Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Mom Topic #1 - Creating Godly Background Music
Hey there peeps.
I have had a lot of things percolating in the back of my head lately, but they haven't yet really been fit to be seen on the blog, because I just hadn't processed them enough. So, in part because I think it'll be helpful to me to think it all out as I write it down, and in part because I think some of you would be interested in the topic and can relate, I'm blogging about them, anyway. I've got about three topics spinning around in my head at the moment, so I'll post them as I have time to write about them.
Mom topic #1 has to do with the "background music" in my home. I'm referring to environment, culture, social framework, however you want to put it. Basically, I've been thinking about how I ought to start being more intentional about making our home a different, more godly place than our kids (and their parents) will find elsewhere.
If Nathan and I don't make an intentional effort to create an environment that informs our kids' decisions (conscious and subconscious), then the culture will, by default.
I started thinking about this a couple of months ago when I started reading a chapter of Proverbs every day. I realized that one of the reasons I was enjoying it was because I was getting godly wisdom that was permeating my mind and setting me up to make good decisions. It was becoming my background music. The format of Proverbs has a lot to do with this, I think, since much of the book is simply seemingly random couplets thrown together--little gems of wisdom strung on a necklace. Because of its format, it is hard to read a chapter of Proverbs and be able to talk about what you learned from the chapter as a whole. But what I discovered was that reading a chapter a day was still beneficial, because it was weaving a background for me that was different from what I had before. It was sending different messages--disparate they may be at times, but they were affecting me, nonetheless, at a subconscious level. It was becoming my background music. And this is hugely profound, because it changes the way I think; it changes the way I process things because it changes my perspective.
I realized that this is why I want to help my kids have different background music: so that when they deal with others and make decisions, they'll be more apt to do the right thing and even think the right thing.
So Nathan and I are talking about what is going to make our household different. We both benefited from growing up in Christian households under Christian influences. However, our home probably won't be a mirror image of either of our families of origin, simply because everybody's different. So the question now is how we are going to be intentional about creating a similar nurturing environment that works with the fabric of our own little family. Are we going to read Scripture with our kids every week? Every day? How often will we pray with them? Will we make an effort to play Christian music in our home? How do we relate to one another in our marriage? How will we do at teaching patience and love and integrity and a myriad of other things, since we'll be modeling them ourselves? (This last one is particularly important, because who we are is the most influential element, I think.)
Grant Williams, a former New England Patriots lineman, spoke at our church yesterday, and one of the things he said was that when he and his wife want to witness to someone, the quickest way to do that is to bring them to their house. He didn't put it in these words, but I took that to mean that they know that showing someone the culture they've cultivated in their home shows them Jesus. I think that's pretty cool.
None of this is new, of course. This isn't a breakthrough topic by any stretch of the imagination. It's just something that is becoming a priority for us at this season in our lives.
Do you have any thoughts? Anybody else thinking about this right now?
I have had a lot of things percolating in the back of my head lately, but they haven't yet really been fit to be seen on the blog, because I just hadn't processed them enough. So, in part because I think it'll be helpful to me to think it all out as I write it down, and in part because I think some of you would be interested in the topic and can relate, I'm blogging about them, anyway. I've got about three topics spinning around in my head at the moment, so I'll post them as I have time to write about them.
Mom topic #1 has to do with the "background music" in my home. I'm referring to environment, culture, social framework, however you want to put it. Basically, I've been thinking about how I ought to start being more intentional about making our home a different, more godly place than our kids (and their parents) will find elsewhere.
If Nathan and I don't make an intentional effort to create an environment that informs our kids' decisions (conscious and subconscious), then the culture will, by default.
I started thinking about this a couple of months ago when I started reading a chapter of Proverbs every day. I realized that one of the reasons I was enjoying it was because I was getting godly wisdom that was permeating my mind and setting me up to make good decisions. It was becoming my background music. The format of Proverbs has a lot to do with this, I think, since much of the book is simply seemingly random couplets thrown together--little gems of wisdom strung on a necklace. Because of its format, it is hard to read a chapter of Proverbs and be able to talk about what you learned from the chapter as a whole. But what I discovered was that reading a chapter a day was still beneficial, because it was weaving a background for me that was different from what I had before. It was sending different messages--disparate they may be at times, but they were affecting me, nonetheless, at a subconscious level. It was becoming my background music. And this is hugely profound, because it changes the way I think; it changes the way I process things because it changes my perspective.
