Cheap Books!

I LOVE Free Stuff! These books aren't free, but pretty close. I am buying some now to save as Christmas presents for the girls:
Go HERE to BARGAIN BOOKS for the juvenile fiction sale.
Use this code to hopefully get your free shipping: BKLVFREE

Artisan Bread

Why Go To Panera?

Ok...so I love to make bread, but usually just do my same recipe, which takes about three hours of "love" to make. My uncle has been telling me that I should try his bread recipe. I finally tried it, because if he could do it, I knew it must be a piece of cake....or bread for that matter. Here's what you do:

In a bowl, add:

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp yeast

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup water

Mix and put in covered bowl for 8-10 hrs

Pre heat pan and lid to 475 (pot roast)

Roll dough in flour on counter

Cook 30 min covered

Cook 5-10 uncovered until brown then cool on rack

Here's what I did differently: I added cornmeal to the bottom of the bread and because I wasn't sure what kind of pot to use, I made a water bath to put in the bottom of my oven (fill a 13x9 pan with a few cups of water to heat up with the oven. It will create steam, just like the lid on the pot will do). I just used a non-stick cookie sheet to put the bread on. Also, I didn't cook it long enough, so it didn't get super crunchy on the outside and was a tad bit doughy on the inside, but everyone said they liked it this way. We served it with fresh tomatoes and basil on it. Yum and it it beats the cost of buying a loaf at Panera.

ENJOY!

(Picture Courtesy of Julie Stainbrook...it's great when a photographer stays at your house...you get awesome pics. every day)

Peanut Butter Fun

Tyler has been really sick the last few days and today he was really fussy. We decided to spend the day at home. I was trying to think of something fun to do...something new. I got online and found a recipe for peanut butter playdough. It was so much fun. The kids were eating, shaping, eating some more, and cutting it with cookie cutters! It didn't make a mess and wasn't sticky. Tyler loved it to. It got us through the morning instead of watching T.V. and got them through to lunch!

Recipe:

3.5 Cups Peanut Butter

4 Cups Powdered Sugar

A few drizzles of honey until it's smooth. Stir and enjoy!

Keep wrapped when not using.

Boys will be Boys!

So yesterday we had no power all day. It was a good lesson for the girls to learn. No power means no T.V., no radio, no homemade bread we were planning on making (and no blow dryer for mommy)... We had dinner at my parents and when we came home at 8:00 pm, it was finally back on. The trucks from the electric company were still there working on the power lines. (we were one of the few lucky houses whose power came back early...the other 250 people were still out of luck). I got home (David was still at the community college helping with sport's physicals for the fall) and unloaded the kids and all my stuff from the day. Once I was finally inside, I realized that Tyler was not in with the girls. I panicked because I REALLY couldn't find him anywhere. I ran outside and sure enough he was still standing by my truck (at least 5 minutes later). He was fascinated by the big work trucks and the bright lights set up across the street. I picked him up and he kept pointing at the big trucks and grunting. He didn't want to leave. We stood there for a few minutes more, and I realized that it really doesn't take much to make him happy. Boys are so less complicated than girls. It's such a refreshing change from the girls fighting over dress up clothes and crying because they can't have MORE lip gloss on before bed. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE my girls, but I also love the change of pace that little boys bring. Yeah, Tyler's crazy and has learned how to pull the girls hair, hit people with his plastic hammer, and throw strawberries overhand across the room, but he also likes to stand and look at electric trucks. It was nice to share that simple moment with a 14 month old. I need to have (and ENJOY) more moments like this....