Soft pretzels!

Fall is full of great ideas! Chilly weather makes me crave the warm smells wafting from the oven! I had never made soft pretzels before and decided it was time! This is an Allrecipes version with a few tweaks! Enjoy!

Pretzel dough:

2- 1/4oz packages yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
5 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon apple sauce (as an oil substitute)

Baking soda bath:
1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water

Egg wash:
1/2 cup salted sweet cream butter softened
1 egg

Pretzel toppings of your choice

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in warm water with one tbs sugar and let sit until foamy or at least ten minutes. Meanwhile mix flour salt and remaining sugar together in separate bowl. Once yeast is foamy create a well in the flour mixture and add applesauce and yeast. Mix well and then knead dough until elastic. Dough will be dry, add a tbs of water at a time until it is workable. Kneading takes about 10 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and let rise for one hour or until doubled in size.

Once dough has risen preheat oven to 450 and pour dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 12 equal parts and roll out into rope shapes. Prepare your baking soda bath. Form a pretzel shape with your dough rope, make sure to cross the ends in the middle portion of your pretzel, this will help it keep its shape during baking. Dip shaped pretzels into baking soda wash for at least 10 seconds prior to placing on a greased cookie sheet.

After all pretzels have been dipped beat egg and mix in butter. Brush the tops of your pretzel with the egg wash and then whatever your preference for topping.... Course salt, cinnamon, Parmesan e.t.c

Bake until golden brown, this usually takes less than eight minutes! You now have delicious homemade soft pretzels!

Weekend Warriors...

Great Halloween table runner!

By one of my budding artists!

White punkins are all the rage!

Getting our Fall on! I had been wanting to try a lace stencil! 

Baby K's first Punkin!

We are so excited!

Prelude To The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

    Whilst wandering the aisle of my local department store I stared in utter disbelief at the maze of Christmas decorations beginning to dawn the shelves. Stopping for a mental calculation...three months... Less than Four months until Christmas! As a devoted and beloved member of the late season lovers I can't help but feel the excitement begin to rise! The possibilities! The chance for sharing and the time for caring. With my new found "free time" I can truly indulge my crafting bone. Crafting and cooking:) After all first things first! One cannot implore the crafting world on an empty stomach!
 
     I'm craving orange today! Anything pumpkin and spice! Chocolate chip zucchini bread was a hit, and there is plenty in the freezer to hit the spot during nose nipping winter months!

   However...it can never be too soon to bust out a fresh pan of pumpkin bars! Here is my coveted recipe, use it wisely and be careful not to hoard the entire pan to oneself!

 Pumpkin Bars:

2c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. each, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 tsp. each, salt and cloves
1 c. oil
2 c. pumpkin
4 eggs

Frosting

2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. softened butter
1 3oz package softened cream cheese
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sheet pan. Bars are made by combining all ingredients and beat on low until moistened. Pour onto greased pan and bake for 45-50 minutes revelling in that warm pumpkin smell! Let cool completely before frosting. Frosting is made by combining all ingredients and whipping until smooth. Frost and cut into bars. Add chopped nuts if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Enjoy! 

    While your bars are cooling head into the back yard with some orange spray paint, assorted size logs, sagebrush branches cut into various lengths, jute, ribbon and your imagination to create your own decorative pumpkins:) Two weeks until the first day of FALL!

Loressa

Whats cookin?

    My brain is anxious! I cannot wait to get my hands on some phyllo dough! My mother brought over the tastiest little creations! Move over baklava! 

Gonna try this one first! Got any great phyllo recipes?

Spicy Sausage phyllo bundles

Hot Italian Sausage- 1 lb. bulk

Green Bell Pepper- 1/4 cup, chopped

Onion- 1/4 cup, coarsely chopped

Prepared Spaghetti Sauce- 1 cup

Ricotta Cheese- 4 oz. (1/2 cup)

Green Giant Mushroom Pieces and Stems, drained- 1 (4-oz.) can

Dried Oregano Leaves- 1/2 teaspoon

Frozen Phyllo (filo) Pastry Sheets- 12 sheets (18x14-inch), thawed

Margarine or Butter- 1/2 cup, melted

Directions

GETTING READY
1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
2) In non-stick, sauté sausage, bell pepper and onion until sausages are browned,
3) Pour off the fat.
4) Stir spaghetti sauce, cheese, mushrooms, and oregano in the sausage mixture, until well combined, set aside.

MAKING
5) Spread filo sheets and cover with plastic wrap or towel.
6) Arrange 1 filo sheet on working table and lightly smear with margarine.
7) Place 2 more filo sheets, brushing each with margarine.
8) Using a sharp knife, slice all layers of filo sheets to make 12 rectangles.

