Ice Cream Sandwiches

LEMON ICE CREAM SANDWICHES with BLUEBERRY SWIRL

~A yummy summer treat~

I made these little sandwiches last weekend after my Mom found the recipe in the August Gourmet magazine and informed me I was slacking - I needed to make them soon! So I did, but like most recipes I didn't do things perfectly, and OF COURSE they look nothing like the pictures in Gourmet. I accidentally overcooked (like almost burnt - I was a little worried!) the cookie part, but I think it was an improvement... they tasted like a homemade sugar cone!

No pictures, just words.

Worry, fretting, anxiety... have you ever done any of these?

Okay, so I am gonna make this statement: those verbs up there, each one of them, is, SIN!

Did not Jesus himself admonish us: "Do not worry."?
I have always, always, struggled with worry - about anything and everything, big and little. From what to make for dinner, to when am I going to excercise, to how am I going to ever pay-off my car, and even thoughts of 'will this boyfriend leave me just like the last one' ( just bein' honest, here).

Be honest, are there any positive elements of fretting? I doubt it. Worry literally eats at you. It ruins your day(s). It causes grief in your relationships. Anxiety dampens the joy that should be yours in Christ. Anxiety is actually addicting.

I have always looked at worry as just something you do. It isn't fun and I guess I never thought it was good for me, but it's not a big deal, right? Wrong. As I was reading my Bible and pouring out my heart to God in prayer, listing all my anxieties- wack - it hit me. Conviction slapped me. YOU ARE SINNING. Whoa now, wait a second, worrying isn't all that bad. No, Jesus says how many times in Matthew 6: 25-34, Do not worry? Read for yourself:

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I think that worry is shrugged away, but I think we need to face it as it really is: REFUSING to lay down everything at our Saviour's feet and simply TRUST HIM with the outcome. God wants the best for our lives, which includes peace, joy and rest (all things that cannot come from an anxious heart).

I challenge myself today let God reign in my life so that
... the peace of God, which transcends all understanding...
(Philippians 4:6-7 go look up the rest yourself! :)

Sticky Sticky Buns

The weather has been gracious enough the last few weeks to allow some baking ( which is very unusual for this time in June). So one afternoon last week I treated my daddy to some sticky buns. Here is the recipe. :) Enjoy!

Dough:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3 1/4 cups flour ( more or less as needed)
2 teaspoons salt

Caramel Sauce:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 cups whole pecans, lightly toasted

You will also need:
3/4 stick of butter, softened
brown sugar and cinnamon( I don't have measurments for this you will just have to use your own judgement)

Directions:

Dough: Combine the butter, milk, water, sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl. Slowly add the flour and salt. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. ( either by hand or with a dough hook in a stand mixer, about 8-12 minutes). The dough should be sticky; be careful not to add too much flour. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with a towel. Let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until until doubled in size.

Meanwhile make the caramel sauce: Pour the water into a 2 quart saucepan. Pour sugar into the center of the pan to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Do not stir. Cover and bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, uncover and continue until the syrup is thick and straw colored, about 7 minutes. ( It will register and 300 degrees on a candy thermometer). Reduce heat to medium and cook until the sugar syrup is golden and begins to smoke, 1-2 minutes. (350 degrees on thermometer).

While the sugar syrup is boiling, bring the cream, butter, vanilla, and corn syrup to a simmer over high heat. Remove from heat.

As soon as the sugar sryup reaches 350 degrees, remove from heat, pour about a quarter of the cream mixture into it, and let the bubbling subside. Add the remaining cream mixture and whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. While still hot pour inot a greased 9X13 pan. Sprinkle pecans over. Set aside.

After the dough has risen, dump out onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down. Roll out to a 18x 12 inch rectangle. Spread with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up with the longest edge facing you. Cut into 12 equal pieces and place in pan over top of caramel sauce.

Let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Bake on the top third of oven at 325 degrees for about 35 minutes or until center rolls are no longer doughy. Remove from oven and immediately invert on a large cookie sheet. Serve warm.

The reason for my absence...

Yes, it's true... A GUY... a very, very, wonderful, guy I might add!
My man even brought me roses the other night. My first ever!

Tyler and I have been together for 7 months,

and never did I imagine it could be like this.

So, so happy.

Isn't it amazing how God knows so much better than you do???
He knows exactly what you need.
He knows what he is doing.
He knows the storm and what's on the other side.

... and God is right with you through it all ...
..................................................................

p.s. praying for my daddy who is going through a very tumultuous storm :(
p.s.s. I just might be returning to the blogosphere for a while. I missed it!

Granola

8 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups almonds ( chopped or whole)
2 cups walnuts ( chopped or whole)
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup butter
1 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
dried fruit (optional)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In small saucepan melt the butter and honey. Add the vanilla.
In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients ( except for fruit).
Pour the butter mixture over the oats and stir thoroughly. Spread out on a large cookie sheet or roasting pan. Bake until dried out.Enjoy for breakfast with milk poured over... or for dinner... :D

Happy Valentine's Day <3

These are our traditional "truffle" brownies
... delicious, dark, goodness...
(and not your average brownie, that's for certain!)

This year was most definitely my best Valentine's day... ever!

Hopefully many more to come! :D And hopefully yours was wonderful, too!

Hmmmm

I know, I know it's time for another post. But I seem to be at a loss for what to write/ take pictures of. Maybe it will come to me very soon, or maybe some of my readers have some requests?