With our lives being a bit crazy the last couple of months, I have been very lazy about making bread instead of buying it.  I have an awesome recipe that takes about an hour from start to finish.  Sooo, now that things have calmed down, I am buckling down and starting to make bread.  Yeah for saving money!  Anyway, I know that many people have been asking for this recipe so I will post it here and hope you all enjoy!

Just a few notes on the recipe:

I got this recipe from my friend Heather who got it from a lady in the area that teaches bread making classes.  Just thought I should make it clear that this is not an original recipe of my own.

You can use wheat or white flour.

I generally use the 2 loaf recipe so my notes pertain to those measurements.

I don’t use a full 1/4 cup of sugar.  I like a more savory bread so I just don’t fill up the measuring cup all the way and then I heap one  of the tsps of salt.  It worked for me, but you can experiment if you like. 😉

I haven’t ever used another kind of yeast, but if you can’t find the SAF brand, definitely  try another instant yeast in its place.

OK< the Lecithin is an organic compound.  You can find it in A TON of store bought breads and other products.  It takes the place of the fats (oils, eggs, butter, whatever). I get mine at a Health Food Store called Good Earth.  It comes in powder and liquid form.  This recipe calls for the liquid kind.  It is VERY sticky and thick.  The recipe says not to measure it, just eyeball it.  I know that sounds counter intuitive for baking, but it has worked beautifully for me.  Just make a little well in the middle of the already mixed dry ingredients and pour it in till you have the desired amount.  Then, when you add the HOT water, make sure you get it VERY hot and pour it directly onto the lecithin.  Not only does the heat activate the yeast, but it also helps to melt the lecithin so that it will mix.  The first couple of times that I made the bread, I didn’t get my water hot enough and the the lecithin didn’t incorporate fully.  It still tasted good, but it looked a little weird.

I use my stand  mixer to get things incorporated at first, but I always end up kneading it by hand at the end so I can feel the consistency.  It should be still very pliable when you finish kneading it. I don’t usually knead it the full 6 minutes.  Just depends on the altitude etc.  Using the Pam Cooking Spray is a genius idea because that way you aren’t adding any extra flour which can make the bread dry or tough.  If the dough starts to stick, I just spray a little more on the dough and my hands and it works beautifully.  Don’t forget to spray your pans.  I use glass usually, but I’m sure metal will work fine.

Cut the dough into the different pieces, don’t tare it or pinch.  Don’t ask me why it works better but it does.

Cover your bread with plastic wrap and then a towel and place in a warmer area to rise.  I usually let it rise a full 30 mins, but you can just watch it and let it get big.  It should be ballooning out over the pan.  It only needs to rise once as long as the water was hot enough and it is covered with the plastic wrap.

I know this sounds complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it is super easy and way fast.  It probably takes me about 10 mins to mix and knead it and then the 1/2 hour to let it rise and then 20 -25 mins to bake.  GOOD STUFF!

Anyway, I think that’s it. I learned the recipe off of a DVD so I had step by step instructions so if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  Here is the link for the download:  One Hour White Bread

HAPPY BAKING!

Well, better late than never I always say…teehee!  For those who were expecting to get this like a month ago, I apologize!  As you will see things got a little crazy.

We hope that all of your Holidays went well and that you were able to enjoy the spirit of the season.  It is now February so we could technically call this our Valentines Newsletter instead of Christmas, but for tradition’s sake, we will stick to the “title” ;).

We had a wonderfully crazy Christmas.  Nan was so fun this year.  She was very aware that Christmas was coming and that Santa was getting ready to visit.  We even got to go and visit Santa at the Mall in Provo.  She was super excited to be able to go shopping with Mom and Dad for presents, and kept us on our toes when it came to our Christmas Paper Chain Countdown.   Nan was also very excited to participate in one of my family’s favorite Christmas time traditions.  Ever since I can remember, my Grandmother would take us all to see the Ballet West production of the Nutcracker on Christmas Eve Day.  Nan, being four this year, was old enough to go.  She loved it and really enjoyed even the longer numbers.  She kept asking me which one of the dancers was Clara and to explain what was going on.  SO fun!  Edie stayed home with Daddy,  (he was not entirely disappointed that he missed watching men in tights jump around a stage, ha!)

