Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1 tsp salt

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

4 - 5 Tbsp ice water

Filling

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup (2 oz) cream cheese, softened slightly (just don't melt)

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp of nutmeg

1/8 tsp allspice

1 pinch salt

1 large egg yolk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp half and half, plus more as needed

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

For the crust:

In a food processor pulse together flour, salt and granulated sugar. Add butter and pulse mixture until resembles coarse meal (it won't really come together in pieces much at this point, so don't over-process, just pulse until butter is no longer in large pieces). Add 4 Tbsp water and pulse several times, if it doesn't come together in clumps add remaining 1 Tbsp water. Drop mixture onto a clean surface, gather dough into a ball then divide into two portions. Shape each portion into about a 5-inch disk. Cover each with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. Meanwhile prepare filling.

For the pumpkin pie filling:

To a mixing bowl, add cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Using a rubber spatula, stir mixture to blend, while running spatula against bowl to smooth any lumps. Lay pumpkin puree on several layers of paper towels. Wrap and press to soak some of the excess moisture from pumpkin, until you have 3/4 cup pumpkin puree. Add reduced pumpkin puree to cream cheese mixture along with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and salt and stir. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Cover bowl and chill until ready to assemble pop tarts.

To assemble pop tarts:

Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats. Working with 1 chilled disk of dough at a time (keep other in fridge to chill), roll dough out onto a floured surface to about 13 by 11-inch rectangle (when edges start to crack a little when rolling, seal them and continue rolling), then trim edges to get a 12 by 10-inch rectangle (to even the edges). Then cut into eight 5 by 3-inch rectangles (cut in half through the longness then three cuts through the opposite).

Arrange 4 of the rectangles, spaced evenly apart on prepared baking sheet. Spread a slightly heaping 1 1/2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie filling evenly down the center of each rectangle, leaving about a 3/4-inch rim on all sides uncoated. Dampen fingertips with water and run along uncoated edges of pop tarts. Top each with another rectangle, then seal edges with your fingertips, then reseal with a fork (I didn't seal with the fork, I just did a double seal with my fingertips because I wanted them to look more like the real thing). Poke the top center of each tart 3 times with a fork. Cover and transfer to freezer to chill at least 2 hours or up to one week. Repeat process with remaining disk of dough.

After chilling, position one oven rack near top third of the oven and a second oven rack near bottom third of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake frozen tarts until golden, rotating racks once halfway through baking, about 25 - 30 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

For the icing:

In a mixing bowl whisk together all icing ingredients well then add more half and half about 1/2 tsp at a time to reach desired consistency. Spread over tops of cooled pop tarts, leaving a small rim uncoated around all sides. Sprinkle tops with sprinkles if desired and allow glaze to set at room temperature. Store in an airtight container.

Eyes to see

And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.

One evening we knocked at a door and a man answered. His appearance shocked us. He was not dressed in a way that one would expect. We asked him if he knew where we might find a certain brother who was a member of our church, to which he replied that he was that man. At first we weren't sure if we could believe him; his appearance and lifestyle seemed so distant from our expectations. He told us that he had served a full-time mission but that he had drifted far from activity in the Church and that he had essentially abandoned the Church and forsaken the gospel of Jesus Christ. Without much expectation we invited him to return. We told him what time and where we met on Sunday. And, to be honest, I thought that would be the end of it.

Then Sunday came, and to my great astonishment this man entered the chapel just after sacrament meeting had started. As I looked from the stand toward him, I could see that his appearance was just as it had been when we met him at his home. I could tell that he felt a bit uncomfortable as he found a seat at the back of the chapel. After the service was over I quickly raced to his side, trying to insulate him from what I worried might be awkward comments from others about how he looked. We talked for several minutes, and then he told me that he wanted to attend priesthood meeting. So I brought him in. There he was in a room full of men wearing suits and white shirts and ties. I feared that he would not be received well—his appearance and apparent lifestyle could have so easily drawn out a sense of exclusion from the men who sat in that room.

