JC’s Doin’ It B.I.G. Apple Pie

Apple Pie Recipe For Kids: Preparation made simple and easy (an overview)

Since the pie crusts are ready and just waiting to be filled with deliciousness, your kids will enjoy preparing the filling and mixing ingredients together. Start off with refrigerating the pie crusts and peeling the apples. Once the apples are peeled, cut into moon-shaped slices with a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Smaller pieces of fruit tend to cook more rapidly, losing more liquid, so stay clear of cutting them too small or too thin.

Suggestion: For a more tart pie use Granny Smith and for a sweeter one use Golden Delicious apples.

Separate the yoke from the egg and use a silicone pastry brush to “paint” the pie crusts with egg white — this will help keep the crust dry and render that flakiness that everyone loves…not to mention give your kids their first assignment for apple pie duty!

Cooking tip:  Hot pie filling straight from the oven is usually runny. As your pie cools, the pectin molecules of the apples interact with one another, resulting in a delicious gel-like filling. 4 hours to cool should be ample time for the pies to set and be ready for the first slice.

Ingredients

2 refrigerated pie crusts (in pie pans)

1 egg white

6 large organic Golden Delicious apples  or organic Granny Smith (peeled, cored and thinly-sliced)

1/3 cup granulated organic sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour*

1 teaspoon cinnamon

*Gluten- free flour is an option or use 2 tablespoons of almond flour

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush pie crusts with egg white.  Allow the egg white to dry while preparing the filling.

Toss the apples with remaining ingredients and layer them on prepared crust.

Gently lift the second prepared pie crust and place over the apples, tucking the excess under the bottom crust. Kids can crimp the edges with their fingers or use a fork.

Cut 3-4 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of the crust with any remaining egg whites (optional).

Cover the pie loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil.

Total: 70 mins

·        Prep: 20 mins

·        Cook: 50 mins

·        Yield: 8 Servings

Remind your child that God made them.

BRAVE, INCREDIBLE, AND GREAT (Psalm 139:13-16) as you spend some quality time together making this kid-approved apple pie.

Recipe by Brenda Bell (JC’s Mom)

Photo by Maksim Goncharenok on Pexels.com

Great Summer Fun With Kids Preparing A 3-Layer Apple Jelly Cake

Pure Vessels of God’s Three Layer Apple Jelly Cake

Beat 4 large eggs

Add

 1 stick of soft unsalted butter

1/4 cup of oil

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of apple jelly

Mixing well until all ingredients are thorough mixed and creamy.

 Add

One box of Betty Crocker’s yellow cake mix

1 cup of self- rising flour

1 1/2 cup of milk

 Again, mixing well until all ingredients are thorough mixed and creamy.

 Pour batter evenly in 3-9’ inch cake pans and bake 325 to 350 for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Let each layer cool completely

Frost each Layer with 16 oz. of Apple jelly J

Rhodessia “Rose” Strong (Solid Rock Redemptive Ministries)

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Delicious Crunchy Pecan Cookies

Baking cookies is comforting, and cookies are the sweetest little bit of comfort food. They are very bite-sized and personal.

~Sandra Lee

Cookies are sweetest comfort food. Pull your ingredients together and follow Rose Strong’s recipe to make those delicious Crunchy Pecan cookies.

1

Cream together
1 cup of unsalted soft butter or margarine 1/2 cup of vegetable
2 eggs well beaten
1 -1/2 cup of brown sugar

2

In a separate bowl next to gather
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1-1/2 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
Mix well and add to #1

3

Add
1-1/2 cup of chopped
2-1/2 cups of whole grain corn flake
Mix in a whale
Drop 1/3 cup for each cookie, place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes at 375°
Let cool. Yield: 4-1/2 dozen
For tastier and simply recipes:

Get Mollie and Rhodessia’s Cookbook, an excellent gift for, Birthdays, Graduation, Weddings,
Thanksgiving, Christmas, or to encourage Someone to be Creative in Demonstrating their Talent.

Crunchy Pecan Cookies
By Rhodessia “Rose” Strong

Photo by Tim Douglas on Pexels.com

When It Rains, It Pours…

“Mothers hold their child’s hand for a moment and their heart for a lifetime.

Unknown

I am sure you have heard the phrase – When it rains, it pours. Our family did not know it, but we were in for a torrential downpour. In a matter of eight years, we had lost two brothers. The fact that their deaths were not from natural causes, but rather tragic killings made the pain even worse.

Shortly after our brothers death, my sister, Bobbie, experienced her own type of personal tragedy. In the early
1970s, things changed drastically for Bobbie and her family. The landlord whom they rented from evicted them. All Bobbie can remember is that the landlord needed the room and they were forced to leave. Unfortunately, they were unable to find a stable place to live. With six small children, living on the streets was not an appropriate option. As a result, the State removed the children and placed them in our mother’s care. If the State had not been involved, having our mother help raise Bobbie’s children would not have been any special circumstance.