Well, Christmas came and went and was a huge success all around.  I love having children at Christmas time.  It just brings the memories and the magic back to it all.   The next day we were headed up to Brigham City for our nieces’ Baptism (Congrats Bailey!) and Nan said that she had a stomach ache.  Well after a not so fun trip up and a sick weekend, we ended up at the doctors on Monday and after a full day of tests and pokes and prods (and Nan in a lot of pain), we were told that Nan had acute appendicitis and needed emergency surgery that night.  Her appendix had a very small rupture so some of the infection had gotten out into her body so she had to stay in the hospital for the rest of the week.  Let me tell you that trying to explain to a four year old why she had to get poked with a needle over and over again for blood draws and IVs, let alone why they couldn’t just poke once and be done (she inherited Sam and my bad veins) and what a catheter is was not our favorite of parenting experiences.  The worst part was that even though she had to go through all of that she would always be polite about asking the nurses to stop by using her pleases and thank yous.  We also had to keep trying to explain why we couldn’t take her home yet.  AHHH!  It was all just very heartbreaking.  However we had lots of help with Eden and everything is fine now.  She was jumping on the couches a few days after they released her from the hospital.  Its amazing how fast kids bounce back.

Then after about a week of trying to get back to normal, Edie and I both came down with some sort of the flu, and after a week of that, I came down with an intestinal flu.  Soooo, this has been our first week of normalcy after about a month of crazyness.

Other than that we are doing well.  Our biggest news is that we closed on our first home in November.  We bought a condo in Pleasant Grove, UT and are loving having our own space.  Its is about 1300 sq feet so its not large, but it is all ours!!!  I will be posting some photos of the house later in another post.

We love our new ward. It is very transient.  Most of our stake is that way.  We live in an area of lots of different multiple family complexes.  Our ward is made of 2 complexes, one of which is entirely rented, so you can imagine the movement in the ward.  About three weeks after we moved in I was called into the Primary Presidency and so far I have loved every minute of it.  Sam was called as a Home Teaching District Leader and his happy with that calling as well.  Sam is still teaching at East Shore High School in the Resourse (special education) lab.  This high school is an alternative school in the school district where kids with special circumstances (i.e. teen moms, kids who don’t do well in a normal school setting, suspended kids, and even those who want to finish school early) can go.  They do packets that are worth credits toward graduation.  He loves working there as there is always a new challenge everyday.  He also works with some kids that can’t come to school and so he goes to them.  Usually they are kids with a severe disabilities.  He works long hours, but we are proud of him and what he does for our family.   I am, at the moment, a stay at home mom and am tyring to keep the house in an orderly fashion (yeah right, teehee!).  I am always trying out new recipes and love reading books when I have the time.   Sam and I don’t get to dance as often as we would like, but as the girls get older we hope to remedy that.  I have been able to do some choreography lately and hope to keep doing that more.  I love it!

Nan is now a CTR.  She is growing up so fast and I always am surprised by her maturity and intelligence.  She is our little princess and loves to play pretend, be fancy, and paint her fingernails and toenails any chance she gets.  We are hoping to find a kindergarten that will take her this fall.  She misses the deadline by about 2 weeks, but is so ready to start school.  She is doing basic math, loves to read books with mom, and work in her “school book”.  We love our little Nan.

Eden just turned 18 months old on Friday and so spent her first Sunday in Nursery and did great! (hallelujah chorus blaring in the background)… She is definitely the little drama queen of the house.  Edie loves to laugh and make others laugh.  She runs everywhere and is talking up a storm.  She is our loving, crazy, evil genius, and we mean that in the best way! We love our little edie.

Well, thats us right now.  We all hope that this finds you well!

This year was super fun for Halloween.  Nan and I got dressed up for the U of U Halloween concert in which her aunt Jess was playing.  We also got to take both girls trick or treating this year.  Edie did pretty well, but was all but done after about a block.  Nan, however, could have kept going all night!  She kept saying’ “just one more street Mom?”. I finally had to put by foot down, but she still wanted to do more even though she was cold and didn’t really want to walk anymore, teehee!

