just-making-noise

Sourdough Journel #13: Chili Beef Sourdough Pot Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:50:00 +0000

Honestly, I didn't like pot pie when I was a child and because of that... I never made pot pie for my family. Even though chicken pot pie is one of my hubby's favorite childhood comfort food, I couldn't get myself to make one.

Well, GNOWFGLINS Sourdough eCourse changed all that!

I tried Wardee's recipe for Chili Beef Pot Pie and it was delicious and it tasted even better then next day for leftovers! I was very surprised how much I liked it. My hubby loved it and it was the first time that my oldest daughter asked for seconds! Of course, I was thrilled!

The crust was light and fluffy while the chili beef was creamy and tasty. I loved that the crust was SUPER EASY to make and there was no need to roll out the crust. Just simply slap the dough on that skillet!

Now I should get going on finding a good chicken pot pie recipe. Anybody got one to share with me? If I find a good recipe and make some changes... I'll make sure to share it with y'all!!

I would like to share this recipe, but it is not my own and it comes from Wardee's Sourdough ebook, which has copyrights. SO, If you would like to try Wardeh's Chili Beef Pot Pie, go buy her wonderful Sourdough A to Z eBook which includes a lifetime of updates!

Have a wonderful day and be sure to check out the new upcoming Fundamentals II eCourse! Seriously great stuff that you don't want to miss!!

Strawberry Pineapple Oatmeal Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:47:00 +0000

The other day I shared with you about porridge pancakes using leftover oatmeal. Today I am sharing one of my family's favorite breakfasts... Oatmeal Bake.

Really, you can't go wrong with oatmeal bake. So satisfying, nourishing, delicious & simple. Do I need to say more?

For those of you who are in the cold winter months right now... this will bring a little bit of sunshine and tropical warmth right into your kitchen!

My favorite way of enjoying a hot piece is surrounding it with a deep moat of fresh milk, 2 thick slices of butter and a heavy drizzle of raw honey or real maple syrup. Sometimes I throw some fresh fruit on top, if I didn't use it all for the bake!

Oh la la! Mmmm!

What I love about oatmeal bake is I can use whatever fresh & dried fruits, spices and nuts I have sitting in my kitchen. Since making my first oatmeal bake (inspired by Wardee's recipe), I've made at least 10 different varieties of oatmeal bake.

This is one of our top 3 favorites and...no... I am not sharing with you the other 2 (grin), you will have to wait another time for those ;o)

Strawberry Pineapple Oatmeal Bake

6 cups regular rolled oats
1/2 cup whey, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or sourdough starter
8 cups water

Combine oats, choice of acid and water in a big bowl. Cover and let it soak overnight (if using sourdough) or up to 24 hours (using whey, vinegar or lemon juice).

NOTE: I usually use sourdough starter to soak my oatmeal overnight. I learned from my friend, Wardeh, at GNOWGFLINS that sourdough starter improves the effectiveness of soaking by adding phytase to reduce phytic acid and organisms to accomplish an overnight soaking effectively. Don't worry, it won't be sour as long as you drain and lightly rinse the oats in the morning!

1/2 cup lightly melted butter, coconut oil or olive oil
2 cups coconut milk or whole milk
6 eggs
1/2 - 3/4 cup rapadura or palm sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1-2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp sea salt
2 cups chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup dried pineapple
1 cup coconut flakes

Morning arrives: preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Drain the oats through a fine sieve. Gently rinse and allow to drain while mixing together other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, milk, eggs, sweetener, vanilla, almond, nutmeg and sea salt. Add in strawberries, pineapple, coconut flakes and oats. Mix it all together gently, yet well.

Pour oatmeal mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Smooth out the top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It should be golden brown when done. Insert a knife or toothpick, it should come out clean when the bake is done.

Take bake out of the oven and set it on a cooking rack. Let it cool for about 15 - 30 to set before cutting into bars.

Enjoy it simply topped with butter and raw honey... or do it my way (read above)... Store leftovers in the fridge, but you can leave it out for a day.

Excellent snacks for around the house, park, traveling via airplane or car!!

What are you favorite ingredients for a good, nourishing Oatmeal Bake??

NEW GNOWFGLINS eCourse: Fundamentals II

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:01:00 +0000

I am excited to share with you all that Wardee will be starting up her 5th class this month... the Fundamentals II eCourse!

This eCourse is a follow up of the first Fundamentals eCourse which was launched back in 2010 where she simply taught the basics of everything from soaking grains, nuts & seeds, soaking & cooking beans, sprouting, sourdough, natural fermentation (water kefir & kombucha), cultured dairy, simple cheesemaking and more.

Now with the Fundamentals II eCourse she will be covering traditional cooking skills such as equipment you need, what natural sweeteners to use, healthy desserts, traditional fats, stocks, wild & pastured meats, organ meats, advanced grain preparation methods, vegetables, homemade salad dressings & sauces, real salt, superfoods, healthy snacks and traveling with real foods.

Wow... you really don't want to miss this!

Head over to the GNOWFGLINS eCourse site and read in more detail what you will learn and do!

After reading in more detail and enjoying this video presentation... I have to say that I will be joining this class! I saw that there are some new things in this Fundamentals II class that I've been wanting to learn for some time... such as making ghee, increasing my knowledge of making stock, preparing & enjoying organ meats, get some more kid-friendly snack recipes and making traditional food that travels well (which I've already done, but would like to see if there's more!) Great timing, Wardee!

Now, the class begins late January 2012 and continues on into June 2012. You can join anytime, and membership includes access to ALL classes as well, including the first Fundamentals.

You really can't beat that kind of deal!

What You Will Get

Access to every class offered (including the original Fundamentals eCourse)
Class enrollment doesn't close. Enroll at any time.
Total access to all available lessons from the get-go.
Exclusive monthly thank you gift for qualifying payments.
Bi-monthly learning bonus.
Weekly lessons presented through multi-media tutorials.
Exclusive members-only forums.
Weekly email reminders (optional).

For How Much?
Become a member for as little as $8 per month! That's an awesome deal! Remember you will have access to EVERY CLASS OFFERED, plus you can do it any time. You will also get video demonstrations and print downloads to help you master the tasks listed above - no matter what learning style you have!

Plus, if you sign up anytime between now until the 29th of this month you will get a BONUS gift of the "Easy Sourdough" Booklet along with a video!

Like I said earlier... you REALLY don't want to miss out on this class or the others!

Sign up today!

