Chocolate Chickpea Cake

Ok... I know the name sounds disgusting.  Just trust me - it's actually one of the best chocolate cakes EVAH!

Chocolate Chickpea Cake

Note: It's Gluten-free!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 (19 oz) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
4 eggs
3/4 C. White Sugar
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tbsp. 10X Sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*.  Grease and flour a 9" round cake pan.
2. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.  Cook in the microwave for about two minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth.  If you have a powerful microwave, reduce the power to 50 percent.
3. Combine the beans and  eggs in the bowl of a food processor.  Process until smooth. Add the sugar and baking powder, and pulse to blend.  Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides and corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed.  Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.
4. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.  Dust with 10X sugar just before serving.  Can top with cool whip or ice cream.

Inside-Out Cake... OH YES!!!!!

Never heard of it before???  Well, let me introduce you to moist, chocolate-y, ooey-gooey deliciousness.

Need more convincing? I think this is probably the EASY-est cake to make in the Universe!

Ok... here comes the recipe

• 1 pkg Cake Mix (any flavor your little heart desires... or whatever you have on hand!  Mine is Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge)
• 1 pkg Instant Pudding (any flavor... I used generic brand chocolate - yes, generic is ALWAYS an option for me!)
• 1 pkg (12 oz) chips (any flavor... I used a mix of butterscotch, white chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate)
• 2 Eggs
• 1 3/4 C. Milk

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350*
2. Grease and flour a Bundt pan
3. Mix all ingredients together by hand. Put into the bundt pan
4. Bake for 50-55 mins.

Note: An inserted knife will probably not come out clean because of all the chips, just make sure it seems set and is not TOO gooey in the middle!

Enjoy this easy and delicious treat with cool whip or ice cream!

Some Changes

Over the past few weeks, MaKenna and I have decided to branch out and start our own blogs.  However, we love this blog and still feel a desire to keep it going.  So we have decided to make Two Lumps of Sugar our cooking and baking blog.  Since the blog title fits we will be able to use this to share our favorite recipes, and keep our new blogs for just about everything else!

Our new blogs:
MaKenna - Life In {Parentheses}
Holly - Life [Unfolding], The Book Garden
We also started a blog for our accessory business, AppleJuice {HM}.

We can't wait to start sharing our favorite recipes with you all and hope you will find them as delightful as we do!

Holly DeVore

Thoughts

Gaurd well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds.  Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.
~Ralph Waldo Emmerson


The miracles of nature do not semm so miraculous because they are so common.  If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world.
~Unknown


Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more;love more, and all good things will be yours.  
~Swedish Proverb


Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.  Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart.  Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.
~Unknown


"After all," Anne had said to Marilla once, 'I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bringsimple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.'
~L.M. Montgomery


"Dear old world," she murmured, "you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you." 
~L.M. Montgomery

Today I...

{Warning -  this post may contain large amounts of random information.  The Writer of this blog asks that you please forgive and accept her as she is, no matter how odd.}

1.  Did School {Astonishing, I know!}

2. Made tortillas {they're soo pretty!}

3. Thinly sliced 2 1/2 apples without peeling them {not good}

4. Listened to Mike's Chair's new song {I love it} 

5. Inspected the Garden {Pictures coming soon - everything is bloomin'!}

6. Ripped up a sweater and wound up the yarn {Projects, here I come!}

7. Played with Maggie on the floor {I love her...}

8. Noticed a book I didn't recognize in the coffee table, it was Practicing the Presence of God. {as a result of #7}

9. Jumped up and down and danced a jig {as a result of #8}

10. Listened to my brother quote "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Despicable Me" for almost a solid hour {he is amazing at imitations}

11. Laughed 'til my sides hurt {as a result of #10}

12. Gave Maggie a treat {she barked at a strange dog outside of our house}

13. Found a new friend {she's a dear!}

14. Drank a glass of Iced tea {Ya know - the sweet, southern kind} 

15. Singed with my sister {and tried to listen to A Name, Not a Number}

16. Thought of my wonderful blog readers, and decided to post something for them {unfortunately, I didn't have anything interesting to say, so y'all are stuck with this!}

17. Had a great time with the Lord and friends at Prayer and Volleyball {Actually, I haven't done that yet but I'm planning to!}

So, there ya be, utterly random, and randomly useless!  Hope y'all have a great Easter Weekend!   

MaKenna Morgan

What Is It??

This afternoon I looked out my window and saw the most interesting organism... On first observation I thought it was a large spider.  However, after looking at more closely I noticed that it had only six legs - NOT a spider.

