Mini Carrot Cupcakes

These mini cupcakes are good any time of year, but they seem like a nice little taste of Fall to me!  I found the original recipe in a magazine.  I made a couple of adjustments to the recipe and I think these little cupcakes are even yummier now!

Mini Carrot Cupcakes

1 cup flour (I used unbleached)
1/2 cup almond meal
1/3 cup sugar (I used organic)
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup apple butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (about 3 medium)

Frosting:
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24* mini-muffin cups with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.

Whisk together the flour, almond meal, granulated and brown sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs, oil, apple butter, and vanilla in another bowl, and fold into the flour mixture, stirring just until blended. Stir in the carrots. Spoon into the muffin cups, filling them halfway. Bake until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

To prepare the frosting, combine the cream cheese and honey in a small bowl. Stir until smooth.  Dab a teaspoonful onto the top of each cooled cupcake.

*This always makes more than 24 mini cupcakes for me - maybe it depends on the size of your pans.  I was able to make 36 mini cupcakes from this batch.

Do you enjoy mini cupcakes for dessert (or breakfast...*ahem*)?  What's your favorite mini dessert?

This post is linked to:
~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace
~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls

Have a delicious day friends!

Encouraging Bloggers ~ Thrive on the Encouragement of Others

Welcome back to Encouraging Bloggers - Part 7!  If you've missed out on anything, just stop by the Intro post for links to all parts of this series.  You're welcome here whether or not you're a blogger - you might find a little encouragement for yourself or you might be able to go out and encourage somebody else.

So sorry for the delay of this post!  My dad was visiting and we were out and about every day and up late every night.  By the time I could get to the computer each night, my brain was mush!  :)

I'm enjoying this series because I really am writing what I feel led to share with you and that often means last-minute changes to posts.  I had a post partly written but this felt more important to share so I just had to go with the flow!

I'm going to share a couple of links to posts that I ran across recently that I think are very encouraging for bloggers.  Why try to say it myself if somebody else has already done an excellent job?  I hope you are as encouraged by these lovely ladies as I am!  They are both wonderful bloggers and sweet ladies and I also love that they actually live in my same time zone (sounds funny, but most of my blog friends are Eastern time zone, making it harder to chat online).  :)

Encouragement from Others:

Melissa from The Inspired Room is not only inspiring with home decor, but inspiring as a blogger too.  She shared this post at (in)courage about her story as a blogger.  Thank you for encouraging us with your story Melissa!

Denise from Denise In Bloom is following God's leading with her blog even when it seems different than what she planned.  She felt led to share a special message for bloggers in a video.  Thank you for encouraging us with your heartfelt message Denise!

I hope you are blessed and encouraged by their words this weekend!  And I hope you are inspired to blog!  No matter what size your blog is - you are all unique, wonderful, remarkable and influential bloggers.

Have a blessed and encouraging day friends!!

19 Years Ago Today...

...I married my best friend!!!  I've been married to my hubs for as many years as I lived before knowing him (and we've been together longer than we've been apart in our lives)!

We got married outside in Tahoe, CA above Emerald Bay - really pretty but it was getting chilly and that night a snowstorm hit!  Thank you Lord for delaying the snow as we didn't really think that through.  :)

I've had people ask if that's a fake backdrop, but it's the real scenery behind us - lovely!

When I look at that pic, I see a happy couple, but I also see two naive "kids" (we were 22 & 23) who weren't really walking with the Lord at that time.  We are so blessed that God worked in our hearts, drew us to Him and continues to grow and stretch us.

19 years have flown by and yet I've forgotten so many details of the early years.  Some of it is a blur, but it's a mostly happy blur!  Happy anniversary honey!  Thank you for putting up with all my piles (clean laundry, paperwork, dishes) and all my complaints about how things are "hard" (homeschooling, cooking, cleaning).  You are truly a blessing to me and I love you!

Have a lovely day friends!

Encouraging Bloggers ~ On Break This Week

Hello friends!  I kept on trying to get this week's Encouraging Bloggers topic finished up and posted for today.  But my kiddo is sick (nothing serious) and needs me for one thing or another - even just to chat or read to him.  I know you all know that family is more important so I'm sure you won't mind if I delay my next post in the series until next Thursday!

