Crunchy Peas

The Definition of Sweet:

Opening up your first set of golf clubs (she is 5 now you know).

Falling asleep in Grandma's arms.

And, turning this

into this:

(straberry freezer jam- 2 cups of berries and 4-that's right, 4!! cups of sugar per batch!! very, very sweet!)

contentment

Another birth last night.  The call came just as I was getting out of the shower at 10:00pm last night.  My instructions were to get there as soon as I possibly could.  The adrenaline began flowing immediately.  I think that I toweled off, changed my clothes twice (I should just get some scrubs because trying to figure out what to wear to these deals is so stressful) slapped on some deodorant, brushed my teeth, kissed my husband (explaining where I was going whilst walking out the door) and made it to the birth center in about 17 minutes.  The baby was born at 10:37pm.  No joke.  A very quick birth.  I was home and in bed by 1:30am.  My confidence is starting to build and I am so thankful for the people who have been patient with me as I learn how to fit in as a birth assistant.  It has been (and this will sound corny with cheese on top) like a real dream of mine coming true. Told you.

The girls were home sick today.  Tough winter for us and germs.   I thought with the warmer weather upon us (sort of) that all this flu stuff would be over.  Not so much.  They were not miserable however, and if the truth were told- I loved having all 3 of them with me for the entire day.  The pace of life slows waaaay down when we are not rushing here and there around the school schedule.  Something that I desperately needed.  A slower pace. A pace slow enough for "dining room table forts" made from blankets- perfect for some reading.

A pace slow enough for elaborate train tracks and imaginary travels.

And cookies, cookies are always good (especially when most of the crew did not have much of an appetite- more for me!!)

I highly recommend Bob and his Little Red Mill- the yummiest stuff is made there.  This muesli mix is tasty on its own...but on the package there is also a super easy recipe for cookies using this cereal.  Throw in a few mini chocolate chips and you have a small bite of heaven.

We were in our pajamas until 4pm. Pretty sure that no one brushed their teeth before then either.  It was jus one of those days where I felt totally and completely content. Me, us...at home. No place I would rather be.

a little of this and that

I don't have anything very specific to blather about today. It just seems to be a normal sort of Monday- errands, recess monitoring (where I get to wear a whistle), dishes, laundry...etc. etc.  There was, however, a coon skin on my entry way floor.

I love Sophie (just a little) when she lays like that.  There was also a bit of art going on in our kitchen.  My friend's husband works for the local newspaper and every now and then she brings us the ends of the newspaper rolls (think last few squares on the toilet paper).  These ends are not big enough to print anything substantial on so they are pretty much useless to the Pressman.  She tells me that they actually sell them to the public for a couple of bucks- it may be worth checking out in your area.

I love covering the table with this paper.  Sometimes we color directly on it with colored pencils or markers, other times it makes a great tablecloth- like when painting with someone who is not yet 2.  By the way, the cute smocks came from Morgan and you can find them in her etsy shop.  This little painting project kept them busy long enough so that I could prep dinner.

Makin' this.  A very tasty way to get your Omega 3's.    And lastly, Hannah brought home her Valentine's Day card for me.  She made it at school and "it had to dry" so I wasn't able to receive it on the rightful day.  The outside was beautifully decorated (sorry no picture) but catch what it said inside:

   

She dictated her thoughts to her teacher.  What a fruit she is....the jungle???  I am glad that she gave me props for my dancing though- I so deserve that one!

ps: Is three. long. weeks. really necessary?  I am ready for Ms. Bennet and Mr. Darcy to hook up already!

best bread

I could eat a sandwich for every meal for the rest of my life.  It seems as if I would never tire of them.  Oven roasted turkey breast, pepper jack cheese, tomato, lettuce/spinach, peppers, oil vinegar, salt and pepper, mmmmmm. A few of you chimed in over the weekend and said that you use a bread machine too so I thought I would post our favorite bread recipe.  It came to me via a former student (and friend) and I have been making it 2x/week.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

3 T molasses (I use honey- maple syrup works too)

1 C boiling water (for my machine I add 3 extra tablespoons to this, you'll have to experiment)

1.5 T butter

*Gently sprinkle the following ingredients over the top of the liquids (in the order listed)

1 1/4 C whole wheat bread flour

1 3/4 C white bread flour (you could try adjusting this ratio so that you have more whole wheat four and less white flour, but I haven't been very successful with that so far.)

