CWB Exposed

Sometimes when I get a project in my head I obsess on it, and can't think of anything else until I do it. I had planned on making the cranberry walnut bread and photographing it for the tens of people who read this blog. A silly project I know, but none the less I had to get it done. I did not choose to make this bread at the best time of day. Both kids were awake and needing my attention, but I had to persevere. Remember, the obsession is eating me up. I screamed at Sonya multiple time to "back off," "don't touch," "get your hands out of there" and "do you want a consequence?" Who knows what Teddy was doing, I know he circled me a couple of times like a shark.

Here is what it looks like when I am too focused on a project.

Yes, those are cleaning products mixed in with the baking supplies.

I couldn't find Sonya's blanket when she wanted to lay down. Duh, why didn't I look on the kitchen floor next to my trash bowl?

Yep, nipples for Teddy's bottles on the floor. Don't let me deceive you and think I washed those off when I picked them up.

Josh has this amazing ability to patient with his projects. He can receive a package in the mail, which happens at least once a week just ask my neighbor Jenny, anyway I digress. He will wait until he has time fully commit to the project (sometimes weeks), read the entire owners manual, and really enjoy his time. Me on the other hand, I pick the worst time to start something because I have to live up to my nickname from my husband 13 going on 30.

Anywho, we also gave Sonya and Teddy their first girl scout cookies. Sonya thought Thin Mints were too tasty. She liked the "purple" cookies (Samoas) and "red cookies" (Tagalongs).

Teddy enjoyed his Thin Mint. Not too tasty.

Cranberry Walnut Bread

I love the cranberry walnut bread from Whole Foods, so I looked online for a copycat recipe. I found a recipe that sounded like it would work, so I tried it out. I photographed the process for some more practice shooting in manual. I am giving you fair warning there will be a lot photos this post. Lets start with our ingredients: I actually keep all of the ingredients on hand except craisins and vital wheat gluten. 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour 2 1/3 cups bread flour...less 2 tablespoons 2 tbsps vital wheat glutin 1 1/2 tsps salt 1/4 cup honey 2/3 cup craisins 1tsp cinnamon 1/2 cup nuts of your choice 2 measures of yeast (2 envelopes, or 5 teaspoons full, or 2 scant tablespoons full) 1 1/3 cups warm water water (between 115 and 120 degrees). I do not have a standing mixer, so I mixed this all by hand. There is a slight difference in the order of ingredients if you are using a standing mixer. Just leave me a comment if you would like that version of the recipe. Step 1: Mix the yeast and water in a bowl, then set aside. Note: Make sure you keep your water temperature between 115-120 degrees so you don't kill the yeast. Step 2: Then in a separate mixing bowl add 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour Note: It's lighter and softer if you make your flour a larger proportion of white bread flour to whole wheat flour.

Step 3: Add 1 1/2 tsps salt

Step 4: Add 1 tsp cinnamon

Step 5: Add 2 tbsps vital wheat gluten

Step 6: Whisk all of your dry ingredients together.

(sorry no photo)

Step 7: Mix the yeast and water with the dry ingredients.

Step 8: Then add 1/4 cup honey

Step 9: Add 2/3 cup craisins

Step 10: Add 1/2 cup walnuts

Step 11: Mix the walnuts and craisins with the wet ingredients.

Step 12: Gradually add the bread flour, until just mixed.

Step 13: Turn out onto a board and knead until smooth adding white flour as needed

to form a smooth dough ball.

Note: I had 1/3 cup of bread flour left over.

Step 14: Place dough in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a cloth. Place in a warm place to rise. When double (about 1 1/2 hours) punch down and allow to double again.

Note: I preheat my oven while the dough is rising and set the bowl next to oven so it is warm enough.

Step 15: Turn out onto lightly floured board and form into 2 boules, cover with oiled plastic wrap and a cloth. Then allow to rise on parchment covered baking sheet until almost double, about one hour.

