Dessert of the Month Club: Oatmeal Cream Pies

Today's recipe is a little off the beaten track, but maybe, just maybe, it'll be something you can use!

I know you may be shocked to see a heart picture at the beginning of this post, but Valentine's Day is just around the corner.....
And what better way to your hubby's heart than through his stomach!?!

This year for Christmas, I gave my husband a gift card for the "Dessert of the Month Club."
This certificate entitled him to one special dessert just for him each month ~ I got to pick the dessert, and he got to pick the day!

Maybe this would be a good gift idea for your hubby for Valentine's Day or his birthday?

Now I don't know what your hubby likes, but maybe these ideas could light a little spark in your own thinking.
And if your hubby doesn't like desserts? Maybe a savory snack once a month, or a favorite dinner once a month would be the thing to make him smile!

First up, one of my honey's childhood favorites, Oatmeal Cream Pies!
They aren't difficult at all (the filling looks a little tricky, but it really wasn't!), and they taste way better than Little Debbie's, in my opinion!

Oatmeal Cream Pies

Cookies:
1 c. butter, room temperature
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. honey
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. quick cooking oats (uncooked)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cover baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside
Cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, honey and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.
In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Slowly add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix just until incorporated. Stir in oats until evenly distributed.
Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Remove dough from refrigerator and drop by tablespoons onto baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes just until the edges start to brown.
Cookies may seem moist in the middle, but they will set up.
Cool on baking sheet until set and then transfer to a cooking rack to cool completely.

Filling:
2 egg whites
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In  a double boiler, add egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar and heat over simmering water.
Whisking frequently, heat until egg whites become very frothy and sugar is dissolved (approx. 160 degrees).
Carefully add egg mixture to small narrow bowl and whisk at high speed (in mixer or by hand will both work) until egg mixture will hold stiff peaks and is light in texture.
Carefully fold in vanilla until incorporated.

Add frosting to cooled cookie and then top with another cookie!

*If you live in a hot place, these are delicious straight from the freezer!
If not, store in an airtight container.

What's For Dinner?: Lasagna Soup and No-Fail Pizza-Hut-Style Breadsticks

Thanks, ladies, for taking the time to answer the survey questions.
I'd love to say that I was able to sit and analyze all the answers and write up a workable plan for helping all of you out........but that would be a lie!
I have had a few moments here and there to think about what you all are looking for, though.

Most of you who responded are in need of main dishes and breakfast ideas followed by side dishes.
Many of you love Mexican food, and most of you like Italian, too!
Most of you like to try new things, but not too often.

With that in mind, I've got a delicious two-for-one today....

Lasagna Soup and No-Fail Pizza-Hut-Style Breadsticks!

The reason I'm putting these two together, is that in our house, they are inseparable!
Even if you are not big soup eaters at your house, or you are afraid this won't fill those with big appetites, just try it!
You won't be disappointed!

Lasagna Soup

2 tsp. olive oil

1 1/2 lbs. sausage
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
6 c. chicken broth
2 bay leaves
8 oz. fusilli (twirly) pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil OR 1 Tbsp. dried basil
salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Toppings:

ricotta cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the sausage and saute, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes (If you don't have bulk sausage, cut link or patties into pieces and continue as directed).
Drain any excess fat from the pot.
Add the onions and saute until softened, about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute.
Add the tomato paste and saute until the paste turns a rusty brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and the bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Add the pasta, then increase the heat to medium-high and boil the soup until the pasta is tender to the bite, following the time recommendations on the pasta package.
Discard the bay leaves, then stir in the basil.
If desired, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
When ready to serve, place (optional) cheese in bottom of each bowl and ladle soup on top.
Makes about 13 cups.

 No-Fail Pizza-Hut-Style Bread Sticks

1 1/2 c. hot water OR 1 1/2 c. warm milk
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. powdered milk (if using milk, skip this ingredient)
1 Tbsp. yeast
3 c. flour
1/3 c. melted butter

Dissolve sugar, salt, and dry milk in hot water.
                            OR
Dissolve sugar and salt in warm milk.
Add 1 cup of the flour to make a soupy mixture.
When mixture is no longer hot, but still warm, add the yeast and stir well (I usually just put my bowl in the freezer for a few minutes).
Add the remaining 2 cups of flour.
Dough should be moderately stiff.
Knead the dough until smooth.
Spread half of butter onto the baking sheet, then place dough into the pan.
Roll dough (or form with hands) into a rectangular shape the size of your baking sheet.
Brush the breadsticks with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese, seasoning salt, or whatever you prefer.
Cut the dough into breadsticks and let raise for 10-15 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes (depending on your oven!).
Enjoy hot out of the oven with your soup!

Survey Time: What Do You Eat?