3/4 C old fashioned oats

1.5 tsp salt

1 T sugar

1 T vital wheat gluten

2 T powdered milk

2 T ground flax seeds

*Make a shallow well in the center of the flour mixture and add:

2 t active dry yeast (for bread machines)

*I usually select the rapid whole wheat cycle. This makes a 1.5 lb loaf. We have found it to be very yummy! I would love to try your favorite bread recipes if you are so inclined to share them :)

By the way thank you for all the "handmade" encouragement yesterday.  I should like to exchange gifts with you next time!

friday night = pizza night

We have started a little tradition around here.  For the last few months most Friday nights are "pizza nights".  Homemade pizza nights.

It is easier than you might think. During the summer months we grill them on the barbecue- yummmm.  I use my bread maker to mix and knead the dough.  The cycle takes 1 hour and 20 minutes and makes two crusts. I just dump in the ingredients and wait for the beep that tells me it is done. I know that bread makers have kind of gone out of fashion these days.  They are plentiful at thrift and second hand stores for less than $10- but I love mine and use it a lot. Here is the recipe that I use for the crust:

1 cup + 2 TBS water

2 T olive oil

1.5 cups of whole wheat bread flour (regular whole wheat flour works too)

1.5 cups of white bread flour

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp (approx) Italian seasoning

2 T grated Parmesan cheese

2.5 tsp yeast (for bread machines)

Place ingredients in the machine in the order listed.  Use the dough cycle which will knead and allow for rising. Remove dough and divide in two.  Roll each section out according to the thickness that you prefer and top with favorite toppings.  Bake 400 degrees for 15-20 min. ** Bread machines vary and you may have to adjust the water and flour measurements.

I just use the ready made sauce in the jar (how "un-Martha" I know) and our favorite toppings include canadian bacon and pineapple for the kids and tomatoes, artichokes, fresh basil and mozzarella for the adults.  Recently, we invested in a pizza stone- although I don't really notice any major improvements in the taste of the crust.  The round pizza baking sheets work fine too. 

The girls really look forward to pizza night and are starting to get creative with it.  Tonight Hannah asked me if there was any way that we could incorporate shrimp on to her side of the "kid" pizza.  I told her I would have to think about that one.

Cheers to Fridays and preparing/eating wholesome homemade meals together!

downsizing

I have a habit of cramming warmish eggo waffles slathered with peanut butter in my mouth while packing lunches, ironing uniforms, and french braiding hair in the morning.  It always ends with me feeling rushed and less than satisfied. Lately I have been trying to take more time eating.  The more I can make an event out of a meal...the more I remember eating it (and this prevents me from wanting to eat again in 5 min).

My Tante tells me that European women do not eat "fat free foods". Nor do they diet.  They just eat smaller portions- sitting down.  So this morning I played make believe.  I was pretending to be French, eating real french toast.  I cut out a hole in my sourdough bread and fried my egg in the middle.  I used butter.  Real butter.  I sat and ate in a small cafe downtown next to a fresh flower market at my dining room table. Then I had coffee.  I love the lattes that my local coffee shop makes.  I buy their coffee and make my own at home most mornings.  For some reason I just couldn't replicate the taste.  I finally asked them their secret.  Are you ready?  Here it is:

Yep, full fat milk.  Great.  I began wondering, "why do I settle for less taste just so I can have more?"  Doesn't it seem to make more sense to prepare foods the way you really like them and just eat less?  I am going for quality over quantity these days.

So, I had to downsize my cup.  The white one looks more French anyways don't you think?  I use a stove top espresso maker but I saw this the other day and think that it would be nice to eliminate the extra step of warming and foaming my milk separately.  Consider that a huge hint Valentine :).

Wanna play pretend with me? Be sure to visualize quaint European settings while eating. Here is the recipe for the puffed oven pancake that we ate this weekend:

2 TBS butter

3 eggs

1/2 C. flour

1/2 C. milk (feel free to use whole milk :)

1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place butter in deep dish pie pan and melt in the oven.  Meanwhile beat eggs until fluffy.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. (I think I mixed too much, our pancake was a tad tough).  Pour batter into warmed pan and bake for 20 minutes or so.  Top with your favorite jam and powdered sugar.  And...if you are really feeling European add fresh whipped cream.  Enjoy!!

a.m.

Mornings are good aren't they?  Saturday mornings are even better.  I have always been a morning person.  After about 8pm I am not worth very much- things start to go down hill.  Usually I have to ask, "so how did that movie end last night?" I get this trait from my father.  We have no need for alarm clocks.  For the most part we seem to just wake up when we are supposed to.  Setting an alarm makes me nervous.  It is typical that I wake up at 15 minute intervals before the set time waiting for the "beep".  Even though I am not much of a sleeper-inner, just knowing I could if I wanted to makes Saturdays something to look foreword to. 

