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)

Seven Layer Cookie Bars – GF

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Jennifer Grace

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Genesis 2:2 (NKJV)

Seven has always been one of my favorite numbers because it is God’s perfect number. His creation story is seven days, the Israelites marched around Jericho for seven days, we are to forgive seventy times seven, etc. Use this recipe with your kids as a fun way to discuss these Bible stories!

These Seven Layer Cookie Bars are gluten-free when made with an 8 oz. box of gluten-free graham crackers. S’moreables was the brand I found at our local co-op.

Last week I shared a fairly healthy date bar recipe with plenty of oats and dates for fiber. This week I have for you a treat more on the candy-bar lines. Better cut this one into small pieces to enjoy during the holidays!

Seven Layer Ingredients:
1) 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2) 1 – 8 oz. box graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
3) 1 cup coconut
4) 1 cup chocolate chips
5) 1 cup butterscotch chips
6) 1 can sweetened condensed milk
7) 1 cup nuts, chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in 9 x 13 inch pan and melt in oven. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter and mix to cover pan bottom. Top with remaining layers in this order…coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, condensed milk and nuts. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into bars. Guard well!

p.s. I’d love some comments on how to make this dairy-free, too!

But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times. Joshua 6:15 (NKJV)

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22 (NKJV)

Daddy’s Date Bars – GF

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Jennifer Grace

A neat way to pray for someone is to bake them a treat or take them a meal. While you are cooking, you are thinking of that person and praying for him/her! Here is a treat I’m baking for my Daddy to take on our next visit. Get well, Daddy!

Daddy’s Date Bars (gluten free variety)

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped dates
1 and 1/2 cups water
3/4 coconut oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 and 1/2 cups oats (gluten-free)

Cook dates and water in a small saucepan over low heat until thick. Cool. In a medium bowl, combine coconut oil and sugar. In another bowl, combine salt, baking soda, brown rice flour, sorghum flour and xanthan gum. Add flour mixture to butter and sugar, along with oats. Mix until crumbly. Press half the crumb mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread cooled dates over filling. Drop remaining crumb mixture over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool, cut and share!

I like to store these in the frig so they last longer. You will want to bake a batch of these for your holiday gatherings!

Dates remind me of the question, “What date is Jesus returning?” Scripture tell us…
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Mark 13:32 (NKJV)

Reece’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies – GF

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Jennifer Grace

I recently had a craving for this old favorite recipe, but had never made it gluten-free. So, I dug out the recipe and my gluten-free flours and started mixing. They turned out really well with a combination of brown rice, arrowroot, and sorghum flours. You will enjoy these delicious chocolate peanut butter yummies!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup arrowroot flour
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
2/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 bag Reeces Peanut Butter chips

In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: brown rice flour, sorghum flour, arrowroot flour, xanthum gum, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, soften butter. Beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients a little at a time, stirring well. Fold in peanut butter chips.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop rounded teaspoons of batter onto pan, 12 per sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 11 minutes. Let cool on pan 1 minute before moving to cooling racks.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)

Living for Today

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Jennifer Grace

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,”…Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

Have you ever pondered why God put you in this particular place and time in history? I’ve often thought of my location in the U.S. and wondered what if He had put me in a tribe in Africa. How would my life be different? Since God placed me in this rich country, what is He calling me to do?

I’ve also considered living today with Jesus. When I read the Old Testament, I’m sorry they don’t have God’s Son. People had so many laws to follow and sacrifices to make. I’m happy to live in the here and now with Jesus, His forgiveness and the Holy Spirit to guide me. We New Testament people got the better deal!

Yet, one day when Jesus comes again to rule on earth (that will be an awesome day!), people will look back and say they are sure glad to be living at that time with Jesus, rather than now. As people walk about with Jesus, they will be confident they have the best deal!

Three big chunks of history tell our story: 1)Waiting for Jesus, the Old Testament prophets pointed to a Savior, 2) Now, Waiting for Jesus’ Second Coming, and 3) With Jesus, after His Second Coming when He reigns on earth.

Each part of history has its joys…like walking with God through the Red Sea in the Old Testament, walking with Jesus and seeing Him heal the sick in the early New Testament, and walking forever with Jesus when He reigns on earth. Let’s claim the joys of this present time and do all He calls us to do until He comes again.

Today’s TEA CUPP: Jesus, You put me here on earth for TODAY. Help me live the call I have from you right now. Amen.

“…Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 (NKJV)

French Toast – Gluten-Free

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Jennifer Grace

…You give them something to eat. Matthew 14:16 (NKJV)

My family loves French Toast for breakfast or dinner. Here is a recipe we can all enjoy together, using gluten-free bread and dairy-free milk.

Ingredients:
10-12 slices gluten-free bread
4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, plus extra for frying
2 eggs, beaten, farm-fresh, pasture-raised
1 cup almond milk or goat’s milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients, except the bread. Heat a griddle to medium-high heat. Grease with coconut oil. Dip gluten-free bread slices into the egg mixture, coating well on both sides. Place on greased griddle, frying on both sides until golden brown. Repeat until batter and bread are used up. Serve with your family’s favorite toppings (real maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, strawberry jam, etc.). Delicious!

How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103 (NKJV)

Vegetable Rice Chowder

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Jennifer Grace

This quick and yummy soup is perfect for a blustery fall day or the frigid days of winter. Use leftover veggies to make chowder on the stove top or in your rice cooker. Snuggle in with a steaming bowl of vegetable rice chowder today!

Ingredients:
5 cups water
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
3 cups diced veggies (potatoes, carrots, celery, green beans, peas, corn, etc.)
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

On the stove top, bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Just before serving add 1 cup milk.
In the rice cooker, put all ingredients in the inner pot. Program for desired eating time. Just before serving add 1 cup milk.
Serve with cheese and crackers and home-made gluten-free bread.

“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
Who rides the heavens to help you,
And in His excellency on the clouds.
The eternal God is your refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms… Deuteronomy 33:26-27 (NKJV)

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