February 25, 2025

Moo-less Chocolate Pie

moo-less chocolate pie

If you’ve never had tofu before, this Moo-less Chocolate Pie may be the dish to break you in softly.  Soft tofu is a master of disguise, and here it takes the place of dairy and eggs to form a soft custard base.  Serve this to anyone who swears they hate tofu, and see if you can change their mind!

There are dozens of ways you can customize this.  Use a graham cracker crust like I did, or a regular pie crust instead of the chocolate pie crust.  Drizzle with homemade caramel, or serve with strawberries.  Walnuts or pecans would be delicious too, with a light pour of hot fudge.  Or go classic and just serve with whipped cream.

Moo-less Chocolate Pie
(Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup coffee liqueur (or use black coffee)
  • 1 block silken tofu
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 prepared chocolate wafer crust

Directions:

  1. Place a small metal bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water.  Melt the chocolate chips and the coffee liqueur together in the bowl.  Stir in the vanilla.
  2. Pour the chocolate mixture into the jar of a blender or food processor.  Add the tofu and honey and mix until liquified and smooth.
  3. Pour the chocolate-tofu mixture into the pie crust and refrigerate for two hours, or until set.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet

Take This Cup

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”  He took Peter, James and John along with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” He said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”  Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him.  “Abba, Father,” He said, “everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.”  Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” He said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  Once more He went away and prayed the same thing.  When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.  They did not know what to say to Him.  Returning the third time, He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough!  The hour has come….

Mark 14:32-42

All He asked them to do was to stay awake and pray with Him.  Jesus, on the night before He was to die, went to the garden to pray.  Actually to speak to His Father…and maybe get a different solution to this saving thing.  Who could blame Him, really.  But as we all know, God did not change His mind.

In this prayer of Jesus’, we see Him totally surrendering Himself to the complete sovereignty of God even though His heart is longing for something different.  Jesus totally trusts in the One Who holds it all in His loving hands. And, ultimately, God’s plan was carried out and it was perfect.  Are you struggling with the same thing—asking God to take this cup from you but, if not, then surrendering to His will?

I know it is hard to look at ourselves and examine our own hearts.  There may be something that God is asking you to do and, with all your heart, you don’t want to.   You find yourself begging Him, pleading with Him, to take this cup from you.  But, if He doesn’t, are you okay  with His answer?  I can tell you from experience that you should be.  Because He loves His children so much that He only wants the very best for us.  Yes, there are sometimes painful things we must do…but when we surrender to Him, and do what He asks, we will be blessed.

But what if you never see the benefit?  You may not on this side of Heaven; but I do know that one day it will all be revealed in His time.  Just pray, seek His face, and trust—that no matter what it is on earth that He is asking—He will not harm you, but will bless you forever.

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Do you know this Jesus that I am telling you about?  If not, I pray that today you will get to know Him and ask Him into your life so that you will be made new!  I ask that You pray this prayer with me…

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I am so tired of doing things my way and hurting.  Today, I surrender.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and He died on the Cross to save me from sin.  I ask that Jesus come into my heart to live and walk with me through this life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Washed by the Water

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Daddy was a preacher
She was his wife
Just trying to make the world a little better
You know, shine a light

People started talking
Trying to hear their own voice
Those people tried to accuse my father
Said he made the wrong choice

Though it might be painful
You know that time will always tell
Those people have long since gone
My father never failed

Even when the rain falls
Even when the flood starts rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water

Even if the earth crumbles under my feet
Even if the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I won’t never ever let You down
I won’t fall, I won’t fall, I won’t fall
As long as You’re around me

NeedToBreathe
William Rinehart, Nathaniel Rinehart

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

School started in our home last week with three little ones off to learn and grow.  I try to find teachable moments with my children that will help them face the trials and lessons that come in elementary and middle school—and there are more than I would like to count.  Daily it seems as if the kids come home with a story of a situation (not always involving them) that they have knowledge of.  Because of the amount of negative stuff around them I always try to teach them that God is always with us.  And that He never leaves us. But, driving to work listening to this song, I realized that this is not just a lesson for my kids…it is a lesson for all of us.

Whether we work inside the home, outside of the home, are retired, or whatever situation we find ourselves in, we are surrounded with an overwhelming amount of stuff, that we need to be reminded that ‘even when the rain falls, even when the flood starts rising, even when the storm comes, I am washed by the water’.  And that despite how overwhelmed we may feel, that we will never fail as long as God is on our side.