So, this Saturday morning we indulged in puffed oven pancakes.

Growing up we always had a "real" breakfast on Saturdays in place of our cereal on weekdays.  I always looked forward to watching cartoons.  (Whatever happened to Looney Toones?  Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Coyote and Road Runner were the best!)

Some of us ate our pancakes with orange marmalade, which we pronounce "marm-a-lawd" in our best English accents. Others opted to eat their pancakes bare.

I have been doing some sewing the last few days.  I was feeling a bit sheepish after such a kind feature over at Sew Mama Sew.  Thank you to all the people who visited!!  It was fun to read all of your comments.  I do hope you come back often!  Anyways, I really haven't sewn very much as of late.  I have been on more of a crochet kick these days.  Hannah is hurting for clothes.  I hate to buy anything for her knowing that spring will soon be here.  So, I whipped out a few skirts for her. (that is all that she will wear)

This is the twirly skirt from houseonhillroad.  I used a light-weight denim and some vintage trim I have been saving.  I love this pattern.  It is so easy.  I especially love that it doesn't require a double fold hem- those are the worst.  I will do almost anything to avoid them.  Like sew ribbon on the edge as you would bias tape.

Not the greatest picture, but a super easy pattern from the Autumn 2005 issue of Ottobre. And yes, I finished the edge with ribbon.  I have had this fine-wale corduroy since October.  Better late than never I guess.  I made it a tad big so that she can wear it again next fall.

I took Mama K's advice and turned one of the thrifted sweaters into longies for Laurel.  They work great over cloth diapers.  Wool absorbs wetness especially when it is lanolized (I use this and this).  Normally I would use the sleeves and make pants using this technique...but I wasn't sure that they were long enough so I used the britches and bloomers pattern again.  Whew! That was pretty linky.

Hope you are enjoying your Saturday morning!

stayin' alive (barely)

The germs are still here.  They attacked me too.  There was a moment yesterday when I was sure that someone stuffed 50 bricks up my nose while I wasn't looking.  Thankfully Sutafed came to my rescue.  I tried every natural remedy in the book...

(carrot apple ginger juice, thank you Jack Lalanne for your wonderful machine)

Sometimes drugs are necessary.  My husband said, "Whoa, you must really be sick if you are taking that stuff!"  He was right.  Little Hannah is still on the mend.  Thank you for all your well wishes.

I made her new slippys this afternoon.  I found the pattern tucked in an old crochet book of my Grandmother-in-Law's.   I used organic cotton yarn, which is super soft.  She liked them and it made her smile- even though they weren't pink or sparkly.

Now...for the winner.  There were 18 comments left on my 100th post.  I asked Emma to pick a number between 1-18 and she picked 10.  So, Haley is the winner.  I will craft something up for you as soon as we are all well.  Thank you to everyone who participated.  Lovely to see some new names and visit your blogs.  Yeah it is the weekend!!

one and two zeros

The high temperature today was 26 degrees.  We have been finding many ways to keep warm (besides turning the thermostat up...I broke down.  It now hovers at 72)

snuggly sling naps,

and warm toasty scones with honey (lots of honey if you are under the age of 6).

Also sharing the warmth with cozy crochet birthday gifts.

**note to self: in the future, do not expect 7 year old boys to jump for joy over handmade yarn items- especially when the gift opened just prior to yours was a set of pro-wrestling action figures!

In other news, this little blog is now home to 100 posts.  When I started it back in August of last year I wasn't sure where it might go. I find it hard to believe that I have had 100 things to talk about (fairly certain that my husband will disagree here).  Writing it has caused me to look intently for the smallest significant moments in each day. I am glad to have record of them here. Thank you for sharing those snipits of time with me, and for leaving your thoughts as well.

To show my gratitude I would like to host a "give away".  I have a couple of projects in the works right now that I would just love to share with you! Leave comment and I will choose a winner on Friday.

no more mix ups

A while back I threw out all of our old plastic cups. Instead, I bought glass cups for the girls to use.  This has been working well with one exception- they all look alike.  The trouble is that we mix them up.  Who's is who's?  Is this yesterday's cup or today's cup? (if my sweet little ones would clear their cups off the kitchen table this last issue wouldn't be).  I found that I was washing the cups much too often.  Like 2-3 times a day often.  It was time to get creative.

 

Introducing color-coded cup cozies.  Each girl now has her own cup- clearly distinguished, and for an entire day's use!!  I crochet them up quickly last night.  Would you like to make some of your own?

