Thankful Thursdays #55: true romance

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Veronica

Last week, I embarked on a new adventure in my Thankful Thursdays feature by taking the first of my top ten thanksgivings, and fleshing it out a little by sharing my testimony. Continuing the adventure, I’m now moving on to the second thanksgiving on my list:

2. My wonderful, most perfect husband. I always tell him he is perfect to me, because although he’s obviously not literally perfect, he is everything I need him to be and honestly, I don’t think there is anyone in the world I could love as much. I feel that I have been blessed far beyond what I deserve, and I’m so thankful for it. He completes me.

I was corrupted by romance novels at the tender age of twelve. (Is that a funny way to start telling you why I’m so thankful for Dennis? Bear with me! lol) My Dad has always had a hobby of buying and selling, well, pretty much everything, and I found a bookshelf lined with romance novels in our basement that he had been selling at the flea market. I snuck them away one at a time, devouring them and wondering if I’d ever find a man as wonderful as the ones in the novels. (I was corrupted, I tell you!) They captivated me because they depicted such colorful and passionate people, and relationships (and details I really didn’t need to be reading!) that were so much different than the ones I observed in real life.

The men and women were gorgeous, of course. Physically perfect. The men were tall and strong, bold, brave, always stepping forward to defend or rescue their woman when necessary (which was alarmingly often), serious, brooding, forceful in a take-charge sort of way, and passionate. Without realizing it, I came to believe that these men and these relationships were normal and what everyone had (except my parents, who I always knew weren’t normal-lol). I decided I had to have this too.

Dennis with his cousin Mike and friend Coz

The first time I laid eye on Dennis, I was seventeen years old (he was 30, total cradle-robber! haha) and had just started taking a class called “Personal Efficiency” at the Church of Scientology. Dennis was on staff as the Promotions I/C (in-charge) at the time, and we passed each other one day while I was exiting the church to go to the classroom behind it, and he was passing me to go into the door I had exited. I smiled at him as I walked down the stairs to go to the classroom, trying not to let my eyes devour him and reveal how cute I thought he was, and then looked back over my shoulder to check out his butt as he ascended the stairs and I remember being impressed with what I saw. It was pretty much lust at first sight for me! LOL!

Dennis and his friend Jack, the one who just got baptized!

At this point, I had never had a boyfriend, never been kissed by anyone other than my cousin when we were six years old, and was utterly convinced that I was going to die an old maid. I was desperate, and thus began a relationship with someone who was very ill-suited to me (picture a gothic emo dude that cries to Phantom of the Opera while screaming his ex-girlfriend’s name), simply because he asked me on a date. I was absolutely miserable in the relationship but was unsuccessful in my feeble attempts at breaking up.

Dennis, front left, with his band, Zencraft in 1992

Dennis worked with my boyfriend, let’s call him Dragon, and he started coming over for Dragon’s “Mage” fests. Mage is a role-playing game like Dungeons and Dragons, and neither Dennis nor I was very much into it (OK, so I wasn’t into it AT ALL), so we very innocently started hanging out together instead of at the Mage parties, with no ulterior motive other than escaping Dragon’s crowd. Dragon trusted Dennis and thought nothing of it when Dennis whisked me off to the movies every week.

Although the only time we had to talk was during the ride to and from the theater, I was absolutely thrilled and astounded that communication between a man and a woman could be so easy. So relaxed and comfortable. Dennis didn’t make me feel like I was an idiot, he actually considered what I said, and didn’t judge me. I found myself able to speak my mind rather than keeping quiet for fear of sounding stupid, as I did with Dragon. The exchange of ideas and thoughts was free and effortless, and just so…wonderful.

Dennis and I doing target practice (at my foot, apparently) in his parents' backyard, 1998. I want to make lots of excuses for this horrible photo, but I'll let it be. :)

After only a few weeks, my growing affection for Dennis, and the realization of how lacking my current relationship was, gave me the the strength I needed to end things with Dragon for good. But what I got with Dennis wasn’t exactly the story-book romance I had always thought I wanted.

Dennis took me to my senior prom, 1999

Let me tell you, if you have been corrupted by romance novels like I was, please do not let the men in them be your standard for potential suitors! If I had done that, I would never have married the most wonderful man I’ve ever known. Dennis is strong, sure. He has practiced martial arts since high school (check out his fab nunchuk skills–promise I didn’t speed it up–and part of his staff form in this video). He also plays the guitar, so he’s got the sexy musician thing going for him too. :) He’s intelligent, witty, and kind. But Dennis isn’t particularly tall, and although I find him very attractive, he’s not one of the tall-dark-and-handsome super-studs that parade through romance novels. He’s easy-going and probably wouldn’t recognize if I ever needed to be defended or rescued until I’d already been slaughtered. He’s a complete and utter goofball (you’ll also see evidence of that in the video), he snores to beat the band, is missing a tooth, tries to kill us every time he gets behind the wheel (or so I’m convinced), he lifts his pinky off his spoon when he eats soup, looks like Shrek when he wakes up in the morning, and his hair is thinning and going gray. Where was that in my romance novels?

What I found instead was something real, and with time I’ve come to realize it’s so much better than fiction. You won’t find any man in the romance novels suffering from food poisoning and curled around a toilet when his woman calls him and asks if he can bring her insulin to work because she forgot it. And him have to change his pants twice before leaving the house to bring it to her, because, well, you know, accidents happen when you’re suffering from food poisoning. (For the record, I did not know he had food poisoning when I called him! I would never have asked him if I had known. But he came anyway!) No man in the romance novels ever whined like a baby at the suggestion that he try a new food, or threw back the shower curtain and started doing kickboxing while wet to air dry, or tried to pee without using his hands so he wouldn’t have to wash them afterward, and ended up making a huge mess instead (that he most definitely cleaned up himself, thank you very much). I had no warning for what I got with Dennis, but my journey with him has been a complete joy.

