Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kisses

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kisses


1 cup Light Karo Syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups smooth Peanut Butter
4 cups Gluten Free Rice Krispies
48 Hershey Kisses


Bring Syrup and sugar to a boil in a large pan.  Boil long enough to dissolve sugar.  Remove from heat.  Add Peanut Butter and stir till smooth and creamy.  Add Gluten Free Rice Krispies and stir to incorporate.  Drop by rounds onto wax paper or parchment paper.  Immediately give each one a kiss.  Let cool completely and store in air tight container.


Sweet-Ritas-Gluten-Free-Treats




 adapted from cookingwithk

Crackle Cookies

Perusing Pinterest, as I often do, I found yet another recipe to try.

Crackle Cookies (named by my Ginger because they reminded her of Crackle nail polish)

1 C. Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
3 egg whites room temp.
2 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar Divided (1, 1, 1/2)
1/2 C. Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Tbl Cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray cookie sheets with Oil.  Melt Chocolate Chips in double broiler.  Cool Slightly.

Beat egg whites into soft peaks.  Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar.  Continue beating until mixture is smooth and creamy. 

In medium bowl whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, corn starch, salt and cocoa.  Gradually beat dry mixture into egg/sugar mixture.  Stir in cooled, melted chocolate chips.  Dough will thicken as you stir in the melted choc.  Place 1/2 C. Powdered sugar in small bowl.  Roll dough into Tbl size balls.  Roll in powdered sugar making sure to coat each ball rather thick.  Place on prepared cookie sheet. 

Bake about 10 minutes.  Cookie will be puffy and crackled.  Transfer to cooling rack.

*note-less cooking time will result in a fudge type center.  More cooking time will result in the soft cookie pictured above*


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adapted from epicurious

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a base recipe for several different versions of a Peanut Butter Cookie

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla


This time I added 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the recipe.  And no, there is NO flour used in this recipe.


Preheat oven to 350


Mix all the ingredients in a small to medium bowl. (I mix this recipe by hand).  You can spoon the dough onto a cookie sheet at this point but I form the dough into a log and roll it evenly in parchment paper.  Refrigerate it long enough for it to firm up a touch, then slice into cookies.  Place on cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes.  Watch the last few minutes carefully.  They burn easily.  Place on cooling rack if little fingers don't get them first.


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GF Chocolate Donuts

Don't sit by and watch everyone else eat donuts and think that because you are Gluten Free that you can't have them too!  Here is the recipe I use for Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts that my GF family LOVES.


1 1/2 c. warm water
1/4 c. honey
1 stick butter (melted)
4 eggs room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag Pamela's Bread (NOT pancake) mix
Yeast packet from Bread mix
1/2 c. cocoa (use a better quality cocoa for better flavor)
2 tsp. baking powder
oil for frying or donut maker (my preferred method)


Heat oil to 350 or preheat donut maker.


In medium bowl combine water, honey and yeast.  Allow mixture to proof for several minutes.  Add butter, eggs and vanilla.  In a separate larger bowl combine Pamela's Bread mix, cocoa and baking powder.  Gradually add wet mix to dry ingredients. Mix well.


Fill an icing decorator bag (or Gallon ziploc bag...just snip off corner) with dough.  If frying in oil skip down to next paragraph.  Pipe dough into grooves of donut maker.  Close lid.  Bake 5-7 minutes.  Remove.  Cool.  Glaze (recipe below)

If frying in oil.  Pipe donut shapes onto greased parchment squares.  Drop the donut (paper and all) into hot oil.  Fry approximately 3 minutes per side.  The parchment paper will easily remove when donut is turned over.  Cool and glaze.

Alton Brown's Chocolate Glaze recipe:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 c. milk
1Tbl. light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla
4 oz. Chocolate Chips
2 c. powdered sugar

Combine milk, butter, corn syrup, and vanilla in small saucepan.  Stir over medium heat until butter melts.  Add chocolate chips and whip until the chips melt and the mixture is smooth.  Turn off the heat.  Add powdered sugar and whip until smooth.  Dip each donut in glaze and place on cooling rack to set. (You may want to have something under the cooling rack to catch the chocolate drips or if you have little boys like I do their fingers work just as well. :)

Enjoy because they go fast.

