Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

September 24, 2021 / Maggie Kuhn / Leave a comment

So gooey pumpkin filled chocolate chunky good!! Wow, baking this recipe made the house smell divine.

I found the recipe on YellowBlissRoads, thanks Fiona!

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Coffee, Sunshine, God’s Grace to Perservere, Homily Reflection

September 21, 2021September 21, 2021 / Maggie Kuhn / Leave a comment

This morning began a little too early for my pleasing.

The sun beamed through my window at the break of dawn.

Which would be fine if the windows had curtains. The curtains, however, are not up.

This morning is damp and wet as I enjoyed coffee on my balcony this morning the stray drip drip drips off the gutter spotted my shirt.

The sun glistens through my balcony window now.
What a beautiful reminder of God's grace as I persevere today through my studies.

I'm considering this past Sunday's homily. The priest shared with the congregation that we must live everyday through love and not get to caught up in our own aspirations but awaken to what the Lord has for us to do that day, that hour, that minute.

This caused me to think about how I am living and how I may not be living up to God's calling in my life. I have been reflecting about this during this chaotic time where every business needs all hands on deck and is hiring everyone and there dog. It is a reflection that I am taking to heart.

He also reminded us of the Lord's enduring love. Which sometimes can be a struggle for me to embrace that truth, as a sinner.

Sometimes, feeling as if I've really done something horrible that God could never forgive. So to say, the last straw of God's grace so to say.

The priest reminded us that there is hope through God's grace and we must just follow him and not get caught up in our worldly ways, to the best of our ability.

Those are powerful words and I can only hope in my little way to follow the Lord and do good to others.

“God’s grace

is sufficient

for me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

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Stormy Day American Brownie

September 20, 2021September 20, 2021 / Maggie Kuhn / Leave a comment

When I was young I often licked the brownie beaters.

I still make brownies on those cold, stormy unforgiving weather days.

It brings me joy to bake in my little kitchen. My apron tightly wrapped around me as I gingerly dip my head to examine the brownies rising in the oven.

If you find yourself in a similar rainy day need for brownies.

I love this recipe because it only uses one bowl.

Try my brownie recipe!

MAGGIE’S BEATER LICKIN’ GOOD BROWNIES

1 stick of melted butter
3/4 cup cocoa powder (I use Nestle Tollhouse 100% pure cocoa)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. gluten free FLOUR (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Rising Flour)
1/4 tsp. salt
CHOCOLATE CHUNKS (ABOUT 3/4 CUP DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LIKE YOUR BROWNIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl combine melted butter, cocoa powder and brown sugar. Beat pretty darn well so that there’s no lumps. Add eggs one at a time beating after each egg is added then drip in vanilla and stir well.

Stir in flour and salt. Do not over stir!

Spoon into an 8×8 pan and spread evenly.

Sprinkle chocolate chunks on top of the brownie batter.

Bake 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and wait a good bit to let the brownies cool enough. Then cut yourself a piece of Maggie’s Beater Lickin’ brownies and enjoy!

I gotta say baking has been such a relief for me during my classes. Wow, brownies give me studying “super-powers”, well, hah-ha, maybe that’s an EGG-ZA-GERATION!

Heehee, I couldn’t resist the terrible pun.

I love baking and am so happy to share my recipes on this blog and hopefully brighten someones day!

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Finding Joy: Rainy Dark Day with Meal Planning and Gourds

September 20, 2021September 20, 2021 / Maggie Kuhn / Leave a comment

God has blessed this land with a steady rain today.

Thank God!

The gourds on my dining room table add a cheery thought to my day as I watch the rain dribble down my windows. A Postal truck whizzes down the road as I gaze into my coffee mug ponderously.

The gourds make me happy and remind me of Fall and family. Wow! What a wonderful thing it will be to have two families in just a matter of months!

What a joyous day it will be!

