Breakfast Tacos

Below is the recipe that is from the cookbook "Just Kidding"
I substituted ham in place of the sausage, and I also cut the recipe in half because the original recipe makes 6 servings.  I served it with a little salsa on the side.

6 eggs
1lb sausage
1 onion, chopped
Grated cheese
3 baked potatoes
pinch garlic powder
Flour tortillas

In a frying pan or skillet, scramble the eggs.  Set aside.
In a separate skillet, crumble the sausage and cook until brown.
Mix in onion and grated cheese.
Add chopped or grated baked potatoes and garlic powder.
Cook on low for 5-9 minutes.
Add the scrambled eggs and cook an additional minute.
Warm the tortillas and fill with the fixture. Serve immediately.

Jake and his cat

A couple weeks ago something happened in the midst of sadness that was quite funny.

Last summer our oldest son Jacob helped out at a Christian camp with the kids program that was directed by the "Rubber Chicken Company" There were other teens that helped out as well that Jake connected with. One of them was a girl named Emma. During the course of the week Emma became sick and had to go home. It was later discovered that Emma had cancer. I believe she was fourteen at the time.

Every day for the past year we as a family have prayed for her; that God would make her well, heal her so she could have her life back.

I remember that night a couple weeks ago reading on Facebook that Emma had taken a turn for the worse and things didn't look good. A few hours later she had passed away.
I knew Jake would take it hard. I mean granted he really didn't know her that well other than working with her those couple days at camp...but Jake believed with his whole heart God would heal her. There was no doubt in his mind at all.
The next morning Dale and I went into Jake's room and broke the news to him. A little while later he came upstairs to the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of Shreddies. Then he broke down sobbing at the table....he couldn't eat it because he was too upset.

I let him stay home from school that day. I just felt if he had moments where he wanted to cry...he should be able to...and not have to keep it all bottled up.  I felt he needed a day to sort through whatever emotions he was feeling.
This kid believed totally that Emma would be healed...but she had died. His faith at that moment was shattered.

The bowl of cereal remained on the table. Jake remained holed up in his room, door shut.
Meanwhile, our cat Taffy jumped on the table and began to eat the Shreddies. Who knew cats like people food.  I didn't stop her, or throw the cereal out...not sure why!
By this time the daycare children had arrived as well and saw what Taffy was doing.

Around noon Jake came out of hiding and sat down at the table to finish his now soggy cereal. Two year old Benson was eating his lunch and  pipes up and says "Hey Jake, that's Taffy's!"
Jake looked up from his cereal, his spoon in mid air and says "wait a minute...did Taffy eat this?"
I was holding in my laughter when Benson turned and looked at me his eyes as big as saucers. I'm not sure what Benson was thinking at that moment but his expression was priceless!
Needless to say Jake didn't finish it.

A short while later he told me that when he was in his room he had been praying and God had shown him that He did heal Emma...just not how we all wanted or were hoping for...but Emma loved Jesus and she was in heaven completely healed, no more sickness or pain. Such a wise statement from someone so young.

Anyway, I was reminded of this story about Jake and his cat yesterday and I thought...I really need to write his down and share it...or I will forget it. It was a moment that I am still laughing about.  Maybe it's one of those stories that you have to be there for it to be funny....but I hope you all got a chuckle out of it.

Easy Pumpkin cake

I made this recipe today but instead of using a bundt pan I used muffins tins!
They are delicous! Instead of the pumpkin pie spice, I used a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
The original recipe did call for chocolate chips but I didn't use them.
The original recipe is from cooks.com
I iced them in maple buttercream using a 1M tip.
I though they were perfect for this Thanksgiving weekend!

18 1/2 oz. pkg. regular yellow cake mix
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 c. (16 oz. can) pumpkin
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs

Chopped nuts (optional)

Combine dry cake mix, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, pumpkin, water, oil and eggs in large mixer bowl; beat on low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed until smooth. Stir in miniature chips. Pour into greased and floured 12-cup bundt pan.Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely.
 

I iced them with the buttercream recipe on this blog but instead of vanilla extract I did half that and the other half maple extract.

Grandmother's Apple Crunch

Possibly the best apple crisp recipe. Ever.
This is yet another Gooseberry Patch recipe.

6-8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar,
1/2 all purpose flour ( I use gluten free)
1/2 cup butter, softened
cinnamon to taste
though not in the original recipe I also add 1/2 cup oatmeal

Place apples in ungreased 8X8 baking pan. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients.  Sprinkle mixture over apples. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes
or until apples are tender. Serve warm.

Butter cream icing

As most of you know I love to bake and decorate cakes. I have a go to recipe for buttercream icing that my friend Theresa Peters gave to me. I thought I would share it here.

2 cups butter
6 tsp vanilla or other flavoring
8 Tbsp milk
7 cups icing sugar
1 Cup flour

1. Cream butter. Add vanilla, milk and stir.
2. Add icing sugar and cream well.
3. Add flour

The nice thing about this recipe is if you are looking for an icing that is not as sweet, you just increase the flour and decrease the icing sugar. If you want a thinner consistency you add more milk. I often do this after adding the flour.

Peanut Butter Brownies

I first saw this recipe on the Gooseberry Patch web page. I knew I had to try them..they sounded so easy to make and yet delicious. Since then it has been my go to recipe for brownies. I know you will love them too. I guarantee you they will not last long!

1/3 cup shortening
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup Peanut Butter

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt shortening and cocoa together.
Cool. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in sugar and eggs.
Add flour and salt.
Stir in Peanut Butter

Spread in greased 8X8 pan.
Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes