Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Presto-Chango...

The more things change, the more they stay the same.?.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. 

James 3:17
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
James 3:16-18 

Duncan is still pooping on the floor. Check. This has not changed. Even though he is using the outdoor facilities almost as often.

The girls still stop everything when it's time to make peanut butter sandwiches because they get to lick the "spoon".

Chocolate Covered Katie's Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Pie is delicious for dessert and for breakfast. 

No. These things have not changed.

My hair has. Drastically.

And there is a big decision in our future and Rob and I are praying for wisdom. After three and a half years we may be opening our home again to someone who needs us to. And it's really scary. I crave peace and my home is a place where that emotion reigns. Even when it's a mess (often), hurried/busy/harried (yep, often there, too), more often than not I breathe a sigh of contentment when I walk through my red front door. 

But, our home has not always been that haven. As a matter of fact it has been a battlefield.  And I remember having to put emotional armor on before walking through the door. The conflicts had grown subtly so that the intensity of the ugly didn't fully become apparent until the big battle ended with lots of casualties. In the absence of shells and bombs, we noticed that peace was creeping back in.

self portrait with crappy camera phone....new hair.

Our decision is probably already made. See the verse in James above. The details will need to be ironed out, decided and fully agreed upon. But our hearts are already longing for this to be the thing that helps and brings restoration and healing to a past combative, present tolerable relationship with our child. 

I have no idea what this new change is going to look like and what it's going to cost me. I am struggling with the concepts of helping vs enabling, toleration vs. acceptance, selfishness vs. what I know to be right, hope vs. fear. 

This week that the world touts Random Acts of Kindness...I feel very convicted that a deliberate act of kindness toward someone I love is required of me. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Dig-Doggity Day

If something fails to make sense in this post (more than usual) it might be because I'm being leaned on by a needy big dog.

We have a visitor. Day 5 of said visitor. The girls are still adjusting. 

Meet Duncan. 

& has a dog-sitting/house-sitting side job that is booming. Duncan is part of that.  Usually she stays with to-be-sat-upon dogs and we get the girls but every once in awhile the dogs come here. 

Duncan, with his gray bouffanty Dutch boy haircut and his shifty human-like eyes is quite the character. Rob is keeping count of the times I have told Duncan that he's on my list. This is why he's on my list....he keeps stealth-pooping on my floor. 

Why stealth-pooping? Well, it would be because we will spend long, long periods of time in the great-out-of-doors, the frigid great-out-of-doors, I must say, doing all the things we think might entice him to use the said great-out-of-doors as a potty.

Until yesterday (Day 4 for those of you who are keeping track) he had only been enticed once. (So, if you are doing the math, that would be seven little piles in various assorted indoor locations.) Often those little piles are right upon returning inside after twenty minutes spent out. 

It's not the frigid temps, or the snow. I know this because he will bound and hop and play and pee with great doggie gusto. If he cowered near the door and whimpered to go in I'd assume he was delicate and couldn't handle the cold. Oh no. That's not the case. But yesterday, and so far today (well, yesterday after the early morning gift deposit....in his defense it was Valentine's Day and I guess he was feeling generous.) he has used outside four times. This is a cause for much joy. I'm sure the neighbors are enjoying the high-pitched celebrations that we've been throwing. 

And. All this "clean-up in aisle 5" business is making our girls seem like perfect, perfect doggie angels, so I guess it's win, win, win for them, too. 

Here's hoping you don't find special brown, fragrant gifts in your life today...unless they are brownies, that is.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Kindness of Strangers and Ginger Pear Kindcakes

Day two of Random Acts of Kindness...

Here is something I thought was pretty cool. If you are a writer, or love getting letters, this might be just right for you.

It's a group that sends out handwritten letters to people who need a little boost. I know that a written note can make all the difference to someone. Words and the feelings behind them are important and I think they bear eternal weight.

