My Adventures in Bread Making

Honey Oatmeal Raisin




Light Whole Wheat


I have made homemade bread before...some beer bread, some breakfast breads and once, I made a whole wheat bread which required kneading. I realized I wasn't so good (or maybe not patient enough?)at kneading. Then I came across this book and my mom bought it for me!

All of the recipes in the book contain yeast but require no kneading. Instead, the rising time is super duper long, which is fine but now I just have to figure out when is the best time to begin making the bread. I started my dough for both breads at 4 pm the first day and after baking and cooling, it was nearly noon the next day!

Both loaves were really tasty with a good consistency. The wheat bread was good for sandwiches and the raisin bread was best as morning toast.

I'll keep you posted when I try out some other recipes.

Breakfast for Dinner

Breakfast for dinner is a winner around here. Ben and Dan love helping mom make pancakes and eggs and they are always gobbled up!

Homemade Granola

This is my recipe for homemade granola, adapted from Smitten Kitchen's recipe which was adapted from Ina Garten's recipe. Isn't it nice to tweak recipes to make it your own?

Anyway, I prefer loose granola crumbled on top of yogurt verses granola bars.
These really are healthy, with no butter or oil and I reduced the sugar content even more, but you would never know!

Here it goes:

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup agave nectar or pure maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup dried fruit, any kind (I love using cranberries, raisins and cherries)
cinnamon for shaking

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Place oats, nuts, seeds and coconut on a large baking sheet and toast in oven about 10-12 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and reduce oven temp to 300 degrees.
While the mixture is still warm, stir in the agave nectar (or syrup) and vanilla until thoroughly mixed. Next, add the dried fruit.
Spray your cookie sheet with non-stick spray and dump your granola on top. Spread evenly and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until light golden brown.
Once cooled, crumble into pieces and store in air-tight container*.

*Best stored in fridge.

We Made Cookies....Can you Guess Which Kind?

Staying Indoors

We've been cooped up for about a week now. Sick kids AGAIN! But, I don't want to be Debbie Downer so I'll focus on the good things that happened this week:

I made sherried tomato soup because my sister told me to. It is way too good. She knows I could eat tomato soup everyday. I substituted fat free half and half for the heavy cream & cut the sherry in half. Keep in mind you don't have to use "cooking" sherry that they sell in the grocery store. Buy regular sherry from the liquor store & you'll get more for you money. (Just don't go to the liquor store at 9 am with a child on your hip...you'll get strange looks)

I took Ben out for a change of scenery while Andrew was home with Dan. Ben is now better while Dan's got a worse case of the cold/virus that Ben had last week. Anyway, it was so cute hanging out just me & Ben, sharing a doughnut and tea followed by the grocery store and other errands. It was so easy too! I could use a regular cart, let him walk with me hand in hand & focus all of my attention on him. It did feel weird though, like I was forgetting something. And I must say, I think Ben has more fun on outings with Dan by his side. They make each other laugh.

I caught the twins playing together on our bed several times this week. It was so cute....they were playing hide and seek beneath the covers!

Ben has said several new words this week and is finally putting words together as phrases.

Andrew folded the hugest mound of laundry I have ever seen last night when I went to bed at 8:30. I just didn't have the stregnth to do it & I assumed the pile would be there this morning but NO! That alone made my week. Not to mention that his folding skills are near perfect...I am a stickler for folding certain things certain ways (nerd). So, thanks babe!

Here's to next week when we are all healthy and I will have some pictures of smiling faces to post!

Hope you are well!! xoxo

Pumpkin Muffins for my Pumpkins

Benjamin showing off his messy hands after eating these delicious pumpkin chip muffins. Here is my new and healthier version of the recipe (but still just as delicious):

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 mashed banana
1 grated apple
1 can (soup can size) pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups regular flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips

In large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, banana, apple, pumpkin and oil until smooth.
Combine dry ingredients (minus chips), mix well then add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 16-20 min. Cool 10 min. before removing to a wire rack.
*Makes 24 muffins.

Enjoy & Happy Fall!