Guest Post: The Queen Mommy/Hershey's Best Brownies

Prior to my husband's recent accident, we had planned to spend the last 3 weeks of Feb. in Florida enjoying sunshine and fellowship with special friends. We cancelled that trip, but I had already been planning on sharing some guest posts with you while I had planned to be gone.  Every Tuesday this month I will present to you to a special blogging friend. (BTW - my hubs is recovering miraculously! Hallelujah!)

{I'm rather partial to this first gal...}

TA-DA! 

I'd like to introduce you all to someone that I've known since the very day she was born...my very own daughter, Debbie Jo,

AKA - The Queen Mommy

She's an amazing gal and my hero in so many ways. She's taught me more in life than she'll ever know. I love her dearly and am so pleased & proud to share her with you here. She sorta 'bugged' me til I finally began blogging...'my wind beneath my wings'.

I also wanted to share this link to one of Deb's recent posts...very interesting info.

The Benefits of Eating Chocolate!

Take it away Debber.....

SILLY QUEEN MOMMY! *-*

Hello to all my mom's blogging buds....

I'm Debbie Taylor, author of Finding Grace & Glory in a messy life story , a Right-Brained woman who loves God, her husband, and her three children. When I'm not washing dishes or laundry or playing tea party with my daughters, I can be found blogging, journaling, or reading. I am a devoted fan of coffee & tea and enjoy interacting with other Christian wives & moms. I write about family & home, faith & food, marriage & parenting...

This is a favorite dessert - and it's chocolate! Simple to make and so easy to eat.....and eat.

HERSHEY'S BEST BROWNIES

1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 cup unsifted all purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (I love using Dutch processed cocoa!)

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square pan. (Put on some coffee while you're at it, cuz these babies are awesome!)

Blend oil or melted butter, sugar and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and beat well with a spoon. In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Gradually stir into the egg mixture. Add nuts if desired.

Spread in greased 9 inch square pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool.

Or not. Feel free to grab a fork and start eating around the edges.

These are fantastic without frosting, but you can frost at will!

Thanks for sharing Debber!! Please be sure to stop by and visit her blog.

Leader Enterprise - January 18 2012

I want to extend great big THANK YOU'S to all of you who have prayed our 6-year old grandson Caden. Earlier this month, he finished 3+ long years of treatment for leukemia. What a special milestone! He's doing great and enjoying kindergarten. We have so much to be thankful for. A friend in this area told me about a year ago that he visits a lot of churches, and every church he'd ever been in had Caden's name on their prayer list. We believe in the power of prayer. There aren't words to express how much we appreciate you who took time to encourage our family along this long journey. We don't always understand why God allows little children to suffer, but I do know that He works in the hearts of those around them to increase our faith and hold us up. It's a stark reminder that we need to be thankful for today and live life to its fullest because no one is promised tomorrow. 

Because I am determined to shed a few pounds in the new year, I have been scouring the internet and going through my piles of 'healthy food choices' info and recipes. I need something in print so when I need encouragement, I can reread something that already inspired me, and I need healthy recipes available and handy. NOW.

We all know the ‘rules’ for losing weight: Eat less and exercise more. But it’s truly harder than it sounds. So we need some guidelines. Things like these help me and I hope they help inspire you too: Don’t guess at calories. Use nutrition labels and make sure you look at the number of portions. Super-sized dishes aren’t a good value if they get you to eat more than your body needs. When eating out, order small dishes,share larger ones or set aside a portion to take home before you begin eating. At home, try serving food on smaller plates and bowls. When your plate is empty-you're finished. Don't allow yourself to have seconds. Consider every bite you're putting in your mouth. Don't eat out of habit. Mindless eating can pack on the pounds. Get active. I 've been trying to get some kind of exercise for atleast 35 minutes 5 times a week. It really helps me feel better and gives me more energy. Park your car far from the store door or walk up and down stairs. Just get moving.

Here are a few ideas I've read on the net and have printed them so I can be reminded of them often too.

1.Treat high-calorie foods as jewels in the crown. Make a spoonful of ice cream the jewel and a bowl of fruit the crown. Balance a little cheese with a lot of salad.

2.Track everything you eat. Carry a little notebook with you to write down everything that you consume, even water, for atleast a week. It helps you get a birdseye view of just how many calories you are consuming. Studies have shown that folks who keep food diaries end up eating about 15% less food than those who don't.

3.Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. That sounds like a great idea doesn't it? Studies have shown that even if you eat the same number of calories over the day but in smaller portions, your body releases less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps control hunger. It's vital that you eat breakfast.

4.Use vegetables to bulk up your meals. Enjoy stir fries or omelets that satisfy by adding veggies. Add broccoli, carrots and tomatoes to pasta salads, using light dressing. Veggies add fiber, which makes you feel full faster and longer.

5.Eat only when your stomach is growling. It's so easy to reach for snacks out of bordem or frustation. Sometimes it feels good when I get hungry because I don't allow it to happen often enough. UGH!

