Mary Up-dates: Family Pictures- Which one?

Monday, December 07, 2009

Family Pictures- Which one?

Things are going great and we all love this time of year (except for the extra cold temp outside). We finally got our family pictures taken (it's only been 3 years), so I thought I would post some of our favorites and let you help us choose which one we want to keep for our family (and parents). Since no one seems to feel inclined to leave comments, I'm not sure if this will work, but I'm giving it a try. So please let me know what number is your favorite (okay mom).

Before I end, I wanted to share a story. It isn't the good feel Christmas stories you usually hear, but it sure means a lot to me and made me smile since I know the sacrifice involved.

A while ago I was gone, and Kaze needed a diaper change pretty bad. Brett, not incapable of doing it, but not use to doing it, took it upon himself to change "The most disgusting diaper ever!" He started changing her, then the smell reached his nose. Dry heaving, and trying not to vomit excape, he stuffed his nose with two large tissue papers and barely made it through the changing. I want Brett to know what a wonderful guy he is. I appreciate all he does for me and the family. Of course, I don't know how he can gut an animal, but go all soft when changing a diaper, but I love ALL his efforts. I just wish I had a video of it. :)

8 comments:

Nancy said...: I think they all look great, but #4 is my favorite.

BTW-How is it that you have 4 children and Brett is not an expert at changing diapers? That makes me laugh! I too love my husbands efforts, especially when it involves a brave man's fear of poo!; 1:46 PM
Unknown said...: Great pictures!

I think that I like the second one best because it's a close-up, so you can see all your faces. But, I also like the coloring best in that pic.
BTW, thanks for the recipe! Here's to an extra 10 pounds worth of toffee this season:); 2:41 PM
Unknown said...: BTW, it is actually Tasha leaving these comments, not Mark! Surprise, surprise!; 2:41 PM
Mandi said...: Hey. I like the first one best. I think in some of the others, it looks like your family is split in half. But that's just my opinion, of course. Love ya!; 4:37 PM
Anonymous said...: Thanks you guys!!! I love hearing your thoughts!
mary; 4:56 PM
Rachael said...: 2, 4, or 5, but 4 is my fave! You guys are a beautiful family!; 10:02 PM
Pamela said...: I like number 3!!!!; 11:52 PM
Brad.Lindsey.Lexi.Rowen said...: Thanks for posting the jam recipe! I will definately give it a try. Your family is adorable, and if I haven't said it I love your family pictures! Merry Christmas!; 3:26 PM

ABOUT US

Brett and and I have been married for 12 years. We live in the beautiful Northwest and have four darling (of course, I will say that- they're mine) children. Our oldest, a girl, Janey is 11, and our youngest is also a girl, Kaze age 3. The two boys are in the middle, Seth and Jeb ages 9 and 6.

I am a stay at home mom and love it. They often do things to make me laugh, which is why I started this blog, to help me remember those wonderful moments. Because NOT everything they do make me laugh at the moment.

I am now 4o years old and 7 years have passed. I am going to try and do better about keeping up with this blog. Mostly because when I do look back, I love seeing the pictures and reading about what we did (the time has gone so fast!). A lot has changed, we are busier and bigger, but my kids still make me laugh (mostly:) and I want to remember every precious minute I have with them!

Truffle Cupcakes

This is a favorite and I should have a picture but I don't yet... Sorry. Also, you should know I really am not a big cake fan; however, I love these. I'm talking I eat at least 3!

1 cake mix (any kind can be used. I usually use chocolate or yellow mix)

1 pudding mix (I use vanilla or chocolate mostly)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

mix all ingredients till well blended, then scoop into regular sized cup cake tins.

bake for 5 minutes @ 350 (while that is baking, remove wrappers to Lindor truffles. There are 12 truffle in a 5.1 bag and about 22 in a 7. something oz bag and in the big 21 oz bag there is 50 truffles.

when the cupcakes have baked for 5 minutes, open oven and quickly shove truffles into center of cupcakes. Continue baking for 13 more minutes. (give or take depending on the oven) when done, take out and let cool.

