Gluten Free Bread in the Breadmaker

Originally this calls for 1 egg and 2 egg whites, 1 1/2 cup of warm skim milk, and 1 cup of white rice flour and 1 cup of brown rice flour.  

It is in my bread maker as we speak (or...as I speak).  I will let you know how it turns out.

I got this recipe from here.

• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 cups warm buttermilk
• 
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1/4 cup millet flour
• 2 cup brown rice flour
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

(Originally the recipe says 1 egg and 1/3 cup of egg whites, 1 1/2 cups of warm skim milk and 1 cup of brown rice flour and 1 cup of white rice flour.)

I put it in my bread machine for 1.5 lb of regular white bread and medium crust.

It doesn't look or feel like normal dough, i've tried to add some more tapioca flour and rice flour...I'm not confident in this, my first attempt...it's on it's first rise right now...

:-)

No Bake Granola Bars

So I got this recipe from a website that got it from Rachel Ray...I think.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats {not rolled oats!}
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
As many chocolate chips as you want

I boil the butter, honey and brown sugar together.  When it's bubbling I turn the heat off and mix in the vanilla.
While it's on the stove I mix together, in a different bowl, the oatmeal and rice krispies.

Once the butter, honey and brown sugar are done boiling i mix it into the oats/rice krispies mixture until it is all combined really really good.  

Then I poor it onto a cookie sheet or into a 9x11 cake pan and smmmmooooooooosssssshhhhh it really good (Pay attention to the thickness as that will be the thickness of your granola bars)

Then, i pour chocolate chips on top and smoosh them into the top of the bars, but be careful...once you start smooshing them in they start to melt some and eventually start sticking to the spatula you're using.

Then I stick them in the fridge for awhile.

Then, we want some we just cut off what we want.  i do pack them in lunches but after they warm up they do fall apart some.....or alot.  But they are DELICIOUS.  My daughter just packs a cold pack with it and she loooves them!

:-)

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread..YUM!

Here is the recipe I've started using in my bread maker and it is turning out SOOOOO GOOD!  It is half 100% whole wheat flour and half unbleached bread flour.

I put it into my bread machine in this order....
1/2 cup warm water
1/8 cup honey
2 Tbls oil (i've been using canola, next loaf I'm trying olive oil)
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cup 100% whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup unbleached bread flour
1 tsp yeast (i use Fleischmanns's Bread Machine Yeast)
salt (i use 2-3 pinches)

ONCE IT STARTS MIXING I CHECK IT....both times I've made it I've had to add about a tablespoon of water....

I put the settings on my bread machine at White Bread, 2lb and medium crust...When I did it like this my crust was reallllllllly crunchy. The consistency of the bread was almost like store bought and the flavor was REALLLLLLY good!

I've been searching and searching for good sandwich, toast and whatever bread machine bread....for years...so far this is by far the easiest and the yummiest with the exact consistency and size that I was looking for!

WOOHOO!

Actions Speak Louder Than Words...

Let me clarify....I absolutely believe that when it comes to the Gospel, actions and words must be both used equally, and what we say MUST match up with how we live and how we live MUST match up with what we say.  What good is it to live a Godly life pursuing Holiness when we don't share the Gospel of Jesus Christ's death, burial and resurrection with others?  However, what good is it to share the Gospel with others when our lives are full of sin and we look no different to them than the rest of the world?


Today I'm just talking about our actions.


Matthew 5:14-16
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.


When you think about your life, and I mean REALLY think about it...what is the PURPOSE of your life?  Every action, thought, word...what is your motive behind it?  It can be a really deep, thought provoking question that many believe there is no answer to, or don't believe they know it.  But as believers and followers or the Lord Jesus Christ I would suggest this, as followers of Christ our purpose and motives should all be exactly the same...to Glorify God in ALL we do (Whether in front of others or behind close doors when no one else is around), and to bring as many souls to Heaven with us as we can when our days on this earth have ended.


Now, the way this looks in each of our lives may be radically different from one another.  But the purpose, or end goal, should be the same.  And I believe if we desperately pursue the first part of that (glorifying God) then the second part (others coming to know Christ) will be a natural by-product.


I challenge you to go through your day today and constantly ask yourself "What was my reason for saying/doing/think that, in that way at that moment"...


1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or WHATEVER you do, do it all for the GLORY OF GOD!


Do we recognized the importance of salvation for every single soul we come into contact with?   When we get out of church on Sunday do we leave our "walk" at the door just to pick it up on Wednesday night or the following Sunday when we walk back in the door of the church.


We are the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world!!!  For some people we are the only Gospel they will ever see.  It seems so foreign to many of us who have heard the Gospel our entire lives, but there are many in our own town that have NEVER heard it!  


