Adoption Updates and Opportunities

For those of you who are interested you can follow our Adoption Journey here:
http://www.emmacharity.blogspot.com/

We are hosting an online auction in October, and would love donations from other bloggers or friends. The details are outlined here:
http://www.emmacharity.blogspot.com/2012/09/request-for-donations-for-upcoming.html

Our latest status:
http://www.emmacharity.blogspot.com/2012/09/documents-in-russia-wait-begins.html

Other Opportunities to help:
http://www.emmacharity.blogspot.com/2012/09/adoption-updatenew-region-new.html

Pumpkin Spice Kisses

Stop what you are doing right now and run to your closest Target or grocery store and buy as many bags of Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses as you can find. Seriously! These special edition Hershey Kisses are unbelievably yummy. My hubby and I sampled a few to celebrate the first day of Autumn last week, and it was super hard to restrain ourselves from eating them all in order to save some for this recipe. The same dear friend who sent me the recipe for the awesome Pumpkin Poppers that I recently posted sent me this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Kisses Cookies. They are AMAZING! The spiced cookie is incredible and the Kiss on top makes it over-the-top yummy. The original recipe can be found here: http://jujugoodnews.com/pumpkin-spice-kiss-cookies/ . I posted the recipe below, with my changes. I substituted pumpkin pie spice for the spices she used, and I added a few tips to help during the baking process.

Have a Blessed Weekend Dear Friends! You are dearly loved and prayed for!! I pray that you can give your worries and burdens to God and rest in His peace and faithfulness as you trust Him for everything that weighs heavy on your heart.

Psalm 68:19

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
    who daily bears our burdens."

 

Pumpkin Spice Kisses

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 generous teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 package Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap Hershey Kisses and set aside.

 2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until light and fluffy.

 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Gradually add to butter mixture. Mix until just combined.

 4. Place rounded tablespoonfuls 1 inch apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. (Spray your parchment paper with PAM or the cookies will stick!). Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a Hershey Kiss into the center of the cookie. Move to a cooling rack to finish cooling. I stuck the plate of cookies in the frig for 15 minutes so the kisses would harden before I wrapped the dish in plastic wrap.

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Poppers

My love for pumpkin is widely known by those closest to me, so when one of my dear friends saw this recipe she immediately sent it my way. I made them this weekend for our Sunday School brunch, and they were absolutely delicious! They are probably one of the best things I have ever made. These little donut poppers taste decadent, like they were bought in a gourmet bakery (according to my husband). And, one friend said they taste "fancy" :-). And, I fully believe that everyone needs a little fancy in their life :-).

 I followed the recipe from the "Clever Housewife" with the exception of adding a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the topping mixture. I wanted to give it an extra Autumnal flair. The original recipe can be found here:

http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/14359248/pumpkin-poppers-clever-housewife/

 I have posted the recipe below with my change added.

 Make these today, but don't expect them to last long. My son was popping them in his mouth one right after another :-). They are the perfect Fall treat to enjoy on crisps mornings with coffee, hot tea, or cocoa.

 Our family has had a challenging month on so many levels. This song by Kristian Stanfill continues to bless and encourage my heart. No matter what you are going through, God will come through ALWAYS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN7L3m9jIcc

 Psalm 40:11
LORD, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.

 

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Poppers

Ingredients: 1¾	cups all-purpose flour
2	tsp baking powder
½	tsp salt
½	tsp cinnamon
½	tsp nutmeg
½	tsp allspice
⅛	tsp ground cloves
⅓	cup vegetable oil
½	cup brown sugar
1	egg
1	tsp vanilla extract
¾	cup pumpkin (fresh or canned, but not pumpkin pie filling)
½	cup low-fat milk
	For Coating:
1	stick of unsalted butter, melted
⅔	cup granulated sugar
2	Tbs cinnamon plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° and spray your muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl and whisk till combined.
In another bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients (oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk).
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
Using a cookie scoop, fill mini muffin tins until almost full. There should be plenty of batter to do this. Bake for 10-12 minutes. While Poppers are baking, melt your butter (I melt mine in a bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds).
In a small bowl combine your sugar, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.
Let the poppers cool for a few minutes before rolling them around in the melted butter and then plunging them into their cinnamon sugar bath. Set pumpkin poppers on parchment paper to completely cool before devouring J.
Enjoy!