I stood and introduced him, and the response from those priesthood men will forever be burned in my heart. Almost in unison they said, "Welcome back, brother. Welcome back."

This response prompted a feeling of love that eventually led to an earnest prayer by this good man—a prayer that Heavenly Father answered so forcefully that it led to a mighty change of heart in this man that I could scarcely have imagined.

This is a beautiful story with a wonderful ending that I wish I had time to share. But what has always stood out in my mind is how these priesthood brothers saw who this man really was, not who he appeared to be. They understood what the Lord meant when He said to Samuel:

Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature . . . : for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

They understood the great love that God feels for His children.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said it so kindly in the October 2009 general conference. He said:

Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine.

Now multiply that love by an infinite amount that is the measure of God's love for you.

God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He doesn't care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely.

He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our résumé but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God's love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.

Elder Robert D. Hales put it this way:

Think of it. At some point in our eternal progression, each one of us is going to have to answer the question Who is Jesus Christ? We are told that every eye shall see, every ear shall hear, and every knee shall bow, every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord  "When all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God" What Think Ye of Christ?" "Whom Say Ye That I Am?"

I testify that Jesus Christ is a God. He is more than a great man who lived on the earth two thousand years ago. He is the Firstborn Son of our Heavenly Father. He is our Savior and the Redeemer of the world. He is also a Creator. The world that we live in is here for a purpose. With eyes to see, we can find evidence in our world that God loves us and that He knows us. I also testify that if we desire it and if we ask Him, He will reveal truth unto us. This truth will help guide us in our own eternal progression. He will allow us to see others for who they really are.

What a blessing it is to see each other as brothers and sisters, each of infinite worth in the eyes of God. How can we be anything but charitable and kind and merciful when we see others this way? Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ see you this way. Of this I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Jerald B. Johnson

Honey Breadcrumb Asparagus

Ingredients

• 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed (use thick asparagus)
• Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1½ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1½ tablespoons melted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon honey

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Poke holes in each asparagus with a fork and toss with ½ teaspoon salt. Drain for 30 minutes on paper towels.
3. Combine one cup parmesan, break crumbs, ½ teaspoon pepper, red pepper and butter in a shallow bowl.
4. Whip egg whites and honey in a mixing bowl until egg whites form soft peaks. Transfer to a 13x9 inch pan.
5. Roll each asparagus stalk in the egg whites (don't worry if they aren't totally coated), and then roll them gently in the bread crumb mixture, patting the bread crumbs along the stalk. Transfer to the foil-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake asparagus for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup asparagus and bake for another 4-5 minutes until cheese and crumbs are a golden brown.
7. Cool for about 5 minutes and serve. (recipe from Framed Cooks)

Perfect Empathy

And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people".

Thus the Savior has suffered not just for our iniquities but also for the inequality, the unfairness, the pain, the anguish, and the emotional distress that so frequently beset us.

There is no physical pain, no anguish of soul, no suffering of spirit, no infirmity or weakness that you or I ever experience during our mortal journey that the Savior did not experience first. You and I in a moment of weakness may cry out, "No one understands. No one knows." No human being, perhaps, knows. But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before we ever did. And because He paid the ultimate price and bore that burden, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy in so many phases of our life. He can reach out, touch, and succor—literally run to us—and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do 

that which we could never do through 

relying only upon our own power . . .

I express my appreciation for the infinite and eternal sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Atonement is not only for people who have done bad things and are trying to be good. It is for good people who are trying to become better and serve faithfully and who yearn for an ongoing and mighty change of heart. Indeed, "in the strength of the Lord"  we can do and overcome all things.

David A. Bednar

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

Ingredients

• 1¼ sticks butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1¼ cups pure pumpkin puree (from a 15-ounce can)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree.
5. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture, and beat to combine.
6. Spoon ⅓ cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
7. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture.
8. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack and serve.

Has anyone ever told you that you are extraordinary?

Welcome the task that takes you beyond yourself.

"Don't let doubt keep you from your potential."

