Grateful Prayer | Thankful Heart

Pistachio Nut Cake

By Lorraine

 
I had been wanting to try this cake recipe from my sweet blogging friend, Mildred.
I baked one up Saturday morning to take to Jamie’s that afternoon.
After enjoying her delicious meal of Crock Pot Pulled Barbecue Chicken, coleslaw and onion rings, Josh made us coffee with his French press and we relaxed at the table with dessert.
Well, we relaxed.
They scurried about tending to their five energetic cherubs!
 
 
The youngest energetic cherub enjoyed getting in front of the camera lens as I tried to snap a few photos of the cake.
 
 
Cambrie also helped me unload load the dishwasher.
This little 14 month peanut is a fearless and constant climber.
Those very short legs do not hinder her from scaling the highest heights.
 
Here is the recipe for the cake that is just as delicious as Mildred says.
But even better than the cake is a story associated with the author of the cookbook and my dear friend, Mildred.  It is a must read story! Thank you, Mildred, for sharing it. ♥
 
 
 

Pistachio Nut Cake

slightly adapted from: A Measure of Love by Linda Martin

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 18-oz box white cake mix
  • 1 small pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix – dry
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 3/4 cup chocolate syrup
 
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients except chocolate syrup. 
Beat 5 minutes at medium speed of mixer. 
Pour 2/3 of batter into a prepared Bundt cake pan. 
Add chocolate syrup to remaining batter and mix. 
Pour over batter in pan. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.
 
Glaze (Optional)

Raider’s Breakfast Dance

By Lorraine


Here are just a few of the unique antics of our much loved
miniature schnauzer:

 
* He has an internal clock… he awakes each morning at almost the exact time (within a few minutes). No alarm clocks needed here!
 
 * After rousing John & I and heading down stairs, he heads to the kitchen where he begins his spinning ritual as his food is being scooped from its container.  It’s two circles around then leaping and skipping to his bowl. He takes his first bite and stops until he hears the opening of the dishwasher (which is unloaded while he eats and prior to his first walk of the day). Only after the click of the door opening does he resume eating his bowl of food.
 
 * He loves popcorn and sits, staring intently up at the microwave while the popping occurs. He sits at attention, staring intently at those eating popcorn hoping for the occasional piece tossed his way.  He is able to snatch most pieces in mid-air even though some family members with sadistic tendencies make him do acrobatic maneuvers for each kernel tossed.
 
* He LOVES fruit! Even when he is alone in the kitchen he will stand by the counter where the bananas are stored making strange throaty sounds indicating his desire. No matter how quietly I take the vegetable peeler from the drawer, he comes running from the far reaches of the house in hopes there will be apples or other fruit peeled and shared with him. He loves all fruit with the exception of citrus. He also loves carrots.
 
* He has lots of toys but his favorite is a little cow that vibrates when it’s string is pulled. Raider holds the end of the string with his teeth and shakes his head until he pulls the string and causes the moving action. When told to go find ‘cow’ he will usually find it and bring it back to play.
 
* He does ‘rolly-polly’ by rolling on his back for belly rubs.
 
* He is a great traveler even on long trips. He does not, however, like the toll takers and snarls most unkindly at them.
 
* He gets more comfortable that any other creature I have known. He seeks out all pillows and has been known to squeeze his little self precariously on the smallest of  them. If there was a stack of pillows he would do all in his ability to get to the top. 
 
*He likes to play “hide and seek”. One of us hides and he seeks. I think he uses his sight more than his sense of smell because sometimes he has a hard time finding the hidden person.
♥
did I mention how much I love this dog!

Flowers Family and Fun

By Lorraine

Jamie and her family drove up to NY to spend a couple of days with her
twin sister Jill her family.
Four adults and 8 children filled their little house with lots of crazy love!

Here are pictures of their time together.



All of our grandchildren except our oldest, Jared.

Jamie and family got home Saturday night and asked us to join them for Easter morning church service at the Haddonfield Campus. Afterward we headed to their house and shared a bucket of KFC and this bunny cake I made for dessert.
Click Bunny Cake for the directions.

With a Grateful Prayer…

By Lorraine

…and a Thankful Heart. Yes, that is the name of my blog and it is also how we are feeling as an answer to a long awaited prayer has come. We are most grateful and thankful to the One whose promises never fail.
God… acts on behalf of those who wait for him
Isaiah 64:4
ā™„
I so resonate with this song by Tenth Avenue North. I have had many moments with the same plea as we waited.
Even when it didn’t feel like it, He continued to

Hold My Heart

“There are times when things look very dark to me — so dark that I have to wait even for hope. A long-deferred fulfillment carries its own pain, but to wait for hope, to see no glimmer of a prospect & yet refuse to despair; to have nothing but night before the casement & yet to keep the casement open for possible stars; to have a vacant place in my heart & yet to allow that place to be filled by no inferior presence — that is the grandest patience in the universe.

George Matheson
March 27, 1842 – August 28, 1906

Joining Mary @Little Red House for Mosaic Monday!
(The pretty hydrangea in the mosaic above was a Valentine’s Day gift from my husband)

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