My Best Friend Jesus

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)

I always wanted a best friend. When I was three years old I had a friend down the block named Susie Brown. We played together, watched Sesame Street, planted pieces of wicker to grow a pretzel bush, and got into her sisters’ things. It was fun to have such a close friend. But then Susie moved to Texas when I was six.

Over the years God sent other friends to fill Susie’s place…Andi, Michale, Jennie, Jennifer, Mary Anne, Jean, Laura, Sarah, Becky, Jill, Lisa, Nancy, Jodi, Cindy, Susan (all very special to me!!!)…but they had other friends, too. It seemed no one needed a best friend.

Yet today I encounter folks with best friends. My scrapbook buddy had a surprise 40th birthday party given by her best friend from high school. My neighbor was driving to Saturday morning coffee with her life time best friend, a weekly date. There still are best friends in the world, after all.

With my Christmas card basket full of cards, I know I do have friends. But none are best friends. Who will be my best friend? God tells me it is Jesus.

Jesus is the One who is ALWAYS there for me. He never lets me down. He holds me when I’m sad and wipes away my tears. He carries me on days that I can’t carry myself. On happy days, He is there to share my joy. When I mess up, He forgives me right away. He promises to never leave me nor forsake me. I’m so thankful that Jesus is my best friend!

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:15 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: May the words of this old hymn bring us comfort and joy today, as we have TEA with our best friend Jesus…

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there. By Joseph M. Scriven, 1855

Friends & Family Egg Casserole – GF & DF

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? Job 6:6 (NKJV)

Here is the perfect egg dish for breakfast or dinner, and even makes great leftovers for lunch. I recently updated this recipe to make it diary free for my son and me. It still turned out delicious, especially served with Gluten Free Banana Muffins. What a yummy meal! Thank you for our dear friends the Nash and Johnson families who have served egg casserole to us on our visits!

Friends & Family Egg Casserole – Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free

2 large potatoes, peeled, diced, and cooked in microwave (or substitute cauliflower if you are not eating potatoes)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
veggies of your choice (i.e. asparagus, mushroom, brocolli, etc.)
15 eggs
2/3 cup almond milk or goat’s milk

salt and pepper
1 cup Daiya cheddar cheese substitute or goat cheddar, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Place the cooked potatoes in the bottom of the dish. Saute the onions and peppers, and other veggies, as desired. Layer on top of potatoes. Whisk together eggs and almond milk, salt and pepper and your favorite seasonings (my oldest son likes cayenne pepper, tumeric, garlic and oregano). Pour over veggies. Sprinkle shredded Daiya cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until done.

This casserole may be refrigerated overnight and baked in the morning, if you wish.
Serve with fruit and muffins, a great meal for any time of day!

Here’s a link to the gluten-free banana muffins: https://www.myteacuppprayers.org/2011/06/gluten-free-banana-muffins/

A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 NKJV

Impossible Pie

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Impossible Pie (Gluten-free and Dairy-free)
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Oil a glass pie plate with coconut oil.
Sprinkle 1 cup shredded Diaya cheese in bottom of pie plate.
Top with any of your favorite veggies (i.e. green peppers, black olives, tomatoes)

In a blender combine:
1-1/2 cups almond milk
4 eggs
1 cup rice flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
dash nutmeg
Mix in blender for 15 seconds. Pour over veggies in pie plate.

Bake 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and firm.
Cool 5 minutes. Serve with a fresh salad.

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 NKJV

Peanut Butter Balls

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Absolutely the best, yummiest, easiest, quickest, protein-filled snack you can make for your family is Peanut Butter Balls!

I’ve been making this gluten-free treat with my kids since they were little. The recipe first came from my sister who found it in a Ranger Rick magazine. If you’re feeling hungry between meals, one peanut butter ball is just the snack to pick you back up!

Check out these ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal (gluten-free)
1 cup powdered coconut milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
shredded coconut (optional)

Mix together oatmeal, powdered milk, peanut butter, and honey. Shape into balls. Roll in coconut, if desired. Store in air-tight container in fridge.

You won’t have to store them long, they will be eaten in a hurry! Enjoy, and God bless your healthy eating!

If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Numbers 14:8 NKJV

The Best Brownies – GF

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

If you want a tray of the BEST Gluten-Free Brownies, we have a recipe just for you. This started as a famous Clement Brownie recipe, named for our cousins in Minnesota and Illinois. We modified it to remove the gluten.