I think I may have discovered a new species!  =]

Have you ever seen anything like this?  If you have, and you know what it is, please comment and share your wealth of knowledge!  For now, I think I'll call it the "Manna" bug ("What Is It") =)

Year of the Pie - 4

No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese                                                  1 cup milk

1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed                1 1/2 cups 10X sugar 

1 cup peanut butter                                                                          1 graham cracker crust (see here)

Directions:

1. Beat together cream cheese and 10X sugar.  Mix in peanut butter and milk.  Beat until smooth.  Fold in whipped topping.

2. Spoon into prepared graham cracker crust; cover; freeze until firm.

(Sorry, no pictures!)

Year of the Pie - 3

Oh my goodness! I can't believe it's been so long since we posted for Year of the Pie... time flies when you're having fun, I guess!

Double Pie Crust

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups fresh milled soft white flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour)        2/3 cups + 2 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. salt                                                                                                          7 tbsp. cold water

Directions:

Combine flour and salt. Cut in butter. Add water and mix.  If the dough is too wet add a little more flour.  Divide dough in half and roll out on floured surface.  Makes 1 double pie crust.

*We make our crust in a food processor, first combining the flour, salt, and butter, then the water. Also, to get the water cold, the put some in a small bowl and then add a few ice cubes until they stop melting.  

**For the recipe below, roll out half the dough for the bottom of the crust.  Roll the other half out and cut into strips; this will go on the top of the pie to make a lattice top. 

Deep-Dish Blackberry Pie

Ingredients:

6 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, thawed and drained                    1 cup sugar

4 tbsp. cornstarch                                                                                  1-2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon                                                                                 1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Place blackberries in a bowl.  Combine sugar and cornstarch; sprinkle over berries.  Add lemon juice and cinnamon; toss to coat.  Spoon into a pie crust (see recipe above).

2.  Roll out pastry; cut into strips and make a lattice crust over filling.  Crimp edges.

3. Bush with milk; sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 375* for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.  Cool on a wire rack.

Blessed Assurance... Jesus is mine!

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

Hebrews 10:22

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine!

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, Purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, Washed in His blood.

This is my story, This is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.


Perfect submission, Perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above,
Echoes of mercy, Whispers of love.


Perfect submission, All is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blessed,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

* All scripture quotations are from the King James Version Bible.

**Blessed Assurance lyrics by Fanny Crosby; Public Domain.

Indulgent {Chocolate} Party

Last Friday night, the girls of POA youth got together at Denell Yadon's house for an "Indulgent Chocolate Party"!  Friends. Fellowship. And the most amazing assortment of chocolate goodness!

Amber - such a ham!

Chocolate Fountain - yum!

Kelley, Lauren Ashley, and Amber

The POA youth staff out did themselves!  All of the food was excellent!

(Thanks Mackenzie for letting me borrow your hands!)

CHOCOLATE. that's all.

Priscilla: "This fridge is 7 of me!"

Decadent Chocolate Cake - *heavenly*

Oreo truffles - delish!

Sisters

Chris Ann, Kelley, Amber, LA

Susan and Marmee

Playing a game

After the Storm...

"After the winter comes the summer.  

After night comes the dawn.  

After every storm there comes clear, open skies."

~Samuel Rutherford~

~~~~~~~~

It is only after we have come through temptations, storms, and trials, that our true character is seen.  We have then been proven.  We either have shown strength and faith in the hardest times... or weakness and faithlessness.  

After the storm... flowers bloom.  When we come through a storm, we have bloomed. Grown.  In ways we previously couldn't even have imagined.  We change for the better when we feel that we are at our lowest.

~~~~~~~~

One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Habakkuk 3:

 ¹⁷Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

   ¹⁸Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

   ¹⁹The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

I find it so encouraging that, although life-threatening things had happened in Habakkuk's life, he was still able to pick up and say "I am still trusting you, God... You are my strength and I will not fail!"  May we all find the strength to trust God in the hard times.  God promises that He will never leave or forsake us... 

and His plan and way are perfect!  Trust Him... the results will be worth it!

The Year Of The Pie - Week 2

Delicious, chocolaty goodness in a graham cracker crust!