So, I was over visiting my best friend from High School the other day.  Its amazing to me to think that we have been graduated from High School for almost 10 yrs!  anyway… She has become the intern for Glen Ricks photography of American Fork. If you don’t know who that is, lets just say she’s VERY good.  Anyway, we were talking and she offered to take some pictures of my girls,  and well, I jumped at the chance for some professional pics.   I just wanted to say a public thank you to her for doing an awesome job and always being there for me!   What would we do without good friends!

Eden Kate

Our newest addition isn’t so new anymore.  She will be 7 months old this week.  Eden is a wonderful baby, and a smile is her usual expression.

Eden has discovered that she can roll over both ways and if she can will be across the room in no time.  Two teeth have appeared in her bottom gum and we have felt them plenty of times.  (Sometimes we’ve felt them a little too much, ouch!)

She has started to eat baby food but you can tell she’d rather be eating whatever we’re eating.  We were eating pizza the other day and she was just throwing an excited fit.  She had been handling Zweiback Toast ok, so we gave her a small crust to suck on.  She immediately calmed down and thought that crust was the best thing she had ever tasted.  That’s my girl!  We love bread!

Well, that’s all of us in a nutshell.  I should have some more pictures and videos uploaded soon as well as some fun news of upcomming events.  We’ll keep you posted!

Nan-3 yrs old

Our Dearest Nan!  She is so much fun.  She is now 3 1/2 yrs old, though she usually acts much older than that!  She is loving discovering the world around her as only a 3 yr old can.  She has a vivid, very creative imagination.  She can turn anything into “her best friend” and loves to play mom and baby/daughter with her stuffed animals.  For her 3rd birthday she recieved a book called Fancy Nancy from her aunt Kate and since then, she has loved to dress up and be “fancy”. Its a great book for anyone who has a little girl.  A local doll shop even put on a Fancy Nancy party which she attended and to this day she still asks to go back.

Nan is now a Sunbeam in primary.  Mom and Dad are excited to see the transition but are still a little weirded out that we have a kid old enough to be in primary.  She has been assigned to give her first talk this coming Sunday.  Look out for that upcomming post!

Our little Nan is a joy to have in the family.  She is very obedient and is quick to fix any mistakes and has a very kind and sweet disposition.  We love our cute little Shirley Temple look a like!

me just hanging out

What can I say about me.  I think this is the hardest part about blogging.  Well, right now I am a full time stay-at-home mom.  I love my girls.  Being a mom is better than I would have ever thought but also harder than anyone can imagine.  All of the wonderful things, however, by far outweigh the hard stuff.

Besides being a mom.  I still enjoy dancing when I can teaching when I get the chance.  I still hold to my dream of someday opening my own dance studio where good, clean, dancing fun is the focus.  But for now, I’ll just teach my own girls how to boogie!!!

I am very excited for spring to get here.  We’ve all caught spring fever and are ready to get outside with out bundling up.  The park will be our best friend this year!

Sam at my sis Jessica's Wedding

I guess I’ll start with updating everyone what our family is doing.

Sam is Teaching Full time + at East Shore High School in Special Ed.  East Shore is the alternative high school for Alpine School District.  They have kids that don’t do well in normal school settings, teen moms, troubled teens, and those that want to finish early from high school. (The last group is few and far between).  He also does Home Hospital where he goes to home bound students and teaches them there.  Sam LOVES his job.  He really feels like he’s making a difference with these kids.  Its a lot of work, but East Shore is a good fit for him.

Sam has also been getting into woodworking.  Mostly wood turning on a lathe(sp?).  He’s made pens, earing stands, oil viles and a whole lot more.  He’s getting very good and very creative.  He has just found a great pod cast called the woodwhisperer and is wanting to get started on some bigger projects.  He actually made a bassinet for our youngest daughter this past summer.  It turned out beautiful.  We’ll keep you posted on future projects.

Sam is a great dad and a wonderful husband.  He works very hard and keeps us all laughing with his wonderful sense of humor.

Hello Everyone,

Well, I was trying to use other blog sites and was just having no luck and I don’t know why.  Oh well, I guess I’ll just chalk it up to my bad luck with some computer programs, teehee!

I’m not quite sure how to “blog” but here goes!