It's NOT Hookey - it's a Field Trip!

Since my husband Mark has been out of town so much in the last few month, he looks for opportunities to spend extra time with his little boys.  (They ARE getting big - fast - but I call them the little boys as opposed to our BIG boys, who currently happen to be 22 and 27 years old . . . )

So, when some sort of Outdoorsman show happened to be in  the area (wow, I don't pay attention to the details much do I?)  he jumped at the chance to take them yesterday.  Yes, on a school day.  Let's call it a Field Trip, shall we?  At least, that's what I told my friend that works in the office of their elementary school.

Yes, a Field Trip.  Best one ever, I'd say!

 Tanner - so proud of the fish he caught.  And for the extra 3 bucks they were charged to catch it, the smile was worth every penny!

And what a great man/field trip-day is complete without a trip to their favorite buffet!?

A Funny Story About Our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson

(I saw this online this morning and I just had to repost it....)

President Thomas Monson was returning to Salt Lake City after a speaking engagement and when his Plane arrived there was a limousine there to transport him to his home.


As he prepared to get into the limo, he stopped and spoke to the driver. ‘You know’ he said, ‘I am getting pretty old and I have never driven alimousine. Would you mind if I drove it for a while?’

The driver said, ‘No problem. Have at it.’

President Monson gets into the driver’s seat and they head off down the highway. A short distance away sat a rookie Highway Patrolman operating his first speed trap.
The long black limo went by him doing 70 mph in a 55 mph zone.

The trooper pulled out and easily caught the limo and he got out of his patrol car to begin the procedure. The young trooper walked up to the driver’s door and when the glass was rolled down, he was surprised to see who was driving. He immediately excused himself and went back to his car and called his supervisor.

He told the supervisor, ‘I know we are supposed to enforce the law.. But I also know that important people are given certain courtesies. I need to know what I should do because I have stopped a very important person.’

The supervisor asked, ‘Is it the governor?’

The young trooper said, ‘No, he’s more important than that.’

The supervisor said, ‘Oh, so it’s the president…..’

The young trooper said, ‘No, he’s even more important than that.’

The supervisor finally asked, ‘Well then, who is it?’

The young trooper said, ‘I think it’s Jesus, because he’s got President Monson for a chauffeur!"

A Sneeze to Remember. . . and a Need for a Time Machine. . .

This has been a, well, interesting day....

This morning, Evan Thomas (my grandson) sneezed like no one has ever sneezed before:

(at least his sinuses are cleared!)

Poor little boy!  Grandpa made him pose for this photo before he'd let me wipe his nose. . .

Then later, Tanner and Isaac decided to ride down the steps in a giant box. 

Tanner went first.

Then Isaac.

He really, really wishes he had a Time Machine.

So he could go back in time to BEFORE this happened:

Unfortunately, this damage is way beyond any of my skills.  I guess we will be needing a good contractor!

Chicken-Spinach Calzones - Yum!

Yep, you know that post way back when, where I that said I would try any recipes that you left for me in a comment?  Well, I finally remembered to make sure that I had all the ingredients to make this one - frozen spinach isn't something that I buy frequently, I am sorry to say. 

This recipe was absolutely delicious, not that you'd know it by looking at THIS post.  I completely forgot to take photos of the finished product before they all got devoured.  And the only thing I would do differently is to make the dough that I always use for bread - mostly because I am lazy and I believe it would  be more time-effective.  My recipe makes two loaves, so I would only use half of it for the calzones, and the other half I would go ahead and bake into a loaf.     Actually, biggest reason for this is that my 6 1/2 quart mixer is just too big for the small amount of dough that the recipe calls for.  Or, you could just double the dough recipe and make a bigger batch, if you have the larger mixer like I do.

Here is a Googled photo of the recipe.  I am amazed that they look soooo much like mine did . . . and I am sure these tasted much better than they look, like mine did, too!

Thank for for the recipe, Joey!