What a gift we've been given!  And what an AWESOME opportunity and honor it is that God would want to use US to share it with others!  Are you sharing with others 

Coupons Coupons

I'm on a money saving adventure...couponing!  I've realized there is A LOT to it!  

1)  I have coupons from last Sunday, as well as from the internet, cut out and put in individual envelopes based on store department (i.e. frozen food, meat, cereal etc) and I have written on the outside of the envelope what coupons i have, how much and expiration.  

2)  I have made a list of every store I might possible buy from....and there is a LOT around here!  

3)  I need to make a list of websites from which I can get coupons.  

4)  I also have the circulars for all the stores....

And I've only just begun!  My friend Stacey has a 'manual' online here.

So I'm going to keep notes like this to track how I do my couponing and my results!

Oddly Enough...

I'm usually full of thoughts I have during the day, deep and thoughtful thoughts (at least in my opinion).

But today, I've got nothing. Zip, zilch, zero.

I worked ALL DAY sitting in this very chair, on my husband's website.  I set out to do MUCH more for his website, but the little but that I did took the entire day....and all of my brain.

So now I'm left with mush.

So now, I'm off, to sit and do nothing but watch TV and cuddle with my amazing husband that I adore.

It doesn't get much better than that. <3

Maybe I'll have something inspired tomorrow.

Complacent or Content?

A friend of mine on Facebook made a good point today after I posted the Phillipians verse.  There is a difference between being content and being complacent.  


To me, being complacent is being resigned to the way things are, not hoping or trying for change or for anything better.  It's not at all related to peace or joy, but more in being stuck and hopeless.


Being content, in my opinion, is resting in the joy of our salvation in Christ and our future with Him DESPITE my circumstances.  REAL joy is not a result of our circumstances, but a knowledge that our circumstance won't affect our security in HIM, and our circumstances can be used to glorify God and lead others to Him.


When circumstances aren't "ideal" or when things are outright horrible, look for God's hand.  Nothing He does or allows in our lives is arbitrary.  It is ALL for His glory and usually, if you look really close, you can see His hand.  There is joy and peace in knowing that, if for nothing else, our suffering will be used to bring Him glory and our lives can be a testimony to others of His loving kindness.


Our insignificant time on this earth has NOTHING at all to do with us and our pleasures and desires...it is ALL about THE CREATOR who created us, THE SAVIOR who redeemed us and THE SPIRIT who lives in us being glorified.  


It is my desire in all I do to be available to be used by HIM to do that!

My verse today...

Philippians 4:11-13

"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

New Bible Study

Today I am starting a new Bible Study.  I found it on the website www.WomenStudytheBible.com


So far it looks pretty cool.  Today is on being thankful.  It has some interactive things to do to go deeper in your study.


Phil 4:10-13
"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do everything through him who gives me strength."


Here is a link to it in case you'd like to check it out.
Study 1, Lesson 1

I feel so funny starting to blog again.  I was reading my old blog posts earlier and feel like I've grown up so much since then.

I started blogging in 2005!  6 1/2 years ago.  My girls were 1 and 11!  Since then I've taken up running and have run in two half marathons, moved across the country, taken up reading, quit drinking coffee, started drinking coffee again, I'm attempting to start extreme couponing, I'm homeschooling this year, my oldest daughter lost her thumb and she also found a long lost brother and aunt (hahaha..confusing if you don't 'know' us), my youngest has turned out to be one of the smartest little people i've ever known as well as one of the most, shall we say, "adventurous" (to a fault).  I've gotten a LOT of gray hairs (totally uninvited btw)....

I've also felt led to start working with girls in the Youth at church.  I feel like they are so bombarded with lies about beauty, relationships, love, modesty, and so on...I just can't stand by and watch as this generation of girls turn into a generation of women who are scarred from the mistakes of their youth and abuse of society.

I've also developed a deep relationship with my Lord, I've realized the one purpose in this life is to bring other's to Christ and glorify Him in all we do...and honestly, I believe that's the most important think I've learned in my whole entire life.  It affects everything I do, every relationship I have, and though I fail quite often...I really feel like I know why we are here and it's not about us.  That brings me comfort.

So, I don't know where this blog will go...I'm guessing there will be posts about all of the things I mentioned above.  AND I don't know who will read it.  But here I am...for some reason for weeks I've been thinking about doing this, so I'm doing it!

So, here we go.
;-)
Stephanie

Here We GOOOOOOO!

So I think I'm going to start blogging about anything and everything.....God, my venture into extreme couponing, parenting, marriage, cooking, running, reading...and anything else that pops into my little head.  I am also known for messing around with computers and I will probably end up totally messing up my template, more than once.  So here I go, maybe, jumping back into the blogesphere...

I got a lot of work to do!

It's been more than 3 years since my last post. A lot has changed in 3 years! I'm thinking of blogging again. First I guess I gotta clean up my template cuz it's a mess with all the changes in the browsers over 3 years!

:-)