Going on Vacation

Well, we're here gathering up the last few items to head out tomorrow to Montana! I have my trusty list here and I'm checking it 37 times. :) We are going to be spending some time with family and taking a few days to do Yellowstone. We've also got the Lewis and Clark Caves and Chico Hot Springs on the agenda. I am really hoping to be able to get a massage while we're at the Hot Springs!! And we're ready with lots of memory for the camera too! We just picked up another 2GB card. Now we have 2 - 2GB cards and 1 - 256K. Wow, I really hope that we don't take that many pictures.

Now for the bad news..... For my 3 loyal readers, you know who you are ;), this does unfortunately mean that I will not be posting a Tantalizing Tuesday. We get back in the evening on Tuesday and I know that I will be too tired to do it then plus we have to unpack. But I may be back for a Tasteful Thursday.

So, I will leave you with these pictures from Bruce's graduation.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=19t2ajd6.15za43p6&x=0&h=1&y=bqvndu&localeid=en_US

Tantalizing Tuesday.....a few minutes early Banana Bread

Banana Bread

This is a great way to use up those old bananas that no one wants to eat. It literally takes 5 minutes to have the best bread! Makes one big loaf, or 12 muffins or 24 mini muffins.

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 - 3 ripe bananas

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

I also like to add about a 1/4 cup of flax seed and 1/4 cup of oatmeal

Place shortening and sugar in bowl. Beat on high for 1 minute. Stop and scrape bowl. Beat on high about 1 minute longer. Add Eggs. Mix on medium for about 30 seconds to incorporate eggs. Stop and scrape bowl. Beat on high about 1 1/2 minutes or until mixture turns a light lemony yellow. Add Bananas and mix on medium for 30 seconds to mash. Add flour, baking power, baking soda and salt. Mix on low being careful not to create a giant cloud of flour and covering the kitchen. Mix about 30 seconds. Fold in nuts. Pour mixture into a greased and floued pan. Bake at 350°F for 40 - 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Tantalizing Tuesday Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough

I have been making pizza every week to try and come up with a good recipe for dough. All the others I have made end up looking (and feeling) like glue. This was a very nice dough, and very easy to make. Definitely worth spending the time to make the pizza dough. You can also freeze the dough prior to the rise, and save it to use later. Stop spending $6-8/pizza on frozen pizza or $12 - 18 on delivered!!! So easy to make!!

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. olive oil

2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups flour (I like to use 1/2 AP flour & 1/2 wheat)

1 tablespoon cornmeal

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt, olive oil and 2 1/2 cups flour. Mix on medium low for 1 minute. Continuing on medium-low, add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, and mix about 2 minutes or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on medium about 2 minutes longer.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down. Brush 14 inch pizza pan with oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Press dough across bottom of pan, forming a collar around edge to hold toppings. Prick bottom of crust to prevent bubbling. Add toppings, as desired. Bake at 450°F for 15 - 20 minutes.

More ear infection

I don't know how you can manage to get another ear infection when you are already taking antibiotics, but somehow Melissa did it. She woke up on Saturday with the infection in her left ear again. I am just hoping that it doesn't make another appearance in her right ear.

Update....... 6/17

Went to the doctor today, and we are stopping the ear drops, and giving Augmentin. Trying to knock out the rest of the ear troubles and some chesty cough that she has.

Fathers Day

Neil got his first fathers day handmade present from Melissa!! It says I'd walk a million miles for one of your smiles. And it has her little foot print! It is just adorable.

Fathers Day itself was not so great for us. Little Miss woke up brown with a bad diaper accident and required me to give her 2 baths and wash everything in her crib and the changing table. After that Neil went bowling with his dad, and Melissa and I hung out at home for a bit before we joined them. We got some lunch at Sonny's where Melissa had a major meltdown, and I had to take her out to the lobby to settle down. We knew she needed a nap, but we also needed to head to BJs to pick up some things, so we let her nap in the car on the ride there. We came home and I attempted to cook Neil his favorite treat, Taco Dip, and Melissa had another meltdown. I was at my wits end and we finally got her to bed. I have to say that having kids is bittersweet.