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Christmas Gifts Galore

This year I decided to make Homemade Christmas Gifts...at least as many as possible. The most important would have to be the Crocheted Thomas and Friends Blanket for my nephew Clay. He loved it! I bought the pattern months ago from http://okaycrochetbymonarae.99k.org/html/oka02.html and because I have a full time job as well as being a full time mother of 4 it took me months to finish it. Clay loved it so I loved it! :)

A Normal Life

THEY MAKE ME LAUGH

My schedule at work this summer, has been all weekend, every weekend. Hard, but worth it. I have had an amazing summer with my kids. We have slept in, gone swimming, visited family...well, we have just enjoyed the summer. This is the most normal I have felt since we moved back to Northern KY.

I was blessed with the opportunity to stay home with all of my kids for at least 2 years. Completely broken hearted I went to work last year as a SRNA. Broke my back for many many hours to support my kids. The opportunity came for me to change my schedule and work weekends only. So I did. And I have never regretted it.

I love my kids. They mean everything to me. They are worth everything that I go through for them. My kids are the best.

God's Mercy Poured Down

For years, I have attended church with my family. The ABC's have always been the same. You go, you sing, you sit, you sing, you shake hands, you sing, take up and offering, someone else sings, message is given, invination given, we all go home. It's been referred to as "playing church" by some, I think that is a funny analogy based on the church I came from recently, because it's true. Most, including certain "leaders" of the church were doing just that, "Playing Church". God was very gracious though and put true God fearing, adoring, loving people from that church in my life to help me through a certain time in my life.

I believe that at one time, that was a Spirit lead church, but I no longer hold that belief. I'm not sure when it took a turn in the other direction but I know in my heart that church is no longer a God lead church. It's stands on biblical principles verbally but is definitely a "one-man show" I saw on someone's facebook this phrase and it fit's into that situation perfectly..."Your actions are speaking so loudly that I can't hear what you are saying."

In all the years I have been in church I have been taught "ask and you shall receive". So, when my marriage began to fall apart, I began asking (note that I didn't ask before then). I fully expected that my marriage would be fixed because I was asking and I was believing. Then people started planting doubt in my head "well, sometimes God doesn't fix the marriage" I heard it everywhere. It did it's job and created the doubt that sent me into a mound of confusion. If I asked and believed then why wouldn't God provide? How was I supposed to pray then? What was my heart supposed to expect? This confusion went on for quite a while before my divorce was actually final.

Now let me side note that I realize God is not the author of confusion...I was hurting too much at the time to see where that confusion was coming from.

My marriage was over and I decided to go another way for a while. One good thing about God is that he will let you do what you want but it's never as fun as what you want it to be. And it's never without consequences. Oh and it's never without conviction...you may think it's without but it's there in small doses. Once those small doses start to pile up it becomes huge mounds that you eventually have to deal with.

When 2010 started I decided it was time to get my family back into church. So I drug, literally some Sundays) my four kids out to 3 different churches three different Sunday mornings. One would like one and the other's would hate it. Micah cried the entire Sunday School hour at one. The Spirit was just not even at one of the churches at all. It was getting pretty miserable (I know, right? 3 weeks, miserable? yeah well you drag 2 teenagers and 2 crying boys to church by yourself and see how long it takes you to get miserable) We never went back on a Sunday night.

The girls asked me about visiting "Elkhorn". I told them no. I had visited 8 years ago and never wanted to go back. No one shook my hand, no one spoke to me. So I avoided Elkhorn, until the girls wouldn't leave me alone about it. So begrudgingly I said we could visit one Sunday. We went back Sunday night, AND Wednesday night. We are now members there. It's a different church than it was eight years ago. Elkhorn is a Spirit lead church and I have never been in a church like it before. There are no ABC's at Elkhorn. When the Lord speaks they listen. It is a church unlike any I or my children have ever attended. I love Elkhorn and I love the people there but and more importantly, I can love the leaders of Elkhorn. They are not hypocrites. They live what they teach. They truly have a heart for God and for the people, not their own way. I can worship, truly worship with my heart, my hands, my voice and my family.

