Grateful Prayer | Thankful Heart

Baking Ginger Crinkles Cookies

By Lorraine

Lightly spiced Ginger Crinkles are a favorite when baking cookies with kids. Crunchy and crackled outside with chewy center. Perfect for autumn.Remembering your childhood, what comes to mind when you think about autumn? Windy days and colorful trees? Raking and then  jumping into piles of leaves? Hayrides to the pumpkin patch and apple picking?

How about gingersnap cookies? Were you were lucky enough to have a mom or grandma that liked to bake and made these for you? Lightly spiced Ginger Crinkles are a favorite when baking cookies with kids. Their crunchy and crackled outside with a chewy center make them irresistible. Perfect for autumn snacking.

Light and Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

By Lorraine

Grandchildren tested and often requested: A very yummy pancake that rises high and light!

What better than a delicious pancake breakfast with your favorite three year old during a late winter snowstorm!

I received this text a couple days ago…
and, of course, I excitedly drove right over to bring Chloe here for a few days.

Because I can’t resist moments like these…

When she comes down from the nursery bedecked in her favorite dress-up clothes and her princess tiara. 

Or when she snoozed with the pup.

And keeps me company as I drive to the dog groomer.
So when Chloe asked for pancakes, I whipped up my all-time favorite recipe.

To ready us for shoveling 8 more inches of this stuff.

Fluffy Pancakes
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
cooking spray
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to “sour”.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into “soured” milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side
NOTES:
I always double recipe because it only makes about 7 pancakes. If there are leftovers, the pancakes freeze well and reheat well in the microwave. I get about 18 3-4 inch pancakes from a double recipe.
I prefer to top my pancakes with fruit but if you like, stir blueberries or chocolate chips into the batter before cooking.
Cool completely before separating between layers of waxed paper and storing in freezer bags. Heat from frozen in microwave on high for just about a minute. They taste like they were just made!

This is my go-to recipe for pancakes because they are so good any time of the year.
We even like to have them for dinner with a side of bacon or sausage.
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www.gratefulprayerthankfulheart.com

How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

By Lorraine

Begin a routine of brushing your dogs teeth for healthy gums and help prevent dental issues and costly vet fees. It is easier than you think.
Did you know February is National Pet Dental Health Month?  Neither did I. So, before February ends, it seems a perfect time to share a post I had in draft showing how to brush your dog’s teeth.  We now keep our Schnauzer’s teeth brushed and clean. Keeping your dog’s teeth clean is much easier than I thought. Scroll down to learn how to brush your dog’s teeth.

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lilacs

By Lorraine

 The sweet fragrance of lilac fills the air and it reminds me of the joy and blessing of friendship!
 It’s been a perfect couple of days after some very heavy rain this week.
The grass is green, the trees are blooming and it is really spring!
 It is also Raider’s birthday
 I think he is feeling his 11 years
 a quick selfie before heading out for another full day of yard work
my boy
❤

Ham & Split Pea Vegetable Soup

By Lorraine

Not much better than a comforting pot of soup when one wakes up and it looks like this outside the window…
  So, using a meaty ham bone I tossed into a freezer bag while cleaning up after Christmas dinner, I began by making stock.

 The bone was still frozen when I placed it into a pot with coarsely chopped veggies.

 Bring to a boil,

lower heat, cover and simmer two hours
Allow to cool, strain broth, pour into containers and refrigerate (or freeze if using later)

Ham Stock

PRINT RECIPE
large ham bone, preferable with some meat still attached
8+ cups water to almost cover
2 large carrot, sliced into large chunks
2 large onion, quartered
4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
5-10 peppercorns
No need to add salt


Directions:


Gently simmer ham bone with carrot, celery, onion, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, and water in a large pot for 2 hours. Let cool and strain, pulling off usable meat and discarding the solids.
Now, on to the soup…
I love traditional split Pea soup but hoping to appease John’s dislike of that green goodness, I made a soup using just 1 cup of dried split peas and lots of vegetables with some pasta thrown in for good measure. Basically, I used what was in the crisper drawer.  

Ham & Split Pea Vegetable Soup
Note:  remove the solidified fat from the top of the cold ham broth.  Discard or set aside for making bird suet that I will share in my next post.
10 cups Ham stock
1 cup dry split peas
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced cabbage
1 cup small pasta like shells or elbow
ham pieces cut from ham bone (if desired)
Parsley for garnish (optional)
In a large Dutch oven, bring the ham stock and peas to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer about an hour.
Add tomatoes, carrots, onion, bell pepper and cabbage; simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
Add pasta, simmer, covered 10 minutes more
Adjust seasonings, if desired
After shoveling snow, serve a nice bowlful by the fireplace…
 with a good friend

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