It Rose!

I am engaging in a new life-style of eating Gluten free. Mom suggested I try it due to my low thyroid, adrenal and depression issues.  I was not pleased at the idea of giving up gluten because I love bread!  I didn't want to have to put restrictions on what I could/couldn't eat.  But I'm giving it a try and have found that if you do not want your baking creation to turn into a crumbly mess or get discouraged,  or shed a few tears, then you must add Xanthan Gum! (I've fallen in love with the powdery stuff.)
I've made a Gluten free quick bread twice that never rose above the edge of the bread pan. The middle would sink after baking, and that is not my idea of 'sandwich' bread.  So the other day I made Gluten free bread with yeast.  It was sticky.  Very. Sticky.  I thought I'd never use that recipe again.  I spooned it in the bread pan, put it in the oven (the recipe didn't say to let it rise a second time) thinking it would not turn out to be anything great . . . Until I started to smell something wonderful.  So I peaked in the oven to see what was going on:

Bless it's heart, it decided to RISE instead of sink while baking!  It rose so much, it got stuck in the top heating element in the oven.  Nevertheless, mom and I were able to pry it out.  We took the over-flowing-top off and put it in another pan and sent both 'loaves' back in the oven to finish baking.  But first we got pictures:

(We got dad a Kindle/Ipod for Christmas, and he wanted to try the camera on it.)

Over all, the sticky bread recipe that I didn't think I'd use again, turned out to be down right wonderful! I will definitely be using the recipe again. I might add olive oil and rosemary the next time. 

True Yeast Bread

3 cups GF flour mix (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1/4 cup sugar

3 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (Miracul powder in my mind)

2/3 cup dry milk powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. sugar

Combine this in heavy-duty mixing bowl.

 

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast

Dissolve sugar in water with yeast.

 

1/4 cup butter

1 1/4 cups water

Combine butter and water in saucepan and heat until butter melts.

1 tsp. vinegar

3 eggs

 

Turn mixer on low. Blend dry ingredients and slowly add butter, water mixture and  vinegar. Blend, then add eggs. This mixture should feel slightly warm.  Pour the yeast mixture ingredients in the bowl and beat at high speed for two minutes. Place bowl in warm place, cover and let dough rise until double in size. Return to mixer and beat on high for three minutes.  Spoon dough into three small (2.5 x 5 ") greased loaf pans or one large one. Bake at 350 for about 40-45 minutes, or until done.

Spread with butter and honey, or whatever floats your boat and carries you to cloud nine.

WARNING: It smells wonderful and WILL rise above the rim of pans!

If I lived back then . . .

I was looking through old family pictures today (I'm guessing they're family . . . no names are written anywhere). I found an newspaper obituary for a family member and for some reason the clipping included the obituary for a Mrs. Pearl B. Manley (not related).  It read:

"Mrs. Pearl B. Manley, aged 23, died at her home . . . She leaves several small children."

A moment in my mind went something like this: "Twenty three years old.  She was young.  That could have been me.  By the age of 23, this lady was married, AND had several children. (How many is several?!  I would say more then three . . . at least!)  How young would she have been when she got married?  I'm 23 and I'm not even married, and I certainly don't have several children." 

I went on looking at more pictures, found the following and began to dream:

If I was married by age 23 and had several children, I'd live in a house like this.

This is what one of my daughters would look like. (What a lovely claw and ball stand this it!)

This is what my sons would look like.  And the only way I could get them to have their likeness taken was to remove the items from the above photo off the stand.

This is what another daughter would look like.  Look at those eyes!

Is this what I'd look like?  (I see where the little girl pictured above gets her eyes.)

How would a husband manage the children, the house and the farm?  Would he remarry? I wonder what became of that family. . . what were their names . . .

A few Pictures

It's a Saturday. I'm the only one home at the present time being. It's 59.5 degrees outside, so I hung clothes outside to dry (who would have thought it'd get this warm in January?!). I'm listening to The Maccabeats album entitled Out of the Box.  I'm tired of working on a pair of jeans that are too long. So I thought I'd take a rest and write a new post. But I have blogger's block. So until I think of something to write, here are some pictures for your enjoyment: 

Greeting dad at the end of his last day of work as a health inspector. 

Dad's retirement party.

Enjoying the snow in my reenacting cape that I found at a second hand store.

So glad there was snow for Christmas!

Cousin Rebecca, Uncle Bruce and Natasha skypeing with my cousin Jason who could not be here for Christmas.

I love this picture!

My pants aren't going to hem themselves, so I best get back to them. 