 "He knows everything about you... He knows what keeps you up at night. He knows what weighs on your heart. He knows your longing to become something more. If the Lord can do great things with a single loaf, imagine what He can do with a single life."

Give Him all that you have to offer. 

He will bless it. He will make it more.

Has anyone ever told you that you are extraordinary? 

That you are destined for remarkable things?
That there is a spark of greatness in you?
They should have.

"There is a spark of greatness in you just waiting to be ignited. Your possibilities span the universe. You have within you the potential to become someone remarkable. You were not sent to this earth to play small, to shrink; to fail. You were destined to make a difference. You were made for amazing things."

"Divinity gave Him the insight to extend the invitations that would help Peter discover the life he was meant to live. Peter, a fisherman, walked on water! 

What could you do with the Lord?" 

There will be a point in this journey where you will have to leave neutral ground. That moment will require you to give Him your heart . . . all of it.

Leave behind your nets and follow Him.

David Butler 

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients

Butternut Squash Filling:

2 cups butternut squash puree (about half of squash)

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup milk (or more, if needed)

1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Spinach Filling:

1 cup cooked spinach (8 oz uncooked)

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper, to taste

Other Ingredients:

10 oz lasagna noodles, cooked 

1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (or more)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (on top)

Italian seasoning

Paprika

Basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Butternut Squash Filling:

For this filling, you will need to have pre-cooked butternut squash puree. Using food processor, combine 2 cups of butternut squash puree with Ricotta cheese, milk, salt and nutmeg. Add more milk if needed (to make the butternut squash filling very creamy). Mix very well, taste and add more salt, if needed.

Spinach Filling:

Combine spinach, Ricotta cheese, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix, taste, and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Cooking lasagna noodles:

Bring a very large pot of water to boil, and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse in cold water, drain. Using knife, trim noodles to fit your baking dish (if necessary).

Lasagna assembly:

Prepare a baking dish - I used a casserole dish 11 inches x 8.5 inches x 3 inches deep. Grease the lasagna dish lightly with olive oil spray. Spread 1/3 of butternut squash filling on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked lasagna noodles without overlapping (I used 3 noodles).

Spread half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.

Spread another layer (1/3) of butternut squash mixture, then sprinkle lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.

Spread the remaining half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with the final layer of cooked noodles.

Spread a generous amount of butternut squash filling (the remaining 1/3) over this final layer of noodles, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and remaining mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup of mozzarella). Generously sprinkle the cheese with Italian seasoning, paprika, basil.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.

His compassion

Certain qualities possessed by the Savior draw us to him in times of need and pain and sorrow. He has a perfect knowledge of each of us. He has compassion for us; his empathy is absolute. When we are afflicted, he is afflicted. His love passeth knowledge, and he has all power.  "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, 

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth".

Nothing is too hard for him. When he acts in our behalf, the result is always miraculous. Thus, even though His personal miracles were confined to a small place and a short time, their messages reach across the ages to us. And the promise come with those messages. He will do for us what he did for them, and for the same reasons: because of His compassion; to build and confirm faith; and to teach us spiritual realities.

Ted L. Gibbson

"… After we do all we can do, His compassion and grace are the means whereby 'in process of time' we overcome the world through the enabling power of the Atonement.  As we humbly seek this precious gift, 'weak things become strong unto us,' and by His strength, we are made able to do that which we could never do alone."   

Craig A. Cardon

"God knows the feelings in every human heart. He can soften sorrow and lead when there seems to be no light. Prayer can give guidance and confidence. It reminds us that no one need be alone in this world. If all else fails, remember: God and one other person can be a family." 

Marvin J. Ashton

Boo-tiful

Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot

My favorite color

Spiced Pear Upside Down Cake

1/4 cup butter 

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 pears, peeled

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 package (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix

1 cup water

1/3 cup softened butter

3 eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a 9″ round cake pan and heat in oven until butter is melted. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Cut peeled pears in half lengthwise and remove cores. Cut pears again lengthwise in 1/4″ thick slices and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle pears with pumpkin pie spice and gently toss to coat. Arrange pear slices over the butter mixture in pan, slightly overlapping. Prepare cake batter as directed on package using water, butter, and eggs. Carefully spoon cake batter over the pears. Bake cake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake for 5 minutes on a wire rack, then carefully invert cake onto a serving plate. 