Pastor Brian has a love for the Lord and a desire to be right with Him in his heart and he is not about shoving anything down your throat or scaring you into submission but about showing how God's mercy is abundant and His desire is that ALL are saved.

To the point Gertrude...

Sunday Brian spoke on waiting, I listend and I learned but not to the extent that I actually received it. Wednesday, he touched on the "waiting game" again and it started sinking in. I started actually receiving it in my heart. As I sat there Satan started planting doubts in my head and I began to get scared (as I usually do) but I stopped and just spoke to God about it and he reminded me that He works in love, Satan works through fear. It was at that moment I fully realized that He has a reason for everything that he does. I know now that HAD my marriage worked out, I would never have been able to see God the way I am seeing him now. I really did have to wait until now to understand some things about my marriage. I am still at times in doubt over things said or done but I'm learning to talk to God about it and He gives me answers.

I was reading a dear close person's blog this morning and I was crying and thinking "I want that faith and understanding of God that she has" and ever so quietly God whispered, "your getting it".

Dear God, thank you for your mercy that you continue to pour down on me. Thank you that you are a God of love and not fear. Thank you for your patience as I screw up time and time again. Thank you God that you do see the road ahead of me and know what it best for me. Thank you for being you.

Teddy

THIS IS TEDDY.


This is perhaps the most precious little thing in the whole world, if your name is Micah. If anything ever happened to Teddy, Micah's world might just silently come crashing down around him.


The boy who fearlessly jumps from the top bunk. The boy who breakdances relentlessly in my living room. The boy who will cut you up with his plastic sword. The boy who doesn't ALWAYS want a kiss from his mommy. The boy who at any given time may or may not be one of the following: Heman, Hulk, Spiderman, Batman, Strong Man or a puppy. That very boy LOVES his teddy. Of course he would never admit it to anyone but teddy (I've heard him).


This little dude has been wrestled with, slept with, lost, found, hidden, cried on, sat on, fought over, traveled to Timmie's, traveled to Grom's, stuffed under a bed, tossed aside and much much more; but most of all...loved. Loved by most definitely one of my favorite little boys in the whole wide world.


Teddy was originally a christmas bear. And if memory serves, he was given to Tucker. He doesn't even have a mouth anymore. That little piece of string that gave him his smile is long gone. Somehow in these few little years, he has lost his smile, his hat and his scarf but he found Micah's heart.


What makes Teddy so very special? I'm really not sure. He sure is soft, and he has a beany bottom. His paws are beany as well, they are good for hitting things and knocking them down. He is a cute little bear, even with the sticky gook under his arm. We could ask Micah, but he would probably deny ever loving Teddy that much. I guess we will just have to wait until Micah has his own kids and tells them about this special little bear in his life.


Teddy...you are loved.

Life in the Amazon

Life in the Amazon is exactly what you would expect it to be. It's hard, it's cold (or hot depending on where you are), it's full of baboons, and a couple chincillas that think they are lions. And there are definite asses there. But my favorite are the ones that act like any old monkey could do their job and then they just can't seem to catch those vines to swing on themselves.

Amazon sucks~but I'm doing it for my kids...who will never know what a hard sacrifice this is. Or how much it is taking for me to do this. The most thankless job in the world...no not Amazon...MOTHERHOOD!

Convo of the day...

The following conversation took place while Ryane was playing a video game:

Micah: Wow! Wyan look what you did!

Ryane: Yeah, it's cuz I got skilz!

Micah: You have Skittles?

Ryane: No, skilz!

Micah: Skittles?

Ryane: No, Micah! Skilz!!!

Micah: You have Skittles.