Sometimes, as in the case of the Pioneer Woman (if you haven’t read her book, From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, I recommend it highly!), real-life romance does live up to the novel and you get your beefy hunk that is so masculine that testosterone oozes from his pores and your knees go weak if you even sense he might be within 500 miles. Dennis and I did, and do even more so now, have a strong physical passion for each other, but it was never the driving force behind our love, like it seems to be in the romance novels. It’s more like our souls are linked together and I need him in my life to be complete. I crave him and relish our time together, no matter how it is spent.

What I got with Dennis is true romance. I really feel I took the most perfect man alive away from every other more eligible woman, but I don’t regret it one bit! He’s all mine, and I’m keeping him! :) And I really hope that every person reading this feels the same way about their partner. Or that, if not, you will follow Jesus’ advice that I have to repeat to myself when Dennis is about to push me over the edge with his antics (believe me, they’re not all funny or adorable): take the log out of my own eye so I can see the speck in his better to help remove it. (Matthew 7:1-5) So far, I’ve kept myself so busy pulling logs out of my eyes that I haven’t had much time to try to remove any specks from his, and I’m pretty sure those specks I’m seeing are just splinters left behind from the logs in my own eyes!

So there you have it, the concise “story of us,” and why I feel such gratitude for the man in my life. He proved to me that reality can be stranger (we’re an odd couple, all right!), and much better than fiction. I thank God every day for him.

Dennis putting the finishing touches on a coconut cake he made for me. :)

At The Flying Pig before this back room was turned into the massage room.

Paddle boating on the Arkansas river

Dennis was doing some Kung Fu moves with this bat'leth (Clingon weapon for you non-Trekkies like me) before I snapped the shot.

Us today! :)

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Posted in Dennis, Thanksgivings and tagged Church of Scientology, husband, love, romance, Romance novel, thankful. Bookmark the permalink.

Chocolate Chip Macaroons

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Veronica

Jacqueline is in the front, kneeling on the far right.

After I started The Postcard Project, I went to anysoldier.com and got the address for a female soldier in Afghanistan that I could correspond with. (If you don’t know any soldiers that are currently serving, I recommend this site–it’s the only place I’ve found where you can get an address for a soldier you don’t know.) Through our letters, I have come to understand how important mail is to soldiers. I was moved by how happy I could make this woman just by sending her a few pages of my craziness, blabbing about things most people could care less about. When she replied with her gratitude, answering all the questions I had asked and telling me about herself, I felt the connection we had made, all thanks to the Postal Service and the exchange of a few letters.

I asked her in my first letter if there was anything I could send her to make her happier while she was serving overseas. She replied, much to my glee, that her team (I love how she said “her team” and not “I”–it just shows how selfless soldiers are) loves snacks, especially homemade, and if I could send some that would be great, but if not, “the letters are great also, it shows that someone really cares and values what we are doing.”

I don’t think she had any idea how happy her request for homemade snacks would make me. Anysoldier.com tells us not to send homemade goodies if the soldiers do not know us (for safety reasons, most likely), so I had not hoped that I could take my baking love out on her. But she must have felt like she knew me after only one letter, and I couldn’t have been more delighted by her request. My favorite way to make people happy is by making them goodies, so I literally was jumping up and down and squealing to my husband “she wants homemade snacks!!!” like I had just gotten a Kitchenaid stand mixer for Chrstimas. I think it makes me happier to make and give the treats than it makes the people who receive them!

I did some research and found a good article on the best cookies to ship long distances, and macaroons were listed as a cookie that gets better with time, so I immediately decided I would be including some macaroons in the boxes. (Yes, there were more than one. I couldn’t help myself.)

So along with a batch of homemade butterfingers and 3 pounds of seasoned crackers, I included a tin of these chocolate chip macaroons. I had saved a very simple & easy (also multiple blue ribbon-winning) recipe using sweetened condensed milk, and I kicked them up a notch by adding in some mini chocolate chips…because chocolate makes everything better.

These were wonderful fresh from the oven, and as promised by the article mentioned above, did taste even better the next day! They are moist and chewy–nice and soft when warm from the oven, and more dense & rich the next day. Hopefully they were like bites of nirvana by the time they made it to Jacqueline and her team, and from the feedback I got, they must have been close!

Chocolate Chip Macaroons

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (14 oz) package sweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla, then stir in the coconut and chocolate chips with a spoon or your hands until well blended. The mixture will be very sticky. Refrigerate for two hours, or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat mat to prevent sticking (like I said, this dough is sticky!). Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about golf ball size. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until coconut is toasted. Cool completely on a wire rack and store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag(s).

Recipe source: adapted from Allrecipes

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Turtle Cookies

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Veronica

Since this is my second cookie post in a row, and I have enough cookie recipes to share every day this week*, I’m officially declaring it “Cookie Love” week on Veronica’s Cornucopia! Next to dog love, this is the best kind of love there is. ;)

*Except for Thursday, of course, when I will be doing my Thankful Thursdays feature.

These are the cookies I made for The Postcard Project Cookie Swap. I had purchased a bag of Kraft Caramel Bits on sale, because I couldn’t resist the 75-cent sale price, even if I had no specific purpose in mind for them. As with the Snickers and the Sneaky Snickers Cookies, thought maybe I could use them in my cookies for the swap. My first idea was to use them in a vanilla dough with chocolate and pecans, and it turned out to be a great one! These are now in my top five favorite cookies, for sure.

