Easy Party Chip Dip

So I've got another recipe for you today. It could be because I love food or it could be because I've been cooking for a graduation party... Or maybe a bit of both? ;)

But this recipe is seriously the momma of all chip dip recipes. It is uh-ma-zing. Sweet, rich, and tangy. It tastes complex, but it only has three ingredients! So so fantabulous (that's an actual word!). 

Easy Party Chip Dip

      2 pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature

      10-11 oz. pepper relish (I used sweet, you could use hot or any other type)

      1 can crushed pineapple, undrained (20 oz.)

Whip the cream cheese with mixer until fluffy (a minute or so), then mix in relish and pineapple. Store in refrigerator. It's delicious right away, but if you're feeling fancy you can let the favors "intensify" and "mingle" in the fridge for 24 hours. ;)

Brownie Cupcakes

My family has not made a boxed brownie mix for years. And I'm so so so glad, because we get to eat brownies that are even better! Have you ever made real homemade brownies? You should. Definitely. The recipe I use makes a 9x13 pan, but today I made a bunch of brownie cupcakes instead! Don't you want one?!?! Me too... they're pretty awesome. ;)

One of the best things about this recipe is that you only have to use one pan to mix it up in! So choose a large saucepan that will hold a whole batch of brownies. First, combine butter, cocoa powder, and oil over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until it's all melted together. While you're at the stove, turn on the oven to 350 degrees to preheat.

Remove from heat, then add the sugar.

Oh yum...

Stir in vanilla, then add all the eggs and stir. You may have to use a fork to get the eggs adequately incorporated. ;)

Add flour, baking soda, and salt and stir well.

My favorite part - a mountain of chocolate chips!

Put cupcake liners in cupcake pans and dollop the batter in! I didn't put anything on the liners to keep the brownies from sticking, but you could if you want. For tall brownie cupcakes like mine, fill the liners about 3/4 full and you'll get 18-19 cupcakes. If you want smaller cupcakes, fill them 2/3 full and you should have enough batter for more than 20. 

Bake for 26-27 minutes... and enjoy your delicious cupcake brownies! 

Brownie Cupcakes (with a gluten free option)

    Makes 18-21

Ingredients:

    2/3 cup butter

    3/4 cup cocoa powder

    1/4 cup olive oil

    2 cup sugar

    4 eggs

    2 tsp. vanilla

    1 1/2 cup flour*

    1 tsp. baking powder

    1 tsp. salt

    1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir first three ingredients in large saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Add eggs and stir. Add vanilla and stir. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in chocolate chips. Put cupcake liners in pans and fill 2/3 full (for smaller, flatter brownie cupcakes) or 3/4 full (for tall brownie cupcakes) of batter. Bake for 26-27 minutes. 

*My mom makes this recipe gluten free by using an all-purpose gluten free flour mix instead of flour. It still tastes delicious, and I typically can't tell they are gluten free! :)

To make traditional brownies with this recipe, just grease a 9x13 pan and bake for 33 minutes. 

Sugar on Snow!

    Have you read Little House on the Prairie? I did, and I remember reading about the maple syrup harvest and how Laura loved the sweet maple candies they made. Sugar on Snow. What a lovely name. :) Is it possible that something delicious can come from inside a tree??? The answer, of course, is yes. And just in case you want to try it for yourself, here is the recipe! 

Sugar on Snow*

1 cup maple syrup (not the fake stuff)

1/2 stick butter 

1 tub packed snow

Candy thermometer

Real maple syrup!!!

1. Heat syrup and butter in a pot over medium heat, watching carefully. Turn the heat down if it threatens to boil over. Heat until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees Fahrenheit.

The first few minutes...

Almost done!

2. Cool slightly and test for done-ness by spooning a drizzle over the snow. 

If candy sits on top of snow and clings to fork like taffy, it's ready. If not, heat it back up again for a few more minutes.

3. Pour or drizzle with spoon over packed snow. 

Wait a few seconds for the candy to harden, then enjoy!

