Homemade Bread

My mom always made homemade bread and I loved it when I was growing up and I had tried my hand at it a few times, but never had any luck. You could build a house with my loaves they were so hard.

Josh had an awesome grandmother by the name of Lonnie. She passed away last year and we miss her dearly. One of the things that his uncle talked about at the funeral was how she always made bread and how much her children looked forward to that. That comment inspired me to learn how to make bread because I thought that is such a great memory for her kids and it was for me, in my home. So I found a recipe that I liked, but it was too complicated. So I tweaked it and looked at several other recipes and came up with the BEST recipe ever for wheat bread. And quess what? My kids won't touch it. J.D. calls it FAKE bread and asks for store bought. Oh, well! Josh and I love it and so does everyone else!

This is the look I got when she saw the bread in my hand.

Piper is the only one of my kids who will eat homemade bread and she loves it. Especially with Raspberry jam.

That's good stuff, huh sis? If your interested in my recipe, click here.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

One last hurrah before the summer heat arrives in full force, although today it is stinkin' hot. Remind me agian, why do I live in St. George? The kids love to make cookies and I thought we would do it one more time. From the months of June to September, there is no homemade goodies, although we will probably still make bread, in the middle of the night. It's way to hot to do it any other time.

Here they are fighting over who gets a turn to stir.

Not a great picture, but here was Piper under foot and serenading

us with a banging of bread pans throughout the entire process.

YUMMY!!

Another great recipie from Abby over at A Feathered Nest. The girl knows her cookies!

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 c. room temperature butter (the real stuff, not margarine)

3/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg1

t. vanilla1

1/2 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/8 or 1/4 t. nutmeg (your preference)

1 t. baking soda

3 c. oats

12 oz. chocolate chips

1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, sugars, egg and vanilla on low speed. Don't overmix - but make sure it's all blended well. Add the rest of the ingredients until mixed well.Spoon medium-sized cookies onto cookie sheet and bake for approximately 9 minutes. Cookies should be a little gooey and slightly browned around the edges. Let cool for a couple of minutes before trying to take them off of the pan.

Nutella

Ah, Nutella, let me count the ways I love thee. This is my new recent obsession. Have you ever tasted Ntuella??? It's like a little piece of heaven on earth.

I've decieded that European people know how to eat. It seems like everything good in life goes back to the Europeans. Well at least to the European continent. Nutella, Backlava (I don't think that is spelled right)Harry Potter, and Jason Isaacs just to name a select few. Heck, I'd be European if they shaved their legs and armpits, but that is a whole other blog. Plus were talking about food.

If you haven't tried Nutella, go get a bottle!!! I think I paid around $3.50 at Albertsons for my last one. It's so yummy on my homemade bread. It's also yummy right off the spoon. Try it with strawberries, crepes, left over pancakes, just about anything. Heck I'd eat carrots dipped in the stuff. It's that good.

Oh, yeah, for all you health conscious people, don't look at the label, unless you really aren't into enjoying your food. I like to put it on homemade bread because I figure all the whole wheat and flax seed counteract the bad. It's a win win situation!! Try it, love it, eat it!!!

Pancakes

We love pancakes! Tyson could eat pancakes every meal of every day if he could. I got this recipie from Abby of at A Feathered Nest. I swear if Abby lived in St. George we would be friends. I love her idea's.

We have made these quite a few times. It's a healthy version of pancakes. They have oatmeal and wheat germ and the kids don't even know.

Try them, I promise you'll love them. We love to put in chocolate chips!! I love to eat the left overs for lunch with peanut butter and jelly. They are also super good with Nutella (Heaven in a jar). Another ideas I stold from Abby. Anyway's everyone have a good day!!!! Love ya!

The Best Pancakes Ever

1 c. unbleached flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
3 T. sugar
1 c. quick oats (or less)
1/2 c. wheat germ

whisk to combine Separately, mix together:

3 1/2 c. milk
1 c. sour cream
4 t. melted butter
2 large eggs, beaten

Combine all ingredients together, without overmixing.

Okay, I do have a few substitutions. I use 1/4 cup sour cream powder in place of the sour cream and I have been substituting the wheat germ with 1/4 cup ground flax. I also grind up the oatmeal so the kids don't notice. I also half the recipie most of the time, because it makes a ton of pancakes.

Peanut Butter Muffins

Ignore the messy table behind J.D. and focus on the YUMMY muffin!! Oh my goodness!! I am a peanut butter nut and this muffin is just like eating a little piece of heaven. I have wanted to try this recipie forever and on a whim mixed up a batch to cook next to the blueberry one's I also made this morning.

It was so easy. I made it out of Alisons Pantry Creme Cake and Muffin Mix. I made the mix as directed and then just added 1/3 cup peanut butter. Follow the Alisons Pantry link and go the customer section, and then to the recipies for a made from scratch recipie. I prefer the lazy mans way. I'll use the mix!!!