have tried!

Weekly goals for week beginning 4/30/2012

(Photo by Photos Public Domain)

We were away part of last week and I never did get around to setting official goals for the rest of the week, though I did have some crafting goals to accomplish.  For the most part, they did get done.  Now we are coming into May, and this week's goals are a bit different, just trying to finish a few things and keep up with others.  Here is my plan:

*  Finish Sunday School lesson 8 and hopefully get a start on lesson 9.
*  Finish proofreading this year's summer devotional book so it can go to the printer as soon as the cover is ready.
*  Try and keep up a decent water intake.
*  Try and get to bed at a decent hour every night.
*  Limit sugar.
*  Keep up with Kelly's Missions for the living room and front entry/dining room/porch.  (I should have done the living room one today, but ran out of time.)
*  Exercise 4 to 5 times.

Guess those are the major goals I hope to accomplish this week.  We'll see  how it goes!

Felt food frenzy

 With the birthdays of two young grandchildren just past, I can now share some photos of the most recent play food I've made.  Yes, I promised to write about our getaway, and I have many recipes to blog about, not to mention setting some goals for this week.  But today is busy with housework, proofreading, and a dentist appointment, so I am simply going to show the felt food photos with only a little description.  Maybe later I can edit the post and add links to the patterns I used. 

Pop-Tarts®

Another look

Crocheted Oreos®

In their packaging

Tomatoes

In their packaging

Chocolate cream pie

Lemon pie

Pumpkin pie

And again

All three varieties

I packaged them in a pie box.

Hope you have enjoyed these additions to the felt food pantry.  I surely did enjoy creating them.

Back from vacation!

Hopefully in the next few days I can post more pictures and details about our recent getaway to one of our favorite lakes up north.  In the meantime, since we just got back yesterday afternoon, I have lots of other responsibilities to take care of (not the least of which is unpacking and doing laundry) so it may take me a few days to post about our trip.  Meanwhile, enjoy this photo of loons which we took from our cabin window.  We had hoped the loons would be back, and they were, so that was a special treat to make our getaway even nicer.  Sorry that the photo looks a bit washed out.  We didn't have much sun.

Weekly goals for week of 4/15/2012

Late again reporting on last week's goals and posting this week's!  I didn't do too well on the goals themselves, either.

1.  Memorize 2 Peter 1:1-2.  Nope.  I am terribly fickle.  Came across another verse I wanted to learn right then and so memorized 1 Corinthians 15:58 instead.
2.  Started a chapter in Essential Virtues but didn't finish it. 
3.  Exercised 5-6 times, so DONE!
4.  Planned & cooked healthy meals, so DONE!
5.  Didn't keep up with Kelly's Missions at all.
6.  Did pretty much keep up with crafting goals, so DONE!
7.  Worked ahead on Sunday School lesson 8 --DONE!
8.  Stepped up water intake somewhat, but not enough.

So, for this week -- which may be impacted by a short vacation we're taking -- my goals are:

1.  Memorize 2 Peter 1:1-2.
2.  Finish chapter in Essential Virtues.
3.  Exercise  5-6 times.
4.  Plan and prepare healthy meals, even for vacation.
5.  Keep up with Kelly's missions for zone 3, the bathroom.
6.  Finish Sunday School lesson 8, if possible.
7.  Keep up with crafting goals.
8.  Step up water intake.

We'll see how it goes!

A sweet little poem

Card from my personal collection of antique cards

Recently, while sorting through some file folders, I came upon this poem, which I or one of my daughters (I can't remember, as it was so long ago) had typed out after finding it in an old book.  I love this poem, although it is a bit different in style;  I like the picture it portrays.  Notice too (or maybe this is only my imagination) that the poem sort of forms the shape of a cottage.

SONGS OF A GIRL

X1X

Within the little house

Of my great love for you,

This safe and happy house,

I sit and sing, while all the world goes by,

Within the house that is my love for you

No harm can come, nor any thought of fear;

There is no danger that can cross the threshold.

You did not build this house

Nor I; 

But God the Carpenter ---

-- Mary Carolyn Davies

Unusual, but I have always liked this since finding it years ago in a a very old literature textbook.  Of course we realize that true security is found only in God and His love, but human love is a gift from Him as well.  I think the poem is acknowledging that fact in the last few lines.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few weeks ago, I tried this great recipe from the King Arthur website:  Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.  It was an easy recipe and the cookies turned out delicious.  Thankfully, I still have some in a tin in the freezer.  I'm trying different gluten free cookie recipes from time to time and am keeping them in the freezer to bring out as needed.  This chocolate chip cookie recipe is definitely one of the "keepers"!

In other news, we are having incredibly hot weather up here this week.  Temps are in the upper 80s today and really not too pleasant.  At least there are no black flies yet ... though I suppose they will come out if the heat continues.  I'm not complaining; this is the weather God is giving us this week!