Oreo Red Velvet Brownies

If you’re looking for something to indulge in, you’ve landed at the right place!

4 layers here:

Crushed Oreos

Chocolate Ganache and White Chocolate Ganache Drizzle

Oreo Frosting

Red Velvet Brownie

It’s super moist and delicious! Too bad I’m kind of on a diet, well sorta..so I only tried a tiny bite. BUT IT WAS SO GOOD, and SO WORTH IT. It’s getting pretty ridiculous actually, how crazily sweet my taste buds have adapted to. This may be a one time deal for me but no regrets! Drool over these pics if you can’t afford all the sugar and fat like me.

Time to hit the gym. Peace out.

Your recipe is here, friends!

God Will Fulfill His Purpose in You

from Jonathan Parnell, Desiring God Blog

“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.”

This is the straightforward truth that David clings to in Psalm 57:2.

Here he states two basic facts: God has a purpose for him and God will fulfill that purpose. Both these truths combine to become that deep and wondrous theological concept we call “providence.” The word was much more common centuries ago than it is today, though its relevancy has never waned. Its meaning captures God’s relationship to the created world, namely, that he both preserves the order of all things and guides them toward his intended end.

Providence is the sovereignty of God made palpable. It’s the outworking of his power and authority for his children in space and time, which means, in the things we schedule, the air we breathe, the moments we move. Providence is observed, experienced, tasted. We may even say it’s the distinctively Christian term for reality.

Since God is sovereign, and this world is his, then every moment, in a sense, is a moment of providence. Wherever you find yourself right now has come by the process of events he ordained. Every past moment of your life has led to your now. The same will be true tonight, and tomorrow, and ten years in the future. Our experience of providence is our experience of the present, which we know has been wondrously woven together by God.

And because God is behind it all, we, as those united to Christ by faith, are assured of this: God’s providence neither gets it wrong nor lets us go, ever.

His Decree and Promise

First, we should immediately stop every instinct in us that wants to pass this off as cobweb orthodoxy. It is orthodoxy, and it’s beautifully ancient, but it’s more current than we ever expected. Providence is actually so contemporary that it anticipates how vastly different things often seem from our perspective. Rarely does it feel like every event in our lives is for our good. But providence, in its mysterious movements, flanks the arguments about how we may feel and compels our faith in the God who is doing “ten thousand times more” than we realize. This doing, whether seen or unseen, whether painful or pleasant, is resolutely and effectively targeting our eternal joy. We will be like Christ . . . with him . . . forever (1 Corinthians 15:49; Psalm 16:10–11).

God’s intended aim for his people, after all, is that we are conformed to the image of Jesus. This is his decree and promise, having chosen us for this before the foundation of the world and having promised us unto thisthat all things will work together (Romans 8:28–30).

God’s providence is his execution of that decree and promise, as Puritan John Flavel explains. In fact, nothing ever happens in the universe that is outside of fulfilling that decree and promise. Nothing. There isn’t a single incident, or tragedy, that will result in something other than the “true interest and good of the saints” (Mystery of Providence, 19).

God never gets it wrong. He doesn’t swing and miss. Every detail of our days comes through the blueprints of his meticulous care for us. And even when all hope seems lost, remember he is the one who “gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:17) — and he will do that for you.

His Resolute Focus

Not only is God flawlessly at work for our good, but he doesn’t let loose until he’s finished. God’s providence never dries up or fizzles out. It is always in action to accomplish his intended aim. Everything he does is right, and it is all right until it’s done. Flavel writes,

[Providence] goes through with its designs, and accomplishes what it begins. No difficulty so clogs it, no cross accident falls in its way, but it carries its design through it. Its motions are irresistible and uncontrollable. (19)

“He does all that he pleases,” “no purpose of [his] can be thwarted,” and “none can stay his hand” (Psalm 115:3; Job 42:2; Daniel 4:35) — these words about God are assurances that he will complete what he began in us (Philippians 1:6). Nothing can separate us from his love for us in Christ (Romans 8:39), and nothing can distract the simplest of circumstances from hitting the target of our transformation. There’s no stalling with God. He doesn’t procrastinate. Even if we are innocently obtuse to his designs right now, God’s providence is blaring full-throttle toward our Christlikeness, and his glory.

Be revived, encouraged, comforted, God is fulfilling his purpose for you.