6.Stock your fridge with lowfat yogurt. Studies show that people who cut 500 calories a day and ate yogurt 3 times a day for 12 weeks lost more weight and body fat than a group that only cut the calories. The calcium in low-fat dairy foods triggers a hormonal response that inhibits the body's production of fat cells and boosts the breakdown of fat. I love Greek yogurt because it's thick and adds protein to my diet.

OK- I realize I'm 'preaching to the choir' in these things because I certainly need these reminders myself. I do hope you find something in those lists to help steer you in the right direction in this new year too.

I love the ease and versatility of using sugar free puddings. I was happy to find these recipes in my files and thought I'd share these simple ideas you can use to 'dress up' sugar free puddings.

WHITE CHOCOLATE ORANGE MOUSSE
1-1/2 c. skim milk
1 sm. pkg. (4-serv.) sugar free instant white chocolate pudding mix
2 c. lite or fat free Cool Whip
1 tsp. grated orange peel or 1/2 tsp.orange extract

Pour milk and pudding mix into bowl; whisk for 1 minute. Gently stir in Cool Whip and orange peel.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

WATERGATE SALAD
1 sm. pkg. (4-serv.) pistachio sugar free instant pudding mix
1 (8 ozs) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 (8 ozs) container vanilla lowfat yogurt
2 c. Cool Whip (Fat Free)
2 c. mini marshmallows, optional (fat free)
In large bowl, combine pudding mix with pineapple; stir until smooth.Add yogurt; blend.Gently stir in Cool Whip and marshmallows. Chill until ready to serve.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE FLUFF
1 sm. pkg. (4-serv.) sugar free instant chocolate pudding mix
1 sm.pkg. (4-serv.) sugar free instant white chocolate pudding mix
2-1/2 c. skim milk
1-12 ozs. tub Cool Whip Free
1/2 c. coconut
1/2 c. chopped pecans

In large bowl, add both boxes of pudding, then add milk and whisk until thick. Fold in Cool Whip, then blend in coconut and pecans. Chill-or eat immediately - but be sure to save some for the rest of the family.

CAPPUCCINO FLUFF
2 c. skim milk
1 Tb. instant coffee granules
1 sm. pkg. (4-serv.)instant vanilla (or choc) pudding mix
2 c. Cool Whip Free
ground cinnamon, to taste, optional

Pour milk and instant coffee into medium bowl; blend until dissolved. Add pudding mix; whisk for 2 minutes until well blended. Fold in Cool Whip. Refrigerate atleast 1 hour before serving. When serving, top with a few cinnamon sprinkles. Yield: 6 servings

Leader Enterprise - Feb. 1, 2012

I write a food column bi-monthly for the Montpelier, Ohio Leader Enterprise.   I've fallen WAAAY behind in keeping them posted at my blog, but I'm hoping to begin sharing my columns the Monday after they are printed, and link them to my Leader Enterprise Columns page.  I'm so sorry that some of you have looked for this page, but couldn't find them. Honestly, I'm not real sure how to publish them, then link them up, but am trying to start to get caught up in this process.  Thank you for your patience.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner! It's a favorite holiday of mine, and believe it's more than just a special day for lovers. It's a reminder to express and show our love for anyone we care about: parents, siblings, friends, family of our hearts, etc. It's also a great reason to enjoy chocolate.


I know of one friend who doesn't like chocolate. I have a hundred friends that do. I am always thrilled for Valentine's Day to come around after I've been working at trying to stick with dropping pounds in the new year. This is like 'vacation time' to enjoy a little more chocolate because it's a holiday. Trust you will delight in a few bites of wonderful chocolate, in one form or another, this month. It's 'good mood' food!

I found this nutritional information about chocolate at www.allchocolate.com:

"There's no getting around it-chocolate is high in fat and calories. But eaten in moderation, chocolate can easily fit into a healthy, balanced diet. The most important factor to consider with chocolate, as with all foods, is to balance the amount of calories you consume with the amount you burn. New dietary guidelines stress the importance of portion control and exercise to maintain a healthy weight. The guidelines also allow for a minimum of about 200 discretionary calories a day (that number increases if you exercise regularly). An average chocolate bar has about 200 calories.

"Diet is not a verb", says Debra Miller, Ph.D., Hershey's nutritionist and health expert. "It's everything you take into your body-and not just for a day, but over a week, a month and your lifetime."

A far as treats go, chocolate is a good one. Dark chocolate and cocoa can provide many health benefits, particularly for your heart. Milk chocolate can provide calcium, which is good for your bones. And despite its saturated fat content, eating chocolate does not raise your cholesterol. "Chocolate in its original form is a plant," Miller said. "It's hard to go wrong eating plants. "So enjoy-in moderation. Just like everything else in your life."

Hope you enjoy these awesome chocolate recipes. We enjoy this cobbler warm with ice cream or whipped topping.


CHOCOLATE CINNAMON COBBLER

1 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1-1/4 c. sugar, divided

6 TB. baking cocoa, divided

1/2 c. buttermilk

2 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. melted margarine

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. hot water

In a mixing bowl place: flour, baking powder, salt, 3/4 C. Sugar, 3 TB. cocoa, buttermilk, margarine & cinnamon beat well. Spread into an ungreased 9x9 pan. In a different bowl mix the remaining cocoa, sugar, brown sugar with a dash of cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter. Pour the water over top. Do not stir. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Recipe can be doubled to make a 13x9 panfull.