NOTE: I will make a small commission for every sale through my links... no extra charge to you! Thank you for helping me and my family through your purchases.

Got Extra Porridge? Make Porridge Pancakes!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:44:00 +0000

If you are like me... you probably make porridge a couple times a week, right? Do you make each batch fresh? I don't! I usually like to soak 4-6 cups of oatmeal to make a large pot of oatmeal porridge once every week. Of course, soaking it first overnight or up to 24 hours for optimal nutrition.

Then I always have at least enough leftover for another morning of oatmeal.

Leftover oatmeal makes an even quicker breakfast in the mornings when you gotta get going or if the hubby has to make breakfast. Oatmeal porridge stores really well in the fridge for a long while. I've accidentally left a container of oatmeal porridge in the fridge for longer than 2 weeks a few times and it would be just fine!

But...

There are days when oatmeal porridge just doesn't sound appealing (even with toppings and all!), but its really all you've got at hand... had those days before?

I've had mornings where I am looking at a big container of leftover oatmeal and can't really bring myself to warm it up, but what else is there to eat?! Eggs... not enough. Toast... nada. Pancakes... no time.

You get the picture.

There are days where I am looking at only 3 eggs and my girls are crying because we are having oatmeal again and they want eggs.

Then one morning, it hit me... Pancakes! Duh!

Now, that got my girlies happy again. Who doesn't like pancakes?! Plus, it only requires 2 main ingredients... eggs and porridge. For every cup of porridge you will need 1 - 2 eggs (I usually use 2, but my hubby has done it with one egg). Then you can add in spices and fruit, if you like. Simple and easy!

Not only is porridge pancakes good for breakfast, but it is a fantastic mid-morning or afternoon snack. You can use any kind of porridge you have on hand. So, make sure you make extra porridge next time you cook up a batch for breakfast!

Porridge Pancakes

2 cups porridge
2-4 eggs
sea salt
spices
fresh or dried fruit
coconut oil or butter

Measure our roughly 2 cups of porridge and break it up as much as possible. Add in eggs and continue to break up the porridge until smooth and completely mixed in. If you don't get the eggs well incorporated into the porridge, the pancakes will not hold together well. You can use your KitchenAid Standing Mixer or a hand mixer for this job... it will get it done much quicker. Or if you don't have either, which I didn't for a long time, just use some good arm action!

Add in a few dashes of sea salt, spices and your choice of fresh or dried fruit. Stir until combined.

Warm up your cast-iron pan and add in your choice of oil or butter. Allow the pan to get hot before getting started with the batter. Don't make the pancakes too big or they might fall apart while flipping it over. Best to make them mini-pancakes.

These pancakes take a little while to cook, so be patience. Don't flip them until the edges are brown and crispy. Once you've flip the pancakes, it should take less time for the second side to cook.

You should get about 6-8 small pancakes out of this. Enjoy with some real maple syrup or raw honey!

Shared on Simple Lives Thursday & Pennywise Platter Thursday & Fight Back Fridays

Celebration Giveaway WINNERS!!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Well, the moment you've all been waiting for is here!

Thank you everybody for joining in and a BIG thank you to the people who generously gave me these products to giveaway!

Here are the winners for FOUR different giveaways...

Giveaway #1
Simply Sugar & Gluten-free cookbook and Gluten-free Cupcakes cookbook

The winner of these faaabulous books is....

turq4!

theswitalas@------.com

Giveaway #2
Bones & Fat cookbooks

The winner of these delicious & savory books is...

Katie!

So cool! She blogs at Mexican Wildflower and is a

sweet friend of mine. We worked together for

2 years at Rancho Sordo Mudo. She is still there taking

care of 20 or so girls! Love you Katie!

Giveaway #3
Making Herbs SIMPLE DVD (Vol. #1)

The 5 winners of this fun, creative DVD are...

turq4!

theswitalas@------.com

Nancy!

allibrary@-----.com

Cottonpickinfarm!

gcgrytdal@-----.com

Abby Hilton!

mydaddystreasure@------.com

Lori @ Laurel of Leaves!

lori@------.com

Now, I have a surprise!
I have an extra DVD and will be giving it too...

Kelly!
kellydawn913@----.com

Giveaway #4
ListPlanIt Memberships

The 5 winners of this great place of organization are...

Michelle Bonsell!

Print Membership

Melissa B!

Download Membership

turq4!

Ruth!

Heather Anderson!

ePlanners

Whew! Congratulations everyone! I hope you will enjoy your prizes as much as I do ;o)

Now, please shoot me an email with your contact information (address, phone, etc) and I will pass them on to the people responsible to send you your prize(s). I will wait a few days, but if I don't get an email from some of you, I will try to shoot you an email myself. Please respond ASAP!

Have a great week!!

Celebration GIVEAWAY: ListPlanIt Memberships!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:24:00 +0000

Happy New Year everyone!

Wow, the last few days have been blowing by and leaving us pretty wiped out. I know I was supposed to post a Celebration Giveaway on my birthday, but I wasn't thinking it through when I started the whole thing.

We've had a group working here since Dec. 27th & will be here until January 6th and I've been so busy cooking meals that I've been too tired to put up something. So, I thought I would wait until January 1st and make it a celebration for the New Year... as you can see, didn't happen.

Well, better late then never!

I decided to extend all the Celebration Giveaways to January 14th. I see that many of you are itching to win one of these giveaways by your daily entries! LOL! Well, you now have many more days of chances to win.

So, I had big plans to give you all a fantastic surprise giveaway for my birthday... but it fell through :o(

Instead, I am going share with you about ListPlanIt.com... a great place with hundreds of "lists to put your world in order"!!

Now, how many of you have put on your yearly resolution list to be more organized?!

Yep, I see many hands... hmm, just what I thought!

Who doesn't want to be at least a little bit more organized with life, family, kids and everyday things? I am not an organized person by nature, but I am also not a disorganized one either. I guess you can say I am in the middle and taking baby steps everyday to be a little more organized here and there. I don't obsessed about it because my kids don't need a organize-freak of a mama! LOL!

I've been using many of ListPlanIt lists for several months now and have enjoyed how simple & easy they are to use. Before I came across ListPlanIt, I had been looking for simple ways to organize my life and had little success with finding ideas and "already made" lists. I was ready to give up when I came across ListPlanIt!

There are lists for everything you can think of! Lists for organizing your home, business & life. Lists to organize the bedrooms, freezers, bathrooms and pantry. Lists to organize the parties, meal plans and groceries. Lists to get ready for moving, traveling and MORE!