I based the dough off the recipe for these blue-ribbon chocolate chip cookies and just stirred in chocolate chips, toasted pecans, and the caramel bits. I was surprised how something so simple (no browning of the butter, no toasting & grinding of oatmeal!) could be so wonderful. Soft, crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, gooey with caramel and studded with chocolate & pecans. Just soooo wonderful. If I do say so myself. :)

Turtle Cookies

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
½ teaspoon white vinegar*
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup caramel bits
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped**

Preheat oven to 350 and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats to prevent the caramel from sticking.

Cream the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and vinegar together until light and fluffy, five minutes. Add the eggs and baking soda and beat until combined. Add the flour and mix just until combined. Add the chocolate chips, caramel bits, and pecans, and either stir them in or beat just until combined.

Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough out onto the cookie sheets, leaving an inch between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until the cookies are beginning to get golden brown around the edges. Remove and leave on pan for 5 minutes before removing cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

*The vinegar helps make the cookies tender. You can not taste it, as the extra baking soda neutralizes its flavor.

** To toast the pecans, place them in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between with fingers, until toasted and fragrant, 1-2 minutes total. Set aside to cool. Chop before using in recipe.

***

I wanted to share the cookies I received in this swap like I did yesterday for the ones I received in the blogger cookie swap. Amber sent me four each of three kinds in a holiday tin (I had no idea you could ship in a tin–very cool!): gingerbread cut-outs, chai snickerdoodles, and spiral slice-and-bake cookies.

And check it out–I even got a stocking with my name on it! :)

The chai snickerdoodles were fantastic–they were (were because they have long since departed this world through my belly) all-butter snickerdoodles and instead of a plain cinnamon-sugar coating, there are other spices in the mix to give them a chai flavor. I can’t even imagine how great these must be fresh from the oven! However, despite their yumminess and being Amber’s favorite, I have to say my favorite in the tin was the spiral sliced cookies. I know, I’m so boring, but I just love a good sugar cookie (much like my favorite cake is white with white icing!) and these were perfect–nice and soft with a kiss of almond. Yum! Thanks, Amber!

Katie sent me two kinds of cookies, both recipes from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. I was so tickled when Katie wrote that is her favorite baking blog because it is one of my favorites too–in fact, I think I trust Mel more than any other food blogger! Her recipes have never failed me.

Katie sent me cranberry white chocolate cookies that she adapted from Mel’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut:

These were nice and soft and chewy and I really loved the white chocolate and cranberry combo.

However, the other cookies Katie sent are the ULTIMATE and my favorite of ALL COOKIES SENT IN BOTH SWAPS. Yes, I needed caps for that statement, that’s how strongly I feel about these cookies. These are Mel’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, and they arrived tasting so fresh, I doubt they were any better the day she made them.

Seriously, just like with the Sneaky Snickers Cookies, I have been dying to make this recipe ever since I first laid eyes on it over a year ago. But I was able to steer clear for the sake of my thighs. Do you even understand how wonderful it was to receive just six of these cookies, the best cookies perhaps of all time, and maybe, just maybe, even better than my favorite cookies, so that I could savor them without risking my health by eating an entire batch made in my own kitchen?!?!?! Thank you Katie, you rocked my world. :)

I haven’t received my third dozen yet, but as I wait patiently, I have a few cookies stashed in my freezer to keep me happy until it arrives. See you tomorrow for a cookie that is perfect for shipping!

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Posted in Cookies and tagged candy, caramel, chocolate chip, pecans, turtle cookies. Bookmark the permalink.

Sneaky Snickers Cookies

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Veronica

The Cooking Photographer posted this recipe over two years ago and her picture, with the caramel and peanuts oozing out, planted itself and made deep roots in my cranium. Then she had to go and use that same picture in her website header, reminding me weekly how much I wanted to make them.

Well, as I may have mentioned before, cookies are my favorite food group (in my perfect world, yes, they would be a food group, and a prominent one), and as I may have also mentioned, I do not make treats that I REALLY like very often because I simply can not trust myself with them. I knew I would be in trouble if I made these without a specific purpose in mind and without a good reason to get rid of most of the batch.

That reason finally arrived with The Great Blogger Cookie Swap of 2011. (If you missed this year’s, sign up to be notified of of next year’s swap here!) I had just picked up a bunch of half price Halloween candy when I was brainstorming what kind of cookies I could make for the swap, and how I could use up some of the candy I bought and of course, the first thing I though of was Laura’s Sneaky Snickers Cookies.

Well, the batch made enough that there was still plenty for me to sample and go a little overboard on, but it was well worth it! Soft peanut butter cookies surrounding a chewy chocolate, peanut, caramel, and nougat center is just a lovely combination. I especially love them warm so that the middles are oozing gooey caramel when you bite into them, and might have kept a few for myself in the freezer to nuke in the microwave for cookie-craving emergencies. They are so yummy!

Sneaky Snickers Cookies

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 (11.5 ounce) bags Snickers Miniatures (Half a bag is for snacking during cookie making.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla until light and fluffy, five minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined, another minute. Add the eggs and baking soda and beat until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Add the flour and beat until just incorporated. Don’t over-mix. Press plastic wrap down over the surface of the dough and refrigerate at least two hours before baking.

Unwrap 52 mini Snickers bars. Then with a standard cookie scoop (size 50), scoop the dough into your hand. Press the dough together and flatten. Place a Snickers bar in the center of the dough and push the dough around to seal, rolling into a ball.

Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheets and bake for about 12 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to cooling racks.

Recipe source: The Cooking Photographer, with slight changes in preparation method.

***

I wanted to share the cookies I received through this swap as well! Click the blog links to get their recipes, which are posting today.

Christian of M.E. sent me these Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing and they were a lifesaver. It was 4 PM when I received them, and I hadn’t eaten anything all day. I was running on empty and didn’t have time to stop and figure out something to eat. I ripped into the cookies and ate half a dozen right away, which got me through to the party I was preparing for. Thanks, Christian!

Check out the carrots, nuts & raisins these cookies were loaded with!

Lauren Brennan of Lauren’s Latest sent me these soft and buttery Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookie Stars (aren’t they beautiful?):

Julie M. of Burnt Carrots sent me my favorite batch of cookies, at least for the blogger swap. Her Chocolate and Butterscotch Chip Cookies took me by surprise because I would have thought they had butterscotch chips in them, and maybe they do, but they also have toffee chips and I looooove toffee. The combination of chocolate chips and toffee is a winner!

I also received cookies through my own cookie swap for non-bloggers, and will share those with tomorrow’s cookie recipe that I sent out for that swap!

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Posted in Cookies and tagged baking, desserts, gifts, holiday, peanut butter, sneaky snickers cookies, snickers, soft, stuffed cookies, sweets. Bookmark the permalink.

Pimiento Cheese Log

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Veronica

Remember when I said I would only be sharing sweets for the rest of December? Well, I almost forgot about this recipe! I’ve been saving it for you since I created it in March, because it is just the type of thing I’d usually bring to holiday parties. If you love pimiento cheese, you’re going to love this. Or if you love cheese balls, you’ll love this too. Or if you just like cheese in general…you get the idea. This is one good cheese log!

Pimiento Cheese Log

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz . (2 cups) finely shredded sharp cheddar
½ cup Miracle Whip*
½ cup finely chopped green onions/scallions (both white & green parts)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons pimientos, smashed with a fork
1 cup chopped pecans

Place everything but pecans in a mixing bowl and beat until well blended and the cheese & pimientos have been broken down a bit. The mixture will be very soft. Scoop out onto a long sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, tying the ends with twist ties. Refrigerate overnight. Put nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet and roll log in them. Press nuts into any spots that didn’t get any nuts and carefully lift log onto serving plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve chilled with a variety of crackers.

*I used homemade Miracle Whip (recipe here). You can use mayonnaise (I also have a recipe for that here!) in place of Miracle Whip but you might need to add a tiny bit of sugar to the recipe if you do.

***

The winner of Danielle’s Kumquat Bath & Body Set was Rick McMullen! Rick, I hope you like Kumquat or know a lady who does. :) Check your email so I can get the set to you.

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Posted in Snacks & Appetizers and tagged easy, holiday, party, pimiento cheese log. Bookmark the permalink.

Thankful Thursdays # 54: My Testimony

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Veronica

For the next five Thursdays, I’m going to be fleshing out the first five thanksgivings from my “top 10” list I posted last week, taking a deeper look into each and exploring them with you.

Starting with the first, I said…

1. God and his son, Jesus the Christ. I’m thankful for and to God for creating this beautiful world we live in, and for my life. For His immense love for His children, and for the salvation He provided to us through the sacrifice of His son. And I’m so thankful for and to Jesus who suffered so greatly and died for my sins so that I might have the hope of a heavenly afterlife. Before I was a Christian, John 3:16-17 was meaningless words to me, but now every one of them fills my soul with love and gratitude.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah!

***

I recently got into a conversation with my friend, Jenna, about how she became a Christian and I ended up sharing the testimony I wrote on Myspace with her. Afterward, I thought I really should share it on this blog too! And this seems like the perfect time to do it. I warn you that this is long, and I know that not very many people will have the patience to read to the end, but I know it will reach those who it is meant to reach. To help reduce reading time, you can skip my uncle’s letter and go straight to the next bold heading to read my reply to him.

February 18, 2009

My testimony

My Uncle Robert sent me the following email, and my response comes after. I started my testimony, intending only to share it with him in response to his request, but realized I needed to share it with all my family and friends. And I invite you to share your story as well.
Love, Veronica
__________________
From: Robert Walters
To: ..
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 1:54:56 AM
Subject: What happened to you ?

“There’s A wideness in God’s mercy I cannot find in my heart. But He keeps His fire burn’n to melt this heart of mine. Keeps me aching with the yearning, keeps me glad to have been caught in the reckless raging fury , they call the Love of God.”

No. I didn’t write that. It is the 1st vrs. of Rich Mullin’s song ‘The Love of God.’ When I first heard it I related so well to it I played it over & over…But why did Rich describe the love of God as reckless , raging fury? A glance at his life revealed that it was A bit unusual for A top christian artist of the 80’s & 90’s…..Yet, my experience with God was more like ‘peace, comfort & guidance…I.was puzzled, so I set out on an investigative journey to see how others who knew God might describe His love.