You should be able to lift off a whole bunch of squiggles in one golden sheet like this. :)

*Based on recipe from the Maple Syrup Cookbook 

Ramblings of Resources

   Today I'm going to share with you some inspiration to make the most of your resources! I've been taking a leadership class, and this week is focusing in on stewardship of finances and opportunities. As some of you know, I'm extremely fond of making the most out of what I already have. I'm the rare type of girl who actually hates to spend money (which means I don't like shopping for clothes... or shoes), so I always get excited when I learn of one more thing I can make myself, with the resources I already have. Here are a few of my recent ideas! 

1. Pumpkin pie. :D But for real, people, if you're given an opportunity to get something you will use for free, take it! I worked this fall/summer at a produce farm, and found out that they can't sell pie pumpkins with the stem broken off. (When the stem is gone the pumpkins don't keep as long... quality control, ya know) so imagine my delight when they allow the employees to take home as many of these misfit pumpkins as they want! I, of course, carted quite a few home and have already made a bunch of pies. With real pumpkins! And they are HEAVENLY!!!! Let me know if you want a post with the recipe and tutorial about using real pumpkins!

Yumm...

2. The garden. I know it's late in the season, but yesterday I brushed past our still-green basil and acquired a pungent desire for homemade pesto. So I made some. :) Another way to use our garden (which is run over with weeds by now) is to use it as a play pen/salad bar for our chickens. Poor things, they have started to lay less eggs as it's getting cooler, and a couple hours each day spent roaming the garden jungle would probably not only make them wild with excitement, but might get us a few more eggs each day! 

Those chickens are happy, happy, happy!

3. The Internet. This one is kind of obvious, but the Internet is an amazing resource for learning things and getting the word out for Christ. I've learned so many new skills from Pinterest and the Internet in general, such as how to cook a real pumpkin for pumpkin pies, roasting pumpkin seeds, lots of new recipes, sewing tips, and lots more. This one is hard to balance, though. Many times I treat the Internet as too much of an amusement rather than a tool.

   For those of you without pumpkins, gardens or chickens, I hope this inspires you to keep your eyes open for resources you already have that may be pushed into a corner. Sometimes God calls us to buy things, but sometimes He shows us ways to give more money to His kingdom (mission work and the church) by making do with the riches in disguise we already have! 

   I'm sure you have come up with lots of creative ways to use your resources as well, and I'd love to hear about them! Leave me a comment with things you've done or new ideas for the future!

Love and some muffins

    Monday nights our little Summer-girl comes, for laughter and doggies, and garden muck boots. I gain another sister, just on Monday nights, the little girl we need to even out the three sons and two daughters. And just on Monday nights, our Summer-girl has big sisters and brothers to drag laughing around. On Monday nights we have a chance to love.

   But Monday, Mondays don't give love. Sometimes on Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays, on all days love isn't free for the feeling. Some days love isn't free for the feeling, but we do have a free mind and can choose to be love. Because love is a choice, an action, a verb. A choice to take life or give it, to drain wells or to overflow. But giving life is hard. Overflowing hurts, sometimes. Why? Because giving is taking - from ourselves. Overflowing flows over with what used to be ours. Being love - giving life - costs something.

    The currency of love is a funny thing. God gives it unconditionally, everlastingly, yet for us to pour out what He gave us to give, it costs us in this world. In order to love, we hand over time and energy, money and security. But love, it multiplies when given. Love boomerangs back with peace and joy when it flows over. The giver of love pays in fleeting comforts of this world, yet gains from an eternal point of view.

    Time was mine, on Monday night. I owned plans, and treating myself to a good long chill-time loomed in my sights. But Mom reminded me of love, asked me to give time and plans to be love - to give life.

    See, I love baking, and a certain banana butterfinger muffin recipe looked like a perfect prospect of gold, Monday night. But Summer-girl needed a sister. Summer-girl, unknowing, asked for love. Being love has a million different caps it wears, and Monday night it wore a bright pink feathered one called making muffins with a four year old.

    Once I'd committed to love, it just kept flowing and I carried on, surprised at the lightness in my smiling heart. It was easy to get lost in the flow of love, to find fun where I expected frustration. Love just works that way, sometimes. Love, it's patient. Love is kind.

Love does not envy. It does not boast.

Love is not proud. Love is not rude.

Love is not self-seeking, and it's not easily angered. 

Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but it rejoices in the truth.

And most of all, love never fails. 

Love never fails to cost something from this world. 

Love never fails to flow over it's giver with eternal reward.

Love, it never fails.