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut oil, melted
2 cups coconut sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon guar gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flours, cocoa, guar gum, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer, cream the coconut oil and sugar. Add the 4 eggs and vanilla, mixing the batter well. Add half the dry ingredients to your mixture and stir. Add remaining dry ingredients, stirring until well mixed. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips. Using a rubber scraper, spread the brownie batter into your prepared baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, cool, cut, and enjoy! This is wonderful right out of the oven with a scoop of coconut ice cream.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NKJV)

Crying Out to God

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:1-2 (NKJV)

My favorite devotion book, Our Daily Bread, had a wonderful devotion a few weeks ago called “Crying Out to God.” Sometimes our hearts are so overwhelmed for our children, our families, our friends, and our country. All we can do is cry. Jesus hears us and comes to us. And so I share this devotion link with all those who need Him to hear today…

http://odb.org/2013/02/15/crying-out-to-god/

Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22 (NKJV)

Giant Chocolate Raisin Cookies

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

A little late for Valentine’s Day, but not too late to make for your sweetheart…Giant Chocolate Raisin Cookies!

My son Kevin whipped these up for me last week, using a recipe from the library and GlutenFree Mama Flour. They are so yummy we can’t wait for Kevin to make them again. Thank you, Kevin!

Ingredients:

2 cups GlutenFree Mama Coconut Blend Flour (or gluten-free flour blend of your choice)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup coconut oil, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups Enjoy Life chocolate chips
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, xanthan gum, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream coconut oil and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir half the dry ingredients into the oil mixture, then stir in the other half until well mixed. Fold in the chocolate chips and raisins.

Oil three 9-inch cake pans. Divide dough into three sections and spread into the cake pans (it will be thick and lumpy with all the raisins and chips). Bake all three pans for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on racks before removing from pans.

You now have three Giant Chocolate Raisin Cookies to eat or to share! Happy belated Valentine’s Day!

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 (NKJV)

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Soft, moist and delicious…the pudding and cookie lovers in your life will love these gluten-free cookies!

Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot starch
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan or guar gum
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups coconut oil
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 6-serving package instant pudding (1/2 cup dry)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups Enjoy Life chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups nuts (optional)

Mix flours, xanthan gum and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, combine coconut oil, sugars, dry pudding mix and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture, then stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if desired). Batter will be stiff. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 9 minutes at 375 degrees, cool, enjoy and share! Makes 5-6 dozen cookies.

Special notes: 3 1/3 cups flour are needed for this recipe. You may experiment with various amounts of gluten-free flours you have on hand. The flours above are the ones that worked well for me. Double check your pudding box to make sure it is instant and gluten-free. My box had modified food starch, but it was listed as corn starch which is gluten-free.

Keep up the good work of reading labels and practicing with new flours; it is worth the effort for your gluten-free diet!

Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 106:1 (NKJV)

Tea Cupp Measuring Spoons

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38 (NKJV)

My dear friend Jodi gave me these measuring spoons a few years ago. Aren’t they neat decorated with tea cups? I use them often for measuring and baking.

The other day I was looking at these spoons again and recalled a devotion I heard at Awana a long time ago.

Awana is a children’s Bible program that meets weekly to bring boys and girls to Christ. It’s name comes from 2 Timothy 2:15 – Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed. The children play games, memorized Bible verses, and have a council time each week. (To find an Awana near you, check their website: http://www.awana.org/

Once when our older children were still in Awana, I came early to pick them up and heard the council time devotion. The pastor had several spoons and shovels and a bag of M&Ms. I can’t remember exactly how he worded it, but the point was, which size spoon or shovel would you like to be given M&Ms? THE BIGGEST ONE, of course!

Well, that is the size shovel we should be using to give to others, also. We shouldn’t give because we expect blessings in return. But we should give because we are so full of God’s love we want to share it with others. AND we should use the BIGGEST shovel we have!

Bakers know that when you measure flour, you scoop it gently and level it with a knife, never pressing it down. But when you measure brown sugar, you pack it into the measuring cup, pressing firmly to get as much sugar as possible. That is how this verse from Luke tells us to measure what we give others — pack it down and give as much as we can! AND God promises we will be blessed!

Today’s TEA CUPP: What size spoon are you using to share with others? Let’s all try to use a bigger spoon today!

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)

Forgotten Cookies – GF

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Jennifer Grace

I almost forgot to share this recipe with you! Here’s a quick way to use up extra egg whites you may have on hand. These treats are simply gluten-free with only 3 ingredients and no flour. You will want to remember these cookies when you do your holiday baking!

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips, pecans, and/or coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs whites until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar and continuing beating until stiff again. Fold in your extras…chocolate chips, pecans or coconut.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Drop batter by rounded teaspoons onto the cookie sheet.

Now, here is the important part: REMEMBER to turn OFF the oven. Then, put the cookies in the oven for 4 hours or overnight. Remove cookies from oven, place in a covered container and share!

Also, before you turn the oven on again, REMEMBER you put those cookies in there!

…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13b-14 (NKJV)

My TEA CUPP Prayers

Praying God's Word … Inviting Ladies to TEA with the King of kings!