Start with some random bits of yarn.  I prefer bright colors (mostly because it won't look so dirty when messy hands touch them) and also I used yarn that could easily be washed- no wool this time.  A size H hook is what I used...but you decide depending on your yarn.

Chain 2. 6 single crochet in the second chain from hook

round 1: 2 single crochet in each stitch from the previous round

round 2: Single crochet in the next stitch then increase in the next by making 2 single in the next stitch around

round 3: single crochet around with an increase every 3rd stitch around

round 4: singe crochet around  with an increase every 4th stitch around

keep increasing  like this until the round is as big as the bottom of your glass

round 5: slip stitch around going through back loops only

round 6: single crochet around

round 7: alternate front and back post single crochet around (this creates the ribbing)

continue for as high as you would like coverage on your glass (I did 6-8 rounds like this)

round 8: single crochet around

round 9: slip stitch through the front loops only.

tie off yarn and weave in ends.

 

Laurel picked green.  I think that they are going to work well.  Once you have the general idea you can get creative.  Stripes? Picot edging? Embroidered Initials? The possibilities are endless!  Give it a try!

friends are good

The last few days, I have to admit, I have been feeling a bit bogged down, overwhelmed, frustrated.  Do you ever feel like you are spinning your wheels?  Like you are in a dream where someone horrible is chasing you but you are stuck- can't run?  There is so much that has to be done around here that I can't seem to find enough time to do what it is that I really want to do.  Who wants to be doing dishes or folding heaps of laundry when there is yarn and fabric waiting nearby. And then there are the children.  Since the beginning of the holidays I have been preoccupied.  With all the gift-making and entertaining that we have done, I am afraid my attention towards them has been less. Yesterday, Emma asked me (with her big blue eyes) "Mommy, why don't you ever play with us anymore?"  Ughhh, balance is so hard for me to achieve.

What we needed was a play date.  Some time with friends.  That always seems to do the trick, puts things back into perspective.  So, we were lucky enough to have my sweet friend Saci over this morning.  She moved from Hungary 6 years ago, and I was fortunate enough to have her in my childbirth classes 2 years ago.  Even more fortunate was I to see her beautiful daughter be born.  We've been friends since.

And now, she is expecting baby #2.  Unfortunately we don't get to see them very often.  Silly really, seeing as how we live a mere 30 minutes from each other.  But, you know how it goes....kids, and schedules and such.  Also, she lives up one of the canyons here, and some days the snow makes for difficult travel out.

I tend to get a bit nervous when she comes.  I love cooking for other people, but Saci and her family are Vegan- we are not.  Wanting to respect that, I always have to think a little about what I can make her other than lettuce :).  This book is so wonderful.  All the recipes (with the exception of maybe two or three are vegan). There are so many family friendly, yummy, healthy things to eat inside.  It is definitely one that I recommend.

So, I decided upon the Three Sisters Stew.  The recipe says that Native Americans used to grow corn, squash and beans (the primary ingredients) all together.  The beans would climb up the corn stalks, and the squash grew on the ground in between the corn.  It was so tasty.  Perfect for a cold winter day like today.

I also made some pumpkin muffins with banana/tofu frosting.  I know it sounds unappetizing- but even my kids devoured them.  Seriously, get the book.

I love that Saci is so simple. She sees through all the disgusting materialism we have here in the US.  She reminds me that we over complicate most things. I always feel more focused on what is really important after she leaves. Whenever she comes, she always brings me a gift. (reason enough to invite her more often :)

This time she made me a bag for knitting and crochet.  Oh how I have been wanting something like this!  I like to crochet while I wait for the girls to come out of school or piano, and I never have an organized way to transport all my projects.  She included some knitting needles and some cotton yarn along with a pattern for dishcloths that I have been begging her for. (I barely know how to knit- so she assured me that this would be a great start).  I was so thankful, pretty don't you think?

While we chatted the girls had fun playing, er jumping on the bed.

Why don't grown-ups jump on the bed?  Perhaps it is because we can find no one willing to look silly enough to jump with us. I vow to do it more often- it seems I would have lots of willing participants.

Friends are good, and I was thankful for a visit from one of mine today! Feeling better now.

out with the old...

Well it's that time of year again- the end of the year.  Everything feels sloppy.  I have been a bit twitchy lately just thinking about all that could be improved upon around here. The days of my Christmas Tree are definitely numbered!

Do you make resolutions?  I tend to be fairly idealistic- and so yes, I do.  Do I keep them?  Well that is another situation entirely.  Being idealistic is different from being realistic.  Usually, like everyone else, I over commit and lose steam somewhere along the way.  By July I cannot even remember what I set out to change way back in January. 

