I’ve got some delicious chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. It’s 11:30 pm, but surely that’s not too late to bake cookies. Tim and I had a fun idea for our Sunday School class tomorrow and fresh baked cookies are part of our scheme.

David loves my chocolate chip cookies.

But then is there ever a time when fresh baked chocolate chip cookies (with a scattering of butterscotch chips) aren’t welcome.

Maybe at a Weight Watchers meeting.

This is not an actual Weight Watchers Meeting.

These, of course, are made with half whole wheat flour. Or rather white whole wheat. What does that even mean? Does anyone know? It’s a type of King Arthur flour and it’s actually called white whole wheat. Interesting. I’m hoping it means I can use it in chocolate chip cookies and no one will fuss about the whole wheat texture/flavor.

We’ll see.

These are not my chocolate chip cookies.

On Thursday nights, when I should be working on homeschool co-op prep and getting ready for a good night’s sleep, I am often overcome with an irresistible urge to bake. It’s not logical. It’s not helpful. It is, however, very tasty. Last week I made cinnamon crispies - basically an incredibly sweet and delicious cinnamon roll. I discovered the recipe on a blog. Go now and check it out. Your family will rise up and call you blessed.

Of course, they’ll also need to spend some time at that Weight Watcher meeting, but the cinnamon crispies are worth it.

This week I made up a huge batch of chocolate Chex mix. We had some at our Debt Free party and the kids have been raving over the leftovers ever since.

“I’m addicted to trail mix. Did I ever tell you that?” Joshua said to me several times during the week.

What’s a mother to do? Obviously she should wait until the last minute on Thursday night and make trail mix.

I’m sure you all agree.

Now, it turns out that my three older children are very particular about what they like in their trail mix. Or rather, what they DON’T like in their chex mix. The basic mix consists of: Chex cereal, Cheerios, nuts (this time it was peanuts and cashews), pretzels, a little bit of M&M’s, and dried fruit. As this was a “muddy” trail mix I melted chocolate and peanut butter chips and drizzled them over the entire thing, stirring gently.

Joshua likes raisins but not craisins.
Daniel likes craisins but not raisins.
Rachel likes craisins but not raisins or pretzels.

Tim, it has been revealed, likes any and all trail mix. Preferably the kind with lots of chocolate.

Hmmm, not a problem I decided. I pulled out several large bowls, divided out the ingredients and made individual recipes of mix per child. I did have to verify the preferences several times but after a little bit of work I had trays full of Just My Favorite Chex mix for the kids.

From there I went on to make banana chocolate chip muffins.

Please don’t ask me how many hours of sleep I routinely get on a typical Thursday night. It’s not pretty. Thankfully my Fridays include plenty of strong coffee and many other blessings.

If you have any suggestions for what I should make this week, do share. I like to bring some sort of treat or goodie to my co-op classes. You know, to bribe the teenagers into doing their work and thinking I’m a cool teacher.

It’s mostly working. They haven’t fired me yet.

Kathy

One of the things God hates is ‘lying scales’, and I can begin to see why.

The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. – Proverbs 11:1

… or again, a few chapters later:

The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. – Proverbs 20:23

Back in November, I began a weight-loss plan, with the goal of losing 28 pounds by May 20. Enjoying some early success (and a little discouragement), I managed to stay ‘below the line’ on my goal graph for the first three months or so.

Stepping onto the scale Wednesday morning, my toes curled as I tried to brace myself for the worst. I’ve thrown caution to the winds the last two or three weeks, enjoying large portions and lots of sweets with wild abandon, as Kathy’s folks were in town. I stopped recording my calories and my visits to the local YMCA faded into hazy memory.

So much for being ‘below the line’.

In spite of this mental preparation, I was dismayed to see the numbers: 225.4. Yikes! Up more than two pounds in just a week!

I stepped off, restarted the scale, and stepped on again: 225.6.

The numbers were not moving in the direction I had hoped.

Now, with a 2.2 pound weight gain since last week, I have no choice but to return to a more disciplined approach to eating.

It is sometimes strange to me that discipline appears to be a zero-sum-game, in my life. When I exert self-discipline in one area (like my finances), I seem less willing to simultaneously exert myself in another area (e.g. weight-loss). Keeping all the areas of my life in order often seems as futile as that old arcade favorite, Whack-A-Mole.

