By Michele,on March 27th,2013
We have a bakery near our church that we like to frequent for one reason: pretzel rolls. Not quite a pretzel and not quite a roll,these soft bread-like treats are perfect for breakfast,snacks,or even as a bun for a gourmet burger. But at nearly a dollar per roll,there had to be a better way to have these in larger quantities. I tried a variety of recipes –of which none came close to a real pretzel roll. After many attempts,I came up with the one below. Finally. 
 Pretzel Rolls 2013-03-26 20:47:56 Yields 16 6 tablespoons butter,melted 1.5 cups very warm tap water 1 pkg yeast 2 tablespoons brown sugar 4.5 cups flour 2 teaspoons salt Pot of water 2/3 cup baking soda 1 egg 2 tablespoons water Coarse salt In a mixer with dough hook attached,add the butter,water,yeast and brown sugar. Mix and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Turn on mixer and knead for 3 minutes. Remove dough from mixer,shape into a ball and put into a greased bowl. Cover and let rise 1 hour in a warm location. Boil a large pot of water with the 2/3 cups baking soda. This is the step that makes a pretzel roll pretzel-y! Remove dough to a working surface and divide into 16 small pieces,trying to shape each into a ball. With a serrated knife,cut an “X”in the top of each roll. Boil rolls a few at a time for 30 seconds. Drain with a slotted spoon to remove and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment and also sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. (Or just grease your sheets very,very well) Bake in a 425 oven for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and brush rolls with an egg wash (1 beaten egg and 2T water) and top with coarse salt. Return to oven and bake till browned nicely all over,about 6-8 minutes more. If you eat them hot they will be doughy. Self control. Wait till they are mostly cool and then dig in! Experiment with different shapes if you want! By Michele Adapted from kevin{&} amanda The Excellent Wife http://theexcellentwife.com/ By Michele,on March 1st,2013
 Ooey,gooey chocolatey`caramely goodness. After seeing dozens of these mug cakes on Pinterest,the children and I finally got around to making some. The recipe was so easy for the kids to manage that they were thrilled with their chocolately creations. My daughter cut the sugar in her mug by 1/2 and we couldn’t taste a difference. Here’s the recipe:In a small bowl,combine 4T flour,4T sugar,3T unsweetened cocoa powder,1/4t baking powder,and a pinch of salt. Combine. Now add 1 egg,3T oil,3T milk, and 1/4 t vanilla. Mix well and pour into a regular sized mug that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Push two unwrapped caramel candies just under the surface of the batter. Microwave for about 1 minute 30 seconds. You might have to adjust a bit less or more depending on what results you like. We like gooey,so 1 minute 20 seconds sufficed. By Michele,on February 26th,2013
There’s even an excellent version of Rubber Duckie! 
Click here for a list of free downloadable children’s music on Amazon. Great for little ones! By Michele,on February 18th,2013
What’s on the menu this week at our place? - Rice &Beans Burritos with veggies
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Ranch Pork Chops,salad,brussels sprouts
- Ham,extra creamy homemade mac-n-cheese,salad
- Roast beef with gravy,mashed potatoes,salad
- Chicken Pot Pies
We’ll have the usual Cheerios,eggs,yogurt/fruit/granola,pancakes or waffles for breakfast. Lunches usually consist of leftovers,PBJs,eggs,or veggies &cheeses with yogurt &fruit. Snacks include Orange Julius drinks,hot air-popped popcorn,and pretzels. Our total grocery bill this week was $145 which included the above menu,toilet paper,a few cleaning products,and a gigantic bag of dog food. What’s on your menu this week? By Michele,on February 15th,2013
Loved this toy when my children were younger. It kept them busy for hours –learning and creating.  
By Michele,on January 7th,2013
I have leftover grilled steak so I’m making an Asian Beef Salad. I love this meal &thought I’d share it. 
Asian Beef Salad For the salad layer: Chopped,fresh spinach leaves
Any combo of:snow peas,broccoli,string beans,red peppers For the noodle layer: Cooked thin spaghetti or rice noodles
Sesame seeds,toasted
Cilantro
Cashews
Olive oil (or sesame) For the dressing: 1/4c lime juice
1/4c soy sauce
1 clove minced garlic (or more!)
1/3c olive oil
1/2t sesame oil (if you have it)
1/2t minced ginger For the beef: Leftover sliced steak OR;
Steak marinated in lime juice,soy sauce,garlic,and cilantro,then grilled &sliced So here’s what you do:Mix up the salad ingredients. Toss them with enough dressing to coat. Plate them. Toss the noodles with the noodle ingredients &enough oil to prevent sticking. Plate noodles on top of salad. Place the sliced steak on top of noodles. Sprinkle with more sesame seeds and/or cashews. Pass extra dressing on the side. By Michele,on December 11th,2012
I was reading an e-newsletter I received a week or two ago about complaining. Sharon Jaynes,the author,made a funny point about lamenting: Just try saying the word grumble with a smile on your face. It doesn’t work,does it? I’m sitting here trying now. I sure hope no one’s looking. Let’s think about this. When we are grumbling about our circumstances,who are we really grumbling against? Do you see yourself as a person who grumbles or a person who is grateful? What do you need to do to change? Make a list of things you are grateful for today!
These are great questions! If I find myself complaining about a circumstance I often need to adjust my attitude. What about grumbling{or gossiping} against others? Who exactly are we complaining about? I’m going to take a step back today and think before speaking. I’m going to adjust my attitude and offer words of encouragement instead of grumbling. “Moses also said,‘You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning,because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD” {Exodus 16:8 }.
By Michele,on November 14th,2012
Time consuming,but adorable{and delicious}! Healthy lunch the Wednesday before: Fun “kid table”ideas. Draw on the craft paper table cloth. Fringe craft paper tablecloth for Native American look: Use for napkin holders,place cards,or just fill with candy: Cute: Turkey stuffed with popcorn as a healthy snack: And,finally,a little something to keep the conversation going: By Michele,on November 14th,2012
Hurricanes,snow storms,illness,oh my! 
I’m going to attempt to blog a bit more. By Michele,on September 5th,2012
Today I came across a website devoted to putting children’s books in digital form for all to read online. The International Children’s Digital Library has the following mission statement: The ICDL Foundation’s goal is to build a collection of books that represents outstanding historical and contemporary books from throughout the world. Ultimately,the Foundation aspires to have every culture and language represented so that every child can know and appreciate the riches of children’s literature from the world community.
So far I’ve found books relevant to our studies of medieval history,including some of G.A. Henty’s books. The ICDL was named one of 25 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning by the American Association of School Librarians. | | EXCELLENT Wife way to save $$ |