I came across A man, A rancher & farmer, who in answering the call of God , moved his wife & workers from their homeland not knowing where they wre going. They lived in tents & roamed from place to place. A pretty uncertain life, huh. His wife had A baby in her old age. One day the father and his son went up on A mountain to worship God.What happened there was probably one of the most awesome & moving worship experiences.ever recorded in history….Then, there was this woman, who sold her body to pleasure seeking men.I thought, what could A woman like THAT teach ME about the love of God? None the less, I continued my research. Much to my surprise, I found that at A crucial moment in her life , She stood taller and with more faith than any man who had ever paid for her company. In A city of thousands she alone turned from idols and chose to serve the God of Israel. She laid her life on the line to protect and to further the mission of the God’s chosen people..How quick I had been to judge this woman. She had experienced God’s love in ways I probably never will……I followed A soldier through the snow as he chased A lion into A pit. Then he jumped into the pit & killed the lion. He lived his life beyond the call and became the chief bodyguard for A mighty king of Israel…………I discovered A teenage girl, single, who became pregnant. She & her fiancée chose to keep the baby and raised their son in A small town where the father taught the son his trade of carpentry. One day the son did A marvelous work with wood & nails that many have tried to equal but have found they cannot….I heard of A tent maker who lived his entire life with A thorn he could not remove. He became blind for A while and during that time he was able to see more than he had before. Regaining his sight, he spent the rest of his life helping people, teaching them and starting churches. Sadly he was mistreated by many……Then A fisherman ‘caught my eye’ .His life was A whirlwind of ups & downs.One moment he was literally walking on water and the next he was sitting around A campfire denying over & over that he had ever known his best friend… What kind of man would act that way, I thought. A quiet voice answered, ” A man not too different from you. “……….

I sat back and pondered all that I had discovered on my journey when an alarming truth struck me. The kind that stings you in the heart… Could it be , that I would never understand God’s love in radical terms until I had first made A habit of giving His love away…. I have grown some, but still I find that I am reluctant to chase lions in the snow or to have the courage to stand up at A campfire and shout, “This is my best friend!” However, I can testify about the great things my friend has done for me, regardless of how I have treated Him. How about you ? I know God has done A mighty work in each of you, I have seen it and your story deserves to be told . When Christ delivers us, we become A song of redemption. I would love to read about your description of God’s Grace in your life. There is someone near you who needs to hear your story of redemption & deliverance——– so—– why not practice on me ? You & I….Are we so different from Abraham or Sarah, Rahab or Beniah, Mary or Joseph , Paul or Peter ? I don’t think so…..I love you all…….A A S G ……..Bob…………( anxiously awaiting your stories of Grace)

________….________

Here’s my reply to everyone. :)

My Mother raised me as a Jehovah’s Witness, but without Dad’s help, I didn’t flourish in it. He always was the more favorited parent b/c he was “nicer,” and I usually took his side in their arguments and agreed with him on most everything. So since he had no interest in religion, or at least Mom’s religion, neither did I.

I hated going to Church three times a week, hated being the only child who couldn’t eat birthday cake in school, hated having to sit through the National Anthem and endure curious stares. I didn’t want to miss TV shows that were on in the evening during the week and didn’t want to wake up on Sunday to get ready for Church. I disliked so many parts of being a Jehovah’s Witness that I lived eighteen years in “The Truth” as they call it and didn’t really know what the truth was.

Although they do have differences because of interpretations, a lot of what they teach is what other Christian churches teach, because they teach from the Bible. But I didn’t even know some of the most basic Bible stories after leaving the church (once I moved out of the house) and I didn’t know God. I knew he existed, but turned away from Him.

I immediately turned to another controversial “religion” and began worshiping my own power as a Scientologist. I didn’t need God, because I was the creator of the universe now. Scientology helped me come out of my shell and helped me with some fundamental problems like communication, but it wasn’t fulfilling, and what it mostly taught me was how to say “no.” Because I didn’t say it the entire time I was there and I was used and used and used. That left a scar that still hasn’t healed.

After escaping the Church of Scientology, for I really did have to run and hide for a while, I gave up on religion for many years. Little did I know, God was determined to finally find his way into my heart.

It started with a financial book I borrowed from the library that was written by a pastor. He told stories of how he helped couples with their finances and I was struck by his approach with them and how in using God’s word, he not only straightened them out financially but with their relationships as well. I was astounded by the changes in the couples and how loving they were to each other and the amount of respect they showed to one another. I wanted to know what he knew.

After reading a book by a man of God that had nothing to do with the Bible, I opened my eyes to the world around me, remembering a time when I recognized a creator. I realized that he was still there and had been all along. How could I have ignored it for so long? He was evident in all the green and all babies and all the living creatures. So I started praying to God, but still was a bit uneasy about going to church. I had never been to a “normal” Church and the prospect scared me, because I didn’t want to get trapped again, as I had felt in Scientology.

A year or so later, Dennis started listening to a Christian radio station while on his Krispy Kreme route (he is now in Quality at Convergys) and he got really fired up about God, realizing that after chasing after the secrets of the universe for so long (involving himself in witchcraft, new age religions, Dianetics & Scientology), he had finally found the same answer he had known as a child: God was the answer and He wasn’t such a secret.

At that point I had given up on God because I had prayed for a child and blamed Him when I never became pregnant. I knew this was silly and wrong (I didn’t realize it at the time, but I never had FAITH God would give me a child! Plus, I didn’t realize that God does everything in his OWN time but only if it is his will), and when I saw how excited Dennis was about what he was listening to, I suggested we start looking for a church. My separation from God was now something that I felt, and I didn’t like it. I had tried finding Him on my own but now knew that I would need some help.

A friend recommended I listen to Word of Promise, which is the New Testament on CD done with a full acting cast and with sound effects and music so you feel like you’re really there. As I sat at work with my ear buds in, listening to Jesus’ sermon on the mount, the tears began to flow.

“Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Jesus, Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus has a way of pricking the heart, doesn’t he? I cried more and more, recognizing everything I needed to change about myself, and more importantly, recognizing how much I needed God and His word in my life.