Want a list for something specific?? ListPlanIt is sure to have it!
Want to customize a list for yourself or a business?? ListPlanIt can help you!

Now...

FIVE winners will be given ONE of the following:

1 Print Membership (value $20)
1 Download Membership (value $30)
3 ePlanners

How to Enter

Just leave a comment below sharing one area that you know you need to be more organized! (1 entry)

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day! (one comment per day strictly enforced)

3 bonus entries:

'Like' ListPlanIt on Facebook (1 entry)

'Like' Just Making Noise on Babble (1 entry)

So, you can have a total of 4 entries today and one everyday until January 14th! This giveaway is open to the world and the winners will be selected via random.org ~~at the end of this month~~. Winner will be contacted after January 14th.

PLEASE include your email in each entry to leave for me to contact you. Thank you!

Don't forget to check out Celebration Giveaways 1, 2 & 3!!

Also, you can purchase Just Making Ice Cream for a suggested donation of $12

My friends, have a great New Year!!

Celebration GIVEAWAY: Making Herbs SIMPLE DVD (Vol. 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:52:00 +0000

Well! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is looking forward to a great New Year!

Now, I was planning to post the 3rd Celebration Giveaway this past Sunday or yesterday, but we got knocked down to 24 hour dial-up after using up our limit with all the skyping we did with the grandparents ;o)

BUT... better late then never!

So, the giveaway...

To FIVE winners, I am giving away 1 copy of Making Herbs SIMPLE DVD!

I really enjoyed this video and like how simply Shoshanna taught, step-by-step, on how to find, wash, dry and store herbs. She also teaches the hands-on steps of making poultices, tinctures and more!

When I first started watching the DVD... my 5 year old daughter, Naomi, came over and watched it with me and enjoyed it so much that she wanted to watch it again! Like the title says... it is so simple that my daughter is able to understand and thoroughly enjoy how God made all these amazing herbs (that are often considered weeds) to bring healing to our bodies. She even talked to me afterwards and pretty much explained what each herb is, the benefits and how to use them. I LOVED that! The video didn't have closed caption, so it was great to hear Naomi sum it all up like a pro and made sure that I understood what Shoshanna was saying! LOL!

So, if you are looking for a good instructional video on herbs for your child's homeschooling program or just to teach them in your own time... this is the one for you! Funny, captivating and simple... your kids will enjoy learning how to find and using herbs to improve their health!

Now, I have to talk about Bulk Herb Store.

I love their products, the prices and quality!

I made my own pregnancy tea using their herbs and the taste was delicious. I'll have to share with you my recipe... soon I hope!

Since we don't drink coffee in this family... we like to drink a lot of tea around here! I am a die-hard fan of Rooibos Tea and I like it just the way it is... no raw honey! I've learned to appreciate its earthy, rustic flavors. Of course, there are some days where I just need a little sweetness to my tea ;o)

You can see that I have banners on my blog supporting BHS. If you are considering making some purchases... please use my links. I will get a small commission for each purchase and it is no extra cost to you! Thank you for your support!

Now, let's get to the giveaway... shall we?

How to Enter

Just leave a comment below sharing your favorite herb, tea or herbal remedy! (1 entry)

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day! (one comment per day strictly enforced)

4 bonus entries:

'Like' Bulk Herb Store on Facebook (1 entry)

'Like' Shoshanna on Facebook (1 entry)

'Like' Just Making Noise on Babble (1 entry)

Follow Just Making Noise via emails or RSS feed (1 entry)

So, you can have a total of 5 entries today and one everyday until ~~December 31st~~ January 14th! This giveaway is only open to US residents and the winners will be selected via random.org at the end of this month. Winner will be contacted in January.

PLEASE include your email in each entry to leave for me to contact you. Thank you!

Also, don't forget you can purchase Just Making Ice Cream for a suggested donation of $8 through this month! That is $4 off the original suggested donation.

Have a great New Year!!

Sourdough Journel #12: Delicious Sourdough Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:11:00 +0000

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Have you checked out the great deals at GNOWFGLINS? With any of your purchases of classes, menus, ebooks and videos... you will get up to 5 free thank you videos (value $10!).

THROUGH NEW YEAR'S DAY (Monday 11/28/11 at 10pm thru 1/1/12) you can get:

• Any 5 thank you videos with a yearly subscription

• Any 2 thank you videos with a monthly recurring subscription

• Any 1 thank you video with a single month subscription

I seriously can't say enough good things about Wardeh's wonderful e-courses! They have been so simple and easy to follow. So fun, too! Thank you Wardee!!!

So...

I mentioned two weeks ago that I have TWO different cookie recipe to share with you all. I am hooked on making my cookies with sourdough now!

I love it because I can now serve cookies knowing that they are much healthier and we don't feel sick after eating a cookie or two.

For a long time I've made our family favorite - Stuffed Oatmeal Cookies - and they were healthy, for the most part... except the oatmeal part. I find that when I don't soak our oatmeal... we feel pretty yucky afterwards. Especially if we eat too much of it, which is hard not to because they are so good!

So, when I learned that I could change my recipe a little and add in the sourdough into the dough to help break down the oatmeal... I was all for trying it out!

Our first batch was gone in one night.

I kid you not!

Yeah, it was so good with some fresh milk and we didn't have that ache in our stomaches after having one too many cookies. Yeaaaa!

Stuffed Oatmeal Sourdough Cookies

1 cup sourdough
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups whole wheat flour (plus more, if needed, to get a stiff batter)
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
3/4 - 1 cup rapadura or coconut sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (sometimes I throw in 3 cups!)
1-2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1-2 cups dried fruit (optional)

In a medium size bowl stir together the sourdough starter and butter. Add 1 cup of flour and the oatmeal. Stir to incorporate. Continue adding flour until you have a thick dough. You may need more or less flour, depending on your starter consistency and your flour choice. Cover and allow to sour for 8 or more hours.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease your baking sheets.

In a small bowl mix together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, sea salt, optional cinnamon and baking powder. Pour mixture on top of your soured dough. You will need to get both of your hands in the bowl and use a squeezing motion to break up the very firm dough or use a thick, strong fork (that's what I do). Stir until free of lumps and of one mind, stir in your chocolate chips, nuts, coconut flakes and optional dried fruit. Then sprinkle on the baking soda. Stir well to incorporate.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (about 15 minutes in my higher altitude) OR spread the whole batter in the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Next I wanted to make some unique sourdough cookies for a Thanksgiving Potluck that we were invited to go. We met a lot of missionaries and made some new friends.