I love cream cheese frosting on these, but because of the truffle it sometimes is too much. I make cream cheese frosting like on my other recipes but then whip heavy cream and fold it into the cream cheese frosting. It is perfect. I got this recipe from the Sister Cafe blog years ago.

Cinnabuns

Ok so here is my recipe:

in a microwave bowl add:

-1 cup of brown sugar or 3/4 honey

-1 cup of powdered milk

-1 cup of potato flakes

-2 Tablespoons of sea salt

-1 cup of butter

-5 cups of warm water

Cook in microwave for about 1 minute until the sugar and salt are dissolved, and stir until the butter is melted and all is mixed. You want this mixture med warm. Let set if it's not

In a mixing bowl (I use a Bosch), pour in the mixture. Add:

-3 heaping Tablespoons of Yeast (make sure your yeast isn't too old. If you want to taste it, place just a bit in warm water and sugar to see if it grows- it will look foamy)

-2 cups of flour

Let sit for at least 10 minutes so the yeast can grow. It will look foamy.

Once that is done, mix on low and add:

-2 eggs

-more flour until the dough pulls away from the side. I really can't remember how many so just watch for the dough to start coming together.

I sometimes add just a 1/4 a cup of vital gluten flour. Bread flour is just regular flour with gluten in it anyway, so I will sometimes use bread flour, but not always.

-Once the dough starts to pull away from the sides, set the timer for 8 minutes and allow it to kneed. Also you want to keep the speed low, the whole time.

-After 8 minutes, coat your counter and hands in butter. Plus you want a large bowl that is also sprayed with non stick spray sitting aside.

Place dough on the buttered counter, and with your hands kneed another minute, adding butter to your hands as needed so its not too sticky and form into a ball. Place dough into buttered bowl.

-Cover with clean, dry dish towel and place in a warm place (I put my on the stove with the stove on.)

-Let the dough double in size, then punch down. That is only needed once but can be done more times too.

-Then dough rises again to double in size, dump it out on a buttered counter, again coat your hands with butter so dough is easy to work with. Pinch of a handful of dough and form into a ball.

Here you can either just make rolls by placing them on a buttered pan, or you can make Cinnabuns.

For Cinnabuns, have a small bowl of melted butter and a small bowl of Cinnamon and sugar.

-Use the ball you just formed and dip it in the butter, then into the cinnamon and sugar, then place it on the pan. Repeat until your pan is full.

At this point you can cover the pan with plastic wrap and put into the freezer to save for another time. When you take them out you will need to let them rise (probably for about 3 hours) and then bake them. If they are for right now then place them in a warm spot and,

-Let double in size.

-Bake @ 350 degrees for about 22-25 minutes.

-When they come out, gently coat with frosting. I use cream cheese frosting (because its my favorite and since I'm the one making them, I get to choose:)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package of cream cheese (softened)

1 cube butter (softened)

cream first two together really well, then add:

3 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 pure vanilla

OK, your done, NOW ENJOY!!! It makes enough for your family and you can also give some away or save a pan for later by putting it in the freezer, and pulling out later for another day :D

Green Smoothy Recipe

So I like to switch this up a bit adding this or that, but this is my very basic standard recipe.

I start with crystal lite (usually strawberry)

1 scoop protein powder

1 scoop prebiotic powder

1/2 frozen banana or 1/2 frozen avocado or both

1 cup of frozen strawberries, pineapple, or blueberries.

daily vitamin-(because if I take it whole even with food they make me nauseous but blended up they don't.)

Frozen spinach- as I can shove in (usually 5 to 6 oz). I buy it fresh and then stick it in the freezer. It last longer plus again it makes it more a smoothy vs a shake.

I like the taste of fresh spinach instead of pre frozen.