Yesterday & and I took the dogs outside and began shoveling the driveway. I was working the edge of the driveway where it meets the street and picks up all the nasty ice accumulation. I wasn't really paying attention to the cars driving past. All of a sudden I hear. "If you step back, I'll get that for you." A guy in a pickup with a blade had stopped. He had a kid and a dog in the backseat. I told him thank you and backed out of the way. He scraped away the ice and dirty snow, backed up and made a pass at the driveway, and again. I sent & in for some cash. And He waved it off, told me to have a nice day and rode off into the sunset. Super cool.

So. Two big blessings on the first day of Random Acts of Kindness. I guess I'll call these pancakes...

Ginger Pear Kindcakes...

2 Cups flour (I used half unbleached all purpose, half whole wheat pastry)

1/4 Cup maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 Cup applesauce

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 and 1/2 TBSP baking powder

1 TBSP and 1 tsp cinnamon

3 Cups non-dairy milk (I used vanilla almond)

2 pears small dice

1/3 cup chopped walnuts.

Mix all dry ingredients until incorporated. Add applesauce, syrup, milk until mixed thoroughly. Add diced pears and walnuts. Prepare as you prefer to prepare pancakes. : ) Eat up. Makes about 20 medium sized pancakes. Freeze the extras, they are great popped in the toaster.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Feeling Like a Winner on This the First Day or Random Acts of Kindness Week....

Didn't know this. Did you? 


It's Random Acts of Kindness week. 


And according to Milkshake and their daily updates there is one more fact I didn't know. 


"A single smile can generate the same level of pleasurable brain stimulation as up to 2,000 bars of chocolate, according to British researchers. Smiling can also reduce your stress levels and overall blood pressure. So go ahead, smile at a stranger—doctor's orders!"


That's a pretty amazing "fact" especially when we all know the value of a good piece of chocolate.

So here's my smile-maker of the day. I am beaming 2,000 bars worth of chocolate, the really good kind, insert your favorite brand here, because I won the Forks and Beans Best Tasting Recipe category.


Ironically, most of my recipes have flour, and this one was required to be gluten free. I worked and worked on those cookie/bar recipes to make them just right. And at the last minute remembered my Thanksgiving project...my Salted Caramel Pecan Fudge Pie recipe. And guess what? It won. 


Here is what the judges had to say.



"Rich, fudgy, incredibly sinful! The caramelized pecan topping is enough of a reason to make this; as well as the filling would be simply delicious served as a parfait. But combining all of these flavors together? Sheer chocolate heaven!"


Grin. 2,000 chocolate wattage grin. I was up against these recipes. Including Chocolate Covered Katie's Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie (which is to die for.)


So join me and have a very happy, very smiley Monday. And if you aren't smiling now, make a dessert, with lots of chocolate and share the love. :  )

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Lame-da, Lame-duh Recapped Week

such a "poem" deserves such a picture.

Week in summary in freestyle kind of random poemish type verse. Scarily, there was a cadence in my head as I typed. And Scarily is probably as creative as it gets...


Cat's on the table, what a nasty trick
Finally got winter snow was nice and thick

Germs fill the household, the nasty kind
Had a birthday party, and spent some fam time.


Tweaked a few recipes. Read a few lines.
Watched old TV episodes on Netflix
While  "shopping" ideas on Pinterest. 
Went to a funeral, The sixth in the past few months.


Walked a few dogs. 
Supported a few grocery stores.
Read a few blogs. 

Going to meet Toad-man for coffee at 6:15.
Ugly time of morning 
but such a blessing.


Hope you didn't gag at the lame-o poem.
And I'm out of words. And out of steam. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Super Bowl, Smooper Bowl, Bring on the Garlic Birthday Bread...

My mom's birthday landed on Super Bowl Sunday. Happy Birthday again, Mom. So we had a shindig over at my place. Vegan lasagne (which passed with flying colors with the omnivores) a big salad with lots of topping choices, garlic roasted cauliflower, a lemon cake made by my 94 year old grandma and a raspberry lime concoction of a cake made by &.

