Week of January 8th: Kroger deals

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I don't usually shop at Kroger, unless they are running some type of fantastic sale. This week they are doing a 'buy 4 items save $4 sale". The items that are included in this sale vary from toothpaste to batteries. If you can apply coupons to these items you can save big!

Check out my local ad HERE!

Here is my example of how I fared in the "Buy 4 items, save $4" sale:One of the things that caught my eye was the Crest toothpaste deal: $1.69 WYB four items in the "Buy 4 save $4" sale. I have two coupon to save $1.00 off of Crest, so I i'll buy two toothpastes for only 69 cents. Sweet!

For my next two items I bought  two Gillette body washes. They are $2.49 each WYB 4 participating items in the '4 for 4' sale. I have two coupons to save $1.00 off of one body wash, so each wash is $1.49 each. Score!



Overall, I paid $4.36 and saved $8.00!

If you buy multiple newspapers, you can double or triple your same exact transactions to stock up on what you really need.

This week's food coupons were not very good :-(

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After a few weeks of great deals after Christmas, I was disappointed to find just one measly little insert in this week's paper. .....

Also, at Meijer this week their main sale was the '10 for $10' sale that they do every couple months. Usually there are at least  a few items in this sale that make it worthwhile to use your coupons, but this week all the items are Meijer brand items.

Hopefully the food deals pick up again next week!

Recipe of the week......chocolate peanut butter fudge frosting!

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I stumbled upon an easy recipe for home made chocolate fudge  frosting this weekend, while making cupcakes. I added the last two ingredients to the recipe, and had great results.....

2lb powdered sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup softened butter
2/3 cup boiling water
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup Nutella (optional)

Blend all ingredients together, add a little bit more hot water if needed. Yum!

CVS deals: Week of January 29th

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The newspaper this week had 3 inserts, including the always exciting P&G insert. I bought two newspapers and one of them even had an extra duplicate insert in it....score!



 Here is my main deal that I got this week.....  SIX "FREE" DEODORANTS!!
 1. Speed Stick is on sale for $1.99 each. 
2. There is a deal where if you spend $12.00 on Speed Stick (which is six deodorants in this scenario), you earn $6.00 in ECB's. 
3. This week there is a coupon for BOGO Speed Stick.
I used 3 of the BOGO coupons (b/c I had three newspaper inserts) to purchase six Speed Sticks for $6.00. I earned $6.00 in ECB's, which reimbursed my spending.

My store has an amazing variety of soap, body wash, deodorant, make-up etc. that is marked with 50-75% clearance tags. Like HUGE amounts of stuff. I think they are reducing inventory? I ended up buying everything pictured here for $22.00, AND earned $14.00 in ECB's.

All the body wash here was marked down 50%, and with coupons for Irish Spring and Soft Soap from this weeks paper to save $1.00 off, I got them all for about $1.25 each! 

The Dawn dish soap is on sale for $1.00 each, and there is a coupon to save '50 cents off of two' in today's newspaper.


I saved almost SEVENTY DOLLARS today on all this stuff!!!

Back from vacation........Back to coupbloggin'!

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CVS has some great deals this week on paper products and razors. Check out the ad HERE!


Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief is on sale for $4.99 (Yowzers!)
--After a $4.00 ECB reward, the final price is 99 cents. If you use the 75 cents off colgate coupon from this weeks paper, it can be yours for only TWENTY FIVE CENTS! There is a limit off 2 per household for this deal, so if you use two coupons you can double your savings.




Glade air freshener spray is on sale, at half off, for $1.00 a can. I couldn't find any coupons for it, but it is still a great price even without the coupon.



Schick Hydro products are ALL on sale, AND there are mega savings to be found in this week's Sunday paper. Check out page three of the CVS sale's ad......see how they tell you exactly which coupons to use? How convenient......


However, the ad failed to mention that there are also $4.00 coupons available to save on Schick Hydro Silk women's razors and carteridges, as well as $4.00 coupons to save on men's Schick Hydro 5 Power Select razors -------> ------->

Meaning that after ECB reward reimbursement AND $4.00 coupon application, both items can be yours for only $1.99!

The best part is that there is a SIX item limit in this sale. Buy multiple papers and cash in on this great deal!

chocolate peanut butter crispy bars.

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Chocolate. Peanut Butter. Rice krispies.