So as I remind my kids (and as I remind myself, and as I remind you):

  • despite what the world may look like
  • despite who is talking to hear themselves talk
  • despite the attempts Satan makes to stop us…

God is on our side.   He is our strength.   He is our Living Water.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, You are our Strength and You are the Living Water, with You we can never fail.  The world may try to tell us one thing but Your promises tell us another.  Let us take comfort in You and in Your Word.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

(He’s The) Anchor Of Hope

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Marvelous, wonderful, infinite God
Author of all that is good
Faithful Provider and Giver of life
Source of all power and love

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise
Refuge of strength to the end

Righteous Redeemer and mighty to save
He’s the Anchor of Hope for the souls of men

Gracious, compassionate, merciful God
Radiant, holy delight
Beautiful Father, Victorious Son
Source of unchangeable Light

You are Light in the dark
You are healing for the broken heart
You are Hope
You are Lord
You are Life
You are Love that endures

Powerful, constant, unwavering God
Shepherd who comes for the lost
Rock of salvation, remarkable Love
Savior who died on the Cross

Ellie Holcomb
written along with Brown Bannister

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

This…all of this!…is our reason for Hope!  Biblically, hope is an assurance, something we depend on and count on happening. To the world, hope is ‘a wing and a prayer.’

HOPE – verb

  1. To entertain or indulge hope; to cherish a desire of good, or of something welcome, with expectation of obtaining it or belief that it is obtainable; to expect; – usually followed by for.  “But I will hope continually.” – Psalm 71:14
  2. To place confidence; to trust with confident expectation of good; – usually followed by in. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God.” – Psalm 42:11
  3. To desire with expectation, or with belief in the possibility, or prospect of obtaining; to look forward to as a thing that is desirable, with the expectation of obtaining it; to cherish the hopes of.  [Charity] hopeth all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:7

(quoted from Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary)

I would like to encourage you, friends, to grasp this Hope as the Truth!  We are often so good at encouraging others…reminding our brothers and sisters of the Hope they have…speaking to the unsaved and telling them of the Hope they can have.  But speak this Truth to yourself.  Hold to it.  Depend on it.

Your Lord IS your Hope!  He is…

  • the Light in the dark
  • Refuge of strength to the end
  • Healer of your broken heart
  • Rock of salvation
  • Savior Who died on the Cross
  • Anchor of Hope

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise
the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,
so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,
we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement
to take hold of the hope set before us.
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,
where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us,
having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:17-20

At the foundation of it all: ‘this hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast…’.   A hope that we have had no part in securing, no part in determining, no part in bringing to pass.  But we do have a part—we simply must hold onto this hope—an Anchor of Hope in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I pray this blessing from 2 Thessalonians 2:16 and 17 for each of you.

“…our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well-founded hope through [His] grace, <would> comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them [make them steadfast and keep them unswerving] in every good work and word” in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Broccoli Salad

Summertime get-togethers…how many have you gone to or hosted this summer?  This past weekend we celebrated the 80th birthday of my dad, Jack McElroy—{4 great-grandchildren, 10 grandchildren, 4 daughters, 3 sons-in-law, our stepmom, and a few others who love him}.  Our family loves to pitch in and all contribute to the meal.  But this Broccoli-Craisin Salad always seems to be requested.

Recently, I have tweaked the recipe to include (or NOT include) about half of the mayonnaise I originally have made this with and I <shhhh! not everyone knows!> substituted plain Greek yogurt.  It worked amazingly well…and lowered the calories/fat grams by approximately 650 calories (yes, you read that correctly) and 80 grams of fat.  And added a significant hit (about 10-11 grams) of healthy protein.  And, honestly, you could even further reduce the mayo/increase the yogurt because of all the flavor variations in this salad.

This is a beautiful raw salad, a very healthy but oh-so-yummy addition to the array of delicious salads on the picnic table.  It has a slightly smoky (from the bacon), slightly sweet (from the Craisins and honey), slightly tart (from the vinegar), very mellow taste.  I have had MANY supposed broccoli haters be prompted to try just one tiny taste…only to find they enjoy it and come back for more!  We enjoy this salad all year long!  Hoping that your family enjoys it, too!

Broccoli Salad

ingredients:

2 heads broccoli crowns, cut into tiny florets
1/2 pkg Craisins (dried cranberries)
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, optional
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2  cup plain Greek yogurt
3-4 tablespoons honey, warmed
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup roasted/salted sunflower seeds
freshly ground pepper

directions:

  • in a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, and vinegar; set aside
  • in a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. take liquid mixture and pour over broccoli mixture, tossing gently <go ahead!  use your hands!> to thoroughly coat and massage that  broccoli
  • pour the dressed mixture into a large zip-top bag to go into the fridge.  every once in a while, give the bag a flip-over and a couple of squeezes to spread the yumminess all around
  • when ready to go onto the table, pour the salad out into a serving bowl and top with sunflower seeds and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.
  • easy-peasy!

notes:

