Jewelry Making Tip One

Ok, so I've been asked to share a few tips for those who want to start making their own jewelry. First, I must say that I am by far a hobbyist who loves learning so what I know now will change as I grow in the craft. But over the next few weeks I'll release one tip a week. Open discussion on the tip is encouraged.

My first tip is planning vs inspiration:
Many times as I peruse a bead store or craft store I see a bead, charm, or a bit of wire that inspires me. This can be a prefect way to create, if you have everything on hand at home to complete the piece. It's taken me almost two years of adding little bits and pieces to my supplies that a moment of inspiration doesn't hamper my creativity. But when I first started I wasn't so lucky. I'd forget the other items, buy my beads and head home ready to start. Only once there I'd remember all the other things I needed. Then I'd spend another few trips to the stores or Amazon trying to collect all the pieces I need. But by the time I have it all my inspiration is waned a little or even worse I've moved on. This can be devastating if you do it over and over. Eventually you can loose focus on creating completely.

So here's my tip, be inspired but also plan out what you need to complete. If it's a semi-precious beads do you have wire findings, pliers, spacers or complimentary beads, wire, and a planning board? If it's the latest colored seed beads do you have a pattern, bead thread, matching clasp, or even enough beads? When you see that bit of inspiration stop and think for a second. Ask yourself how you want to use it then rattle through what you need and what you have at home. If you need a little bit of inspiration on how to use what's got your fancy take a second to look at a jewelry magazine or how to book. Once you know what you like and you have what you need then go and create.

Side note: Many times I need to go to multiple stores or websites to gather all the pieces I need for a complicated piece. But for me that's half my fun as a crafter. Its also why I have storage boxs full of pieces waiting for that last little bit I see in my mind what I want to create and what I need. I also collect and store bits and pieces that catch my intrest until I have a need for them because I am so selective. But it is so much a downer to get all the beads and stones but not have the findings and wire because I forgot to plan out that part of piece. It always fustrates me to be ready to work but not able. So when you hit inspiration take a moment to plan, I know I do. Below is an example. I had a lot of of seed beads, but it took finding the right base wire to bead around to make this piece. At another store I found the right crystals to highlight the pattern.



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When It's Cold, Stew Over Chili

Today is a cold winter day, the type were schools declares a snowday. It's also the type in which a slower cooker full of chili just makes you feel better. So today's recipe is my Easy Slow Cooker Chili.

Chili Recipe:
1 Large Can Tomato purée
1 Large Can Diced Tomato
1 Small Can Fire Roasted Tomato
1 Can Corn
1 Bag Kidney Beans
1 lb Ground Beef
1 Chopped Onion
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt

I love to season my ground beef and then brown it in the skillet, taking care not to over work the meat. Add all the cans of tomatoes and corn to large crock pot. Add browned beef. Finely chop a onion. I love to season the onion with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. With a little of the Beef grease still in the skillet, brown the onion until they are just turned soft. Add it to crock pot. Add kidney beans, which you should have soaked over night or boiled till soft. Close up the crock and cook on High for 3 hrs or low for 6 hrs.



The heat, peppers and paprika normally found in chili is found in the can of Fire Roasted Tomato. I love this product since it adds depth without me doing a lot of extra work or buying special peppers I only use once on a while. But if you want use the real stuff for a hotter spicer and fresher taste.

To serve my chili I like a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese and a few fishy crackers on the side. Why don't you try it and see what you think.

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Holiday Bulb

Like a crazy person I've been beading bulbs left and right until I came down sick again. But now that I'm well and have so little time left before my hubby's FRG auction and my Etsy Holiday showcase I'm going even more bulb crazy. Add on I've got two orders of custom bulbs requested.... But I have to say I'm quite happy working on them. My kids are even helping out by painting the little heart bulbs.

But in celebration of my Etsy show case on December 16th, I'm going to sponsor a giveaway of my favorite bulb.
To win one red & white heart bulb you must comment on this post about what your favorite Christmas ornament is. On December 16th each comment will be entered in a drawing and a winner posted. If you choose to be unknown in the comment but win the bulb I'll need you to contact me via my Facebook page: Crafted By Faith.