Note: Next time I make this I will just make one large boule because cut in two the boules they seemed too small.

Step 16: Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes, until the inside tests 190 to 200 with an instant read thermometer.

Finally

the finished product...

This is a photo I took of the actual Whole Foods bread. Mine doesn't look just like it, but tastes really really close.

I will probably tweak this recipe here and there ie, add flaxseed, play with the flour proportions, etc.

Enjoy!

Here is your daily dose of Theodore...

I know he keeps you coming back. HA!

New Room

For those of you who have been to our house you know our dining room has doubled as an office since Sonya was born. Well, almost three years later we have finally regained our dining room. It is still a partial office since I am sitting typing on my laptop at the dining room table and our computers, printer, and cell phones are all housed in this room. I really do love this room, even though it is far from perfect, but a huge improvement for the space and my mental stability. Living in 928 square feet with two adults, two kids, and two dogs you have to make your space work.

Here are some photos. I didn't take any before photos because we did this on a whim and I forgot.

Excuse the photos, they are a mix of manual and point and shoot. I had trouble with the composition and camera settings this time around, but that is what practice is for right?

So here we go.

This is an overview of the room.

The changes to this room are:

1. We moved the desk top computer off the dining room table and onto the a cart in the corner, where the recycling bin used to be.

We kept the the desktop computer in here because it has all our music on it. Music is a vital part of our day so I didn't want to loose acess to our i-tunes library. The desk top computer is also on a wireless connection so I can move it onto the table as the kids get bigger and learn to use it.

2. We got rid of the exercise balls that were our chairs.

3. We recently got new high chairs for both kids. We love them!! My friend Jill has had this high chair from IKEA for a while, and we finally got smart and bought two of them. They are so easy to clean and ridiculously cute. They are only $25 a piece, such a great cheap investment for this space.

4. I replaced old trash can with two new rectangle shaped ones. The one on the left is for trash and the one the right is for recycling. I love how they look side by side.

I want to put these trash and recycling magnets on them. Too cute.

4. The bakers rack is not complete. I need to reorganize the office supplies on the top rack and lay some type of hard surface under the printer and other electronics. I know it doesn't look like it, but I eliminated a lot of things off of the bakers rack. This is an area that can always use improvement, but when you only have three cabinets, a pantry and no drawers in your kitchen, things can get a little cluttered.

Josh and I realized that we have lived here for five years this summer. My how the time flies. I will never forget the first time we walked through the front door, we both knew immediately this was it, our first house. At the the time, it was everything we wanted and more. Then the reality of home ownership set it in, and over the years we put our fair share of work into this house, or should I say FW Lang Contracting has put in their fair share of work.

We have painted walls, removed a wood stove, partially finished the basement, updated the bathroom, bought furniture, updated the electrical panel, updated appliances, replaced the furnace, replaced the hot water heater, landscaped, added a swing set, redid all of the closets, and added three closets.

All of these things have made it a great house.

In this house we have also changed careers, fought, had scrumptious meals, cried, given parties, laughed, left a church, played with our two puppies, had two miscarriages, and brought home two babies.

All of these things have made it a great home.

I think my heart will ache a bit when it is time to move, but we have a while before that happens. This little renovation is just what we needed to head into Spring and a new season of life. I know I complain about having a small house and all of the maintenance a home requires, but I really do love it, and I love our life in it.

Sonya Says and Teddy Does

NOTE: I keep adding words to Sonya's list as I remember them. Sorry to repost!

Part of the reason I started this blog was to keep a record of my kids milestones and the funny things they say and do. So I am going to back track and make a list of words I can remember that Sonya has said along the way.

baba = bottle

wawa = water

bwa bwas = blueberries

appie = apple

moke = milk

tatty = jacket

whootas = shoes

hockaboo = helicopter

dodo = dog

january = leotard

gagi = gretchen

cock = cate

choo choo tra tra = choo choo train track

sese strweep = sesame street

gbatch = watch

too tasty = does NOT taste good

geez = jesus

bibie = bible

ga = gracie

shepherd boys = candy canes

bake rackers = bakers rack

bum bums = bunk beds

cheerwewaiter = cheerleader

bing bing = ming ming

po po = ponytail

ne ne = naked

I am sure there are more, but these are the words that are sticking out. I love her brain.