This variation has been done to death but it remains no less captivating. So what that distinguishes one chocolate peanut butter bar from the next lies in the details. And if I were to pick at this recipe, I would say that I have a few grouses. Because for such a calorie-dense treat, anything less than perfect is not worth the extra pounds.


For starters, I felt that the cereal layer was too thin and the ratio of sugar syrup to cereal is a bit high. When I removed the bars from the aluminum foil, they stuck to it stubbornly because the rice krispie layer was too sticky. The high moisture content also made the rice krispies soften considerably. The simplest solution would be to increase the quantity of cereal.


Secondly, the chocolate icing had too much butter. Straight out from the fridge, I could taste it somewhere amongst the nuances of chocolate. It becomes less noticeable after the bar has warmed up a little though. Cutting back on the butter would result in a firmer chocolate topping and that is a trade I would be willing to make. Besides, that would mean that the topping can hold up at room temperature longer without becoming too gooey.

It sounds like this recipe is a huge flop but it isn't really. It could be better, but still. With a few changes, in particular the cereal layer, it's not that bad a bar. For something really worth your calories, I would strongly recommend this. Make it!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Bars
makes an 8 x 8 inch pan's worth
recipe adapted from Baked

1 3/4 cups crisped rice cereal (I would use more, maybe an extra 3/4 to 1 cup)
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp light corn syrup
3 tbsp butter
5 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup peanut butter
3 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp light corn syrup
4 tbsp butter

Prepare an 8 x 8 inch pan. I line it with aluminum foil for easy removal.

For the crust: Pour 1/4 cup of water into a small saucepan. Add the sugar and 3 tbsp corn syrup and stir to combine. Cook over medium high heat until the mixture reaches 235F. Remove from heat and stir in the 3 tbsp butter, swirling the pan until it melts and integrates homogeneously into the sugar syrup. Pour the mixture over the cereal and stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, working quickly. Press the mixture into the pan and let it cool to room temperature.

For the chocolate peanut butter layer: Melt the milk chocolate and peanut butter together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly before pouring onto the crust. Refrigerate until set, at least an hour. A freezer would speed things up considerably.

For the dark chocolate icing: Melt the dark chocolate, 4 tbsp butter and 1/2 tsp corn syrup in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly before pouring over the chocolate peanut butter layer. Place the pan back into the fridge until the topping hardens.

coconut tea cake.

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This recipe caught my eye as I was flipping through my newfound favourite book, Baking by Flavour, simply because Lisa Yockelson described this cake as tasting simply of "butter and coconut". I mean, how could I possibly resist that sort of description?


I made the cake a day before I wanted to eat it because this cake seemed to me like the kind that needs a bit of time to sit and let all the flavours gel together. Although the downside to this is that the texture of the cake is not as light and fluffy when it is cool, and that you lose that nice crispness from the edges of the cake after storage.


I made one major change to this recipe, which is to use desiccated coconut instead of flaked (because I didn't have any) so it could have absorbed a fair bit of the moisture from the cake. It was still sufficiently moist, just not as moist as I would like. My cake didn't bake all that evenly so I managed to hit a few jackpots where the cake was nice and damp. Yum! I really should have underbaked it slightly.

Overall, this cake is not that impressive. It was a way too sweet and not coconut-ty enough for me. I bet it would be delicious when warm though.


Coconut Tea Cake
adapted from Baking by Flavour by Lisa Yockelson
makes a 10 inch tube cake

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 sticks butter
2 tbsp shortening
2 cups sugar (I would use 1 1/3 cups)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup canned coconut milk, whisked well before measuring
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tbsp sour cream
1 2/3 cups lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 10 inch fluted tube pan.

Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg into a bowl.

Cream the butter and shortening until smooth and creamy and add the sugar in three additions, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract and then the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate each before adding the next.

Whisk the coconut milk and milk together in a cup. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions and milk mixture in 2, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Add the sour cream and beat to incorporate. Stir in the coconut.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out mostly clean.

chewy chocolate chip cookies.

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Following my amazing revelation of browned butter in chocolate chip cookie dough, I set out to make more. I found a recipe for super chewy chocolate chip cookies using browned butter and a unique method for throwing the dough together, and the rest is history.