Picture Wows

I've been so wrapped up trying to improve my Etsy shop photos. As I've discovered my little cyber shot takes a great photo but it just doesn't have the clarity for good solid pictures needed for jewelry. But thanks to Dads Canon and his telephoto lens I was able to get really good shots. But that was just the start of the battle. I also had to edit each photo and compress file sizes. Moms idea if using Photo Shop over Pascal was brilliant. Just take a look at this test photo of Moms birthday present:


My little camera could never have pulled off the detail and shading shown. And this piece so deserves a good photo. It's a rich piece of black & amethyst seed beads and large 10mm amethyst pearls. I just love the way the piece flows and how each curve highlight light on the pearls. I loved creating this piece.

A good camera and photo software is so going to be on my wish list. They join a new sewing machine and surger. Someday....

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Adventure In Brine

First off, thank you everyone who sent me well wishes while I was sick. I'm a lot better but not completely 100%. I don't know why it is but every time I'm fully well I come back down with something. My theory is that it's the Holiday season. It's just so exhausting.

But I do love Turkey day! This year was a little strange in that I didn't do any of the cooking. I only brined a small turkey with the hubby. And let me tell you that was a crazy adventure...I had ice water from one end of the kitchen to the other because the ice chest we used leaked like a sieve. But the brine and bird stayed sealed during the whole process, which included a 2 day soak and a 3 hr car trip. I was a little disappointed in the flavor though. I tried an apple/rosemary recipe from the local butcher, but it was just so bland. Meat was nice and juicy with not a hint of gamey flavor but none of us tasted the apple or rosemary flavors. Might give it another try only change out concentrations of ingredients. Will post the recipe after I experiment. So stay tuned.


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Pumpkin Cake

With turkey day coming up I'm starting to crave all things pumpkin. From bread to pie. But in the spirit of experimenting with recipes I'm trying to create a cake recipe. First try is a old fastion base cake.

Recipe:
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Mix sugar and oil, blend in eggs. Beat on high for 1 minute. Add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin. Blend on high for 3 minutes. In separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly pour wet ingredients into dry. Stoping to mix ever few minutes. Blend on high for 5 minutes. Grease and flour baking pans. (I like to add parchment paper to the bottom of a pan, it helps me remove the cake at the end.) Bake at 350• for 30 minutes. Be sure to insert a toothpick to test that the center is cooked.
Left you can see my batter is nice and thick. I still did the air bubble shake by shaking my pan and dropping it. (When dropping only raise it about 1 inch from surface and letting go. Don't go to high or you'll get cake batter that jumps the pan.)

For icing I decided to go with my cinnamon butter cream.
Cinnamon Icing:
1 package powder sugar
3 tbl milk
3 tbl butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon.

Mix powder sugar, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. While beating add one tbl of milk at a time until a thick creamy constancy is reached. You can add less or more milk to get the constancy you want.

Cool cake, frost and serve. My family enjoyed it with milk and a good movie.

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My Pork Drank The Coke-A-Cola

While surfing the web I can across a Naked Boneless Pork Chop recipe. The creator recommended marinating the pork in an acid base such as orange juice, wine, beer, or Coke-A-Cola. Now I've tried wine as a marinade on pork and it was surprisingly good. Moist and tender with a great robust flavor. So thinking healthy I looked in my refrigerator for a marinade base. Would you believe all I had was Cola. So throwing cation to the wind I gave it a try.

Recipe:
1 cup coke-a-cola
1 cup water
1 tbs dried herbs (I used Italian Blend)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 gallon ziplock bag
4 boneless pork chops

Marinade 5-8 hours in refrigerator. Pull straight from bag onto a grill. I use my handy Forman Grill for 7 minutes on a thine cut chop and 10 on the thick.

Served with chive mashed potatoes and small dinner rolls and you get a great meal. The pork had a great sweet moist taste that I had never tasted before. But the best seller was watching my picky eater down the meat in less then two minutes. If your like me and your willing to be a dare devil give this a try. Taste Tester Note: The pork was nice and tender with a sweet sausage taste to eat. It's defenitly a new way to serve pork.
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Rolled Sugar Cookies

Experiment cookie day. Today's choice. Alton Browns iced sugar cookie.

Recipe:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbs milk
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder

Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry. Combine. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Roll. Cut. Cook 375 for 10 minutes. Ice and eat.

My families rating was 4 stars. Lite on sugar taste for me. But overall pretty good.


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Happy Halloween!

When I think Halloween I think candy. Maybe it's the joy of remembering a childhood filled with make believe costumes, running from house to house, and most of all the sugar high that I had as a kid that made Halloween my favorite part of Fall. This year I was determined that my two rug rats were going to experience the joy of Halloween. From great costumes to trick-or-treat. They would enjoy the time.

