Tasty Tuesday ~ Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

My, oh, my...this is a mighty fine pie!  Did you celebrate Pie Day yesterday?  Pi Day.  March 14, 3-14, 3.14159whatever, whatever, whatever.  All a good enough reason for me to eat pie!  I was looking for an easy one for Alex to make for his chemistry class.  They got extra points of some sort if they brought in a pie on 3-14.  That's my kind of teacher!  I found this one, and it, of course, shouted out to me and begged me to give it a try.  So he made one and I made one.  Yummy. 

A giant chocolate chip cookie held up by a pie crust?  Yes, please.  What's not to love???

My only issue with it is that my chocolate chips all settled to the bottom during baking.  It wasn't an issue that prevented me from loving this in any way at all.  I will eat this with sunken chips any day.  But I did talk to my very wise baking friend, who even is part of a pie guild (!), and her advice was to beat the heck out of the batter before adding the chips which creates a lot more air in the batter which should hold the chips in place better.  Or something like that.  I tend to disregard unnecessary information the older I get.  I think my memory card is getting full or something.  So I stopped absorbing the information at the point that she suggested beating the heck out of the batter.  Can do.  Will do next time.  And there will be a next time for baking this pie.  It has officially made it into the regular rotation of foods my brain craves.

And I will add this important breaking news:  buying your chocolate chips at Costco?  (NO?  Well, you should be!)  There is a current coupon for Nestle chips in the coupon book.  Today I went to Costco and bought my chips, as well as several other items from their coupon book.  And after checking out, my total came up and I asked her if she could scan in the coupon book.  And ya know what?  They no longer will do that.  Unless you bring in the coupons yourself, you are out of luck.  I had no idea.  I stopped bringing mine long ago because they told me I didn't need to.  As she swiped my card through she told me I could bring my coupons back and get a price adjustment.  Well that's nice of you.  You'd think there would be a little learning curve grace period, but apparently not.  When I told her I had no idea that was now required, she said, "Well, we got in trouble for doing it that way and now we are required to collect your coupons.  The fact that the coupon is required is written in the small print on the back of your coupon."  It took everything within me to not be sarcastic and rude.  So, if you haven't encountered the new policy yet, I hope I've saved you some trouble.  Bring your coupons.

Did you think this was a post about a pie recipe?  Me too.  I guess I better get to it...


Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

9-inch deep dish pie shell
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cups butter, softened
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup nuts (optional, walnuts or pecans)

Beat together butter and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.  Add flour and "beat the heck out of it".  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Spoon into the crust and spread evenly.

Place on a cookie sheet covered with foil if you want to save your oven from potential overflow stickiness.  Bake pie at 325 for about 60 minutes.  I had to go about another 5 minutes to get it where I wanted it.  There should be no jiggle left in the middle when it's done.  That's my goal too.  I wish all it took for me was 5 more minutes.

sunken chips and all, I love you.

 
This pie is best when it's a little warm.  Mmm.

This picture was not intended for this post, but it sure does fit.  Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie is JOY in a crust.

Out of the Fullness of My Heart ~ Multitudes on Monday

Yesterday I wrote a long post all about how full my heart is.  Filled up.  Filled with compassion for all the tragedy that has happened, and all the suffering and uncertainty that continues.  Full of fresh wisdom.  Full of friendship love.  Full of awe at what the Lord is doing in people I love.  Full of so much, and every single thing fills me further with gratitude.  So thankful that I am submitted to a God that is full of compassion and love and mercy.

So very much to be thankful for, especially at a time like this.



251.  Police, firefighters, military personnel and volunteers...all the emergency responders who rush in during a tragedy.
252.  Survivors
253.  Technology that allows us to have knowledge, images that let us share the tiniest piece of grief.
254.  Images and technology that spur us to give, no matter how big or small, to help the hurting.
255.  My home, with in tact electricity, water, heat, safety.
256.  My pillow.
257.  Taking home a word.
258.  Old words made new again.
259.  Confirmation.
260.  The excitement of knowing that He is directing my thoughts and plans.
261.  A friend that has travelled the road with me a long time.  (That sounds better than "old friend", right?)

