Finding Joy While Chasing Happiness

 Have you been to CookiesandChrist.com ? Over 100 recipes in the past 4 years. 

Here's a sampling of content there:

I stood completely frozen in exaggerated form…

My legs in stride…
My arms with elbows bent…
And a look of anguish and defeat on my face…

I was keeping the rules, meeting expectations, and needing to remind myself to breathe.

It was my first round of freeze tag. I loved the game…until I was caught and trapped. I stood there hoping someone would find me. I was paralyzed- unable to run, progress, help another, or succeed.

The game of chase is thrilling…
Until it’s not…

Before too long, a classmate extended his hand, barely tapping me in a full sprint on his way to unfreeze the majority of us who had poorly spaced ourselves on the playground. I began to quickly understand a better way to play the game.

40 years later…
I’ve begun to understand a better way to live my life.

I’ve decided my favorite place to go every day as a way to live more fully is “Into the Unknown”.

How would you feel about going there?

In Disney’s Frozen 2:
Elsa felt called-
Beckoned into an unfamiliar place-
Fear gave her pause-
The risk seemed too large-
Comfort would be a price to pay-
If she followed the call into the unknown.

Unsettling feelings of wonder-
A longing to know-
Hoping for connection-
Led Elsa “Into the Unknown.”

I have learned this is where all the dreams and opportunities I don’t know exist.
I’ve been choosing to walk, jump or sprint “Into the Unknown.” Rarely is it a coordinated attempt. I stumble and fall…and then get up…to try again.
Sometimes as I enter into new ideas, paths, or pursuits, I momentarily feel frozen in fear or uncertainty.
But I'm learning to break those down…
I’m resolved to more fully understand and act as the beloved daughter of God that I know I am- That I know each of us are. I believe God expects me to work to attain this pure knowledge and act accordingly.
I begin by giving what’s God’s to God and only trying to control what He needs me to. I'm working to more fully learn how the Atonement of Jesus Christ can provide me the enabling powers to do God’s work at any given moment…
The key to this is exercising my faith to have the patience to only know this moment and not try to see too far down the path.

I’m learning and loving to embrace the unknown.

Begin with me here…
Define the following-
Finding-
Joy-
Chasing-
Happiness-

Are you willing to rediscover the thrill of the chase and see what you find…?

Cookies and Christ 2022…

JC

S’mores Whoopie Pies

¾ cup soft butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup milk 
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾  teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla; don’t overmix. Stir in milk. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Scoop out approximately 24 2” balls of dough.  Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 13+ min. Let cool completely.

Marshmallow Creme Frosting

6 Tablespoons soft butter
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons whipping cream
Dash of salt
7 oz. marshmallow creme (Fluff)

Beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, whipping cream until smooth.  Mix an additional 2-3 minutes on high speed.  Fold in marshmallow creme. 

Milk Chocolate Ganache

½ cup cream
1 cup milk chocolate chips
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt

Heat cream and chocolate chips on low whisking constantly. Stir in vanilla extract and salt. Cool completely. 

Assemble the whoopie pies by piping a dollop of marshmallow creme frosting onto the middle of the bottom of half of the cookies.  Keeping the frosting in the middle will allow it to spread to the edges during the next step without causing it to spill over. Sprinkle with mini marshmallows. Carefully toast marshmallows on broil setting of oven for approximately 15-30 seconds. Let cool for 10 minutes. Pipe a dollop of ganache onto the other side of half of the cookies and place a top onto it.  Let set. share!

25 Days of Cookies and Christ is coming to my new blog available at cookiesandchrist.com
There are new recipes, some familiar ones with a few changes and many more pics. There are some familiar stories there too- and some new ones. Each day from December 1-25, 2018, I'll feature one recipe and a seemingly insignificant life event. Collectively, these events led to my conversion to Christ.

Peanut Butter - Nutella Marble Cookies

15 years ago I gave myself a punching bag and set of boxing  gloves for Christmas. I was trying to work through some "stuff" that was making me a bit too cantankerous. I immediately set up my gift and began to punch away with 80s music blaring. The singing along and punching to the beat became a daily routine. One day, my desire to rid my life of any misplaced aggression had me swinging a bit over zealously. My right shoulder was throbbing. For a few weeks I was unable to use my right arm for much of anything. I was unable to pick up my toddler, load or unload groceries, fold laundry, and certainly my hair and makeup were a little "off".
Throughout the years as I've gotten older, I'm able to identify my physical limits a bit better. So on days like today where I kinda wish the ol' punching bag was still  hanging in the garage, I head to my Kitchenaid instead.
Today I'm blending two cookies into a fun marblely mix. I begin by making a batch of Peanut Butter Cookies and a batch of Nutella Cookies.

Peanut Butter-Nutella Marble Cookies
Make a batch of
Peanut Butter Cookies:
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Cream shortening, butter, sugars and peanut butter until smooth.  Stir in eggs and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients.

Make a batch of Nutella Cookies:
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup Nutella
2 eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa ( I used Hershey's special dark)
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Cream shortening, butter, sugars and peanut butter until smooth.  Stir in eggs and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients.