I hope all of you are having a great week!  Have a blessed and encouraging day!  If you have a few minutes, stop by a blog you haven't been to in a while and say hi.  And if you're a blogger, don't forget to reply to your lovely commenters in e-mail to keep that give and take going!

Wine Biscuits with Rosemary and Pepper

I've wanted to try this recipe for quite a while and finally had the perfect occasion to make it for.  I love these biscuits!  They are a wonderful appetizer!  A little sweet and a little savory at the same time.

I found the recipe in Pam Anderson's cookbook The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight & Eating Great.  You can cut the dough into small circles, but I happened to have a small flower cookie cutter that I used.  And they perfectly fit into my olive tray!  Serve them up with a little goat cheese - yum!

Wine Biscuits with Rosemary and Pepper

1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup flour ( I used unbleached)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pour wine into a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil and keep boiling until wine reduces by half (2-3 minutes).

Put oven racks to upper and lower thirds of oven.  Preheat to 325 degrees.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour, sugar, pepper, rosemary, salt and baking powder in food processor.  Stir oil into wine and add mixture to dry ingredients.  Process until dough starts to come together.  Place dough on lightly floured surface and roll out to about 1/8 inch thickness.  Use a cookie cutter or something round about 1 1/2 inches across to cut out dough.  Place cut-outs on prepared cookie sheets.  Roll and cut out scraps too.  You should get about 3 dozen small rounds or cut-outs.

Bake for 30 minutes, until crisp and golden.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Can store in airtight container for up to a month.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't they sound yummy?  Now you have something new to take to your next party or just to save and nibble on a couple at a time with a glass of wine.  I notice the pics make them look a little golden brown - they actually have a more reddish color from the wine.

This post is linked to:
~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace
~ Chic & Crafty at The Frugal Girls
~ I'm Lovin' It at TidyMom
~ Fusion Fridays at Jane Deere

Have a fantastic day friends!!

Happenings Around The Blogosphere

Happy Monday morning everybody!  Occasionally I run into a few things happening and like to share them with you, so here you go...

Starting today at Like A Warm cup of Coffee is Sarah Mae's new series: Frumps to Pumps!  Since I started homeschooling, I find I need this one more than ever!  :)

Over at A Life in Need of Change, in celebration of her new Facebook page, Brooke is giving away free downloads of her book: Notes to Aspiring Writers ~ Your Dream, God's Plan (see my review here)!

Right now at The Frugal Girls, Heidi is hosting a giveaway for an ipad 2!!  She's actually giving away 3 of them (she always has awesome giveaways) - so even though it decreases my chances, you might want to hop over there.  :)

Have you been reading any of the 31-Days blog series this month?  There are SO many great ones!  It's happening until the end of this month.  Find the list of all the participants here (prepare to be overwhelmed - there are over 700)!  I think I'll pick a few to go back and read later too.

And of course, you may have seen my Encouraging Bloggers series right here on Thursdays!  There are a few more to go I think before I'm finished ('cause sometimes I am wordy!).

Got all that?  LOL!  What's happening in your corner of the blogosphere?

Have a beautiful day friends!

Encouraging Bloggers ~ Out of Clutter Find Simplicity

Welcome back to Encouraging Bloggers ~ Part 6 today!  (Be sure to read past posts if you missed them and the great comments - stop by the Intro with links to all the other posts in the series.)  I hope that a few of you are finding encouragement through this series - I have noticed some of you stopping by each others' blogs and encouraging.  I LOVE that!  :)  I'm just writing what I feel led to write on this subject and have at least a couple more in the series I think.

When our houses are full of clutter or seem disorganized or the decor starts feeling stagnant to us -  it affects our attitude and outlook on home life.  I think that the same goes for our blogs!  If our blogs are cluttered, not updated, or have lost some of that spark for us - it contributes to our discouraged feelings.  When we freshen up, organize, simplify and update our homes - it lifts our spirits and we feel like we have a fresh start.  I encourage you to do a little freshening up, organizing, simplifying and updating on your blog to get that same clean, shiny fresh-start feeling!

