Mother's Day Gift Bag

In case you need a Mother's Day gift idea, 

head over to my etsy shop and check out this gift bag.

You get:

 2 bars of soap

a hard lotion bar

a chapstick 

 a decorated muslin bag 

all for $18 plus shipping!

I never wanted to homeschool!

I never wanted to home school. I didn't want to be one of those people. I had been hurt by them. They made me feel that I wasn't doing my best or the best for my kids if I didn't choose home schooling. That the perfect christian mother would be a home schooling mother. The last thing I wanted to do was be one of them. Besides, that would mean I would be home with all of the kids all day AND be responsible for their education. I would lose my mind! I am going to be more frustrated and yell more! We are going to get on each others nerves and grow to hate each other! Yeah. Not gonna happen! So when our current schooling situation required a change, we decided to look at our options. Since I was sure homeschooling wouldn't work for us, we decided to first go to a local meeting about a home school co op starting up in our area so we could make a fair, educated decision to remove it from our list of options.

HA!

Funny how God works, isn't it? Well the exact opposite of everything I thought would happen happened. The co op was amazing and it was clear after checking into the other schooling options in our area that we would be home schooling in the fall. I knew that this change was mainly for my character building. If I was to survive a full school year at home with three kids, I had some purging to do. God is so gracious and so gentle. I am now seeing that home schooling is exactly what I needed. He taught me to see joy in mothering instead of unending, thankless work which led to gentler words coming from me. He taught me contentment in mothering with what He has given me specifically for my kids and not in comparing to others which led to a peaceful attitude. He taught me to see the good in my kids and not just the bad, which led to loving them more like He loves us.  He taught me to identify what situations would trigger frustration in my heart so I could take steps to fight that and not yell. Instead of growing to hate each other, we have grown to love each other.

So here I am. One of them. But it is my story and the path God had for me. Your story may be different. With God's help, I hope I'm not one of 'those people' to you. Home schooling isn't the best option that everyone will someday eventually come around to. Homeschooling does not get you into heaven. Obeying God's path for you is the best option that someday everyone will eventually come around to! Believing that God is infinitely glorious and created us in His image, and that we have sinned against Him and payment for those sins is eternal death, and that He loves us so much that he sent His Son to pay that debt for us by dying on the cross and received God's wrath, and that after he died He rose again and conquered death forever! Believing that is what gets you into heaven. Praise God! And not how well I do or do not home school.

Traditional Crust Pizza

So we have found a thin crust pizza that we love. 

We have made deep dish pizza that we love. 

But sometimes, you want a really good traditional crust pizza. 

Well, we found it! 

And it is fantastic! 

You must plan ahead though, because the dough is a-ma-zing if you let it set a full day.

So make this dough tomorrow so you can have pizza on Friday.

Traditional Pizza Crust

adapted from VIA 313  

5¼ c bread flour

2 t yeast

2 c lukewarm water (90-100 degrees F)

1 T salt

2 T olive oil

1 t sugar

Extra flour and olive oil for kneading and storing

In the bowl of stand mixer with a bread hook or just a large bowl, combine the yeast and flour.
Dissolve the salt and sugar in the water, then add the oil.
Add the water mixture to the machine and turn it to low speed for kneading.
Knead on low speed for about 5 minutes, or by hand, adding a tablespoon of flour or so if necessary to make a soft, smooth, non-sticky dough.
Coat mixing bowl and dough lightly in oil, cover, and store in the fridge overnight.
1 hour before you plan to bake pizza, divide into 5 equal balls, place on a tray, and cover.
When ready to shape, sprinkle a countertop with flour and put a dough ball down. Form a crust around the edge, then gently press out the center. Use your knuckles and a gently stretching movement to form the pizza crust.
Lay on a well-floured pizza peel or cardboard square and dress the pizza.
Brush crust with a little olive oil.
Transfer it into a preheated oven (500-600 degrees F) onto a preheated stone or cast iron skillet and bake 5-10 minutes until brown and bubbly.
Remove and cool on a cutting board for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Here is a video VIA-313 made showing how to make the pizza crust.  It is helpful to watch to get the technique down on shaping the dough. 

(FYI, there is a bit of crass language.)

We use the same sauce from our thin crust recipe.

Pizza Sauce
6oz tomato paste
1 c water
3 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper
1/2 T oregano
1/2 T basil
1/2 t rosemary

Combine well. 

Cranberry-Pecan Tassies

'Tis the season for my favorite Christmas treat

--Pecan Tassies-- 

This year I decided to add cranberries.

I think it was a good decision.

Pecan Tassies

-crust-

1/2 c butter

3 oz cream cheese

1 c flour

beat butter and cream cheese until well mixed

add flour

roll into nickle-sized balls and press into mini muffin tins

bake at 350 for 10 min

-Filling-

1 egg

3/4 c brown sugar

1 T melted butter

1/2 c chopped pecans

24 cranberries

combine all ingredients

fill par baked crusts and make sure each has a cranberry in it

bake for 12-15 min until golden brown

makes 24 tassies

Onion Rings

 Here's our favorite onion ring recipe. 

It reminds us of our most favorite onion rings from 

Micheal's Restaurant back in the day.

Onion Rings
adapted from Sara Moulton

2  onions 
2 c buttermilk 
1 c flourSalt 
Pepper 
Chili powder 
Oil for frying

Slice  onions into 1/4-inch rings. Place in large bowl and cover with buttermilk. 
Season flour with salt, pepper, and chili powder. 
Dredge onion rings in seasoned flour. Dip again in buttermilk, then again in seasoned four.
Fry in batches, in 350 degree oil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, giving them a flip.
Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with more salt. 
Let oil come back to temperature before frying next batch.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

 Here's an old time classic brought into the present by 
adding a little course sea salt. 

Oh Yeah.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

1/2 c butter
1/2 c coconut oil
1 cup coffee (or water or combo)
3 T cocoa powder
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1 t  baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

frosting
6 T butter
6 T cream (or milk)
1/2 c sugar
1 c chocolate chips

In a small sauce pan combine butter coconut oil coffee/water, and cocoa and stir until melted.
In the bowl of a mixer whisk the flour and sugar then add the melted butter mixture and beat well.
Next add in the soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.
Pour into a greased jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min.

For the frosting, melt butter, cream and sugar and bring to a boil for 30 seconds.
Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. 
Stir until smooth then pour over cake.
Sprinkle with course sea salt and nuts.

Pizza Pull-Apart Loaf

A pizza version of the bloomin' onion bread recipe
Add whatever toppings you like!

Pizza Pull-Apart Loaf

1/2 c olive oil
1 T garlic
1 t basil
1 t oregano
1/8 c parmesian
pepparoni
round loaf of bread
2 c mozzarella cheese


carefully slice loaf into 1/2 inch squares going first in one direction and then the other
mix 1st five ingredients together and drizzle down inside all of the cuts using a spoon to spread it around on the bread
next tuck in 1 c of the cheese into all the cuts followed by your choice of toppings then the remaining cup of cheese

wrap in foil and bake at 375 for 20 min
unwrap and bake another 5-10

serve with pizza sauce