This next recipe has been a popular one at my blog. It's delicious and so nice to serve warm brownies (with ice cream?) for dessert. TIP: When I bake desserts in the crockpot, I first lay 2 paper towels over the top of the crock before placing on the lid. It catches the moisture that would otherwise fall onto your dessert top.

CROCKPOT BROWNIES

8 ozs. (1 cup) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

(I used extra dark chocolate chips)

1/2 c. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 c. sugar (can use half Splenda)

3 large eggs (or 5 egg whites)

1 c.nuts, chopped,optional

1 c. chocolate chips

1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Coat inside of your crockpot (I used 3-qt.) with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper (or waxed paper) and coat top of the paper with cooking spray. Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave, stirring after 30 second intervals, until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar and mix well. Add egg;blend til smooth. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Pour into prepared crockpot and smooth top. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Uncover and cook 30 more minutes. Insert a knife edge around brownies to loosen and place the crock (if you have one) on a cooling rack to cool for 20-30 minutes. Turn out brownies on cooling rack to continue cooling.
This hot chocolate recipe is simple, easy to double, or triple, and makes a great warm-you-up on a cold winter's day. Enjoying it makes you feel so pampered! Yield:1 serving

HOT CHOCOLATE WITH MARSHMALLOW CREME

1 c. 2% milk

4 Tb. heavy whipping cream (or fat free half and half)

2 Tb. light brown sugar

dark chocolate candy

Heat first 3 ingredients together over medium heat until mixture bubbles around edges. Remove from heat and add 2 ozs.finely chopped chocolate of your choice. Whisk gently until chocolate is melted and well combined. You may adjust chocolate amount to your liking. Top with marshmallow cream and chocolate shavings.

{Paula Deen's} Pineapple Upside Down Biscuits

This is a taste treat our family enjoys for our holiday brunches.

We were all thankful when daughter Deb introduced us to these wonderful little bites of YUM!

These are sure to fly off the plate as it's hard to stop at one!

Give them a try - your family will think you're the greatest!

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN BISCUITS

1 (10 ozs) can crushed pineapple

1/2 c. light brown sugar

(Splenda brown sugar worked for me)

1/4 c. butter, room temperature

10 maraschino cherries

1 (12 ozs) can buttermilk biscuits (10 in pkg)

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease 10 cups in a muffin tin.  Drain pineapple; reserve juice.  Combine pineapple, brown sugar and butter;mix well.  Divide pineapple mixture evenly among muffin cups.  Place a cherry in the center of each muffin cup, making sure the top of the cherry touches the bottom of the tin.

Place 1 biscuit in each cup on top of pineapple mixture.  Spoon 1 tsp. reserved pineapple juice over top of each biscuit.  Bake 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool 2 minutes; invert pan onto platter to release biscuits.  Serve warm.

Linked to Mix it up Monday
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                Breakfast Ideas Monday
   Weekend Potluck
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Best Ever Breakfast Casserole!

If you're looking for an impressive dish to serve for brunch or breakfast, especially to a crowd, look no farther!

This has sausage gravy on the bottom...a layer of scrambled eggs...and another layer of sausage gravy, topped with cut up biscuits! What a hardy way to begin the day!

Of course, it would be wonderful for any meal too.

DEEEEEE - LISSSSSSHH!

(I'm having to wipe the drool from my chin just typing this up and reviewing the photos!)

This is another awesome recipe I snagged from my good friend, Tonya at 4 Little Fergusons. Tonya does a lot of great cooking for her family and for others as well. If you haven't ever visited her blog, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE take a peek.  You won't be sorry!

{The only 'problem' is that you'll have a hard time leaving...}

You may have seen her name here before because I've made quite a few of her fabulous dishes.

As Tonya says...this dish will make any man weak in the knees! =)

I easily halved this recipe as I'm only feeding 2 of us.

I'm adding Tonya's photo also because you can get a better idea what it really looks like...

BEST BREAKFAST CASSEROLE EVER!

1 (12 ozs) package pork sausage, your favorite flavor

8 Tb. butter, divided 

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

4 c. milk

1 (3 ozs) (cooked) packet bacon pieces 
(or 6 pieces, cooked & crumbled)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 dozen eggs

1 (5 ozs) can evaporated milk 

1/2 tsp. salt

2 – 8 oz. cans refrigerated biscuits, flaky buttermilk, cut Into quarters (It is VERY important you get no more than 16 oz. of biscuits on the top of this dish or you will have doughy biscuits!)

Heat oven to 350 degrees (F).

In a large saucepan, crumble and brown sausage. Drain off fat and set aside. In the same large pan, melt 6 tablespoons butter. Add flour and milk, whisking until smooth. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add sausage, bacon pieces and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, evaporated milk and salt. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture and cook until softly scrambled.

Pour 1/3 of sausage mixture into lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2 pan. Top with egg mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sausage mixture.

Place cut biscuits on top of the (hot) casserole with points facing upwards. Bake uncovered for 20 – 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated and biscuits are golden brown.

GO GETTUM!!!

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