It was a little too crazy and loud for me, but I was glad to see that people were enjoying my cookies! I made them pan-style so I didn't have to spend hours laboring over every drop of dough and cookie to make enough for 80+ people ;o)

I started off following the recipe from the Sourdough eCourse for Molasses Ginger cookies, but then realized I didn't have molasses. So, I used honey instead and started changing up the recipe from there.

The final touch was the orange zest... oh my sweet goodness! I actually threw that in there in the last minute because I felt that it needed something.

Wish I had a picture because they looked pretty & yummy!

Cranberry Orange Spice Sourdough Cookies

1 cup sourdough

1 cup butter, melted

2 cups whole wheat flour (plus more, if needed, to get a stiff batter)

1-2 cups oatmeal

scant 1/4 cup raw honey

1/2 - 3/4 cup rapadura or coconut sugar

3/4 tsp sea salt

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cloves

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger
1-2 Tbsp orange zest (I used a whole orange's worth of zest!)
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1-2 cups dried cranberries, chopped
1-2 cups walnuts, chopped

In a medium size bowl stir together the sourdough starter and butter. Add 1 cup of flour and the oatmeal. Stir to incorporate. Continue adding flour until you have a thick dough. You may need more or less flour, depending on your starter consistency and your flour choice. Cover and allow to sour for 8 or more hours.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease your baking sheets.

In a small bowl mix together the honey, eggs, sugar, vanilla, sea salt, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, orange zest and baking powder. Pour mixture on top of your soured dough. You will need to get both of your hands in the bowl and use a squeezing motion to break up the very firm dough or use a thick, strong fork (that's what I do). Stir until free of lumps and of one mind, stir in cranberries and walnuts. Then sprinkle on the baking soda. Stir well to incorporate.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (about 15 minutes in my higher altitude) OR spread the whole batter in the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Have a beautiful Christmas everyone!

PS- don't forget to enter for a chance to win some fabulous cookbooks (check it out here & here)!!

Candied Orange Spice Peels

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:22:00 +0000

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Since last week I've been going through several pounds (at least 30 lbs, if not more!) of oranges... washing, cutting, peeling, slicing and blending.

My kitchen has been full of sunshine and wonderful smells of delicious oranges! Yummm!

Can't get enough of the smells and beautiful colors, but I've had enough of all that work! LOL!

You may be wondering when I'm going to get to the point. Right?

Well, we have several citrus trees giving us more than enough oranges and I was wondering what to do with it all! Especially the peels. One day I was browsing through my Facebook and saw one of my friends posted that she was making candied orange peels. Of course, that grabbed my attention.

Candied orange peels?! Honestly, never heard of that!

I quickly googled for a recipe and found one at use real butter (Beautiful photography!). Honestly, I was very surprised to find out that making candied peels is so easy... just a little time consuming ;o)

Seriously, the work was well worth it... for Christmas we will be giving away small bags of these treats to all our Honduran neighbors & friends, the kids we work with and missionaries we know. I've already had a few kids taste the candied peels and they LOVE them!

While I was waiting for the raw sugar water to get hot... a great idea popped into my head. I threw in some cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and chunks of ginger to bring about a spicy flavor. Success! Delicious, warm spices drifted up to my nose... oh yum!

After pouring the peels in and simmering them for forever... they came out golden, glazed and sticky. Dropped them in a pan of cane sugar and they separated beautifully.

When Jon took his first bite of the sugar covered peel... he said the texture and flavor reminded him of those old classic sugar-crusted gumdrops!

I rolled some batches with cane sugar and some without. I am thinking the ones without the sugar crust would be fabulous in some oatmeal cookies. Hmmm, maybe I'll have a recipe coming on that idea!

I made my first batch for a Christmas party for the missionary women. They were a hit! I put the orange peels in small plastic bags and tied them up with a cute ribbon along with the recipe & suggestions... simple and easy. I would rather packet the orange peels in parchment paper or glass jars, but I am in a country where those are not easily found and often expensive. Boohoo. At least they looked cute in the plastic bags!

I am doing the same when passing them out to our Honduran neighbors and kids. I put on different tags that say, "Feliz Navidad!! Bendiciones! Familia de Jon & Marillyn Beard".

Can you believe how much I've made?! LOL! Next year I would like to plan ahead and have some girls help me.

Wish the picture of the gift bag looked a little better, but its good enough and you get the idea!

So, after all that glorious work.... I was left with 6 1/2 quarts of dark, dark brown, orange flavored syrupy sweetness! So, now I have plans for those!! Caramel popcorn, granola, candied nuts, hot chocolate, pancakes and more.

*Sigh*

Candied Orange Spice Peels

4 oranges (or any thick skinned citrus fruit)
3 cups sugar (rapadura, coconut sugar or unrefined cane sugar)
1 cup water
1-2 cinnamon sticks (optional)
5-10 whole cloves (optinoal)
1 chunk of ginger (optional)
cane sugar for rolling

Quarter oranges into wedges. Carefully slice or peel the flesh away from the orange peels (I generally don’t like to remove too much pith, only if it is really thick). Slice the peel of each wedge lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips.

Place peels in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Heat on high until water comes to a boil. Pour off the water. Repeat two more times.

Meanwhile, mix 1 cup water with 3 cups of sugar in a large saucepan or pot. Add optional spices. Bring to boil over high heat until temps reaches about 230F. Stir it to make sure sugar is dissolved. Add peels and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until peels are translucent (30 minutes or longer - about 50 mintues at my 6,500 ft. elevation). You will want to stir the peels every so often.

Drain peels in a colander (catch all the syrup in a bowl!). Add sugar into a deep, wide bowl. Use tongs to move peels into the bowl and roll in sugar, if desired. Set on a rack or wax covered cookie sheet to dry for 4-5 hours OR 2 days (best results). I put my peels in my dehydrator and set it on low heat (95-115F). They came out great!

You can now eat the candied peels! If you won’t be eating them within a week, store them packed in sugar in an airtight container.

Suggestions:

Don't throw out the sugar! Use it to sweeten your morning coffee or drink for some yummy orange-flavored sweetness.
Chopped up your orange peels and mix it with some nuts.
Don't throw out the syrup! Use it over your pancakes, sweeten drinks, make caramel popcorn and more.
Instead of rolling the peels in sugar. Allow them to dry for up to 2 days and dip each peel into some dark chocolate! Allow it to harden before storing in an airtight container.

