Trouble in a 9x13...

I have made Congo Bars before and they were good. But these? Oh dear. Trouble. Nothing but trouble. The recipe is slightly different but WOW is there a big difference in taste!!!

Thank you, Bakerella, for sharing this recipe!!

Congo Bars

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 lb. light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
11.5 ounce package semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

By mixer:
Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine butter and sugar using a mixer until blended.
Add eggs, one at a time to sugar mixture, mixing on low in between each addition.
Add vanilla and mix.
Add flour and mix until combined.
Stir in chips and then pecans.

By hand:
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
Stir brown sugar into softened (not melted) butter in another large bowl until butter disappears. You can use the back of your spoon to help incorporate the two together.
Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture and stir well after each egg.
Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well.
Add dry flour mixture and stir until well combined.
Coat a 13 X 9 pan with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Make sure you don’t over bake.

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

Our graduate...

Yep, that's my Joshua!!! He graduated this past Saturday from Liberty University! YAY!!! He's now working toward a degree in Masters of Arts and Religion with a concentration in Biblical Studies. It is so hard to believe that this is the same little boy that used to snuggle with me. Who said he could grow up so quickly???? But WOW am I proud of him!!!

Oh, and in case anyone is interested, he completed his undergraduate degree (and now working on his Masters degree) through Liberty University Online. He LOVES it!! Feel free to contact him through his blog if you have any questions.

Thank you!!!

THANK YOU to everyone who helped support our next adoption by shopping with Blessings Unlimited!!! We were so blessed by Charree for allowing us to have her commission for the sales.

Now... just to bring a baby home...

You are cordially invited....

.... to my blog party!!!!

Yep, I'm very excited to announce that I am having a Blessings Unlimited party!! My sweet friend (and new mommy!!) Charree, at Held in His Hands, is a representative with them and is very kindly giving all her commission from the sales of this party of us for our next adoption!!!! I am soooo humbled by this!!!



Anyway, y'all be sure and head over to Blessings Unlimited and place an order. Mother's Day is coming up and this would be the perfect place to find a gift for your mother or grandmother or the special mother in your life that you want to bless that day. Or you could find something super cute to go in your own home.

Here's what I found out about Blessings Unlimited...

At Blessings Unlimited, our Mission Statement is "To pursue the heart of God and bring blessings to others." We are a company which operates upon Christian principles for the purpose of Christian ministry, not just a company that sells religious products.

Not only does buying from them help our adoption, but it also supports a Christian company, too!

This online party will be over Friday, April 30th. Thank you to EVERYONE who can help us through this party!!!

Contented at home?

Because we are all sinful human beings it can be very easy to be a keeper
at home who is miserable, discontent, longing for “greener pastures” and
foolishly plucking down her home with her own hands (Proverbs14:1).
Self-absorption and the demanding of our “rights” can steal our joy and destroy
our effectiveness in the mighty work the Lord has given us to do.

You can read the rest of the article here.

Spring cleaning, anyone?...

Since Spring weather has officially arrived in our area (although it was in the 90s last week.... kind of seemed more like summer!!!), it's time to get spring cleaning done!!!

Here's a link to suggestions from Martha Stewart about spring cleaning ideas- click here.

Have you already started your spring cleaning?

Ricotta Cookies....

(Yes, there is a cookie missing. I am guilty!!!)

I'll be the first to admit that using ricotta cheese in a cookie recipe sounds a little weird. That's just not normal. Ricotta is used in cheesecakes and lasagna- not cookies!

But WOW was I impressed when Elizabeth and I made these Thursday! I wanted to try a new cookie to share at a church meal and found this recipe while browsing Allrecipes (LOOOOOOOOVE Allrecipes!!!!)

The cookie reminds me more of a Little Debbie snack cake instead of a cookie. It is cakelike inside and slightly sweet and ooooh soooo good!! The lightly lemon flavored glaze surrounding it really pushes this over the top in goodness!!

See how puffy they got! Yum!



Enough talk. Y'all try them soon!! They are REALLY good and definitely not like your typical everyday cookie!


Ricotta Cookies...

1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
16 ounces ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon shortening
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1/2 cup colored candy sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the 1 cup of butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the ricotta cheese and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, stir into the ricotta mixture. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting warm the milk, 1/2 teaspoon of butter and shortening, in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until solids are melted. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar and lemon extract. Dip each cookie into the icing then dip in colored sugar or sprinkles.


See, even Elizabeth loved them! Of course, I think her favorite part was putting sprinkles on each cookie.