 

Yarn & Felt Fall Wreath with a Wild Side

Happy Autumn my friends! The earth is full of His Glory! So thankful today for cooler temperatures, the warmth of family, the smells of pumpkin and cloves, and the taste of hot cocoa and tea. Autumn is undoubtably my all-time favorite season, and I love to decorate with the colors of Fall, Mums, and Pumpkins.

 

Recently, I saw a simple yarn-wrapped wreath tutorial on one of my favorite blogs, Six Sisters Stuff, and I decided to recreate it in some fun Autumn shades, a little bling, and a leopard ribbon to coordinate with our family room decor. It turned out super cute, and I can't wait to hang it on our bedroom door which shows in the family room. Because I chose neutral colors like brown, cream, and mustard, I can display the wreath year-round.

If you would like detailed instructions and a simple tutorial, just click here:
 http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/09/diy-ruffles-and-yarn-fall-wreath.html

For my wreath,
I bought a super saver skein of brown yarn at Hobby Lobby (it was $2.99 & I used a 40% off coupon). I found a 16 inch foam wreath at Michaels for $9.99, and I hada 50% off coupon so it only cost $5.00. I had the felt, ribbon, and coordinating button. So, the entire wreath cost me less than $7 to make.

I chose cream and mustard colored felt and used brown thread to do my running stitch through the felt. I had a fun mustardy-brown colored button that I hot glued to the center of the mustard felt heart. I used wide leopard print ribbon to make a bow and loop to hang it on (and to add a little "funk" to my wreath :-))

Although the wreath was simple and cheap to make, it was time-consuming. The tutorial says that it takes 30 minutes to wrap the wreath with the yarn twice. However, I don't think that is humanly possible (at least not with little blessings that require food, play time, etc...) I wrapped my wreath with the yarn in spurts over the period of three days. The second layer was much easier and faster.

Blessings dear friends! You are prayed for and loved so passionately by your Heavenly Father. Delight in Him today-Oh, how He delights in you!! Bless the Lord, O My Soul!

 

Enjoy this You Tube video of one of my favorite songs by clicking on the link below:

Matt Redman's Bless the Lord

Sugar & Spice Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts

One of my all-time favorite cookbooks is the King Arthur Baking Companion, gifted to me by Kindred Spirit in North Carolina. The King Arthur website is also a great resource for fantastic recipes and baking tips. This weekend I made these yummy sugar and spice pumpkin cake doughnuts from the cookbook. I used my two heart shaped wilton doughnut pans that I picked up at Target on clearance after Valentine's Day last year. After filling the doughnut pans, I had quite a bit of leftover batter, so I added 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the remaning mixure and made pumpkin and leaf shaped pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Both the doughnuts and the muffins turned out delicious and were the perfect treat to take to Sunday School class on this cool and rainy Fall morning. I included the recipe below in case you would like a taste of Autumn. If you don't have doughnut pans, feel free to use muffin tins.

 

I pray you each have a blessed week! If you are burdened with worry, face uncertainty in your life, or feel overwhelmed, I encourage you to surrender everything to the God who sustains and loves you deeply. In my own life, I am resting in His promise to never leave or forsake me and to be my strength and provider.

Psalm 68:19

"Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms."

~~

Sugar & Spice Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus heaping 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour

Coating

• 3 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar mixture

Directions 1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two standard sized doughnut pans. If you don't have doughnut pans, you can bake these in a standard muffin tin; they just won't be doughnuts. 2) Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth. 3) Add the flour, stirring just until smooth. 4) Fill the wells of the doughnut pans about 3/4 full; use a scant 1/4 cup of batter in each well. If you're making muffins, fill each well about 3/4 full; the recipe makes about 15, so you'll need to bake in two batches (unless you have two muffin pans). 6) Bake the doughnuts for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. If you're making muffins, they'll need to bake for 23 to 25 minutes. 7) Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, loosen their edges, and transfer them to a rack to cool. 8) While the doughnuts are still warm (but no longer fragile), gently shake them in a bag with the cinnamon-sugar. If you've made muffins, sprinkle their tops heavily with cinnamon-sugar. 9) Cool completely, and wrap airtight; store at room temperature for several days. Yield: 12 doughnuts or 15 muffins. (I was able to get 12 muffins and 12 doughnuts-I think my doughnut pans are smaller than the standard size.)

Nutty Berry Trail Mix

My dear hubby loves trail mixes-especially if they include chocolate. This can be adjusted to use whatever dried fruits and nuts that you like the best. Enjoy!

You are dearly loved, chosen, and prayed for by your Heavenly Father. Praise Him today for the small and large blessings in your life.