When is the last time you:  Changed something in your blog design?  Checked to make sure all your links on your main page were working?  Deleted old information?  Updated your profile photo?  Made sure your feeds and stats were working properly?  Organized posts by categories?  Prayed about your role in the blogosphere?

When our surroundings are uncluttered and open, our minds are more uncluttered and open which may lead to new writing inspirations and/or more focused blog posts.  Let's dust off our blogs, clear out the cobwebs, organize that clutter and see what happens (remember, I'm speaking to myself here too!)!

Here are some posts/articles that you might find helpful as you declutter and organize:

5 Ways to Improve Your Blog For Free ~ Mom Blog Magazine
Decorating Your Blog ~ Savvy Blogging
Bloggy Basics: Learn From Other Blogs ~ Rediscovering Domesticity
Declutter Your Blog ~ Blogging Your Way
15 Basic Blogging Dos and Don'ts ~ Blogging With Amy

Do you feel better when your blog is fresh and decluttered?  Have you made any recent changes that improved your blog "mood?"  Are you happy when you click over to your blog and look at it as a reader?  Do you prefer simplicity or are you happier with a little creative clutter?  Do you non-blogging readers have any thoughts on what makes a blog feel most user-friendly to you?

Be encouraged and hang in there bloggers!  Stop by your own blog a few times this week and see what might need tweaking.  May you feel inspired and refreshed by the Lord this week friends!

Have an encouraging day!

P.S.  The winner of the $5 Starbucks card from last week is Lisa from The Cozy Nook!  Congrats Lisa (and sorry Kim - LOL)!  Thanks to all of you who were hopping around leaving encouraging comments!  :)
 

Pumpkin Blueberry Streusel Muffins Anyone?

I'm happy to be over at Denise In Bloom, participating in her 31 Days of Autumn Goodness!

I'm sharing these yummy muffins there today...

Go enjoy some muffins and check out more of the 31 Days of Autumn Goodness while you're there!

Have a lovely Fall day friends!!

Encouraging Bloggers ~ Go Forth And Comment

I'm a day late (or as Dad says - a day late and a dollar short) posting my latest in the Encouraging Bloggers series!  If you've been following along, this would be Part 5!  If you've missed any, be sure to go back and read the Intro, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.  Don't forget to read the comments too - some great insights and feedback there!  Welcome bloggers and readers of blogs!

Today's post is really very simple.  I've mentioned before how important comments are to bloggers.  Though we don't want to be blogging just for comments - it's sometimes the only way that we know somebody likes what we say or disagrees with us or is touched or moved by our words.  While bloggers' words encourage readers, readers' words (comments) encourage bloggers.  We need both to keep the circle of blog life going!  :)

Bloggers often get too busy to leave comments (myself included), but as bloggers we should take some time each day or week to leave comments here and there.  It's part of the give and take of the blogosphere.   In order to build that sense of community, we need to "get out" in the blogosphere and make connections.  If we just hide out on our own blog, we'll have less friends stopping by.  Focus on encouraging others through your comments and you'll find that you are encouraged in return!

Readers who are not bloggers often don't realize the impact of a comment or don't even realize just how to leave a comment!  Bloggers - make it easy for your readers!  Make sure your comments link is easy to find and try to avoid the word verification if possible.  Sometimes bloggers name their comments something else - that could be confusing if you're not a blogger.  As far as word verification, I know many bloggers who simply will not comment if word verification is present and others who can't do it if reading on a smart phone.  Blogs have spam filters now that work quite well.  Also, you can set up comments on posts older than 14 days (that's what I use) to be approved first.  I find that most spammers make their attempts on older posts - so their comments never get published on my blog (that gives me so much satisfaction - LOL).  You can disagree with me friends (do share your opinion on it in the comments) - but I say give up the word verification!

Let's spend some time commenting on blogs over this next week!  You can leave a longer comment on a post that touches/moves you or just say you stopped by to say hi and keep up the good work!  I'm including the list of bloggers here that have been commenting on my Encouraging Bloggers series and bloggers that have been supportive on Twitter too.