–  definitely prepare this at least 4 hours beforehand…up to 24 hours or so

–   the biggest hint I can offer to you for this salad is to cut the broccoli florets as small as you possibly can.  consider this a ‘labor of love’ and, oh, so worth it!  this will make it  MUCH more palatable to have little florets in your mouth as you munch on this salad rather than a big chunk of broccoli!  and the chopping can be done ahead of time, even a day or so, and simply stored in the fridge.  honestly, i have been known to sit in front of the television while doing it!  😉

♥     ♥     ♥     ♥     ♥

God loves you!    (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Words

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

They’ve made me feel like a prisoner
They’ve made me feel set free
They’ve made me feel like a criminal
Made me feel like a king

They’ve lifted my heart
To places I’d never been
And they’ve dragged me down
Back to where I began

Words can build you up
Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

You can heal the heartache
Speak over the fear
(Speak over the fear)
God, Your voice is the only thing
We need to hear
(We need to hear)

Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

I wanna speak Your love
Not just another noise
Oh, I wanna be Your light
I wanna be Your voice

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts
Or put it out

I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

Hawk Nelson
Written by Jonathan Steingard,  Matt Hammitt, and Seth Mosley

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

We can use our words to build up or to tear down.  It is our choice.  I am sure we all have heard words that have torn us down in our past.  We often repeat what we hear or what we believe we hear.  God did not give us those words.  

Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.
And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house
and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
Luke 6:46-48

When we hear those words that have torn us down repeating in our minds, we need to rebuke them.  We need to repeat the promises God has told us about who we are in Him.

  • We are His adopted sons and daughters
  • We are loved
  • We are cherished
  • We are not beyond His help
  • We do have a hope in God through His Son Jesus

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Father, thank You for the promise of Your Son and for the promise of being Yours.  Help us to see through the lies and deceit constantly echoing in our minds.  Give us the strength to turn the lies to right thinking in You and embracing Your promises.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Divine Presence

SeekingHimLogo

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
Psalms 139:7-10

A child of God can never move beyond God’s care, guidance, and supporting strength.  He is with us in all situations in whatever the present and the future brings.

Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him? Declares the Lord.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:24

His Divine Presence shows us the following:

• with God’s presence we are assured of being protected, strengthened, and well taken care of
• fullness of Joy
• we need to have the fear of the Lord

Should you not fear me? declares the LORD.
Should you not tremble in My presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
Jeremiah 5:22

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7, 9:10).  Therefore we need to fear the Lord and not just do our own things in our own ways—for that is sin.  In as much as we cannot hide anything from God let us train ourselves to live a holy life which is pleasing unto God.  Hate sin and do good always.  Bearing in mind that all things are open in His sight.  Do not steal because you are alone by yourself…remember the One Who is invisible.  May the good Lord help us remain faithful in His sight in the mighty name of Jesus.

  *  ~   ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥   ~  *  

Dear Lord, I thank You for You are the great God, the I AM WHO I AM, always present.  We give You all the praise and glory for what You have spoken to us through Your Word.  Thank You that You gave us another chance to make amends with You knowing that You are omnipresent God.  Forgive us for making You too small in our lives and living our lives pleasing ourselves alone not knowing we are grieving You.  Lord, forgive us and create in us a clean heart.  As we are starting all over, give us the grace to realize You are an ever-present God.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Hold Fast

SeekingHimLogo

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, You are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there Your hand will guide me,
    Your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalms 139:7-10

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Hold me fast.  Imagine God’s hand sticking firmly to us…no matter where we are, where we go or how far we run; once we are His, God will never leave our side.  And, my friend, this is how God intends all of His relationships to be.

In days of old, where you were born is where you typically stayed.  Perhaps you grew up in a small rural area, were educated there, and you were expected to go to work where your father worked or do the same things your mother did.  Kind of like Paul of Tarsus…Paul was born into the tribe of Benjamin.  The family’s trade was tentmaking so Paul would have to learn from his father, and he had the privilege of being chosen by Gamaliel, a famous rabbi, from whom Paul learned a great many things.

God had plans for Paul.  We may not see what our path is, but God does. Being trained by the best rabbi and becoming a Pharisee, Paul would know how to explain the plan of salvation in easy, simple terms, or be able to speak for hours defended why Jesus is the fulfillment of these scriptures. I mean, who else is God going to tell (as he did to Ananias):

But the Lord said to Ananias,
“Go! This man is my chosen instrument
to proclaim My name to the Gentiles and their kings
and to the people of Israel.
I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”
Acts 9:15-16

Can we be used in this way?  Yes, we can.  All we have to be is willing subjects to go and preach the Word, teach where we can, and spread the good news to all people as God opens those doors.  Who will answer the call?  Pray, seek, learn…and God will use you for His purpose.

