Batter rolls and twists

I have a much loved Better Homes and Garden Bread cook book that was published in 1963. Used this book so much the binding has gone , thank goodness for duck tape..
This book has the most reliable recipes; it encouraged me to try a variety of breads over the years.
Many family favourites are from this book.
This recipe appealed to me as it makes a limited amount; baking for only 2 can be a challenge..
This recipe allows me to make dinner rolls and a coffee break treat.

Batter Rolls
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk ,scalded
3 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 slightly beaten egg
Soften dry yeast in warm water(110)
Combine shortening, sugar and salt in large mixing bowl. Add scalded milk, stir until shortening is melted. Cool to lukewarm.
Start mixer on medium speed; add 2 cups flour , beat 1 minute or until gluten strands are practically visible. Stop mixer. Add softened yeast and egg. Beat batter til smooth, about 1/2 minute.
Add remaining 1 1/4 cup flour. Beat batter on medium for 2 more minutes until smooth.Batter is stiff.
Cover and let rise til double, about 1 hour. Stir down beat thoroughly.
For dinner rolls: Using half the dough, drop batter by tablespoons into 2 3/4 inch muffin tins.. Let rise til double. Brush top with melted butter. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes.
For twists:Using second half of dough, roll into a rectangle 12x9, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon , nutmeg and 1/2 cup nuts( used pecans).Fold in half lengthwise. Slice 1/2 inch pieces. Twist place on baking sheet.Let rise about 30 minutes tho that varies depending on warmth of kitchen, til double. Bake at 400 for approx. 20 minutes til lightly golden brown.

Mrs Hughes

Rosanne emailed me this amusing clip.
Mrs Hughes tickled my funny bone.
Had to share, hope she brings a smile to you.

Sherry's Shrove Tuesday Dinner

Some one else likes Carbs!
My daughter and grandson Brayden put together their pancake day dinner.
Brayden made the chocolate strawberries.
Love the heart shaped pancakes. Looks yummy!

Paczki Day? Shrove Tuesday?

The history behind paczki’s/ pancakes is linked to 'Fat Tuesday,' when devout Catholics traditionally empty their pantries of sinful items like sugar, butter, eggs and sweets marking the beginning of Lent.
Depending on your ethic background you get to celebrate today!

Paczki Day ? Shrove Tuesday ? Mardi Gras? Winter almost ending?

Am I Catholic, nope!

So why would I celebrate Shrove Tuesday?
I have an English Welsh background.

Okay , Alright you twisted my arm, I admit it, I confess, the real reason is
to eat Carbs!
Guilt free! Almost guilt free.
Fruit , veggies and protein is my usual fare, but every
once in a while I crave carbs .

Yes, yes , truth be told , I CRAVE them every day.
My weakness , my only one ; is ... carbs...... and not the good kind of carbs!
To celebrate Shrove Tuesday and being from a multicultural country , I had a healthy
Breakfast................Paczki!
Supper...........pancakes,
sausages
and blackberries with maple syrup.


To die for!!!!
So good!

Keith's (brother-in-law)Pancake recipe;
1 cup milk( used 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt and 3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 TBSP. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Mix together dry ingredients. Beat egg , add milk beat well. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stir until just moistened. Batter should be lumpy.
Pour batter on to greased hot griddle.Flip only once.Cook til center set.
There pancakes are very light and fluffy.
There is no oil or butter in the recipe that is what makes them so light.

I refuse to say what lunch was , you just know it wasn't a healthy choice.

Tomorrow is another day!

Lamp

When up in London always spend some time window shopping.One of my favourite stores is
Homesense.I don't always find something . This time I did.
A lamp that I fell in love with and "needed" for the living room. Best of all the price was right. $59. The silk slub rectangle shade sold me.

Lunch with a friend

While on Gramma Care at Sherry's, my friend Sue came for lunch .
We spent a great few hours chatting, catching up on all the news in our lives.
I decorated the table using the exotic flowers Sherry received from her hubby for Valentines Day, I found in Sherry's linen cupboard some cheery napkins I used as both place mat and napkin.

Served a simple salad, ham , spring onion and cheddar quiche with a little sparkling wine.
Dessert a trio of chocolate banana cupcake, mocha slice and chocolate covered strawberries.
Several hours flew by as we dined on this simple fare, chatting and sipping wine and then cups of tea. Sharing stories of our day to day lives.
What a great break in this long winter
to spend time with a good friend.
Something we both said we should find the time in our busy days to do more often.
Do you stop every once and a while and spend time with friends?

Brock and Brayden

Here are the grandsons doing one of the things they love; surfing the Internet.
Brock

Brayden

Babysitting

Back on babysitting duty again for only 3 days this time. Brock and Brayden's Mom ,
Sherry is at a convention at the Royal York for her company Thrillshow Productions.
There really should be a better name for looking after older children...... .
I looked up babysitter definition in Thesaurus, I am a guard, sentry ,or watchperson ,a person or special body of persons assigned to provide protection or keep watch over.
Sounds like secret service detail to me !
Just need the ear set and black suit.
Officially Grandmother is labeled ;caretaker, caregiver, au pair, minder, baby-sitter, sitter, child minder, carer.
I think I like "carer" best.
I even looked to see if there
is a special definition for " Gramma care"
in the Dictionary. It is not there.It should be!
Because this time my grandson, Brayden,is getting some special "Gramma care".
He is home from school and hockey , sick .
Brayden

has the bad cold that is so wide spread in this area. Sore throat, chest congestion and cough.
Gramma duty with a "sicky" consists of handing out medication and making some comfort food.
So today we are having Old fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese . Prepped and ready for breadcrumb topping.
Dessert will be Chocolate Banana cupcakes with lots of ice cream, for that sore throat..