Here's what I would love for all of us to do:  Leave comments on at least 3 blogs that could use a little encouragement (either blogs from this list or other smaller blogs or struggling blogs that you find - that means not Pioneer Woman - LOL) and leave a comment here telling me which 3 blogs you commented on!  I have a little surprise to reward you for encouraging others - one of you lovelies who does this and leaves a comment will win a $5 Starbucks card (if you're out of the USA & deprived of Starbucks, then we'll figure out some other $5 gift for you)!!!  You have through next Wednesday 10/12 to git r' done!  :)

**Giveaway Closed - Congrats to Lisa!**

Blogs that have commented/tweeted on this series (thank you to all of you for your great input and encouragement)...

~ Homesteader's Heart
~ Joyful Hearts and Faces
~ She Thinks Too Much 
~ Here's My Cup Lord
~ Triple Braided
~ The Magoos News
~ Fill My Cup...With Beauty
~ Sunnyside Fun
~ The Tablet of My Heart
~ A Walk Along The Way
~ Eight Acres of Eden
~ The Cozy Nook
~ Busy Lil Homemaker
~ Splashin' Glory
~ My Freshly Brewed Life
~ Sweet & Savory
~ A Heart Surrendered
~ Honest & Truly 
~ Unpaved Roads
~ Pennies and Blessings
~ Teri Lynne Underwood
~ The Creative Raccoon

I know several of you are great about leaving comments and I applaud you!!  For the rest of us - what keeps us from leaving a comment?  Are we trying to keep up with too many blogs?  Do you leave less comments now than you did when you were a beginning blogger?  Are you a non-blogging reader that isn't sure how to leave comments?  If so, just click down below (below "Posted by") right where it says a number of "comments", scroll down to the comment box, type your comment in the box, then choose your identity - you can even sign in as anonymous and just include your name within the comment - then click on Publish Comment!

Go forth and comment!!  Have a great and encouraging day friends!

You Know You Want Some ~ Carmelized Apples With Nut Topping

This is an easy recipe that you can do on your stovetop.  So deliciously Fall - you must give it a try!  It's scrumptious.  :)  Come on over to Pennies and Blessings to get my recipe.  See you there! 

Have a great Fall day friends!

10 Lessons We Could Learn From A Retirement Home

Last month my son and I went to visit my Dad (in Montana) for a week.  He recently moved in to a retirement home, so we stayed there with him, ate meals there, etc.  I kind of enjoyed staying there actually!  And I noticed a few things that I think us younger folks could learn from the retirement home...

1.  Slow down.  Life definitely moves at a slower pace in the retirement home and that's OK!  It's nice to avoid the hustle and bustle of life sometimes.  People are calm, not frazzled.  It's nice to be around.  Sometimes it's good to take your time and you know...stop and smell the chocolates.  ;)

2.  Make eye contact and say hello.  Every time you pass somebody, you smile and say hello.  Wouldn't it be nice if we did that more often (other than people thinking we were a little strange - LOL)?

3.  Eat slowly.  Meals in the dining room are served in courses and you wait while other tables are served.  It helps you eat slower and not eat as much!  And you feel free to sit and enjoy the conversation at your table.  We might not be able to do that for every meal in our homes, but maybe we can make it a priority for one meal a day. 

4.  Dress nicely and modestly. You're not allowed to wear sweats/lounge wear/tank tops to the meals in the dining room and you can't wander the halls in PJ's or robes.  It does make everything feel a little more special when everybody has put some effort and thought into their clothing.  I know I've become lazy with clothing and could use a reminder that lounge wear really should just be for curling up on the couch in the evening or for a sick day.

5.  Be considerate of others.  It's simple - think of others first.  Be considerate when driving, when talking, when shopping, when eating, etc.  Remember J.O.Y. (Jesus first, Others next, Yourself last)?  That's always a good reminder.  I get stuck in "me" mode sometimes.