I often add carrots, celery and even part of an avocado (for health fats to keep me full longer and it does make it smooth).

(I freeze pretty much all the fruit before hand because then you don't have to use ice cubes. The fruit blends easier and the ice usually waters down flavors)

When I add extra greens or use a green with a more bitter taste or over load it on veggies I like to add a little crystal lite powder to off set and make it sweet. I don't like mine overly sweet but enough to I look forward to my morning shake.

Fall Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

2 2/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnimon

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

add all this in a bowl and set aside

in a mixing bowl:

1 1/2 cubes of softened butter (I always use salted butter)

2 1/4 brown sugar

cream together on meduim speed for about three minutes (or until fluffy) then add:

2 eggs (one at a time and mixed well- reduce speed)

1 1/2 cups of canned pumpkin (14 ounces)

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

ADD all dry ingredients until just mixed in. Then put a drop on pan. It will be pretty runny still, and it is even suggested to fill a frosting bag and use it to put the dough on the pan. I didn't bother with that. :)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 6 minutes then rotate pan and bake for 6 more. Let cool for 5 minutes and remove to cooling rack. (cookies should be firm when you take them out)

These moist cookies should be covered with frosting...

icing they gave:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 1/4 sticks of butter

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon evaporated milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

BUT I USED Cream Cheese frosting, because 1) it's my favorite, and I can 2) pumpkin and cream cheese just go together!

3 cups powdered sugar

1 package cream cheese (8oz)

1 cube of butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

mix till creamy smooth, then fold in either whipped cream or cool whip! It makes it not too sweet and pretty darn tasty!

FOR A LOW FAT LOW CAL PUMPKIN COOKIE

simply use:

1 15 ounce can of pumpkin

1 spice cake mix and mix really well.

-Add the mini dark chocolate chips for a little sweetness. If you are making them into cookies, use a large spoon to dish it out and place on the pan. You can make into a cake as well, but baking time I can't remember- so you're on your own!

*Bake at 350 for 12 (time can vary) minutes. They are very

yummy and also not near as bad for you. If you want to be only half good, it does taste wonderful with frosting!

My Favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon of lemon extract

5 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt (or if you use unsalted butter use 1 teaspoon)

IN A BOWL: cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and lemon extract. Stir in flour mixture (I put combine all dry ingredients together before adding them)

COVER and chill dough for at least an hour or overnight.

PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees. roll, shape and keep about 1/2 inch thick. I like to use my Demarle pan, In fact, I roll and shape them right onto the pan with just a little butter on my hands so its easier to work with the dough. It dough comes off so clean and easy from the Demarle pad so its make for easy work and keeps the cookies looking good. I don't play with shape a lot because I just want to eat them not make them really pretty. If I need to I will also do a light flour/powdered sugar mix to work with dough.

BAKE 6-8 minutes. Let cool and frost

ICING:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons milk

2 teaspoons corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

I also like cream cheese frosting which is down on the cinnamon roll recipe. ENJOY

Kickin' Craisin Cookie Recipe

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar (the cookies were a little too sweet so next time I will cut the sugar to 3/4 cup each)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cup oats
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I always add a little cinnamon to cookies)
1/2 teaspoon of ground clove
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
a dash of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups white chocolate
1 1/2 cups Craisins
1/2 cup chopped peacans or walnuts
preheat oven to 400. Mix until well blended the butter and sugars. Add an egg one at a time, then the vanilla. Add the rest of the ingredients until blended.
Bake for about 8 minutes. Again, I prefer my Demarle pan for baking cookies.

Carmel bars

Ok, so this is a favorite and hard for me to leave alone. I first have homemade carmel just laying around when I make this, and if I don't then I make some :) Of course, you can just buy carmel (the ice cream topping kind), but I don't like that as much. My homemade carmel recipe is further down (under the chocolate cake)

Now I like this so I make a big batch:

2 cups flour

2 cups oats

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 tea cinnamon

1 tea baking soda

1 - 1 1/2 cups butter (just depending on how crumbly the mixture is)

Use your clean hands and mash this together. You can use a potato or pastry cutter, but hands work better and faster.

