A Few Random Pix and Recipes!

There's not really a rhyme or reason to these pictures, just that I liked them and thought I would share.

This was taken a while back. When Ry and I got home from our date night the kids were all asleep are Missy's bed. A lot of times on our date night they would sleep on the floor in Sister's room but we started telling them that we were worried about stepping on them to get to Charly plus we thought they would sleep better in their own beds. Well this was their solution, it did keep us from stepping on them. They didn't end up sleeping there all night Dad carried the boys to bed (remember Missy just has a twin bed;) I'm just thrilled that my children enjoy one anther's company! It's so sweet!

Missy took this pic a while back. Charly is standing in the sink in the bathroom having a great conversation with herself in the mirror!

Charly has this thing with wet washcloths, she loves to play with them, teethe on them, and put them on her head. She is signing the sing for cold in this picture. What a goof!

Matt took this picture before he took apart his robot to build something else. He wanted me to be sure to blog it!

Charly had her first real taste of lemon on Sunday and she loved it!

Yesterday she was climbing into this little play microwave the kids have and she was saying "beep beep" like it was a car. Like I said she's a goof!

And this is outside at our house this morning. We probably have about 6 inches of new snow and cabin fever is quickly setting in!

We did enjoy watching this outside in our front yard this morning!

It's a Woodpecker!

Now here are some fun yummy recipes I've worked on lately!

ENJOY!

This became an immediate favorite for obvious reasons!

Peanut Brittle

3 cups dry roasted (preferably unsalted) peanuts

2 cups organic sugar or Sucanat (note Sucanat will make the color a little darker but will be better for you and shouldn't really change the flavor)

3/4 cup agave nectar (could use honey but I love the mild flavor of agave)

1/4 cup water

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

2 Tablespoons coconut oil with a drop of butter flavor

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking soda

candy thermometer

2 oiled baking sheets (I used one cookie sheet size and one cake pan size this was about right)

In a large saucepan, combine Sucanat, Agave, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sucanat dissolves. Bring to a boil, blend in coconut oil and vanilla. Stir nearly constantly until temperature is at 280 degrees, add peanuts. Stir constantly until 295-300 degrees is reached. Remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda. Mix well. Pour onto the baking sheets try to spread it out with a spoon as quickly as possible to get to desired thickness. Loosen from the pans as soon as possible and turn over. (They were pretty well set up and cool by the time I did this) Break hardened candy up and store in an airtight container or double Ziploc.

Retta's Dinner Rolls with Cinnamon Roll Option

Mix and rest 15 minutes:
3 1/2 cups warm water (I find 110 degrees is about right)
3/4 Cup Sucanat or 1/2 Cup honey
1 Cup extra virgin olive oil
6 T. yeast
ADD:
1 T. Salt
10 1/2 Cups Whole wheat flour (I use HARD white wheat but red winter will work also or a mixture of the two)
3 Tablespoons Ground Flax mixed with 3/4 cup water (or energy egg replacer for 3 eggs)

3 Tablespoons Vital Wheat Gluten

Shape immediately into rolls, cinnamon rolls or hamburger buns. For Parker house rolls roll dough out cut dough with a doughnut cutter with the hole cutter removed, (I used a little round biscuit/cookie cutter) I then poured a little olive oil mixed with a drop of butter flavor and maybe a pinch of salt on your cookie sheets rub each roll in the oil to coat then fold in half and press the edges together with your fingers being sure the top extends over the bottom so they stay folded as they rise. Place next to each other on the cookie sheet. Cover and let raise until double in size then bake at 425 degrees 10 to 15 min. until golden brown. For Hamburger buns shape into size of hamburger patty. 12 hamburger buns fit on a cookie sheet. Let rise about 10 min. Bake 10 min or until golden brown at 425 degrees.

Now I don't have a bread mixer (YET;) so I have found this recipe works better to half it if you are kneading it by hand, it's just to much dough to knead by hand and have it turn out light a fluffy. It still makes up a good bunch of rolls. And makes one good rectangle to do cinnamon rolls. If you have a good bread mixer feel free to make the entire batch. For cinnamon rolls you will have to roll out two rectangles.

OK this is what I have done for the Cinnamon Rolls I have used melted coconut oil or almond oil in place of the olive oil in the recipe just to have a more sweet type flavor but the olive oil would work without to much difference. When I have rolled out the dough into a rectangle I spread melted coconut oil over the top then I sprinkle about a cup of Sucanat mixed with about 1 heaping Tablespoon of Cinnamon (use as much or as little cinnamon to your taste) on top of that. Then now these are all optional but we like them I sprinkle some chopped pecans or walnuts on and some carob chips and raisins. Then I roll it up jelly roll style then I use dental floss to "cut" into cinnamon rolls. I then place them on an oiled cake pan. I cover and let rise until doubled. (I have found especially during the winter I will set my oven on the lowest setting let it heat up then turn it off and put the rolls in so it is about 150 degrees in there to start) Then when they are double I turn the oven on to 425 degrees and let them cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until nice and golden brown. Then we frost them and be sure to eat them warm cause they are by far the most tasty fresh and warm! Although they are pretty decent for breakfast the next morning just be sure to put them in an airtight container so they don't dry out.

Frosting

1 cup Sucanat

2 Tablespoons Rice Milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Blend Sucanat in blender until it is powdery, add rice milk and vanilla blend till smooth, spread onto cinnamon rolls immediately after taking them out of the oven. (Note the picture shows not near enough frosting I doubled the recipe for you here is should be enough but if not feel free to make more;)

Or

Cream Cheese Type Frosting

1 cup raw cashews

juice of one half to whole lemon or to taste

pinch of sea salt

1 Tablespoon coconut oil melted

1/4 cup agave nectar (or pure maple syrup)

apple juice (optional or if needed)

Blend ingredients together in blender if it is to thick add some apple juice be sure not to make to runny I like a frosting like consistency not glaze.