FINALIZING
9) Drop 1 tablespoon filling in center of each rectangle.
10) Gently bring the filo corners together to seal and form bundle.
11) Do the same with remaining filo sheets and filling.
12) Arrange the bundles on ungreased baking tray.
13) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

SERVING
14) Remove the pan from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

                                                                                Loressa

Yet another awesome read hitting the big screen!

    After what will be a nearly five year wait the Host is finally coming to theaters! In 2008 Stephanie Meyers released the Host following the Twilight trilogy. Not sure what I was getting into I picked this book up and dove deep into its 619 pages....

    What I found was an amazing read! The earth has been taken over by the Souls and Mel Stryder is one of the last remaining rebel humans. Wanderer is the soul which is inhabiting Mel's mind and body.....

    Intrigued? You have to read this book!

The bestest firstest birthday...

I love Duff! I am coveting every cake supply he sells! 

I used cake tattoos for the first time! So fun!

So as I said it would Saturday has come and gone...

But what a fantastic day it was!

I don't get Sundays...

    Congratulations Kristin over at I Don't Get Sundays You had the most visited link from the Finally Friday hop last week! If you are not familiar with this blog...go there now! Her perspective on motherhood and family is wonderful! I share the Sunday sentiment!

  Thanks Kristin for linking up!

 Want to be featured by Curious Wisdom? Here's how!

    Join us on Thursday's for the Finally Friday hop! Tweet and share the hop!

Each Monday I will feature the most visited link!

    A very special thanks to everyone who linked up! I hope you had fun hopping! I will be doing some hopping myself to get to know new friends!

P.S....Um if I contacted you today and spoke gibberish....I was trying a new thing! Networking via treadmill! In one hour of networking... Drum roll! I burned 260 calories! Woot Woot! Not dropping my laptop or being maimed by the power cord catching in the track...Priceless!

Happy day Friends!

Catching up...

    I knew the moment my feet hit the floor...The distinct pain behind my eyes, the partial loss of vision, the awesome inability to form coherent sentences, the numb tingling arm and fingers.....

    It was going to be a migraine day! I have suffered with migraines since I was young. I have never had time for migraines something always threatens to go undone if I succumb to it's immense pain. Only recently have they become downright debilitating. I blame it on my old age;)

    So yesterday it brought me to my knees and today I am playing catch up!

    Monday night for the first time in awhile the big kids and I hit the road for GNO! Baby K stayed behind with dad. That was rough! In nearly eleven months I have only been away from her long enough to revel in a trip to the grocery store. My husband had to go into the bedroom while I stood hesitating at the back door. One foot in and one foot out....

   If you have not seen Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close... run don't walk to the theater! I have not seen an amazing movie like this is such a long time. Take your tissue and everyone you love. It changed my life! The wonderful thing about having children that are getting older is the chance to share things such as this movie together! All of our hearts were touched deeply! Thanks grandma Nawyn!

            
 
    Finally I want to thank everyone for linking up yesterday at Moms best nest! The turnout was wonderful! If you are a new follower and I have not returned the favor please leave me a comment!

    Now! Looks like I have some awards to pass on!

Dinner and dishes night...

 

   How do you make chores bearable?

    For the longest time my husband and I thought the recipe for happiness was to expect happiness! Our older children had no chores, no responsibility...The only expectation was to "Just be happy!" As we have matured and evolved in our blending process we have come to learn that children need responsibility. They need expectations that promote a constructive outcome. Expectations equal love.

    About six months ago now we implemented a chore/reward system that seems to be working. The only thing not in check that drives every parent bonkers....the complaining! The chore that brings the beast out!? Dishes! I don't even like to do dishes! Whining and slamming dishes..... It made me wonder if there could be a reward in dishes? They are forever bugging me to let them help with dinner. Come on mom's you will be able to reason with my always "Not tonight." Response. It is just easier to do it myself!

    Having a hand in raising our oldest and knowing what I would like to pass on to my own girls it is time to buck up! Let the cooking lessons begin ladies! On their dish night they are also now cooking! Last week was our first try and it was a success! Being involved in doing something important made them feel important and they can't wait for dish night this week! The complaining will never end it comes with being a kid, but giving them something to look forward to.... The smiling "I did it!" face is worth it!

B&L's Very nearly guiltless chicken salad...

     Yes that is a George Foreman grill, and it is loved! When my husband and I got married and had to combine two households into one.... we found we had two:) Mine was a little more used! What bachelorette's wouldn't have been!

    Last night while foraging for dinner in the mood for something on the light side I was craving salad! My husband crinkled his nose and I set out to blow his mind! Not to mention create a good for us dinner! So the Foreman was pulled out and I seasoned two chicken breasts with garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt, pepper...all the usual suspects! What I love to do is right before the chicken is done, douse it with Worcestershire! It gives it that blackened crunch! Be careful not to burn it though!

