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An easy and delicious Breakfast / Teacher treat {6 Week Bran Muffins}

The school year for us ends in a little over 24 hours from the time I’m writing this post.  I am amazed at how quickly this school year has come and gone from our lives.  The one thing I regret is that we were in such limbo as the school year began and then as it progressed, I never took the time to do anything special for the teachers at our new school.  I prayed daily for them, but didn’t do anything beyond that.  Since tomorrow is my last chance to do this, today I’ll be writing notes and making a few “thank you” gifts for those who have tirelessly given to our children all year. 

Because my children are in Junior High, they no longer want to walk into school with a hand full of gifts to deliver to their teachers.  So I’ll be doing the delivering myself (grin).  For the administrators and office staff, I’m taking a large basket of these delicious 6 Week Bran Muffins.

The batter for these muffins stays good for 6 weeks in the refrigerator.  Because of this, I always double the recipe.  (However, it rarely lasts more than a few weeks in our house.  The batter itself is delicious – and it’s so nice to have something to pull out and bake up in jiffy.)

My sweet teacher-friend, Jean Nilson, gave me this recipe back in the early 90s when I was teaching 2nd grade at Chimneyrock Elementary School in Cordova, TN.  Jean, if you’re reading this, I’ll be thinking of and praying for you as I bake these muffins!  Love ya!
6 Week Bran Muffins
15 oz box Raisin Bran Cereal
3 cups sugar

5 cups flour

5 t. baking soda
2 t. salt

1 Tbs. nutmeg

1 Tbs. cloves
1 Tbs. cinnamon
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
2 t. vanilla
1 qt. buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients into a big bowl. Add liquid ingredients. Keep covered in refrigerator.

To bake muffins, fill muffin cups 1/2 full. (Batter is very thick.) Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes. Will keep for 6 weeks in refrigerator – but only if you can resist eating the batter, or cooking them every day!

(You can “healthy” these up by substituting wheat flour and wheat germ for some of the white flour and by using Total Raisin Bran, or a more high-fiber raisin bran cereal if you want to.  I’ve also substituted some of the sugar for Splenda on occasion, but the real recipe does actually make the tastiest muffins.)

This post is linked to Kim’s “Recipes to Run On”

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This recipe went around e-mail last year, and it is such a great idea that I just had to share (again, this year)! 

A Hearty Congratulations to all of you who have a graduate this year!  I know that in no time flat, I’ll be making these for my own graduates… Much love to all of you who are watching your babies transition – no matter how old they are!  🙂

Graduation Caps

24 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 25 min.

Ingredients

24 miniature peanut butter cups
1 tube (6 ounces) decorating frosting in color of your choice
24 After Eight thin mints
24 milk chocolate M&M’s in color of your choice or 24 semisweet chocolate chips (I think that school colors would look awesome here!)

Directions
Remove paper liners from peanut butter cups; place upside down on waxed paper. Place a small amount of frosting on each peanut butter cup; center a mint on each. Using frosting, make a loop for each
cap’s tassel. Place an M&M on top of each loop.

Yield: 2 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 92 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), trace cholesterol, 136 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein.

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House of Grace Tea

It’s that special time of year again – the time when we women (at least in the south) host and attend lots of luncheons! Luncheons for Mother’s Day, Moms and Daughters, Graduations, Teachers, End of the year celebrations, future brides, and the list goes on.  At least in my life, there’s one thing common to each of these special gatherings – some kind of delicious sweet tea!  A men? 

So, in honor of these festive luncheons, I’d like to share with you one of the best “luncheon teas” ever: House of Grace Tea. It was my “signature tea” before I fell in love with Lemonade Almond Tea.
I forget where the name came from, but as I was growing up, this tea was a part of many special gatherings. It was served at my bride’s maid luncheon, and always reminds me of my mom and her friends.

House of Grace Tea is southern sweet, and compliments anything, but especially salads and brunch foods. It’s also one of those refreshing “sip on the front porch swing” kind of drinks.

So the next time you host a luncheon, or when you want to treat your family or friends to something special and sweet, give this tea a try.

House of Grace Tea
6 Tbs. instant Tea
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup white grape juice
1/2 cup “Real Lemon”


In a gallon jug, mix tea & sugar. Add enough hot water to dissolve. Add grape juice and lemon. Add enough water to make one gallon.

This is best if made ahead of time and chilled in refrigerator.

As good as this tea is, sweet friends~
“even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.”  Romans 5:17

Have a wonderful day in God’s house of Grace. 🙂

This post is linked to Quit Eating Out’s Saturday (Recipe) Swap.  🙂

picture courtesy of i.ehow.com

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The Cross Cake

Need a delicious and meaningful dessert for your Easter dinner?  (Or a special treat for Easter breakfast?)  This is a tradition we started on our oldest’s first Easter: The Cross Cake.

