The Staff of Life

Let me start by saying I love bread. Fresh hot bread with butter smeared on thick cut slices. That's probably the reason I could never do the South Beach or Atkins diets. There is a problem though with homemade bread...
I know you're saying "What problem is there with homemade bread?". I'll tell you, it takes way too long! That's right, between the mixing, first rising, kneading, second rising and baking a simple loaf of bread could take anywhere from  two and a half hours to three hours and twenty-five minutes. That's way too long too wait for bread. After some reading, research and good old-fashioned trial and error I figured out how to have bread from start to finish in a little over an hour!
Yes, I did say an hour. The magic is using your microwave as a proofing box to help raise the dough . If you are anti-microwave stop reading right now this blog post does not concern you. By using microwave to proof your dough you cut the rising time dramatically.
 So here is how you can make bread in a little over an hour too:

Amish White Bread

1 cup warm water
1/3 cup white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3/4  teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons  vegetable oil
3 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons vital wheat gluten (Look for this in the baking aisle where the flours are. Hodgson Mills and King Arthur are two companies that make it. It helps improve the texture and elasticity of the dough)
 Preheat oven to 350.
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.Usually about 15 minutes or so depending on how warm your kitchen is.
2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix vital wheat gluten with flour. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled microwave safe bowl, and turn dough to coat. Place in the microwave with an 8 ounce cup of water. Put your microwave at it lowest setting (usually 1 or LO)and microwave for 3 minutes. Let rest in microwave for three minutes without opening the microwave. Microwave at the lowest setting again for three minutes but this time let the dough rest for six minutes. By this time the dough should be doubled in size
3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into a well oiled glass 9×5 inch loaf pan. Place in the microwave with an 8 ounce cup of water. Put your microwave at it lowest setting (usually 1 or LO)and microwave for 3 minutes. Let rest in microwave for three minutes without opening the microwave. Microwave at the lowest setting again for three minutes but this time let the dough rest for six minutes. By this time the dough should be ready to be placed in your hot and waiting oven
4. Bake at 350 degrees F  for 30 minutes.

 Next time someone tells you that making homemade bread takes too long just smile and show them this post.
 

An Epiphany or Getting Inspired For Dinner

I am guessing that just about everyone out there has heard of Bacon, Egg and Cheese Crescent Casserole aka Breakfast Bake . It usually has a base of crescent rolls with  bacon, eggs and cheese with beaten eggs poured on top and baked. Trust me when I say it's pretty good. I decided to make one for dinner last night and while frying the bacon for it an epiphany came to me! If it's pretty good with bacon, eggs and cheese what could make it better? I thought to myself. That's when it hit me- why not add some fried onions and potatoes to make it a complete meal? That's right folks, I grabbed an onion out the fridge and two smallish potatoes and started off.
So without  further ado here is the recipe for Bacon, Egg, Cheese and Potato Crescent Bake

Bacon, Egg, Cheese and Potato Crescent Bake
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1 package of Pilsbury Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheets (they are next to the crescent rolls in the refrigerated bread dough section- I brought mine at he local Wal-Mart) (if youn can't find these use a package of Pilsbury Crescent Roll dough-the 8 count NOT the 6 count one)
1 pound bacon chopped, fried and drained (save the bacon grease)
1 small onion chopped
2 small potatoes , scrubbed and chopped
2 cups Shredded mild cheddar cheese
6 eggs
3 Tablespoons milk
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1. Preheat oven to 400.
2.Grease a 9x13 baking dish . Place Pilsbury Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheets in pan and gently press up the edge to form a small lip all the away around.(If using the crescent rolls , open the dough but do not separate. Taking a rolling pin and roll a few times to seal the seams together and finish according to the directions for the Pilsbury Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheets)Set aside
3. In the same pan that you fried your bacon in, fry your onion and potato until browned. If your veggies start sticking to the pan add some of the saved bacon grease to the pan to prevent this.
4 Lay the bacon, potatoes, onions and cheese on top the Pilsbury Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet..
5. Mix the eggs and milk together in a small bowl. Pour over the bacon, potatoes, onions and cheese . If it doesn't look like it has covered everything don't worry!!! As it bakes the eggs will spread out to and bake evenly.
6. Bake for abut 20-25 minutes. My oven runs hot so it was done at 20 minutes.

The final verdict? Out a 9x13 pan I have three small pieces left. Everyone thought it was very good. My kids recommended some ketchup and it did help to enhance the flavors especially of the potato and onions.

 So folks if you make this please let me know what your family thought of it and if you "tweak" it any.

Okay, so I kinda slacked-SORRY YA'LL!!!

Okay, so I missed two days of writing. I am sorry but I am still recovering from a bout of walking pneumonia. I am feeling better but I am still kinda wheezy. I have a follow up Dr visit next Wednesday which is the earliest they could get me in. Ugh. 
I have been tossing ideas around for posts in my head and can't wait to share them with you all. I would like to do posts on autism-BTW Alexis Wineman, Miss Montana, Is Miss America Pageant's First Contestant With Autism!!! That's right folks this lovely young lady's platform in going to be autism and as the mom to an autistic child all I have to say is GO GIRL!
Another post I'd like to do is due to the horrific gang rape of the young lady in India and what we need to do to not only protect ourselves, our daughters, friends etc but also what to do if we are the victim of such a crime.
I'll also post recipes, menu plans, links to websites and maybe even a contest or two.