(Next recipe I will try is the Tuna Casserole from Cmom.  Don't know when, but I hopefully I will remember to take my own photo....)

Wow - What a Slacker I've Been!

...and it's been for no good reason, except that real life just got in the way!  ;-)

I am going to make good on my promise and try these wonderful recipes that I requested in my last post!  (And Valerie,  believe it or not, I have already made your dish back from when you first posted it!  And it was sooo Yummy!)


I have printed off the recipes, ready to do a search in my pantry for ingredients.   Can't wait!

Now I Have a Craving For Spinach Dip -

I am a Food Reality Show addict. 

Give me 

,

,

as well as

Cake Boss, Iron Chef, Ace of Cakes, Hungry Girl,
and

 and I am a happy girl. 
(On a side note, I used to babysit Kat -from WC in A - when I was a teenager).    

I was introduced through those shows to a  whole new world of food that I never knew existed, one that involves creativity and technique. 

So why is it that I am now craving me some Spinach Dip, from a recipe that involves only 3 items:

Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (one packet), one box of frozen spinach (thawed), and 16 ounces of sour cream?
 I really need to be a little more adventurous.  

So, here's my NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION #2: 
try to make and bake new foods. 

If you know my family, you know that my husband won't eat anything unless he really likes it.  And if he won't eat it, he won't make the kids eat it either.  And I was raised to clean your plate, no matter what.  It's been a struggle to do any kind of experimenting at all

But I am determined.  I can do it.  I am tired of the same 12 recipes recycled over and over again.  Really.  Any recipes I have already shared here are from that lame repertoire.   Don't get me wrong.  They're pretty good dishes.  It's just the sheer lack of quantity that's lame.

So, at the risk of being embarrassed by the lack of participation, here is my request::

If you have a link to a favorite recipe, leave it in a comment.  If you know of any great recipe blogs, leave the link.  Or, if you so feel inclined, leave the recipe itself. 

And please take Note:  My hubby's biggest food adversion is carrots (or is it are carrots?  I don't know)

And when I make a dish from a recipe you leave or from the link you share, I will post about it and give you credit and link back to your blog. 

Maybe that'll be a little extra motivation for me to be food-venturous. 

Heaven knows I need all the motivation I can get!

(If you are reading this via Facebook, my blog address is:  careysgang.blogspot.com.  You can leave your recipe in a comment there.  And leave your blog link there too, if you have one.  Thanks!)

Whole Wheat Bread . . . . . and . . . . . What are YOUR New Year's Resolutions?

I don't often make New Year's Resolutions.  But this year, I have really embraced them.  Why haven't I done this before?  I am thinking it's because I have a fear of failure (of some things), and so sometimes I just don't try.

I think I was crazy for not doing it all these years.  Or maybe, it's because the goals that I have set this year are just a little more realistic than the failed ones of the past. 

Could be.

Goal #1 - Learn how to bake bread.

Two weeks ago, I didn't know how to make a decent loaf of bread. Then last Thursday a good friend taught me and my girls how to do it. Since then, we have baked about 14 perfect loaves of the whole wheat variety (12 of which have already been eaten!) Thanks, Laura, I owe ya big time!

(This, of course, is the First loaf that I have baked that has had a hole in the middle...of course.  Just means I needed to knead it a bit more....)

So, if you are a beginner at baking bread, or have never even tried, try it, you can do it!   That's what I did, and now I am able to use the whole wheat that has been sitting in barrels in my basement (yes, 50 gallon barrels, 3 of them) for years!


WHOLE WHEAT BREAD


Start with:

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 to 2 tsp salt
3/4 cup potato flakes (or pearls)
2 cups wheat flour
2 TBS shortening
1 egg
3 TBS gluten
1 TBS fast-rising yeast
I just mix everything together in my 6 1/2 quart Kitchen Aid, using the paddle attachment.

Add one more cup of flour, white or wheat.

Once everything is mixed well, I switch to the dough hook.