Here is a list of what Teddy is doing right now.

He crawls like he has been shot in the legs. I will have to post a video of him.

He took Johnny Castle's advice and finally learned how to pull up to a standing position in the water.

He loves to play peek a boo behind the curtain by the back door.

He will give you a high five.

He will do "so big" when you hold his hands.

He loves to take a shower.

He gets up very early in the morning.

He loves the color orange.

He loves to play with a ladle.

He won't drink from a cup.

He likes to be spoon fed.

He says dada.

He rocks his head from side to side to music like Stevie Wonder. Again, I will have to post a video.

He likes to untie leather shoe laces.

He still LOVES to be held...

all 27 lbs of him.

He is becoming such a big boy. Little cuter.

A double dose of Theodore...

just because.

Dinner

This is a post a did last March when I first started shooting in manual and blogging.  I didn't have time to photograph a dinner for this challenge so I thought I would share this old one because it is so tasty.  I did photograph an awesome cookie recipe this past week, check it out here.


Tonight I decided to photograph our dinner for some more practice shooting in manual, and share a pretty tasty meal, too.

A few disclaimers:

1. I am not a chef, but enjoy cooking. I apologize to any chefs who might read this blog, you might want to stop reading now.

2. I am also apologizing to Cary (click here too) and Jenny because I know they don't like pork chops.

3. I am not a real photographer. Part of the reason I started this blog was to keep a record of my progress as I learn more about my camera. I also had to tweak the temperature on some of these photos.

4. Photographing the process of making dinner adds a good thirty minutes to the prep time.

Let's begin with our menu...

Bone in pork chops with vanilla pear butter, sweet potatoes, and green beans with toasted walnuts.

The secret to making really juicy pork chops is to brine them in salt and water.

To make the brine I use 1 quart (4 cups) of cold water and 1/4 cup salt.

Whisk the salt and cold water together until all the salt is dissolved.

Stick the pork chops in the refrigerator while brining for about an hour. 
 While they were in the fridge I made a quick rub of Citizen Kane's Steak seasoning mixed with brown sugar.
 A real nice balance of salty, sweet, and heat.

When the hour is up take the pork chops out the fridge and thoroughly rinse them off.

When you are done rinsing them pat them dry with a paper towel.
 Then spray the pork chops with cooking spray to to allow the rub to stick. 
 I bake them on a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet with tin foil for easier clean up. 
 Bake the pork chops at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes.
 You want them to reach an internal temperature between 160-165 degrees. 
 When the pork chops are done tent them with foil and let them rest for about 5-10 minutes.

Note: Don't bake them this close together. I had to mash them together to get the photograph.

Towards the end of your cook time you can prepare your walnuts and green beans. 
 To toast the walnuts, just toss them in a small skillet over medium high heat add some salt and shake them around for a few minutes.

I like to cook my green beans in chicken broth for added flavor. 
 Bring your broth to a boil.

Then add the green beans.

The green beans cook pretty fast, maybe 3-4 minutes. 
 Drain them, then add a small pad of butter, some seasoning, and the walnuts.

I did not make sweet potatoes tonight, they were left overs. 
 They are super easy, bake them at 450 for an hour. 
 Take the skin off and and mash in bowl with a small pad of butter, cinnamon, a little salt and pepper.

Sorry no photo.

After pork chops are rested, place them on the plate and brush on this deliciousness...

Thank you Jen for making me buy this when we ran into you at Whole Foods.
 Just look at the name, Vanilla Pear Butter, how could it not be good.

Now here is the final plate...

I was too embarrassed to photograph my plate when I was done, because there was absolutely nothing left.

Enjoy!