Homemade French Bread

I received a wonderful surprise gift from my husband for Christmas this year: a Kitchen Aid mixer! I've used it every week, either for beating egg whites, making whipped cream (the first thing I made with it), and making fresh bread. A week after I got the mixer, I looked for a French Bread recipe. I found this one on Food.com. "Old Reliable French Bread." I followed the recipe to a T, except I took advice from the reviewers and at the end brushed it with butter instead of egg white. Ben loved it! It was a little heartier than store bought french bread, but the crust was soft and dough wasn't too dry. It didn't make good garlic bread, but tasted best warm with some butter. It did go stale rather quickly, (after a week) but I used the rest to make croutons, which were also very tasty. Lesson learned, we just have to eat it faster next time!

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Menu Plan Monday January 24, 2011

We made a really tasty meal last week: Cinnamon Apple Porkchops. I kept seeing the recipe on Org Junkie's site, and finally got around to making it. Ben loved it. The chops tasted great with the apples. He asked that I make the apples for apple crisp or to top ice cream.

We also started a bit of solids for my daughter. So far, she has had banana, carrot and avocado. Avocado is her favorite. On tap for this week is more of the same while we see how she takes to the avocado and then I have a sweet potato I'll puree too.

I really don't know what to plan for this week, but here is an idea. I'll probably switch the days around depending on how busy I am for the day. I really need to use up food I have and not get more at the store, except for fruit, so this will be a pantry use up meal too. Although, if potatoes go on sale, I will pick up a bag as well.

23 Sunday: Leftovers (we need to use up Enchiladas and Mock Lasagna Casserole) with peach crisp
24 Monday: Chicken Souvlaki with lettuce and homemade pita bread
25 Tuesday: Burgers and Fries (I have buns I need to use up....or freeze, that is also an option)
26 Wednesday: Braised Pork Chops with corn
27 Thursday: Breakfast for dinner? Waffles? We have a lot of eggs.
28 Friday: Salsa Chicken (if we still have salsa to use up)
29 Saturday: Oatmeal for breakfast. Perhaps we'll have Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne. I'm not sure I have all the ingredients, but I know I have some lemon juice in the freezer, and cream, and penne, so I think it is a go.

Kitchen tasks, make pizza sauce and freeze.

Well, we'll see how this lasts, I'm not too tied to the menu, but it is helpful to have something written down.

For more menus visit I'm An Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday

Welcoming the New Year: Goals and Resolutions

Yesterday, I took the last of the Christmas decorations down. I still have a couple snowman/snow baby decorations up, but those are fun for the icy weather in January and February. I am always sad after Christmas. The week between Christmas and New Years is the worst. I love the fall. Even though the weather is getting colder, fall represents cozy nights, the return of stews, casseroles, and apple cake. Then fall merges right into Christmas with gift giving, celebrating Advent cookie making, decorations, and music. After Christmas, the weather is just cold and icy :(. This let down after Christmas is pretty common for many. This year, it seemed worse. I think it was because I couldn't put on my sweats and hibernate through the week. I still had to be "on" to be my daughter's mommy. I really wanted a break that I knew wouldn't come. Thankfully, as my routine has returned with Bible study and moms' groups, not to mention enjoying my beautiful daughter's smiles and laughter, I'm feeling better in the New Year. It also helps to see the New Year as a fresh start, find fun things to look forward to (traveling to see family, birthdays) and planning goals and resolutions.

With a little baby, I decided not to plan big goals, but instead, be more intentional about my time. Amy at The Finer Things was my inspiration and has a wonderful post about being intentional during the urgent.

This year, I want to enjoy my baby, and grow as being a mom, wife, friend and daughter.
I also want to be more intentional about staying in touch with others.
Last, I want to spend more time in Prayer and Bible Study.

Since I also find it fun to plan, I thought of a few simple goals for the year.
1. Learn how to use my camera (at least read through the instruction book)
2. Read one book at a time. I would love to read one book a month, but it is not realistic. Instead, I've decided to focus on just one book, instead of the five barely read books I have stacked around the house. I'm currently reading Bright from the Start by Jill Stamm PhD.
3. Learn how to make sandwich bread and buns. I think I have to add Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day to my reading list :)
4. Create a price book.
5. And, if I'm really ambitious, learn how to can fruit this summer. That one I can let go if I have to though.

I'm looking forward to enjoying 2011! For further reading, I enjoyed these wonderful articles on handling the post-holiday blues and being intentional in the New Year.

Holiday Hangover, by my friend Eric. Easter is coming!
Celebrating Christmas More Than Once a Year from a Thankful Heart (via The Finer Things)
2011: Intentional by Amy at The Finer Things
Building Good Habits in the New Year, by Kristy at Homemakers Cottage

Remove Gold When Handling Mercury

Last week, I was listening to the radio and a caller shared that if you handle mercury (like a broken fluorescent bulb, or old thermometer), you need to remove all jewelry, especially gold because mercury bonds to gold and is almost impossible to remove. Each time you wear the jewelry, you are exposed to the poisonous mercury. Intrigued, I googled the advice, and found this helpful article from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality that affirmed this advice and gave more tips on handling mercury spills. This was good to learn. I don't know how often I'll be facing extreme Mercury spills, but we do have some of the bulbs in our house. This tip was new for me, how about you?

http://www.deq.state.ms.us/MDEQ.nsf/page/Recycling_Mercury?OpenDocument