Then start adding whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup at a time, til you've added around 4-5 additional cups. Dough is complete when it's "cleaning" the bottom of the bowl while it's mixing, and the dough no longer sticks to your finger when you poke it. 

(Also, you can experiment with the wheat/white mix to get it just how you like it.  We like it to be mostly wheat, so I start with 2 cups of white flour at the beginning of the recipe, and use just whole wheat flour to finish it.  It takes a little less flour when you use a higher percentage of wheat flour, so mix carefully!)


Turn out onto floured surface.


Put a little olive oil into the bottom of a large bowl and place dough in and swish around and flip it over so that the top is coated with oil to prevent your dough from crusting.


Set in a warm place and cover with towel. Let rise for about 90 minutes.


Once it has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto floured surface. Cut into two pieces.

Knead to get the air bubbles out, but don't over-knead. Form into loaves and place in oiled bread pan. Let rise just until the dough reaches the top of the pan, about 30 min. It will continue to rise while it bakes.

This one rose just a little bit too much...but it turned out ok anyway...)

Repeat previous step if you want. Another rising will make your bread taste a little less yeasty, which is how we like it.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.


And ...what is the best bread baking tip that I learned ?
The best thing I learned was to only let the bread final rise in the pan to just the top. In the past, I would wait and wait until it rose to the size I thought the finished loaf should be....and then when I put it in the oven, it would just collapse because it had OVERrisen.   (I was just LUCKY that this loaf didn't collapse!)
See, pretty basic, but well worth learning. 

Thanks, Laura, for teaching me and letting me share your fantastic recipe.

New Year's Resolution #2?

What is it you ask?

I'm not going to give all the details yet, but I will tell you it also has to do with food.  (And, for once, not necessarily anything to do with losing weight!)

What are your New Year's Resolutions?



Sledding Daze...

This winter, a good friend of mine invited me and the kids up to a sledding hill that she had discovered.  Sorry, Missy, but the hill is MINE now!  haha



The first thing that you need to have to have a great sledding experience is a fire to stay warm by.  The first time we went up, someone had already built a fire.  The next time, I brought newspaper, kindling, and some of the logs that we burn in our wood stove. 

I build fires regularly, so I wasn't worried about getting a rip-roaring blaze going, but have you ever built a fire in the snow?  WHILE it is snowing?  Not so easy, I tell you.  The shot was taken just before all the flames fizzled and just about went out.  Luckily, the people who had built the previous fire showed up (men, of course) and got it going really good.   I didn't see it happen, but there was a plastic jug sitting nearby (but not too close) that I have a suspicion had gasoline or something similar in it. 

Cheaters! 

But don't get me wrong.  We were grateful!

Another thing that is important to have with you when you go sledding is:

Kids!

They make it the most fun.  And having friends with kids that are their friends there too, makes it all the better.

(Noelle, warming herself by the fire.  She doesn't look too excited in this photo, but that was only because she doesn't like having her picture taken.  NOT because she wasn't having fun - she was!)

There's nothing better than sledding in north Idaho.  It's free, burns lots of calories, and I hope we can go again soon.  Many more times! 

Christmas With Our Family. . . and Small Miracles

Our Christmas this year started out with our Ward Christmas party.  Lots of fun, food, love, and talents were shared with one another.

Tanner (who is the only one young enough to still sit on Santa's lap, telling Santa what he wanted for Christmas. . .

...Tanner, still giving Santa an earful....

Finally, after Noelle hollering at him repeatedly to smile for the camera....

...and now he is finishing giving Santa his 'list'.

We also got to go to Bonner's Ferry to the Carey family Christmas Eve-afternoon party.   They did their traditional Pinata, with all of the kids 10 years old and under taking a turn smacking it.  I wish I had some photos of everyone and all of the food that was there. 

And special Christmas memories were shared with one another, and Rachel sang "Silent Night" for all of us. 

