I’ve mentioned before that in the (almost) five years I’ve been blogging, I’ve developed friendships with other bloggers where even though we might not have met in real life, they still are special friends in which I hold a tender place in my heart.  There is an immediate bond with other bloggers about our common love of food and writing/photographing about it.  We’ll also share emails to help one another through the technical side of running a blog.  These little emails and small gestures of helping each other quickly build a trust between one another.

One of these friends of mine woke up Thanksgiving morning to a phone call about the sudden and unexpected death of her father, with whom she was very very close.  Sudden deaths like this hit me hard, especially when they  happen to loved ones of friends, even friends I’ve never met. It’s something I’ve never had to deal, yet, myself.  And it’s definitely something that I know is inevitable, and I dread it.  But, I know there can be hope in it and that hope can be felt when you’re surrounded with support.

Because I do not have her address to send flowers, and I live thousands of miles away so I can’t attend the funeral, I thought all weekend on how to show my support.  That’s why today I am taking a break from my blog and encouraging a moment of silence for all of my readers.  Furthermore, take a moment to genuinely pray for my friend and her family as they grieve this tragic time in their lives while searching for hope through this.  Prayer is big, and I want it to be felt all the way from here (California) to there (Indiana).  In the meantime, tell your friends and family you love them because you never know when it will be your last chance.

Jessica and I met up in Oakland and headed to our hotel with our spectacular view.  (That is, if you think that a tempting view of shopping is spectacular.)

I’ve met so many blogging friends…

…and got to see Joelen again!

This is what happens when you have food bloggers touring the city together.  If you need a group photo, you ask an unlucky passer-by to take it for you and unload all of your cameras.  Line ‘em up!

Oh, and did I mention Martha Stewart just randomly walked by when we were having lunch at the Ferry Building?  She was rocking leather pants (she’s in the grey jacket, along with her entourage).

Paula Dean?  Nope, it’s Ginger, our friend, Jessica’s, mom.

And, I hung out with Jessica Simpson.  For realz!  Okay, maybe not the Jessica Simpson you’re thinking, but that really is her name!

The best celebrity (although she’s in denial about her awesomeness) – Joy the Baker.  LOVE her.  Oh yeah, and she has a book deal.  More awesomeness.

It’s late.  I’m full.  I’m tired.  I’m heading to bed.  I’ll give you more Foodbuzz Festival scoop when I get home. 

To welcome in this festive time of year, I wanted to do a little giveaway for you.  A friend of mine runs an excellent Etsy shop, Lindy’s Delights, where her main products are scone mixes.  I’ve had my fair share of her scones and they.are.amazing.  She keeps it simple for the consumer so that all we need to add to the mix is the cream and vanilla.  Quickly pat it into a circle, cut into wedges then bake in the oven.  Within minutes you can impress your guests with a scrumptious breakfast or tea time treat!

If you’re looking for a gift from your kitchen, Lindy packages her scone mixes in darling paper bags with adorable tags, so they can make the perfect gift or party favor.  In fact, I bought a few packages to give as gifts to some fellow food blogging friends at a conference I’m attending this weekend!

My favorite mix used to be the Orange Chocolate Chip, up until the season changed and now I’m hooked on her Apple Pie a la Mode.   This mix includes chunks of apples, chewy caramel bits and white chocolate chips that all come to life once the liquid ingredients are added.  Because this is the time of year when pies are abundant, I thought giving away one of these Apple Pie a la Mode mixes to a lucky reader is appropriate.  Here are the rules:

To enter the contest, please visit Lindy’s Delights and then come back here and tell me which scone mix could become your favorite.  Only one entry per person, and the contest is open only to readers in the United States.  Please leave your comment by Sunday, November 6th at 9:00 PM PST.  I’ll randomly choose and announce the winner next week.  Good luck and happy November!!

On Walgreens’ online photo center site, you can upload any of your photos then use them to display in a hard-cover book.  There are hundreds of template and design options to choose from.  I chose one that was kitchen-themed.  Even though the layout choices are very limited (how to display your photos and text) you really can’t beat the quality for the price!  Plus, after I was done putting it all together online, it was ready for me to pick up within the hour!

Would you like this recipe book?  Just leave me a comment below with the name of your favorite recipe on Pennies on a Platter, or if you are new here, then tell me which recipe on the blog you can’t wait to make!   Contest closes 10/19 at 10 PM PST. Next week I will announce the winner and will personally send you the recipe book (maybe even autographed… ha!).   Wouldn’t it be cool to have this book that probably includes some of your favorites, too?  You wouldn’t have to print it off my site anymore and save some ink and paper!  See?  Win-win! 

(I’ll be out of town for a few days at a retreat where I’m not sure I’ll have internet access.  So, if you leave a comment and don’t see it right away, I will publish it when I return.)