Once you have a crumble mixture, pour half into a 13x9 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes @ 350.

once it comes out sprinkle:

chocolate chips till coated

and spread carmel to coat the chocolate

spread chopped roasted almonds over that if you like (optional) then top with the remaining crumble top and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

It's my favorite to put in the freezer and let them set up as well as that they are a little cold. Enjoy :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe

1 cup butter

3/4 brown sugar

3/4 white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup coco powder

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tea salt

1- 2 cups chocolate chips

8 peanut butter cups cut up.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix until creamy, butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time and let mix well, then add vanilla. Add peanut butter. Then add rest of dry ingredients. Last fold in chocolate chips and butter cups. I also have used peanut butter M&Ms, Reases Pieces hard candies, and mini peanut butter cups. It's all good! :)

Bake for 8 minutes and then allow to finish cooling on pan another 8 minutes. These are really good. I use the Demarle pan because I think it makes ALL cookies bake best and taste better!

Rolls, Cinnamon Rolls and Scones

DOUGH RECIPE
-In a bowl blend
5 cups water
2 cubes of butter (can use oil instead)
2 heaping Tab of salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup powder milk (can use real milk or almond milk instead)

1 cup potato flakes

*** put in microwave until melted and sugar dissolved. It migh be boarder line hot, let it cool to warm before adding yeast.

-After all ingredients are blended and melted add and cooled to warm:

3 heaping Tab of yeast
2 cups of flour (I use half wheat/ half white- when making dinner rolls and all white for any desserts)

-let that set until yeast grows, about 10 minutes

add more flour, blending.

2 eggs, blend and continue to mix in flour

Add enough flour to leave dough just a slight sticky to the touch, while kneading. knead about 10 minutes total. When I am needing with my hand I coat my counter and hands with butter instead of using more and more flour. I really prefer the taste and when I'm making these rolls or scones I'm not concerned about the calories :)

-put dough in a greased bowl over a heated stove with a dry dish cloth over it until triples in size. Punch down and let it rise some more.
-Dump it out on buttered counter and shape rolls. place them on a greased cookie sheet and again let them rise.
-When they are ready (about 20-25 minutes), bake them for 17. for cinnamon rolls it will be closer to 22 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees. When you remove them, wipe with butter.

FOR CINNAMON ROLLS

I spread the dough out into a rectangle shape and spread butter on, then cinnamon and sugar and then brown sugar. You can add nuts and raisins, but I don't- my family just likes it better without. Roll up the rectangle the long way so it stays wide. Finally cut about two inches thick and place on sprayed pan. Cream Cheese frosting is my favorite.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package of cream cheese (8oz)

1 cube of butter

3 cups of powder sugar

2 teaspoons of vanilla

you can add canned milk or regular milk if you would like it softer. (I like to add flavored creamer)

Trick to good frosting it using soft cream cheese and soft butter. Cream them together first and until smooth. Add vanilla and powder adding milk as needed.

FOR SCONES

They don't need to rise so much. If you are in a hurry, you can start a lot sooner. Flatten out dough so it's thin, place in a hot pan of oil. (test the oil by putting a couple drops of water in first. If they zizzle, it's ready. The first bit of dough should tell you whether it's too hot or not.)

-Cook dough on both sides. Pull out letting the extra oil drip back into the pan and set on a plate.
-I sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on both sides and frost with cream cheese frosting. I also like to make a blackberry syrup to drizzle over the top. This dough makes a ton of scone so I usually do half rolls and half scones.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

family favorite

1 pound of butter (soft)

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 cups brown sugar

cream together until well blended

while creaming, mix dry ingredients, and set aside

6 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

(if you don't have powder, just use 1/2 tea more of soda)

I like to add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg

BACK to mixture:

add 3 eggs, one at a time to butter mix

2 teaspoons of vanilla

add in dry ingredients and before completely mixed add

4 to 5 cups of chocolate chips.