I had read all this before at the Kingdom Hall (the Jehovah’s Witness church) but had never really READ it. As I listened to the story of Jesus and listened to him preach, I realized how wrong I had been to separate myself from a God that would do something so incredible to save me. To sacrifice his son so that I might have the chance for salvation. For said son to go so willingly, even while he was “deeply grieved, to the point of death,” (Matthew 16:38) because of it. Jesus had prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Thy will be done,” (Matthew 27: 42), and then when Peter cut the ear from one of the soldiers that came to get Jesus before his crucifixion, he said, “Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that is must happen this way?” (Matthew 26:52-54) Jesus had a choice, and he chose to follow the will of his father, so that we might be saved.

I finally fully understood the deep love both God and Jesus had for us, and how could I turn away from that?

After making a New Year’s Resolution in 2008 to find a Church, we set out on our journey. We knew we wanted a church that was nondenominational (although at that point, I didn’t even realize WHY that’s what I wanted but am now so pleased that God planted that desire in my heart), and that taught directly from the Bible with lots of Bible reading and references. Strangely enough, we didn’t find a Church that fit the bill until April–after four months of searching. But when we found it, I knew I was home. I still struggled with myself, scared that if I went to this church every week that I would become trapped again but I reasoned with myself, knowing it wouldn’t be a such a tragedy to be trapped in THIS place. :) I felt God’s presence for the first time in a long time. And I knew He had seen the desire in my heart and had led me here. Despite my fear of becoming trapped, the feeling I got being in the church of Christ was so much different than the feeling I got in the other churches. I learned from the Bible and felt love and harmony, understanding and forgiveness. I felt relief.

After starting a home Bible study with our minister, Jerry Blount, Dennis and I confessed Jesus, repented of our sins, and were baptized on June 10, 2008–six days after our eighth wedding anniversary. I cried, not understanding why at the time and feeling kind of silly, but I was overwhelmed with joy and knew that this was the biggest and best decision I had ever made in my life.

God has helped me through many things in just the short time I’ve come to know Him. He was with me through a difficult half-marathon, through financial trials and comforted me as no other could when my Dad was in the hospital. When I heard the news that he’d had a stroke, my world collapsed and I sobbed and cried out to God, praying for my father’s survival and for the strength to bear whatever was to come. After a good hour-long cry, I found the strength that I had asked for and was able to go to the hospital and be with my father, facing the wretchedness of his condition without breaking down again.

My sister was absolutely beside herself, unable to be comforted and though I was grief-stricken and bereft, I knew the reason I was holding it together was that I had someone more powerful than me to turn to and I was leaning on His strength. I knew that God would help me through whatever happened, and I prayed fervently for Dad along with the rest of our congregation and family and friends. And Dad has come out of it so much better than he had a right to. Without any permanent physical setbacks and only a minor speech impediment (his only deficit being the inability to read), those that do not know he had a stroke don’t notice anything different about him. And that is a miracle, especially considering that he had the stroke–a major one–seven hours before he was taken to the hospital.

Nothing I’ve ever done could make me deserve all the blessings God has given me–particularly the peace of mind amidst so much turmoil in this world. (Don’t get me wrong, I get upset just like everybody else, but I have now built a foundation on a rock instead of sand (Matthew 7:24-27), and God keeps me grounded.) And nothing I could do could earn a place his kingdom. Nevertheless, he sent His son as a sacrifice so that I might do so. It is incredible and astounding that He loves us THAT much. And I am determined to take advantage of the opportunity He provided for salvation by following His word, which includes sharing my personal story of His grace with you. (“Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32)

I’ve defied and denied God, I’ve blamed Him for my troubles. I have done terrible things to people I love that will likely haunt me until I die. And yet He still forgave me and I feel His mercy and love throughout my days. He will always forgive us if we only seek Him and repent. His grace is an incredible thing.

If you are not a child of God, I know that He wants you so dearly, and we both hope you will become one. His love for you is written all over His word, which is the place to start if you are interested in learning about Him, and what you must do to become His child. Are you ready to accept God’s grace? Please email me at vraklis@yahoo.com if you have any questions or if there is any way I can help you in finding your way to God.

Love, Veronica

9 Comments

Posted in Thanksgivings and tagged forgiveness, God, grace, heaven, hope, Jesus, salvation, saved, sins, testimony. Bookmark the permalink.

Puppy Chow/Muddy Buddies

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Veronica

Puppy Chow. Muddy Buddies. Monkey Munch. Reindeer Chow. This recipe goes by a lot of names, but what it boils down to is an addictive, peanut butter & chocolate, crispy & crunchy, sweet & salty treat that abounds at parties and in gift baskets during the holiday season. (And despite the name, it is most certainly not intended for dogs. Please do not give this to any dogs-chocolate can kill them!) I know most of you probably have been making this for years, but I’m sharing this for the .00001% that have never heard of it. The added bonus is that if you are in need of some gluten-free treats, this one fits the bill if you make it with Rice Chex.

You must make this! I promise you will love it. Unless you don’t like chocolate and peanut butter, in which case I advise you seek counseling immediately. Or maybe you’d like to trade that dislike in for my dislike of exercise? Because I could use a lot more exercise and a lot less Puppy Chow. Anyone?