And bread. Brought by my brother and his girlfriend. Delicious, yummy, really good bread. It wasn't quite at the point where it was ready. Well, let's just say they brought the dough and their toppings and put it together and baked it in my oven. And since it was SO good, and since they left the photocopy of the recipe they used behind. Here is a summation of my thought process. "Recycle recipe in the paper bin? Or.... delicious bread recipe that is Vegan but needs a little tweak or two to make it work with what I have on hand. The recipe is in my hand, and they made it in my oven so I know it's going to work and be exactly the texture I've been looking for in garlic bread, rolls, pizza crust. Oh my."

No contest. I have claimed this sucker as my own. And last night, I made the final tweak, wrote down the exact measurements, and even made half the batch a pizza crust. (More on that later...) (as well as the recipe for the requested "cactus bread" -- an addictive cinnamon sugar bread that could possibly call this recipe "mother".)

Here is my version that is every bit as good as my bro's bread. (And Matt, if you want that recipe back, it has seen better days, just sayin.)

Bread:

3 teaspoons yeast

1 cup warm water (110-115 f)

1 teaspoon sugar

2 TBSP canola or olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour + additional (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) to knead into dough as needed. (I used mix of unbleached white and whole wheat pastry flour)

Italian Garlic Deliciousness aka Topping:

1 TBSP Earth Balance at room temperature

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP Italian seasonings

3/4 TBSP red wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

pinch of salt

Vegan Mozzarella if you wish (Or Vegan Parmesan) or both.

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water in a medium mixing bowl. Add sugar (you need the sugar to feed the yeast, don't leave it out). Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. (it will bubble and foam like a freaky science experiment.) Add the oil, salt, water and 2 cups of flour. Stir into a soft dough. Dump onto a floured surface, sprinkle more flour on top and knead until smooth and elastic (6 minutes or so). You will need to sprinkle more flour as you knead. Don't over do...a TBSP here and there. Place the dough into a bowl (either greased or floured). Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled. 30-40 minutes.

Grease a pan a 9x9, a pizza stone, or a jelly roll pan. (I used a baking stone and totally recommend the texture, a little spray of cooking oil will help, too. Just a bit.) Preheat oven to 450. Put dough into the middle of the pan. Press dough evenly flat about 1/3-1/2 thick, you don't want it real thin. Will make a round circle that won't stretch all the way to the edge of the pizza stone, or a rectangle about 3/4 the size of a jelly roll pan. Let dough sit for 5 minutes. While it's sitting combine the topping ingredients. Spread on dough. Add cheeses if you are. Bake at 450 18-21 minutes til it's golden brown and gives off a heavenly smell. If you are using cheese and want it bubbly, you could broil it to finish it off. Slice with a pizza cutter into wedges or squares. Serves 4-8 people.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Love You Latte Bars or Bites...

Fruit of Recipe Contest # 4

Love You Latte Bars or Bites

1 can white beans or 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups from scratch.

15 pitted dates (I used standard, you'd need less with Medjool) or 3/4

heaping cup raisins

1/2 cup and 1 TBSP Cocoa

1 TBSP espresso powder (or 1 TBSP freshly ground coffee beans)

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 TBSP apple sauce

1/2 Cup vegan and gluten free white chocolate chips and/or dark chocolate chips.

Additional white chocolate chips and/or dark chocolate chips for garnish.

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all items (except chocolate chips) in food processor until all ingredients are incorporated. Stir in chips and roll cookies into balls about 1 TBSP each (makes approx 20. Bake 10-11 mins. When removed from oven press an indentation in the cookies with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill indentation with two chocolate chips of choice. Cool and store in fridge.

If you prefer bars. Put batter in a greased 8 x 8 and bake for 21-24 minutes.

If you really want to go another layer of decadent. You can add a bottom crust to the bars.

1/2 cup coconut flakes or bits

5 dates

2 TBSP cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 TBSP coconut oil.

Process all ingredients in food processor until the mixture is uniform and sticks together well. Press into the bottom of the greased 8 x 8 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. (1/4 cup or so) dollop cookie layer batter over it, smooth. Bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes.