Gluten Free Black and White Cupcakes!

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to provide a gluten-free cupcake alternative for our GF ladies at church for our Women In the Church (WIC) kickoff dinner. I knew I would do chocolate because: 1. Sevierly Gluten-Free makes a wonderful mix that is so easy to use and 2. they are women after all.

But,what do do about the frosting? I was thinking chocolate again until I came across my inspiration for a black and white cupcake started when I found these lovely baking cups. 

 

Reynolds black and white
damask baking cup

I always clean my counters thoroughly before baking anything gluten-free.
One-eighth of a teaspoon of gluten can cause a sever reaction in anyone with
Celiac's Disease.

 

Most Awesome Teriyaki Sauce

I just have to share this. It turned out so well. Perhaps the same recipe exists out there. I don't know, but I improvised and I was happy with the result.

Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce
(That's what I'm calling it.)

1/4 cup soy sauce (I use tamari because it is gluten free)
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar (or to taste)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 1/2 tbsp. corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup cold water

In a small sauce pan, pour the soy sauce, 1 cup water, 1 cup brown sugar, garlic powder and ginger. Bring to a boil stirring frequently about 5 minutes. Add pineapple juice and continue stirring.

Turn heat to low. Let sauce simmer for 5 minutes. Add corn starch and 1/4 cup cold water mixture to the pan and whisk together. Let the sauce continue to simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally for another 10 or so minutes. I like to let it thicken a little.

Great with chicken, on burgers (with grilled pineapple) and wherever else you like to use teriyaki sauce.

Enjoy!

Growing

When faith was new I presumed
I knew Thee in every way
I had no inkling what I'd find
And how much beyond me lay.

When I was young Thou smaller seemed
But older now am I
And Thou much bigger art to me
The longer time goes by.

How simple then my thoughts reveal
How little I did know.
Thou art beyond compare to me
And how Thy mercies show!

I used to ask Thee for my wants
With no regard to Thee
Confused I was when what I asked for
Was not given me.

Why what surprise to know Thee better.
Thy will is better still
Than all my wants and cares and dreams—
All that I thought would thrill.

And so to me Thou bigger grow
And I grow smaller yet.
More do I learn how little I know
Till faith and sight are met.

By Firelight

By firelight we warm our faces,
Holding sticks the fire embraces,
We enjoy widen-open spaces
as the day dies down.

Dirty feet and dirty clothes,
Sooty hands by ember glows,
Isn't that the way it goes
When camping thing turn brown?

We made new friends and played at spy
And watched some bugs go crawling by.
Tomorrow we'll pack up and sigh
As we head back to town.

Pack the clothes and stow the goods
Make sure to not burn down the woods
Viewing all the neighborhoods
Around the Puget Sound.

"Will we go there again next year?"
"i don't know. Perhaps, my dear."
I hope the skies will all be clear
And not be full of clouds.

Until next year we'll wait and plan,
Remembering who and what and when.
New memories we'll make again
To camp again we're bound.

The Making of Mossy Passage

At a park in Snohomish spotted I
Some fluffy, plentiful moss near by.
With brotherly help I chanced to try
To make my mossy passage.

With twigs and holly, moss and tree
I hung my objects carefully
And named my spot most artfully
The name of Mossy Passage.

So continued I to build
And made a place for all to thrill
Those who appreciate my skill
At making Mossy Passage.

My brother Sam did with deftness dare
To find the moss I hung with care
The trees that are no longer bare
Around my Mossy Passage.

My mother took a picture of
The place I built with so much love
And wrote the poem you see above
About my Mossy Passage

Thoughts of Death and Life

People usually say, "It's a matter of life and death." So why do I list death first? I've been thinking a lot about death. Not morbidly. Just pondering death and the life after.

During communion last Sunday I observed two young men in my congregation who suffer physically in this life. It touches me to see the sweetness of their love for Christ. It encourages me (and I hope them) to know that there is a life after this brief mortal pilgrimage where they, and all Christians who suffer in this world, will be whole in body even as Christ is making them whole in their spirits.

What a great hope we have! When we shed this "mortal coil" there is new and better life awaiting us.

I wonder what we will look like. How will we relate to each other? How will we all feel that Christ is physically near us at all times? What will the new heavens and earth look like? What work will we do? So many questions that will only be answered on that great day. But one thing I know is all suffering will be done away with.

"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth,and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind." Isaiah 65:17

Mountains of Monkey Hats in the Making

My neighbor is participating in a craft fair next month and has asked my to make a bunch of hats to sell. My goal is to make at least a dozen, even two dozen if I can. I'm getting close to the minimum number I want to make. (See photo left). Pattern from All Free Crochet which I don't follow exactly.

As part of the preparation I need to come up with a company name and pricing. Charging money is always hard for me. I feel guilty asking people to pay me for anything I do.

Another thing I might do is these nifty kleenex holders. I found this pattern on Skip to My Lou. They are fun to make and could sell cheaply. The ones pictured here are made for full-size tissues. I changed the sizing to 11x11 pieces of fabric and it worked like a dream. Since I like to keep my hands busy, these projects have been very enjoyable and the prospect of making a little money is icing on the cake.

Speaking of cake, since the kids have been selling lemonade this summer, I plan to make some strawberry lemonade cupcakes for them to sell some Saturday soon. What a great thing to pair with strawberry lemonade. See Half Baked Cake Blog.

The wash basin is filled! I decided to go with blooming perennials -- honeysuckle (climbing), kobold gayfeather and butterfly blue pincushion flower (mounding) and periwinkle (trailing). In time I'll find out if I made the right decision. I usually figure out my planting mistakes in a year or two.