Make equal sized balls of each kind of dough and flatten one on top of the other.

  Next, break the dough disc in half and stack. You now have four layers of dough in alternating flavors.

 Break in half and stack again. Now, roll into a ball. You will see the marble effect.

Flatten slightly and chill or freeze for 24+ hours; or - if it's a cookie emergency, bake immediately for 10-14 minutes at 375 degrees.

This batch  makes a lot!! So keep your eye out for anyone who may threaten to have a bit of misplaced emotion, someone unable to use their right arm due to over zealous punching, or for certain if you hear 80s music blaring and someone singing loud and proud and completely off key...share these cookies!
If you spot someone who is a bit too cantankerous, has a bum right arm, and you hear a one-armed assault on a punching bag with 80s music blaring mixed with awful singing, give her ALL the cookies and an XL diet soda. 😋

**This recipe has been created at high elevation. Decrease flour by a tablespoon or two depending on location.

Chocolate Chip Pizookies

J returned from girls camp recently. We've spent time catching up and I've heard much about how great the experience had. She deepened friendships, felt the blessings of service, enjoyed good food and grew in appreciation for her ward family.
For many years I carried a bit of shame about my own girls camp experiences.
I hated it. Straight up hated it. I knew I was supposed to love it. My sisters loved it. It seemed like everyone loved it...except me.
I didn't mind hot weather...but I did mind it in super thick oversized hand me down jeans.
I never felt creative or the need to sit around a picnic table and make a craft. I would have preferred to run around- play a game- go canoeing. But those weren't always options. Skits...camp songs...tents...biffys (portable pottys)....A strong "no thank you" to them all.
When I was 13 our church group travelled over 250 miles to girls camp. I was assigned to a small "4 man" tent with three other girls I didn't know. I'm not sure wether they knew each other beforehand or made quick friends with each other, but they were everything I wasn't:
Crafty, content to wear jeans, friendly, out going, and above all- happy at camp. The first day we were told a long list of rules... Probably for safety...haha😉. We were also given a stern warning that non-compliance to these rules would result in us being sent home immediately.
I saw the light. I hated camp. I wanted to go home. All I had to do was break the rules and I would be set free. And so I did...
Unfortunately camp was over 250 miles from home and my leader wasn't going to make the long drive. So I was assigned to spend my long hot days in a tent by myself- I guess I was in what can be called "girls camp time-out". It was miserable. At the end of the week, my leader drove me home in much silence. Upon dropping me off at the meeting place with my parents, she turned to me and asked me never to return. I felt completely relieved- I had been officially and forever kicked out of girls camp.
My own daughter's story is everything mine isn't!

God brought balance to the universe when He blessed me with a girls camp loving daughter!!

Speaking of balance- a light dinner calls for an indulgent dessert. This one is a family favorite!
It's simply a chocolate chip cookie in a personal sized baking dish then turned into a hot fudge sundae of sorts.  Many restaurants call the Pizookies because it's a pizza type cookie?...Served hot with toppings...haha or something like it. It's fun to say, so why not name it a Pizookie!

Chocolate Chip Pizookies
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3-3/4 (2 7/8 for high elevation) cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 3/4- 3 cups chocolate chips.
Cream butter, Crisco, and sugars. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.  Do not over mix. Stir in chocolate chips. To increase flavor and a smoother texture, meld cookie dough in refrigerator or freezer. I like to form cookie balls immediately and then place them in freezer strength ziploc bags in the freezer until I'm ready to bake them.

For the Pizookie, bake cookie dough in individual size or larger size for a sundae for two- or more!!
Bake at 375 degrees for 12-16 minutes. While hot, serve up a generous helping of ice cream, hot fudge sauce, other sundae toppings and whipped cream if desired.

This is the perfect treat to enjoy as you hear about faith walks, new friends, and testimonies shared!!

S'mores Brookies

A little over a week ago I was blessed to have some time with Mom all to myself. We had a great chat and as she left my home, I had a flood of gratitude for the feeling that she's always there for me and can understand my concerns and my joys better than most. 

When I was a young girl, Mom arranged all of the music for our church congregation's Sunday worship service. My sisters all loved to sing, some even took voice lessons and had notable musical talent. After one particular Sunday's number included my two youngest sisters who were quite young, I asked Mom when it would be my turn to sing in church. She was surprised by my question and my desire. She asked me what song I wanted to sing. 

"Teach Me To Walk in the Light" was my favorite primary song and I told Mom it's what I wanted to sing. 

As I reflected on this experience in my adulthood- I understand I must not have stood in the long line in heaven to acquire musical talents. 😉  Simply stated- I can't carry a tune. The concepts and importance of harmony, pitch, key, and pretty much all other choir like skills eluded me.   Although Mom must've been a tiny bit relieved that the song is a duet between parent and child, the first verse is a solo by the child. Mom suggested that it's often beautiful when the piano plays the music and the soloist speaks the words of the hymn in poetic form. (She was clearly trying to save the congregation from hearing me sing...)  I didn't understand her suggestion was to preserve the quality of music and thus I insisted on singing my favorite song with all the energy and zest that I felt the words in my heart to mean. 