Merry Christmas

The Greatest Need

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an eduactor;

If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist;

If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist;

If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer;

But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior. 

~ Author unknown

Mom and Natasha looking at a life size Nativity at Opryland in TN.

I hope you all have a joyful Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Dad, Natasha, Mom, Daniel, Janel, Me, Rebecca (cousin) Thanksgiving 2012 Opryland

Time Together

I spent a week with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece a while ago.  Here's a picturesque view of what we did:

We got a Christmas tree. (And Janel informed me that my wardrobe did not match my hat; I think a more rugged looking jacket would look better.)

Natasha had fun playing with the Christmas decorations. (She picked out her own clothing to wear for the day.)

I longed to move into this charming little house across the road from my sister.  I love the pine trees as a back drop; they remind me of the pine trees I walked along every day on my way to class when I was at college.  I had read The Frontersman before I left for college and when I walked by the trees, I imagined Indians hiding in that woods, waiting for the opportune moment to sneak out and grab me . . . just like they did to Simon Kenton.  Back to the house . . . the only problem is that you can't see the sun set from this location.

We went shopping and Natasha enjoyed trying on different hair pieces.

I decorated a wreath for Janel's utility room door. 

We had a gingerbread house party but used cardboard for the houses.  Natasha had such fun playing with all the candy. 

Janel and her sister-in-law introduced me to Downton Abbey, which inspired Janel to try Miss Mary's hairstyle on me.  It turned out rather nice, which made me feel a bit like royalty.

 I am inspired by the house, the interior, the clothing, hairstyles and the theme song.  

My 'gingerbread' house . . . my 'log cabin' construction has some flaws.  I think I'll stick with interior work, and leave the construction to someone else.

Cousins

Cousins, then . . .  2001 . . .

And now . . . . 2012  . . .

(Plus Natasha, who we were trying to keep happy.) 

A Tennessee Thanksgiving

This year my family went to my Aunt and Uncle's place in TN for Thanksgiving.  I believe it was the first time I was out of my home state for Thanksgiving, and it was the first year my aunt had not come to her home state for Thanksgiving since she got married, thirty some years ago.  I think that is why I enjoyed our Thanksgiving in TN so much: Because Aunt Rita got to stay home for the day.

Due to having a year full of deaths, hardships and disappointments, I was having a challenging time choosing to be thankful for much of anything.  Somewhere in KY, heading down the interstate, my attitude changed.   Here is how it happened:

We were in the far left lane of the three -lane, southbound interstate. All of a sudden, mom (driving) allarmingly said "Oh my! Oh no! Greg . . . Where do I go?! Oh no! Oh dear Lord!" I looked to my right and saw we were parallel with semi truck which was pushing a little four-door car, which was headed east and west. The smell of rubber filled the air.  Mom applied the breaks, as did the semi.  The car drove in front of us, into the grass separating the north and south interstate, hit the guard cables, threw grass and dirt onto the north bound lane, bounced back and stopped in the grass.  Mom pulled off, and she and dad got out to help the couple.  Passing vehicles had slowed down. The semi pulled off, as did two or three other cars.  Dad called 911, while I stood by our van and watched as the husband and wife got out of the car, and mom went to be of help.  Within minutes the ambulance was there; thankfully everyone was fine. Soon two fire trucks showed up, along with four police/sheriff cars.  We gave our account of what happened, mom hugged the wife, and headed on our way.

I had many things to be thankful for after witnessing a car accident. 

And now for pictures of my Thanksgiving in Tennessee:

Natasha learning the accordion while my Aunt Rita and Uncle Bruce watch.

The weather was so nice that we all went to a park, built like a castle. Natasha loved it!  There was a little stage and Natasha put on such a cute performance, singing "Christmas is Coming" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".

Front row (L-R): me, Janel, Natasha, Mom  Back Row (L-R): Aunt Rita (mom's sister), Rachal, Jennifer, and Rebecca (cousins)

One evening after cooking hot dogs over a bonfire, we sat around in Aunt Rita and Uncle Richard's barn, and played music while talking with Jason and Josh on Skype.  Aunt Rita invited a "cowboy" (as she called him) over because he was not going home for Thanksgiving.  Clinton (the cowboy) played the guitar and Indian flute (not at the same time), James and Rachal (my cousins) played keyboards, mom and Jennifer played flute and alto flute, Josh played the bango (over skype) and I played the violin.

Over all it was a wonderful time! I could have spent the whole month down there.  There's something that southern states have that northern states lack.  Can I be from the north, yet have those southern graces?