Do-Si-Do's

Good news, only 106 days till Girl Scout Cookie season.
But you probably already knew that. Don't you keep a "countdown till cookie season" marked on your calendar right next to the dog grooming appointments and dentist visits? We are talking about cookies here! And not just any cookies. Girl Scout Cookies. The creme-de-la-creme of the boxed cookie. Thin mints. Samoas. Tagalongs. Do-Si-Do's. Not Shortbreads... they are kind of the ugly duckling of the Girl Scout Cookie line-up. But ask any cookie lover and they'll tell you that the rest are certainly countdown worthy.
By this time in the year you have probably been out of these prized little treats for quite some time. (That is unless you have a box of thin mints frozen in your freezer. And of course there is no shame in that.) If you are a cookie lover and a Girl Scout Cookie hoarder then the simple act of just recalling the names of these famous little cookies probably has your mouth watering.
Well, dear cookie lover, don't fear, you do not have to wait 106 days to have your Girl Scout Cookie sweet tooth satisfied. You can bake up your own, homemade, from scratch cookie that will knock the jade green vest off every little girl in your local troop. With your own hand crafted freshly baked cookies you could start a revolution, bringing Do-Si-Do's to the cookie jar all year round. Who needs a countdown when you have a kitchen? Who needs a box when you could bake instead?
Get rid of that countdown. Scratch of the next 106 days of waiting off your calendar. The cookies are here...today! All you have to do is bake them.
You can get started by checking out this recipe for homemade Do-Si-Do's. You will never long for another box of mass produced peanut butter and oat sandwich cookies again.

Romans 15:13 Ministry Week #1

Baking on the Fritz has had a blessing territory expansion! Fritz (me) is not only baking to keep my family fat and happy but now I'm baking for a ministry - a real, honest to goodness Christian ministry that reaches out to inner-city women.
If it were proper literary terminology I'd write "wahooo!" to express my excitement that way but because that isn't exactly proper English or even a word found in the dictionary I'll refrain. Just know that it is in that spirit that I announce this latest baking development.

You may be wondering how I went from baking simply as a way to keep my family in an abundance of sweets to baking for a weekly ministry. I could embellish some elaborate story about how my baked goods happened to be tasted by a pastry chef who was blown away by the crumb of my cookies and the delicate sweetness of my cream cheese frosting.
I could then think up a story about how that pastry chef was best friends with a director of a ministry outreach to inner city women and how this woman was just dying to have homemade baked goods to treat the women to each week when they came to Bible study. I could say that this pastry chef looked at me and said, "You must bake for them! I insist on it!" And then I could tell you that this pastry chef took me to the ministry director and presented me and my baked goods, giving his blessing to my baking ministry endeavor.
But that would be completely made up. What I would call a lie. So I'll just tell you the truth.
I emailed the ministry director and asked if I could bake for the women's Bible study that meets each week. She said yes and the rest is history.

Although my foray into baking ministry doesn't have an elaborate story it does have a meaningful beginning. Sometimes God doesn't throw a pastry chef at you and tell you to start baking up blessings. Sometimes you have to take the first step and reach out!
God planted in me this love to bake and has given my body the stamina to stand all day in the kitchen without fatigue. Over these past few months the call to bake for the spreading of Christ's love has grown stronger and stronger. I sat on the idea for a while praying over how to proceed and if to proceed. It was after that period of contemplation that I decided to take a leap of faith and offer what I have to give, my baking.
Can words explain how thrilled I am that my baking ministry was welcomed? I'm beyond thrilled!

Yesterday was my first day of baked goods delivery. I made three treats: pumpkin cookies with a vanilla glaze, blackberry oat bars and apple cherry oat bars. I covered all my treats in foil and wrote on the top "Romans 15:13."

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I'm filling people's bellies with treats made by hand, made from scratch and made with love. But more importantly I want to share with them the joy, peace and love found in Jesus Christ. I want them to be full not just on cookies and cake but on the power of the Holy Spirit. 

I don't know what God has in store for Baking on the Fritz. And that's the most exciting thing about this whole baking adventure. I have no idea where it's going! All I know is that next week I'm going to be baking for a room full of women who are opening up their Bible's (maybe for the very first time) to hear about their creator and savior.
Through baking God is showing me that I don't have to venture off into foreign lands and third world countries to be smack dab in the middle of God's territory and God's mission field. This might be right where he wants me, in my kitchen baking up blessings for the society right outside my door. I'm trusting where God leads, embracing the task set before me to spread the love of Christ one baked up treat at a time. 

To find the recipes I used to bake up these goods follow the links below!