What I didn't realize was how much I chewed off. You might be asking yourself what she saying. You get a costume, a bag, and run crazy right? Yes that's what you do. Only for me a cheap store bought costume wasn't going to cut it. My son and daughter deserved quality. So off I went to the fabric store to get material for them. Boy did that start my headache.

At the store I couldn't find a single costume pattern to satisfy my kids taste or mine. So I resolved to make my own. For my son, a star wars outfit that any Jedi would love. For my daughter, a trick-or-treat fairy made of candy/halloween prints. After trial an error and many many hours my kids and I were satisfied.

Today they wore there homemade costumes at the churches Trunk-or-treat. They had a blast. Hit a huge sugar high. And overall made a memory of a great Halloween. The hours spent was so worth their joy.

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Bean & Pork Stew Please

Ok here's a radical stew for an adventure.
Prep time is a little intense but the flavor is nice and mellow. Major hint soak beans over night. The texture will be a little better.

Bean & Pork Stew Recipe:
1 package beans (I love 16 bean melody)
1 pork jowl cubed
1 pound pork stew meat
1 onion cubed
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 clove chopped garlic

Soak beans overnight. Drain, rinse, and add to stock pan. Add water or beef broth for richer taste. Season and Bring to boil. Cube and lightly brown the pork jowl add to boiling beans. Leave grease in pan. Add pork stew meat, onions, and garlic to grease and brown. For added flavor I like to season stew meat with salt and pepper before browning. Add meat, garlic, and even grease to stock pan. Boil stew for 40 minutes. Optional vegetables:
1 cup cubed carrots
1 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup cubed squash
1 cup cubed zucchini

Added vegetables need more beef broth, but overall taste pretty good. But I'd suggest using kidney or lima beans only. Mixed beans just don't taste right. For added spice I love adding paprika and white pepper.

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Christmas Craft Anyone?

I know it's not even Halloween yet but it's time to start my Christmas crafting. I've started with my Victorian Lace Bulb. This might seam simple but it takes time. It starts with a 40 count triple threaded circle. After that I use a technique called circular netting. Shown below:As you can see I prefer to stitch on the bulb. I chose a nice Christmas red highlighted with Christmas green and light green. It's a nice color combination on a clear bulb. Shown below:


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My Fall Cookie

If you feel like a cookie monster in need of a fix try my Fall Sugar Cookie. Warning this recipe makes 4 dozen irresistible cookies. Don't eat them all in one setting. They will give you a tummy ache.


Fall Sugar Cookies:
1 cup butter flavored shorting
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Decorating sugar
Optional 1 tsp orange zest & 1/2 tsp imitation orange or lemon flavoring

Combine eggs and butter till smooth and creamy. Add sugar, vanilla, and orange flavor. Blend till smooth again. In separate bowl shift flour, salt, and soda. Combine with wet mixture. Blend well. Add orange zest. In a bowl combine decorating sugar and plain sugar. Drop I small spoon fool of dough in sugar. Roll around till all sides are covered. Place on lined baking sheet. Bake at 350• for 13 minutes. Cool and eat.

Submarine Rolls, Anyone

I've been asked by a friend to re-share my wheat/white submarine bread recipe. Start with you bread machine pan and add in order of wet to dry, and salty to sweet.

White/wheat submarines:
1 cup hot milk (I nuke mine for 2 minutes in a big measuring cup since it can bubble over.)
2 tbs butter
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 cup wheat
2 cups whole grain white flour
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tsp gluten
3 tsp quick rise yeast

Add hot milk, butter, egg to pan. Fold in salt and wheat. Let sit 15 minutes as wheat needs to be moistened or it makes horribly dry bread. You can add honey here if you desire. A few bakers have stated that it helps the wheat taste better. After the rest period gently pour the flour on top insuring all corners of pan are covered. Make a well add gluten and brown sugar. Add yeast to the well. Put bread pan in your machine and select dough cycle. Check your dough in the middle of the mix cycle. It should look like a ball of sticky wet play-dough. If it looks wet add 1tbs of white flour. If to dry add tbs of water. Keep repeating until it looks right. After the machine completes the first rise cycle take the pan out. Invert it over a floured surface. Don't over work it but gently shape it into a 2/3 inch thick log that has a width comparable to the length of the subs you want. With a sharp knife cut of individual loves. Place loves on a bread stone or baking pan with at least an inch between. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise an hour or until double in size. Heat oven to 375• and bake for 17 minutes. If you want soft buttery tops brush with butter.

