For Thursday, May 15th, 2014

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

THURSDAY, MAY 15TH, 2014

37 DAYS UNTIL SUMMER!!!

Sunrise: 6:12 am

Sunset: 8:39 pm

Life is a Special Occasion!

Hallmark

If you can't see the Bright Side, polish the dull side

National Chocolate Chip Day, always on May 15th,  celebrates and enjoys sweet, tasty chocolate chips. Chocolate chips are a great invention, and certainly deserve a little recognition.   Chocolate chips are popular in cooking and baking, for a wide variety of breads, cakes, and cookies. There is an almost endless number of recipes. They are also used in decorating. How about chocolate chip pancakes and some chocolate chips in trail mix? If you've never had these, then you're leading a sheltered life.    We can celebrate by making something really special with chocolate chips today!  There’s really no wrong way to eat a chocolate chip!

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

All you need is love--but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt 

Charles Schulz

Like most everyone, I love chocolate chip cookies. They’ve always been my favorite type of cookie,especially with the addition of some walnuts,  and I could easily eat a dozen if I let my urges get the better of me.  Urges like that are ok once in a while but sometimes our urges do tend to get us in trouble.  

Just remember chocolate can be good for you in small doses. Research has shown that the cocoa based confection, which contains chemicals called flavanols, can improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure. Flavanols are found in apples, red wine, and green tea.

I found this recipe for chocolate chip banana bread so thought it would be a good day to try it out.

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups flour

 1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 bananas, mashed (1 cup mashed banana)

1 cup chocolate chips

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F .

Grease and flour a 8 1/2-inch x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix in the oil, bananas and eggs. Stir in the chocolate chips (do not overmix!) and pour into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60-80 minutes. Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely, right side up.

The rain this week brought back some cooler days and today is a good one to turn on the oven.  Today’s pictures were taken on Mothers Day weekend at DD's.  

Have a great day everyone and enjoy some chocolate chips !

Put 'eat chocolate' at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.

COUNTING MY GIFTS

Friends are the chocolate chips in the cookie of life 

I have counted at least 3 things every day that I'm thankful for over a  year and have now reached over 1600 gifts.  On my way to 2000.  I'm not stopping, but will continue on counting.  There is always, always something to be thankful for.

1670. for chocolate chips and the many things you can do with them

1671. for bananas, I have one every day and right now there are 3 very ripe ones sitting on the counter

1672. for a cooler day to turn the oven on.  I don’t use it much at all when the hot weather sets in

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

 

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

 

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU !

Chocolate doesn’t make the world go ’round, but it sure does make the trip worthwhile!

A little smile, a word of cheer, 

A bit of love from someone dear…

 

Love,

ma