Ryane (giving up): Yes, Micah. I have Skittles. :)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Not that anyone reads my blog anymore but for anyone who does, I thought I might fill you in on my night...

It is currently 10:15 Sept. 8. The night before my dad's birthday. Now, year after year his birthday gets over looked so this year I wanted to do something really nice for him. So I rounded up the fam and said "Let's do this" and they said "Yeah" "Great Idea" "You rock Leanne"!

Ok, so maybe I exagerated on the "you rock" part but still they agreed. So here I sit watching these men work on my dad's birthday present...at 10:30 at night. Mind you they started when it was daylight. Ugh!

Well, I am sure dad will love it...if we ever get it finished!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Weekend of the 4th

what do you get when you cross a wet tub with a 2 year old who likes to jump? 8 stitches in the chin on the 4th of July, that's what!

Tuck was at his dad's house and getting a bath with his brother. Micah jumped up and dropped into the tub on his butt, when Tuck decided to play follow the leader he hit his chin on the edge of the tub. :(

Poor little man. He got "pokes" in his chin and that was the only time that he cried. Once it was numb he laid on that bed and took it all like a man! Dr. Friend said that he was better than most of the football players that visit the E.R. She was so terribly patient with all of my questions and so nice to Tucker. He laid there and watched her stick his chin up in the reflection of her glasses.

Needless to say, when we left he ER at almost 1am, Tuck did NOT want to go back to his dad's. So, he came home and spent the night snuggled up in mommy's arms, in mommy's bed. I was glad to have him there. Such a little man I have.

Questions

65 Questions You've Probably Never Been Asked(you know the rules -- consider yourself tagged)

1. First thing you wash in the shower? My hair
2. What color is your favorite hoodie? Faded Navy Blue
3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Yes a million times over, I kissed my son Micah.
4. Do you plan outfits? Uh, no.
5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? Tired and bored...this was a complete do nothing day.
6. Whats the closest thing to you that's red? My hair.
7. What is the last dream you remember having? Bad dreams a few nights ago...I don't tell anyone what I dream.
8. Did you meet anybody new today? Yes, my 87 year old neighbors older sister...89.
9. What are you craving right now? Sleep
10. Do you floss? Only when I have something caught
11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? Eggrolls
12. Are you emotional? Unfortunately my father passed that gene on to me, so yeah...I'm emotional.
13. Have you ever counted to 1,000? No.
14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it? depends on the flavor
15. Do you like your hair? I hated it as a kid but love it as an adult.
16. Do you like yourself? I am learning how to like myself, I never knew how until this year.
17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? Yes.
18. What are you listening to right now? SpongeBob in the background and my 2-year old asking me to hold him. "knock, knock mommy...hole me."
19. Are your parents strict? Yes, they were.
20. Would you go sky diving? Nope
21. Do you like cottage cheese? Yes.
22. Have you ever met a celebrity? No but I saw a "news caster" in Toys R Us once.
23. Do you rent movies often? No, I have STarz and HBO
24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in? The beads on my flip-flops.
25. How many countries have you visited? None, I live a boring life.
26. Have you made a prank phone call? Yes
27. Ever been on a train? No
28. Brown or white eggs? Either, I'm not picky when it comes to color :)
29. Do you have a cell-phone? Yes but it's turned off right now.
30. Do you use chap stick? Yes but only when absolutely necessary...my hair sticks to me lips.
31. Do you own a gun? No.
32. Can you use chop sticks? Yes.
33. Who are you going to be with tonight? The men in my life...My son's Micah and Tucker
34. Are you too forgiving? Yes, it takes a LOT to lose my friendship.
35. Ever been in love? Yes but never the right kind of love or with the right man. :(
36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow? I don't have a best friend.
37. Ever have cream puffs? Yes, but not anymore.
38. Last time you cried? The day after all of the nightmares...they stick around for about a day or so.
39. What was the last question you asked? Will you get down? (To Tucker who was climbing on my computer desk.
40. Favorite time of the year? Spring - Flowers are blooming and the sun is finally sticking around for a while.
41. Do you have any tattoos? Yes 2, and I recently contemplated a 3rd one until I snapped out of the fog I was in.
42. Are you sarcastic? Yes.
43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect? Yes, love that movie...weird.
44. Ever walked into a wall? Quite often actually, more often than I would like to admit actually.
45. Favorite color? Butter Yellow
46. Have you ever slapped someone? Yes, both of my exhusbands...and they both deserved much worse than the slap.
47. Is your hair curly? Yes, well, strong waves count and curly right?
48. What was the last CD you bought? Couldn't even begin to guess, I dont' get to listen to much music with 4 kids.
49. Do looks matter? Yes, to an extent.
50. Could you ever forgive a cheater? I did but I probably wouldn't again.
51. Is your phone bill sky high? Much higher than I can afford
52. Do you like your life right now? Certain parts of it YES! Other parts NO!
53. Do you sleep with the TV on? NO
54. Can you handle the truth? LORD GOD GIVE ME THE TRUTH NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT HURTS!
55. Do you have good vision? In one eye
56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people? Yes, I do. Anyone who says no to that is a liar or lives in a cave.
57. How often do you talk on the phone? Well, since I don't have one right now, not very often.
58. The last person you held hands with? My 4 year old son, Micah.
59. What are you wearing? A Fuscia tank top and a pair of khaki shorts with pink flip-flops.
60.What is your favorite animal? Cats
61. Where was your default picture taken? In my kitchen.
62. Can you hula hoop? No, I used to when I was little but somehow have forgotten.
63. Do you have a job? Um, yeah - it's called being a mom.
64. What was the most recent thing you bought? A book, Breaking Dawn
65. Have you ever crawled through a window? Yes