It is a remarkably satisfying game, perhaps because so many of us fail in real life.

In general, successful discipline in one area of life is transferable to another, so maybe the problem is my flesh, pathetically using the excuse that it is ‘weary’ of self-control. Let’s not look too closely at that, shall we?

Naturally, at a time when I am struggling, Kathy makes Chocolate Chip Cookies.

When I began this weight-loss program, I very much wanted to succeed, and so I asked for people who would pray at least 4 times a week, that I would actually exercise some discipline and lose weight. I try not to be delusional; there is no particular reason that I should be successful in losing weight after all these years of being, er, fat.

Not wanting people to know she used old, Christmas M&M’s, Kathy had Daniel sort out all the green ones.

In exchange for their prayers, I promised to pray for those folks every day (with one day off each week). For the most part, I have nearly kept that promise, specifically praying for those ten people, five days a week. So if you are one of those who promised to pray for me and have slacked off, please be reminded: I desperately need your prayers to succeed at this.

Tim

We’ve been home from the Prayer Conference for three hours. The house is cluttered with Christmas bins (yes, we still have Christmas decorations up, don’t rush us), suitcases, mail, library books, and assorted shoes and boots (the kids managed to find some snow while we were gone).

What a joy it was to bring Joshua with us to the prayer conference.

What have I been doing?

Baking

I can’t help it! I’ve got this new Bosch, 25 pounds of wheat and a Nutrimill. Who cares about the mess or the details that need my attention before bed. Please don’t remind me that our homeschooling co-op starts on Friday. The kitchen just doesn’t look right without a fresh loaf of bread tucked away on the counter.

Tim went to pick up the children from AWANA. I sent him off with three, still piping hot, loaves of fresh whole grain bread. Yum and double yum! I kept one here at home (it fell and didn’t look as “pretty” as the others) and I’ve got three more rising on the stove. I think we’ll have enough bread to last for the rest of the week.

I told Tim to find someone who looked like they needed a fresh loaf of bread and to share the bounty. I’m so curious as to who he came across in the church parking lot.

Was it you??

Here are the two recipes I used (I’m still experimenting with the first one as I can’t seem to get the flour measurements right, it’s too sticky but the end loaf is incredible!! Both recipes use the Bosch which is a BIG mixer and can handle a large recipe):

My inlaws give the BEST gifts!!

Grandma’s Yummy Loaf

6 cups hot water
3/4 cup oil
2/3 to 1 cup honey
generous tbs salt
2 1/2 tbs lecithin granules
heaping 1/4 cup gluten flour
9 3/4 cup hard white wheat, freshly ground (not sure how much this makes - that’s where I’m having trouble. I need to double check. I’ve been using 11 cups of flour, or so, and it’s way too sticky. More bread making is needed to perfect this)
2 1/2 tbs yeast

Divide dough into 4 to 6 loaves (depending on loaf pan size). Roll and shape dough, tuck ends and place in greased pan. Cover and let rise in warm place 30 minutes or until doubled. Bake on middle rack of oven 25-30 minutes at 350. Gently remove and cool.

Because I haven’t been adding enough flour (I’ve made this three times now and keep forgetting to measure 9 cups of wheat first and then grind it) it’s been way too sticky to shape into pretty loaves. It does, however, bake into these deliciously tasty loaves. Wow! Very good.

The other recipe is one I found online. Tonight is the first time I tried it. The recipe is very similar. It drew rave reviews from my hungry crowd.

Five Loaf Recipe Adapted from a recipe from Breadbeckers.com

5 cups Hot Water
1 ¼ cup oil (half olive oil, half canola)
¾ cup honey
2 ½ Tbs. Instant Yeast
12-14 cups whole wheat, freshly milled flour
5 tsp salt
2 Tbs Powdered Milk
2 Tbs Gluten

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Let them cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then turn out on a cooling rack to cool completely.

I only have so many bread loaf pans, of course, and was already using four of them on the other batch, so I had to improvise with this second recipe.

Hopefully these will work as soup/bread bowls.

Can you say Over Achiever!!