Super Easy Lemon Bars

I usually don’t like lemon. But these are an exception. They’re great to bring to your next family function, holiday bash, awkward Christmas dinner, or ugly Christmas sweater party. Then, you can make them again, and bring them to your New Year’s get-together too! They’re sweet with a hint of tart..but not too tart. If you like it more tart, just add more lemon!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 4 tbls all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbls lemon juice
• 2 tsp grated lemon peel
• Additional confectioner’s sugar for sprinkling

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, butter and confectioners’ sugar. Pat into an ungreased 9 x 13-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
2. For filling, in a small bowl, beat eggs. Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon juice and peel; beat until frothy. Pour over the crust. Bake 25 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into bars. Yield: 18 servings.

Adapted from: Taste of Home

Cake Batter Bars

You can’t go wrong with sprinkles. Really though! Here’s a recipe I made last week but totally forgot to post. They’re super dense and have loads of white chocolate chips and sprinkles. For the real sweet tooth’s out there. 🙂 Enjoy!

HERE’S THE LINK TO THE RECIPE

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . . —Colossians 1:24

The Christian worker has to be a sacred “go-between.” He must be so closely identified with his Lord and the reality of His redemption that Christ can continually bring His creating life through him. I am not referring to the strength of one individual’s personality being superimposed on another, but the real presence of Christ coming through every aspect of the worker’s life. When we preach the historical facts of the life and death of our Lord as they are conveyed in the New Testament, our words are made sacred. God uses these words, on the basis of His redemption, to create something in those who listen which otherwise could never have been created. If we simply preach the effects of redemption in the human life instead of the revealed, divine truth regarding Jesus Himself, the result is not new birth in those who listen. The result is a refined religious lifestyle, and the Spirit of God cannot witness to it because such preaching is in a realm other than His. We must make sure that we are living in such harmony with God that as we proclaim His truth He can create in others those things which He alone can do.When we say, “What a wonderful personality, what a fascinating person, and what wonderful insight!” then what opportunity does the gospel of God have through all of that? It cannot get through, because the attraction is to the messenger and not the message. If a person attracts through his personality, that becomes his appeal. If, however, he is identified with the Lord Himself, then the appeal becomes what Jesus Christ can do. The danger is to glory in men, yet Jesus says we are to lift up only Him (see John 12:32).

Pumpkin Pie Bars

I had the sweet pleasure of having lunch and baking with my lovely friend Brenda yesterday! She is an amazing woman of God, and I am always so encouraged by her devotion to serving God through serving others. I am so glad that I have her with me in dental school because I’m not sure what I would do without her! Anyways, here’s what we made! 

Me in my new apron from Ner!

Hard at work!

Find my Matcha Green Tea Shortbread recipe if you wanna learn how to make these!

INGREDIENTS

For the crust/topping:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
12 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup chopped pecans/peanuts

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
White Chocolate chips, for topping

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 7×11-inch (you can also do 9×13) baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Lightly grease the foil. Combine the flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl and toss with a fork. Add the pieces of butter to the dry ingredients and cut it in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the oats and chopped nuts.

Reserve 1 cup of the crust mixture and set aside. Add the remaining crust mixture to the prepared baking pan and press onto the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Bake the crust alone in the oven for 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the filling.

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well combined.

Once the crust has been removed from the oven, pour the filling into the pan and smooth over the crust. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture and white chocolate chips, as desired. Bake for 35-40 minutes (if using 9×13 bake for 25 min) remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve.

Adapted from: Annie’s Eats 

Circus Animal Funfetti Cake Bars

For all the Funfetti lovers out there, this recipe is for you! Plus there’s huge chunks of circus animal cookies blended into the cookie/cake bar. I came up with the idea myself and just took some other recipes and tweaked it! Literally, anyone can make this recipe, it’s so simple and sooo delicious at the same time 🙂 

What you’ll need

Dump everything in at once!

Cookie dough consistency is what you’re looking for.

Crush the animal cookies into big chunks and fold in.

If you’d like, save 10-12 cookies to press into the top of the bars. That way people know what is in it 🙂

25 minutes later…

SOO GOOD.

