Sweet Things

I really have to say, I don't enjoy cooking. I don't really care for heavy foods. To my hubby's dismay I don't love "meat and potatoes". I would be thrilled if we could all come into agreement that cereal is sufficient 3 nights a week, cold sandwiches as a close second, and that tomato soup and grilled cheese make you feel like you just had the best meal ever! In fact, I really have to keep my attitude in line about making dinner. BUT...I love to bake! I love the way it makes my house smell...especially when it's all clean. I love the way it makes my family feel. I love to give it away. I love to have it in my house for if I get visitors. I laugh when my family walk in the door and say, "Mom did you bake us something or is that just a candle?" to which I reply, "nope, I baked for you sugar!"

I have really tried to be supportive of Erik and our budget by always having baking done for lunches. Currently, I have been baking every Sunday evening and then at least once more during the week. Besides being cost effective, and much better for my family, I find it very relaxing and I love the "warmth" it brings to our home. It's one of those things that seems to go by the wayside when our lives get so busy or when I have worked. So for me, in a way it's just another perk of being a stay at home mom.

One of my favorite things to bake is loaves, lovingly referred to as "candy bread" since Brielle was about 3 years old. We love to share "candy bread" with our friends and subsequently get asked for it by that endearing term by all the kids she grew up with. I don't have a clue now what I will be giving Matthew Vrieling for his birthday this year!

Besides recipes that have been passed along to me, my all time favorite recipe book for the last 5 years has been the "Ebenezer Family Favorites". So worth searching Lynden garage sales, or "Second Chance" or your mom's kitchen for. I would even call the school and pay full price for it...it's that good! Everything I have made from there has been fantastic. There are some really great dishes from Lynden moms. I often make the pumpkin loaf recipe. I like this particular one, because although it doesn't call for a lot of pumpkin it's a really moist loaf. And, I often have oil in my cupboard but have run out of butter. A few of you asked for me to pass it along so here it is.


3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup nuts
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup oil
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda


Cream sugar, eggs and pumpkin. Add rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into greased loaf pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Makes 2 loaves or 8 mini loaves...which are so super cute. They freeze awesome!

It was some time in the last year that my dear friend Tiffiny blogged about being faithful about making dinner. The importance of honoring our husbands by doing that. It definitely convicted me. I have a nice life staying at home. He freezes his but off all day. I am doing better. I still hate it a lot of the time. But, I see the importance so I do it...I'd still rather bake.