Tuesdays with a Twist Blog Hop #418

Welcome to Tuesdays with a Twist #418!

Before we get to the blog hop today - checkout this post:
Flowers by Color - BLUE

Start planting your 2021 Spring Garden!  

There are many wonderful seeds available at Mary's Heirloom Seeds (click picture below):

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Checkout the many great giveaways going on right now!

Click the button below to enter each Giveaway!!:

_____________________________________________________________

Good Morning and Welcome to another No Rules Party!

We're your hosts & co-hosts 

Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Checkout my amazing "Featured" Pinterest Board

(click HERE to view & follow)

Features!

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured! 

My Features this Week are:

1. "Pretty Organization Under the Sink" by Simply Beautiful By Angela

2. "Where Flowers Bloom" by A Day of Small Things

3. "Double Peach Pound Cake" by Cindy's On-Line Recipe Box

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Saturday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features.   And now for the party!

_________________________________________
Grow your own!
Many wonderful garden products from
 "Mary's Heirloom Seeds"!!
click to view

You're the STAR - Week#4 HOME (April 2021)

It's planting season! - How is your garden looking?

Thank you again for joining us!

There are many ways to follow me:

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

blog  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  twitter  |  bloglovin  |  instagram

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Before we continue onto the Linky party I wanted to share from my blog:

Minty Cocoa Scones

WELCOME to the April 2021 "You're the Star" Blog Hop!
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WELCOME to HOME feature week of the April 2021 "You're the STAR" blog hop!
Meet your HOME week Hosts

 
This week is HOME feature week
Swing by the Home Hosts' Blogs:
Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn
Liberty @ B4 and Afters

Cindy @ Mom, the Lunch Lady

Niki from Life as a LEO Wife

This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU!

There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories.  Just to be clear - this is NOT a themed party - you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month. 
The "theme" occurs in our weekly features:
WEEK#4 HOME - recipes, home décor, antique/DIY &/or travel (this can include anything about your home - even history posts - all while remaining family friendly)

(All features were chosen from the March 2021 "You're the Star" blog hop)

Chicken Ramen Salad by Homemade on a Weeknight

Shou Sugi Ban Picture Frame by Unique Creations by Anita

Chicken (or Pork) & Vegetables Skillet Meal by Scratch Made Food

Birds on a Spring Tablescape by Whispers of the Heart

If you've been featured then please grab a STAR button below:

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All Hosts/CoHosts will post this blog hop on every Monday of each week.

Please link up your family friendly blog posts below!

It wouldn't be a linky party with YOU!

(IMPORTANT NOTE: by linking up you understand that you might be featured next month and if so, we will use some of your photos from your post - rest assured - we will always link back to your lovely blog.  We might also share your fantastic posts on social media.  Also, you may link up as many family-friendly posts as you like & YES - other blog hops &/or giveaways are welcome {giveaways and blog hops will NOT be featured though}  Thank You & ENJOY! )

___________________________________________________________________

Part#2 Jesus Is - THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Part#2 Jesus Is - THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Today we are continuing in the "Jesus Is" series.

In the book of John, there are 7 ways in which Jesus described himself:

The Bread of Life

The Light of the World

The Door/Gate

The Good Shepherd

The Resurrection

The Way, Truth & Life

The True Vine

Today we are focusing on Jesus "The Light of the World"

Last week we learned that Jesus is The Bread of Life giving us sustenance for growth.  Today we will learn about Jesus the Light of the world, which will give us a vision for planning the future.

Jesus' Light is twofold:

1.  His Light shows us the way personally in our own life and gives us a vision for our future.

2.  Jesus' Light then shines through us so that those around us (our family, friends and even strangers) will see God glorified through our life (the way we live - what we say and how we act).

Read the verse above and we learn that Jesus' Light is the knowledge of God's glory, meaning that through Jesus' ultimate love and sacrifice we are eternally saved.

  There have been two times in my life when I experienced true darkness (I'm talking about the absence of light - not evil activity).  The experience that stands out in my mind the most occurred during my early teenage-hood.  My family took a tour of the Mammoth Caves in the state of Kentucky.  At one point in the tour we were guided into a large cavern (I think it was called the "Rotunda Room"), and the guide then asked us if we had ever experience absolute blackness.  I can't remember what the crowd had said but he then warned us that he was going to turn off the cave lights for just a few seconds so that we could experience the total lack of light.  I have never experience anything so suffocating!  Not only did those few seconds feel like an eternity but it felt like the oxygen had been sucked out of my lungs; like I just couldn't take a breath.

When I read John 12:35 (see verse above), I am reminded of that Mammoth feeling of darkness.  That suffocating breathlessness is what life is like without Jesus.  It is impossible to see the future and make plans without light.

This world is full of the darkest most horrific kinds of evil.  In Matthew 6:22 & 23 (see Scripture above), the "darkness" is referring to the evil in the world.  This passage talks about "eye health" - now we're not talking about macular degeneration or  pink eye.  "Eye as the lamp of the body" symbolizes what we read, what we focus on, what we watch, what we study.  Allowing our eyes to focus or study something immoral will inevitably change our actions into darkness (sin).

Focus on Jesus and His Light will give us a vision and plan for the future!

Copyright, Permissions & Disclaimer



Linked to:

Thursday Favorite Things

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Take Up The THANKFULNESS Challenge!

I challenge you to thank God for something everyday for one year!  Either write it down in a diary OR share with us on a blog.  If you have a blog & would like to share your THANKFULNESS posts with us, then please fill out this form: 365 Days of Being THANKFUL form - click HERE and you will be added to the THANKFULNESS page.