INGREDIENTS

1 stick/1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 box Funfetti cake mix
1 large egg
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 cups (about 3/4 bag) of Circus Animal cookies)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 9×13 inch baking dish with foil that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. For a thicker cake bar, you can use an 8×8 dish.
In a large mixing bowl, take butter, cake mix, egg, and oil and stir until combined. Crush up Circus Animal cookies in a Ziploc bag with the bottom of a pan. You’re looking for nice big chunks. Transfer dough to prepared baking dish and press evenly. If you’d like, take 10-12 cookies and press into the top of the dough for presentation!

Bake for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown edges. 

TRY and wait 30 minutes so they can completely cool before cutting. I obviously couldn’t. 

Adapted from Picky Palate. She’s awesome!

Funfetti Twix Brownies & Bible Study Kickoff

No matter how much I love making things from scratch, there’s nothing like the good ‘ol box mixes. Something about that artificial, overly sweet, disaster-free cakey ness just really does it. 

I used the Pillsbury Funfetti Brownie mix and added in 1 packet of chopped Twix bars…it was divine! 

Today marked the start of a new chapter of learning about God’s Word. With the Reality downtown women, we are launching a new inductive Bible study and I’m super excited. I know God has awesome plans for all of us, and I’m so excited to grow. Just today, I learned things I never before knew, and realized how much I really DON’T know about the Bible yet.

Key things from today:

Bible Basics

• the Bible is the full counsel of God
• it is the cannon of Scripture: God-inspired and accepted as being divinely inspired
• it is made of 66 books and was written in 3 languages (Hebrews, Greek, Aramaic) in a span of 1500 years by 40+ authors.
• It is inerrant- without error

Tips on studying the Bible

• read the Children’s Bibles for better general understanding of the Old Testament
• be a “rabbit trailer” meaning: use the concordance to cross-reference when you are studying a passage. 

“The best way to find out about God’s Word is to read His Word”

• www.blueletterbible.org  is a great resource for cross-references. 
• Daily Audio Bible is also a good resource for short daily Bible verses. 
• Commentaries (by Bible scholars, etc) are great as long as you keep in mind that these are humans. Ultimately, they are their opinions and you can’t take it as God’s Holy words.
• In terms of daily reading, you should always journal. 
• Answer these 3 things: 
• 1) What do I learn about God? 
• 2) What do I learn about myself? 
• 3) How can I apply this to my life TODAY

“For every life decision, make sure you get a scripture that confirms it.” 

I never thought to do this, but it makes total sense, because God is ultimately in control. He gave us his annointed Word, a love letter directly from Him, and we can look there for guidance and advice when we have tough decisions ahead.

“We can’t trust our desires, we are too fleshy. Once we develop a close relationship with God, what He desires becomes what we desire.”

 Jews vs. Gentiles

• Jews are a small population, known as “God’s chosen people” 
• Israel was strategically planned to be their home because it is the center of everything.
• Gentiles: see Genesis 12:1-3
• It started with Abraham, and all the promises that were made to Jews are made to all of us too. 

The three covenants (YEA I had no idea what this was before today):

1. Abrahamic covenant: between Abraham and God. These promises are for all nations. 

Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. {Genesis 15:6}

2. Old Covenant: between God and Moses/Israel. It is based on the Law. God gave Moses the 10 commandments, but they aren’t just for Israel, it is for all of us.
3. New Covenant: for all believers, it is between God and man because of Jesus. Puts the law on our hearts.

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. {Ezekiel 36:26}

 In a nutshell:
Under the old convenant, our inheritance is based on the Law
Under the new covenant, our inheritance is based on Jesus Christ.

Bible verse of the day:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

My stop-worrying checklist (do these things when I get stressed!)

1) Rejoice always- we are way better off than we realize or think
2) Remember that the Lord is in control
3) Pray & give thanks- plead to God, showing him that you completely surrender
4) Find and rest in His peace

 Days that you discover God, calls for an appreciation for his beautiful, breathtaking creation. Here goes…Remember to breathe….the pictures don’t do it justice

Biscoff Brownies

Round 2 of Biscoff craze:

Ingredients 

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup Biscoff Spread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with tin foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Place butter into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30-45 seconds until butter is melted and hot. Add 3/4 cup choco chips and let sit for 1 minute. Stir until smooth, if needed place back in microwave for an additional 15-30 seconds to melt through.

3. Place flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in 1/2 cup choco chips, melted chocolate, then add eggs and biscoff. Stir until well combined. Transfer to prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cooked through. Let cool completely then cut into squares. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes 12 servings