Multi-Grain Bread

Ok, I know it is late, but as promised, here is the bread recipe. 

Multigrain Bread

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup 5-10 grain hot cereal mix

2 ½ cups boiling water

3 cups all-purpose flour (not bread flour)

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

¼ cup honey

4 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

2 ½ tsp. rapid rise yeast

1 tbsp. salt

Directions:

Place cereal mix in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook and pour boiling water over it; let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools and resembles porridge, about 1 hour. Whisk flours together in a separate bowl.

Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, butter, and yeast and mix on low speed until combined. Add salt and flour mixture ½ cup at a time until all is incorporated and dough comes away from the sides.  Knead dough for 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and let raise for 45-60 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

Grease two 9x5 loaf pans. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and cut dough into 2 equal parts. Roll in to oblong loafs. Lightly sprinkle oats on surface and roll dough over them to cover.  Place loaves in pans and let raise again for 30-40 minutes.

While dough is raising, preheat oven to 375 degrees and place oven rack in the middle of the oven. Bake loaves for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes and then remove to let cool to room temp. {if you can wait that long!}

Extras:

*you can also add ¼ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds to mixture, but add just before you knead the dough for 5 minutes.

Storage:

**You can store this bread for 3 days at room temp or for 1 month In the freezer. Just make sure you wrap in plastic wrap and then foil for the freezer; just plastic for room temp.

Are you impressed that I even got a picture up too?!? Me and S had some serious coloring to do today, so sorry this is posted way later than I had planned.

The Best New Thing I Could Ever Ask For!

 So, the hubs and I went out just "looking" at new washers and dryers on Saturday. You know, just comparing prices (tee hee!). But, we stumbled on to a deal we just couldn't pass up at the Home Depot. We found our my dream washer and dryer. 

They were on sale to begin with, then on top of that they had a promotion going on that you could get extra money off of that, PLUS up to 6 months of free laundry soap (Tide to be exact). I was sold right as we got there and saw they were on sale. Luckily we had an awesome salesman that also convinced my hubby that it was a good deal too. :)  (They also have the glass lids so you can watch, that sold the hubby too.)

What kind of washer/dryers do you have and enjoy??

St. Patty's Day Banner

This weekend I decided to make a St. Patty's Day Banner to spice up my house for the next little "holiday". 

I do have a Cricut, so it made this little project a little simpler than if I didn't. But you don't have to use the same shapes that I did, play around with it and make it fun. If you don't have a Cricut or some sort of cutting machine, just use scissors or your handy dandy paper cutter.

 I started out with this cute flag design, it ended up being 3"x4". Then the squares I used were 2.5"x2.5". The letters were in Celtic Hand fond and 2" tall. 

 Glue (with a glue stick or with glue dots, whatever you prefer) your letters to the green squares...

 It will look like this...

 Then glue your green squares to your cute patterned paper, but make sure you leave a little extra room at the top for some holes...

 Use whatever tool you have to punch 2 holes at the top of the flags, just enough to stick some string through (I think I went in a half inch and down just a quarter inch).

Then, string all of your pieces, and hang on a mantle, wall or anywhere else you'd like to have spiffed up for St. Patty's Day. 

 This was a super easy craft and only took 1 hour to do. The patterned paper is by Echo Park, but check out your local paper store to see what other cute papers they have (I do recommend cardstock over regular paper). Please follow us on Facebook and upload your pictures so that we can all see your creativeness!! You can also leave us a link to your web pages in the comments below. We would love to hear from all of our blogging friends!

Awesome Giveaway!

Check out this website for an awesome Hair Straightener Giveaway! I entered so I wouldn't have to share mine with a teenager anymore!

Brownies to DIE for!!!

So... I guess it is dessert week!!!  I have made these brownies a couple of times.  They were inspired by Cutler's Marshmallow Brownie Cookies.  If you have never had one ummm, you should!  They are very delish and oh so memorable.  I had a recipe for a cream cheese chocolate brownie, there isn't a lot of cream cheese in it but just enough to make the brownie really dense and soft.  I would normally just frost them with chocolate frosting and try not to eat the whole pan by myself.  I decided to put marshmallows on top of the brownies once I pulled them out of the oven, let them melt and then spread the marshmallow goodness around and then top with frosting.  The marshmallows seemed a little bit too chewy for my liking.  Then one day while I was in the baking isle in the grocery story I spotted the solution...Jet Puff Marshmallow Creme!!!  What the what!?!!!  I normally only use this stuff for making fudge, but HELLO...perfect!

The only bad thing is that if you keep your brownies out the marshmallow fluff will ooze out.  I solved the problem by keeping them in the fridge until about 5-10 minutes before you want to eat one.  Cut you a square (I prefer a rectangle, don't judge me please)  and bask in the chocolate marshmallow yummy-ness!!!  
Here is the recipe for the Cream Cheese Brownie:
1 cup butter softened
1 pkg. 3 oz. cream cheese softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder


Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease bottom of a 13x9 inch pan.  Beat butter, cream cheese and sugar ina  large bowl until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add to butter mixture until well blended.  Spread batter into prepared pan.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.  Set on a rack to cool.
Spread marshmallow fluff over the warm brownies.  Wait until completely cooled to frost with chocolate frosting.  Enjoy!!!

Super Yummy Desserts

I have to share these yummy desserts with you! I made these for Super Bowl and they were the first things to go!

Light and Fluffy Chocolate Cookies

1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 stick of butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (18 oz.) package moist chocolate cake mix

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Then add the cake mix, and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Then roll into tablespoon sized balls and roll in powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Cool completely before eating…If you can!!

 Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

1 ½ c. peanut butter

1 ½ cup butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1 ¾ c. brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

2 ¼  c.  flour

3 ½ c. rolled oats

In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add peanut butter, eggs and vanilla, mix well. Add all dry ingredients until well combined. Lightly grease 2 jelly roll pans and spread dough evenly between both pans. (It’s ok if it looks a little thin, they will cook up and be fluffy). Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes and spread with a layer of peanut butter. Let cool completely, then frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.

Lasagna Roll Ups

If you haven't tried these yet, you should.  They are easy to make and can be made ahead of time.  I like to make mine while my little nugget takes a nap.  I just put it in the fridge until it's time to cook it.


Make the sauce of your choice Alfredo or tomato.
Then boil the water for the lasagna noodles.  Cook the noodles according to their package.
Once they are done drain and start the roll up process.  
Lay out all the noodles on your counter.  On each noodle place ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, which ever you prefer.  Then sprinkle with parsley.   Layer on mozzarella cheese.  

Then you start to roll them up.  

Place them in a greased baking pan.  Pour the sauce over top.  I like to add a little meat, so I browned some hamburger with onions, garlic, italian seasoning, and a dash of allspice.  Oh, don't forget to season with some salt and pepper too.  Place the meat on top of the noodles and then add the sauce.  Top it off with shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  

Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.  

Hope you enjoy them.  I like to serve it with a garden salad and french bread. Yummy!!!