His hopes are for your full potential

“The decision to overcome a fault or correct a weakness is an actual step in the process of doing so. ‘Thrust in thy sickle with thy might’ was not spoken of missionary work alone.”

Thomas S. Monson

“I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect’ Are you vexed by your own imperfections? For example, have you ever locked your keys inside the car? Or have you ever moved from one room to another, to accomplish a task, only to find you had forgotten what you wanted to do?  Please do not be discouraged by the Lord’s expression of hope for your perfection. You should have faith to know that He would not require development beyond your capacity. Of course you should strive to correct habits or thoughts which are improper. Conquering of weakness brings great joy. You can attain a certain degree of perfection in some things in this life. And you can become perfect in keeping various commandments. But the Lord was not necessarily asking for your errorless and perfect behavior in all things. He was pleading for more than that. His hopes are for your full potential to be realized: to become as He is! That includes the perfection of your physical body, when it will be changed to an immortal state that cannot deteriorate or die. So while you earnestly strive for continuing improvement in your life here, remember that your resurrection, exaltation, completion, and perfection await you in the life to come. That precious promise of perfection could not have been possible without the Lord’s Atonement and example.”

Russell M. Nelson

 

“ It is extremely important for you to Believe in Yourselves, not only for what you are now,

But For What You Have The Power To Become.”

Neal A. Maxwell

Believe in the person that you can become.

peek a boo

Candy Corn and White Chocolate Softbatch Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, soften

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cream or half-and-half

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons corn starch

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch salt, optional and to taste

1 1/2 cups candy corn 

1 cup white chocolate chips (or salted peanuts)

DIRECTIONS:

In large bowl and electric hand mixer), cream together the first 5 ingredients (through vanilla) on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the next 5 ingredients (through optional salt), and mix on low speed until just incorporated, about 1 minute; don't overmix.

Add the candy corn, white chocolate chips (or peanuts), and mix until just incorporated.

Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping two-tablespoon mounds. Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter. Important note - Strategically place candy corn so that it's not baking directly on cookie sheet because it will melt, burn, or turn runny if it is. The candy corn pieces need to be in the interior of the cookies, shielded and buffered by dough.

Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart and bake for about 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. 

Do not overbake because cookies will firm up as they cool. Baking longer than 10 minutes could result in cookies with overly browned undersides. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet  for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooking. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Mother Nature's Putting it On

Orange gourds

Lovin the Octo Month

Spiced Cider

Hello October

You are all things good

I'm so happy you're here

I Love You

Kindred Spirit - October

Experience joy

"There is one thing needful for joy to which man is entitled, and it is the greatest of all.  It is the service we render mankind. There is something we can take home to God, in achieving which we find true happiness, and that is character—what you have made of yourself during this mortal existence. . . . Character and the service you have rendered will determine your position and place in the next world"  

 David O. McKay

Though harder to come by...

It comes back to you

Hello October

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the oats, flour, dry pudding mix, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

2. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Yield: about 7 dozen.

We tend to become like those whom we admire Godly men

 "Sometimes in our lives, 

tears are the lenses we need to see Jesus"

Pope Francis

Sometimes we can take offense so easily. On other occasions we are too stubborn to accept a sincere apology. Who will subordinate ego, pride, and hurt then step forward with, "I am truly sorry! Let's be as we once were: friends. Let's not pass to future generations the grievances, the anger of our time." Let's remove any hidden wedges that can do nothing but destroy. Where do hidden wedges originate? Some come from unresolved disputes, which lead to ill feelings, followed by remorse and regret. Others find their beginnings in disappointments, jealousies, arguments, and imagined hurts. We must solve them lay them to rest and not leave them to canker, fester, and ultimately destroy. 