My studies are progressing well. A’s and B’s mostly, thankfully. I believe it might be a good thing if I picked up a little part-time job somewhere. At the same time, I am concerned that, similar to two semesters ago I will wind up being overworked with bad grades. I feel like I HAVE to keep going and pursuing counseling.

This Sunday, the priest had a really provocative homily that really stirred me. The homily was about living each day doing your daily duty and loving others.

This made me think a lot about humility and how hard it is sometimes to be humble. It is quite a blessing to be alive and be working towards your goals, pursuits and dreams. At the same time, I find myself asking, is there something else I could be doing that would lead me closer to God.

In the stillness of this rainy day, as thunder trembles and groans across the sky, I ponder this.

Wind Beneath my Feet and Geography Blues

September 17, 2021 / Maggie Kuhn / Leave a comment

The sun shines brightly down glimmering across my auburn hair as I straighten my toes on the wooden balcony.

Today,

I had a no good case of the geography blues today.

But why I’m able to licate the Ural Mountains on a map now. And I can tells you all about the natural resources of Europe.

So after studying since 8:05 am to 3:15 pm I was ready to “cash in my chips” so to say for this ole’ geography test.

And hey I actually didn’t do too bad.

My map section was a sight for sore eyes but I’m feeling really confident about the other part of the quiz. Which honestly I felt like was the harder section.

Golly, now that I think about it, I had a lot of paragraphs per question. Eek. I hope my professor doesn’t mind.

I did my makeup

And

I took off my French pedicure off.

Though French pedicures are not at all French in origin. Jeff Pink an American in Hollywood made them popular in the 1970’s.

Here’s a recipe I made over my lunch too.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Hope you having a smashing good Friday!

Cheers.

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Watching the Gales of MN: Coffee, Lemon Bars, and Chipmunks

September 16, 2021September 16, 2021 / Maggie Kuhn / Leave a comment

I rotate my coffee mug as I look for a place that isn’t covered with lipstick to drink from. I’m sitting in my new place watching in amazement the huge trees and reefs outside billowing with every gale.

I was happy to find that people are starting to wear channels, hurrah, flannel season has begun!

My new woodland friends are grey squirrels and 🐿️ (chipmunks). Sooo cute!! I’m also trying to learn the bird calls.

I did, by mere coincidence, find out what a chipmunk call is….. Wait would it be call… I think there’s probably a better term for that, 😂

What a wonder God has given me to enjoy!

Last night, I made a gluten-free low-fodmap chicken parmesan.

Here’s the recipe:

Low-fodmap Chicken Parmesan

I was able to find FODY NO ONION NO GARLIC premium tomato basil pasta sauce at my grocery store.

Delicioso, basil and tomatoes. It’s so yummy!

So, a note on the recipe

I had a little doozy with not cooking the chicken long enough. After plating it and embarrassing, enough, my fiance trying to cut into the completely raw meat, my face turned six shades darker red, I’m sure.

We decided to just finish it off on the oven.

We also used COTIJA cheese which is part skim milk natural cheese.

After making dinner I wanted to surprise my fiance with a dessert that I knew was one of his favorites. Though I am chagined to say I’ve actually hadn’t made it for him until last night.

Lemon bars. And not your average lemon bar but made with a bit of buckwheat flour. Which I think gave it a nice nutty finish.

Here’s the recipe: https://www.rachelpaulsfood.com/best-low-fodmap-lemon-square-lemon-bar-recipe-gluten-free/

I added more lemon juice as I didn’t have lemon zest. I definitely think the lemon zest would have given it a more robust flavor. I also don’t generally buy cane sugar so I used brown sugar.

They were good!

Also, yesterday, I happened across one of my new favorite MN local brand of coffee. Caribou.

Last time I bought a bag my fiance and u tried the Smore’s blend. It was good coffee but we felt that the coffee taste kinda got swallowed up by the smore‘s flavor.

This time I picked the Caribou coffee French Roast. Key words “smoky” and “sophisticated”.