Oat bars: Better Homes and Gardens New CookBook

Pumpkin cookies:http://cookingwithruthie.com/2012/11/09/thee-best-pumpkin-cookies/

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

This morning I had four little reasons to start baking. Their names are Lucas, Hailey, Eliot and Juliette. They are four of my ten nieces and nephews and this morning they came over for a babysitting date with Grandma (my Mom) while their Mom's had a morning out with yours truly, the childless sister-in-law.
The kids in my life are one of the primary reasons I bake. It is how I bless them. On days when my leg is flaring (like today) and my digestion leaves me house bound (way too often) I can still impact the lives of those adorable little kids by baking treats they'll love.
Little Eliot is one of my biggest fans. When I pull into the drive way, open his front and walk in with a tray, plate or tin full of the latest goodie he always comes running asking in the cutest little voice you've ever heard, "What did you bake today, Stephie?" He always uses my name and is always the first to dig into whatever dessert I have on hand. I don't think anyone loves what I bake as much as Eliot.
This morning got busy in the kitchen. I woke up knowing that by ten o'clock I wanted to have a special treat baked and ready for the kids to enjoy when they arrived. Eliot would be excited to see what sugary surprise I had in store and the rest of the kids would be more than willing to dig into a cookie at ten in the morning.
In an attempt to keep this dessert semi-healthy (a stretch to say the least) I decided to stick with an oatmeal cookie. This is a faux Archway cookie. It is a classic oatmeal base with a sugary glaze. Like I said, healthy is a stretch when describing this cookie. But, hey, oatmeal is healthier than chocolate chips, right? And after all this is Grandma's house. Dessert at ten in the morning isn't off limits!

So to the recipe we go! This delicious and classic treat comes courtesy of Annie Eats. You can check out her blog and the recipe at http://www.annies-eats.com/2014/09/04/iced-oatmeal-cookies/.
For a classic cookie beloved by little hands and grown ups alike I highly suggest giving this cookie a try. If you're really feeling decedent, have it for breakfast. I won't tell, and neither will Eliot. After all, he's a morning cookie lover, too.

Honey Roasted Peaches with Yogurt & Granola

Stuffed food is fun. How's that for deep and philosophical? It may be a simple, rather elementary statement, but let's face it, it's true! Who doesn't love food stuffed in another type of food? Stuffed peppers, stuffed cupcakes, stuffed tomatoes, stuffed sandwiches! In America we enjoy our food stuffed. I've even seen people stuff raspberries. Friends, that is not for the faint of heart. Raspberries are fragile and I can't imagine that stuffing them is an easy task. I have yet to take on such a feat and tonight I'm not about to try.
I am, on the other hand, going to do some stuffing of my own this evening. For me I'm choosing a larger stuffing vessel to give my two diners a more abundant filling. Dainty eaters can stick to their raspberries but in my kitchen tonight we're going big and we're going peachy!
You may be sick of peaches by now but it's summer peach season and I'm making hay while the sun shines….or baking peaches while they're in season. You get the point.
The idea for stuffed peaches came from something deeper than an affinity for stuffed food. Sure stuffed food is eye catching and almost entertaining but when I thought about what to bake tonight I started thinking on a different kind of filling and a different kind of vessel. My thoughts wandered to what I stuff myself with - and I'm not talking food. What am I really filling myself with? Am I loading on good, positive and beneficial influences? Or am I focusing on destructive fillings that cast a dark shadow on my mood and outlook on life?
Everyone is stuffed with something - be it good or bad, positive or negative. Our stuffing is bound to seep out of us and affect and influence our lives and the people in it. So we must choose our stuffing wisely. If we fill up on the destructive it only makes sense that negativity and destruction will flow from us. But if we stuff ourselves with good things, Godly things, we will shine a light that reflects Christ.
I want my peaches stuffed with oats, pecans, cinnamon and honey and I want my life stuffed with scripture, truth, joy and peace. Thankfully I get to choose what I bake in the kitchen and what I bake up in my life. I get to choose the stuffing and tonight I'm choosing to fill my life to the overflowing with all things sweet, beautiful and absolutely wonderful!

To make your own stuffed peaches is really quite simple. Here's what I did:
1. Make a batch of granola. For mine I used a cup of rolled oats, about a 1/3 cup pecans, 2 T butter (melted), 2 T honey, vanilla extract and cinnamon to taste. I tossed that altogether to coat and then spread it out on a baking sheet and baked it for about 30 minutes at 300 degrees, tossing and moving around every 10 minutes or so. I find making granola works best if it is not at all crowded on the sheet. Oats like their personal space. When the granola is turning golden remove it from the oven and let it cool (it will continue to brown on the sheet).
2. Now to the peaches. Preheat the oven to 350 and get to slicing your peach(s). Put the peaches skin sound down in a pan conducive to roasting. In the cavity of the peach put in a tab of putter and a bit of honey (the amount you use will depend on how sweet you want your peach). Pop your peaches in the oven and bake until bubbly but not burnt (about 25 minutes).
3. Remove peaches and let cool a few minutes before topping with vanilla yogurt, a dash of cinnamon and a couple TB of the granola.
4. Serve to hungry guests!