A fun read

Eric gave me this book for Christmas.  I am enjoying reading about these creative women and their zest for life.  There are 26 women featured with a bit of background on them, some of their yummy sounding recipes, and entertaining tips and ideas.  I haven't had to time to look at all their blogs as yet, but I find blog hopping so much fun and I'm looking forward to "meeting" them.

Christmas morning breakfast

I usually make cinnamon rolls for our Christmas morning breakfast, but this year I thought I'd try something new.  We will have "Old Fashioned Coffee Pound Cake" (sorry, no link to see a photo) along with a Taste of Home recipe called Sheepherder's Breakfast.  (kind of cool - in remembrance of the shepherds who had the privilege of being first to hear of Christ's magnificent birth!)  I didn't pick it because of that, but because it looks like a hearty breakfast for a large family (with teenage boys!)  Below are the recipes.  WARNING:  Not a low calorie menu. I'll let you know what eveyone thinks of it.
Old Fashioned Coffee Cake
4 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
7 large eggs
1 cup strong freshly brewed coffee, cooled
2 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 10" tube pan or a 12 cup fluted tube pan.  ( I used a Bundt pan).  In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, sald and cinnamon until well blended; set aside.  Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixter on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the flour mixture alternately with the coffee, beating until well blended after each addition.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Bake for  90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool for minutes. Loosen the cake from the sides and genly remove from the pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Makes 20 servings.

Sheepherder's Breakfast
1 lb. sliced bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 packages (16 oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
10 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, optional
chopped fresh parsley

In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion until bacon is crisp.  Drain all but 1/2 cup of the drippings.  Add hash browns to skillet; mix well.  cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning when browned.  make 10 "well" evenly spaced in the hash browns.  Place one egg in each well.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with cheese if desired.  Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes or until eggs are set.  Garnish with parsley; serve immediately.  Serves 10

A date with Dad

Isn't she a beauty?!  Isn't he handsome?!

Hannah and her daddy went on a special dinner date for her 13th birthday.  They went to the Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie.  

Hannah started her meal with Lobster and Dungeness Crab Bisque.  Eric's appetizer was Day Boat Scallop Escabeche which included shallots, golden raisins, peppers and local herbs.  For her main course, Hannah chose stuffed whole quail and Eric chose the pan roasted tenderloin of beef.  Together for dessert they shared chestnut chocolate bread pudding.  They each thought their meal was amazing.  They also were seated right next to a window with a beautiful view of Snoqualmie Falls. 

Hannah gave her daddy the sweetest gift (besides her lovely company) - she gave him a key.  This key fits into a heart charm with a key hole that she wears.  So - HE has the key to her heart!  I know he will guard it well until that special Mr. Right comes along!!

It will be a memory they both will cherish.

A health tip for you

Do you know what this is?

It's pink Himalayan salt.  We've added this to our diet and here's why:

Himalayan salt differs from regular table salt in that it is unrefined, and therefore contains all naturally occurring minerals. The removal of these minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, increases the amount of sodium found in table salt, which is often connected to high blood pressure. Himalayan salt, on the other hand, can balance electrolytes, is anti-inflammatory, and can help with detoxification. 

Himalayan salt produces negative ions because it comes from an environment rich in dry iron. This kind of environment is able to kill the harmful bacteria and microbes that are found in other salts. Himalayan salt is beneficial to patients who suffer from chronic illness of the bronchial system or allergies.

Because Himalayan salt is not chemically refined, it is completely pure. It contains all of its original natural minerals. Replacing ordinary table salt with Himalayan salt can reduce edema in the body tissue, as well as reduce the formation of cellulite.

Himalayan salt contains at least 84 minerals and trace elements, many of which are beneficial for human consumption:
Calcium, which is important for the development and protection of bones and teeth, is found in this salt.
Chromium is also in Himalayan salt. It aids in metabolizing and regulating blood glucose.
Cobalt, which helps produce red blood cells, is also abundant in Himalayan salt.
Iron, another important mineral that is necessary for cell formation, is a key element in this particular salt.
Some of the other beneficial minerals that are found in Himalayan salt include magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, sulfur and molybdenum.