Forgot to mention

Melissa has double ear infections x 2! We went to the doctor on Thursday, because she came home from Daycare with this.

We weren't very happy that the daycare didn't call us when they noticed it, but we did get in first thing on Thursday. The doctor said that she has an inner and outer ear infections, and gave her Keflex and ear drops. She's doing better now, but I think she's getting her 2 year molars now.

Tantalizing Tuesday Sprout Bread

Sprout Bread

This is superb. Sprouting the berries is absolutely no trouble at all. The sprouts do affect the amount of liquid required, and it is likely that you will have to adjust the consistency with flour or water.

2 - 3 days prior to making this bread place 1/3 - 1/2 cup of wheat berries (whole wheat) in a sprouting jar (or any glass jar with cheesecloth tied down with a rubber band). Cover with water and allow to sit overnight, at least 12 hours. Drain and rinse agin, right through the screen or cheesecloth, and set the jar mout side down at a 45° anble in a warm dark place. Rinse sprouts twice a day. They are ready for use when you see small spourts of about 1/8 - 1/4 inch. Wheat berry sprouts should be no longer than the berry itself. You may also use other types of sprouts. Experiment and see what you like the best!

I make this recipe in the bread maker, because it's 1000° in Florida this time of year.

2 1/2 tsp. Yeast , or 1 package of yeast
3 cups Flour, bread flour is best, but all purpose is acceptable
2/3 cup Sprouted wheat berries
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. Sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. Butter, Margerine or Shortening
1 Cup Warm Water

Add to bread machine in that order, and put on basic cycle for a large loaf. This is for a 2 pound machine.

Otherwise, if you are making this by hand, add all ingredients to the mixer in order. Mix on medium/low for 15 minutes. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Mix on medium/low for another 20 minutes. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Shape dough, and place in lightly greased loaf pan for baking. Let rise for 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in size. Bake for 50 minutes at 400°, or until done.

We're back up and going!

Well, my computer seems to back up and going okay! We had a massive melt down last week, and I didn't know how long this was going to last. My hard drive went out, and at the same time I somehow got a bunch of nasty computer viruses!! Holy cow! But my WONDERFUL husband and all his computer trickery fixed it and reloaded windows way too many times. I think the total is 5 times it 2 days. Wow! He really is awesome! We're also back from my brother Bruce's graduation! He graduated from Nova Southeastern University with his Masters in International Business. I'll post a few pictures when I load the picture software onto the computer. We had a great weekend spending time with the whole family, and celebrating.

For Bruce:


Congratulations!!

Tantalizing Tuesday Granola

Yummy Granola That Doesn't Cost $5 billion at Whole Foods


Makes about 4 - 5 cups. Enough to eat for breakfast and have the baby eat some too, and for the baby to feed the dog, and to make some more yummy stuff.


1 1/2 cups rolled oats (preferably the old fashioned kind)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped almonds (or whatever nuts you like)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup real maple syrup
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon


Mix it all up. Spread it on an oiled/sprayed cookie sheet. Bake it at 325 for 20 minutes, stirring it a time or two while it bakes. Let it cool. Voila! Granola with the requisite crunchies that I like. You can probably add things, like coconut or dried fruit or, in my case, chocolate chips.


















So now you have some really delicious granola!! What are you going to do with it? Eat it with some soy milk for breakfast? Top your yogurt with it?

Make chewy granola bars?

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No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) Butter (Yes, you have to use butter)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup (or less) Agave Nectar or honey

3 cups of the granola from the recipe above (or you can buy some you slacker)

1/2 cup thin pretzel sticks (optional)

1/2 cup chocolate chips or carob chips (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar with the agave nectar and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to medium low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes, stirring to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add granola and evenly coat with the sauce. Transfer to a 9 x 13 ungreased pan and press firmly to evenly fill. Press in chocolate chips. Let the granola mixture set until firm, about 15 minutes, then cut into bars.