There you go. My sub recipe. If you bag them in the refrigerator they last for a few days.

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Harty Hambone

Been feeling under the weather thanks to a radical temperature drop. Normaly when I feel icky my solution is to take it easy since my system can't handle a lot. But with kids home on fall break that's a little hard to do. My kids seam to always be hungry. Since I don't want to be contantly cooking today I need a simple solution. So what's is simpler then soup. Thanks to moms generosity I have a hambone to throw into a pot. So here is my recipe for Hambone soup.

Hambone Soup:
1 Hambone or Hamhock
1/2 cut diced ham
1 bag 16 bean mix
1 can pitete or crushed tomatos
1/2 tsp galic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Start by soaking beans for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse. Dump into stock pot with hambone or hamhock, seasoning, and fill with water. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer until beans are nice and tender. Add tomatoes and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Now what's soup without bread. Not just any bread but cornbread.

Cornbread Recipe
1 egg
1 1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
2 cups cornmeal

Mix wet ingredients. Add cornmeal and mix well. Pour into oiled pan or cast iron skillet. Bake at 450 for 25 minutes.


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Can It Be Done, Chicken

Ok it's Sunday, and like most Americans it's time for rest, a little TV, and a wholesome amount of food. But how can you have wholesome food for dinner while resting? Hmmm how about something cooked in a crackpot? 10 minutes prep, 8 hrs of slow cooking, another few minutes dishing up.... But what to cook, chicken, pork, Beef, or maybe vegetables.... Or better yet what recipe to use. But it bring Sunday and I haven't made it to the store in a few days i better check my refrigerator. I've got a whole 3 lb chicken, some apples, and a little coke. If I ignore the coke, combine the chicken and apples I can pull something together I think. So here goes!

My Apple Stuffed Fall Chicken:
3 lb chicken
2 small apples
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 tbs Butter

Rub salt and pepper into the skin. Set in crackpot, legs up. Peel, core and chop apples into cubes. Stuff into cavity and secure legs. Position into crock best side up. Sprinkle brown sugar over, put butter on side, cover and cook for 8 hours. Don't open lid at all during cooking, or pot will lose it's temperature and cause chicken to not cook evenly.


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Simple Circles

For the last couple of days I've been creating this simple circle necklace made of beads and silver findings.


The pattern for my circles was pretty basic. Start by selecting two contrasting bead colors, I chose champagne pink and teal silver. Loop 6 beads in a circle, any pattern you want. From above you can see I did a random color and a alternate pie design. Secure the end tightly and pass through the first bead in the loop. Pick up two beads and double back through the base bead and the two beads you picked up. repeat this for all 5 remaining beads. Loop the thread back through the first two beads and your second row of the circle is complete. From here repeat rows only use a pattern of 2, 1, 2 for bead pickup. On your final row add silver crimp beads in place of beads for two base beads. I like to flatten my crimps just a little bit to make the finish look more flat. Once all your bead circles are done start connecting using silver jump rings. I added oval rings to contrast my circles. Add a chain and clasp to your desired length and your done. Pretty simple but elegant I think.

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A Bead Of A Different Color

Ok for the last week I've been working on a nice piece of beads comprised of opaque black and opaque yellow lime clear beads. First I beaded a chain 20 inches long.

As you can see from the photo I used a spiral pattern plus alternated base colors ever 5 inches. Created a nice contrast on the chain.

Next I beaded a pendent. The pendent consisted of two pieces. A nice triangle held on the chain by a ruffled loop initiating the chain bead stitch pattern.

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Stewed But What About Doughed?

After much probing I've been asked via email to release my Honey Wheat Bread Bowl Recipe. After all what is home cooked stew with out good homemade bread.

Base Recipe:
1 cup very hot milk
1 egg
2 tbs butter
3/4 cup stone ground wheat
1tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp wheat gluten
2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast or fast rise yeast

Add eggs & butter to bread machine pan, slowly pour hot milk into pan. Add salt and wheat. Gently stir till wheat is mixed in. Let rest 15 minutes. Add flour, wheat gluten, and brown sugar. Make a well in center and add yeast. Pour honey over top. Select dough cycle. Watch the mixing to insure the dough forms a nice ball shape that's not too liquid or dry. Think sticky but soft play-dough.






Let rise in bread pan. Check it to insure it isn't escaping the pan. Punch down after at least 45 minutes. Take out of pan shape into bowl size balls on tinfoil lined baking pan.