Oh the things that a 4 year old says...

This little monkey informed me that a certain "little boy part" wiggles when he coughs.

Birthday Monkey

It's amazing what 4 years can do to a boy!

Happy Birthday Micah!

Pica-Nica Day

Since today was absolutely amazing and I was a little down hearted, I decided to take the kids to the park for a pic-nic. I packed drinks, chips, cookies and made pb&j's. We grabbed a blanket threw on our shorts and headed out the door.

We arrived at the park at 1:30 and laid our pic-nic out. The kids ran off to the water immediately but left Tucker to nap on the blanket. I let the kids play for about 10-15 minutes and then called them over to eat. They all sat and enjoyed their sandwich; anymore a sandwich in our house is a BIG deal. So I enjoyed it too.

Tucker on the other hand slept through the whole thing.

After scarfing down their lunch, the kids ran back to the water to play some more and collect the little shells that are at the edge of the creek. We still haven't figured them out. They look like tiny little clams but nothing is in them if you crack them open. Weird.

Anyway, Tucker finally woke up and decided to eat a little bit of his sandwich. At which time a very cute little brown puppy decided that he wanted to have some of our pic-nic too. I do not like to touch dogs (they stink...even when they are clean) but decided to be nice and pet this cute little dog. Apparently he decided at the same time that he wanted to know what the inside of my mouth tasted like. Um, french kissed by a dog. Not my ideal date.

After convulsing on the ground from disgust and wiping my mouth about a gazillion times, Tuck and I decided to join the kids at the water. The puppy followed, I must have made a lasting impression. We collected shells for a bit and then went to the "walk across bridge" Not really sure who named it but that is what it is called.

The kids waded in the water a bit before deciding to play on the actual playground. After running around like chickens with their heads cut off at the playground, the kids wanted to go back to the water.

Back to the water we go and sploosh in the water we play. Cold and wet. Did I say cold? I would know because I put my feet in it for about 2 seconds. Um, yeah. COLD. By the time we left at 4:30, the girls were soaked from the waist down and the boys were soaked from head to toe. Fun times. Yeah, Tucker rode home completely naked...and liked it.

All in all, the park was the best thing we could have done today.