Last year, my New Year's Resolution was to become more organized.  This is an area that I really struggle with.  Filing and sorting do not come naturally to me.  Piling and stacking do.  So, last year I made a concerted effort to become more organized.  I tackled some pretty big projects and kept a day planner.  I did pretty well- if I do say so myself.

With some general success last year, I have been thinking about what my aspirations should be for this year.  I plan to share several of them with you in the coming days.  Perhaps some accountability might be nice.  Please refer me back to this post come July.

One of the things that has become VERY sloppy around here is our diet.  I was telling my dad over the weekend that I felt like a hypocrite.  I have what I would consider to be a decent amount of knowledge in the subject of nutrition and yet I really struggle to put it into practice.  We had this conversation while I was frosting cupcakes.  See what I mean?  I talk a big game about local, organic, unprocessed, whole foods...but when it comes down to it- I eat Top Ramen for lunch too.

This is what I did the day after Christmas.

I threw out all of the cookies, candy, corn syrup laden, hydrogenated fats filled, yucky-yuck food in our house.  It felt so good to get it out of the house. 

* I would like to keep foods like this out of the house in the coming year.

* I would like to make every effort to avoid sugar and refined flours. 

* I would like to experiment in baking more with alternative sweeteners (by this I mean natural sweeteners like brown rice syrup and honey- not Splenda!)

* I want my children to eat more green things.  This alone is quite a challenge!

* I would like to eat less meat.  Hormone/antibiotic free meat is so expensive!

So after throwing out all that food, naturally we needed more:

I made a menu/grocery list using my favorite resource Everyday Food. I would say that 95% of what I cook comes from this magazine.  I love it!

Ta-da!  In with the new.  Healthy food for a week.  Back on track.  Only 52.5 more weeks to go.  I can do it.

Tonight's dinner: Chef Salad. A great way to use up that left-over Christmas Ham. (I looked for the recipe online, it wasn't there.  It came from the September 2007 issue, page 94.)

Hey, where did that garlic bread come from?

stupid list

Have you ever had a "to do list" that laughed at you?  A list that provoked a challenge?  One that dared you to try and check off each task? Mine was scoffing at me last night.  I danced around it for a while, trying to figure out what to do about that "to do" list.

I tried thinking of ways to get out of a few things, I tried prioritizing and time scheduling...eventually I just gave up.  11 o'clock rolled around and I was so tired.  It had already been a very full day. I started walking towards my bedroom with the intention of scrapping my list and heading to bed.  Just about the time that I started to crawl into bed, I heard Laurel crying from her room.  It was an "I am sick" type of cry.  Yes, she has had a bit of a cold- but now it was definitely at a whole new level.  Croup.  Before long, I had humidifiers, hot steamy showers and boiling pots of water all going at the same time. Finally, she found her way back to sleep- in my bed.  On my side of the bed.  Propped up on my pillow.  And I was awake.  Wide awake.  In the far off distance I could hear my list.  It was taunting me, "ha! now it would truly be impossible for you to conquer everything on this list- there is a sick baby to deal with."  Little did my list know that I am not to be taunted at 2am.  I looked that list square in the eyes and said, "you wanna piece of this?"  And so it began...

What? Your kitchenaid mixer doesn't look like that?

48 gingerbread house cookies for the girl's Christmas Parties today. (I don't want to eat/smell/roll/cut/eat/mix/decorate/eat another gingerbread cookie for a long time!)

I downloaded this from itunes in the hopes of burning 22 CDs for Emma and Hannah to give away as gifts to all their classmates.  Yeah, did you know that you can only make 7 copies of each download?   I didn't- until after I had burned the 7th disc at 3am. That wasn't going to work for 22 students.  Quick, what to do?

Instead, Emma's classmates are getting little books.  There has been so much book love out there these days, I was grateful to have that idea tucked in the back of my brain.  I made ours with over sized index cards (1st graders love to write on lines.) The "binding" is just a straight machine stitch running down the side.  I never thought the needle would go through 5 layers of card stock!  Address labels slapped on the front made for a perfect place to write a title or your name.

Hannah's class will be receiving a "Thank God for Pinking Shears and Felt" ornament.  No, I did not sew all those buttons on- why do you think they invented hot glue?

It works don't you think?  So, onto the next task on my list.  Tired?  Pshaw, I don't know the meaning of the word. Overwhelmed?  Nonsense, there is no such thing.  "All Nighters", sick kids, Christmas Parties, weekend travel- mole hills. I refuse to go down with a box unchecked! Take that you stupid list!

Simple, Quick, Easy- Yum!