262.  A new friend.
263.  My children praying for each other.
264.  Hope renewed.
265.  Doing practical things is much more than just doing practical things.
266.  Significant moments are just as significant as significant events.
267.  Peace and power combined.  They go together beautifully.
268.  I can "Go in peace", regardless of my circumstances.
269.  "You sure have been cooking good food this week!"  A comment from a 10-year old that made me grin from the inside out.
270.  Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie.  Yum.  On Pie Day.  Well, Pi Day.  Happy 3-14...go bake a pie today!

My Heart Is Full

What a whirlwind these last few days have been.  So much happening simultaneously, I don't even know where to begin.

I guess the most appropriate place would be acknowledging the horrific destruction in Japan.  Unimaginable as a reality.  The images are just too much to take in, and it's heartbreaking to think of people living and dying in the midst of that.  An earthquake powerful enough to shift the earth on it's axis?  Puts a lot of things into perspective, doesn't it?  Say and prayer and give.  Give.

I had the great pleasure of going to hear Beth Moore teach on Friday and Saturday.  Good friend time, good worship time, good learning time, good hearing time.  I have yet to process and absorb everything, but it was so impactful.  I heard confirmation in truckloads.  Things that have been stirring around in me were addressed specifically.  Even my last blog post about significance?  All that was just the Lord tuning my ear to the right pitch for this weekend.  Because I heard some things loud and clear.  I was primed and ready to hear.  At one point, I looked at Marlece with big tears in my eyes and said, "I think I could go home now and feel quite filled up!"  And that was in the first hour.  If you've never read anything from her or done one of her Bible studies, you really would be blessed to do that.  She is hysterically funny and passionate and just a lovely, lovely lady.  She's my second favorite Beth.  My third favorite would be Laura Ingalls, who of course you remember was called "Beth" by Almonzo.  There I go again on a tangent....I haven't the energy to fight it.

Home Saturday for an hour and a half of the most glorious mid-day sleep I have had since the last time I enjoyed mid-day sleep.  And that was....I can't even remember when.  It was just what I needed, complete with a cat curled up beside me.  As soon as I was up from the nap, before even the cobwebs had cleared, Brad and I left for a run.  And let me tell you, Spring is truly in the air!!  Granted this was late afternoon, but there was no cold bit to the air!  We had some rain, but it was not stinging cold!!  We even saw a beautiful, full rainbow.  And a first occurred.  A FIRST that I will not soon forget.  We were almost 4 miles in when I had to use the facilities.  Urgently.  I've often wondered what would happen in this situation.  We were prepared to run down to the closest business, about a mile away, and I wasn't so sure I would make it.  And then....a sight I NEVER DREAMED would thrill me:  a PORTA-POTTY!!  I have had porta-potty issues as far back as I can remember.  Don't even get me started.  Some in my life know how serious I am about avoiding porta-potties for myself and everyone I care about.  But on this run?  It truly was a blessing from heaven.  I gave no thoughts as to who had been there before me.  I gave no thoughts as to any germ or disease or anything that I may encounter upon opening the door.  Nope.  I was as glad to see that porta-potty as I am glad to see that there's a coupon for chocolate chips at Costco right now.  Thrilled.

Home for showers and some dinner and then off to Repossess.  What a full way to end the day.  A day that started with 6300 women singing "How He Loves".  I was really struck by how many silver and white haired ladies were there this weekend.  It was so sweet.  I love that at that age they are still desiring to learn, grow, and receive more and more of the love of God.  And during that particular song, I was thinking about those ladies.  They must each have such a story of a lifetime of experiences, loss, and loves.  And to watch them scattered throughout this crowd, singing about being personally loved by their God.  It was a beautiful moment.

Good times with sweet friends, Rachel & Marlece

The other Beth in my life.

And then, late in the day watching hundreds of teens singing the same song?  It was very full-circle, very touching.  A love that spans generations.

