Sugar Free Pumpkin Bar Bites

I converted one of our family's favorite recipe

into the sugar free version of the original.

We invited some friends over for a cook out last night. 

I did not tell the kids that these were sugar free. 

They devoured them.  Some of there comments were:

 M.G. - This is heaven! 

I-Man - These taste better than last time. 

J.G. These are so good. 

G.  - Can I have more. & Can I take one home. 

I made a plate of them to take home,

half the plate was gone before they reached the door. 

Sugar Free Pumpkin Bar Bites

2 cups splenda
1 cup crisco shortening
18 oz canned pumpkin pie mix (2/3 of the big can)
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie mix

Combine first four ingredients, mix with blender until creamy. 
Add flour, mix again until combined. 
Add remaining ingredients and blend until combined.
Fill a pastry bag or a plastic freezer bag (cut of end)  fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way full. 

Bake 350 F for 25-30 minutes.

Top with cream cheese frosting if desired.

note: the splenda in the recipe will prevent it from browning on the top.
 If you want a golden appearence, mist "cupcakes"
with cooking spray before putting in the oven.

Teaching Moments

Yesterday was a tough day,
It could have been the worst ever.
A kindergartener with pink eye
who can't touch anything or anyone is hard enough
Add a two year old who love to wrestle 
it is nearly an impossible day.

But keep in mind the Lord gives us these challenges
to mold and shape us to the person he wants us to be.
We must recognize the teaching moments
in the midst of the mud and muck of the day.

A trip to the doc, for meds and drops
a promise of pizza on the way home.
Mr. J doesn't listen to me in the pharmacy
the pizza is no more. 
It is hard to enforce the rules everyday
but worth it in the end,
when my boys show respect to me and to others,
the teaching moment has taken effect.

Another teaching moment comes late in the day,
FHE learning to choose good friends.
I learn about each child and their kind ways
and teach them how they are a child of God.
I see my sweet boys how Heavenly Father must
and the potential they hold inside.

We make friend-chip cookies to show our love for each other
and to spread a little cheer to our friends.
I look forward to the next day, and the next
hoping to make the most of the teaching moments I get.

Adventures in Food

I love going to the library to get new cookbooks

I got two cookbooks to try

Food Network Magazine's  Great Easy Meals and 

Whole Living Magazine's Power Foods

This week I made Moo Shu Pork,

Chicken Tandoori and my favorite

Turkey Korma Wraps and Steamed Broccoli.

Some other things I made for fun are:

sauteed portabella mushrooms with red and yellow peppers

 Popcorn Balls

Popcorn with hard kernals removed

Cherry sauce

karo syrup, cherry gelatin, sugar

cook to boiling and gelatin is disolved

pour over popped popcorn

stir together, let sit for about an hour then you can

form popcorn balls caution it is very chewy.

I am starting a cooking and baking club for kids and teens starting in September in the Tucson/Vail area.  If you are interested please comment and I will send you more info.



Garden to Pantry

This year I planted basil in my garden

See the journey from my garden to my pantry.

In the garden

I harvested the basil and put it in a vase to dry for a week

When it was dry I put it in my food processor and ground it up.

1 1/2 cups of dry ground basil for my pantry.

Thank You Monsoon!



9 Ants vs 1 Scorpion!

The other day we opened the garage

to get in the car to leave for school, and we witnessed

9 Ants dragging a Scorpion.

Got to love the desert.

Sidewalk Chalk, Bike Rodeos and Bedtime Stories

This weekend was full of creativity and adventure.

J-Man with the neighbor boys J and M

covering the skateboard with chalk

J-Man holding his custom chalked skateboard

 Sycamore Elementary School

Bike Rodeo

TPD showing the kids how to signal while riding their bikes

Mr.Mr. on his scooter.

J-Man on his bike

Bike Rodeo Champs

They went to six different stations learning how to be safe on their bikes

They recieved a gold medal and a waterbottle for completing the bike rodeo.

J-Man on the climber in the Kinder play ground

J-Man and Mr.Mr. playing after the bike rodeo

Bedtime stories

 

J-Man brought a new book home from the school library

He made it about half way through before falling asleep.

Sweet Dreams!