Wine and Bread

Today was the day that my husband returned home from a week long chemistry class, today was a reunion for the kids whom missed their daddy in addition to my husband turning another year older.

Yesterday I packed up the van with the kids plus my neice and nephew and we went to the mall in seach of a book that I have been lusting after, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day . Well after throughly reading through I tackled the basic recipe and lo and behold, we had bread appetizers before heading to the local wine vineyard. We sampled numerous wines, drank a bottle their and brought 2 more bottles home. Yummy, we loved everything we tried.

Ciabatta Loaf

This is what I saw on TV and was hooked. I love bread and everything associated with bread.

Birthday Party

Evidence of my domestic engineering, reusable gift bags.

Today started out very early, 6am in fact. I watered the gardens, fixed breakfast, and started the birthday party food.


The cake recipe was something that I have combined a few recipes to find the right mix of ingredients. The frosting was yummy homemade, which I made way too much of.


Cake Recipe:

• 2 cups flour
  
• 4 t. baking powder
  
• 1/2 t. salt


• 1 1/2 cups sugar


• 1/2 cup butter, softened


• 1 cup milk


• 1 t. vanilla


• 3 eggs
  

Frosting Recipe:

• 6 cups powdered sugar


• 3/4 cup butter, softened


• 1/4 cup shortening
  
• 6 T milk or more for consistency


• 1-2 t. vanilla


• Food Coloring: preferably gel

I decided late yesterday to make homemade pizza's, because Shafer loves pizza, so this is a must at his party.

We made pepperoni pizza, chicken, artichoke, spinach, Alfredo, and Parmesan cheese pizza, Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza, and sausage, mushroom and black olive pizza.

I put together an Alfredo sauce from trial and error.

• 2 cloves garlic, 1 T. onion powder, sauteed in oil.
  
• 3 t. cornstarch, 1/4 t. salt, pepper, basil, parsley, 1 1/4 cup milk, mixed and added to pan, heat until thickened on medium heat.


• Add 4 oz cream cheese and 3-4 T. Parmesan Cheese.

Canning Day

Well this morning started out with getting more green beans picked off the plants and canning. I have already canned 12 quarts, you can see 4 of them. I took a picture of my canning cabinet for future reference, so I can feel good about all the hard work of summer preserving.

Today is my toddlers official 2nd year of life.
We had pictures taken today of not only him
but of also of Soren for his 4th month of life. For each child I have taken professional pictures of each month for the first year and then they fall off the raidar. We will celebrate his birthday on Sunday with family.


I ventured across the street this morning to pick raspberries at
my mothers home, as she always has raspberries 2-3 weeks before me.
Yogart and berries, yummy.

My oregano is hanging to dry, but will take awhile I think this time.
I was reading though my herb treatment book last night and am constantly amazed by how many natural growing things one can use as a remedy for the common problem.

I have solved the birthday cake design problem, I will make a turtle cake. I figured since we had a painted back turtle as a garden pet for a few weeks that this would be perfect. I am so antsy to have winter parties because of the nasty weather, I have found it hard to get motivated with summer parties.