I practically failed that exam.  But, that doesn’t compare to the bigger tragedy of the day.  Lives lost, bodies permanently injured, families grieving, our country frightened.

I’m grateful to have a faith that allows me the peace that passes all understanding.  One that lets me mourn and weep when tragedy strikes, but picks me back up with a hope that endures.  Many may not understand how even through something like this that God is still Almighty, so good, gracious and loving.  He is my Keeper, and I am forever thankful.

We will never forget that September day.  In the words of country star Alan Jackson, where were you when the world stopped spinning?

I spent some time with Rachelle the last couple of weeks during my trip to the Midwest, and there were so many reflections back to when I was her age.  For one, I had a 3 year old sister running around the house cracking us up with her Barney impersonations, impromptu dance routines, and occasional make up trials.  She would ask me to play “Linus and Lucy” on the piano and would dance her socks off, then continue to ask me to play it over and over and over again (for that reason I’ll never forget how to play that song.)

Another memory of that age were long days away from home whether it was due to a sporting event, band trip or another school activity of sorts.  I tried to remember how I kept myself fed aside from the frequent Subway outing for lunch and just couldn’t remember.  Did I buy from the vending machine for a snack to hold me over?  Did I pack a Little Debbie treat?  Maybe I just never got hungry?  I know my mom made sure I was taken care of, but for the life of me I just can’t remember what I ate.

Now that your kids are back in school and probably as busy as ever with activities, consider sending them off with these grab-and-go organic dried fruit treats from Peeled Snacks to keep them energized through the day.  They are even a great option for toddlers, as Judah can testify just from the photo below.    With the variety of flavors they offer, from Cherry-go-round to Apricot-a-lot, your kids will not easily bore of these.  But, don’t just limit this snack to your kids! Adults (myself included) love these dried fruits just as much!

Peeled Snacks are all-natural and gluten-free, providing a perfect snack for pretty much anyone.  They are currently available at Costco stores in the Midwest, as well as at Starbucks and a variety of grocery and convenience stores across the country.  Our wonderful friends at Peeled Snacks would like to give one of my readers (one of YOU!) a chance to sample their snacks for FREE.  One lucky reader will win an Organic Fruit Picks Variety Pack just by leaving a comment on this post below with your favorite school time snack.  Even if I can’t remember what I snacked on way back when, maybe you can??

A few particulars about this contest:

1. The contest is open to residents of the United States.
2. Only one entry per person.  Failure to comply will result in disqualification.
3. Contest closes on Saturday, 9/10/11 at 9:00 PM PST.
4. Winner will be announced on Sunday, 9/11/11.

While you’re at it, check out Peeled Snacks’ Facebook page and Twitter accounts to stay updated on new flavors and shopping locations.  Good luck!!

This Week on Pennies on a Platter
This section highlights the recipes posted this week on Pennies on a Platter and other updates to the blog, if any.

Grilled Peaches and Plums – A quick and healthy summer dessert or side dish.

Homemade Flour Tortillas – DIY tortillas and no tortilla press needed!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, French-Style – My favorite of two basic methods to make ice cream.

Dug Out from the Archives

Let’s dig into the archives and reconsider some of the older recipes on Pennies on a Platter that we ate this week. (Some of which I plan to re-post with new photos and better directions in the near future.)

Chocolate Chip and Butterscotch Scones – One of my favorite scone recipes.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread – Making this for Ben this week so he can have it for breakfast while I’m out of town.

Caught My Eye
I love reading other blogs and websites, and often bookmark their recipes, products or reviews. These are a few that top my list from the week.

My Milk Toof – I might be a little late in the game for this one.  But, I just stumbled across this blog the other day and about flipped at how cute it is.  Sort of a strange concept, but very cool at the same time.  Basically, an artist in California decided to create cute little teeth characters and stories for them.  Seriously, take a look and make sure you read her clever captions.

My Life as a Pastor’s Wife and Food Blogger
Want more insight into my life as a Pastor’s wife, mom, friend, relative and food blogger? Then, read on! If not, ignore this section. This is a place for me to write what’s on my mind and journal some of the crowning moments of my week.

(Judah’s first corn dog.)

This week we visited the Orange County Fair with my cousin who lives in the area.  I love fairs more for the food than anything.  In fact, the main reason we went was to check the infamous gourmet food trucks.  We waited for almost an hour in one of the lines, and later found out that this particular truck (Grill ‘Em All) was the winner of Tyler Florence’s show “The Great Food Truck Race“.  I’ve only seen part of one episode before and thought I recognized the truck, but didn’t put it together until I got home and looked it up on the internet.  The guy who took my order was Chef Ryan Harkins.  Pretty cool!  He was super friendly, even after putting up with all of my questions about the menu.  I’m really glad I didn’t know he was even semi-famous at that time, or I probably would have made a fool of myself even more.    (Those of you that know me, and know my stories of encountering famous people and the strange things that come out of my mouth when I do, well, you know what I’m talking about.)