Way to go, Brayden!

Brayden's hockey team won their tournament over the weekend against Niagara and Oakridge.
Brayden is the first player on the left side back row.

Do you do jigsaw puzzles?

Every winter; usually in February, I put together a jig saw puzzle.
I don't do jigsaws at any other time of the year .
I have done a puzzle every winter for the last 15 years.
Wonder what that says about me?
In the past I have done large 2000 to 2500 piece puzzles.
This time , thought I would be smart and

I picked what I thought would be a fast and easy puzzle , only 1000 pieces.
Next time I will look a bit more carefully .......

This one is a challenge! I look at it as staving of Old Timers!
Is there a project you only do once a year?

Baked Rice Pudding

Sara asked me to post my rice pudding recipe.
Comfort Food Baked Rice Pudding;
4 eggs, beaten
3 c. milk
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. grated lemon rind(optional)I use both the lemon and orange rind
1 tsp. grated orange rind(optional)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 c. cooked rice
1/2 c. seedless raisins (more, if you wish) I use Thompson raisins
Whipped cream topping (optional)

Combine all ingredients (except whipped cream topping) and pour into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Set dish in a pan of hot water. Bake in 300 degree oven for about 1 hour. Every 15 minutes, stir pudding. Continue baking until knife inserted near center of pudding comes out clean. Serve hot, warm or cold. Serves about 6 to 8.

Get me out of the kitchen!

Saturday as a treat for Valentines Day I decided to make chocolate dipped Strawberries. Simple, quick and on my weight control menu.
In and out of the kitchen in maybe 20 minutes, tops.
Yummy looking aren't they?

Well there was some chocolate left over and not one to waste food grabbed a few almonds ( they are good for you, right) and made some chocolate almond bark.
Tasty!

While getting supplies out of fridge noticed left over rice.
Hum ............ can't waste that!
Baked Rice Pudding .

Notice the 2 small ramekins , well there was left over custard from the rice pudding, can't waste that!
Eureka, 2 little baked custards
In the fridge while rummaging for eggs and milk ( never
bend down and look in crispers), noticed apples on their last legs...
Yep, you guessed it had to use them up.......

Spice and apple cupcakes with Penuche icing.
( My favourite icing)
5 and 1/2 hours later I left the the kitchen........
Did I taste these treats , well as you know, any good chef says one MUST taste as one cooks.( Weight control! out of control!)............
Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows there are only 2 people in this house.
Do you think you could drop over and help me out with these treats ,
happy to share.

Happy Valentines Day

Beef Stroganoff - Slow cooker

If there is one kitchen item invented that has helped working women so much it has to be the slow cooker.
Let's hear the cheers for the slow cooker!
This recipe is an easy dish to make .
Heck what slow cooker dish isn't.
This recipe came from Sherry's cookbook, Fix-it and Forget-it Lightly.
Makes enough for 6. I served this with Caesar salad .
This is ideal for a 4-quart pot.
Recipe:
1 1/2 lbs. lean beef stewing meat , trimmed of fat
1 large onion , chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic and herb blend
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. mushrooms, fresh( used Portabello but any would do)
10 3/4 oz. low fat or fat free mushroom soup
1 cup beef stock
1/4 cup red wine (optional)
1 cup fat-free or low fat sour cream
Combine all ingredients except sour cream in slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Stir in sour cream.Cook on high for a few minutes to heat sour cream.
Calories per serving 240. (70 cal. from fat)
This can be served over , noodles, pasta or rice.
I served over noodles.

A quick ,light,and easy dessert I made for my sweet tooth.
Raspberry sugar free jello , layer Kozy Shack Tapioca pudding on top of jello, top that layer with fresh fruit or I used Cherry pie in a jar, decorate with whipped topping.
These dishes could make a great dinner and dessert for Valentines Day.

Kreativ Blogger Awards

I have been given 2 more awards .
Both are Kreativ blogger awards.

Teresa and Rosanne both gifted me with this award
Thank you both.
I have to pass these awards on to 7 more bloggers after I share with you something about myself;

7 items about myself;

Retired,

Staying up later , not going to bed at 10

Swim several times a week,

Love to travel, want to do more,

Love to bake,knit, blog,

Socializing more,

Worrying less.

7 bloggers I share this award with;
Lynette at Netts Nook, great recipes
Dan At Urban Veggie Garden, veggie gardener extraordinaire
WiseAcre Gardens,great photos,
Water when dry,Arizona and gardening there,
Robins Nesting Place, birds, butterflies and gardening,
The Pickled Pepper Patch,tips, craft projects, country accents, recipes
and Jean at Ms. Greenthumbjean treasures, grandchildren, home decor and gardening.