Don't forget you can order Just Making Ice Cream ebook for $8 through this month! Also, enter for chances to win gluten-free & savory cookbooks!!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

DPP 2011 > Help Us Help Them

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:58:00 +0000

It isn't easy to catch a beautiful smile like that with these kids.

Most are so solemn... life is hard for many of them.

But when they come here to RO4Y, they are able to forget for a while and just be kids... silly, goofy and laughing. There is so much peace here and they can feel it!

I know a real smile when I see one... it lights up their eyes.

Like Diana, up there.

She has a hard life... Dad is alcoholic and can't keep a job. Both Mom and Dad can't read. They live very simply on beans, rice and corn tortillas.

Thankfully, Diana has chosen to learn to read and write. She has chosen to come to RO4Y. It seems that she wants to choose a better life and learn more about Jesus.

Help us help her.

We want to help with her spiritual needs and physical needs. We want to do that for every kid that comes here as much as possible!

For Christmas, we are planning to put together food baskets and give them out has gifts to the families of the kids we work with. For $25 we can give a family a basket of wholesome food that will last them anywhere from 2 days to a week... depending on how many people are in the family.

Would you like to help us?

DPP 2011 > CrockPot Christmas Potpourri

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:01:00 +0000

I LOVE Christmas Potpourri.

It makes the house smell festive and delicious!

Since I was a little girl... every year my Mommo would throw together a pot of water or apple juice, fresh oranges, apples, cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg and let it simmer 24/7. She would keep refilling the pot with water or apple juice and change out the fruits about once a week when they would get so mushy.

The house would smell simply HEAVENLY from Thanksgiving till just past New Year!

With all the oranges that we've been picking off our trees and cutting them up for different things... all the smells from the oranges brought back to memory of that delicious potpourri that my mama used to make every year.

It got me thinking, "Why haven't I done that in my home?"

Well, I couldn't use my gas stove for 2 reasons... 1) I need all the burners for all the home cooking I do daily and 2) the gas burns too hot, that I couldn't leave it with fear that it would burn up to smoke (ugh).

Then I thought, "What about my crockpot? Perfect!"

So, I've been "simmering" my homemade Christmas Potpourri on high throughout the day without the lid on. I just LOVE coming into my house after working outside and taking a deep breath of delicious cinnamon-y orange fragrance.

Here's my simple recipe:

Oranges, sliced
Cinnamon sticks
Whole Cloves
Nutmeg (I used the old chunks after grating them)
Water

Throw everything in your crockpot. Cover with water and set it on high. Add in water as the level drops below the oranges. Change out the fruit about once a week.

Also, you can add in sliced apples... I didn't because I didn't have any and they are kinda pricey here. Not worth it to me.

I've also seen people put in bay leaves... hmmm. Maybe I'll try that.

NOTE: A small crockpot would be ideal, but if you don't have one... you can always shop on craigslist or garage sales!

I think I might play around with the recipe and try adding pineapple! Going for the tropical Christmas smells ;o)

Tell me, what kind of potpourri do you like? What would you add in?

DPP > Dog Love

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:57:00 +0000

We love our Danes... they are the Gentle Giants! Here is Tobi riding Daisy like a horse. I don't know how many times people have suggested that we should buy a small saddle for our Danes and train them to give "rides" around the yard. Like that would ever happen! LOL!!

DPP > Happy Birthday Tobias!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:00:00 +0000

Happy Birthday little man!

Here he is... eating a banana cupcake made with coconut flour and sweetened with bananas, stevia & dates. So simple & good! The recipe came from Elana's Gluten-Free Cupcakes. The only thing that was missing was whipping cream... didn't have enough cream to make any, BUT I made homemade ice cream (maple cinnamon), of course! ;o)

He LOVED his cupcake, but found the ice cream too cold. LOL!

I know I said I would share the birth story today, but it was a full day for me and I ran out of time. So, l'll have to do it later! Thanks for your patience!

Celebration GIVEAWAY: Bones & Fat Cookbooks

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:30:00 +0000

Well, today we are celebrating my little man's birthday! I know every mom says this, but... I seriously can not believe he is already 1 year old. Time just flies faster and faster with each kid!

It is my goal to share the birth story later today in honor of Tobias' birthday. I have to tell you! It is an amazing story of faith, trust and... well, I get to that later :o)

Before I get to the giveaway... let me share a few highlights of Tobias' first year of life.

Everybody fell in love with this little guy... my girls are especially crazy about him. How can they not be?! I am SO grateful that there has been no jealousy issues between my girls and this little guy. None at all.

He has proven to be a very strong-will little guy... my third strong-will child *sigh*. Life is sure very loud and noisy in the Beard household! All 3 of my kids have very strong spirits and lungs. People often ask me if it is hard for me to hear them... my answer is always, "Ha! No, God has blessed me with very loud children. If I think they are loud... can't imagine how loud they are to you!"

He began to crawl around 9 months old, but started walking before he was 10 months old! He loves following my girls around and doesn't let them push him around. Almost everyday I often see him do things and say, "He is SUCH a BOY!". Seriously, after having two girls... I am amazed just how different Tobi is and it sometimes feels like he is my first child.

Tobi has had more bumps, bruises & cuts on his head and face then both my girls combined when they were babies! Thankfully he isn't much of a crier and gets right back in the action after a few minutes in mama's arms ;o)

It has been an awesome year with this little man and I am so blessed! Thank you Lord! Happy Birthday Tobias!

Now, the second giveaway!

To one winner, I am giving away 2 delicious & savory cookbooks:

These two cookbooks are deliciously amazing... just reading through the recipes and look at the pictures make me feel nourished and well-fed! LOL!

Jennifer McLagan has done a wonderful job of explaining everything you need to know to appreciate the benefits of eating wholesome bones and fat. I love her witty sense of humor thrown in at just the right places. You can read Jennifer's bio here.

These two books are vital in my kitchen these days! I just love how there is so much you can learn and do with just bones and fat.... and still thrive in good health. Here's a simple write up on Fat cookbook (taken from Amazon.com):

For all of history, minus the last thirty years, fat has been at the center of human diets and cultures. When scientists theorized a link between saturated fat and heart disease, industry, media, and government joined forces to label fat a greasy killer, best avoided. But according to Jennifer McLagan, not only is our fat phobia overwrought, it also hasn’t benefited us in any way. Instead it has driven us into the arms of trans fats and refined carbohydrates, and fostered punitive, dreary attitudes toward food–that wellspring of life and pleasure.

