Because I Don't Feel Like Folding Three Loads of Laundry!!

Another post is in the works, because my laundry keeps staring at me, and I just don't feel like folding it right now! I will get to it after this post!

What's For Dinner? Tonight we are having homemade bread (courtesy of my Bread Machine) and Cheeseburger Soup! Both are Delightful! You're sure to enjoy them!!

Herbed Onion Bread (for bread machine:)
1 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon warm water
2 T Butter, softened
1-1/4 tsp. salt
3 Cups Bread Flour
2 tsp. dried minced onion
1-1/2 tsp. Dill weed
2 T Nonfat milk powder
2 T Sugar
1-1/2 Active Dry Yeast

Add ingredients in order listed, set on "white bread" and start!! I love my bread machine:)


Cheeseburger Soup
1/2 lb. ground beef
3/4 C. Chopped Onion
3/4 C. Sliced Carrots
3/4 C. Chopped Celery
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. parsley
4 T. Butter
3 C. Chicken Broth
4 C. Diced Potatoes
1/4 C. Flour
8 oz. Velveeta
1-1/2 C. Milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. Sour Cream

Cook ground beef with onions. Drain grease. Saute carrots, celery and spices in butter for a few minutes till tender. In a large pot add beef, sauteed vegetables, and broth. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes. Mix flour in with milk and add to pot. Cook on Medium heat until potatoes and carrots are tender. Cube Velveeta, add to soup. Season with salt and pepper. Add sour cream just before serving. Enjoy!

With a Grateful Heart

Psalm 100

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD he is God.

It is he who made us; and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues to all generations.

Sunday Seven- Reflections of Grateful Heart!

1. I am incredibly thankful to Our Great God who created us! Verse 3 is a beautiful picture of Our God. KNOW that the LORD he is God!! It's not in question He is God, and always will be!

2. God made me, just the way he wanted to! He made me with a unique intellect, a body designed for me, and He made me to Worship Him!

3. I am so thankful to be a child of God!! He is my shepherd, watching over me, protecting me, and correcting me!

4. I have constant access to Him in Prayer! I have the Holy Spirit indwelling me! Enabling me to say no to my flesh that is weak and say yes to the Power and control that God has given through the Holy Spirit and His Word.

5. I can Praise Him anytime, anywhere! I can teach my boys to Praise the Lord for the many things he has done for us!

6. His love is never-ending! It endures through all generations. I am thankful for a godly heritage and the opportunity to pass down that heritage to my boys!

7. I am thankful for the graciousness of God in giving me a wonderful, loving, kind, patient, hard-working husband to share this Abundant Life with!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Time Last Year

This time last year I was about 40 pounds heavier, huffing and puffing walking up the stairs and chasing around my 20 month old. I looked like this:

Now my 20 month old is almost 3 and my baby will be one in a few short weeks. The plans for his first birthday are in the making. This is my favorite time of year. It always has been, now to add to the excitement of the holidays we will celebrate another birthday!! So much fun!! Every smell of the season brings a memory to my mind!! What memory will you "smell" this season? I hope it's a good one!

Which One???

We had family photos taken last week. I am trying to decide which one I will print in a large frame in our living room! Which one would you pick. I will post a poll on the right for you to cast your vote! Don't be shy:)

#1

#2

#3

#4

Wordless Wednesday

Swedish Brownies

Don't let the name fool you. These brownies are not brown they are a golden creamy color and they are amazing. My mother-in-law brought some to our house on Saturday and they taste almost like a Dutch Letter. The even better part is that they are so much easier to make.

Swedish Brownies

4 eggs
2 C Sugar

1 C Butter (use the real stuff:) Melted and Cooled

Pinch of Salt
2 C Flour
3 tsp. Almond Flavor

Beat eggs and sugar til light and fluffy (About 5 min.)
Add butter slowly to eggs& Sugar
Stir in Salt, Flour, and almond flavoring. Spread in 9X13 pan. Sprinkle with Sugar. Bake @ 325 for 35-40 min.

Enjoy:) They are yummy and will be part of my Christmas Cookie Plate this season!!!

I am a Cinnamon Roll

Who doesn't like cinnamon rolls. If you don't like them... well, you're missing out! I think they are out of this world and if you don't know how to make them, I want to teach you how!!





Before we get started I have confession to make. Up until a year ago I was a little afraid of... Yeast! I never could get it to do what it was supposed to. I would either "kill" my yeast with water that was too hot, or wouldn't get it to raise because my water was too cold. Then I had someone tell, me to put my finger in the water if it was too hot that I couldn't touch it... it's too hot. It should be hot to the touch, just hot enough to barely sting your hand with it's heat, or you can use a thermometer to test your water temp. It should be between 105-110 Degrees. Hope that helps! Needless to say I am no longer afraid of yeast and I am loving the world of opportunites ahead with this ingredient!





Here we go!



Cinnamon Rolls



1 Pkg dry yeast (or 1 Tablespoon if you buy in bulk like me:)

1/4 C Warm Water (This is to add to yeast to activate it:)

1/2 C Warm water

1/2 C Milk scalded

1/4 C Sugar

1/4 C Shortening

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 C Flour

1 egg





First take a packet of Yeast (or if you buy in bulk, 1 Tablespoon) and "soften" in 1/4 C Warm Water (105-110 Degrees)





Take 1/2 Milk and heat for 3 minutes in microwave or heat til scalding on stovetop. Add shortening to heated milk, add 1/2 C water. In another bowl measure flour, sugar and salt. Add milk/ water and shortening mixture once the shortening has melted to the flour and combine. Add egg and yeast, mix together. Dump contents of the bowl onto a clean countertop and knead the dough for a few minutes. Place dough into a large greased bowl and let raise for an hour or til doubled. Punch down dough. Roll out dough into a large rectangle and generously brush with Butter... yes the real stuff:) Trust me... it tastes better!!! Then put brown sugar over the rolled out dough and then sprinkle with cinnamon.



(This is where you all may be thinking how much butter, brown sugar and cinnamon... well I hate to say this, but I have started to become like my mother. The more you do it. The more you learn how much and every time you make them will be better than before. )





Roll up the dough. Slice into 12 pieces. Place rolls into a 9X13 pan. Let raise again for another hour. Bake in a preheated oven 350Degrees. For 20-30 minutes or til golden brown.


Frosting

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 C Powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Water



Mix butter, vanilla and powdered sugar. Add water until it is a smooth and spreadable consistency. If you add too much water just add a little more powdered sugar til you get the desired consistency. Place on cooled rolls.



Another variation to this recipe is to make dinner rolls. The dough is made the same. Roll out in a large circle and spread with butter. Cut dough like a pie into 12 pieces. Roll large end to small end to make a crescent shaped roll. Bake 350 til golden brown.



I multiplied this recipe X4 the other day. So easy to make a bigger batch and share with others or freeze for later. I tried freezing the rolls before the second "raise." Rhodes Rolls are known for this method. So, I thought if they can do... I can too:) I'll keep you posted on whether my attempt at this is successful!!