Finally home, my son then sat and told us story after story of all he'd experienced during the day.  We were up until 1:30 in the morning, hearing stories of a young man learning to reach out to people who need some hope.  He walked around downtown with three others and just talked to people, reached out to them, let them know they were loved by God.  One man was a recovering addict who was only 7 months sober, navigating a brand new life.  Alex was able to pray for him, and that story was a precious one.  And another young homeless man, who Alex had three conversation with.  He had left to go back to meet his group and decided to turn around and go have one more conversation.  So he approached him again, called him by name, and asked if he wanted to invite Christ into his life.  The man eagerly said he did, and Alex prayed with him again.  He then sprinted the 2 blocks back to his bus to get this young man a Bible.  Just hearing Alex describe the look on this man's face when he received the Bible, the way he clutched it to his chest, the way he smiled...it makes me so thankful for a young man that is learning to truly see every person for who they are:  and individual that is dearly loved by God.  All the other stuff is just stuff.  At our core, we are all the same.  We all just need His love.

And then that doggone lost hour of sleep?  I was good for nothing today. Nothing but reflecting on so much goodness crammed into one weekend.  My heart is full.

The Significance Factor

Oh, significance and the question of its presence.  Why does this topic always seem to float back through me from time to time?  I know why.  But I am quite irritated by it today.  I don't even want to give it the dignity of my thoughts, much less my words.  I do know, however, that my thoughts seem to focus when I get my thoughts out and turn them to words.

The questions come out in the flood of thoughts when I am scrubbing pots from last night's dinner.  It was 8:00 in the morning.  First load of laundry on, lunches packed, 2 kids off for the day, 1 sitting at the table eating scrambled eggs.  The packed dishwasher had been unloaded and was already being refilled.  The pans that had been soaking all night were on their way to being clean.  A bit of a "spinning my wheels" moment. 

Then off to the bus stop in the driving rain and wind.  Huddled under an umbrella with my daughter, holding onto the outside of the umbrella so it doesn't blow inside out, the umbrella doing a less than effective job at keeping the rain off.  The bus was late, compliments of the construction.  When the bus finally drove off, I hurried home to warm back up.

As I was battling through the rain, I was making a mental list of all I had to finish before I left for work:  getting dinner started so I could get it done easily tonight, squished between hosting extra kids after school today and getting off to a concert tonight, finishing the laundry and putting it away, cleaning toilets, bake off the last of the cookie dough for the kids to devour when they get home, vacuum....basically as much as I can cram in. 

From there my thoughts went to people I know who are doing really grand things.  Really grand.  Humbling grand.  And thus rose up the significance factor.  What am I doing?  I have the hopes of grandness, but in the meantime, I'm just doing the daily.  And my thoughts, of course, started in with all the things I am not.  Friends who have fallen away.  Family members that have rejected.  Things I'd love to finish, but can't even seem to start.  All reinforcing to me that I'm not enough.

And then, through that cloud of crap (I apologize, but I sat here and tried and couldn't come up with a more appropriate word), I started forcing those thoughts to submit to the truth.  The Truth. 

Everything I do in the "daily" is significant in the lives of those I love the most.  Even if it's just cooking their food and cleaning their clothes.  Throw on top of that my love, my support, my encouragement, my anything-I-can-offer-to-make-your-day-better, and I matter. 

And here's the truth that spoke so loud:  sometimes significance comes in events, and sometimes it comes in moments.   My significance is in moments.  Lots of little moments sprinkled through the daily.

Maybe it's just cooking a meal, just trying to keep my daughter sheltered from the rain at the bus stop, just the extra long hug at bedtime, just the hug and kiss as one hurries out the door, just the encouraging word spoken to a little one at school, just telling a little person who seems to really need to hear it that she's beautiful, just looking out for someone who may not be bringing lunch to school, just being positive and friendly to people who need it, just supporting my husband and doing my best to make him feel loved and respected and cherished...I could just keep going.

But maybe it's a lot more than "just".  Maybe all those moments of being significant add up to a whole lot of significance.  In my life, they do.

Maybe someday in my life I'll have a significant event.  But maybe the sweet spot to be is just living with the awareness of all the significant moments I am blessed to be a part of, daily.