Menu Plan Monday for January 7

So here is our menu plan for the week upcoming. We aren't doing anything fancy this week, just basic dinners:

Breakfasts:
Monday-Cereal with Milk
Tuesday- Biscuits with Gravy
Wednesday- Cream of wheat
Thursday-Pancakes
Friday- Cereal with Milk


Lunches:
Monday- Sandwiches
Tuesday- Wonton Soup
Wednesday- Ham and Cheese Crescent Bake
Thursday- up in the air depending on when we get home from Dr
Friday-same as Thursday

Dinners:
Monday-Ham, Peas and Creamy Noodles
Tuesday- Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
Wednesday - Parmesan Pork Cutlets, Pasta and Green Beans
Thursday - Smoked Sausage with Potatoes and Onions
Friday - Pizzas (from Papa Murphy's)

Thank you stumbleupon

Thanks to StumbleUpon, I have learned about some really cool and unusual websites. I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you.
My first is http://hellopoetry.com/ . This is where poets can write their heart out and share their writing with the world. Some of the poems are heartbreakingly beautiful especially the ones about love and longing.
Another is http://www.postsecret.com/. This is where people send actual postcards and they are posted not only on the site but in the book that is coming out. I will warn you some of the secrets are rather risque so read at your own risk.
For some great recipes check out www.kevinandamanda.com. They have the best Oreo Stuffed Brownie recipe ever. I love reading their posts and their dogs are cute as well.
For my music loving fans, http://8tracks.com/. This site will let you create and share your own personal playlist(s) with people. It will even take three of your favorite artists and recommend playlists for you.
 Now for some of my personal favorite websites...
http://houseofbogwitz.blogspot.com/ is written by a fellow mommy friend in Rooland aka Australia. She has lots of great recipes and is always posting lots of fun pictures. One day I will go to Rooland and have tea with her.
A few years ago I started receiving Opera News. I didn't order it but I would love to know who got me a lifetime subscription to it (if you happen to know who did tell them "Thanks" from me)http://www.operanews.com/
http://www.theapboffice.com/-Apoptygma Bezerk. Need I say anymore?
 Until tomorrow -I'll be posting the menu for the week

New year, new postings

Okay so a new year has started. I have the plan to write a post daily barring fire, flood, and acts of God and/or Congress. Yeah, I know there are people commencing with the eye rolling and saying to themselves "Sure you are. We'll see..." Really I am going to do that so cut me some slack people
 I have found out a few things recently . First off that Crockpot Spaghetti is NOT all it cracked up to be. It is actually horrid- like eating cardboard with spaghetti sauce-gummy and icky. Second that mixing a bag of Oscar Mayer Recipe Style Bacon Bits with a jar of Alfredo sauce make a wicked Pasta Carbona sauce in no time flat. Third that there are some really good songs out there that I would have never heard if not for Pandora like Pain's cover of "Eleanor Rigby', Pacebo's cover of "Running Up That Hill" and one I never thought in a million years I"d even listen to much less like, Kings of Leon's "Sex On Fire". Finally that a Bailey's Blizzard made with Turkey Hill's Choco Mint Chip ice cream is to die for. Sweet, smooth and creamy -yep they're that good. In fact I think I need to go make myself one right now....

Menu Plan for October 2, 2012

I  decided to see if I could stay under a $100 a week to feed my family of 6 all meals for the week. Well, I'll be honest and tell you guys I went over by about $55 but it's all good though. I actually managed to get three weeks worth of meals from that $155 shopping trip!! Now mind you I did have somethings already at home that I will be making.

Eggs are going to be in heavy use this month. I usually buy 2.5 dozen eggs for about $4 but I saw my local store had a box of 5 dozen eggs for less that $7.00! I had never noticed it before but today I happened to be looking for a carton that looked like it hadn't been crushed when I noticed the bigger box of eggs.

Chicken quarters were also brought at great prices- 10 pounds for around $6.00. I was able to split the bag into 3 separate meals- 1 bag for slow cooker BBQ chicken, 1 bag for steaming for dishes like Chicken Alfredo, Cheddar Broccoli Rice with Chicken and 1 bag for Roasted Chicken Adelle Davis style(I'll explain that later)

A Picnic Shoulder half was brought for less that $8.00 and split in half. A small boneless was bagged to be cooked in the crock-pot and the bone-in section will be slow cooked for pulled pork sandwiches.

So here is our Menu Plan for October 3, 2012 thru October 21,2012

Breakfasts  

Cereal with Milk 

Eggs with Bacon, Hash Browns

Biscuits with Gravy

Eggs with Toast

Cinammon Rolls

Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits

Muffins with Fruit

Lunches

Sandwiches

Leftovers

Pizza 

Ravioli

Ramen Noodles

Dinners

Church Dinner (Wednesday nights)

French Toast

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Chicken Alfredo with Pasta

Hamburger Helper 

Ham and Swiss Sliders, Tater Tots

BBQ chicken, Noodles, Veggies

Meatloaf, Rice, Carrots 

Roasted Chicken , Broccoli and Potatoes with Cheese Sauce 

Pork Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Peas 

Cheddar Broccoli Rice with Chicken Chunks 

Pancakes with Smoked Sausage

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

If you have noticed the only "set" date for a meal is Wednesday since we eat dinner at our church. The reason is that I like being able to be flexible enough that if I need to switch a meal out with a different meal it doesn't screw everything up if I do so.

I said earlier that I would share how I do my chicken and here it is:

 Early in the day preheat your oven to 350. Next while your oven is heating up take your 9x13 baking pan and place your chicken pieces flat in it. It's okay if they touch they just can't overlap each other. Pour olive oil all over the chicken and turn to coat all of the chicken. Once your oven is to temp place the chicken and cook for ONE HOUR. After that one hour of cooking lower the temp to 200 and let cook all day until dinner time. You'll need to occasionally turn the pieces so they don't dry out. Although this time when I cook them I might try my husband's idea of after the one hour of baking to cover them with foil during the slow cooking process to keep them moist.