6.  Stay active. The retirement home offers lots of activities - walking, exercise classes, pool table, card playing, Wii golf and bowling, armchair volleyball (Dad likes that one), horse shoes, movies, barbecues, and more.  Don't just sit - do something!  I've been feeling much better since I've started working out 5-6 times a week since I don't have much else in the way of activity.

7.  Meet new people.  You're always meeting somebody new in the hallway or during an activity.  You can sit at different tables in the dining room and meet new people there too.  It's good to put yourself out there and make some new acquaintances.  It helps you (me) brush up on those rusty social skills and maybe make some new friends!

8.  Have a little fun every day! There's something to enjoy every day - whether it's chatting with others, gardening, working on hobbies, reading a good book, or laughing with friends.  Take some time to "play" each day!

9.  Don't let your age define you.  There are many ages represented in the retirement home.  The oldest lady is 104 and shows up for every meal.  The lady who keeps up the beautiful gardens with little to no help is in her 90's.  The guy who takes the lid off the pepper shaker to pour it over and cover his eggs is in his late 80's.  You're only old when you decide you're old!  Now my Dad considers many of the people in the retirement home old but doesn't consider himself old - and he will turn 81 in a couple of months.  :)

10.  Don't run on the stairs.  :)   There are signs on one indoor flight of stairs emphasizing NO RUNNING on the stairs and to be quiet while in the stairwell.  We did giggle a bit at the idea of older folks running and shouting on the stairs - LOL.  But then my dad actually did run loudly down the stairs to embarrass us and said he would point his finger at my son if anybody said anything.  Well about the 3rd time he did that, somebody looked out at us from the apartment next to the stairs!  Dad went over, apologized, tried to explain that he was doing it to scare us, and said it wouldn't happen again.  LOLOL!!!

It's a list of 10, so you know I'm linking it up to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda!  Check out all the other Top Ten's there!

Do you have any more lessons to add?  Let's hear 'em!

Have a great day friends!  And hey, look at me - took me all day of writing in between homeschooling & everything else, but by evening I finally squeezed in a post - LOL!  :)

Entenmann's Big Book of Baking {Review}

Most of us know that Entenmann's has been making delicious baked goods for years.  You know that if you buy something in an Entenmann's box from the store - it's sure to be moist and delicious!  They have just come out with a cookbook and of course I had to try it out!

Entenmann's Big Book of Baking is a combination of original recipes for baked goods inspired by their products and recipes that use Entenmann's baked goods from the store to create new delights!  Most of the recipes in the book sound delicious to me! And the pictures really are drool-worthy.  In the Almost Homemade section, I can't stop drooling over the Cafe Caramel Tiramisu made using Entenmann's frosted donuts - um, yum.  :)  There are plenty of recipes to make from scratch too.  There are donuts, muffins, cakes, pies, and more.  I could see myself baking all the way through this cookbook.  I could also see myself "outgrowing" some more clothes if I did that - LOL!

I did try out the Loaf Cake with Orange Glaze.  Yum!  It was so moist and delicious with just the right amount of orange flavor.  It was like having an orange sponge cake, but in loaf form so it was much easier to slice up and share!  To be honest, I found a couple of errors in this recipe - nothing that ruined it, just a couple minor ingredients that were listed but got left out in the directions.  I always carefully read recipes so I caught this and didn't leave anything out (it still would have been good).  And I do find errors in cookbooks all the time, so that doesn't keep me away.

Since it's Fall, I really want to try the Pumpkin Crumb Cake recipe.  But I also want to try the Lemon Sponge Pie.  BUT then there's the White Chocolate Mocha Cake.  Decisions, decisions.  :)

You can order Entenmann's Big Book of Baking through Amazon, though it looks like it's temporarily out-of-stock (you can still pre-order).  The book is also available through iTunes for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.  If you go to Entenmann's Facebook page, then to the Big Book of Baking section and click "Like", you'll get a free download for a few of the recipes from the book!  If you're a fan of Entenmann's, you can find them on Twitter too.

Disclosure:  I received a free digital copy of Entenmann's Big Book of Baking to review if I wished.  As always, my opinions are my own! 

Have a wonderful day friends!