For years, in black families, grandmothers have stepped in to take care of their grandchildren when needed. Whether it was an unexpected pregnancy, a job opportunity, or financial hardship, many black grandmothers have helped raise their grandchildren or become their primary caregiver.

Unfortunately, this was a special circumstance. The State was involved and had set rules regarding the care of the children. For Bobbie, it would become a life-altering event… Read More about… “My Sister,
My Friend” By: Rhodessia Strong

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Destiny’s Homemade Chili

In deep 3-quart pot

Heat 1/2 coup of oil

Add 1 lbs. of ground turkey

Brown approximately 5 o 8 minutes

Add:

1/2 cup crushed onions

1 teaspoon old Bay Seasoning

2 Bay leaves

1 16oz can of Red kidney beans,

1 16oz can of stewed tomatoes Including the juice

1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce

1 pack of chili seasoning mix

Stir and continue cooking for approximately 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes approximately, 6 to cup servings.

Good🤣! Eat some now, freeze the rest for later.

Mollie and Rhodessia’s Cookbook, an excellent gift for, Birthdays, Graduation, Weddings, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or to encourage Someone to be Creative in Demonstrating their Talent.

Cost:                                       $20.00             State of Florida Handling And Shipping

Out Of State:                          $20.00            Plus $7.50 For Handling And Shipping

Method of Payment:              Cash App $Rhodessia

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White Hot. City Lights. Miami Spice.

It is true that I have had heartache and tragedy in my life. These are things none of us avoids. Suffering is the price of being alive.

~ Judy Collins, American Muscian

White Hot. City Lights. Miami Spice. When people think of Miami, they think of night life and South Beach. Most people who are not from Miami think it is all fun, all the time. Those of us who live here understand life is happening here just like it’s happening everywhere else on the planet. In the late 1950s, our second oldest brother, decided to move his wife and three small children to Miami. His move was not for the night life, but for better opportunities. Shortly thereafter, Bobbie followed him for the same reasons.

When Bobbie arrived in Miami, it was not much different than the small town of Andersonville. She was in a real city with many more people. While living with her brother, she found employment as a housekeeper. During those times, it was not uncommon for black women to clean homes and care for white people’s children. Although she was cleaning houses for white people, it was much better than working in the fields. Miami was not immune to racial tension, but Bobbie found the people overall to be much nicer than what she had experienced in Andersonville…

After getting a job, it was not long before Bobbie wanted to explore the night life Miami had to offer. As a young woman, she went out to the clubs and bars, as many single, young women do. While at a bar, she met someone with whom she became romantically involved. Although the relationship did not last long, they had a daughter. Shortly thereafter, Bobbie met the love of her life. I’m not sure if it was love at first sight or simply a chance encounter. But the meeting would change Bobbie’s life forever.

“My Sister, My Friend” By: Rhodessia Strong-Amazon.com

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The Mother Who Would Not Give Up…

Mollie did not depend on others for help—I do not ever recall her asking for or getting assistance from anyone—of course, there were no government programs to aid those in need.

Mollie’s only available resources were monies earned from working on the plantation—and sometime borrowed money from the plantation owners which she would pay back later—and clothes that were given by extended family members. My older brother moved to Miami, Florida and later also my oldest sister who had a son leaving him back home with mother who would send mother money when they could.

Seven years later, still a young woman, Mollie had four additional children plus a grandson belonging to her oldest daughter to care for on her own. She had a miscarriage between the second and third child. I remembered when times were very hard, and we had very little. As a plantation worker, Mollie worked in the fields chopping and picking cotton, peas, peaches, shaking peanuts, picking up pecans, and shucking corn, picking black berries, she also worked at a canning plant where they canned many food products. Many days Mollie would work from early morning until sunset in the evening. She earned menial wages of fifteen dollars a week chopping cotton. The most money earned was from picking cotton, peaches, pecans, corn because they were weighted by the pound. On the other hand, Mollie always had a way to make ends meet,

To ensure that the family always had food, Mollie did not hesitate to put in action her God-given wisdom, she had a separate  area on her property where she planted different vegetables—cabbage, collards, mustard, turnip greens, peas, sweet potatoes, green onions,  okra, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, hot peppers, watermelon,  sugar cane. When it was time for meat, Mollie knew all the wild animals and birds that were good to be eaten (rabbits, squirrels’, possums and birds). Being such a good cook, the way Mollie seasoned and simmered those meats, one could hardly tell the difference. 

Mollie was also a very multitalented individual. She made small throw rugs from old stockings and quilts from scraps of fabrics, by hand (between the late 30s and early 50—only one quilt remaining). She baked cakes, sweetbread, sweet egg bread—yummy—the three or four layer chocolate cake—the lemon cheese and pineapple cake was the bomb! She also made sweet potato pie, blackberry and peach gobble, egg custard, cornbread turkey or chicken dressing that no one could top! Oh, my—how could I forget!!! When we could not afford to buy cold drinks/soda pops or even a bottle of grape or strawberry Kool-Aid, she made sweetened water (sugar and water mixed together), add a slice of lemon—now we call it lemonadeJ). Mollie was, indeed, a survivor. She was an expert when it came to making pot-ash soap from hog scraps??? However, or whatever she made it from, it surely cleaned and whitened our clothes.

