Delectable Cheese Bread

I think I'm going to start posting one of my favorite recipes each week, unless I start getting bored with it. I like baking just as much, if not more than, cooking. So for all of you bakers out there, this bread is really tasty and easy. Even if you aren't a baker, this is practically fool-proof and will turn out great. I promise.

I pulled this recipe out of the January 2003 issue of Ladies Home Journal and have lost it and re-found it a few times over the years. In fact, I just found it again. So in order to preserve it, I am posting it. (My sister lost her copy too, so here you go Jenn--feed that belly!)

Delectable Cheese Bread

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of warm water (105-115 degrees--you don't want it too hot!)
1 package of quick-rising active dry yeast
1/4 tsp sugar
1 cup of cottage cheese
2 T. honey
2 T. butter, divided
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup of shredded (extra sharp) Cheddar cheese (the sharper the cheese the better the flavor I think. And I use way more than a cup of it!)

1. Heat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl sprinkle yeast and sugar over water. Let dissolve in a warm place.

2. Heat cottage cheese, honey and 1 T. of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until lukewarm. Add salt and baking soda and stir, 30 seconds. Stir in 1/2 cup flour until combined. Mix the cottage cheese mixture into the yeast, then add the egg and beat well. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a firm ball of dough. Knead the cheese into the dough. Turn dough out onto a work surface and wipe out bowl. Lightly oil bowl then return dough to bowl, turning to coat. Place a damp, hot cloth over the bowl (I just use saran wrap and place in a slightly warm oven). Let dough rise in a warm place, 30 minutes.

3. Turn dough out onto a greased cookie sheet and shape into a 10 inch round loaf (I flatten mine a little with a rolling pin to make more of a focaccia shape, but you don't have to). Bake until the top is nicely browned and feels firm, 35-40 minutes. Melt remaining butter and brush over top of loaf. Cool on wire rack and try not to eat it all yourself.

Good-bye Klines.

On saturday we said good-bye to Mary-Anne, Jeremiah and Ethan as they headed off to Ft. Hood. After spending 3 weeks together, Ethan and Skylar were definately buddies. We tried to get one last picture of them.

Ethan was distracted by the flower on Skylar's shoulder:

Then he noticed her barrette:He decided it was fun to play with:
So we moved Ethan to the non-barrette side and tried again. This time they just chilled like the little villians that they are while we took pictures:

One last picture of our families (either it was Ethan's nap time or he does NOT want to go to Texas):

My BFF (that's right, I said BFF, we're in 7th grade):

Mary-Anne gave Skylar a flower before she left because she knows how much Skylar loves them. She smelled it until all the petals fell off and then took a nap with the stem.

A picture from almost 5 years ago, which honestly feels like it was another lifetime:

I miss you already! It sure is quiet around here without you guys. But I know that we'll see each other again and we'll pick up right where we left off.....

Only two more months and it's OUR turn to move.

Where is my denim fairy?

For years I have been searching for the perfect pair of jeans.

I've decided they are way harder to find than a husband (which, lets face it, is no small feat in this day and age) since I managed to snag Micah before I was 25, and have yet to find the perfect pair of jeans after about 14 years of searching. I have to admit, I'm a little fatigued.

And yet, I persevere. Somewhere out there is a pair with my name on it that has denim in the perfect dark wash, with flattering pocket placement, plenty of length in the legs but not so much that they drag and get frayed, just enough stretch to keep the behind from sagging, and a waist that does not create one of two fatal problems: a muffin top or, ahem, "buttock cleavage". (And if they happen to be mislabeled therefore leading me to believe I am a size smaller than I really am, even better, I would believe it).

Is that so much to ask? Apparently it is, unless you want to pay well over $100 for jeans that are constructed to fit every lumpy, bumpy curve or lack thereof.

I have discussed this issue at length with my sister Nicole. Mostly she just nods her head sympathetically as though she too is dealing with the post-baby bulge. She believes part of the problem is that my jeans stretch out when I wear them, so maybe I should buy them a little snugger. I kind of have a thing against tight jeans, I want them to be comfortable. But it's true, if they start out comfortable, they usually end up saggy in the rear.

But why should I have to feel like a stuffed sausage for the first two hours that I wear them, in order for them to relax and fit well for the rest of the day? Does anyone else have this problem??

A couple of weeks ago I thought my day had come. I was at Ross to get hairbands. (I know, that sounds like an excuse, but whatever. I really do like their hairbands, they are the thicker kind that come in an array of colors and are half the price of anywhere else.) So anyway, since I was there I perused the jeans without any expectation.

And then I found this pair from Paper Denim & Cloth for $19.99 (retail $175). I couldn't help but think, maybe these are The Ones I've heard about. You know, the really expensive kind with the perfect pockets to make butts (even flat ones) look cute. Except that they weren't expensive, they were a steal. It was too good to be true! I tried them on and almost didn't even notice or care that Skylar crawled under the dressing room door and ran away. I was having a moment.

It was miraculous. No gross fat roll bulging over the top! The rear end was just right. Granted, they were a good 3 inches too long because apparently people my size are supposed to be 6 feet tall, but I could get them tailored or wear them with heels. (Yeah right, I could roll them up.)

I took them home and decided I would put them on and wear them until the rotted off my body. Unfortunately, by the end of the day they had loosened just enough to reveal their fatal flaw: alas they were a lower rise than I realized. Low rise=crackage. You know what I mean, and it isn't pretty.