I use the silver bag (Guittard). I also like using 1 cup dark chocolate or even semi sweet and 4 cups milk chocolate. Its fun to mix it up and put in caramel filled chips, toffee chips etc.. sometimes I freeze and blend half my chips so it is in every bite.

you can also choose 2 cups raisins

and 1 1/2 cups oatmeal.

these bake @ 350 for 10 minutes

I only use Demarle sheets for cookies. It gives it the crisp edges and chewy center.

Scotchee recipe

One box of Coco Pepples (11-13 oz box)

1 cup of corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 bag of chocolate chips

1 tablespoon peanut butter

Cook the corn syrup, sugar and peanut butter over med heat on the stove until blended and sugar is dissolved.

Then pour over Coco Pepples and stir until well coated.

Dump out into cake pan and press so you have a flat even top.

melt chocolate chips with one tablespoon of PB in microwave and spread over the top. Let cool or put in freezer for quicker cooling.

I like to by the bag of Coco Pepples (26 oz) and double and a half the sauce ( I like mine gooey) also when I put them in the cake pan I fill it so I have fat bars not skinny ones. Finally I add the PB in with the chocolate because I like the taste but it make the texture really nice too! :) Enjoy!

Mary's Banana Bars

Ingredients: 1 2/3 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 cinnamon 1/8 nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups sugar 2 eggs 1/2 oil 3 1/2 to 4 medium, very ripe, mashed bananas 2 rounded Tablespoons of sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla 2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional) preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat sugar and eggs together until light and fluffy (about 10 minutes) while that is mixing, Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. After about 10 minutes of beating the sugar and oil, drizzle in the oil. Add the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients and nuts. Spread out in a cookie sheet that has been buttered and floured. You can also put in a cake pan (13x9) if you want thinker or as a cake. Before you put into the oven put a crumble top to cover the entire top generously. Crumble top: 1 1/2 cup flour 1 1/2 cup oats 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup butter 1 teaspoon cinnamon use your clean hands to mash together and make little balls of yumminess. spread generously over the top and bake for 26-32 minutes. The time depends on the oven. Once it comes out and cools for 10 minutes, drizzle cream cheese frosting on top. Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe: 1 8oz cream cheese 3 cups powdered sugar 1 cube butter 1 teaspoon vanilla mix well and spread or drizzle on top of bars.

Big Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

•2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour * leave the TBs in for high altitude*
•1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
•1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
•1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
•2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
•1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
•1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
•2 large eggs
•2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
•1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (I use milk chocolate- always!)
•Sea salt
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
*I have refrigerated these and also baked them immediately after mixing the dough and to me, it looks and tasted the same.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. I use my Demarle baking pan. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (about 1/3 cup) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 11-13 mins. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.

Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Recipe

(Pictured above)

1 cup (2 cubes) & 1 tab of butter

3/4 brown sugar

3/4 white sugar

1 1/2 tea vanilla

2 eggs

cinnamon (1/2-1 tea)

1 tea baking soda

1/2 tea salt

1 1/2 oats (blended in blender- flour like)

1 cup chocolate chips (blended in blender- to make powder)

**I blend them together. This last time, I put 1 Tab of golden flaxseed in the blender too. It doesn't change the taste, but makes the cookies (as well as bread) a little fluffier and adds fiber.

***I have also used wheat flour instead of white. It works great with recipe (probably because of the blended chocolate:). I still used the blended oats and flaxseed. It made them pretty healthy... for cookies anyway.

2 cups flour

1 bag chocolate chips

1/2 bag butterscotch chips

bake @ 350 for 10 minutes and allow to cool on the pan for 8 more minutes. They are gooey and yummy.