In Fat, McLagan sets out with equal parts passion, scholarship, and appetite to win us back to a healthy relationship with animal fats. She starts by defusing fat’s bad rap, both reminding us of what we already know–that fat is fundamental to the flavor of our food–and enlightening us with the many ways fat (yes, even animal fat) is indispensable to our health.

Mostly, though, Fat is about pleasures–the satisfactions of handling good ingredients skillfully, learning the cultural associations of these primal foodstuffs, recollecting and creating personal memories of beloved dishes, and gratifying the palate and the soul with fat’s irreplaceable savor. Fat lavishes the reader with more than 100 recipes from simple to intricate, classic to contemporary, including:

• Butter-Poached Scallops • Homemade Butter • Carnitas • Duck Confit • Sautéed Foie Gras with Gingered Vanilla Quince • Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut with Sage Butter • Steak and Kidney Pie • Lamb Fat and Spinach Chapati • Bacon Spice • Cookies • Salted Butter Tart

Observing that though we now know everything about olive oil, we may not know what to do with lard or bone marrow, McLagan offers extensive guidance on sourcing, rendering, flavoring, using, and storing animal fats, whether butter or bacon, schmaltz or suet. Stories, lore, quotations, and tips touching on fat’s place in the kitchen and in the larger culture round out this rich and unapologetic celebration of food at its very best.

The one thing I learned from her Fat cookbook is chicken fat is delicious used for frying up corn tortillas! Oh my!

Next is the Bones cookbook (again, taken from Amazon.com):

Top food stylist and food writer Jennifer McLagan has a bone to pick: too often, people opt for boneless chicken breasts, fish fillets, and cutlets, when good cooks know that anything cooked on the bone has more flavor -- from chicken or spareribs to a rib roast or a whole fish. In Bones, Jennifer offers a collection of recipes for cooking beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry, fish, and game on their bones.

Chicken, steak, and fish all taste better when cooked on the bone, but we've sacrificed flavor for speed and convenience, forgetting how bones can enhance the taste, texture, and presentation of good food -- think of rack of lamb, T-bone steak, chicken noodle soup, and baked ham. In her simple, bare-bones style, Jennifer teaches home cooks the secrets to cooking with bones.

Each chapter of Bones includes stocks, soups, ribs, legs, and extremities (except for whole fish -- they don't have any). Many of the recipes are simple, with the inherent flavors of the bones doing most of the work. There are traditional, elegant dishes, such as Roasted Marrow Bones with Parsley Salad, Olive-Crusted Lamb Racks, and Crown Roast of Pork, as well as new takes on homestyle favorites, such as Maple Tomato Glazed Ribs, Coconut Chicken Curry, and Halibut Steaks with Orange Cream Sauce. Stunning, full-color photographs of dishes like Rabbit in Saffron Sauce with Spring Vegetables; Grilled Quail with Sage Butter; and Duck Legs with Cumin, Turnips, and Green Olives are sure to inspire.

In addition to the recipes, Bones includes a wealth of information on a wide range of bone-related topics, including the differences among cuts of meat, as well as the history and lore of bones.

Pretty awesome, huh? Now, she recently released a new cookbook called "Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal". I've got my eye on that and will most likely get a copy soon!

The one think I've grown to appreciate about living in Central America is how much people here appreciate the WHOLE animal. They use everything! Tongue, stomach, heart, hoof, head, tail and so on. I love grinding heart in with my ground beef... adds such a nice flavor. Oh and tongue is simply delicious... once you get past the weird feeling that you are "french kissing" the cow. LOL!! Using calf's hoof in my homemade beef broth has made a big difference in flavor... so rich!

There are a few butchers in the town next to us that often hang a whole cow in their station and will not close down until every piece of that cow has sold. Nothing goes to waste... talk about being frugal and smart!

How to Enter

Just leave a comment below sharing your favorite Christmas memory! (1 entry)

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day! (one comment per day strictly enforced)

3 bonus entries:

Follow Jennifer's blog (1 entry)

Follow my blog (1 entry)

'Like' Just Making Noise on Babble (1 entry)

So, you can have a total of 4 entries today and one everyday until ~~December 31st~~ January 14th! This giveaway is only open to US residents and the winner will be selected via random.org at the end of this month. Winner will be contacted in January.

Also, don't forget you can purchase Just Making Ice Cream for a suggested donation of $8 through this month! That is $4 off the original suggested donation.

DPP 2011 > Orange Fest!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:15:00 +0000

A few days ago we had a huge bag of oranges harvested right off our citrus trees and I've been wanting to make candied orange peels as gifts for our neighbors and for a cookie party that I am hoping to go to... I will get to meet more missionary women and hopefully make a friend or two!

So, today we basically had an orange festival! Washing, cutting and peeling... but we only got half way through the bag! That's a lot of oranges! I am thinking I will zest the rest of them and dried the orange zest out. Great to have a jar of dried orange zest when you need it.

I will hopefully post a recipe for candied orange peels using raw sugar... SO easy! Great for those of you who have citrus trees giving too many oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit. Yep, you can use any peel of a citrus fruit to be candied... just make sure the skins aren't too thin or they will turn leathery after being candied. Not appealing.

What did I do with all the juicy, fleshly part of the oranges? Made fresh juice, of course!

Pictures from DDP 2009

Celebration GIVEAWAY: Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free and Gluten-Free Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:42:00 +0000

Today is the first celebration giveaway for the month!

We are celebrating my mom's birthday today. I wish I could be at her house right now, whipping up a batch of cupcakes using coconut flour from Elana's awesome cookbook. I would probably make either the German Chocolate Cupcakes (already made this once for her.. so GOOD! This recipe actually inspired me to make an ice cream version) or Red Velvet Cupcakes or Cookie Surprise Cupcakes or... there's so many good recipes!

Before I get into the giveaway... let me tell you about my mom.

She is a beautiful woman of strong character and a generous giving heart. The Lord has given her many skills and gifts... music, writing and teaching being her three strongest skills/gifts. She has wrote many songs that the Lord has given her to bless those around her. I hope one day these songs will be sung to the world and I'm sure it will... if not here in this world, then for sure in heaven!

My mom has gone through a lot of pain since she was a child, but God is bringing her through a time of healing that is hard, yet amazing to watch.

Often, when I look at her and all that she's been through... I see that she is a beautiful mess that God is lovely and patiently cleaning through.

