Saturday, December 31, 2005

Happy New Year!

I can hardly believe another year is down the pike....and no, I don't do FORMAL resolutions. I prefer to call them goals- that way I don't feel like such a schmuck when I forget them 2 weeks into the new year.

With that being said, I have GOALS for the new year...I know, different name, same cow!

Goal 1: Get my house in order. This includes finally gettting smaller scale fumiture to fit my home, which is "cozy". This means bunkbeds for the twins, and a futon for the older one...I am going to do his room as if it is a dorm room, that way when his friends and girlfriend want to come over, they don't have to put up with dorky parents....yikes. my kids are at the age they have parents that are dorky (but of course they don't use that outdated word...)!

Goal 2: More exercise (that one shall not be discussed, hence I should tire from the thought of it and be unable to act on it). Better diets for all of us...

Goal 3: More knitting. This one will be the easiest. I am going to set my mind to finally finishing the socks I started on in 2005! After that, my goal is to knit at least one hat for the Cancer Treatment Center every other month.

Goal 4: Digital camera so I can finally post pictures and pretend I am up with the current technology.

'nuff said....

On the cooking front, I tried a cake from the January issue of Midwest living---discovered that sticking a knife in the center of a cake that looks like it may not be completely done, does not end in good results....and yes, I now know what it looks like when a cake falls....darn it! Oh well, a little cram cheese frosting hides a multitude of sins!Please ignore goal #2 for now--it's not 2006 yet...

Sunday, December 25, 2005

Merry Christmas to All!

And a very merry Christmas to all out there!
I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and in the very least, peace on your corner of the earth.

Kids woke up early as usual and we got to watch them unwrap their presents. This was an electronic Christmas, so needless to say, there were fewer...But enjoyed nonetheless...While the kids were playing, I made homemade buttermilk pancakes from a fabulous recipe I found in "The Best Quick Breads" by Beth Hensperger. I love the whole book, but here is my adaptation of her wonderful recipe. I can't keep a recipe for too long before I start fiddlin' with it. However, this one has very little fiddlin' involved because the original was perfect... (You've really got to get his book---YUMMY-- and the breads are east to boot. Always a plus in my world.)

OLD FASHIONED BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 large eggs ( I sometimes use 4)
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or veg oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar (optional- this is my add in)
1 cup blueberries, strawberries or peaches if desired

Combine the flour, baking soda, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and oil (or butter). Whisk the wet ingredients together to combine completely.

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. DO NOT OVERMIX-BATTER WILL HAVE SMALL LUMPS. If you want to add fruit, gently fold it in now.

Heat a griddle over medium heat- until a drop of water skates over the surface. Remove pan from heat and add lightly add oil to pan or spray with non stick spray.

Return to stove and put 1/4 cup batter in pan.

cook until bubbles form on the surface, the edges are dry and the bottom is golden. Turn once, cooking the opposite side until golden.

Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200*F oven until ready to serve.

YUM! Definitely an easy recipe and the pancakes are so fluffy you will never even think of pancake mix again! And if you want to change it a bit, you can add all kinds of flavoring extracts and nuts....Complete breakfast heaven (we also have them for dinner when Mom (aka ME) is too darn lazy/tired to come up with something else.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Happy Days!

YEEAAHHH!
We finally got a new computer for our house today-no more trekking to the public library. Not that going to our little library is bad-quite to the contrary, we have a wonderful library in our little town-but there is nothing like being able to blog in your scivvies at three in the morning...I do think trying to do that at the library would result in dire consequences--not to mention the whole "trespassing if the building is closed" issue.....plus I love that I can once again park my rear in front of the computer with a mug of hot chocolate when it is butt freezing cold outside!And that it has been! I have reached the conclusion that I probably don't love winter as much as I thought I did in the middle of the summer. Reality has a way of knocking you in the face! This is actually the first year in quite a few years that I have actually had to worry about getting myself together in the mornings and getting everyone to school and having to go to work...I LOVE my job-which helps, but BOY do I miss being able to come home and have an hour to form a complete thought...not a morning person am I. Which explains why I am sitting here at the computer at midnight instead of getting into bed.
Can you believe it is almost Christmas! Last December (after Christmas, of course) I had firm intentions of having tons of things made for gifts by now--at least one knitted scarf. There is a difference between theory and practice...Ok-goal for next Christmas...I am actually progressing on the first pair of socks I have ever knitted - except that I have come to the conclusion that I am knitting them inside out--not that it would surprise anyone who knows me--so I will be running down to our local knit shop and testing the patience of the owner AGAIN...One day that woman will write a book that will make people weep--wanna guess who will be the main villain?