Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

It's been busy! I wanted to share a gluten free recipe I tried out last week. The picture is of one that was frozen and defrosted for my son this morning. I can't believe I am saying this, but these are the BEST banana - chocolate chip muffins ever!! They are super moist and not too banana tasting. They even taste great after being frozen. My son is extremely picky when it comes to food. He doesn't like too much banana taste and he doesn't like the nuts. Plus, he has to have chocolate chips in everything sweet! They can be made in any shape pan you would like. I got this recipe from Nearly Normal Cooking for Gluten-Free Eating by Jules Shepard. If you are on a gf diet, I highly recommend this book and any recipe by her. Every one that I have tried has tasted great. My family loves them and my son is the only one that has to be on the diet. I did modify the recipe, and I will include the modifications in parentheses. Enjoy!

Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter or shortening (I used shortening, next time I will try butter)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Nearly Normal Gluten-Free Flour Mix (I used Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour mixed with 3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum)
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder (I actually didn't have this on hand, so I used 1 tsp Cornstarch)
dash of salt
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed, rip banana (My son doesn't like a strong banana flavor, so I used the smallest, ripe banana I had)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional, I used chocolate chips)
1/2 cup berries  (optional, picky son = do not use)

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cream the butter or shortening and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the butter mixture. Blend well before adding the sour cream, vanilla and banana. Add the nuts and berries, if using, just before pouring into greased loaf pans or muffin tins.

Bake for approximatley 1 hour - less if using smaller pans. Test with a cake tester before removing from the oven to cool.

*Remember to always use confirmed Gluten Free food items.

Future Days

This week has been so revealing to me. God has removed so many of my fears and replaced them with His hope and love. This nation has made destructive decisions and I wonder if it could get any worse. The truth is that it will. But the fruit of the Spirit is peace. Peace in turmoil. I know my God. He has great plans for His children. He is Lord of the righteous and unrighteous. Matthew 13:15 reminds me of our nation: "For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." Most of our leaders and people in this nation have closed their hearts to God. Much like the prodigal child. And I pray earnestly that they will return, but I know that their lives will have to be shaken. Our nation will be shaken and when we drop to our knees and turn to Christ we will be healed. We should not fear this. This doesn't mean that we allow ourselves to be run over. We remain obedient to God and trust Him to take care of the rest. I am dissappointed with the decisions of our leaders, but I do not fear the future. Our Lord knows the plans he has and His plans always work for His glory. Jeremiah 29:12-14 "'Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you.' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.'"

RADICAL

I am almost done with this sermon series and it makes me kind of sad. Sad, because I don't want the change to end. I don't want the old me to return. Feeling the Holy Spirit alive in you is the greatest feeling. Anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ must watch this series. This man is obviously anointed. It will radically change you. Click HERE.

My Testimony

This is my story. This is where I started and where I gave myself up to Christ. I had a complete family for the first seven years of my life. At that time my mother decided she didn't want to work things out with my father and they divorced. Being so young I don't know everything that happened to cause her to believe she needed to leave. I only know pieces of the story and they have come only from my father. I have never talked to my mother about her decision to leave and the only words she offered were, "It was better for you that I left." Now it is too late for me to get any answers from her. She passed away from colon cancer at the age of 48 in 2006. This is something that I am still going through.

My father took care of me and my brother. He made all the sacrifices and tried to offer us the best life he possibly could. And he did. He is a wonderful father and did more for me than I even needed or wanted. When I was young I was taken to First Baptist Church in Yuma, AZ. My brother occasionally went, but I mostly went alone. I was baptized at about eight years of age and I knew all about God. During those many years at church I met my best friend (definitely chosen by God) MG who was in a similar, but worse, situation as me. She, above anyone, has taught me about true, Godly friendship. I was spoiled, made very good grades, and had so much "potential." I saw my mother occasionally (she lived in the same town), but mostly resented her for her life choices. Her and my brother were very close, but we were very distant. I graduated high school and went to college unprepared. I thought I would be very successful in college, but it was difficult being away from home. I wanted something more and I turned to everything except Christ. I thought the world would fill my emptiness. I was very wrong. I left college and went back home. My father was disappointed with this but allowed me to make my own choices.