What do you like to eat?

As I've thought about the blog in this new year, I realized something important......
if the recipes aren't food you'll eat, then the recipes won't help you....
yeah, I know, it's profound.

That is where you come in!

Would you take just a few minutes out of your busy schedule and take this teensy-tiny survey?
It's not in some fancy tech-y format, just answer the questions in either the comments or on facebook.

I'd appreciate it!


1. Do you prefer to use a handful of tried-and-true recipes or do you like to try new things?
2. Which meal of the day do you most need recipes for?
3. What type of recipes do you need most
    {main dishes, soups, side dishes, sandwiches, desserts, etc}?
4. What is your favorite type of food {traditional American, Mexican, Italian, etc.}?
5. Is most of your cooking done from scratch?
6. How much time do you spend cooking a regular meal?
7. What type of food is most difficult for you to get on your field
    {dairy, vegetables, meat, fruit, etc.}?
8. What is your absolute favorite recipe?

Hopefully this well help all of us get more of what we are looking for!

Missionary Monday

 

 

Hello, Ladies!  It's the first Monday of 2013!  I wanted to take some time and let you know what you can expect to find here on our blog and why we are here.  I like things organized, so for that reason, I'll do bullets...

 

Those are our weekly themes...

• Missionary Monday - Every (or almost every!) Monday we will host Missionary Monday.  We do weekly themes, but as always, feel free to link up any blog post or just your blog.  I really enjoy reading everyone's weekly posts!
• Tasty Tuesdays - Every Tuesday Patty posts delicious recipes!  Check out her blog when you get the chance, she's always encouraging!
• Thoughtful Thursdays - On Thursdays, Tammy posts some great thought-provoking posts.  Check out her blog to read about her life in Tanzania.
• Fellowship Fridays - Then on Fridays, Carole posts devotionals and other such topics.  She's a missionary in Greenland, you'll love reading about their ministry there!

 

 Let's talk about our Pages...

• Our Blogroll - Here is a list of blogs of missionaries around the world.  If you have a blog and would like to be added just send us an email.
• Recipes -  An organized list of recipes.
• Ministry Helps - A list of websites to help you with your children or ladies ministries.
• Our Contributers - A list of our contributers and some information about them.

 



This is our button.  We'd love if you'd share it on your blog, so others can find us. 

You can find the html code there on the right.

 

 

Now you know a little about our blog, would you tell us about yourself?  Link up here...

 



Devotional Fridays - Fellowship Fridays

New Year's Resolutions

It's the beginning of January, the time of year everyone sets new goals or makes New Year's Resolutions.  Many write long, lengthy lists, while others set more realistic goals.

Whatever the case may be, I think we can all agree that there is something about the new year, a new calendar that inspires us to set goals or make resolutions, no matter how few or many.

As women, we tend to focus on all the things we've done wrong, all the mistakes we've made and all our flaws.  Now that it is the new year, it's time to forgot all those failures of last year.  Stop dwelling on the many mistakes and shortcomings!  No one is perfect and God is bountiful in His forgiveness.  Let's learn from our mistakes, but not dwell on them.  It's time to look forward and thank God for another year.  A new year to live for Him!

Philippians 3:13-14 states "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

I think as women we also tend to look at those around us (or back in the States) and set their expectations on our shoulders and do what we feel they expect of us.  We tend to stretch ourselves thin being busy trying to accomplish everything that we feel is expected of us as missionary wives.  Instead of looking around at man's ideal, we need to look to God.  What does HE expect of us?  He knows our stage of life, He knows our different mission fields and the challenges each one presents.  Let's look to His Word and use Him as our guideline for our goals and resolutions this year!  

  

Let's resolve to "press toward the mark" to live for God.  To do ALL for HIS Glory.  Whether it be making meals for our family, tending to a sick child, teaching classes of nationals, visiting the sick and elderly, homeschooling our children, being a mom, and being a helpmeet to our husbands, let's resolve to do it heartily as unto the Lord!

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:31  

May we all have a Fulfilling and Blessed New Year!

Happy New Year!

 

So begins another year.

 

What are you goals or resolutions for the year?

 

We all make them, don't we?

 

A new year comes with a fresh slate, a time to begin anew, a time to start fresh.

 

A new year to me is like the beginning of a school year.  You have your new school books, freshly sharpened pencils, and notebooks begging to be written in.

 

But technically, isn't every day a new beginning?

 

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed,

because his compassions fail not.

They are new every morning:

great is thy faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22-23

 

What a great God we serve...

 

think about it...

 

His mercies are new every morning!

 

Every morning.

 

I don't need a new year to start fresh, I just need a new day!

 

So, here's to a new year, and a new day!

 

I am praying that God will do big things this year.

 

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things which are behind,

and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:13-14