The recipe uses cornstarch, or more accurately, a pudding of sorts to make the cookie, in theory, really chewy and gooey. There is even corn syrup to add to the gooey factor! I say in theory because I kind overbaked my cookies because I'm used to seeing browned golden surfaces, not just edges, before I retrieve the cookies. But while my cookies do not look like the original, they were indeed chewy and soft. The bendable kind. Imagine if I had taken away 5 minutes from the baking time. These would be phenomenal. However, I'm still pretty much an ardent supporter of the crispy crunchy cookie camp.


The pudding method this recipe utilizes is extremely fussy for a cookie. And it makes stirring the flour into the wet ingredients really difficult because the pudding is thick and unwilling to incorporate the dry ingredients. It took quite a while for me to see the last of the last few traces of flour. One thing you must pay attention to is when to add the chocolate chips. I added mine while the dough was still slightly warm and some melted into swirls before I realized it. I used mini chocolate chips which explains the almost instantaneous melting but I advise you to take care even when using regular sized ones.

The only thing I changed was the amount of sugar and the ratio between white and brown. I think this is a pretty good cookie if you don't mind the effort. For now, the chocolate chip cookie pie still reigns supreme!


Super Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes around 30
adapted from Top With Cinnamon

3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 tbsp corn starch
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Brown the butter in a medium saucepan. Off the heat, stir in the sugars, corn syrup and corn starch. Let the mixture cool slightly before quickly stirring in the eggs to prevent them from scrambling. Return the pan back on medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.

Stir the flour, baking soda and baking powder together in a bowl. Add the flour mixture into the melted butter mixture and stir until incorporated. When the mixture is completely cool, mix in the chocolate chips and let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 12 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 320F. Meanwhile, portion out your cookie dough. (Make sure you take it out from the fridge beforehand to soften!) About 2 heaped tablespoons make up one cookie. Flatten the ball of dough slightly because it doesn't spread much. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. They should appear cooked around the edges but remain pale in the middle.

cocoa-sour cream chocolate chip coffee cake.

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It's amazing how much colour and flavour just a tiny bit of cocoa powder can bring to a cake. This entire pan only utilizes 1 1/2 tsp of cocoa powder. Can you believe that? And the colour is not just for show. The cake is chocolaty through and through. But no doubt the truckloads of chocolate chips (just kidding, 1/2 cup and a bit more) played an important part too.


I first envisioned this cake to be more like a chocolate chip butter cake with golden bumpy streusel on top, something very much like a New York Crumb Cake but with chocolate chips. Clearly, I was very very wrong, but I like these results too.


The cake is super moist, undeniably due to the sour cream. And I used low-fat sour cream too. If I had used the real stuff, this cake can be your pillow. If its still hanging around, that is.


The crumble is more like cookie dough, I would venture to argue. The high proportion of butter and sugar is definitely unlike your average streusel recipe. In fact, I thought the amount of sugar that went into it so ridiculous that I reduced it by a third. In fact, I would cut down the amount further because when paired with the cake, it can be very overwhelming, as in bounce-off-the-walls hyper activeness. Unfortunately, the cake turned out to be really sweet too, even after I reduced the sugar again by a quarter. But this is my only grouse.


I love the crunch of pecans scattered here and there, and the gooey puddles of molten chocolate chips. (Strangely, the pecans in the crumble ended up embedded in the middle of the cake.) Overall, this cake is pretty fantastic.


Cocoa-Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
recipe adapted from Baking by Flavour

I modified the recipe to contain less sugar. Also, the crumble recipe yields a lot so don't be surprised, be delighted!

For the chocolate chip pecan crumble:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
big pinch of salt
12 tbsp butter, cold and cubed
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter
1 to 1 1/3 cup sugar, depending on your sugar tolerance
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

For the crumble: Mix the flour, sugars and salt in a large bowl. Work in the butter until the mixture comes together like a dough. Work in the pecans and chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed. Set aside. (I formed little clumps of dough just like I did with my crumb cake and refrigerated them before use.)

For the cake: Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Toss the chocolate chips with a tablespoon of the sifted mixture.

Cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar in three additions, creaming for 1 minute after each portion is added. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well to incorporate the first before adding the next. Add in the vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sour cream, which will be added in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the crumble mixture over the cake. Bake for 55 minutes to an hour or until an inserted skewer comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs attached.

butter layer cake.

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It's been so long since I made a layer cake that I started to miss it. The best part about making layer cakes as opposed to cupcakes is that you can cut yourself a decadent slice when you feel like it, and also a tiny sliver if you just need a little bit of sugar rush. On the other hand, I find a cupcake sometimes too small when I really want to pig out, as in the cake for dinner kind of portion, and sometimes too big when I just want a few bites of cake (when you make regular sized cupcakes). I could probably make mini cupcakes to satisfy myself in the latter scenario, but to make such a small amount of batter is fussy (I only have one 12-hole mini cupcake pan).

This cake is essentially a butter cake with heavy cream in the batter, with vanilla bean pastry cream sandwiched in the middle, frosted with nutella frosting and then drizzled with chocolate ganache to finish it off.

The cake recipe really attracted me to it because of the heavy cream it uses in the batter. I've only come to realize recently how wonderful the extra dairy fat can be in a cake. It really enriches the cake and makes the texture melt-in-your-mouth, not to mention make the cake taste extra buttery. There's quite a noticeable nutmeg flavour in this cake and I'm undecided to whether I like it there or not.


The pastry cream is there because the founder of the recipe said that it would underline the butteriness of the cake. Personally, I think jam would be a sharper contrast than milky creamy pastry cream but I really enjoyed the juxtaposing texture it gave with the firmness of the cake. Jam would have been spread out too thinly to provide much textural contrast.

I gave another shot at nutella frosting because I wanted to see what I did wrong last time that made it curdle. This time, frustratingly, it curdled again! It all went awry when I started to beat it with my whisk attachment. I think the oils in the nutella just can't stand up to heavy whisking. If you've made nutella frosting successfully before, please tell me what you did so I can correct what I've been doing wrongly! Nutella frosting is too delicious to give up on it just like that.


I did the glaze because I've always wanted to try out this dramatic effect with the chocolate dripping down the sides of the cake and all. Speaking of the sides of the cake, I really enjoyed taking fistfuls of chocolate rice and plastering them onto the cake. I took quite a while to do it though because I was trying to be careful not to get frosting onto my fingers. I think an easier way to would be to freeze the frosted cake until firm and roll it on its sides in the sprinkles don't you think? This might just become my new favourite way to decorate cakes! Especially because it can hide the flaws in frosting consistency. In this case, the mildly curdled frosting.

By the way, doesn't this cake kind of remind you of a boston cream pie?

P.S. If you stick some banana slices in between with the pastry cream it will be da bomb!


Butter Layer Cake
makes an 9 inch cake
adapted from Baking by Flavour

To assemble this cake like I did, after letting the layers cool, spread about 1 cup of pastry cream on top of one layer before topping it with the other. Then, swaddle the cake with nutella frosting.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cake flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup)
6 large egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk + 1/2 cup light cream

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare two 9 inch pans.

Sift the flours, baking powder, salt and nutmeg together.

Beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add sugar in two additions, beating after each addition for 1 minute. Add the egg yolks and until incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract.

Beat in the flour mixture (in 3 additions) and milk mixture (in 2 additions) alternately, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it equally between the two. Bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out mostly clean, with moist crumbs attached. Cool the cake completely before frosting.

Introducing Mashed Potatoes and Crafts

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I'm so excited to introduce you to my brand new website!
MASHED POTATOES AND CRAFTS
http://www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com/

I've been working on this for several months and finally am ready to launch! My awesome and talented friend, Dominique designed the header for me and I absolutely love it! Check out what this creative gal can do http://bydominique.com/

The Mashed Potatoes and Crafts team is looking for guest bloggers. If you have a super crafty idea with great pics, upcycling projects, stamping, cards, scrapbooking, recipes, gardening, sewing, anything, contact us at mashedpotatoesandcrafts@gmail.com with your proposal. We will provide links and features on our other social networks.

Please come and visit the Mashed Potatoes and Crafts gals and Follow us at http://www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com/
Come and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MashedPotatoesAndCrafts

Follow us on Twitter @MashedCrafts

On Pinterest @MashedCrafts http://pinterest.com/mashedcrafts/

We're looking forward to seeing you there! Let's start sMashing!

Book Review: The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

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When I received this book in the mail, I stared at the cover for several minutes trying to wrap my brain around the truth behind this fictionalized account of Sang Ly's life.



My nine-year-old daughter saw the cover of the book and I explained to her that it was a large dump where people put all of their garbage and that those shacks were houses where people lived. It was very hard for her to comprehend what I was telling her.
Why would they live in the dump?
Why can't they just come and live here (in the U.S.)?
It was a priceless opportunity for her to see how blessed we truly are.