And so they are relegated to the pile of jeans that can only be worn with long shirts. And the search continues.

Not much longer.....

I have long been awaiting the day when the center of Skylar's universe starts shifting towards her Daddy. When he is the only one that can do something to help her. When she cries and clings to his legs. When he is the one she wants to bathe her, brush her teeth, and read her stories. She has always been a mama's girl, but I think that day might be getting closer!

Lately when Micah comes home from work she greets him like he's a celebrity. It's usually something like this (accompanied by excited noises):

Big Hug:

Then she honks his nose:
Another big hug:

Then another good honk:

Everyone knows that nothing says I Love You like a honk on the nose.

Broken Record

I apologize in advance if this is as annoying to read as it is to hear myself say. Here are ten conversations I am sick of hearing myself have Every.Single.Day in no particular order:

1. "Toothpaste is not for eating. I know it tastes yummy but it's for cleaning our teeth, it's not a snack."

2. "Vitamins are not a snack. I know they are yummy but you can only have one or your tummy will be sick. Thank you for saying please, but you can't have anymore today, you are finished. Skylar, mommy said no more vitamins. Tomorrow you can have another one."

3. "Are you pooping right now? Are you stinky? Should we go change your diaper? Here....let mommy check. Yep, you're poopy!!! Let's go put a clean diaper on! I know you don't want to, but you are stinky and it'll make you feel better. That's okay you can be mad, I still have to change your diaper....would you like a wipee?? Okay! Here's a wipee so you can clean your face! Oh, you want to clean that too? Okay, here's another wipee. Yay, all done! What a big girl!"

4. "Mommy has to go potty now, I'll be right back. It's okay, there's no reason to cry, I'm right in here. You want to come too? Okay you can come too. Oh you want the dogs to come too? I don't think they need to. Okay fine, they're in here too. Mommy is going potty now. Thank you for the toilet paper. Okay, that's enough toilet paper, I don't need anymore. It's time to flush the potty now, are you ready to say bye-bye? Good job! Uh-oh you added more toilet paper, now we have to say bye-bye again. Okay, that's enough now. Thanks for helping."

5. "It's not time to put soap in the dishwasher, it isn't full yet. Okay, we'll put a little bit of soap in so you can close it up. Watch your fingers, please don't squish them. It's not time to turn it on yet. I'm going to turn it off now. You are such a big helper, thank you." (EVERYTIME I OPEN IT.)

6. "Are you ready to feed Sabot? Okay hold the bowl up. Hold it up so the food doesn't spill out. Hold it like this Skylar. Uh-oh the food is spilling. That's okay, let's pick it up now. Okay, now hold the bowl up while you walk. Hold it up please. Uh oh, the food is spilling out again....."

7. "Please don't unfold mommy's clothes Skylar. The clean clothes don't go in the dirty clothes basket, they stay in the drawer. Mommy doesn't want you to put my clean clothes in there with the yucky ones, then I will have to wash them again. Please put them back in the drawer where you got them. Thank you, that's enough, no more helping please."

8. "Please stop giving your food to the dogs, that is food for you, not for them. They have their own food, they don't need yours. I said no more people food for the dogs. If you can't listen they will have to go away so you can't feed them anymore. Okay, the dogs are gone. You don't need to cry, you can still seem them through the glass door. They'll be back when you're done eating."

9. "Where's binky? You don't know? Let's find it! Biiiiinky, where arrrre you????"

10. "We only color on paper Skylar. We don't color on the floor. We only color on paper, we don't color on the couch. We only color on paper, not on the table. Oh, you want to color on your cardboard house? Okay, that's a great idea! Oh no! Please don't feed your crayons to the dogs Skylar. That was not okay to feed your crayon to Sabot, now it is all gone and you don't have it anymore."

Okay, your turn......

Turkey Chili Recipe

So I just mopped myself into the family room, and now I have to wait for the floor to dry. Skylar's napping and Micah is at the office thanks to a dozen frantic phone calls from staff duty. So what to do? Guess I'll post a recipe to occupy my time.

Turkey Chili:

1 pound of lean ground turkey (use whatever you like, I use the 97% fat free kind)
1 medium onion diced
2 small, or 1 large can of petite diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 can low sodium chicken broth
2 cans of kidney beans, drained
1 can of corn, drained

Brown the meat and onion together in a T. or so of olive oil, throw in all the other ingredients, season to taste with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne and chili powder and whatever else you like. Simmer for about an hour and eat! I usually serve it with jalapeno cheese cornbread.

Assuming you serve about 8 big bowls, I estimate (with the olive oil and 16 grams of fat total in the pound of turkey) this recipe is under 5 grams of fat per bowl. Not bad compared to the regular stuff.

The Aspens

My friend Mary-Anne and her son Ethan have been staying with us for a couple of weeks in preparation for their move down to Ft. Hood. We decided it would be fun to pack up the kids for a little day trip up to the mountains. Since we're both moving away we wanted to go see the leaves changing.

We hung out at the park in Buena Vista, ate ice cream cones at K's and then went up to Spring Canyon to check out the scenery. After sitting in her car seat for two hours, Skylar needed to do gymnastics for awhile.

Then she wanted to lay in the grass. So we did.

This was our view from the ground:
Ethan recently started walking!
The aspens did not disappoint.........

We kept trying to get a picture of Ethan and Skylar together, but all we could catch was Ethan's backside. He had places to go and no time for pictures.

Guess who was ready to pose? Surprise.
One of the best views in the world: