Month: February 2021

Sticking to your resolution? You know, the one about eating better? Have you weaned your sweet tooth away from all that sugar? Having trouble staying on track? Then try these: Walnut Honey Drop Cookies.

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter

3 tablespoons of sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 egg

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking salt

A splash of vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup chocolate chips, your discretion

What to do:

Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl,, cream together first 4 ingredients. In another bowl, sift together remaining ingredients. Add in walnuts and chocolate chips (if you wish) and then incorporate flour mixture to creamed mixture.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls two inches apart, as they will spread a little. Bake about 12 to 14 minutes. These cookies are soft and not overly sweet, but will satisfy that pesky sweet tooth. Made with above recipe,, these are 120 calories each. Decrease the walnuts and chocolate chips and, well, you’ll decrease the calories. Yields about 2 dozen.

Enjoy and Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen

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• Small Batch Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
• Singing Lady Groups at Southern Baptist Churches or I Do Not Harmonize Well By MyselfThe first time I was put in a Singing Lady Group it was a quintet at a church in another town. The choir director, let’s call him HewhogaveusalettergradeeverySundayandneveraboveaB-, said after practice one Wednesday, “You five ladies get together and work up a hymn along with a routine.” A routine? Was this church or show choir?The next week the five of us met in a little used Sunday School room that had a piano in it. I was told to sing the low, low part. Half way through the very first verse, the leader of the group who sat behind the piano, suddenly quit playing. She put her hand on her hip and demanded,  “Amanda, what are you singing?””Well, I thought I was singing the low part,” I sheepishly answered.”Well, think again!”I dropped out. They all wore matching denim overalls with red t-shirts with their hair tied up in bandanas.  They did a cute little 4-part gospel two-step up in the chancel area for their ‘routine’…The second time I was part of a Singing Lady Group there were six of us; two on each part. You know, first , second, alto.  I felt a little more comfortable having another alto to sing with. Well, that is until we started practicing. I was standing next to a lady singing second soprano and I felt an elbow in my side. Just thinking that she had accidently bumped me, I kept singing. Then another elbow came my way, along with a vehement whisper, “Get off my note, Amanda!””OH! Sorry!” was my response and I moved away from her. We sang publicly twice and then mercifully disbanded. So, I said all of that to say that I’ve been placed in another Singing Lady Group. Not really a “group”, but we’ve been given a song to learn. At first it was going to be a duet. I agreed because I was told to sing the low part; I’m a natural tenor. The song starts out duet, goes to trio, and then throws in a fourth part. Ah, yay! I’m a great mimic. Harmonizing isn’t my strong suit – see the above two paragraphs. Our choir master assured me that we would get together and work parts. A month has passed and nope…The super ironic thing is that the first Singing Lady Group’s song was I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL and so is the song for this Sunday. (!) Is the Father God giving me another shot at it or does He figure we all need a laugh? I’m glad the Bible says to make a joyful noise and not for us to all sing in perfect 4-part harmony.
• Easy Saturday Breakfast: Dutch Baby
• Pear Butter and Pear Syrup
• Sweet Potato Brownies

The big football finale is on tomorrow- cannot call it the s/b words anymore, ’cause the NFL has them copywrited -copywritten, maybe? Whatever. I think I’ll make a big pot of beef chili to enjoy during the game.

This morning I baked simple cupcakes, chocolate and soy free. I used a Duncan Hines Signature cake mix and old fashioned chocolate buttercream, with both vanilla and rum extract. It’s cold, rainy and February; what else is there to do, but bake?

I used regular, paper baking cup liners in one pan and silicone liners in the other. The cupcakes were filled with the same amount of batter, but the cupcakes in the paper liners turned out with flatter tops and higher. The silicone cupcakes baked up with domed tops, but not as big as the others. Hmmmm…. go figure.

Hope these stay around long enough for the big game.

Blessings and I hope your team wins.