I made six little bread bowls (draping dough over muffin cups). We’ll see if those turn out. I guess that means I need to make up a batch of some sort of tasty stew or chili tomorrow. Hmmm. Chicken tortilla soup maybe?

In the back of my cabinet I found a baguette pan (at least that’s what I think it is). I haven’t used it in years. No time like the present, I thought to myself, dragging it out and washing off the dust. I also found this cute little stoneware pot that is supposedly oven safe.

We’re practically our own bakery! I think we’ve given away almost as many loaves as we’ve eaten but I’m not certain.

Now I had better take off the baker’s hat and go be a mom, housekeeper and homeschool teacher.

If you have a good bread recipe, PLEASE share it!! I’ve got a mixer and I’m prepared to use it.

Kathy

Today I received an egg in my lunch.

This is a somewhat unusual occurrence. Kathy graciously prepares a lunch for me, whenever I work in the city; she takes very good care of me. Today there was lettuce, but (since I am counting every calorie) there were no croutons. There were also no tomatoes, since we’re counting grocery dollars, and we can’t quite get back to the idea of paying $3/pound for tomatoes when we used to harvest them for free from the backyard. Ours were better, too.

I don’t really like salad, which is why my eyes lit up when I saw the egg.

“I’ll crumble up that hard-boiled egg, and put it on my salad,” I assured myself. “They will help to absorb the watery salad spritzer dressing, and redeem this salad,” I promised myself in a hearty tone.

One should always be wary of people who speak in hearty tones.

I cracked the egg, and realized, belatedly, that the egg was not, in fact, hardboiled. Pandemonium, on a very small scale, ensued.

My co-workers glibly assured me that Kathy did not do this to me on purpose, but I am plagued by doubt. Perhaps it is time to step up the pace of my Christmas shopping for my beloved bride.

Not my actual egg.

Now that I have been dieting for five (or is it six?) weeks, I’ve become accustomed to disappointment in food, or at least, disappointment in portion sizes. The amazement (“No way. You mean that is a cup of mashed potatoes? It would hardly take three bites to eat it!”) has given way to a numb acceptance of how little, in fact, I need to eat to sustain myself.

Yesterday was a hard day. It started out on the wrong foot, as I recklessly squandered 400 calories on a bagel at Panera’s (with two pats of butter). I became over-hungry before lunch, and the feeling of deprivation wouldn’t seem to pass. I decided I wanted to devour the world, or at least as much of it as I could comfortably stuff into my mouth. My daily 8:30 pm appointment with the ice cream freezer seemed eons away.

I hate days like that.

Calories consumed versus calories burned, on average

Late in the afternoon, I remembered my panacea for calorie-poor, appetite-rich days: get some exercise. While I require myself to eat 500 calories less, each day, than I burn, there’s no rule that says I can’t burn extra calories. Our whole family rushed off to the YMCA, and I ‘earned’ an extra 600 calories for the evening. While this diet rages, I may find myself much more willing to visit the local Y. Yesterday was a good day for that: I increased my annual visit average by at least 50%.

I can’t complain, all evidence to the contrary. I lost another pound this week, bringing me to a total loss of 9 pounds, at least 5 of them legitimate. That puts me on track for my goal of 28 pounds lost by May 20. Some days I feel that I am getting the hang of it, but on others, May 20 seems a long way away. And then there’s the question of what I will do in May? Even if I lose the targeted 28 pounds, I’ll still be 30 pounds overweight, according to the fiendish weight/height calculator gnomes.

My weight-loss plan.

One six-month-horrific-diet-plan at a time, I guess.

Some ten of you have promised to pray for me, at least 4 times a week; please know that I have been keeping up my end of the bargain, praying for each of you by name, six days a week. I credit the relative ease of this diet and the success I am enjoying, to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, and I commend you for your continued prayer-work on my behalf.

Maybe if you really pray for me, next time I’m in the city, I’ll even get a hard-boiled egg.

Tim

I hope it’s not too late to share a few of our Thanksgiving recipes. We had a wonderful holiday together as a family. Strange not to host grandparents or cousins, but we spent a good bit of time going around the table giving thanks, and they were mentioned often.

Turkey baking bags? Could life get any easier than that?