I loved this book! Amazing storyline, characters that I feel I know, heart-wrenching anguish as well as joy in simple things--these are all feelings I experienced while reading The Rent Collector. I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE. Sang Ly's story is an incredible gift that will open your eyes and help you see just how much one person can change the world. It was so neat to witness Sang Ly learning to read and how that changed everything for her and her family. Being able to peek into a part of the world so foreign to my imagination is something that I feel has enriched my life and broadened my perspective yet a little more.

Here's a blurb for the book:
Survival for Ki Lim and Sang Ly is a daily battle at Stung Meanchey, the largest municipal waste dump in all of Cambodia. They make their living scavenging recyclables from the trash. Life would be hard enough without the worry for their chronically ill child, Nisay, and the added expense of medicines that are not working. Just when things seem worst, Sang Ly learns a secret about the ill-tempered rent collector who comes demanding money--a secret that sets in motion a tide that will change the life of everyone it sweeps past. The Rent Collector is a story of hope, of one womans journey to save her son and another womans chance at redemption. It demonstrates that even in a dump in Cambodia--perhaps especially in a dump in Cambodia--everyone deserves a second chance.

Learn more about the book and see videos at http://www.therentcollectorbook.com/about.htm

Book Blast for Freedom Road by T.M. Souders

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I haven't read this novel yet, but it's on my to-read list. I was intrigued by the story and especially the musical aspect as it's fun for me to read about a character that loves music.


Fun stuff for those interested in winning a $50 Amazon Gift card!


 

Freedom Road by T.M. Souders

Book Summary:

Since the tender age of eight, music served as Samantha Becker’s source of solace against her father’s tyranny and her mother’s alcoholism. Now at eighteen, her only dream is to study classical guitar at Juilliard. But when her father’s careless actions lead to an “accident,” which threatens her ability to play the guitar, Sam becomes despondent. Losing all confidence in her future, Sam hides behind the emotional barriers that have protected her for years.

Just when Sam has given up, two unexpected people enter her life, giving her the confidence she needs, and forcing her to evaluate all she’s ever known. Battling her father’s plans for her future, band mates using her for personal gain, and a permanent injury, the odds are stacked against her. With auditions approaching and time running out, Sam must relearn to play the guitar, or be destined to give up her dreams forever.



About the Author:

T.M. Souders was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and grew up in the suburbs outside of Pittsburgh. She graduated in 2004, from Youngstown State University, with a degree in Psychology and minor in Women’s Studies. She is the author of bestselling women’s fiction novel,Waiting on Hope, as well as the novelette Dashing Through The Snow and the newly released young adult/crossover novel, Freedom Road. In her spare time when she is not writing she is an active volunteer for The World Literary Cafe, a site dedicated to authors and readers. She currently lives in rural Ohio with her husband and children.


Links:
Website: http://www.tmsouders.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tmsouders

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5044358.T_M_Souders
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/TM-Souders-Author/181198815275423


Book Blast Giveaway:
$50 Amazon Gift Code
Ends 9/27/12
Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Power of Women

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Today I'm excited to feature a guest post by Tristi Pinkston. She is an incredible woman of talent and I enjoyed her book Women of Strength.


The Power of Womenby Tristi PinkstonWhen I was a little girl, I was sick quite a lot. I had areally weak immune system and digestive problems, and it seemed I caught everybug that went around and had stomach aches almost all the time. My parents gaveme medicine and brewed up mint tea and did every other thing they could to helpme, but there was one thing that made more difference than anything—having mymother close by. There was something about being near her that made me feelbetter.My own children have shared the same thing. “Mom, I feelbetter when you’re next to me,” one child said to me one day while he wentthrough a bout of the stomach flu. Who knows what magic power a mother holds,but they can make the world a better place just by being in it.I think about Mother Teresa, who never gave birth and yetwas mother to so many people. I think about sweet Sister Hinckley and hertender, humorous ways. Julie B. Beck inspired all of us during her time asRelief Society general president, with her no-nonsense approach and gentletouch—I considered her a female Boyd K. Packer or Brigham Young, with the wayshe cut to the heart of the matter.  Goodwomen bless the world.It would be simple enough to sit here and say, “Yes, Iadmire those good women. They really have done a lot.” But what if you knew andunderstood that you are one of those women? What if you knew that you, too,were that influential, that you could impact those around you with that kind ofloving guidance?You are.And you can.Righteous women, no matter where they live or their stationin life, are our Heavenly Father’s handmaidens. We can’t all be Relief Societygeneral presidents—thank goodness, and I don’t think we all want to be—but weinfluence those around us nonetheless. We should never discount how powerfulour loaf of bread or our kind note or our comment in Relief Society can be tothe heart who receives it. We tend to think of our contributions as being smalland insignificant, but they are not. Not by a long shot.We are told that we should not be weary of well doing. Everyact of kindness, every time we stand up for what’s right, every time we bearour testimony or refuse to participate in gossip or turn off the crudetelevision show, every time we live up to our privileges as daughters of ourHeavenly Father, we are helping to erode away the influence of wickedness onthe earth. It’s an amazing, powerful thing we can do simply by following ourown natural impulses to be kind and to give of ourselves.Let us never feel as though we are unimportant, that ourcontributions are not of worth. We can do things no one else can, and when thefinal tally is taken, we will be amazed at just how many lives we have touchedfor good.