                CHRISTMAS MORNING

The traditional "top of the stairs" pose.

Isaac, checking out his new backpack.  (I have a little story about that at the end of this post, after most of  the photos!)

Noelle, with the bag that Rachel got her

Tanner, unwrapping his new blanket.  We LOVE blankets around here...

Thanking his mom...

I don't remember what or why THIS happened...guess we were just having a really good time!

Me, with the gift basket that Rachel and Noelle got for me.  They won this ginourmous gift basket FULL of brownie mixes, cake mixes, frostings, sprinkles, cookie cutters, etc etc that they won at the high school's Christmas Concert raffle.  They were SO excited to give it to me, cuz they know how I love the Brownies!

Rachel, with the new Michael Jackson CD

...and the quilt I made for her...

This year has been especially hard for us, financially, as it has for a lot of you as well. 

So several months before Christmas, I let the kids know that there wouldn't be a lot under the tree for them.  They are good kids, and took it in stride.

So, here is a funny little crazy story -

My husband and I went to a friend's Christmas party, one that they traditionally have every year.   And one of the traditions at this party is to have a white elephant gift exchange.  You all know how it works:  each person brings something crazy or fun or super cool or random, wrapped up as a gift.  Everyone gets a number and chooses a gift in order.  Or, the next person can "steal" a gift from someone who has already unwrapped a gift.  And the third person to snag that gift gets to keep it.  

So when a genuine Air Force backpack (complete with flight suit. jacket, sleeping pad and bag, and long johns) was unwrapped, my husband figured out a way so HE could be that third person to get that gift.  Once he got it, he presented it to our host friend (who happens to be involved with the Explorer Scouts).  He laughed and said, just keep it, we already have more than enough donated backpacks for the Scouts.

So, after discussing together whether it was tacky or not to give a white elephant gift to our son, as a real present, we decided that Isaac would think it was such a cool gift that it wouldn't matter. 

Here was our dilemma - Isaac was getting this "big" gift, when we didn't really have the funds this year to do the same for the rest of the kids.

I took the girls aside (Tanner is still young enough not to care or notice) and let them know how and when we got this gift for Isaac.  And that things might seem a big lopsided in the gift department.

They completely understood.  Or so I hoped.

They understood more than I realized....

There is something I need to explain here so that you will realize why this is such a touching moment for me.

Over the years, I manage to do EVERYthing for the Christmas holiday - bake, shop, wrap gifts, send out the cards, everything, (Christmas Tree Nazi kinda covers it all) and not including the rest of the family like I should have been. 

I realize that now.

But what warms my heart about this Christmas is how the kids all took time, thought and care about getting  gifts for EACH OTHER.  Santa's pockets were pretty empty by the time his sleigh landed on our roof, but the kids came through for each other and for their dad and I.   

They truly saw what Christmas was all about, the Giving and not the GETTING.

And you know what?  I think that they had the best Christmas ever! 

( A couple of them may have told me that, so I know it's true!)

So, along with that Christmas Miracle, re-purposed items, and misc gift cards & store credits that I discovered in my wallet that I'd forgotten about,

(and a big splurge on my husband's behalf -for me- that he had planned for months)

we weren't lacking for anything at all this Christmas!

P.S.  The only reason there isn't a photo of my husband in this post is because he took just about all of all the photos and I didn't realize it until now!  Whoops! 

There is Going to Be A New Member of our Family . . .

....and no, I am not pregnant.  Why is that what everyone always thinks of first when this type of announcement is made?

The Newest Member of our family will be Elena, the girl Chad brought home for Thanksgiving.

Were any of us surprised?

Uh, no, not at all.

She is a great girl who will bring lots of fun and joy to Chad's life.

The wedding will be next spring, sometime in April.  And they are getting married in the Mesa temple, as is the tradition for most of her siblings (she has 7).   Woo hoo!  I love that girl!  (And I love Arizona in the springtime!)

The ring.... congrats, Chad and Elena!