I realized that this is why I want to help my kids have different background music: so that when they deal with others and make decisions, they'll be more apt to do the right thing and even think the right thing.
So Nathan and I are talking about what is going to make our household different. We both benefited from growing up in Christian households under Christian influences. However, our home probably won't be a mirror image of either of our families of origin, simply because everybody's different. So the question now is how we are going to be intentional about creating a similar nurturing environment that works with the fabric of our own little family. Are we going to read Scripture with our kids every week? Every day? How often will we pray with them? Will we make an effort to play Christian music in our home? How do we relate to one another in our marriage? How will we do at teaching patience and love and integrity and a myriad of other things, since we'll be modeling them ourselves? (This last one is particularly important, because who we are is the most influential element, I think.)
Grant Williams, a former New England Patriots lineman, spoke at our church yesterday, and one of the things he said was that when he and his wife want to witness to someone, the quickest way to do that is to bring them to their house. He didn't put it in these words, but I took that to mean that they know that showing someone the culture they've cultivated in their home shows them Jesus. I think that's pretty cool.
None of this is new, of course. This isn't a breakthrough topic by any stretch of the imagination. It's just something that is becoming a priority for us at this season in our lives.
Do you have any thoughts? Anybody else thinking about this right now?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Recipe Index
Breakfast:
Cheese Soufflé
Pumpkin Pancakes
Resurrection Rolls
Sausage and Egg Casserole
Main Courses:
Artichoke Chicken
Baked Chicken Dijon
Beef Stew
Butternut Squash Lasagna with Caramelized Onions
Butternut Squash Pasta
Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta with Parmesan Cream Sauce
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans
Cream Cheese Chicken
Creamy Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls*
Risotto with Prosciutto
Sherry's Italian Spinach Casserole
Spinach and Black Bean Burritos*
Soups:
Asian Dumpling Soup with Vegetables*
Asparagus Soup
Beans and Greens Soup with Sweet Potatoes
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ramen Noodles with Tomato Sauce and Greens*
Ravioli Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Sweet Potato and Apple Soup
Turkey and Potato Soup with Canadian Bacon
Sides/Breads:
Applesauce Honey Nut Bread
Baked Apples
Bonnie's Pumpkin Bread
Bourbon Sweet Potatoes
Cheesy Beer Bread
Corn Casserole
Greek Pasta Salad
Green Bean Casserole
Maple Buttermilk White-Wheat-Matzo Bread
Mixed Bean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Spiced Green Beans with Tomato Sauce*
Summer Vegetable Quinoa
Sweet Potato Bread
Desserts:
Apple Cranberry Crisp
Blackberry Cream Cheese Pie
Blueberry-Strawberry Crisp
British Blackberry Cobbler
Chocolate Soufflé
Frozen Yogurt with Berries
Grand Marnier Orange Cake
Granny's Banana Pudding
Hershey Bar Pie
Lauren's Quadruple Chocolate Rose Cake
Lemon Buttermilk Soufflé
Maple Walnut Spice Sandwich Cookies
Molten Chocolate Cakes
Mom's Pecan Pie
Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pink Frog
Other:
Candied Walnuts*
Cranberry Sauce*
Frozen Food Cubes/Baby Food
Hill Country Salsa
Ode to Chick-fil-A
Palmiers
Pomegranate Orange Juice*
Pumpkin Dip*
Thanksgiving Turkey Tutorial
*Quick and easy recipes (these take less than 20 minutes to prepare)
Cheese Soufflé
Pumpkin Pancakes
Resurrection Rolls
Sausage and Egg Casserole
Main Courses:
Artichoke Chicken
Baked Chicken Dijon
Beef Stew
Butternut Squash Lasagna with Caramelized Onions
Butternut Squash Pasta
Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta with Parmesan Cream Sauce
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans
Cream Cheese Chicken
Creamy Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls*
Risotto with Prosciutto
Sherry's Italian Spinach Casserole
Spinach and Black Bean Burritos*
Soups:
Asian Dumpling Soup with Vegetables*
Asparagus Soup
Beans and Greens Soup with Sweet Potatoes
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Ramen Noodles with Tomato Sauce and Greens*
Ravioli Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Sweet Potato and Apple Soup
Turkey and Potato Soup with Canadian Bacon
Sides/Breads:
Applesauce Honey Nut Bread
Baked Apples
Bonnie's Pumpkin Bread
Bourbon Sweet Potatoes
