GF Recipes and Writings

A Hard-Learned Lesson

When I was a child my father had a horrible temper. In fact, he had some pieces to fix in his workshop that he had damaged or broken altogether from said temper. This lovely tradition continued into my own marriage when my lovely ex-husband hurled a crystal salt shaker at the oven and shattered the glass front on the door. Yeah. Wonderful.

Why is it that we feel the need to break things when we’re angry? Has this ever happened in your life? Have either you or someone you loved broken something in a fit of anger only later to regret it? If only we could take a deep breath and calm ourselves before this came to pass.

Child #4 learned this painful lesson just yesterday. Her twin, Child #3, was harassing her and she was so angry that when the cord to her headphones got stuck, she pulled with all her might, snapping the cord easily. They had been a present for her last birthday. I don’t think it even registered with her, she was that upset. So now she has no headphones and she has broken a present from her mom.

I’m hoping the loss of the headphones will trigger in her a reaction that allows her to calm down when really upset so that this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. If only she will live and learn, like the old saying goes. Will she? Won’t she? I have yet to see. She will also have to pay for a new set of headphones, so hopefully to learn the lesson.

We Have a Winner!

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com

I want to congratulate Tamara from tamarakulish.com for her winning entry in the “It was a dark and stormy night” challenge.

Congratulations, Tamara! Your entry was as follows:

“It was a dark and stormy night. I lit a bunch of candles and created the cozy comfort to offset the cold outside and settled in for a lovely evening.”

Photo by thevibrantmachine on Pexels.com

Beautiful! Nice job, Tamara! Be sure to visit Tamara’s blog at tamarakulish.com to congratulate her on her winning entry!

A Day for Chocolate Cake

Compliments of Child #2. I only added the sprinkles!

Today is officially Chocolate Cake Day. Did you know? Well now you have an excuse to partake in one. We were very fortunate that Child #2 decided to make Grandpa’s Favorite Chocolate Fudge Cake all on her own. Usually we make it together, but I, like everyone else besides Child #2 is suffering from one malady or another.

Child #4 tested positive for COVID on Monday. The rest of us were tested on Tuesday and got negative results. However, Child #1 brought home a lovely flu from her workplace. So now Children #’s 1 and 3 have said flu while Child #2 has escaped for now and I am fighting a losing battle to it. Mmmhmm…you see why we needed cake today?

My thought was to share the lovely chocolate frosting that Child #2 made for the cake. However, if you have worked with frostings before, you are aware that it is a quite inexact process. Here is what I can tell you:

Wonderful Chocolate Frosting

1/2 pound real butter, softened

2 tsp. real vanilla

3 cups (approx.) powdered sugar

1/2 cup (approx.) cocoa

Mix slowly with handheld mixer until all ingredients are incorporated. Add more cocoa or powdered sugar if too runny; add a tiny bit of milk if too dry. Work with it until you get it just right; you’ll know. Then spread it on your delicious cake!

A Special Note:

If you are making a two-layer cake, one of the best fillings we have found is Smuckers tart cherry jam.

Don’t Forget:

The entries for “It was a dark and stormy night” challenge are due tonight!

For What Are You Waiting?

“It was a dark and stormy night…”
Photo by Lachlan Ross on Pexels.com

This is just a simple reminder post. Don’t forget to enter the “It was a dark and stormy night” challenge! Story endings must be submitted by Thursday night. Good luck!

Six Word Story #23

Be careful out there!
Photo by Rene Asmussen on Pexels.com

Isolate her. She will never escape.

Stitching with Crosses

Counted Crosstich is what I’m talking about. Have you ever heard of it or done it? I remember back when I was a little girl my mom and older sister working on projects of this sort. I learned how and even did some nice pieces, but nothing like they did!

Just a couple of weeks ago Child #2 and I were at a local library and discovered that the were giving a class in counted crosstich. Child #2 had never done any and I remembered fondly my times with the hoop and needle, so we signed up. The class ended on Thursday and we were both happy with our projects; me with three strawberries and her with an old-fashioned truck in blue. Now she’s caught the bug and wants to make more things. Oh boy! I’ve created a monster!

Child #2 has always been a very talented, creative child. In fact, I don’t think she’s met a craft or art project at which she didn’t excel! She’s amazing and I’m only slightly jealous! No. I’m actually really proud of her! She’s awesome!

So, what have you been up to during this long, cold Winter (and longer COVID period?) Anything crafty/artistic? What are some new passions you have discovered? Leave your answers in the comments below.

The lovely Crosstich of a bride that my sister did for me as a wedding gift.

It was a Dark and Stormy Night…Challenge

I am challenging you to come up with a funny, scary, or some other emotion, ending for this very famous beginning line! It is the “It was a Dark and Stormy Night Challenge!” Here is my entry:

“It was a dark and stormy night.” She had forgotten to put up her car windows. Darn!

So, what’s your ending? Will you go creepy? Perhaps forgetful, like me? How about happy? Funny? You decide and leave your replies in the comment section below. Good luck!

The winner (at my discretion! It is, after all, my blog!) gets bragging rights and their story finish posted on my blog. I think we’ll give it a week. Please have your entries in by next Thursday, January 27, 2022 before 8 p.m. CST. I’ll post the winner on Saturday, January 29, 2022. Happy finishing!

Muffin Top? And Bottom Too!

Banana – Raspberry Muffins

10 overripe bananas

4 large eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. baking powder

3 cups tapioca starch

2 cups millet flour

1 Tbsp. xanthan gum

1 package fresh raspberries (about 2/3 of a cup)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Line your muffin pans with liners of your choice (I prefer to have liners for different holidays, but that’s just me! Today I was a little early for St. Valentine’s day with a few leftover doggie paw liners. Fun!)

Place bananas in a large mixing bowl with eggs, oil, and sugar. Beat until all ingredients are well blended and the bananas are smooth. Add salt and baking powder and beat well. With mixer on low, carefully add the tapioca starch and millet flour with xanthan gum to the banana mixture. When everything is well combined, turn mixer up and beat continuously for 3 minutes. This incorporates a lot of air to make your muffins light and fluffy. Last, add raspberries and beat in until they are no longer whole, but rather in small pieces.

Drop by Tbsp. cookie scoop into your lined muffin pans. If you don’t have a cookie scoop of this size, you can use a soup spoon, but it will be much less efficient and much more messy! When you have filled your pan place it in your preheated oven and bake for 15 – 17 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick pricked through the center comes out clean. Top with butter and enjoy!

This recipe makes 60 muffins, but not to worry, they freeze well. On the other hand, if your family is anything like my family, there won’t be anything left to freeze! If you do find that 60 muffins is simply too many, this is an easy recipe to half. Then you’ll make sure that you stop eating at 30!

Light and fluffy banana – raspberry muffins.

Six Word Story #22

“Where are you?” No one answered.

It’s National Dress Your Pet Up Day 2022!

St. Valentine’s Day: Lulu, the perpetual princess!

Who doesn’t like adorable pups dressed to impress, or at least to put up with their humans? As you may or may not be aware, we have three little ones: Ducky, or Dr. Donald Mallard, our big boy Morkiepoo (Maltese, Yorkie, and Poodle mix) at 10 pounds; Delilah, our big girl Maltipoo (Maltese and Poodle mix) at around 6 pounds; and our little girl, Lulu at about 5 pounds. Delilah and Lulu are twins.