I like my fudge fudgey (moist and chewy)...not dry.  A few years ago I found this recipe and it has become a favorite of ours.   I like to make it for our UPS Driver, The Mailman, our Newspaper Carrier, Piano Teachers, Neighbors and myself!!  We'll start with the basic recipe.  You will not believe how simple, quick, easy and yummy it will be.

Friendship Fudge

18 oz chocolate chips (I used a bag and a half)

1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

1 T vanilla

Nuts optional

Directions: Measure and dump ALL ingredients into a saucepan.  Melt together on med/low temperature. 

Meanwhile, line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with waxed paper.  Once chocolate has melted and is a spreadable consistency- pour quickly into prepared pan.  Work fast- it thickens up again quickly.  Smooth out and put into refrigerator for to harden and cool for a couple of hours.

Take it out of the fridge, remove pan, trim rough edges off with a sharp knife. Peel off the waxed paper.  Put the "nice" squares into a parchment lined tin and give away to a lucky recipient  Eat the edges that have been trimmed off- you earned it, that was tough!

Now, get creative.  I made the fudge above by omitting the vanilla and adding raspberry extract- mm-mm.  You could use peanut butter chocolate chips (Carl's fav), mint chocolate chips, add nuts, or heath bar crumbles.  The possibilities are endless!

**Note this is very rich, one batch made two "gift-able" portions.  This keeps well when wrapped and stored in the fridge.

busy bees

Like all of you I'm sure- we are busily preparing for the Thanksgiving Holiday tomorrow.  Amidst all the preparations (I am responsible for: pickles, olives, rolls, and pies) we continue to keep the day's true purpose in sight.  Yesterday evening when I braved the crazy madhouse that was the grocery store with my three children (who were hungry and tired) the giving of thanks did not flow so freely. I came home to find 13, yes 13 catalogs in my mailbox.

 

The thought of ordering every Christmas gift from my cozy computer chair crossed my mind.  I am not much for crowds, and after the grocery store was completely frazzled.  I only wish that I had gotten the early start that I had intended to on all of my gift-making. Don't worry Carl, I was just browsing :)

After watching the movie we were inspired to try some Ratatouille (above in my bowl).  I used this recipe and added some pasta shells for kid appeal. I didn't seem to work.  We liked the movie better than the actual dish.  Oh well, now we can say that we have tried it.

Lots of baking for me this afternoon.  Plenty of pies to be working on.

Carl is finishing up at the office.  The ski resort opens this weekend and their website has to be up and running.

Emma was getting a jump start on her ornament making.  She has been working on some fabric scrap balls.

Right now, Hannah is working on a nap  (a bit jealous of her).

And Laurel baby, well, she is busy working on her 2 year molars.  We will all be giving thanks when they finally arrive. Poor girl.

Bendy Bread

Now that Hannah is in school she is very much "activity oriented".  She is so used to going from one project to the next while she is there, that she has come to expect that same type of entertainment at home.  "I'm bored" has become one of her favorite sayings around here.  I tried to explain to her that Mommy doesn't always have to have the ideas, that it is fun to try and think of things to play by yourself too.  I love Hannah and as much as I would also love to spend the ENTIRE day playing dolls or doing puzzles with her, there are other things that I have to get done.  Not so sure that she got it, because in the next breath she asked if we could bake something.  I remembered a recipe I had found for bread that you play with before you bake it!  I changed it from the original version, so I guess that makes it okay to share.

Bendy Bread:

1 C unbleached white flour

1 C + 1T of whole wheat pastry flour (regular w.wheat flour is too heavy, we used Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour)

2 t baking powder

2 T sugar

1/4 t sea salt

1 egg

1/2- 3/4 C milk- to obtain dough like consistency

1/4 c vegetable oil

Topping:

1/4 C brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

2-3 T melted butter

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients separately.

Add the wet to the dry and mix until combined, you may need to add more milk or more flour in order to achieve a doughy consistency.

Flour the table (and the floor, and your shirt, and your pants :) Knead the dough until it is more firm and elastic (a minute or two).

   

Divide the dough evenly between your participants. Perfectly even.  Let them mish, mash, squish, squash, roll and shape the dough into the desired forms.  (keep in mind the baking time of a big blob.  I had to send Hannah back to the drawing board a few times.)

Combine the topping ingredients. Sprinkle onto the shapes (which should be on a greased cookie sheet.  I used "Pam with Flour".)

Bake at 350 for 15-20min depending on the size and shape of your dough.  Try and wait patiently as the yummy smell oozes from the oven.