Multitudes on Monday ~ Finishing the First Quarter

I'm going to get straight at it today, screeching into completing the first quarter of my 1000 Gifts:





229.  Quiet
230.  Bright sunshine on one side
231.  Fluffy clouds on another side
232.  Longer daylight
233.  Budding leaves on raspberry bushes
234.  Lingering piles of snow
235.  New recipes for old favorites
236.  Effortless forgiveness
237.  Disciplined forgiveness, daily
238.  Watching little duck bottoms sticking up out of the lake
239.  The sound and ripples of ducks gliding in to land on the lake
240.  A kind "good work" and thumbs-up from a stranger
241.  Dreams that inspire renewed prayer
242.  Watching a child discover the dream of an adventure
243.  Psalm 63:7,8
244.  A child that can make us laugh until our cheeks hurt at the retelling of a story
245.  Finding a perfect new bed for a very big kitty
246.  The smell of the coffee aisle at the grocery store
247.  Turning on the radio in the car and hearing a Mariner's game being announced!
248.  Knowing the truth that people may reject, but God ALWAYS accepts
249.  In every situation, there is something to give thanks for
250.  Sticking your nose inside a chocolate chip bag and taking a long, slow breath.  It truly relaxes me!

Consistently Giving Her Best Effort

I am going to happily shine the spotlight onto my littlest!  At the student recognition assembly earlier this week, Beth received her award for consistently giving her best effort.  Those are some sweet words to hear.  This year has not been a breeze in any way.  Being a fourth grader in a fourth/fifth split with a teacher that has very high expectations has brought its share of challenges.  I have seen this sweet one grow in so many ways.  And I love that, as hard as I've seen her work behind the scenes, she is being noticed by her teacher for that work as well.

This is a trip down memory lane for me:  Mrs. Currie was MY fifth grade teacher, and now my littlest is in her class!  And I swear on my beloved chocolate that this lady looks exactly like she did when she was my teacher!

These were the words written on the back of the certificate!  Lovely words to read about a truly lovely girl.

WAY TO GO, BETHIE!

Tasty Tuesday ~ Crock Pot Macaroni-N-Cheese

Here's another yummy (but more importantly easy) recipe for you!  This is a new one I discovered from a friend, and I will be making at again and again.

Yesterday was our first time eating it, and 4 out of 5 Carlsons gave it a big thumbs up.  The 5th?  He prefers macaroni and cheese from a box.  And he also likes Spam, so take his review for what it's worth.  And, while we are on the topic, let's talk about that macaroni and "cheese" in a box.  I'm just feeling a need to say that the sight and smell of that makes me physically gag.  Gag.  Like for real, gag.  Even the color.  That is a color of orange that should not be in a food.  It looks like more chemical than food.  Blech. 

Anyway, this recipe is not that.  But it's yummy, and can be tweaked and added to as much as your little heart desires.  Again, no accompanying pictures, because I was crazy hungry when it was time to eat last night.  And it just didn't seem right to let a 30-second picture stand in the way of me and my dinner.


Crock Pot Macaroni-N-Cheese

8 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked al dente and drained
prefer curly twisty pasta?  live on the wild side and use that!
1 can (12 oz.) Evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
(or use seasoned salt in place of both)
4 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
as per my usual, I used my favorite cheddar/jack

Spray crock pot with non-stick spray.  Add evaporated milk, milk, eggs, salt and pepper.   Whisk together with a fork.  Add drained pasta and 3 cups of the cheese.  Mix together well.  Top with remaining one cup of cheese.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

I added chopped ham to mine and it was delicious.  I have on my radar to try it with chicken, and then with some taco meat.  I think taco mac-n-cheese would be great!

You could also add in some broccoli as it cooks.

Mine seemed a bit dry at the end of the 6 hours, so I heated some milk and added that in.  I may have also added a couple tablespoons of butter, I love the way butter melts into hot pasta.  Makes me happy.  With those additions, it was perfect.  Make sure to not cook your pasta too long, because it's going to be cooking longer in the crock pot and will get too mushy.

Enjoy!