I like to butter the top and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at least one hour or until double. My rise cycle has gone as long as 90 minutes.

Bake 17 minutes at 350, brush with butter as soon as you pull them from oven. Let cool at least 30 minutes before curing tops off and coring inside for stew.

Diabetic Version:
1 cup skin milk
1 egg
2 tbs butter
1 1/2 cup wheat
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup bread flour
1/2 cup honey
2 1/2 tsp yeast

This has a slightly different taste, but still good. You can use water instead of milk but that makes a harder bread with a less sweet taste. Im a soft bread fan so most of my recipes have a milk base.

Why don't you try my recipes and let me know what you think!




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I'm Stewing Over Dinner

Woke up this morning think man I'm sick of my old stew recipe. It's just so boring with carrots, potato, meat, and a touch on onion. There has to be a way to jazz it up some. But I still want to slow cook it in my crock-pot. Hmmm of I go to the web and my iFood app to find a interesting recipe.

Well after a couple of hours I've decided my tried and true sounds best for today. I've read recipes with barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, whiskey, and bourbon additives. There was one were you cook all the meat in Meade or Red Wine for 2 hrs in a process cooker on slow. Sound so time consuming. Then I found recipes with squash, corn, and even leaks. Then there were egg-noodles and dumplings. It got to a point were I wad questioning my sanity. My family has a simple palliate. So back to my simple recipe.

My Recipe:
One 1lb bag baby carrots
Six-eight med red or golden potatoes (11/2 cup cube cut potato)
1/4 cup diced onions
2lbs stew meat
Salt
Pepper
Flour

My madness in crock-pot:
I'm a layer in the big pot. First my baby carrots. Then a layer of diced potatoes. Then 1/3 of the meat browned in skillet with salt and pepper. I like to shake the meat in a bag of flour and seasoning. Then dump in pan with oil. Lightly brown and dump straight in Crock, juice and all. Then another layer of potatoes. Another of browned meat. Finale I layer the onions. If my onions come from my freezer I lightly sauté them. Next add water to cover the meat and then some. Set on low and cook 4-6 hrs.




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A Ladybug Tote

For the last few days I've been designing and sewing a tote for my Mother-In-Law. It's theme was focused around ladybugs. First the measuring and drafting if a plan that fits a 10 x10 book.



From the picture you can see I'm planing to have a see through pocket. Sewing decorative vinyl is extremely time consuming because you have to be patent and slow. It took me two pieces and lots of failures before I managed it. Next was sewing the inner pockets that are designed to hold pens and note cards.



After that I assembled all the pieces and sewed in a nice brite red lining.



My final step was to stitch around the top to insure durability as books are pulled in and out.

It's A Cookie Monster Day!

Ok I've been asked about my healthy cookie recipes for a while now. I've created two recipes that use whole grain white wheat flour and natural sugar when I can find the ingredients. My family loves the taste and loves helping me make them. That's so worth the energy.

First off is my modified sniker-doodle. Or as I like to call them smacker-doodle. I make these for my husband specifically. He's a sugar cookie fiend. These always help fix his craving.

Recipe:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cup whole wheat white flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour, salt, soda and cinnamon then mix well. Scope and flatten spoonfuls on cookie sheet . Bake at 350• for 15 minutes. I like to roll my cookies in cinnamon sugar before flattening them in baking pan. It makes them taste more sinker- doodlie.



My peanut-butter oatmeal cookie are my kids favorite. Greate after school snake.

Recipe:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Dark Chocolate Kiss for decoration

Cream sugars, egg, butter, and peanutbutter. Add in dry ingredients. Spoon on cookie sheet. Thes expand so give room between. Bake for 350• for 13-15 minutes. Pull from oven and garnish with chocolate kiss by gently pressing into center of cookie. Cool before serving.




Give these a try and see what you think! I'd love comments on how they taste.

Beads & A Little Scrap Fabric....

Today's project.... A hand made small tote bag. Totes are such handy things to have around. You never know when you might need one. From small to large sizes the pattern can be quite easy to make. But to jazz up this small tote I added a little beadwork. Take a look!



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The Bear That Ate My Daughter

Today's massive project make a boutique bear. This is a trial run of the pattern I plan to sell at the Nov holiday bizarre. Only each bear will be slightly different. So my first part of the project is the cutting out and modifying of an old pattern I picked up. This process is so time consuming and always a big wager on wheather or not it works. But it allows me the chance to personalize the bears.


Here you see my brown accent material. The main section of this bear is pink with brown dots. I'll have another that will be brown with pink accents. In the end I had way more pieces then I knew what to do with.