Puppy Chow

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

1 (12 oz.) box Rice Chex or Crispix Cereal
1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 (1 lb.) box confectioner’s sugar

Pour cereal into a large bowl that has a lid you can snap on and set aside. Gently melt the chocolate, peanut butter, and butter in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well in between and removing when almost melted to stir until the residual heat melts the chocolate completely. Pour over the cereal and stir well until the pieces are evenly coated. Add the confectioner’s sugar, cover bowl with lid, and shake well to coat thoroughly. Alternately, if your bowl doesn’t have a lid, you can pour the cereal into a large paper grocery sack, pour the sugar in, fold the top, and shake until combined. Two Ziploc gallon-size bags will do the trick as well. Spread out onto wax paper to cool, then store in an airtight container or Ziploc bags.

Recipe source: Kim D.

10 Comments

Posted in My Favorites, Snacks & Appetizers, Sweets and tagged cereal, chex, christmas, corn, crispix, easy, gift basket, goody bags, holiday, monkey munch, muddy buddies, party, puppy chow, reindeer chow, rice, treats, wheat. Bookmark the permalink.

Double Chocolate-Rum Amish Friendship Bread

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Veronica

It’s been a while since I posted any Amish Friendship Bread recipes, and that’s because this is the last one I made and I wanted to save it for December, since the flavor combination reminded me of Christmas.

Are you one that identifies certain foods with certain seasons and holidays, like I do? For me, pumpkin and pies are fall and Thanksgiving. December and Christmas is cookies, chocolate, and anything spiked with alcohol. Like this bread!

This was actually my favorite variation that I came up with, though I haven’t made very many yet. The bread is so incredibly moist, is nice and chocolatey with a punch of rum and just a hint of cinnamon from the sugar coating. Very festive, and so yummy! This would make great gifts, and I plan to break out one or two of the starters I froze in order to give some away this year. (If you don’t have any starters in your own freezer, you can click here to learn how to make your own.)

Double Chocolate-Rum Amish Friendship Bread

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup Amish Friendship Bread starter (or whatever is left after you’ve divvied it up)
3 eggs
1 cup oil
½ cup dark rum
¼ cup Dutch process cocoa
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Generously butter two loaf pans, then dust with the cinnamon sugar. Tap out excess and save for topping.

Whisk the eggs into the starter, then whisk in the oil and rum. Add everything but the chocolate chips and whisk until blended. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Divide batter between pans, then sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar over the tops. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the top and bake for an hour. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out to cool completely on wire rack.

Recipe source: adapted from Friendship Bread Kitchen

13 Comments

Posted in Bread, Sweets and tagged amish friendship bread, baking, christmas, double chocolate rum, edible gifts, food gifts, holiday, recipe. Bookmark the permalink.

Suzie’s Next Day Chili

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Veronica

Thank you guys for sticking with me through my “no recipes” week! I had a lot of fun with it, especially reading all your comments about the pigs you’d like to make fly on Danielle’s Flying Pig. If you didn’t catch that post, you might want to check it out–there is a giveaway for one of Danielle’s kumquat bath & body sets on it, and the deadline for entry is this Thursday. (Update: this giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Ken!)

Now, let’s get back to the recipes, shall we? I’ve got enough saved up that I’m going to be sharing all OLD recipes that I’ve been saving especially for December, which means, you guessed it, LOTS of sweets. Which is why I’m starting off with a savory recipe, to stabilize your blood sugar in preparation for all the sweetness that is soon to come your way from my blog. :)

“You know I luvs you…I have never, ever shared this recipe with anyone!! I’ve been making it for about 10 years now. :)”

This was the note at the end of the recipe my friend, Suzie, emailed me for her Next Day Chili. She’s been holding an annual chili cook-off in her neighborhood for the last five years and her chili has won four years out of those five. She doesn’t allow herself to win the prize since it’s her contest, but hers is almost always voted number one! She has kept the recipe secret, telling everyone that if they could guess some of the secret ingredients she used, she would share it, but no one ever has. Knowing all this, I still had the audacity to ask for the recipe. And I was pleasantly surprised when she obliged me! (I guess I’m just irresistible, right? LOL!)

I was so excited to get my hands on such a precious recipe, and promised I wouldn’t share it on my blog, thinking she’d want me to keep the secret recipe a secret. But she surprised me again by granting me permission to share it here. WOW! Thank you, Suzie! Don’t we feel special?! :)

Usually, I like my chili with lots of beans and veggies, so I was actually pretty nervous to make this since it only has one can of beans and a scant 1/2 cup of onion for veggies. When a friend shares a recipe with you that you’ve never tried, do you get nervous that you won’t like it? I’m probably ridiculous, but I feel almost obligated to like a recipe that comes highly recommended from a friend, and sometimes put off making it just for the fear that I won’t like it and will have to disappoint the friend when I tell them. But not this time! I was nervous, but I wasn’t going to wait–this recipe is special.

Well, I needn’t have worried. This chili is spectacular! Spicy, hearty, meaty, with a wonderful & unique flavor. Once you scan the ingredients, you’ll see why it doesn’t taste like any other chili. I bet you’ve never seen a chili recipe with bacon, chorizo, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire, sage, or maple syrup in it! My husband loved it and ate most of the batch by himself. In fact, he told me this was his favorite of any chili I’ve ever made! This is also the only chili that Suzie’s husband will eat so I’d say this is some real man-pleasin’ chili.