My angel mother encouraged me to do just that...

Bless her perfect mother heart...

If you're feeling s'more gratitude for your angel mother or someone else in your life-

Make these amazing S'mores Brookies.  And don't be afraid to sing out with all the energy and zest of your heart!!

S'mores Brookies

Make a brownie mix or two - depending on your size of pan- as directed. 

I used two mixes in a 15.5 x 10.5 Airbake baking pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 34-38 minutes or until done. 

Spread 14 oz. of marshmallow fluff onto hot brownie. Place enough Hershey milk chocolate candy bars on top of marshmallow to cover it (I used 10 1.55 oz. bars). 

Pat together pieces of Graham Cookie Dough to cover chocolate bars. 

Return to oven and bake an additional 14-18 minutes. 

Graham Cookie Dough

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup soft butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream sugars and butter. Stir in egg and vanilla. Add flour, graham crumbs, salt and baking soda. Stir together until well mixed. 

These will take several hours to "set up" as marshmallow and chocolate layers will be very soft. When set, cut and share with anyone you want to express s'more love or gratitude for. My mom didn't just allow me to sing out that day in church, she sang the second and third verses with the same love in which she taught us kids the very message of the lyrics. 

Teach Me To Walk In The Light

Lyrics

• 1. (Child) Teach me to walk in the light of his love;
  Teach me to pray to my Father above;
  Teach me to know of the things that are right;
  Teach me, teach me to walk in the light.
• 2. (Parent) Come, little child, and together we'll learn
  Of his commandments, that we may return
  Home to his presence, to live in his sight
  Always, always to walk in the light.
• 3. (Both) Father in Heaven, we thank thee this day
  For loving guidance to show us the way.
  Grateful, we praise thee with songs of delight!
  Gladly, gladly we'll walk in the light.
• Words and music: Clara W. McMaster, 1904-1997. (c) 1958 IRI.
  Obbligato by Darwin Wolford, b. 1936. (c) 1989 IRI

Caramel Apple Dip

The other night I settled in to watch a little college football. J had just finished homework and was jammin’ to some Colbie Caillat in her room.  Between a couple of offensive snaps, I jetted out to the garage to grab a soda.

There was a glitch in the door lock and I found myself locked out. I ran to the front door- locked!

I banged on the door, rang the doorbell over and over, but by this time, J was in the shower and my pleas for help went unheard.  I ran around back and tried both the back doors- Locked! And locked!

I quickly ran back to the front really wishing I had paused the game before retrieving my soda.

Unfortunately, the fortress was secured and I was literally on the outside looking in. With no other obvious choice, I cracked open my soda and commenced watching the game from outside on the front porch, looking in through the window.

J surfaced awhile later and the look on her face when she saw me peering through the window with a tipped up soda being slurped was priceless!

This apple dip goes together almost quick enough to whip some up in between snaps!

Caramel Apple Dip

4 oz. softened cream cheese (I use fat free if I intend to eat it all... Which I do...)

1/2 cup caramel dip or ice cream topping (I like Smuckers Salted Caramel)

8 oz. Cool Whip

Blend  together softened cream cheese and caramel sauce until smooth. Stir in Cool Whip.

Drizzle with more caramel sauce.

Chill and serve!

This is a quick way to serve up some crisp fall apples! But if you have to retrieve your apples from the garage fridge- pause the game!  ...just in case!!

Deb's Oatmeal Pancakes

Back to school!  It’s time - and I've spent my fair share of efforts “liking” pictures on social media of friends near and far as they post the pics to indicate this change in the seasons of life.  

The best advice I ever received when my kids were young was to “Be in the season you are.”  I translated that to mean do a thousand “under ducks” at the park, one-on-one hoops and endless games of horse in the driveway, and blow bubbles until they no longer chase them.  Many days this took a disciplined effort, and some days, I unfortunately chose laundry (with Oprah) as a rationalized replacement.  

Often I found that this meant if dinner wasn't planned and preparations begun early in the day, I was scrambling (usually literally with eggs….) to put something on the table.  Here is a great supplement to those scrambled eggs that are quick and packed with nutrition, allowing you to “be” in your season.  

The recipe was mastered by and therefore I named it after my sister.

Deb’s Oatmeal Pancakes

2/3 cup oats (steel cut, old fashioned or quick)

1 cup white or wheat flour- or some of both

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 T oil

1 cup buttermilk

2-3 T water

Combine dry ingredients together and stir.  Add egg, oil, and milk and water.  Stir until combined, without over mixing.  Spoon batter onto hot griddle sprayed with Pam and cook until browned.  Flip and cook on the other side. Makes 8 6-inch pancakes.

Top with your family’s favorite pancake syrup, peanut butter, or really enjoy your season by topping with cinnamon apples glazed with salted caramel “syrup”.

For the cinnamon apples, I peel, core and cube them.  Then I sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and simmer them in a few tablespoons of water.  I thinned the "secret" recipe pictured below with a little milk for the syrup.  

“Be in the season you are.”

Because before you know it, it'll be more than a decade later.