The awesomeness of a bread machine!!

So about a week before Thanksgiving we were flipping through channels looking for one of our crime dramas when QVC flashed up. They were selling my Breadman bread maker that I have been dreaming about. Hubby said to buy it so before he could change his mind I did just that. I am so happy I did. I have made a ton of white bread as that's the usual favorite. Also made some cranberry almond bread that was devine. I used it to make pizza dough that was sinfully awesome. I think that it has to be one of the best kitchen tools ever. Prep time is about 5 minutes and about 3 hours later I have a beutifully golden loaf of awesome bread.

For the Love of Cooking

Everyone views love differently. I like to think I'm a sort of Italian grandmother trapped in a 25 year old body. I love to feed people. If I could spend the rest of my life just cooking for everyone I love, I would. You know I love you if I want to cook for you. To me it's like giving someone a little piece of edible feelings. I cook when I'm happy. I cook when I'm sad. I cook a lot if I'm angry. Trying out a new recipe and seeing peoples reactions is just about the highlight of my day, although having someone say "Oh, will you cook 'this' for me?" might even better.

It's funny though, because I never expect anything to turn out well. Maybe it's a 'hope for the best, prep for the worst' type of attitude, but I'm really not kidding. The other night, I cooked up a meal that I basically made up. I had an idea of what I wanted it to be, but mostly winged it. One friend was in from out of town, and I thought it'd be fun to make something new for him. I had him take a bite, and he with all seriousness looked my in the eye and told me it was horrible. I almost cried, luckily for my sanity he quickly said it was great and he was joking.

Cooking to me is like a scrapbook. Certain flavors and tastes and combinations send me back to wonderful times in my life. The crunch of snap peas takes me to my grandmothers kitchen table in summertime. One slice of apple pie and it's Thanksgiving, no matter what time of year. The smell of Cajun spices and it's like I'm back in New Orleans on a bar terrace cracking crawfish in the summer heat. Tastes and smells combine with places and people in a beautiful ribbon through my life.

10 Unusual Uses for Salt

1. Do you love the smell of roses? Now you can have that scent

year round without using artificial air fresheners. To make a rose air freshener try layering rose petals and salt in a glass jar with a tightly fitting lid. Then just remove the lid to freshen the air.

2. Keep ants out of your home, just sprinkle salt across their path and the ants will be discouraged from going any further and you didn't have to resort to using harmful pesticides.

3. Shell hard boiled eggs easily, just add a teaspoon of salt to the water before boiling and you'll have perfect eggs every time.

4. Test an eggs freshness, add 1 teaspoon of salt to one cup of water and then float the egg in the water. A fresh egg will sink but an old one will float.

5. Keep your salad crisp. After preparing your salad lightly salt it, and your salad will remain crisp for several hours afterwards.

6. Keep your milk fresh, just add a pinch of salt to your jug of milk or cream for it to keep longer.

7. Set the color in new towels, just add a cup of salt to the wash water the first couple of times that you wash them. This keep your towels bright much longer.

8. Weed killer, boil one cup of salt to two cups of water and pour over the weeds to kill them.

9. Revive wrinkled apples, add the apples to mildly salted water and watch the wrinkles disappear. It's to bad that doesn't work for people!

10. Restore a sponge, just soak overnight in a solution of 1/4 cup of salt to one qt. of water to restore them to like new condition.

Prepping the Preps: Part 2

I finally finished up with organizing my cabinets, and separating Shelf Stuff vs Preps. I am honestly amazed at just how much canned food I have, and more then that how much canned food I have that I know I've had since early in my marriage, so almost 6 years. Anything I could identify as over 2 years old I herded together and took into my local food bank. Frankly, the fact that I haven't eaten it in the last 5 years tells me chances are I'm not eating it in the next 5.

I'm not a super picky eater, but well... okay, I'm a picky eater. There I said it. So, it's silly for me to have things in my pantry that I KNOW I wouldn't even feed to the dog. I don't eat sauerkraut. I don't like sauerkraut. I don't need a gallon mason jar of it.

One thing I did do in the cleaning crusade was to make a list of every thing that went into my preps storage. I'm going to edit the list a bit (so it doesn't read Crm chkn Sp lrg) and place one copy on the inside of my cupboard door, and probably another in the storage itself. That way instead of buying more (insert canned veggie here) I can snag some out of the food storage, mark the list, and replenish that every other week. Using what I have stored, and saving myself some in the process as I can stock up a bit more on things I need should they be on sale.

Quote of the Day

“If you want government food, go to the supermarket and buy government food. But for those who want to have a relationship with their food, and the accountability that inherently comes with voluntarily and informatively opting out of the supermarket to go ask around, smell around, sniff around, look around and opt out of the government food system, they ought to have that right.”

-Joel Salatin, owner and operator of PolyFace Farms

Quote of the Day

*The Boy and I went on some errands with my sister, and we stopped at a diner for breakfast.*

The Boy: *points to the jam packets* I don't eat those.

Sister: Oh yeah?

The Boy: Yeah. It's caca, its has corn in it.

Meatloaf by Lila

Since Ms. Maggy did such an awesome side dish I figured I would complete your meal with a main dish. Yup you read right. Meatloaf! That oft dreaded creation people suddenly have to work late to avoid. Happens to be a favorite in my house. It gets devoured. I never have left overs. Now I am currently cooking for about 7 people usually but I'll give the recipe to happily feed 4 here.

Set oven to 350. You want 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, Place in bowl. Add 1 egg, some garlic salt, season salt, Mrs. Dash or what ever favorite seasonings you like. Add 2 pieces toast (Yes actually toast 2 pieces of bread) pulled into small pieces. Mash it all together. I use my hands but I am sure a potato masher would work. Get out a glass baking pan. I use the square for this amount. place meat mixture into the pan and make a loaf shape. I usually make mine about 3-4 inches thick. Coat loaf with ketchup. Stick in heated oven for 45 minutes and then check by cutting into the center. Thicker obviously takes longer, thinner will be shorter so check it sooner if needed. Great with Mag's potatoes and green beans!!

Also the same mixture can be used to make delectable meatballs. Instead of baking simply roll into balls about 2 or 3 inches round. Melt butter in a skillet and brown the balls. Drain grease and add 1 regular can diced tomato, 1 can water, 2 cubes beef bullion, a table spoon sugar, seasonings you like. (I use a regular Italian blend) Bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour. Awesome over egg noodles!!