Cheesy Beer Bread
Corn Casserole
Greek Pasta Salad
Green Bean Casserole
Maple Buttermilk White-Wheat-Matzo Bread
Mixed Bean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Spiced Green Beans with Tomato Sauce*
Summer Vegetable Quinoa
Sweet Potato Bread
Desserts:
Apple Cranberry Crisp
Blackberry Cream Cheese Pie
Blueberry-Strawberry Crisp
British Blackberry Cobbler
Chocolate Soufflé
Frozen Yogurt with Berries
Grand Marnier Orange Cake
Granny's Banana Pudding
Hershey Bar Pie
Lauren's Quadruple Chocolate Rose Cake
Lemon Buttermilk Soufflé
Maple Walnut Spice Sandwich Cookies
Molten Chocolate Cakes
Mom's Pecan Pie
Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pink Frog
Other:
Candied Walnuts*
Cranberry Sauce*
Frozen Food Cubes/Baby Food
Hill Country Salsa
Ode to Chick-fil-A
Palmiers
Pomegranate Orange Juice*
Pumpkin Dip*
Thanksgiving Turkey Tutorial
*Quick and easy recipes (these take less than 20 minutes to prepare)
Friday, March 27, 2009
A New Girl
My young cousin, E, had a baby girl today. We have a prayer request connected with this birth, though. E is giving the baby up for adoption, and they are having some problems ironing out some legal issues. The adoptive parents are going to take the baby home, even though there is a risk they might not get to keep her. Please pray that the Lord irons everything out very quickly so E and the adoptive parents can put their minds to rest on this issue. Giving your baby up is hard enough without having to deal with an unsettled adoption.
Thanks so much.
Thanks so much.
Spring is On Its Way
I just wanted to give a shout out to spring! Today it was 60 degrees and sunny, and it was so incredibly nice. Noah and I went to a playground, and he had such a good time. I wished I had my camera. I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time at playgrounds in the coming months....
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
This and That
- I hate losing weight. Well, correction: I love losing weight. I just hate the process. I still have the same 10 lbs. to lose that I had at Thanksgiving. I mean, I had lost 20 lbs. by then, and somehow this last 10 is just really stubborn. I am getting really tired of holding out on buying clothes because I want to buy the next size down. I'm tired of the clothes I have not looking quite right because the baby weight settled mostly around my waist. Yet I just can't seem to do the things that will make me lose the weight (i.e. make better food choices). I am working out twice a week, which is a big deal for me, since it is always really hard for me to get started going to the gym. So gold star there, Lauren. But my love of carbs and dessert is sabotaging me big time. I just had to share this to get it off my chest. I don't think I've lamented about any body issue things since I was pregnant, so there you go.
- A money-saving success story: I use coupons at the grocery store, and I generally save 20-30% every time I go. Well, this week, there must have been a perfect storm in Coupon Land, because I got three boxes of Frosted Mini Wheats plus a gallon of milk for $3. I had two catalina coupons for $1.50 off a box of cereal (catalina coupons are the kind that get printed at the store, along with your receipt), the cereal was on sale for 3/$6, and I got a deal where when I bought three boxes of cereal, I got a free gallon of milk. So I paid $3 instead of the $16 I would have paid if everything had been at full price. It's not just the saving $13 part that is exciting to me; it almost feels like I won a game or something. I think coupons must bring out my competitive spirit or something.
- Is this not an awesome crocheted blanket? It's just one giant granny square. I would use different colors, but I thought the idea was cool:
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Arbonne Special
Hello everyone,
This special is for those of you who have thought about signing up for an Arbonne discount but have just never gotten around to it.
When you sign up to be a Preferred Client with Arbonne, you get 20% off all your purchases for an entire year. The cost to do this is $29, but through the end of March, I will pay your $29 fee if you have a purchase of $200 or more. You can also choose any product, up to a $100 value, for free.
For example, this means you could get an RE9 anti-aging skin care set (Arbonne's most popular product line), which retails for $298.50, for $238.80 plus tax and shipping.
If you're interested or have questions, leave a comment or email me at laurenbenesh@gmail.com.
This special is for those of you who have thought about signing up for an Arbonne discount but have just never gotten around to it.
