Chocolate Chip Cookies: Church Ladies Recipe

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip

In 1977 the Teegarden Brethren Church W.M.S.  published a cookbook of tried and true recipes. I use this book quite often and the pages definitely look it. One of the recipes I have probably made the most is the chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Ingredients for the Church Ladies Chocolate Chip Cookies:

• 1 cup real butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
•  1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp hot water
• 2 3/4 flour
• 1 small package chocolate chips; I use Dark Chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup nuts; chopped and optional

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Instructions to make Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1.  Combine the ingredients in the order listed. 
2. No need to sift dry ingredients and flours anymore although in the cookbook has it listed in the to do list. Add the flour little by little while mixing.
3. Last but not least add the chocolate chips. I think a whole bag per batch is too much so use 1/2 bag.
4. Either on parchment paper or greased cookie sheet, drop by the teaspoonful and bake for 12 minutes at 375 degree Fahrenheit. 
5. Ovens vary, therefore, place one cookie in to test the time before filling all your cookie sheets and baking.
6. You will be baking for your family design the recipe to suit your family.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

 I have been baking for Christmas and wanted bread or something easy to grab for breakfast. I had originally thought I would make Challah bread either in a round pan or the braided version.

 As I was searching for that recipe I found the recipe for Cinnamon Raisin Bread. It smelled so good and I wanted to cut into it but I haven't. Instead I froze it so break out next week. My husband mentioned icing for the bread so I may do that too.  Either way this bread will definitely be good with apple or peach honey.

Ingredients to make Cinnamon Raisin Bread:

• 2 eggs at room temperature and enough warm water to equal 1 cup
• 2 ½ tsp yeast
• 2 tbsp Oil
• ¾ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 3 to 3 ½ cups bread flour
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup nuts; optional

Instructions to make Cinnamon Raisin Bread:

1. I use a bread maker to mix; as it is mixing, you can see if the 3 cups of flour is enough or if you need to add a tad more. Let the bread rise, it will be double the size.
2. Spray one loaf pan with a vegetable spray, and let the bread rise again.
3. In a preheated oven, bake the cinnamon raisin bread at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes.

Technically it is not even winter, however, the weather has been so cold, trying a new bread recipe and heating the oven sounds good. Keeping out of it while hot will be the toughest part.

I love watching The Chew, they have such good recipes. The whole Chew crew is fun to watch while they show the world how to make fantastic recipes.

         

Plastic Jug Snowman Craft

She is concentrating on that glue

I do not know where this craft originated, however; I saw it on Facebook. The snowmen they featured were made with a plastic gallon milk jug. The first effort making the snowman was with my granddaughter at our daughter’s home in Kentucky while mom and dad had a date night.

My granddaughter was tired and not in a really crafty state of mind so hers was fairly plain. I made a few suggestions, however, it was plain to see she was not in the mood to craft.

Snowman and granddaughter smiles.

After I returned home, I decided to make my own snowman using a plastic milk jug, then I noticed in the recycle bag I had 2 other plastic containers so decided to make a snowman family.

Our Granddaughter's snowman

After assembling my snowmen, I then thought they would make great porch lights. Since I was decorating for Christmas using Christmas tree lights only seemed natural. 

They really do make a nice light on my porch. Try making your own plastic jug snowman, it's a craft anyone can do.

My lighted snowmen

Peach Honey

I love honey and when my daughter said with her excess pears she researched and made pear honey. I had that ah hah moment and used the apples to make apple honey.
When the neighbor had peach trees I made an abundance of peach juice, which goes well with orange juice, however, I had a gallon jug that I could not possibly drink by myself and no one else really liked it. Well today, I decided to make peach honey to see if the family likes it for Christmas lunch.

Read the Apple Honey Recipe
and substitute peach juice for Apple Juice. 

Merry Christmas

As I was growing up, everyone wished everyone Merry Christmas, now days it is rare to hear anyone wish you a Merry Christmas, unless it is someone you personally know.

While shopping in stores, even on Black Friday, you may be greeted with Happy Holiday. On television, you will hear about Holiday Trees and cards. These so-called trees are evergreen trees that are decorated with glass bulbs, lights, angels, card and tinsel.

Cards made for this very specific holiday aka Jesus’ Birthday or Christmas, is often referred to as a holiday card. Oh my goodness, if you are making, buying and sending a card on Christmas, what is wrong in calling it a Christmas card?

It is explained away as they do not want to offend non-Christians, however, how many Christians are being offended with a Happy Holiday or a Season’s Greeting? We are celebrating the birth of Christ on December 25^th, what are they celebrating?

Matthew 1:18-21 Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

19 Joseph, her fiancee, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.

20 As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.

21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."


Read more on Bubblews:

It's About the Cross

Therefore, I am wishing you all an early Merry Christmas.