Placing my order at the Grill ‘Em All food truck.

Not a great pic, but the hamburger (Behemoth) was delicious.  Yes, the burger is sandwiched between two grill cheese sandwiches!!  No worries, Ben and I split this.

Judah sharing a rootbeer snow cone with daddy.

Me, my cousin and our boys. (I can’t tell if I’m even looking at the camera!)

Judah was exhausted by the end of the day.  We had a great day and wish we had time to go back again!  Do you have a local fair that you love?

Iced Coffee – Do-it-yourself iced coffee saves you from breaking your piggy bank!

Chipotle Shredded Pork Enchiladas – These can offer a beautiful presentation when plated into individual servings.

Dug Out from the Archives

Let’s dig into the archives and reconsider some of the older recipes on Pennies on a Platter that we ate this week. (Some of which I plan to re-post with new photos and better directions in the near future.)

Italian Pasta Bake – One of our favorites, but not one we get to indulge in often.  This one comes around about once or twice a year, when I’m always reminded on how much we love it.

Chicken Scaloppine with Saffron Cream Sauce – A lighter chicken dish that includes the unique flavor of saffron.

Caught My Eye
I love reading other blogs and websites, and often bookmark their recipes, products or reviews. These are a few that top my list from the week.

Shark Cookies – All week I kept rolling my eyes when anyone mentioned it was “Shark Week”.  It was all over Facebook, all over Twitter, and all over TV.  I don’t want to learn more about sharks and I don’t want to watch them or hear about them.  The very thought of them makes my limbs turn to rubber.  But, somehow when I saw these endearing sharks on Bake at 350′s blog, I cracked a smile and read on.  Did I just soften up to sharks?  No, I won’t admit it.  I softened up to cookies, not sharks. 

Dessert for Two – Oh my gosh, this one speaks near and dear to my heart.  Christina takes everyday desserts and scales them down into portions for two.  Right now, it’s just me and the hubs usually eating dessert unless we have guests over.  Judah will be old enough very soon to partake, but I’m loving this blog for our time right now.

My Life as a Pastor’s Wife and Food Blogger
Want more insight into my life as a Pastor’s wife, mom, friend, relative and food blogger? Then, read on! If not, ignore this section. This is a place for me to write what’s on my mind and journal some of the crowning moments of my week.

August has been and will continue to be a very busy month for us.  I’m currently planning two baby showers from across the country.  One will be held in Michigan and the other in the Chicago area, both this month.  I didn’t realize how hard it would be to do such a thing from a distance!  It’s crunch time now.

Despite being occupied with baby shower planning, we are also managing to have fun.  Friends from where we used to live in Illinois were in town for a family wedding, so they made sure to add in an extra couple of days to spend with us.  One of their boys is the same age as Judah, so it was a lot of fun to have them interact and play together.  Their other child is four, and you can see just from the photo below where they are having breakfast that Judah was really impressed with him and kept watching and mimicking him during their visit.

I’m sad that I hardly took any pictures of the boys together.  We were so thankful, though, to see them and spend some time with them.

Dulce de Leche – Finding a safer way to make this caramel sauce at home.

Baba Ganouj – A Middle-Eastern eggplant dip that will keep you coming back for more.

Five-Minute (Healthy) Chunky Monkey Ice Cream – Don’t have an ice cream machine?  This is the recipe for you!

Dug Out from the Archives

Let’s dig into the archives and reconsider some of the older recipes on Pennies on a Platter that we ate this week. (Some of which I plan to re-post with new photos and better directions in the near future.)

Homemade Granola Bars – Looking for a great homemade snack?  Try this one from Ina Garten.

Oven Baked Fries – A healthier way to prepare fries while avoiding the deep fryer.

Caught My Eye
I love reading other blogs and websites, and often bookmark their recipes, products or reviews. These are a few that top my list from the week.

Buttermilk Doughnuts – Although I avoided the deep fryer with the oven baked fries above, Brown Eyed Baker is not helping me stay completely away with posting these delicious buttermilk doughnuts!

Corn, Buttermilk and Chives Popovers – I’ve always wanted to try my hand at popovers, and these are pushing me closer towards my desire.

My Life as a Pastor’s Wife and Food Blogger
Want more insight into my life as a Pastor’s wife, mom, friend, relative and food blogger? Then, read on! If not, ignore this section. This is a place for me to write what’s on my mind and journal some of the crowning moments of my week.

If you were with me this last January, you will remember that we joined together to help raise money for my friend and fellow blogger, Vee.  She lost her husband suddenly last November at the young age of 31, while she was pregnant with their third child, and I was overjoyed with your generosity in helping her through this trying time.  Today, it pains my heart to share with you that more tragedy recently struck her family.  This week her brother passed away after being found in the bottom of a lake and then spending a short time on full life support, leaving behind his young son.