When you sign up to be a Preferred Client with Arbonne, you get 20% off all your purchases for an entire year. The cost to do this is $29, but through the end of March, I will pay your $29 fee if you have a purchase of $200 or more. You can also choose any product, up to a $100 value, for free.
For example, this means you could get an RE9 anti-aging skin care set (Arbonne's most popular product line), which retails for $298.50, for $238.80 plus tax and shipping.
If you're interested or have questions, leave a comment or email me at laurenbenesh@gmail.com.
In Case You Thought He Might Be Getting Too Grown Up...
In case you thought Noah might be getting too grown up, here is something that is just totally baby-cute.
The other day, we switched Noah from soft-soled shoes to hard-soled shoes, since he's a better walker now. At first, he just stood there in those shoes and refused to move. He refused to move, that is, until he found out that hard-soled shoes make lots of good noise on hardwood floors. Then he moved. He moved a lot.
Later that afternoon, after his nap, he was walking around in just a diaper and socks. He brought his new love, the noisy shoes, to his dad, who acquiesced and put them on him. So all afternoon, he just stomped around in nothing but shoes and a diaper. Cutie pie.
The other day, we switched Noah from soft-soled shoes to hard-soled shoes, since he's a better walker now. At first, he just stood there in those shoes and refused to move. He refused to move, that is, until he found out that hard-soled shoes make lots of good noise on hardwood floors. Then he moved. He moved a lot.
Later that afternoon, after his nap, he was walking around in just a diaper and socks. He brought his new love, the noisy shoes, to his dad, who acquiesced and put them on him. So all afternoon, he just stomped around in nothing but shoes and a diaper. Cutie pie.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
A Baby Shower
This has been a busy weekend! Noah was dedicated this morning at church (video to come), and I threw a baby shower this afternoon for two of my friends.
Kendra is expecting a boy, and Sara is expecting a girl. Both of them already have a child of the opposite gender, so there is a lot of pink and blue going on everywhere. So I did everything for the shower in pink and blue. I was pretty pleased with how the food came out--boy stuff on one side (BLUEberry scones, for example), and girl stuff on the other side (like pink lemonade). I even ran across some pink and blue cotton candy at the store and had to get it, not knowing how I'd use it. I ended up putting some muffins and the scones on top of fluffy mounds of cotton candy, and it was cute.
Here are the two mommies. Sara is due in April, and Kendra is due in May.
It was a fun afternoon! I really enjoyed throwing a shower for my gals and making lots of girly goodies.
Kendra is expecting a boy, and Sara is expecting a girl. Both of them already have a child of the opposite gender, so there is a lot of pink and blue going on everywhere. So I did everything for the shower in pink and blue. I was pretty pleased with how the food came out--boy stuff on one side (BLUEberry scones, for example), and girl stuff on the other side (like pink lemonade). I even ran across some pink and blue cotton candy at the store and had to get it, not knowing how I'd use it. I ended up putting some muffins and the scones on top of fluffy mounds of cotton candy, and it was cute.
I just want to point out that any time you put something in a trifle bowl, it looks spectacular. Consider this fruit salad. I will say that I spent a whole lot of time slicing fruit yesterday, but even if I had thrown it all in there haphazardly, it would have looked awesome. Something about the trifle bowl really dresses it up.
Here are the two mommies. Sara is due in April, and Kendra is due in May.
Both of them got a ton of goodies. Some of our out-of-town friends (who used to attend our Bible study but have since moved away) were kind enough to send gifts for the shower. Thank you, Jeanette, Christy, and Sara!
This is Sara with her mom, who knitted this beautiful prayer shawl.
It was a fun afternoon! I really enjoyed throwing a shower for my gals and making lots of girly goodies.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Thoughts at the Mall
I just got home from a trip to the mall with Noah, where we tend to go every week or two to play on their great play ground and eat Chick-fil-A.
Today was a bit unusual, because I actually did a little shopping while we were there. Normally, I wouldn't dare do such a thing, because Noah believes that fitting rooms are 'round about Dante's sixth circle of Hades or something. ("'Round about"--how do you like that little Texanism?) But today I dipped into a few stores for various reasons.
And I came to a particular realization:
I just have to tell you that if ever I have a girl, I will have absolutely no self-control when it comes to buying dresses. I can't even stand how cute they are.