Have I convinced you to give it a try?

Wow - 13!
Really, where does the time go?  They literally grow up right before your eyes and you hardly notice at all until maybe you run across a photo from a couple of years ago.  (Go here to see just what I mean!) Or, in Hannah's case I have to look up a bit to talk with her as she is now taller than I am.  Hannah is quite an accomplished young lady.  She is fun and sweet.  She is loving and gentle with her younger siblings.  She is lady-like and refined and carries herself with poise and grace.  Hannah means "graceful" and she lives up to her namesake.  Most importantly, Hannah loves the Lord, Jesus as her Savior.  My prayers for her this new year of her life are

• that she would love the Lord with all her heart, soul, and mind. 
• that she would be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
• that she would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,
• that she would please Him in all respects,
• bearing fruit in every good work
• and increasing in the knowledge of God.  (Col 1:9-10)

We love you, sweet Hannah

1st toof

Can you see it?  There - right there on the bottom.

Mary got her first tooth - you can't really see it because it just broke through the surface.  She's a week short of 9 months old.  See how happy she looks?  That's exactly how she is!  Such a merry Mary.  She sure makes us all smile a whole lot.  She is an absolute joy and a blessing to our family.

This is what I've been busy doing.  They really turned out so sweet!  Hannah is working on a skirt to match them too.  The little girls will love that! 

The boys went out to the woods nearby and cut our tree.  They picked a good one.  It's about 9'. 

We had a fun pajama party family night. We trimmed the tree, ate Chex mix, listened to Christmas music and laughed A LOT!

Sweet Bread

Look what Hannah made!  Oh my this sweet bread is DIVINE! 

Sweet bread without the frosting

You know me, most things we make in this home are with healthy whole grains like Kamut, spelt, or hard white wheat.  What Hannah used was unbleached white flour.  (GASP!..haha)

This is a rather simple recipe, but the results are spectacular.  This would make a lovely gift  or a treat with a meal you might make for someone.  Here is the recipe and instructions.

Filling:
4 sticks butter, melted
2 cups brown sugar
cinnamon
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add brown sugar - cook on low until smooth.  Set aside.

Dough recipe:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 c. sugar
    Mix these dry ingredients before adding:
3 cups HOT water
    Mix together then add:
3 cups flour
   when dough is smooth put on dough hook and add:
2 cups flour

Knead until smooth and satiny.  Add more flour as needed.  Form into a ball, and oil surface.  Let rest and rise until doubled.

• Divide the dough in half and roll out each half into a circle to fit a 15" pizza pan.*
• Oil and flour your pizza pan and oil your hands.
• Place the first circle in your pizza pan.
• Spread butter/sugar mixture on top and sprinkle generously with cinnamon. 
• Place your second circle of dough on top of the sugar mixture - like a giant cookie with filling.
• Crimp the edges to seal.
• Place a small glass dish in the center (like ramikin size), but don't press it down - it's just to mark the center.
• Cut with scissors a 1" strip of dough from the outer edge to the center, but leaving about 1" from the center.  Repeat this all the way around. 
• Take the first strip and twist it  1-2 times and then lay the twisted piece back in place.  Repeat this with all the strips. 
• You will have something that looks like a sunshine.  :-)
• Let this rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.  The dough will be puffy and the edges will all be touching.
• Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.
• Ice the top.  If you want it to drip into all the nooks and crannys then ice when warm; if you want it white and thick then ice when cool.

ICING:
 3-4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. milk
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
pinch of salt

* Be sure to use a pizza pan that is solid, not the kind with tiny holes in it.  Mine has the tiny holes and the oil leaked out and making a horrible mess of the oven!  (Very thankful for self clean feature)

Other things you can do with the dough recipe:

• Divide into 4 sections.  Each section will make a dozen dinner rolls
• Roll one of the sections into a circle and cut into wedges.  Roll up to make croissants.

Either of these options you would place on a greased baking sheet and let rise again until doubled.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until golden.