I've watched her live her life of daily renewing her mind and choosing to believe in God's grace & mercy through everything... God has taught me so much through her!

Even though she is imperfect in so many ways. She is a woman of integrity, faith and prayer... that's what makes her so beautiful. I love you & Happy Birthday Mommo!

Now, the giveaway!

To one winner, I am giving away 2 gluten-free books:

Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free contains over 180 recipes, 140 of which have never been published on Amy's blog, Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free. Her mouth-watering recipes can be made in 20 minutes or less... that's nice for those of you who lead busy lives! Here's a short bio about Amy:

Amy started the popular food blog Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free in May 2008 to share her passion for healthy living. She has abstained from refined sugars and wheat since 2004 and, as a result, is maintaining a 60-plus pound weight loss. Over the years, Amy has learned that eating healthier doesn’t equal deprivation.

In 2012, Amy is launching Nourished (with Jen Cafferty), the first gluten-free and allergen-friendly food blogger conference. Attendees will be able to learn and share with along with other professionals in their field.

In addition to owning a small business, Amy teaches local sugar-free, gluten-free cooking classes. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology and a Master of Education, both from The Ohio State University. Amy has also studied Baking & Pastry Arts at The Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Education at Collin College and spent many years working both the front and back of the house in restaurants. Previously, Amy taught elementary school and owned one of the premier pet care companies in the North Dallas area. She lives with her husband and four dogs in Dallas, Texas. If you are interested, you can read more about her here.

You all know how much I love baking with coconut flour. When I first learned that Elana was writing another cookbook using coconut flour... I was already in line to get my copy! Gluten-Free Cupcakes has beautiful photography and delicious recipes that are simple to make, yet look so elegant!

This fabulous book features:

50 gluten free recipes for cupcakes and savory treats
14 recipes for frostings, fillings and toppings
25 cupcake recipes that use coconut flour
9 cupcake recipes that use almond flour
4 flourless cupcake recipes
12 cupcake recipes that use both almond flour and coconut flour
41 dairy free cupcake recipes
8 dairy free frostings, fillings and toppings
5 vegan frostings, fillings and toppings
38 nut free recipes
10 cupcake recipes that use arrowroot powder

If you are interested in more information, please read here. Like I said earlier, I've already tried her recipe for German Chocolate Cupcakes and they were simply luscious! Next I want to try the Cookie Surprise Cupcakes... oooh yummy. The only downside is not being able to get almond flour. So, I will have to compromise a little ;o)

How to Enter

Just leave a comment below on what you did today! (1 entry)

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day! (one comment per day strictly enforced)

3 bonus entries:

Follow Amy's blog Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (1 entry)

Follow Elana's blog Elana's Pantry (1 entry)

'Like' Just Making Noise on Babble (1 entry)

Also, don't forget you can purchase Just Making Ice Cream for a suggested donation of $8 through this month! That is $4 off the original suggested donation.

Let's Celebrate!!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:22:00 +0000

This is a busy, special month of celebrations for my family...

My mom's birthday is on the 10th

My little man will be 1 year old on the 14th

Christmas day is on the 25th

and...

My birthday is on the 29th

Please join us in these celebrations! On each special day I will be giving away gifts of cookbooks & DVDs that you will find essential in my home and kitchen. The final giveaway (my birthday!) will be a surprise and I hope a good one!

To start off the celebration, we will be asking for suggested donations of $8 a book. That's $4 off the original suggested donation!

Go and purchase your Just Making Ice Cream eBook and enjoy ice cream made of every kind of flavor you need year round!

When you make your order, simply change the total from $12 to $8.

Want to give more? You can change the total anywhere from $8 to $12 and beyond!

Remember, everything things goes towards supporting the ministry of RO4Y. Thank you!

Now keep a lookout for these giveaways! Winners will be announced in January.

DPP 2011 > Who Wants A Cookie?

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:07:00 +0000

Oatmeal Chocolate Pecan Sourdough Cookies

and

Oatmeal Cranberry Orange Spiced Sourdough Cookies

So good! Especially the cranberry one... recipes coming soon!

DPP 2011 > Learning In the Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:17:00 +0000

It was a beautiful day out... warm breeze, hot sun and the smell of earth drew me outside.

"Wanna work on your writing outside?" I asked Naomi.

"Yeah!" Yelled Naomi, jumping up and down.

We gathered all the papers, books and crayons. I got an old pink sheet and spread it out in the breeze. We settle down and Naomi went right to work on her R's sheet. I started to read a chapter from "I Heard Good News Today " (GREAT book!).

After Noami finished her R sheet... we looked through the Children's Encyclopedia and learned about mountains & rivers.

Slowly and quietly... our animals came to us.

The dogs, always on the look out for attention and affection, laid down next to us.

The chickens, always watching for us to bring them scraps and food, pecked around us.

The horses, always curious (especially Nyssa, the filly) and looking for treats, snuffled through our things and gave us kisses.

The cat, always look for a hand to stroke him, laid on my lap.

Felt like heaven on earth at that moment.

"Mommy, this is nice. Can we do this again?"

DPP 2009 Picture

DPP 2011 > A Plan & Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:41:00 +0000

Vivid red petals with golden drops of rain... the flower was made for me to enjoy its glory and beauty. To remind me that there is a Creator.

It didn't just happen... there was a plan and purpose for that flower. Just like there is a plan and purpose for you and me. It was planned for this flower to take root, grow and show off its vivid red glory for me to enjoy... for anybody who wants to take the time to enjoy its beauty.

The beauty that God surrounds us with is breath-taking.

Have you taken the time to stop, look around and admire the creation?

It was created for you and me... for our pleasure!

I can't tell you how many times I go through my days without taking a peep at the beauty outside my house.

I get busy and caught up on laundry, cooking and family... We all do.

What a difference it makes when I purposely take the time to stop, look and enjoy.

When I do that... I can feel the tension around my eyes fade away. My mind clears up. My lungs take in a deep refreshing breathe of air. My heart sings. My body feels restored.

I feel recharged and ready to finish the day with a song of praise in my heart... bursting out from my lips. I often noticed that my kids like hearing me sing, it relaxes them and it relaxes me.

Remember, enjoy what's around you... embrace the life you have... it will be gone in a moment.

Mexican Chocolate Coconut Tres Leches Cake (Gluten-Free!)

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:18:00 +0000

I have a confession to make...

I've kept this recipe from you all for 2 years now...

Why? Well, life happened! Moved to Honduras, no internet for 9 months, pregnant with little man and a year of adjust to the cultural shock all rolled together in the last 2 years.