And that's all I have to say about that. No, I am not pregnant. ;)
Today was a bit unusual, because I actually did a little shopping while we were there. Normally, I wouldn't dare do such a thing, because Noah believes that fitting rooms are 'round about Dante's sixth circle of Hades or something. ("'Round about"--how do you like that little Texanism?) But today I dipped into a few stores for various reasons.
And I came to a particular realization:
I just have to tell you that if ever I have a girl, I will have absolutely no self-control when it comes to buying dresses. I can't even stand how cute they are.
And that's all I have to say about that. No, I am not pregnant. ;)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Big Boy Clothes
Noah is now wearing hard soled shoes, as opposed to the soft soled Robeez, since he's such a good walker now. (As soon as I get a video straightened out, I'll post more about that.) These shoes that he's got, though, make him a little taller, which make his proportions just look less babyish. He is already tall and lean for his age, and those shoes just exaggerate it. I put him in this outfit the other day and just laughed at how, if you didn't see the baby head and face (and if he weren't trying to find his belly button under his shirt), he'd look like a fourteen-year-old kid instead of a fourteen-month-old kid.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Saturday's Outing
Yesterday, because it was a pretty, sunny day, we went to a nearby farm. Well, we went to the market on the premises. This particular farm has a beautiful, large building full of beautiful produce, baked goods, flowers, and all kinds of other lovely things.
I saw online that they had a few animals for kids to look at, which was another reason we went to this particular place. They had two goats, a llama or an alpaca, and tons of chickens. The animal barn wasn't that fantastic, actually, but it was worth going once.
We ended up buying some Irish soda bread, some Irish butter, some farm fresh eggs, an orange sponge cake, some chocolate milk from a local farm, and some apple cider donuts. Mmm. Jackpot.
Then we took this picture, right outside the main building:
I saw online that they had a few animals for kids to look at, which was another reason we went to this particular place. They had two goats, a llama or an alpaca, and tons of chickens. The animal barn wasn't that fantastic, actually, but it was worth going once.
We ended up buying some Irish soda bread, some Irish butter, some farm fresh eggs, an orange sponge cake, some chocolate milk from a local farm, and some apple cider donuts. Mmm. Jackpot.
Then we took this picture, right outside the main building:
What's in a Name?
This morning, Noah and I had a cute little exchange:
Me: Noah, say "Mama."
Noah: Ma Ma.
Me: Noah, say "Daddy."
Noah: Da Da.
Me: Noah, say "Noah."
Noah: Bud.
Ha!
He has never said his name, which is why I was trying to get him to do so. Instead, he said one of the nicknames we have for him. I think it was accidental, because he wouldn't repeat it. But it sure was funny!
Me: Noah, say "Mama."
Noah: Ma Ma.
Me: Noah, say "Daddy."
Noah: Da Da.
Me: Noah, say "Noah."
Noah: Bud.
Ha!
He has never said his name, which is why I was trying to get him to do so. Instead, he said one of the nicknames we have for him. I think it was accidental, because he wouldn't repeat it. But it sure was funny!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Bread Fiasco
So today I pulled out the bread machine to make some Maple Buttermilk White Bread to go with the Cream Cheese Chicken and steamed broccoli I was making to take to our Bible study tonight.
So I put all the wet ingredients in the pan, and then I went to go get the flour. This recipe calls for three cups of white flour. However, I only had one cup. Oops.
"Oh well," I figured, "I'll just use wheat flour for the rest."
So I went back to the pantry and got the wheat flour. Guess what. I only had one cup of wheat flour, too. Now I knew I was in trouble, because that's all the flour I had. But I needed one more cup of something, so I went back to the pantry to scrounge around and find something I could use. Do you know what I came up with?
Matzo meal.
Yep, last year, around this time, when all the Passover stuff is available in the grocery store, I bought matzo meal for a recipe I never ended up making. I have never in my life used matzo meal for anything, nor do I know anything about it. So when I saw the unopened can in the pantry, I thought, "What is matzo, anyway?" I know that matzo balls and crackers are made of it, but that's it. The ingredient list just said "Wheat, Water." So I decided to give it a whirl, and I added one cup of matzo meal to the bread machine.
I was fully aware that this loaf of bread might turn out to be a total fiasco, and I was prepared to make an emergency stop at the grocery store on the way to Bible study. But, surprise of surprises, it was awesome! It tasted so good, and it actually had a nice, slightly-more-crumbly-than-usual texture. It was a little short and dense, but I think that is because I baked it on a shorter cycle, so it didn't have as much time to rise.