She was a wiz when it came to canning and storing foods for the winter and hard times; she canned peaches, blackberries, pears, and peas.

Looking through the eyes of wisdom, Mollie made preserves from watermelon Rhimes. Oh the pear preserves was to die for—if you don’t believe me, ask my brother Joe—LOL! Ironically, Mollie raised her own chickens and hogs; at times, she would kill a hog and preserve the meat for almost a year. Not wasting any part, she made souse from pig ears, pig feet, pig tails).

In those days, we had no refrigerator, just a little icebox. Today, that is called a cooler. One thing Mollie did that really amazed me was when she dug a hole in the ground, lined the hole with pine straws, placed sweet potatoes inside and then cover it with several more layers of straws. She covered the hole with a wooden board or tin which kept the potatoes fresh for months.

Although, Mollie never taught her children about slavery and how black people (in general) were treated in earlier times, it was not long before we realized that prejudice and slavery was a fact of life then, especially for blacks. On one occasion, I recalled me and my sister taking the bus to the Americus to look around. On our journey we stopped at the window of a small restaurant to buy hamburgers. As we approached the front window, the attendant immediately ordered us to go to the back window. In another instance, on our way home, while waiting at the bus station, I went into the restroom. Totally unaware of segregation, differentiating “White`s” from “Colored”, I could see the hateful resentment on the white women’s faces, staring at me as if I had committed a crime—I said nothing! When we got on the bus, I also recalled not sitting at the back of the bus, either. As a teen, I realized I was very bold during those times—Was I—or was I living under God’s protective hands? I would say the latter!

Mother was very industrious and multi-talented; she made rugs from old stockings and quilts from scraps of fabrics. She baked sweet treats: cakes, sweetbread, and sweet egg bread— yummy!!! The vanilla, lemon cheese and pineapple cake was best, and the sweet potato pie, blackberry and peach gobble and cornbread turkey or chicken dressing—that no one could match. And, oh, how can I forget! When we could not afford to buy cold drinks/soda pops or even a bottle of grape or strawberry Kool-Aid, she made sweetened water (sugar and water mixed together). Not only was mother a survivor, she was also an expert when it came to making pot-ash soap from hog scraps. However or whatever she made it from, it surely cleaned and whitened our clothes.

She was a whiz when it came to canning and storing food for the winter and hard times. Looking through the eyes of wisdom, she canned peaches, blackberries, pears, peas—and oh, that pear preserves really was “to die for”—if you don’t believe me—ask my, brother, Joe (Lol)! Ironically, Mother raised her own chickens and hogs; at times, she would kill a hog and preserved meat for almost a year. Not wasting any part, she made souse from pig ears, pig feet, pig tails. We had no refrigerator, just a little icebox. Today, that is called a coolerOne thing Mollie did that really amazed me was when she dug a hole in the ground, lined the hole with pine straws, placed sweet potatoes inside and then covers it with several more layers of straws. She would then cover the top with dirt which kept the potatoes fresh for months.

Photo by Andrew Neel

Rose’s Favorite Dump-It Crunch Cake

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In a 2-quart baking dish at the following:

1-16oz. can of sliced peaches

1-16oz. can of fruit cocktail

1-16 oz. can of crushed pineapple

1/2 cup of melted butter

1 tablespoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon

of cinnamon

1 tablespoon of allspice

1 teaspoon of vanilla flavor

1 cup of yellow cake mix

Stir all ingredients together

Spread the remaining of cake mix over the top of ingredients  to make chewy  crust.

Bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes until top is brown and crunchy

If needed darker crust, broil 3 to 5 minutes on broil.  

8 to 12 servings.

*Allow Kids to Learn Measurement While prepaying this recipe

My Sister, My Friend…

I was inspired to write this motivational book, My Sister, My Friend, to encourage those whose children have been removed by the state, to encourage parents and families not to lose hope in the midst of a difficult situation, to do what is needed to keep their children out of the system. Once children are in the system, it can be challenging to get them out. Working in crisis intervention for many years, I saw the pain and fear of parents not knowing where their children were or how they were doing. It made me think about what my sister must have been going through, crying and wondering where her children were and what was happening to them. It must have been difficult to miss each birthday and not have the opportunity to see her children grow. As any mother would, I know Bobbie must have been hoping and praying she would be reunited with her children one day. She is a testament to the power of prayer. My prayer is that the readers will get a real feel of what a mother must endure mentally, emotionally, physically and financially. I encourage parents whose children are in state custody not to give up on being reunified with their children