*if at high elevation, you might want to use 2 cubes of margarin instead of butter.

Chocolate, Carmel Cake Recipe

What You Will Need
-One Chocolate cake mix
-Carmel
-1 or 2 large Symthany candy bar or 2 Heath candy bars
-Heavy cream or Cool whip
**make a regular chocolate cake mix , following the box instructions. When it comes out of the oven, and is still hot, poke with a fork and pour hot Carmel on top, letting it sink into the cake.
*I like using two round cakes and dumping the cake out on a platter. I pour carmel on both layers, as well as add a little of the candy bar to both.
* After you pour on the carmel, chop up a Heath or Symthany candy bar and sprinkle on top. Let it cool for a few hours. You can even put it in the fridge or freezer.
-Use chocolate frosting for the edges if you use rounds. Then make whipped cream for the top. Spread the cream on top and sprinkle more candy bar and carmel over the cream. It's ready to eat. Just be sure you store the cake in the fridge or freezer if you are not eating it soon.
**Homemade carmel**
- 1 cup Karol syrup
-2 cups brown sugar
-2 cube butter

Melt and in pan over the stove until dissolved, boil for 2 minutes. Take off stove and add:

1 teaspoon of Vanilla

1 can of sweet and condensed milk

stir until blended.

Butter Toffee Recipe

This recipe is really low sugar/ low cal (haha)

-On a cookie sheet, spread roasted chopped almonds and chocolate chips--set aside

-In a heavy pot, cook on HIGH while stirring

1 pound butter (4 cubes)
2 cups sugar
1/4 water

-Stir until boiling and then contiue until it reaches the color of dark tan. Usually 6 1/2 minutes from time it starts boiling.

-Pour onto pan and spread.

-pour additional chocolate chips on top, then spread. (optional)

-let cool or put in freezer to speed it up. Break with a butter knife and service.

Mary's Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

(picture above) I usually double this (I switch this up a lot- sometimes I add buttermilk powder to the water, sometime I use brown sugar instead of honey and when I do, I use a full cup. Sometimes I use butter instead of oil. I like to try different things and I haven't choosen a favorite.)

-In a large bowl place:

5 1/2 cups of water
2 heaping Tablespoons of sea salt

3/4 cup of honey (you can also add ¼ cup molasses) or 1 cup brown sugar (can take the place of honey).

3/4 potato flakes (optional)

3/4 powder milk (optional)
**Heat in microwave for about 2 minutes, or until the honey and salt dissolved.

Add:

1 cup canola oil

When the liquid is warm but not hot, add

3 Tablespoons of yeast

2 Tablespoons of chia seeds (optional)
In a blender I blend:

1 cup oats (optional)

1/2 cup wheat bran (optional)

2 Tablespoons of golden flaxseeds (optional)

1/3 cup vital gluten wheat flour (if you don’t have any, use couple cups of white flour) -FOR MOIST WHEAT BREAD VITAL GLUTEN FLOUR IS IMPORTANT

(* of course instead of all of that you can just use wheat flour. I just like to add different flours for a different taste and texture.)

I put this mixture over the yeast as it sits on top of the liquid. It helps push it into the water a little. I let this sit for 10 minutes until the yeast start to bubble up nice and good.

You can always add more to your flour mix, like;
1-2 Tab of vanilla protien powder (optional), soy protein, rye flour etc. Just remember it can change the taste so make sure you like the taste your adding. I don't add protein powders because I use eggs instead, but I do like 1 or 2 cups of rye flour.

**Let this set for 10 minutes. The yeast will bubble. Stir until well blended then

ADD 2 EGGS (optional, but it does make it fluffier and adds protein) continue to add flour (7-8 more cups?) just until the dough pulls away from the sides (should still be sticky to the touch.)

--Then knead for at least 10 minutes --Forming into a ball. Place in a greased bowl (with non stick spray), When moving transporting the dough I like to spray my hands or get a little butter on them so its easier to work with the dough and it doesn't stick to me. cover with a dry towel and let double in size (this time varies. It depends on the warmth of where you have the dough. It can be 40 or an hour and half). Let it rise in a warm place.

--Pour out dough and form loaves. You want to handle the dough as little as possible at this point. -- Cover loaves with towels and put again in a warm place until it is the size you want the loaf to be (usually 20-30 min). Wheat bread doesn’t rise as much as white bread, and does not rise much more while cooking.

--Bake bread @ 350 for 45minutes. If you oven usually bakes slower or you use a stone bread pan, time will need to be longer.

--If your dough often comes out doughy, but you don't want the top to get too browned. Try putting tin foil over the bread after about 10-15 minutes and add 5-15 minutes to cooking time (it depends on your oven).

-- You don’t want to leave bread in pan once it's done, because the bread with sweat and become soggy. Dump it out when you pull it out of the oven and spread butter on top.

--Also don’t cut bread until cooled and don’t store it in a bag until cooled completely. The best place to store bread you’re not eating right away is in the freezer. This will keep it fresh. I slice mine before freezing to make it easier to use.

Shallot Butter Steaks (a favorite)

2 Shallots, chopped
1 Tab chopped parsley
1 cup soft butter
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 Tab strong mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
Mix the above and set a side
4 tsp cooking oil
4 steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400. To make Shallot butter: place shallots and parsley in a bowl.
Add butter and mash ingredients together with spoon. Add paprika and Tabasco sauce. Mix in mustard. Add lemon juice and mix until thoroughly blended. Set aside.

Cook Steaks one at a time doing this:
Heat tsp oil in frying pan. When hot, add meat and sear 3 minutes on each side. salt and pepper, then place in a baking dish.
-When all steaks are seared, bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes for med rare or 20-35 minutes for well done.

Remove steaks from oven spread shallot butter and broil for 2 minutes. Done! I'll have to add a picture :)

Golden Gram Chex Mix Recipe

GOLDEN GRAM CHEX (mine and Brett's favorite)

-1/2 box Golden Grams
-1/2 box honey nut Chex (I add some wheat too)
-2 cups cocunut
-1 cup slivered and roasted almonds

-Put in a big bowl, toss and set aside.

Cook:

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 cubes)
1 cup carol syrup
1 cup sugar

-melt the last three ingredients in a pot on the stove. Once it comes to a boil, allow to boil for 2 minutes. Pour over dry mixed, stir until coated and spread on cookie sheets (make two filled cookie sheets) cool and enjoy. Store in air tight containers.

POPCORN TRAIL MIX (still very yummy)

1 (10 oz. bag) pretzels
2 cups mixed nuts
1 lb. Christmas M&M's
8 cups popped corn

-Put in a large bowl, toss and set aside. ***over low heat and in a double boiler if you have one, melt:

2 (12 oz. bags) of white or vanilla chips with 2 Tabs of oil. when melted and smooth, pour over dry mixture. Stir till coated and pour out on pan to cool. Again, you want to spread it out so it won't harden in one clump. Eat up! It's all good!

Tips for cake

Some of the fun things I do for cakes:

When it calls for water or vanilla, I will sometimes insert other flavors. When I pull a cake out of the oven and it's still warm, I like to pour a little Torani Syrup on so it sinks in. Be careful to not add too much, but a little will add flavor and make it more moist.

I also add the Torani Syrup or the creamers (the ones made to flavor coffee) to my frostings. I will add it in place of milk or vanilla.

When making lemon cake, I often like it to be more lemony then the recipe calls for so instead of just water, I add some real squeezed lemon juice in with the water and maybe a little zest. Anyway, have fun trying knew things!

Mary Up-dates

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Monday, December 07, 2009

Family Pictures- Which one?

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