It was just so awesome that the bread came out well that I had to tell you about it.
Here is the bread machine recipe, if you want to give it a whirl. I know for sure that this recipe will work for the following brands of bread machines (but you can give it a shot, anyway, if you have something else and are so inclined): Large Oster, Regal, West Bend, Large Pillsbury, and Large Zojirushi.
-----
Maple Buttermilk White-Wheat-Matzo Bread
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 cup water
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup matzo meal
4 tablespoons powdered buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast
Place ingredients in bread machine. Choose desired bread setting.* Press "On" or "Start."
*I baked mine on the "White" setting, but next time I'll try it on "Wheat" so it has more time to rise. I might also throw in a couple teaspoons of gluten next time to help it rise more.
So I put all the wet ingredients in the pan, and then I went to go get the flour. This recipe calls for three cups of white flour. However, I only had one cup. Oops.
"Oh well," I figured, "I'll just use wheat flour for the rest."
So I went back to the pantry and got the wheat flour. Guess what. I only had one cup of wheat flour, too. Now I knew I was in trouble, because that's all the flour I had. But I needed one more cup of something, so I went back to the pantry to scrounge around and find something I could use. Do you know what I came up with?
Matzo meal.
Yep, last year, around this time, when all the Passover stuff is available in the grocery store, I bought matzo meal for a recipe I never ended up making. I have never in my life used matzo meal for anything, nor do I know anything about it. So when I saw the unopened can in the pantry, I thought, "What is matzo, anyway?" I know that matzo balls and crackers are made of it, but that's it. The ingredient list just said "Wheat, Water." So I decided to give it a whirl, and I added one cup of matzo meal to the bread machine.
I was fully aware that this loaf of bread might turn out to be a total fiasco, and I was prepared to make an emergency stop at the grocery store on the way to Bible study. But, surprise of surprises, it was awesome! It tasted so good, and it actually had a nice, slightly-more-crumbly-than-usual texture. It was a little short and dense, but I think that is because I baked it on a shorter cycle, so it didn't have as much time to rise.
It was just so awesome that the bread came out well that I had to tell you about it.
Here is the bread machine recipe, if you want to give it a whirl. I know for sure that this recipe will work for the following brands of bread machines (but you can give it a shot, anyway, if you have something else and are so inclined): Large Oster, Regal, West Bend, Large Pillsbury, and Large Zojirushi.
-----
Maple Buttermilk White-Wheat-Matzo Bread
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 cup water
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup matzo meal
4 tablespoons powdered buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast
Place ingredients in bread machine. Choose desired bread setting.* Press "On" or "Start."
*I baked mine on the "White" setting, but next time I'll try it on "Wheat" so it has more time to rise. I might also throw in a couple teaspoons of gluten next time to help it rise more.
The Perfect Comment Opportunity: Summer Plans
Hey y'all,
It was so nice and warm this past weekend that it got me to thinking about spring and summer.
I would love to know what everyone is doing this summer. Do you have any plans? If so, leave a comment and tell us what they are. As for me, I'm looking forward to lots of walks on pretty, sunny days. What about you?
Are you going to travel? Plant a garden? See lots of summer movies? Teach your kid how to hit a baseball?
Do tell.
It was so nice and warm this past weekend that it got me to thinking about spring and summer.
I would love to know what everyone is doing this summer. Do you have any plans? If so, leave a comment and tell us what they are. As for me, I'm looking forward to lots of walks on pretty, sunny days. What about you?
Are you going to travel? Plant a garden? See lots of summer movies? Teach your kid how to hit a baseball?
Do tell.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Stuff
- I have been going to the gym a couple of times a week, and I am actually starting to really enjoy it. It was super hard to make myself go the first few times, though.
- Noah is officially weaned. I vacillate between being happy and a little sad about this.
- Weaning Noah means I can finally whiten my teeth. I usually do this once a year, but it's been postponed for a while, because I didn't want to put anything weird into my body while I was pregnant or nursing. So now I can have whitened teeth again. No one notices but me, probably, but still.