    Have that one or two random leftover becoming crunchy hamburger bun? Cut two Sarah Lee (we use these because they are a bigger sized bun) buns into cubes. Use the plastic bag the buns came in to shake things up a bit! Place 1/4 cup of melted butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder into bag with bread cubes and shake! Bake at 400 degrees until crunchy and golden!

   Voila! We topped our iceberg lettuce with black beans and shredded Colby jack cheese! Fat free Italian dressing, blackened chicken and our delish croutons! It was so good! Even B agreed:)

Happy grilling!

You is special...

    Last weekend I finally got the chance to watch The Help. A beloved book of mine, I had been trying to find five minutes to sit down and watch this film. I knew minutes into it I wanted to share it with my older girls. The valuable lessons. The heartache and laughter.

    With everybody home today and not to mention an appropriate movie for the Holiday... I mentioned renting it. "Yes! We have been wanting to watch that show! A lady eats poop!"  Oh you have to love the social education our kids get at public school! Last week my third grader came home and asked me if I knew the difference between a Snickers bar and Justin Bieber....

I will let you figure that one out!

    "Yes, it is true a lady eats a pie with a secret ingrediant, but there is so much more to the story!"

    Since I had already seen it I spent the two hours test baking their Valentines fortune cookies....pics posting tomorrow:) The girls came upstairs all grins! They laughed, they cried, they loved it! Scooping up Sweet Baby K I heard them both tell her Aibi's quote.....

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

    Such simple words that every child should hear. So sweet so easy...

Snow dance...

 


What are your winter hobbies?






 Where is the snow! Our inner snowmobilers are in mourning! We are avid snowmobilers. It has been a part of my life since childhood. I introduced my husband to his love of ski doo:) Actually my grandpa did when he gave us his old beaters as a pre wedding gift. We were hooked!

    Last winter as Utah recieved record snowfall I ambled along up to the 36th week of my pregnancy. Slow and easy it was not our typical thousand miles on the sleds winter.

    This year although it saddens us we have been out once! It is partly due to the fact that there is very little snow and also due to the fact that our little one is just that...a little one! Without a winter hobby however.....life is slow and somewhat boring! Most winter weekends you had no guarantee of finding us. This winter we are sticking close to home. Redbox is our best friend! This morning as a weak winter snow passed through my husband was grinnin! Grandma and grandpa are lined up to babysit this weekend if the snow continues to fall.

   We have a lifetime of winters ahead of us if god grants. We have many seasons to catch up and ride to our hearts content. Sorry baby K you are stuck with us:)

Tearing it up in West! Many great memories have been made there! Many more to come!

 If you have never been anywhere else in the winter this is the place to begin winter traditions. It is home to my heart. Help us out! Get your snow dance on!

Success....I think!

     I love to try new things! I love knowing that "Yes I can!" Or the "Yeah, I tried that and well...." My sweet husband's grandmother was Italian and I am forever hearing stories of a lady I never knew but love. He loves to talk about her cooking. I have wanted to try gnocchi for a while but honestly felt intimidated! I found the best recipe and tutorial! 101 Cookbooks It was a chore I won't lie. I felt nervous as I began to knead the potato's.....I think my first time went pretty well!

    The whole fork trick had me perplexed! I have the confidance now to try again! We served them over hot garlic marinara sauce and cheesy french bread! Try it out and let me see your success!

Now thats love...

    There are two types of people...those who can function without sleep and those who cannot! I cannot! The couch and I have been great buddies since the birth of Sweet baby K...

    Finally at ten months of age she is in a somewhat reliable sleep schedule. Save the nights that she is cranky from teething or overstimulated by the days events I would dare say she is sleeping through the night. At nearly forty years of age my husband is not in a reliable sleep schedule...

   Bless his sweet heart! The days of taking hits from various sports to the youthful face have caught up to him and he snores! Loud like a bear! His sinuses are a constant source of discomfort. He is also a night owl. One of those that cannot sleep without the T.V... Again I am neither of these! I am in bed with the chickens and prefer nice and quiet!

    For years I have dismissed his sleeping habits with a kiss and pillow over my head. Now however I believe he and Baby K are in cahoots! My husband will be up until two before finally falling asleep and beginning to snore.....loud like a bear! I barely settle on the couch, which lets face it...I hate! Not being in our bed or snuggling drives me batty but the urge for sweet sleep drags me to the living room! Anyway I barely settle when the baby begins to fuss! Making mom a grizzly in the morning and throughout the day!

    No one likes Grizzly bear mom! The sorrowful look on his sweet face when he realizes his Sawzall antics have forced me onto the couch are often enough to smooth down my fur....after a week straight of crazy nights...not so much!

    I entered the kitchen after a save me cup of coffee and a steaming hot spare my sanity shower to find my sweet husband with four 2x4's....

