What I baked today...

This morning, we woke up late for church, so it was a cold cereal morning. After returning from church (late) we grilled carne asada tacos and I made two dozen whole wheat tortillas to go with lunch. By the time lunch was eaten and put away, it was 3:00pm. I worked for a little while on a project for my geography class, then we went to kids choir. Dinner was homemade waffles, with butter & syrup or powdered sugar. They taste like funnel cakes! My kitchen looks like a tornado hit it!! I joked several times that I was probably the only crazy woman from my church that came home and rolled out two dozen homemade whole wheat tortillas. Bet everyone who ate out has a clean kitchen. But what they don't have is homemade whole wheat tortillas leftover for tomorrow.

Also, our okra crop came in today. One pod. It's a nice one though. Still can't decide whether to boil it or fry it.

D

Long time, no blog...

Well, I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. So much has happened. We went on a great summer vacation, school has started, my baking has started again as well. Most of my summer was spent avoiding cooking -- if at all possible. Now that the weather has turned cooler, I am back to baking. I had planned on doing a breadbaking tutorial, but my mill was acting up. After sending it to be repaired, I have been baking a couple of times a week. Maybe sometime next week, I'll take some pictures during the process.

BTW, To follow up the last post - we brought in our old microwave from the camper after about two months. It wasn't unbearable to live without one. We just had to plan a little better. Heating leftovers in a steam basket was quite the experience - and warming anything dirtied twice the dishes. Since I do most of the dishwashing around here, I caved, and we brought in our $29 e-wave - it has two dials... very fancy.

We're taking a field trip on Monday to the State Fair. I'm sure I'll post about that next week.
Dianne

Ode to Convenience Lost

Oh, how I'll miss your powerful ways,
The convenience of cooking with microwave rays.
You took up much of my counter-space,
Whatever will I put there in your place?
This morning when you sparked, I could have cried,
I knew right then that you were fried.
So now, a more efficient planner I must be,
No last minute defrosting for me.


My microwave bit the dust this morning at 6:45. Right in the middle of finishing dh's breakfast. I penned the poem not long after. I'm accepting the death of my microwave as a challenge to see how long I can live without one. I didn't use it for cooking very often, mostly bacon, defrosting meat, and softening butter for baking. The top 5 things I'll miss about my microwave are: 1. softening butter, 2. cooking bacon, 3. defrosting meat, 4. cooking frozen & fresh veggies, 5. melting butter for popcorn. Aside from the fresh/frozen veggies, sounds like I could do without the rest - we're eating too much bacon and butter anyways.

Cut #1 daughters hair today... 6 inches off. She is very happy with it, and I must admit, I did a pretty good job. I'll try to post a pic soon.

We had 47 people over for dinner Sunday evening. Grilled burgers and hot dogs, and everyone brought buns & chips. We had so much fun getting to see friends we haven't seen in a while. We've had company every day for over a week now.

Well, we've got one more day of VBS. It has been fun, but the kids are worn out. Glad it's over tomorrow.

Upcoming Bread Tutorial

I've been pretty busy at home lately, but in July (after our vacation), I plan on posting a step-by-step breadbaking tutorial. My aunt wanted my bread recipe at a family reunion over the weekend, and I thought it would be a fun way to show her how to do it. This is the aunt that when I told her I had a blog, she said "I'm sorry, I think maybe a laxative would take care of that."

Baking bread causes me to slow down and prioritize. I really enjoy turning out a finished product. With housework and child-rearing, there are many days that your work seems fruitless. Dishes just get dirty again, floors don't stay clean for more than a few minutes, and there are always meals to fix, laundry to wash, and someone around my house is always hungry. When I bake, there's something to show for my efforts. Plus, the real payoff is in knowing that my family is eating healthy fresh 100% whole wheat bread - and it tastes great!

Time Flies & Flies (the buzzing kind)

Sounds like its going to be another busy day.

One child has a coop fellowship on the south side of town, one child has a birthday party on the north side of town (within an hour of one another). I'm trying to coordinate a ride to the birthday so I won't be driving for two hours this evening!

The flies are so thick in our backyard. They're the biting kind. They're biting the dogs and us! I am going to the farm & ranch vet supply today to see if there's something I can do for them. We're trying to keep the poop scooped, and I'm going to wash the deck with pine-sol. We set out a couple of traps, but I think they're worse because of it. I know a bath wouldn't hurt either of the dogs, but Jack is too big for me to bathe outside without a squeeze chute!

Well, I'm hearing the pattering of footsteps upstairs, I'd better get some breakfast going for everyone. Hope you have a great day!

Monday's Happenings

It's been a pretty busy day here at our house. The two oldest girls went to Vacation Bible School at a local church, while the oldest and youngest children helped me run errands. I have managed to check the following things off of my to-do list today...

1) purchased invitations for birthday party
2) purchased okra seeds - I know it's late, we haven't given up on our garden!
3) picked up mailing envelopes at office supply store
4) packaged and dropped off books that I sold at the post office
5) dropped off comforter & down blanket at cleaners
6) washed and hung out sheets
7) cleaned out fridge
8) ordered Financial Peace University materials for next year's homeschool coop.
9) worked in the yard
10) started dinner (marinating some meat to grill)
11) wrote out invitations for birthday party
12) got gum out of 3yod's hair - had to cut a few curls out!
13) posted on my blog

Whew, it's been a busy day!

Happy 12th Birthday to my Son

To: My "Little Man"

You are growing up so fast! Seems like just yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital. You have brought so much joy and happiness to our lives and we are so proud of the young man you are becoming. You are getting to be such a big help around our house, and such a good big brother to your little sisters. We are truly blessed to be your mom and dad.

We Love You Very Much

Happy Birthday!!!!!

No, I Do Not "Bake" Cottages...

I should have known that question was coming. I have actually always wanted to bake a gingerbread cottage though. One that looks like my little house would be a fun project.

Well, today is Friday, and there is lots to be done here. The front yard needs to be mowed, the back yard needs to be mowed, the rose bed needs to be weeded, and there still isn't anything planted in the garden. YIKES! I tried to buy tomato plants last Saturday, and they were all terrible looking. I will resume the search again today, and hopefully they will be in the ground before today's rain comes. It would be nice to get as much done today as possible, since tomorrow is a big day at our house. Our oldest, (and only boy), will be 12. (Where has the time gone?!)

I'm so excited!

Well, I've finally done it! I've wanted for a couple of weeks to have a blog, and here it is. This blog is mainly to share with family and friends who are far away, and to chronicle the never dull life of an "above-average" family.

The name "cottage baker" comes from the fact that I live in a cottage house that was built in 1925, and I am a home baker. I mill wheat into flour and bake all of the bread my family eats. I'm excited to share my baking hobby, and my cottage renovations online.

My above-average family consists of my husband of 17 years, and four children (one boy, three girls). We are a homeschooling family, and lead a "learning-centered" lifestyle. We believe that learning does not always take place between 8am & 3:30pm, with your nose in a textbook. This does not mean that we don't use textbooks, (we do!) but that we value learning "experiences" as well as things you can learn in a book.

Well, this will do for a short introduction. I look forward to keeping in touch.