- The weather was very spring-like here this weekend. It actually hit 60 degrees! It made me look forward to spring so much. One of the best parts of the weekend was when I just stood in front of one of my kitchen windows for a few minutes with my eyes closed, soaking in that sensation you have when the sun is on you and your skin warms up deliciously. Like being in a warm car with the sun on you. Or lying on the beach. It's that feeling that the sun is permeating you. Is anyone getting me here? Am I making sense? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller? Anybody? Anyway, it was nice. And then it snowed on Monday.
- I am beginning to like the library, despite the fact that I usually like to buy books rather than borrow them. I think the reason I like it is because I can test drive a book before I commit it to my bookshelf. I mean, what if my book club picks a book I hate? This way, if I don't like the book, I can just say goodbye forever. And if I like it, well, amazon.com is my friend.
- Nathan is probably going to be finishing up his Ph.D. this fall. This means we are nearing the end of our time in Boston (*tear*) and starting to think about a move, probably to Texas. This, in turn, means I am again obsessed with har.com.
- Speaking of weaning, I need to wean myself from political talk for a while. Everything that is going on is just making me so mad.
- It's time for bed.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Snowmobile Adventure
A few weeks ago, Nathan cashed in his Christmas gift from me, which was to go snowmobiling in Vermont with his friend, Caleb.
Here's Nathan, ready to go. Thumbs up.
He said they were able to go upwards of 50 mph, which surprised me a little bit. I've never ridden a snowmobile, but I've ridden four wheelers, and 50 mph is darn fast when you're not inside a car.
Here are the guys. Nathan said it was really beautiful there.
Here's Nathan, ready to go. Thumbs up.
He said they were able to go upwards of 50 mph, which surprised me a little bit. I've never ridden a snowmobile, but I've ridden four wheelers, and 50 mph is darn fast when you're not inside a car.
It was a fun afternoon.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Applesauce Honey Nut Bread
I was clearing out a stash of recipes that I've cut out of magazines and newspapers today, and I found one for Applesauce Honey Nut Bread. According to the recipe, it's "from the kitchen of 'The Secret Life of Bees.'" I have no idea where I got this recipe, but after looking over the ingredients, I had to make it.
The thing that appealed most to me was the simplicity and wholesomeness of the recipe. For example, I had all the ingredients on hand except the golden raisins, so I just left those out. There are no special gadgets required; you don't even have to pull out an electric mixer or even so much as a zester. All you need are a couple of bowls, measuring spoons and cups, and a loaf pan or two. And the simplicity of the ingredients matches the simplicity of the preparation: they are fruit-of-the-earth type of things (except for maybe the Bisquick!), and that appealed to me today, too. Plus, honey is probably one of my favorite things (I loved that the batter smelled so strongly of honey as I stirred it), and I don't know of anything more wholesome and homey than oatmeal.
Lately, I've been realizing that I desire more of a simple life. I want to live outside of the city one day. I want to have a garden. It just seems more wholesome to me to say goodbye to traffic and close quarters and just have more space, appreciate God's earth, and simply lead a different kind of life. That's what this recipe made me think about today, and that's why my house is starting to smell like bread....
-----
Applesauce Honey Nut Bread
2-1/2 cups Bisquick
1 cup quick cooking oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten (I just stirred it in with the applesauce)
1 cup applesauce
1 cup honey
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two loaf pans.
Combine Bisquick, oats, baking powder, and salt; make a well in the center of the mixture. In a separate bowl, combine egg, applesauce, and honey; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spoon batter into loaf pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.
The finished product:
The thing that appealed most to me was the simplicity and wholesomeness of the recipe. For example, I had all the ingredients on hand except the golden raisins, so I just left those out. There are no special gadgets required; you don't even have to pull out an electric mixer or even so much as a zester. All you need are a couple of bowls, measuring spoons and cups, and a loaf pan or two. And the simplicity of the ingredients matches the simplicity of the preparation: they are fruit-of-the-earth type of things (except for maybe the Bisquick!), and that appealed to me today, too. Plus, honey is probably one of my favorite things (I loved that the batter smelled so strongly of honey as I stirred it), and I don't know of anything more wholesome and homey than oatmeal.
Lately, I've been realizing that I desire more of a simple life. I want to live outside of the city one day. I want to have a garden. It just seems more wholesome to me to say goodbye to traffic and close quarters and just have more space, appreciate God's earth, and simply lead a different kind of life. That's what this recipe made me think about today, and that's why my house is starting to smell like bread....
