Tried & True

I think this might be a first for my humble blog...an actual recipe! I am kind of shocked and a little embarrassed that I have never posted a recipe since I claim a passion for cooking and since I am always whipping up three meals a day everyday. I take a pretty practical approach to cooking. With seven mouths to feed there is no time for frills or specialty ingredients but I can guarantee that the results tastes yummy (My kids might disagree sometimes, they are my toughest critics!) A staple at our house is Navajo Tacos with homemade chili ladled over a hot scone, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sour cream and avocados. Well I came across a winner of a recipe for the scones. I have since tried using the recipe for homemade pizza crust, calzones, bread sticks, and quick rolls. It is a multitasking little recipe and I am thoughtful enough to pass this little gem on to you, my faithful readers, because I am cool like that. No need to thank me just enjoy the bready goodness!

Scones

2 TBS dry yeast

2 cups warm water

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup melted butter

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup powdered milk

1 egg

5-6 cups of flour

Heat oil to 375 degrees. Mix yeast, water, sugar, and melted butter in mixing bowl and let stand for five minutes until mixture is bubbly and yeast is activated. Using a standing mixer or hand mixer, incorporate salt, powdered milk, egg, and two cups of flour. Mix until smooth. Mix in enough flour to make sticky yet manageable dough. You can either roll dough out onto a floured surface and cut into rectangle or you can flatten dough with your hand. Fry for approx. two minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

For pizza, this recipe makes two jelly roll pan size pizza crust. I cut the recipe in half (except egg) if that much is not needed. Top with favorite sauce and topping and bake 400 for about 20 minutes or so or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. For bread sticks, roll out dough into strips and twist them and put them on a greased pan and cook for 12-15 min at 400 degrees. You could even soften some butter and add garlic powder or salt and dried parsley flakes and brush onto cooked bread sticks for garlic bread. For rolls, I roll out three golf ball sized balls and place in a greased muffin tin for 12-15 min. at 400 degrees.

Hope you love this super easy recipe as much as I do!

( Since I cook in bulk, this recipe serves 7+. If you don't have that many to feed just cut the recipe in half!)

Look what I made!

All by myself...well not exactly! I found this super fun and too easy tutorial. I have to say that tutorials have become my latest obsession! This little CTR towel tutorial even came with a cute little poem to go along with it. I made it for my little nephew, Owen for his baptism. I don't think he really appreciated it, being a carefree and rambunctious little boy but it was the thought that counts, right? Too bad I didn't find this idea in time for my older kids but now it is in my arsenal of quick gift ideas for baptism gifts.

Why Winter Is Wonderful

New Years day called for some sledding fun with a few of our good friends!

May and Sydney speeding down the hill...with eyes closed of course!

It is ok to smile now that you are safely at the bottom of the hill!

The Berretts, The boyds, The Kennedy's, The Yorgesen's, The Fulmers, & The Nash's

Carisa the human sled!

May May was fearless and cried when it was time to go (which wasn't fun for me especially since I was flying solo with five kids because Mike was working but I am glad that she enjoyed it so much!).

Down and then back up again...more than every one on that hill combined!


Winter is a blast when you have great friends to make lasting memories with you! What a way to bring in 2010!

Stitchy People

Yet another gifted woman who inspires me!

This is her lovely giveaway!

I want it!

Beautify

I have never been much of a decorator. I just don't have a knack for making things look aesthetically pleasing or the creativity. Being cheap does not help my situation either. I just can't ever justify spending money on paint or decor for my home. To make things worse, I look at my friends' blogs and all of their homes are decorated so beautifully (especially my Utah friends. There must be an unspoken law that says that you have to have a fabulously decorated house to live in Utah.) and then I start feeling sorry for myself. Well no more pity party for me, my friends! I am ready to unlock my inner/nonexistent decorator and start beautifying my drab dwelling. Now here is where the big BUT comes in! Where do I even begin?! Should I start with the living room where it will be appreciated and ooh at or should I start small like a bathroom or a closet or something small where I can make mistakes? I do know for sure that I want to do this project! I just have to find an old french door. It is right up my alley with the fabric panels though. So this is where you, my faithful readers come in (all two of you!) I need your prettifying expertise. Any and all advice on the ins and outs of decorating would make my day! I want to know what has worked for my friends and any volunteering of actual labor would make you my new best friend!

Eight Is So Great Part 2

In our family as well as many others, turning eight is a huge milestone. Turning eight means that you are baptised and confirmed a member of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints. When you turn eight Grandma DeeLo gives you your very own set of scriptures. She has given them to me and her other grandchilderen and she is now continuing that tradition with her greats! Mikie had been anxiously awaiting this day since she was really young. She was beyond prepared to be baptized. She has a vast knowledge of the gospel and a thirst for learning from the scriptures. She is a sponge soaking up all the information up she can. I am so impressed with her decision to follow our Savior's example and be baptized.
The only weekend that Mike had off was Thanksgiving weekend and so many of our family traveled out after their Thanksgiving feasts to enjoy this special event with us. It means the world to us that our loved ones are willing to travel so far to support us and I am so fortunate to have a ward family and friends that I consider family that all came to support us. After cooking all day for turkey day and then preparing food for the luncheon, I didn't want to set foot in the kitchen for the rest of my life! Craziness!

Mikie had asked her aunt Rondee and her Grandma Betta to speak at her baptism. They both did such amazing jobs. Mikie picked For The Beauty Of The Earth and This Is My Beloved Son for the opening and closing songs and we played a little video while Mikie changed. I have posted the video for your veiwing pleasure.

Click The Camera

Praises!

I got my camera back from the Nikon repair center. It cost one hundred and fifty smackers to get it fixed but I think it was well worth it. I feel like my right arm was cut off there for awhile. Photo filled posts will soon ensue!