 Thomas S. Monson

t

The Lord never tires of forgiving, 

it is we who tire of asking for forgiveness. 

Pope Francis

"Tenderly the Master speaks . . . Come back. Come up. Come in. Come home.
Come unto me." 

Thomas S. Monson

Cherry-Brown Butter Coffee Cake

For the Cake

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for the pan

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter (softened)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for the pan)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups frozen tart cherries (thawed in the fridge)

FOR THE TOPPING

1/4 cup almond flour

1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons salted butter

FOR SERVING

confectioners' sugar (for dusting)

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

step-by-step directions

Make the Cake: Preheat the oven 325°F. Oil and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Place the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until the foam subsides and the butter starts to look medium-brown at the bottom of the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Allow to cool, and place in fridge for minutes to set up to the texture of softened butter.

Combine the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and cooled brown butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until creamy. Add the yogurt, eggs, and the vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until well mixed.

Drain the thawed cherries and reserve the liquid. In a medium bowl, mix the thawed cherries and the remaining 1/4 cup flour until the cherries are lightly coated, and set aside.

Stir the reserved cherry liquid into the batter and mix through.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the cherry mixture over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over the cherry filling, spreading it carefully to cover the filling completely.

Make the Topping: Combine the almond flour, dark brown sugar, hazelnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter in a food processor. Pulse quickly 5 or 6 times until the mixture has a bread crumb texture. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake batter.

Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the topping is a dark golden brown. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar and serve with Greek yogurt on the side.

Know He is There.

Dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. 

We are looked upon by God as though we were in eternity. God dwells in eternity, and does not view things as we do.

What a blessing it is and can be in the future—when we have special challenges, heartbreaks, unusual experiences, or disappointments to know that he is there and 

we can cry unto him in faith and complete trust.

Very often over the years I have had peace and patience knowing that he was there and would not forsake me even though some prayers were going unanswered. What a joy and strength it would be in all of our lives to have the childlike faith and complete trust to know that he is there and that we can cry out unto him under all circumstances.... know he is there, even though immediate replies and responses are not always positive.

Perhaps it would be good for our souls to build the relationship and understanding that he is there, even our loving and eternal Father, and that ofttimes delays to our urgent pleas can be best for us. Who is to say it isn't more important to know that he is there than to receive immediate answers?......

What a great strength it would be to all of us in times of desperation and wonderment to humbly approach his throne with "Please hear my prayers. Answer them in thy great wisdom for my best good. But please give me the constant reassurance that thou art there and that peace, contentment, and the courage to continue are mine because I have faith and can come to thee who has promised not to forsake us."......

We are to exercise faith. We are placed on earth as a probation. It is not now, nor was it ever, the intention of a wise, omniscient Heavenly Father to solve all our problems. Life is not—and never will be—an "uninterrupted holiday." God expects us to struggle—so we may become godlike. The edict from Eden was that man should eat bread by the sweat of his brow!

Like a wise parent, our Heavenly Father sometimes says "no" to our pleas. It is therefore essential that we cultivate a feeling for spiritual things that will enable us to "feel" or recognize occasions when our Heavenly Father is telling us "no." Even when his Beloved Son requested that the bitter cup of pain and sorrow be lifted in Gethsemane, our Heavenly Father had other plans. How eternally blessed we are because God permitted his Son to complete that suffering so we will not have to suffer if we repent.....

Pray constantly for help, endurance, and understanding. 

God does answer our prayers. 

Please know he is there. 

I testify he is, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Marvin J. Ashton

Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares

Ingredients

1-1/3 cup All-purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 stick (1/2 Cup) Butter, Slightly Softened

1 cup Brown Sugar (lightly Packed)

1 cup Oats

1 can (14 Oz. Size) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup Lemon Juice

 Zest Of 1 Lemon

Preparation

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.

Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined. 

Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. 

Add oats and flour to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine. 

Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan.

Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spread onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Top with the other half of the crumb mixture, but don't press.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Allow pan to sit on counter for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until cool.

Serve cool.