Will you all forgive me? Will you still love me?

Whew! Glad to get that out in the open. I am thrilled to finally get this yummy, moist, rich cake out of my secret files and share it with you all! ;o)

So... yeah, I made this cake back in Christmas of 2009 when we were living in Costa Rica. I mentioned this cake back when I was doing the Heavenly Sugar giveaway and my friend Katie (who won the giveway) requested the recipe for this cake. So sorry it took this long, Katie! Thanks for understand ;o)

As most of you probably already know... Tres Leches is Three Milks Cake and is a very popular cake among the Latin Americans. I remember having my first taste of it back when we were missionaries at Rancho Sordo Mudo (located in Baja California).

It was sugary, soggy and milky... yeah, I didn't like it.

I would always try a bite whenever a family would bring their kid a Tres Leches Cake for their birthday... hoping there might be one that I would like. No luck.

So, when I got the Heavenly Sugar packet to review and saw the 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk in the box... I knew exactly what I was going to make.

I started looking around online for recipes, I did not see anything that interested me because I wanted to go for something more unique & healthy (of course!) with the flavor and ingredients.

Found NOTHING... well, I did find a couple gluten-free recipes, but they called for all these different kinds of flours that I don't use and weren't exactly healthy.

I started thinking... what about coconut flour?

The coconut flour is PERFECT because all the eggs it calls for creates a wonderful sponge to absorb the tres leches... YES!

That's how I came up with this unique & healthy Mexican Chocolate Coconut...

Chocolate Coconut Tres Leches Cake (Gluten-free!)

Chocolate Coconut Cake
3/4 cup coconut flour, sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
10 eggs, separated
1 cup coconut oil or butter
1 cup raw honey
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp cinnamon

Set oven at 325 F. Greased a 9x13 pan and dust with coconut flour.

In a small bowl combine the flour, cocoa, sea salt and baking soda. In a large bowl blend together the egg yolks, oil, honey, vanilla and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients into the large bowl and blend together till smooth (very well combined).

Put egg whites in a clean glass bowl, sprinkle some lemon juice and beat till stiff peaks form.
Fold egg whites into the batter and be careful not to over mix!

Pour mixture into 9x13 pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Before taking it out, test it with a knife and if it comes out clean… it is done.

Remove cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely. If desired, turn the cake unto a large plate or keep it in the pan.

Tres Leches Sauce
8oz Heavenly Sugar sweetened condensed milk
1 14oz. coconut milk or evaporated milk
1 cup whole milk or cream

Pour milks into a large jar and mix very well. Pour over the cake slowly in sections. Do not pour it all at once!

Note: if the coconut milk is very thick, you will need to water it down till it is the same consistency as regular evaporated milk.

Mexican Chocolate Sauce/Frosting
1 cup dark chocolate
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter
1-3 Tbsp raw honey
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of sea salt
pinch or more of hot chile powder (optional)

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and coconut oil or butter. Stir in honey, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and optional chile. Let it cool. Heavily drizzle it over the cake (if desired) and serve!

If you want it more frosting-like… place the sauce in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Remove from the freezer and whip the frosting with a hand blender until fluffy and thick. Carefully frost the cake and serve!

Have a wonderful Merry Christmas! Please let me know if you make this... I do hope the recipe with give you the same success I've consistently had over the last 2 years.

My family raved over this cake and I will be making it again this year ;o)

DDP 2011 > Bellybuttons & Raspberries!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:24:00 +0000

I enjoy laying down to play with Tobi. It is interesting to see the world from his view... what goes through his mind when he sees things bigger than him? Does he understand how small and vulnerable he is?

Whenever we start to play, he LOVES to look for my bellybutton and when he finds it... he gives me a drooling raspberry. That gleeful smile on his face always brightens my day and my heart swells with fierce love for this little guy!

I am SO blessed to have a little man! Bellybuttons and raspberries are my remedies to soften up a hard day ;o)

Check out DPP 2009 Pictures: Day 4 & Day 5

PS- I missed yesterday because we were in Teguc and got back late.

DPP 2011 > English Muffin Addiction

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 03:55:00 +0000

Made a double batch of sourdough english muffins today! We love these muffins and I try to make them least once a week. I always make a double or triple batch... they are delicious and go fast!

What are you favorites way to enjoy english muffins? Ours it with lots of butter and raw honey, but we also like have salmon or egg salads, mini-pizzas, melted cheese on top (and then topped with raspberry jam - yum!), egg & avocado sandwiches and hamburgers.

My girls and I have started a habit... we like to sit down with some english muffins (still warm!) topped with lots of butter and raw honey after we finish. Brew up some rooibos tea to go along with it... perfect!

If you haven't... go check out the fantastic GNOWFGLINS eCourses (that's where I learned how to make my Honduran Sourdough!). They are running specials until New Year. When you purchase eBooks, join a class OR sign up for their weekly menus... you will receive some pretty awesome videos - FREE!

Check it out: DPP 2009 Picture

DDP 2011 > Rainbow Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:38:00 +0000

My beautiful, silly girl was learning to write her R's and wanted to write "Rainbow"... Isn't she a beauty? Thought this picture was fitting because we read & learned about rainbows the day after we saw that beautiful "Rainbow of Promise".

2009 DPP Picture

December Photo Project 2011 - The Rainbow of Promise

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:19:00 +0000

Some of you might remember my series of photos for the DPP 2009. I LOVED it! I was bummed to miss out last year's project, but knew I couldn't commit to it because of being pregnant with little man... who came into this world on Dec. 14th ;o)

Now, this year I want to take a shot at it again. I don't know if I will be able to post every single day, but I will try.

If you take the time to look my pictures from the DPP 2009... you will see pictures of how we first came to Honduras and heard God tell us this was the "promised land" for RO4Y. Wow, that was 2 years ago...

A lot has changed and happened these past 2 years. While, you are sitting here reading this... PLEASE take a few minutes to pray for the purchase of the property. Things have gotten complicated and the owners are not making it easy. We know, without a doubt, we are to buy this land that we established RO4Y on... but the devil doesn't want it to happen.

Thank you for praying.

Now, here's the first photo... well, actually two ;o)

We don't see rainbows very often around here. So it is a very special sight to see this! It was a full and HUGE... It was too big to take a full picture of it where I was standing.

What made it even more special was that it went right over our property! It was amazing... God's promise hovering right over us.

Again, thank you for your prayers and enjoy the special month to come!