The need for courageous, faithful women has never been greaterthan it is today. As we draw nearer to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, weare faced with temptations on every side. But we can prevail as we gain truestrength from living the gospel.

In Women of Strength, Tristi Pinkston shares inspiring stories,as well as insightful quotes from Church leaders, to demonstrate the power andinfluence of righteous women. This book invites women everywhere to deepentheir relationship with the Savior, rely on the guidance of the Holy Ghost, andlearn what it really means to be strong.

"If you are awoman who has wondered if you matter, if you are a woman who is concerned aboutthe world, if you are a woman who has ever felt lost, afraid, or defeated . . .you need Women of Strength by Tristi Pinkston. When you readthis book, you will discover your true worth, learn just how valuable you are,and find ways to turn the tide of evil flooding our world today." --C.S.Bezas, author and motivational speaker

"Every Latter-day Saint woman can be reinvigorated, inspired, and upliftedby reading this book. It is a compendium of wise counsel intended just for usand especially for our times. You may even wish to keep it around to rereadwhenever you need spiritual nourishment and an added awareness of your ownpower." --Susan Aylworth, author
Click here to readreviews and the first chapter:  http://womenofstrengthbook.blogspot.comClick here to learnmore about the author: http://www.tristipinkston.comClick here to purchase:Deseret Book http://deseretbook.com/Women-Strength-Tristi-Pinkston/i/5081290Amazon:
 

My New Writing Desk!

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 I'm so excited today to show off my new writing space! I've been in limbo for some time trying to figure out how to have a writing space with my four young children. For about the last three years, I've been writing on my childhood desk.

I bought the desk for $15 when I was about ten years old. I painted it white and my aunt painted the cute rainbows and smiling suns on the drawers.
Just darling isn't it? Perfect for a professional writer...

I didn't repaint my desk because I kept hoping for a chance to use an office and pass the desk onto my two daughters. This past year we were trying to transform the baby room into an office while the baby was still there.
In March, my grandma passed away. She was a great lady with impeccable taste and she left many nice things behind to share with her family. My brother had been willed a fabulous solid wood desk, but he lives in Maryland and the desk was in Idaho. So he gave the desk to his sister, who happens to be an author writing on her childhood desk.

Have I mentioned how much I love my brother? Yeah, I kinda do and I think you would too, if he gave you this desk!
 When they brought the desk, I was unprepared for the mammoth piece of furniture, so we put it in the baby room hoping to turn it into my office. One problem--my baby is really cute and a terror. After a lot of thought, I told my husband that I wasn't willing to sacrifice his nap time (and my sanity) by putting him in the room with his older brother. I also wasn't willing to sacrifice the fact that he still sleeps in his crib at almost age two and never tries to climb out. And also, who was I kidding? When could I go in a room and close the door and work in peace, HAHAHAHA!!! I love my children and I'm used to working in a central location where I can meet their needs--which are many and often.
But how could I make this large piece of furniture work in my small front room?
 Enter the Interior Designer, Ruthe Clarke of http://interiorsbyruthe.blogspot.com/

Ruthe came to my house and gave me a two-hour consultation which was fabulous. She's great at what she does and recommended that I not put so much furniture in my front room, but when I explained that the need for functionality was my priority, she worked with me to make the room come together.

I still have some work to do redecorating and rearranging pictures, etc. on my walls based on Ruthe's talented observations, but I am so loving my desk! Ruthe has a book on interior design coming soon, so keep an eye on her blog.