After finaly locating all the body pieces and losing 5 hours of my day I had the body done.


Then after over another hour I finally got the head attached. I must admit that the first try saw the head on backwards. My husband dubbed it the exorcist bear. But I managed to get it on right only for it to be clamed by the prima of my house. Too bad she's going to have to give it back for stuffing and facial surgery tomorrow.



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Bangle Thing

I've been beading a new necklace for the last few weeks. It started out with me discovering these gorges black & orange miyukie beads. So I began a modified pattern of black and orange stopes.


This formed my base chain. After about a week of beading I completed a 20 inch chain. Why so long, well honestly it because I only do about 3 inches a night while watching tv. This keeps me from being bored.


My next issue was finding a nice focal point for the chain. I lucked out at JoAnnes one Sunday by finding this gorges tiger striped heart.


After beading an attachment loop the heart connected to my chain. I'm very happy with the completed piece.


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Crazy Computer Will Not Defeat Me!

Well my computer has been down for almost two months! It's not that it doesn't work, but more that it won't connect to the web. Since then I've perfected my bread recipe, started experimenting with whole wheat cookies, and sewed all sorts of crazy things. As my blogs finally update you will be able to see the fun I've had. Enjoy!


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Busy Night Dinner!

Ok today I need a croc-pot meal because of my insane schedule. So this afternoon I picked up stuff for a stew. Took me 30 minutes to prep the ingreadents and get them in. But before I started I put in the beadmachine the makings for my soft wheat rolls. Hit dough cycle and walked away for 145 minuts! (I love that cycle!) Started flouting and browning 2.5 lbs of meat. Peeled potatos between fliping the meat. After dropping the meat into the crock, I chopped potatos and half a onion. Dumped the veggies & a bag of ruffled carrots in with 6 cups of water in the crock. Put the lid on and walked away.



Mean while I finished the bread by shaping rolls and completed 1 hour rise.



Now at the end of the night after running around crazy doing kids activities we ate fresh stew and bread! The best end for a long day!

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A New Dress

I've been in a sewing kick the last week. The only thing that I have to show for it is my daughters dress, too bad it is two sizes to big. At the rate she is growing she will be in it next spring. I am ok at sewing. I just wish I could get sizes right. I've miss judged a skirt for me and now my daughters dress. The good thing is it's such a heavey material that it could go for winter with a long shirt under.



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Cornbread? In What?

Ok been hard at work on programing which has left a void in crafts. Normaly I wouldn't complaine, but lately I'm craving cornbread and orange pound cake. So being a women of sound mind and little time, I'm trying my homemade cornbread recipe in my breadmachine. I have no idea how this will turn out, nor if I will overfill the pan. So far the mix cycle looks good.


During the rise period the bread will be resting, which I hope makes the corn meal more tender. The bake time is still the same. Overall if this works my family will be happy. I don't make cornbread enough for them. To go along with the southern theme I put a pork rost in the crock.


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Experiment In Bread

Found this really cool recipe for artisan bread that you mix and store in the refrigerate for up to seven days. You just cut of a pieces as you need them. So being in the experimental mood I gave this a shot.

Step One: Gather up your ingredients, bowl, and utensils.

Step Two: Measure out 6 1/2 cups flower, 3 cups h20, 1 tbs salt, and 1 1/2 tbs yeast.

Step Three: Mix the dough by hand or with a mixer until it forms a sticky gooey clump. If you use a mixer don't mix longer then 60 seconds or you will cause the flower to have a elastic effect that ruins the breads texture.

Step Four: Gently shape into a ball in the bowl and cover. I used a little butter spray on the top and sides of the ball and bowl to help prevent sticking. Let sit in a dry place for 2 hrs.

Step Five: Punch down the dough and move the container to the refrigerate. Let set anther 2 hours at least. At this point if your container seals you can just set in the refrigerate for up to 7 days, but as it ages it turns into sourdough so be prepared for this.

Step Six: Divide the dough into a loaf or ball and let rise 45 minutes. Place remaining dough into refrigerator. After its risen bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes at 450*. If you want a chewy crust add a pain of h20 under the baking dish on the lowest shelf. The water will evaporate into steam and make a great crust. Another trick is to invert a metal baking dish over the bread to form a steam done.

Overall the recipe was fun and easy to make. I made a crock-pot of homemade stew to go along with the first bread loaf. I plan to try this recipe again after we use up all the dough I made.