Up to this point, Vee was doing very well (considering).  Now, she’s reliving a nightmare none of us what to experience.  My purpose for telling you about this today is to encourage you to pray for her and her family.  She’s a strong woman, but even strong women need lots of prayer and support.

And, while you are at it, head on over to her blog where she journals her emotions and openly shares letters to her husband.  Start with this posting about her son and her brother’s son, who are best friends and now have this unique bond forever about losing their fathers.  I love Vee’s reference about God being the father to the fatherless, and her picture (above) showing this special bond.  Remember, your visits to Vee’s blog will help raise a small amount of money as well, from the advertisement displayed on her page.  Just your hits count.  What a wonderful and easy way to help someone in pain.

 ————————————————-

*Join me in support of Yahoo!’s $20,000 commitment to Share our Strength! This is a quick (30-second) way to commend Yahoo! for its partnership with an organization working to end hunger in America.

To show its appreciation, Yahoo! has committed to donate $20,000 to Share Our Strength on behalf of US, the Foodbuzz community of publishers and readers.

In turn, you have the opportunity to show your support of this partnership by setting Yahoo! as your homepage by clicking on this link. Like what they’re doing? Let them know by changing your homepage!

Here are two things you can do raise awareness about this important cause:

1. Make Yahoo! your homepage now.
2. Share the campaign with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

Thanks for your support!

Strawberry Agua Fresca – A cool and refreshing fruity drink, perfect for summer.

Sweet Cherry Pie – You will want to make this before fresh cherries are impossible to find.

Cherry Sorbet – A refreshing alternative to ice cream.

Dug Out from the Archives

Let’s dig into the archives and reconsider some of the older recipes on Pennies on a Platter that we ate this week. (Some of which I plan to re-post with new photos and better directions in the near future.)

Bruschetta Burgers – A quick weeknight dinner option for your grill.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookie Brownies – Drop some peanut butter cookie batter into chocolate brownie batter and you will actually sample a little piece of heaven.

Caught My Eye
I love reading other blogs and websites, and often bookmark their recipes, products or reviews. These are a few that top my list from the week.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies – You know those soft, thick and round store-bought cookies that you can find decorated for any holiday with a heap of colorful frosting?  Now you can make them at home!  Although I’m not a fan of even the store-bought ones, I have to try these for the next appropriate holiday, because Ben will then (for sure) love me forever. 

Chipotle Barbecue Sauce – One of my cooking goals is to get better at making my own barbecue sauce rather than using store bought.  This is a tough one because there is a certain restaurant’s line of sauces that Ben looooves.  So, we tend to keep those in our fridge which ails me in trying homemade versions.  This variation is now added to my list to when I finally attempt to accomplish my goal.

My Life as a Pastor’s Wife and Food Blogger
Want more insight into my life as a Pastor’s wife, mom, friend, relative and food blogger? Then, read on! If not, ignore this section. This is a place for me to write what’s on my mind and journal some of the crowning moments of my week.

The weather here in Southern California is very predictable, which I love.  Hot and sunny, every day.  We bought a little plastic kiddie pool for our backyard and then borrowed a slide and climb from our neighbor, so now Judah and I are having a ton of fun playing outside during the cooler mornings.

Our friends, Amanda and Sierra, came over the other day to enjoy the pool with us.  Amanda came up with the brilliant idea to set the slide in the pool.  The kids loved it.

Then, Judah was a gentleman and pushed Sierra in his little red wagon.  How romantic. 

Judah is growing so quickly. He is starting to actually talk more (although he’s always “talked” a lot.) He’s saying words like “ball,” ma, da-da, slide, uh-oh and “set!” for “ready, set, go!”

He is also learning to climb onto everything.  For meals, I just need to say “Okay, Judah, get in your high chair!” and he will climb right in, then try to buckle the strap himself.  It’s super cute.  But, what’s not so cute is that he’s also trying to climb out of his crib.  We might need to change to his toddler bed soon…

This coming week we are looking forward to having friends over for dinner and then spending a day in LA on a “day date” that I’m planning while Judah is with a babysitter.  I can’t wait to share the details with you later!

*Join me in support of Yahoo!’s $20,000 commitment to Share our Strength! This is a quick (30-second) way to commend Yahoo! for its partnership with an organization working to end hunger in America.

To show its appreciation, Yahoo! has committed to donate $20,000 to Share Our Strength on behalf of US, the Foodbuzz community of publishers and readers.

In turn, you have the opportunity to show your support of this partnership by setting Yahoo! as your homepage by clicking on this link. Like what they’re doing? Let them know by changing your homepage!

Here are two things you can do raise awareness about this important cause:

1. Make Yahoo! your homepage now.
2. Share the campaign with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

Thanks for your support!