It’s so simple, but carries the beautiful message of Easter into the traditional Sunday dinner.  Simply make a rectangular cake, and cut out the four corners to leave the shape of the cross.  Then decorate and serve.  I’ve used many different cake mixes (yes… I’m a cake-mix-kind-of-gal) for the cake, but a favorite one is “Quick Red Velvet Cake” (recipe follows).

Even as the children were babies, they had a part in making this Easter Cross Cake.  Nathan’s was 5 months old on his 1st Easter, so as I frosted the cake, I took his little fingers and ran them through the icing to make the “swirls” on it.  This is a picture of our 1st Easter Cross Cake and of Nathan.

The message that year said: Jesus lives for Nathan, Mommy, and Daddy!

By the time Abigail had her first Easter, Nathan was big enough to help ice the cake and choose what would go on it.  He chose jelly beans.  Then Abigail got to help add the jelly beans to the cake.  (Btw, the color on jelly beans run when they are damp.) It wasn’t too pretty, but a lesson was taught and a memory was made.  (And, the cake was delicious – this one was a spice cake.)   ðŸ˜‰

I love those pictures.  Where in the world has the time gone?

But I dreamingly digress…

Anyway, no matter how old you or your children are,  this Cross Cake makes a wonderful addition to Easter dinner – a delicious reminder of the mercy and grace God gave to us through Jesus’ death AND RESURRECTION!  He is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!!!

Quick Red Velvet Cake

Cake:
1 pkg Pilsbury Moist Supreme German Chocolate Cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1 (1 oz) bottle red food color
3 eggs

Frosting:
(I used canned… vanilla or cream cheese are my favorites, but whatever is easiest for you will work!)

In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients at low speed until moistened.  Beat 2 minutes at high speed.  Pour batter into greased and floured pans.  Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes, or until top springs back when lightly touched in center.  Cool 15 minutes, then remove from pan(s).

If making the cross cake, cut the corners out, leaving the shape of the cross.  Then frost and decorate as desired.  Be sure to take pictures, so you can start your own Easter Cross Cake tradition.

Much love,
Jennifer

PS: This recipe is linked with Saturday Swap.  🙂

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Another favorite family Easter idea – Resurrection Rolls

I’ve been doing this delicious food activity/hands-on-lesson with my children since they were toddlers.  It’s a great picture of the empty tomb, and they’re pretty delicious too!  We usually make these the week of Easter, and then I’ll often pop some in the oven for Easter morning.  Hope you enjoy~

{PS: There’s also a link to a darling new thing circling the internet this year – chocolate covered Peeps – at the end of this post.}

This is a fun activity we do each Easter season to remind us of the incredible miracle of Jesus’ resurrection and the new life we have through Him. Even though our children are older, they are still looking forward to making these favorite Easter treats.

What you will need:

1 pkg. crescent rolls (Or canned biscuits)
1 large marshmallow for each crescent roll
½ cup butter, melted
Cinnamon /Sugar mixture
Depending upon the age of your children, read or teach through Matthew 26-27. Then start this activity.

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Hand everyone a crescent roll triangle or biscuit. (The dough represents the tomb.)

3. Give everyone a marshmallow. (Representing Jesus.)

4. Dip the marshmallows in melted butter. (Representing the embalming oils.)

5. Dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon sugar. (Representing the spices used to anoint Jesus’ body.)

6. Wrap the marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll. Seal it well. (just as Jesus was tightly sealed in the tomb.)

7. Place the rolls in the oven for 10-12 minutes. (Representing the time Jesus was burried in the tomb.)


While the rolls are cooking and cooling, read/teach through Matthew 28:1-10.

8. Let the rolls cool completely. When the rolls have cooled, slice your roll open. The marshmellow is no longer there – just as Jesus is no longer in the tomb – HE IS RISEN!!
His story continues: After that Jesus appeared in person to Peter, then to the 12 disciples and after that, to more than 500 people. Jesus’ appearance to eyewitnesses, those who saw Him with their own eyes, would give support and prove that Jesus rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).

By rising from the dead, Jesus proved once and for all that He IS the Messiah, the Savior of the World, the Chosen One, and the Lamb of God. By dying on the cross and rising from the dead, Jesus did what no other had ever done before. As both God and man, He overcame sin, death, and hell.

And now because of what Jesus has done, these things no longer have any power over those who believe in Jesus and allow His Spirit to lead and direct them. Rather than being slaves to sin and death, Christians ( those who love and believe in Jesus) are free to obey God and do good ( Romans 6:17-18). The Bible says in John 8:36, “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”

With a grateful heart for what Jesus did for me/us, and Praising Jesus for Life and Freedom through Him… and praying that you’ll experience His grace in an abundant way this Easter season… and always with love,
Jennifer

{And click here for this cute idea.}

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