German Pancakes. Tell Me They're Not Delicious. (Mel)

Riley LOVES breakfast time.

Most mornings I don't eat breakfast. I know, shame on me, what with the "it's the most important meal of the day" garbage. But on the mornings I DO eat breakfast, it's definitely not healthy. Let's just say if I have a pound of bacon in the freezer that's cooked and eaten. If I don't have bacon, then I turn to my yummy simple stand by of German Pancakes. MMMMMMMM.... They definitely have a special place in my heart as my favorite breakfast food. Yes, it even beats out bacon or any other breakfast meat. Mostly because it has some of my favorite things in it. Butter and salt. Okay I have to say these pictures aren't very good until Riley is in them but we'll just deal with it, mm'kay? So anyone who knows me knows that my tongue doesn't do flavor like this. As a matter of fact, this "tongue map" is actually scientifically WRONG, but that's beyond the point. 

If it was correct, my flavor receptors would actually look more like thisI adore salt. Let's just leave it at that. Let's move onto the reason we're all here.

Book of the Month- January (Steph)

One of my New Year resolutions this year was to read a new book every month.  I thought that was a pretty lofty goal for myself, since I don't think I read a single new book last year.  Well, maybe, but I honestly don't remember.  I always make the excuse that "I don't have time," but really, that's not true.  So I figured if I didn't read one book every month, half of that would be 6 books for the year, and that's pretty good for me. 

I'm happy to announce that I am on track for my goal and have finished my book for the month of January.  I read The Choice by Nicholas Sparks.  When my sis-in-law Lisa moved out, she left all of her books, so I thought that I would borrow a few before I resort to paying my 6+ years overdue fines at the library. (Thanks Lisa)

The Choice was a fairly easy and quick read and I would recommend it to someone who needs a feel-good, romantic, heart-warming story.  Most of Sparks' stories have a similar feel and a bunch have been made into movies (The Notebook, Dear John, The Last Song, Nights in Rodanthe, A Walk to Remember), but I'll jump on the band-wagon and say that I enjoy them.  They are similar to stories by LDS author Jack Weyland, but they are a teeny-tiny bit more "dirty." 

The description on the dust jacket says this:

"Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life -- boating, swimming, and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies -- he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door. Despite his attempts to be neighborly, the appealing redhead seems to have a chip on her shoulder about him...and the presence of her longtime boyfriend doesn't help. Despite himself, Travis can't stop trying to ingratiate himself with his new neighbor, and his persistent efforts lead them both to the doorstep of a journey that neither could have foreseen. Spanning the eventful years of young love, marriage and family, The Choice ultimately confronts us with the most heartwrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?"

Can't wait to read it right?  Check it out and and enjoy!

"Tangled" Cute Movie, and Lightbulb Moment for Me(Mel)

Last Friday, Tim and I actually went on a date (I know right?) cause he got free movie tickets so, yeah it wasn't a really expensive date, but when the last time you've been on a date with your spouse was after you first got married, free movie tickets are the only chance you get sometimes. So anyways, we went and saw the movie "Tangled" and oh my goodness, is that movie cute! (Yes the one night we have away from our kids we go and see a kids movie, but there really wasn't anything else I wanted to waste my free movie ticket on.)  Ahem, a cute movie. On the way home from the movie we stopped and got an ice cream cone (see we did spend a whole 2$) and Tim and I were talking about the movie cause Tim really liked and I did too, but I don't talk for hours on end about something that I like; I BLOG about it.;) But Tim wanted to talk about it, so we were chatting and Tim brought up the question " What other fairy tales are there that haven't been made into a movie yet?" Because Tim doesn't really know of any other fairy tales other than the classic ones, we went through those first. Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Little Mermaid, (although I always point out to Tim that Disney's Little Mermaid is no where near the fairy cause in the original she kills herself, nice huh?) But after going through most of the ones that have been made into movies we approached Nursery Rhymes. I immediately started naming all the ones that haven't been made into a longer story or a movie, when I said Jack n' Jill, Tim laughed at me and said, "Yeah that would probably be a funny one. Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down, and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after. How would you stretch that out into a movie?"
LIGHTBULB. I immediately started pulling apart the rhyme in my head and looking possibilities. Jack and Jill; what exactly is their relationship? Brother and Sister? Cousins? Neighbors? Lovers? Enemies? Okay now we have those, next line, "went up the hill to fetch a pail of water" what was the water for? Was it the chore? Was there an emergency? " Jack fell down and broke his crown" Why did Jack fall? His he that clumsy? Was he pushed? Did the "breaking of his crown" cause him any problems, like amnesia? Think of the possibilities THAT would bring! "Jill cam tumbling after" okay so either this hill is slippery or they were pushed down that hill. who would want to push someone down a hill? What really happened at the top of the hill?
Of course the first verse everyone knows but then I thought about the second part of the rhyme Up Jack got and home did trot as fast as he could caper, to Old Dame Dob who patched his nob, with vinegar and brown paper." Let's assume Jack and Jill up on the hill for just water and nothing or no one bad was up there waiting to push them back down, if Jack really broke his head open, would it be wise for him to get up and run home, much less move? Take a look at Old Dame Dob, Who is she? is she is mom? His grandma? Just some old lady who goes around fixing people's broken skulls? hmmmm. Seems shady. Really think about the words themselves and see what possibilities you can come up with. I'm not looking for what the rhyme really means cause there are several meanings, but just think about the words and see if you could come up with a story idea. I'm playing with a couple ideas right now and when I get them sorted out I'll write them down and post them to see if anyone can help my direction. When it becomes a story I can sell it to Disney and make a bazillion dollars.:)

Not really about food or books... (Steph)

I know this has nothing to do with food, or reading books, but I thought I would share our copy of the family portrait we took while we were all together on Christmas.