Coffee & Hazelnut Biscotti RECIPE

Coffee & Hazelnut Biscotti

The Italian biscotti is a perfect cookie for any season.  I had some extra hazelnuts in the freezer and so I decided to create a new biscotti recipe (new to me anyway).  As far as flavor combinations go - hazelnut and coffee are hard to beat.


 


Printable Recipe

4 eggs
1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons coffee concentrate (see instructions below)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup salted butter (softened)
1 3/4 cups hazelnuts (finely ground)

3 + cups of flour (no more than 4 cups total)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
---a couple dashes of salt if you are using unsalted butter

Begin by preparing the coffee concentrate - mix 2 tablespoons of boiling water with 2 to 3 teaspoons of instant coffee and stir until granules are dissolved.  Set aside until later.  

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and the sugar has been dissolved.  Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat just until combined.  With a wooden spoon stir in the flour and baking powder (and salt if using unsalted butter).  Now stir in the hazelnuts.  On a floured surface knead until smooth (you will need to keep adding a little flour at a time until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers.  However, the dough must still be moist ) (see first two pictures above).  

Divide/cut the dough into 2 halves.  Form each dough half into a log.  Place the dough logs on a parchment lined cookie sheet & just slightly flatten the logs (see picture above).  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes (it all depends on the type of oven that you use) - bake until the outer layer is golden & the middle is fully baked (you might need to cut one in half if you have never made these before to make sure that they are fully baked- see second picture below) - do NOT overbake - it is a dense dough but you will need to be able to cut them into biscotti slices.

After cooling for a few minutes -  begin slicing each log (see picture above) - slice at a diagonal and the pieces will be larger and more oblong.

Once you have finished slicing - return the sliced pieces to the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for about 10 minutes (or until very light golden on the bottom side).  Remove from the oven & flip each biscotti over and bake for another 10 minutes or so on the other side.  (see pictures above & below) (again - everyone's oven is different so check to make sure that they do not get too dark)

Allow to cool completely and then dip one end in melted/tempered chocolate (see picture below)

Continue dipping each cookie and then allow the chocolate to harden.




Serve with a "dunking" beverage  - coffee would be ideal since it is the Coffee Hazelnut biscotti! (but hot chocolate or milk are delicious also).

ENJOY!



Copyright, Permissions & Disclaimer


Linked to:

__________________________________________________________________

Grow your own!

Many wonderful garden products from

 "Mary's Heirloom Seeds"!!

click to view

Tuesdays with a Twist Blog Hop #417

Welcome to Tuesdays with a Twist #417!

Before we get to the blog hop today - checkout this post:
Potato Planting Lesson

Start planting your 2021 Spring Garden!  

There are many wonderful seeds available at Mary's Heirloom Seeds (click picture below):

_____________________________________________________________
Checkout the many great giveaways going on right now!

Click the button below to enter each Giveaway!!:

_____________________________________________________________

Good Morning and Welcome to another No Rules Party!

We're your hosts & co-hosts 

Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Checkout my amazing "Featured" Pinterest Board

(click HERE to view & follow)

Features!

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured! 

My Features this Week are:

1. "How To Make a Bird Habitat From Recycled Items" by Scratch Made Food

2. "Spring Flowers & The Elderberry Bush" by Labor of Love

3. "Wild Garlic" by Mami Made It

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Saturday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features.   And now for the party!

_________________________________________
Grow your own!
Many wonderful garden products from
 "Mary's Heirloom Seeds"!!
click to view

You're the STAR - Week#3 FAMILY (April 2021)

The month of April is always a crazy weather month - they are predicting snow tomorrow! (turning to rain of course).  I hope that you are enjoying Spring!

Thank you again for joining us!

There are many ways to follow me:

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

blog  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  twitter  |  bloglovin  |  instagram

___________________________________________________________________

Before we continue onto the Linky party I wanted to share this post from my blog:

Fruit of the Spirit - LOVE

Welcome to week#3 of the April 2021 "You're the Star" Blog Hop!

________________________________________

WELCOME to FAMILY feature week of the
April 2021 "You're the STAR" blog hop!
Meet your FAMILY week Cohosts 

This week is FAMILY feature week
Swing by the Family hosting team's blogs:
Michelle @ Moms Are Frugal
Kris @ Kris and Larry . com

Lisa @ Lisa's Everyday Life

This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU!

There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories.  Just to be clear - this is NOT a themed party - you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month. 

The "theme" occurs in our weekly features:

WEEK#3 FAMILY - parenting, fitness, health, finances & inspirational (this can include anything about children like: education ideas for children, also self help, beauty etc -  anything family friendly)

(These features were chosen from the March 2021 "You're the STAR" blog hop)

The Ark Encounter - The Outside Grounds by Amy's Creative Pursuits

When Obstacles Become Part of Your New & Good Story by Living Our Days

Evil Unmasked by A New Lens

Photo by Pixabay

Let The Peace of Christ Printable by Comfort Spring

If you've been featured then please grab a STAR button below:

*******************************************************

*******************************************************

All Hosts/CoHosts will post this blog hop on every Monday of each week.

Please link up your family friendly blog posts below!

It wouldn't be a linky party with YOU!

(IMPORTANT NOTE: by linking up you understand that you might be featured next month and if so, we will use some of your photos from your post - rest assured - we will always link back to your lovely blog.  We might also share your fantastic posts on social media.  Also, you may link up as many family-friendly posts as you like & YES - other blog hops &/or giveaways are welcome {giveaways and blog hops will NOT be featured though}  Thank You & ENJOY! )

___________________________________________________________________