I decided to try a different bread recipe for Thanksgiving. I don’t know why I’m compelled to venture away from our very favorite, so easy, tried and true Mesa Manna, but every once in a while I just have to try a new recipe. This year I spent several hours reading recipes from The Pioneer Woman’s blog. She has such gorgeous pictures, the food practically jumps off the computer screen.

Now if I could just it to actually do that, I wouldn’t have to spend hours in the kitchen cooking.

It’s important to search for the right kind of help on big holidays. This gentleman is in high demand.

The thing that sold me on these rolls was the promise I could make the dough Wednesday night, and prepare the rolls on Thursday. Mesa Manna gets a wee bit yeasty tasting the times I’ve let the dough sit overnight. Can’t have our bread too yeasty, now can we. Here’s a link to Ree’s dinner rolls. These turned out delicious, but, frankly, weren’t that much better than Mesa Manna. Definitely not worth the extra work (heating milk) or the calories (a cup of oil and sugar). Fun to try a new recipe, which, I guess was my goal.

With the all repetition in my life (”What, there are dirty dishes to wash again? Laundry too, you say?”) I steal the opportunity to enjoy a little bit of variety wherever I can.

Daniel and Rachel set the table, complete with crystal, silver and cloth napkins. Sarah gave each person five kernels of corn for our time of sharing.

In my search for a low-carb veggie casserole recipe, I stumbled across a fun vegetable website. Maybe ‘fun’ is not exactly the correct word for a vegetable recipe site. How about tasty or creative? Most of the recipes come with pictures (so handy for those of us who are visual learners). I made a broccoli/cauliflower dish. Yummy.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin

1 pound fresh broccoli florets
1 pound fresh cauliflower florets
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
4 ounces cheddar cheese, 1 cup
3 ounces parmesan cheese, about 1/2 cup
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, 1 ounce

1. Steam the vegetables until crisp-tender, 6-8 minutes; drain well and season with salt and pepper.
2. Put the vegetables in a greased shallow baking pan, 9×13″.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise and the next 5 ingredients. Spoon this mixture over the vegetables and spread as evenly as possible.
4. Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese over the top (skipped this step as I ran out of parmesan cheese).
5. Bake at 350º 20-25 minutes until the topping is golden brown and bubbly.

Rachel’s requested pistachio salad turned out to be ridiculously easy. Don’t you love it when that happens!

Pistachio Salad

1 small box of Pistachio pudding
1 can crushed pineapple
1/2 bag of mini marshmallows
carton of Cool Whip

1. Pour undrained pineapple into bowl.
2. Sprinkle pudding mix on top. Stir and let sit for five minutes.
3. Fold in marshmallows and Cool Whip. Let chill in fridge.

We were invited (or maybe we invited ourselves, I lose track) to some friends’ house for dessert. I ran out of time and ingredients to make an apple pie (turns out you need apples for most apple pie or apple crisp recipes - go figure), but did manage a chocolate cream pie and pumpkin pie cake. One family member said the chocolate pie was a little too strong, we’re still working on his background check. Too much chocolate? Gasp! There’s certainly no such thing.

Chocolate Cream Pie in Oreo Crust

1 Oreo pie crust
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups milk
3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs yolks
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir in milk gradually. Add chocolate chips & unsweetened chocolate. Place over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 2 minutes.
2. Place egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl. Gradually pour half of chocolate mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly.
3. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into chocolate in saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
4. Pour mixture into Oreo pie shell. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve with shipped cream.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a holiday without some fun board games. We played Pirate’s Cove here at home and then several rounds of Apples to Apples with our dessert hosts.

Pumpkin Pie Cake was unanimously requested by my family over pumpkin pie. Interesting. It’s a family favorite and a ready hit at parties. I’ll share that recipe later.

It’s almost Monday and we still have some leftovers, although Joshua’s eating them as fast as he can. I already have a request for another batch of cornbread dressing.

I think Joshua has eaten a plate full of these delicious leftovers nearly twice a day since Friday. Yum! Nothing like a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to fill our tummies, and thankful spirits to warm our hearts. I hope each and every one of you had a good Thanksgiving, remember to whom we give thanks.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalms 100:4-5

Kathy