Read on little ones...read on

One of my most favorite things to see is my boys looking at books. I want them to love reading so much more than I do. It's always been a chore for me, no matter what the book. My girls, unfortunately were not "trained" to love books so they don't. Basically they just read what they have to read for school and that is it. My boys however are really into books right now and I really hope to develop that love even deeper.

I try and read books to them for bed and if I can't make it then one of the girls is usually glad to step in and read to them. Reading is the boys favorite part of the bedtime routine. They get so into the books we are reading, it makes me feel very bad for not pushing it for the girls too...one of those life long mother guilt issues.

Sigh.

Call me Uncle Brett...

I stand amazed at the things my children think and do. The magnificence of their minds amaze me. The way they put things together and the way they think it amazes me and yet amuses me even more.

As I am standing washing dishes all of the kids are playing out back. I love my house because I can see the back yard from any room at the back of the house. So I am washing away and the kids are playing away. Running in and out. Grabbing GF muffins. Chasing the cat back into the house. You know, doing all of the things that kids do.

So Micah walks in the back door into the kitchen and says "hi mom." Apparently I am "mom" now and now momma or mommy. Saddens me but not the point. I reply "hi babe." Micah grabs a muffin and heads back out the door. Stops at the door and turns around and says "mom, you can call me Uncle Brett if you want."

Now we all know that "babe" is Aunt Timmie's term of endearment for Uncle Brett and this became quite the argument after our month long stay at their house this past summer. I would call Micah babe and he would say "I'm not babe. I'm Micah."

So, now as he is walking back out of door, I call out to him in confusion. "You want me to call you Uncle Brett?" He then stops ever so nonchalantly turns around and says. "You can call me Uncle Brett if you want to." I reword my question. "You want me to call you babe?" His reply "No, you can call me Uncle Brett if you want to"

To which I smiled and amuzingly said "Hey! Uncle Brett." Micah says "what?" I say "Guess what?" To which he replys "I can't tell you." and runs out the door. (because he knows "I love you" is coming next. So I just called after him "I love you Uncle Brett".

Tell me there's not a little boy in this world who adores his Uncle Brett.

Easter Egg Hunt

Today was the annual Easter egg hunt at Peggy's house. Way out in the country. It was terribly fun and relaxing. I get no cell service out there so there were NO interuptions from anyone but especially from people that I do not feel like speaking with. The kids had a great time. All four of my kids were there but all total there were 17 kids.

They ran around the house gathering eggs as quick as they could. Of course the bigger kids were collecting as many as they could but my children were especially fun and made me proud. Tucker (2) collected 5 eggs and that was with mommy's help. Micah (3) ran around collecting as fast as he could but stopped when his bucket was filled. Both boys sat down on the porch step to find out what was in their eggs. They were proud and very happy. Grace (11) was late so she was the last one to hunt but still managed to get a bucket full. Ryane (12) who I am the MOST proud of, gave up her right to hunt for eggs and helped another little girl (2) hunt for eggs. Ryane just really made her mom proud today. Each one of the kids found at least one surprise egg and the surprise turned out to be a $3.00 gift certificate to DQ. On the way home I told Ryane that I was so proud of her and that I was going to take her to DQ for what she did helping the little girl. She was pretty pleased about that.

We were the last family to leave and I almost had to force myself to leave. It was so calm and peaceful out there. Just a quiet, relaxing day in the country. When we were finally trying to get to the car I had my arms full of different things that Peggy had sent home with me. Her grandson, Zach, laughed at me and said "You came with one arm load and you are leaving with a bunch more." I turned around and smiled at him and quoted "Give and it shall be given unto you..." That in itself was great to be able to do but as I got in the car I really thought about it. I went to Peggy's with a tray of 1 dozen deviled eggs. I came home with 3 1/2 dozen fresh farm eggs. I went with 1 bag of candy filled eggs. I came home with 1 bag of candy, 1 bucket full of candy filled eggs, cookies and cupcakes, that Ryane took to her friends house, a bowl of fresh cooked collard greens, a big bag of plastic eggs for next year and a heart filled with the love of good friends.

God truly is good to me.