Old desk out and new desk in! Now I need to recover my office chair or switch it for something that doesn't look like it was free from my hubby's work!


What do you think of Rachelle's Writing Spot? I think I'm feeling creative and ready to get back to work on book #2 in my new series!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins + Blogger Awards

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First of all I want to give a big thank you to everyone who nominated me for blogger awards!!! Amber from The Tasty Alternative nominated me for The Sunshine Award. Paula from Live Life Gluten Free nominated me for the Liebster Award, and H. Dickenson from Allergy Friendly Taste Buds nominated me for The Addictive Blog Award. All three sites are amazing and I highly encourage everyone to check them out! Thank you again :)
I love cherries but can't usually afford to buy them because they are outrageously expensive. But since cherries are in-season and reasonably priced this time of year I've been on a real cherry kick. The past few weeks after getting home from the store me and the kids have them all eaten before I even have my groceries put up! This week when I bought cherries I had to keep them hidden in a sack so no one would eat them before I could make my muffins :) Everyone was happy I hid them though because they loved the muffins (and they got to eat the leftover cherries)! 
I think cherries and chocolate magically go together. The muffins taste rich and decadent but are actually pretty healthy. Did you know cherries are often referred to as a super fruit because of all their health benefits? But don't tell my kids or they might stop eating them! 


1 1/4 C Blanched Almond Flour, Honeyville Brand
3/4 C Arrowroot Flour
1/4 Tsp. Sea Salt
1 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder (Grain Free Baking Powder Recipe)
1/2 Tsp. Xanthan Gum
3 Large Eggs
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
1/2 C Earth Balance Butter, room temperature
2/3 C Granulated Sugar (I use sifted coconut palm sugar)
1/4 C SO Delicious Coconut Milk, or preferred milk alternative
1 C Pitted and Chopped Cherries
1 C Enjoy Life Dairy Free Chocolate Chips, I'm a chocoholic, you can use less :)

1. Set out butter and bring to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Set aside.

4. Pit and chop the cherries.
5. Beat together the butter and sugar. Then, beat in the eggs one at a time scraping down the bowl as necessary.
6. Slowly beat in the milk, vanilla, and dry ingredients.

7. Stir in the cherries and chocolate chips.

8. Line a muffin tin with liners or spray with cooking oil.  Fill each cup 2/3 full (makes about 15 muffins). Use wet fingers to smooth out the tops if needed.

9. Bake 17 - 20 minutes or until nicely browned. 
10. Allow to cool completely (as in a couple of hours) to properly set up.
this post is part of Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Gluten Free Wednesdays, and Allergy Free Wednesdays

Coconut Pecan Frosting

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I need to get something off my chest.

I love German Chocolate Cupcakes!!! What's not to love about chocolate cupcakes topped with coconut pecan frosting?!? And if you're really wanting to go all out, you can even pipe some chocolate frosting on the outside of the cupcakes then spoon the coconut pecan frosting in the middle! But I'm not nearly that energetic!


So far, I think these have been my family's favorite cupcakes. They were gone in no time! Hope you like them as much as we did :)

Helpful Hints:
-Be sure to plan ahead and make this several hours ahead of time or even the day before as it has to completely cool and thicken in the fridge.


1 C Coconut Cream (place full-fat coconut milk in fridge overnight and scoop out the coagulated cream)


3 egg yolks, slightly beaten


1 C Honey or Agave Nectar


2 Tbsp. Arrowroot Flour (cornstarch would probably work too)


2 Tbsp. Cold Water


6 Tbsp. Earth Balance Butter (coconut oil may work too, might harden in fridge)


1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract


1 1/3 C Unsweetened Coconut


1 C Chopped Pecans (toasting optional)


1. Toast pecans and set aside:  Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 - 8 minutes or until fragrant. Check on them frequently so they don't burn! Set aside to cool.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the arrowroot and water. Set aside.

3. In a medium-sized saucepan, mix together the coconut cream, egg yolks and honey. Turn heat on to medium and stir constantly until the coconut cream melts.

4. Crank heat to high and bring to boil.


5. Add the arrowroot mixture and stir until thickened, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

6. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and butter until the butter melts.


7. Stir in the coconut and pecans.

8. Transfer to a sealed container and place in the fridge until completely cooled and thickened, several hours to overnight.

9. Frost cake as desired.

this post is part of Allergy Free Wednesdays