You know how the first time we didn't get Dorthy?  Well, this time it looks like we didn't get Bridget.  I would have said, "let's do it again," but I don't think Dad would have gone for it.  He gets so testy when someone makes him get his picture taken. :)

Despite this oversight, I think they turned out pretty good.

p.s. Mel has them on her blog as well.

Granola Bars with hidden stuff (Mom)

Charles and Sarah tend to run out the door before they can get something to eat for breakfast.  They don't mind granola and granola bars, so I had been buying them.  The cost of those little granola bars was beginning to mount, especially when to feel satified you have to eat 2 or 3 of them.  So I began to look for some granola bars to make at home.  I came across a few of them, some you bake; some  you don't and I began to experiment.  They all have oats and peanut butter which is fine.  Some other ones had different kinds of cereal and nuts and such.  Here's what I have come up with, combining a few recipes together.

Granola Bars
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted ( butter works best)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
3 Tbsp. toasted wheat germ
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
The following ingredients are optional:
     1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
     1/4 cup coconut
     1/4 cup raisins
     1/4 cup dried cranberries
     1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, butter and vanilla.  Stir in the flour, oats, rice cereal, sunflower seeds, wheat germ and sesame seeds.  Fold in any or all of the optional ingredients.
Press into a 9x13 pan that has been oiled or sprayed with nonstick spray.  Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes.  Check at 15 and don't over bake.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack.  Cut into bars while still kind of warm.  When cooled, remove from pan and store in a tin or plastic container.

(Originally, there was no flour in the recipe but I was watching  the create channel and one of the chefs put flour in her cereal bars.  It helps to keep the bars together-acts as a binder.)

I took some to the hospital when Bridget was born last week for Tim and Mel to munch on.  I think Mel ate most of them, so I was making some more the other night when they were here, and forgot the rice cereal.  I told Tim that I had.  He said "What other stuff do you hide in the granola bars?"  Therefore, the hidden stuff.

It's been a while (Mom)

So it has been a while since I put a post in.  I haven't been reading as much lately, but I do go in spurts. Always have.  I haven't been very successful at cooking lately either.  I have needed a new stove for some time now.  Chris, as great a repairman as he is, just couldn't fix the old one this time.  The oven controls just stopped working.  Chris looked at it (suffering from back pain on a Sunday) which I do appreciate, and tried to fix it.  They just don't make the parts for it any more it was so old. We determined that after almost 22 years we really should get a new one.  So began the quest.  Chris was more earnest at it than I was.  After all, I had an excuse not to cook.  Not that I don't enjoy it, I just like a break once in a while.   So he shopped a while, determined where the best deal would be and where we could get the best warranty.  We ended up a Lowe's because they were offering 18 months interest free and they had the best warranty available.   I got a black Frigidaire gas range, with 5 burners (yes, FIVE) and a 5.0 cu.ft. oven.  The top is closed so no yuckies underneath.  It is electronic ignition so no  pilots to go out.  It is self cleaning so no having to clean the oven the old fashioned way.  There is a window and a light  for the oven and it is BEAUTIFUL.  It was delivered yesterday and Chris hooked it up last night. I almost hated to use it but I did this morning to fry an egg for breakfast.  It is great!

"Egg"cellent Egg Trick (Steph)

Have you ever made a hard-cooked egg and when you go to peel it half of the egg falls apart?  Have you ever wondered, "why can't the shell just come off clean?  Why do my hard-cooked eggs always turn out so ugly?"  Well, I have wondered those "egg"xact same words (I'll throw as many egg puns as I can in this post, I promise) and while I have wondered it, I haven't actively searched to find an answer, mostly because things "egg"xit  (see) my brain as quickly as I can think them. So my answer came a little un"egg"spectedly. (didn't see that one coming did you?)

One day while watching (but not understanding) the Japanese channel, there was a "how-do-they-make-it?" type show on and it was about a place where they made lots of hard-boiled eggs that they packaged and sold to stores or something like that.  Kevin's mom was translating while we watched and they had a couple of tips on how to have a perfect hard-cooked egg. But first, lets take a look at the basic structure of a chicken egg.

Fairly simple and probably not anything you didn't know before.  Apparently the key to hard-cooked eggs that peel easily is to separate the membrane from the white while cooking. Makes sense.  One way this show suggested was to use older eggs when boiling.  Over time, the membrane inside the egg breaks down naturally and therefore will peel easier when cooked.  But how do you tell when your eggs are old enough without being too old? Yeah, my thoughts "egg"xactly.  It's hard to know.  A second way to separate the membrane from the white is to crack the "bottom" (or as the illustration shows, the "top") of the egg where the air sack is located before boiling the eggs.  The air sack allows the shell to be broken without egg oozing out, but the membrane allows the water to travel through it. The membrane then separates from the cooked white, making for slick egg peeling.

Naturally, I had to try this method out for myself.  I have used the "shell cracking" method on a couple of different occasions and it has worked beautifully for me.  So, the next time you've got a hankerin' for a smoothly peeled, hard-cooked egg give it a try.