    That morning he raised the head of our bed four inches...which actually is an amazing concept! If you are ever bored look into the health benefits! I had never given much thought to the effects the plain and simple act of lying in bed flat have on our bodies and honestly after a few nights of sleeping this way I am a believer! 

Ahhh off and random again! ANYWAY...

    He also made his way to the store to find Melatonin and saline for his poor nose. I love everything about this man. I love the simple gestures he makes to try to keep me happy and helping himself to feel better only makes everything he does greater. I am happy to report that the last two nights have been blissful and full of sleeping! Even Sweet baby K is back on track!

Our kids are laughing at us because our bed resembles a Craftmatic...

Age! Own it!

Never knew love before...

Then came you!


    I have no idea how we survived without our new favorite gadget! How do you even know you need a quesadilla maker until you have one! We have had pizzadilla's, breakfastdilla's, ham and cheesedilla's! Just like Bubba in Forrest Gump the possibilities go on and on!

    A must have:)

Playing catch up...

   Another Holiday Season has come and gone! I am always amazed at the prep time put into Christmas and in mere moments it seems to be over! In our case Christmas spans over a two week period with everyone coming and going, it is still over in the blink of an eye! With the kids back to school and my sweetie back to work (news of a managerial promotion on the horizon! Go baby!:) I have sat down to play catch up....with me! Having everyone home is indeed a blessing...a busy blessing! Schedules go out the window and whatever goes! This morning with a delicious mug of hot coffee my good pal routine is back!

    And I definitely have some catching up to do! At the encouragement of friends and family whom were delighted by their felt flower pillows I have opened an Etsy shop! I am still a newbie and getting things together... yikes it little overwhelming! I need to create my January flowers and then bring on the orders! I was also given a great advertising opportunity...which is one of my goals!

    Sooo I am also now on Twitter which was a requirement. The last few weeks I have been sneaking a few minutes here and there to dabble in my new ventures. Mind you I also had to continue working via internet! With my hubby and kids home it was about all I could manage on the web to get the necessities accomplished:) I did not want to miss a moment of our Holiday!

This morning is mine:) And of course Sweet baby K's

Farewell to an amazing year...

    As the final hours of 2011 wind down I have found myself reminiscing as I am sure many of you are doing as well....

    2011 was a year full of triumph and defeat, soccer and basketball games.... life! The year started for us with the transition of my schedule. First after years of full time work and daycare into part time and then finally full time stay at home mom with a part time emphasis on dental billing.

    Just as we adjusted to our new routine an even bigger transition was headed our way. In early March a routine weekly visit to the baby doc sent us to the hospital a week early as the onset of HELLP threatened our health....the grueling fourteen hours of labor during which my husband never left my side....

    Yes 2011 was a terrific year. Heartache and challenges were never far but always taught us who we are and what we are made of. Rising up from our defeats to dry our eyes and try to smile...

Summer came and went

Fall found us in all directions preparing for the best of all....

I wonder what is in store for us in 2012?

    Happy New Year friends! Count your blessings! Give thanks for your health and of those you love! Pray for the needy and the weak. Bless their hearts with the joy you have in your own!

Much love!

 

Happy dollidays....

    How was everyone's Christmas? Ours was truly grand....and it continues!

                                                                         

    During a three A.M. delirium with baby K my eyes wandered to her diaper changer. She is growing! Nearly too tall for it we were coming to the end of its use. As I sized the changer up wondering where it should go next I got the idea for dolly beds!  Our older kids are growing too! If you have girls then you know all about AG dolls! My kids are fans! I always find their dolls in dresser drawers or other strange "beds".....It was perfect! Santa brought a new girl and I have not seen my girls all morning:)

Believe...

  

 I love that Holiday commercial where every one is celebrating their triumphant finish of Christmas jobs... We are nearly there! In fact mere moments to the beloved Holiday I may be able to collapse in triumph of my own!

    This has been one of the craziest pre Christmas preparation years we have had in awhile. Honestly I m not totally convinced it is all to blame on the Holiday... The fact is the world still turns in December. The bills are still due. Friends and family still get sick. Hearts still ache...

     That is the point. Finding peace amongst chaos. Remembering the true reason for the season...

    I stopped long enough to catch the news last night. The story I caught brought tears to my eyes and made me wonder. Secret angels are paying off the layaway accounts of perfect strangers. Famillies who may not otherwise have gifts for their children are being blessed by mysterious benefactors.

    Need is in the hearts of many this season and many other days for that matter. I think of our own Christmas mischief and the lesson our children do not even realize they are learning...

    Maybe my self imposed list of tasks is not as daunting as I have made it. Perhaps I need to listen to the magic playing out around me. Possibly I am too wrapped up in getting to the finish line that I am missing the joy...

Certainly I am counting my blessings.

5 days to go!

What I call a good day...