Crackers

I have been wanting to make crackers for the house for awhile but most of the time I am a bit to lazy, no really I am busy... Today I made these wonderful crackers from http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/10/31-days-cooking-from-scratch-homemade.html

I made little duck shaped crackers. Because I like to make shapes in baked goods. They turned out super yummy.

Maybe I overestimated the amount that I was making this morning. I will make some more to fill the Big Jar.

I like the little duckling crackers. You can use any shape you want to make your crackers. Squares are easy as you just roll out the dough and cut them into small squares. Triangles the same thing. I also like hearts, dinosaurs, alphabet, and dog bones (scooby snacks anyone?). Be creative.

Whole Wheat DIY Cheese-Its

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt {+ more for garnish}
• 2 T olive oil
• 2/3 C water
• 1 C extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated & at room temp

Directions

Combine the flour (2 C flour – divided between whole wheat & white whole wheat flour, if desired) together with 1/2 tsp. sea salt in a large bowl. I use the bowl of my stand mixer.

Add in the 2/3 C water (room temp or cold is just fine), and 2 T olive oil.

Add to this the shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (1 C) that is at room temperature.
Then, either by hand, or using the dough hook on your mixer, knead the dough for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth & well mixed.

At this point, find a clean work surface. Lay out a towel, and place 2-3 cookie sheets on top of those towels. If desired, you can place parchment paper on each cookie sheet.

Divide the dough in half, or in thirds (depending on how many cookie sheets you have.

Roll the dough out on the cookie sheet, rolling as thin as you can – about 1/8th inch thick. Pay close attention to getting the middle thin too! Use a pizza cutter and cut the dough into crackers about 1 inch by 1 inch in size
Prick each cracker with a fork, and sprinkle the entire tray with sea salt, if desired. If you do sprinkle the crackers with sea salt, gently press the salt into the crackers with your hands.

Bake each tray of crackers at 375 for 15-20 minutes. Set the buzzer for 10 minutes and then for every 3-5 minutes after that.

I hope that you are having a wonderful day filled with love and laughter and yummy snacks. Be well Friends.

Confessions

1. I just finished watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer
2. I like Spike better then Angel
3. Because he reminds me of my husband
4.Well the fact that he is willing to do anything for the woman he loves
5. I dislike the ending of the series
6. Spoilers... At the end Buffy is stabbed straight through and Spike is about to burn up Buff says I Love you. Spike says, No you don't but thanks for saying it.
7. Exact words, I am embarrassed
8. I think Buffy spent years protecting Spike and by the end of the series she really loved him.
9. I think, with her wound she should have stepped up and at least kissed him one last time.
10. I really think, she should have stayed with Spike and let the show end with them burning up together.
11. I think it would have tied the show up with a pretty bow.
12. I googled it, I seem to be alone in the opinion
13. Did you know there is some very weird season 8 comic book?
14. I am not going to read it.
15. I still find vampires creepy.
16 Even Spike.
17. It is different because Buffy died twice.
18. When her friends brought her back she dug her way out of the grave.
19. So technically, she is undead too.
20. I have thought about it more then I should.
21. My husband reads my blog.(Hi, honey I love you.)
22. I love http://www.craftsy.com/
23. I always hate short hair within a couple of weeks.
24. Bed head.
25. Not the good kind.
26. I am not sure how many confessions I have today
27. Maybe just to thirty.
28. Sometimes I let my kids eat chocolate cake for breakfast.
29. They think it is the best thing ever.
30. I keep crayons in my purse.

I hope you have a wonderful day filled with Love and Laughter. Be well my friends.

Shades of Grey Debate

Sorry I have not been very active on the old blog lately. I have been busy with school and family. Have you heard of the book Shades of Grey? Of course you have it feels like it is everywhere right now. I am going to say at least 90% of all of my female friends are reading these books. I have been on the fence and have read lots of blogs and reviews and have asked my friends for their opinions. Here is what I found people really love it or hate it. The message is about love conquering fetishes or about submission. As you can see people are either on board or not.

I have never been one to jump on the bandwagon of popular culture (really I want to make my own clothes so that I can add wonky flavor). I have never read or watched Twilight. Here is why vampires are dead people complete with no heart beat or body warmth, they eat people (or at least blood of some living creature). To me this freaks me out! I do not care if they twinkle or are ruggedly handsome they are DEAD. That is like wanting a zombie. Back to Shades of Grey I walked past the book in Target and then walked back. I picked it up and opened the book just to see the words and you know I opened it up to the page containing the contract. If you have read you know what the contract is, if you haven't read it the contract is basically makes the main female character into a sex slave. It outlines what she can wear, how she can exercise, and what is expected of her. I will not judge you if you have read it. It is a book and it does not represent who you are as a person and I would love to hear your take on the issue.