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Father, thank You for Your Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit to be written and shared by all who read and are blessed to understand.  For those who hear, let it enter their hearts to stay.  For those who do, laboring in your fields, planting, watering, and harvesting.  You give talents to each of us.  Let us use them to bring Your kingdom home.  Let Your kingdom come, Lord, let it come!  In Jesus’ name,  Amen!!

Big House

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I don’t know where you lay your head
Or where you call your home
I don’t know where you eat your meals
Or where you talk on the phone
I don’t know if you got a cook
A butler or a maid
I don’t know if you got a yard
With a hammock in the shade

I don’t know if you got some shelter
Say a place to hide
I don’t know if you live with friends
In whom you can confide
I don’t know if you got a family
Say a mom or dad
I don’t know if you feel love at all
But I bet you wish you had

Come and go with me to my Father’s house
Come and go with me to my Father’s house

It’s a big, big house
With lots and lots a room
A big, big table
With lots and lots of food
A big, big yard
Where we can play football
A big, big house
It’s my Father’s house

All I know is it’s a big ole house
With rooms for everyone
All I know is lots of land
Where we can play and run
All I know is you need love
And I’ve got a family
All I know is you’re all alone
So why not come with me

Audio Adrenaline
Songwriters: Mark Stuart, Barry Blair, Will McGinniss, Bill Herdmann

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

We were up in the mountains camping this weekend when the chorus for this song came to mind.  I had first heard it at a teen camp with one of my girls.  It has been quite a while since I thought about it.  I kept thinking, “This is my Father’s house!”  And it was.  The new growth on the top of the pine trees looked like crosses.  The family in the next campsite had a worship service on Sunday night. It was in Spanish so I didn’t understand a lot of it but His Presence was there, I could feel it.  Too often I make the mistake of thinking “church” is my Father’s only house.  I forget He makes His home with us.  I forget about His heavenly home.

2 Timothy 1:14 (AMP) reminds me that Holy Spirit makes His home in us.

Guard and keep [with the greatest care] the precious and excellently adapted [Truth]
which has been entrusted [to you],
by the [help of the] Holy Spirit Who makes His home in us.

As I was researching Scriptures for this blog, I found something that astounded me!  Look at the following Scriptures:

…the heavens torn open and the [Holy] Spirit like a dove coming down [to enter] into Him.
Mark 1:10 AMP

But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes
and fills you with power from heaven.
Luke 24:49 NLT

Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove
from heaven and resting upon Him.
John 1:32 NLT

…the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
1 Peter 1:12 HCSB

So there are three witnesses in heaven:
the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are One;
1 John 5:7 AMP

Do you see it?  The Holy Spirit came from Heaven to reside in us!  We carry a piece of Heaven inside of us!  (GASP!)  I had never thought about it that way.

When Audio Adrenaline wrote this song, they wanted to create a song that made Heaven sound fun…not scary or ominous.  “Big House” paints a picture of a large and loving family, spending time together, having lots of fun in the presence of a loving Father.  Since I have a piece of Heaven, I wanted to see how the Scriptures describe Heaven.  Here is what I found:

  • the sound of weeping and crying will no longer be heard – Isaiah 65:19
  • death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer – Revelation 21:4
  • no hunger or thirst – Revelations 7:16-17
  • springs of living waters – Revelations 7:16-17
  • there will be rest and relief – 1 Thessalonians 1:7
  • a world filled with God’s righteousness – 2 Peter 3:13
  • a house with many rooms – 2 Chronicles 31:18

There are so many wonderful Scriptures regarding what Heaven will be like…too many to include.  But I love the physical description found in this passage:

The River of the water of Life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the Tree of Life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month.  The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him.

Revelations 22:1-5

I like the image of the river flowing from the throne.  It reminds me of the streams and waterfalls I saw this weekend.   Sounds like a happy place to me.  And there is a piece of that paradise living inside of me in the form of the Holy Spirit.  So, please, come and go with me to my Father’s house.  We may not be able to visit it physically but we always have part of it with us.

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Father God, thank You for the beautiful Scriptures that show us what Heaven will be like.  I stand amazed, knowing that a piece of Heaven dwells within me.  Thank You for reminding me through the beauty of nature that I am always in Your House.  In Your Holy Name I pray, Amen – it is so!

Draw Me Into Your Presence

SeekingHimLogo

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, You are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there Your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalms 139:7-10

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Maranatha Singers
written by Teresa Muller
*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *
Draw me into Your presence
Draw me into Your presence
Draw me into Your presence
I want to know You

For there’s life in Your presence
There is life in Your presence
There is life in Your presence
I want to know You

Where else could I go
Where else could I hide
For only in Your presence, Lord
Can I find peace of mind