Cool and enjoy with a glass of milk.  (This was a person that Hannah made...she let out and evil laugh as she bit its head off)

And my thankful thought of the day goes out to my friend who gladly came to my rescue around 11:30 am when I had run out of ideas (and energy) to keep Hannah occupied.  She brought her girls over to play and we enjoyed some coffee together.

School tomorrow :)

my pheasant and her pie

Be proud of her,  she did it all by herself (be a little proud of me too for letting her do it-- there were moments when I literally had to put my hands in my pockets.  I worked hard at letting go of how I thought it should look.  And, like her mother, she made a terrible mess.  Flour everywhere!  This is Emma's Blackberry Pie that she submitted to the baking contest at school today.  They were celebrating Reformation Day and honoring Martin Luther.  We did not win...but participating was the emphasis- we were beat out by Strawberry Rhubarb.

Her costume was fun and fairly easy to make. The goal was a 15th century peasant.  Or as Hannah would say "she is a pheasant". Emma was trying to look poor in this picture...thus the somber face. (Red eyes again!  Anyone know how to adjust this in photoshop? I don't think that my camera has that option.  I hate using my flash...but there is so little daylight anymore.) At 1:00am this morning as I was finishing off her apron, I wasn't sure it would all be worth it.  Funny enough, she won 3rd place for "Best Period Representation" in the Elementary Division. That sweetened the deal to some extent.

Lots of lovely gowns like these.  The children also took part in a lavish feast featuring medieval-ish food.

 

Check out these girl's archery skills.

 

Also some action packed sword fighting!

All in all a glorious day, remembering important and courageous people.

How to bake with children

We have more apples around here than we know what to do with.  I went a bit overboard at the orchard thinking that we could make applesauce, and dry them into fruit roll-ups.  Neither have been accomplished yet.  My husband told me not to worry because it was beginning to look like they would sauce themselves right there in the boxes.  At least it is getting cold enough now that the fruit flies are no longer an issue.

Anyways, this afternoon the girls and I (the neighbor girl too) decided that making a pie sounded fun.  I love baking with my children-- here are a few things that I have learned along the way.

#1- Have everything set up and prepared. Gather all ingredients, all utensils, all recipes and aprons ahead of time.  If there is even the slightest lull in the action- they will lose interest.  Perhaps even begin sword fighting with their wooden spoons (not good especially when they are covered in dough or batter.)

#2: Always make sure that everyone has equal amount of "turns" and don't forget who gets to go next.  Children are very particular about the order in which they proceed.

#3: Make cuter aprons for everyone.

#4: Be on the look out for sneaky food snatchers and finger lickers.  They are everywhere!

#5: Refer to #2

#6: Give up control, stive for fun not perfection.

 

 

#7: Don't be afraid to get messy!

#8: Waiting can be fun especially if you play sliding games on the kitchen floor.

#9: refer to #7 (bad focus)

May all your baking days be sweet!

Mega

Okay, so why does it take me so long to figure things out?  My husband wonders how I make it through life sometimes.  Usually every morning he is the witness to our chaotic fluttering about as we get ready for school. I suppose this will carry on for a number of years- as we have three girls (and three bathrooms thank the Lord!) 

After almost 3 weeks of school, I am still trying to iron out the kinks in our routine.  I never want to be one of those moms who is swooping in 5 minutes late to everything. You see her rushing and snapping.  She is exasperated and thrown together.  Her children follow her- running to keep up, their backpacks unzipped and papers falling out.  She forgets appointments and never returns phone calls. She is unreliable and a mess. Hmmm, why do I know this woman so well ????  Perhaps it is not quite that bad...but it feels like I must appear that way some days!

I thought about it- and the biggest hang-up we have in the mornings is breakfast. (okay finding matching knee high socks that don't have "dark, yucky, shoe stains" is another time waster.)  Remember the muffins?  Well, we can't eat another muffin for about 6 months or more.  Totally burned out on cranberry oatmeal pecan.  I never thought that I would say that.

Currently, waffles are all the rage.  I do my best to make them in huge batches on the weekend and freeze them for quick toasting during the week.  They also love english muffins.  I love them as well because the provide a platform for peanut butter- my favorite food (and good protein).  These are easy right?  All you have to do is toast them.  Well, we had a toaster with two slots, one of which turned things out extra crispy.  There are 5 of us, and one working toaster slot.  Do the math...lots of finger drumming on the counter waiting for the next waffle to go in.  By the time I had served one- and made another...they were asking for seconds!  I could literally sit there and be toasting for 20 minutes.  Solution:

The monster mega toaster!  Why didn't I think of this earlier?  Genius.

More finger tapping at the coffee maker.  I usually like to brew my coffee with a stove top espresso pot and then add foamy milk.  Yeah, not so practical anymore.  This luxury is now enjoyed in the afternoon when life is not spinning out of control at a million miles per hour.  The bigger issue is that Carl drinks regular coffee and I drink decaf.  One coffee maker, two different kinds of coffee to be brewed. This created a lot of tension over who got to go first and how long their coffee would be allowed to sit there before the other person came along and dumped it out to make their own. Tick, tick, tick, can't you just hear me getting later and more snippy by the minute?  Solution:

Super mega, monstrous, "looks-like-it-should-be-working-the-breakfast-shift-at-Denny's" coffee maker.  Regular on the left, decaf on the right.  Whew, that was the invention of the century!  Brilliant!  Yes, these appliances are huge. And no, they do not add to the charm of my decor-- but at some point being practical wins over (geez I really am almost 30 aren't I?).

So you see, little by little I am changing my image.  Before you know it I will be early and fresh faced.  My children will be well rested and put together- no jelly on their faces.  We will walk to their classrooms and bask in the orderliness of our morning.

....or maybe I'll just be on time.

a little comfort

My friend had surgery a few weeks ago and she is supposed to be "taking it easy".  This prescription for light duty is somewhat hilarious (and totally unrealistic) because she has three children under 6.  I scooped her kids up and we spent the afternoon together while their mommy got some much needed rest. I didn't want to send them home without some "real food" to eat for dinner (earlier in the week I took them a pizza).  I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand for one of my favorite comfort food recipes. I have used this yummy formulation for new mamas, neighbors, and today for my tired friend.

 

It is perfect for this time of year, using up all kinds of squash excess that so many of us find ourselves with at the end of the season.  The recipe is found in this book.  I am pretty sure that I am not supposed to publish it here without the author's permission...so I guess that you'll have to check it out for yourself. 

MMMM, nothing like a hug from a squash. I can only make things like this for other people.  My husband would ask, "where's the beef?"

Heading off to do some late night sewing while watching this crazy funny show...hope to have some progress to report tomorrow.

preparations

This morning I woke up at 7:24am. School starts on Wednesday.  Seven-Thirty is precisely the time that we will need to leave the house.  Hmm...showers, uniforms, hair, teeth, breakfast, backpacks, carpool--all before 8:00am.  Chaotic.

In effort to brace ourselves for these early morning adventures my little friend and I did some organizing. Don't you hate mixing dry ingredients?  For me, that is the most dreaded part of any recipe. 

Laurel helped me put together some pre-made mixes for our favorite muffins and pancakes. She was the raisin girl. 

Now, on those busy school mornings, all I have to do is add the milk, eggs and oil. This will hopefully leave more time for coffee. And err, getting the girls ready in a more orderly manner. (maybe the two go hand in hand)

So, the uniforms are dusted off.

The lunch bags are ready to be filled. The car is washed, vacuumed, and awaiting little passengers.  Everything is prepared...except our hearts- which for the next 2 days, will be bidding farewell to summer.

Like a squirrel

One of the great things about where we live is the availability of delicious produce.  Fresh fruit, picked right off the tree is plentiful.  Part of the reason I am dreading the end of the summer season is because I am dreading the end of the growing season. We make two trips every week to the local farmer's market where we load up on the things that aren't growing in our own garden.  What will we do when all the peaches have been picked?  What will dinner be without tomatoes and fresh greens?  Do we have to suffer through the winter without cantaloupe and corn on the cob? How will we make silly masks without fresh apples?

 

I have been hugely inspired by this book.  So much of my thinking towards food has been altered.  Where does the food on my table come from?  How far did it travel to get there?  Is it safe to eat?  Why do I buy green onions that were grown in Mexico when they are grown and sold in my own town?

So, part of my efforts to change can be seen in quart jars and zippy bags.  I am canning and freezing like crazy.  Why is this task so unfashionable amongst women my age?  Virtually no one I know does this anymore.  My grandmother has been so helpful in walking me through the process.  I am excited to have local food at my disposal this winter.  It's like having money in the bank or something.  Come the colder months we will be enjoying spaghetti sauce using locally grown tomatoes (my backyard), peaches, pears, apples (dried), applesauce, green beans, corn, squash, and more!

I will say that it is a lot of work! However, how come I have never used one of these before?

This apple peeler is my new best friend!  Somehow, I missed it's invention- such a fabulous little tool! Today, we peeled like 5 apples (before realizing that we would then have to eat them all) just so we could "do it again, mom".  Anyways, call it old fashioned or better yet retro, but I heart food preservation!