My biggest concern is the BDSM that is involved in the book bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, masochism. A friend assured me that there was nothing to weird but I am not interested in any of those actions. Here are a couple of quotes from the books



“Does this mean you’re going to make love to me tonight, Christian?” Holy shit. Did I just say that? His mouth drops open slightly, but he recovers quickly.
“No, Anastasia it doesn’t. Firstly, I don’t make love. I fuck… hard. Secondly, there’s a lot more paperwork to do, and thirdly, you don’t yet know what you’re in for. You could still run for the hills. Come, I want to show you my playroom.”
My mouth drops open. Fuck hard! Holy shit, that sounds so… hot. But why are we looking at a playroom? I am mystified.



So this is the girl's first encounter with sex and this seems okay?

“He grabs me suddenly and yanks me up against him, one hand at my back holding me to him and the other fisting in my hair.
"You're one challenging woman," He kisses me, forcing my lips apart with his tongue, taking no prisoners.
"It's taking all my self-control not to fuck you on the hood of this car, just to show you that you're mine, and if I want to buy you a fucking car, I'll buy you a fucking car," he growls.”

Good for him, controlling himself.

“...the physical pain from the bite of the belt is nothing, nothing compared to this devastation.”

The truth is until I started writing this post for you I was still on the fence. Hey I like to read corset ripping novels that is more about the bedroom then the story line. I don't need to be forced fed the whole picture in the bedroom to get the point. I also do not want this book in the house where my male children could pick it up and read it. In my opinion this is not how men should treat women. Also between you and me I do not like profanity. There is a time and a place,  but it offends me that there are no other words to describe rough sex, or extreme need.  This book is erotica for women.  Maybe it is fun to read. But I think I will pass, and when the movie comes out I will pass on that too.  I do believe that love conquers all but I do not believe that a woman should be made to feel like less because it pleases a dominating partner. Sex is just sex until you love somebody. Trust me I know.

Sorry about the rambling but you helped me to make my decision on this small matter. Now I can stop debating. Thank you.

I hope you have a wonderful day filled with Love and Laughter. Be well my friends.  

Baby Flip flops

I know I have been quiet around here over the last week. My husband was home for a very long weekend and I was happy to spend the time with him. Also I got distracted by a new pattern I got from http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/Accessory/Flip-Flops-for-Baby-Crochet-Pattern/1479.

I have a friend who is going to have a little baby girl. They live on an island. So I wanted to make these sweet flip flops for the baby. I am sure they will be to big for their little one but she will grow into them.

I hope they like these because I kind of want to make another pair or two for the baby.

I hope you are having a wonderful day filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

Towanda!

Righter of Wrongs, Queen Beyond Compare! Is there anything better than Fried Green Tomatoes? Yes, when they are on my sandwich. I love both the movie and the book but today I decided to be a little bad, I made fried green tomatoes from the garden. One word, YUM! My mouth is humming and the children asked for more and tried to eat them hot. Seriously good. So Here is the recipe that I used. There are several out there so if you have a favorite already I would love to see how you make yours.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients

Four big green tomatoes if you are buying them from the store, I used about six or so small tomatoes from the garden. I say use how ever many you have because the more the better.

 2 eggs beaten in a bowl

1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used panko but any kind will do)
salt and pepper
a dash of Cayenne
1 teaspoon of sugar

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup butter

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 of an inch thick. Heat the oil and butter over medium low heat. Dig the tomatoes in the egg and then the flour mixture and into the frying pan about two minutes on each side or golden brown.

I am sorry for the picture of the leftover tomatoes. We gobbled up all of the pretty ones almost as fast as they came out of the pan.

We put these babies on bread and topped it a slice of cheddar, and a squirt of mustard.

I hope you are having a wonderful day filled with Love and laughter. Be well my friends.

Flared Rose

Today's flower is the Flared Rose from the book 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet.
http://issuu.com/lesliss/docs/100_flowers_to_knit_and_crochet/1

Today there are no inspirational pictures because I think that a Flared Rose is only found in crafts. It was an easy flower to make. Mine is a little too big for a hair clip so it will go into a box for a friend of mine who asked for a box of flowers. Between you an me I have been slacking on her box of flowers. It is one down, a bazillion to go.

Here is my flared rose.

Turns out red is not the best color to photograph

I hope you have a wonderful day filled with love and laughter. Be well my friend.