Crust
15 graham crackers
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg white
Cooking Spray

Filling
2 cups fat-free milk, divided
2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whipped topping
Mini chocolate chips or grated chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. To prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly.  Add sugar, butter, and egg white; pulse 6 times or just until moist.  Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray.  Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes; cool on a wire rack 15 minutes.
3. to prepare filling, combine 1/2 cup milk, sugar, and next four ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
4. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat to 180* or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil).  Remove from heat.  Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Return milk mixture to pan.  Add chopped chocolate; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Pour into prepared crust; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap.  Chill 3 hours or until cold.  Remove plastic wrap; spread whipped topping evenly over filling.  Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips or grated chocolate.

My One Word

Around this time last year, we heard about My One Word, an organization begun by Pastor Mike Ashcraft of Port City Community Church in Wilmington, NC.  The idea behind this New Year's Resolution alternative is that though people may quickly forget about their resolutions, when they prayerfully consider ONE and only one word to characterize their year, they are more likely to stick to it and become what they, and God envision for their life.  

To choose your word, envision the person that, ideally, you want to be.  Then, pick your word based on that person and their characteristics, not on past mistakes, failures, or insufficiencies.  

As for me... last year I chose the word Give.  This year... well, I haven't yet decided on a word.  I have several I am considering.  Believe me, it is a LOT harder than you can imagine!  When there are so many things you desire for your life, it is hard to narrow down to just one word.  And yet, that is the whole idea - focusing on one area to grow in, in your relationship with God and others, and in your own personal life and desires and dreams.

I encourage you to log onto My One Word, for more information, help picking your word, and stories of people that have been impacted by this revolutionary idea.

Holly Anne DeVore

The Year of the Pie - Week 1

After hearing about "The Year of the Pie" from another blog, MaKenna and I fell in love with this delicious idea!  Each week (or every other week - we are working out the kinks as we go!) we will choose a different type of pie in which we will blissfully indulge!  If the recipe proves to be as amazing as it sounds, we will share it here with you!  Hopefully, you will enjoy these treats as much as we do!

Homemade Graham Cracker Crust 

(you will never go back to store bought after trying this!)

18 squares (1 package) graham crackers

1/4 cup sugar

6 tbsp. butter, melted

Pulse graham crackers in the blender, until you have fine crumbs.  Combine all in a small bowl.  Press into a 9" pie plate.  Chill about 1 hour or bake in a 375* oven for 6-9 minutes, or until edges are brown. 

*Note: If using a 9"X13" dish, double the recipe.

**Additional note: I didn't chill or bake mine since the recipe I was using this for called for the whole thing to be chilled.

Pineapple Millionaire Pie

Ingredients:

First Layer

2 cups powdered sugar

1 stick of butter

2 large eggs

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Second Layer

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups crushed pineapple

1/2 cup pecans

1 (8 oz.) container of whipped topping

Cream ingredients of the first layer and pour into a 9" pie shell (I used a graham cracker crust.  Originally, the recipe calls for a regular, baked pie shell, but no need to bake if you use a graham cracker crust).  For best results, cream ingredients for at least ten minutes (yes - I learned this the hard way!).  Chill 1 hour.  Meanwhile, mix the first three ingredients of the second layer, then fold in the whipped topping.  Spread onto the chilled base mixture, and chill well.    

Winnie the Pooh Day!

Commemorating a beloved, "silly old bear"! 

Christopher Robin: Pooh, what's your favorite thing in the whole world?

Pooh: My favorite thing is me coming to visit you, and then you ask, "How about a small smackeral of honey?"

Christopher Robin: I like that, too. But what I like most of all is just doing nothing.

Pooh: How do you do just nothing?

Christopher Robin: Well, when grown-ups ask, "What are you going to do?" and you say, "Nothing," and then you go and do it.

Pooh: I like that. Let's do it all the time

"Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it."

"If you want to make a song more hummy, add a few tiddely poms."

"It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like 'What about lunch?'"

"It's so much more friendly with two."

"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping 

slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known."

"When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it."

A Very Special Day

An older sister is a friend and defender - a listener, conspirator, a counsellor and a sharer of delights.

Pam Brown

 Holly and Marmee Dear

 Holly and Daddy

 Daddy, Holly and I

Bestest of Friends!

 Good Times!

Family

Today our family is celebrating a blessing, because today is Holly's seventeenth birthday! We're starting the day off with lemon-blueberry scones, then we have a bit of school to work on, after that it's off to the DMV and shopping!  Finally, to prayer, then back home to finish The Birthright!  Someone once said that friends are the sisters God forgot to give us.  If that's true, than sisters are the friends that we need so much that God lets us live with them!  Happy birthday Holly, I am looking forward to many more years of fun with you!


~MaKenna DeVore~