Psalm 68:35

"God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!"

Nutty Berry Trail Mix

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz) mixed nuts

1 can (15 oz) cashews

1 can (15 oz) almonds

1 pkg. (9 oz) golden raisins

1 pkg. (6 oz) chopped dried pineapple

1 cup sunflower kernels

1 cup dried sweetened cranberries

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Stir in an airtight container. Feel free to substitue your favorite dried fruits if you don't like any of the ones I included.



Overnight Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

Our family visited over the holiday weekend, which gave me the opportunity to bake lots of yummy things, including this overnight cinnamon roll bread pudding. It is the perfect breakfast or brunch dish to make the night before and bake in the morning.

 

Enjoy dear friends! Bake this dish and enjoy a piece as you spend some quiet time with your Heavenly Father-He delights in spending time with you!! You are prayed for and loved dearly!

Psalm 27:8

"My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

 

 

Overnight Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

 

Ingredients:

·  2 tablespoons of melted butter

·  2 cans (12.4 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing

·  4 eggs

·  1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

·  3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

·  2 teaspoons vanilla

·  1 cup chopped Pecans or chopped walnuts or raisins

·  1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Garnish:

·  Icing from cinnamon rolls

·  Maple syrup

Directions:

·  Pour melted butter into ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish.

·  Separate both cans of dough into 16 rolls; set icing aside. Cut each roll into 8 pieces; place pieces over butter in dish.

·  In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Beat in cream, cinnamon and vanilla until well blended; gently pour over roll pieces. Sprinkle with pecans or raisins or walnuts; drizzle with 1/4 cup syrup. Store covered overnight in the refrigerator.

·  The next morning, preheat oven to 375°F. Remove the cover and bake 20 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove covers from icing; microwave on Medium (50%) 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle.

·  Drizzle icing over top. If desired, spoon syrup over individual servings.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie Crescents

Each year on September 1st, my heart does a happy dance because even if it is 100 degrees outside, I start decorating and celebrating the soon arrival of Autumn. I love the colors, scents, flavors, and joys found in the Fall season. This year, I celebrated the 1st by making these melt-in-your-mouth Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie crescents. They were absolutely delicious! Make a batch and enjoy them with a cup of hot cocoa, apple cider, or cinnamon spiced tea.

 

Hosea 10:12

"I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’"

 

Harvest a Crop of Love today! You are dearly loved and prayed for!

 

 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie Crescents

Ingredients:

2 tubes (8 count each) of Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Rolls

1/2 block of cream cheese (4 ounces)

1 cup of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

2 Tablespoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice

7 Tablespoons of Sugar

1 Tablespoon of Ground Cinnamon

 

Directions:

Combine cream cheese, canned pumpkin, 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, and 3 Tablespoons of sugar. Beat together until fluffy and creamy to make your pumpkin filling. Set aside.

 

Roll each crescent roll out and put a tablespoon of pumpkin pie/cream cheese filling on the wide part of each crescent. Roll up each crescent roll starting from the thick end to the thin end.

 

Mix together 1 Tablespoon of the pumpkin pie spice, 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon, and 4 Tablespoons of sugar. Roll each filled crescent roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixure. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until golden in color.

Apple Pie Enchiladas (Super Easy & Super Yum!)

 

I made these super yumy and super easy apple pie enchildadas for a recent Sunday School get-together and they were a huge hit. They would be the perfect dessert for a Mexican meal or a decadent breakfast option. Feel free to substitute any type of pie flavor you like-cherry, blackberry, strawberry, peach, etc... I took this picture before I baked them and then forgot to take a picture once they were done. They turned out beautifully-nice and bubbly and full of cinnamon flavor. They would be delicious served hot with ice cream on top.

 

You are prayed for daily and dearly loved by your Heavenly Father. God's Grace is Sufficient for whatever you may be facing today. This song has blessed me so much this week, and I wanted to share it with you. It is called, "No Mater What" by Kerrie Roberts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA3MSqufJP4

 

Apple Pie Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling

8 (8 inch) flour tortillas

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

Directions:

Spray a 9x12 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon about one heaping quarter cup of pie filling evenly down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon; roll up, tucking in edges; and place seam side down in prepared dish. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.
Pour butter/sugar sauce over enchiladas and let stand 45 minutes. Sprinkle tops of Enchiladas with Cinnamon. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until golden. Can be served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Cherry, Strawbery, Blackberry,or Peach Pie Filling can be substituted for the Apple Pie Filling.

 

Enjoy!