Thank you, Suzie, for sharing your wonderful recipe with us! Rock on, Chili Queen. :)

Suzie’s Next Day Chili

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

3 lbs. good ground beef
1 lb. chorizo
1/2 lb. bacon
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1 can Bush’s mild chili beans, undrained
1/2 cup diced white onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt (or 2 1/4 teaspoons table salt)
1 teaspoon dried sage
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3-5 tablespoons hot sauce (depending on your taste)
1/2 cup chili powder (more if desired)
1 teaspoon dried cilantro (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1-2 cups chicken or beef broth (or mix 1/2 and 1/2), depending on desired thickness
1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste
1 (46 oz) can tomato juice
Red pepper flakes, to taste

Brown beef and chorizo. Drain grease, cover and set aside. Slice 1/2 lb. bacon into 1 inch pieces. Cook bacon until crisp, set aside on paper towels to drain off excess fat. Take 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease and add to the burger/chorizo mixture. Add all remaining ingredients, except bacon, to a large pot. Simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting to adjust salt, pepper, chili powder and red pepper flakes to taste. Let cool for an hour or so and then refrigerate overnight. Refrigerate the bacon separately. Simmer again the next day for 2-3 hours, adding bacon the last hour. It’s now ready to serve.

Suzie recommends serving with homemade cornbread, so I served mine with Lighter Northern Cornbread. I also have a southern-style Homestead Cornbread recipe if you like yours without sugar and flour.

Recipe source: Suzie S.

14 Comments

Posted in Main Dishes, Soups & Stews and tagged beefy, blue ribbon, chili, hearty, meaty, prize winning, recipe, rich, spicy, winter. Bookmark the permalink.

Danielle’s Flying Pig

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Veronica

Meet Danielle:

This brilliant blonde is my middle sister (I’m the oldest of three girls, no brothers), and she owns a gift boutique here in Wichita called The Flying Pig. The first question people always ask when I tell them the name of her shop is why she chose it. She has such a good answer, I’m going to let her tell you in her own words.

2600 E. Douglas Wichita, KS 67214 / Open 10 AM – 6 PM every day

The Flying Pig was a natural choice for my shop for several reasons. First and foremost, “when Pigs Fly” conveys the idea of always reaching and working towards a goal, however unattainable it may seem, in pursuit of your dreams. I believe that we can all relate to the experience of working hard (pouring our blood, sweat, tears, and most importantly our heart), to get our own “Pig to Fly” in some manner. So the name is personal to me, and it encompasses the feeling of taking on all of the risks, challenges, responsibilities, joys, and rewards that come with having my own business.

Another reason for the name is that it is just a whimsical, fun, classic image. People notice the big Flying Pig sign and are intrigued to find out what’s inside. It’s not easy to forget a name like The Flying Pig!

In 2005, while in still college & working to get her degree in Industrial Engineering, Danielle started making homemade soaps & lip balms at home. She got such positive feedback from friends and family on the quality of her products, and she enjoyed doing it so much, that she started a website to sell them and orders started coming in.

She graduated in 2007, and started working full-time as an industrial engineer for an airplane manufacturer. In her free time, she was making bath & body products in an apartment she rented exclusively for producing & storing them, because she didn’t have enough space for the supplies in her own. She sold her products on consignment in local shops, but had a bigger dream and she didn’t stop in her journey until she had reached it and opened up her own business at the age of twenty-six in 2008, in the heart of the recession.

Despite the floundering economy, in just three years her business has grown to the point where she can support herself with it. Up until a few weeks ago, she was still working for Hawker Beechcraft, but now she is able to devote herself entirely to her true love. The Flying Pig!

Danielle’s soaps are all-natural, made from plant-derived oils and high quality ingredients. Many are vegan as well. Every customer seems to have their own favorite product, and mine are her sugar scrubs and lotions. They smell so good and make my skin super smooth, moisturized, and baby soft. My husband uses her bar soaps exclusively, and his aunt Dorothy raves about them, claiming they’re so moisturizing she doesn’t have to use lotion after her shower. She’s even got her husband hooked.

In addition to the bath & body products, candles, and room sprays that she makes, Danielle sells a wide-array of gift items, many of them handcrafted by local artists who sell on consignment in her shop. Many of the artists have an arrangement with Danielle to work at the shop for free in exchange for her not charging a consignment fee for them to sell their goods there. This allows her to keep the shop open every day of the week without being tied to the register herself. She needs to be able to escape to the back room so she can make the soap, after all!

The place is packed with jewelry, clothing, prints, photographs, antiques, pottery, children’s items, even Amish baked goods, and smoothies are made to order. There is a professional massage therapist with her own room in the back, and gift certificates are available. If you’re looking for a unique gift for a special lady, you’re likely to it Dani’s shop.

Danielle also offers soap classes every Thursday. I sat in on one a few weeks ago and it was so much fun, and not anything like the stiff atmosphere I usually associate with a “class.” Danielle’s teaching style is very relaxed and you feel very at ease with her–all the ladies in attendance never hesitated to ask questions and Danielle had so much information to share.

One of the ladies in attendance had flown in from Detroit just for this class, which she found in an online search. I thought that was pretty neat! Everyone carried out Danielle’s instructions, standing around the messy round table in the back room, putting things into a big bowl, and we all laughed about how much it reminded us of witches making a brew. They all got their own separate bowls of the master batch that they added their preferred scents and colors to before pouring into molds.

For those of you who live outside the Wichita area, you can buy many of Danielle’s products on her website, though she doesn’t have time to keep the site updated with all the new things. Be sure to call or email her if you have a special request because she can makes soaps, etc., to order!

Giveaway!

*Update: this giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Rick! What are the odds the only man who entered would win? lol!

Danielle has offered a set of her homemade products for one lucky reader. This bag is filled with 6 bath and body products in “Kumquat Citrus” scent: body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, body powder, and massage oil. If you would like the set, leave a comment below about your own what kind of pig you would like to make fly (i.e. your dream), or share what kind of business you would have if you decided to open one.