-----
Applesauce Honey Nut Bread
2-1/2 cups Bisquick
1 cup quick cooking oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten (I just stirred it in with the applesauce)
1 cup applesauce
1 cup honey
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two loaf pans.
Combine Bisquick, oats, baking powder, and salt; make a well in the center of the mixture. In a separate bowl, combine egg, applesauce, and honey; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spoon batter into loaf pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.
The finished product:
Friday, March 6, 2009
A Blog Rarity: Economic Comment
From a good opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal about Obama's economic policies:
"Unfortunately, our history suggests new government programs, however noble the intent, more often wind up delivering less, more slowly, at far higher cost than projected, with potentially damaging unintended consequences. The most recent case, of course, was the government's [Clinton administration's] meddling in the housing market to bring home ownership to low-income families, which became a prime cause of the current economic and financial disaster."
I just thought that first sentence really just says it in a nutshell.
"Unfortunately, our history suggests new government programs, however noble the intent, more often wind up delivering less, more slowly, at far higher cost than projected, with potentially damaging unintended consequences. The most recent case, of course, was the government's [Clinton administration's] meddling in the housing market to bring home ownership to low-income families, which became a prime cause of the current economic and financial disaster."
I just thought that first sentence really just says it in a nutshell.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wild Child
My son is a wild child.
Noah is really active, but I just figured all kids are as active as he is. Apparently not.
Exhibit A: For the past two weeks, we've gone to our town's library to participate in their story time and sing along. About twenty pairs of moms and small children show up. We all sit in a circle and either listen to a story or sing a song. And of all those kids, my child is the only one who is doing his darndest to get the heck out of his mother's lap. All the other kids sit contentedly, being entertained by the person leading the group. Noah, however, squirms and twists and wiggles, trying to get down so he can run around and get a closer look at everything. Both times, the teacher has leaned over to me and said, "It's okay; you can let him go."
Exhibit B: When I picked him up from the nursery at Mom to Mom today, the ladies said, "I bet he can't wait until spring comes so he can run around outside!" Apparently all he did today (and this is true of most days) is just run around. He generally just runs from one thing to the next or makes circles around the room. Apparently none of the other kids do that.
My mom told me that my brother, Ken, was the exact same way, and Nathan's mom said that he was the most active of all her kids. So I guess it's genetic!
And just for a good laugh, here he is, eating pasta:
Noah is really active, but I just figured all kids are as active as he is. Apparently not.
Exhibit A: For the past two weeks, we've gone to our town's library to participate in their story time and sing along. About twenty pairs of moms and small children show up. We all sit in a circle and either listen to a story or sing a song. And of all those kids, my child is the only one who is doing his darndest to get the heck out of his mother's lap. All the other kids sit contentedly, being entertained by the person leading the group. Noah, however, squirms and twists and wiggles, trying to get down so he can run around and get a closer look at everything. Both times, the teacher has leaned over to me and said, "It's okay; you can let him go."
Exhibit B: When I picked him up from the nursery at Mom to Mom today, the ladies said, "I bet he can't wait until spring comes so he can run around outside!" Apparently all he did today (and this is true of most days) is just run around. He generally just runs from one thing to the next or makes circles around the room. Apparently none of the other kids do that.
My mom told me that my brother, Ken, was the exact same way, and Nathan's mom said that he was the most active of all her kids. So I guess it's genetic!
And just for a good laugh, here he is, eating pasta:
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Postless Post
I would write a nice, thoughtful post today, but our regular laptop is at the Apple store, waiting for us to pick it up after a minor repair. Since there's 12 inches of snow outside, I just don't think we're going to make it out to the mall today to get it.
In the meantime, we've been left with our older, slllllooooooooowwwer laptop, which I believe Nathan got when he first went to college. That would be in the year of our Lord 2000. And I am too impatient to deal with the internet for long on a nine-year-old computer.
So I'll post something good sometime soon, but it won't be today. Today is reserved for eating soup and fresh bread in our pajamas.
Later, peeps!
In the meantime, we've been left with our older, slllllooooooooowwwer laptop, which I believe Nathan got when he first went to college. That would be in the year of our Lord 2000. And I am too impatient to deal with the internet for long on a nine-year-old computer.
So I'll post something good sometime soon, but it won't be today. Today is reserved for eating soup and fresh bread in our pajamas.
Later, peeps!
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