Ryder's Birthday Album Complete ;)

Ryder’s 1^st Birthday Party album…So happy I got so much done this weekend with this album. I may do 1 or 2 more to try and finish up Ryder’s 1^st year album, but for now I’m a bit burnt out!! Hope you enjoy the pages… they were lots of fun to put together!!

Stage 3 of my attempt to create a cubism drawing

Wow…I’m coming along, and really pleased with my drawing!! I went to the craft store and bought a heavy drawing board...I think it’s 16 X 11. Instead of plain white paper, I decided to go with a cream to offset the design. I took both ideas I posted here and used them to create this drawing.

I used the draft drawing in stage 2 and then just added one “cube” at a time, distorting each one a little more. In the next stage I will start coloring and add the shading…Stage 4 should be the last stage of this project…but only time will tell.

Hope you are enjoying my progress through this exciting challenge!

Part 2 Cubism

I thought for me it would be best to quickly draw out the photo and then randomly draw lines through the drawing. In the next stage I plan to get a much larger drawing surface and add each "cube” to the paper until I'm completed... I will try to share each stage, until I finish...hope you enjoy ;) So far this is turning out better than I had expected!!

So here is where I’m at so far……………

Great Grandma Holders Cook Book

My plan for the next year (2012) is to do a different recipe each month, possibly 2, just for the fun of it. I'm not much of a cook but it’s not because I can't cook...I would just rather be crafting ;) Anyway here is her cookbook...I thought it would be fun to share.

(this is my Gandmother Smith with my Dad... I didn't have a photo of my Great Grandmother uploaded)

125 YEAR OLD BLACK WALNUT POUND CAKE

½ cup Crisco

½ lb butter

5 eggs

3 cups plain flour

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon walnut flavoring

1 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1 cup chopped black walnuts

Cream butter and Crisco, add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, add eggs ONE AT A TIME, beating well. Add flavorings and beat well, mix ½ cup flour with nuts. Shift remaining flour with baking powder and add alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour. Fold in floured nuts. Do not beat. Bake in greased and floured tube pan for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until done at 325.

ICING

2 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup water

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup fine coconut

Boil cornstarch, water, butter and sugar until thickened and spreading consistency. Folk in pecans and coconut. Frost cake when cool.

ANGEL BISCITS

1 package dry yeast

3 tablespoons warm water

5 cups plain flour

5 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

1 cup shortening

2 cups buttermilk

Dissolve yeast in the warm water. Mix flour, sugar, salt, soda and baking powder. Cut in shortening. Add yeast and buttermilk. Work up with hand and put on well floured board.

Roll out about 1 inch thick and cut with round cutter. Placed on greased baking pan. Bake in preheated oven at 400 for 20 minutes or until light brown.

APPLE POUND CAKE

2 cups sugar

1 ½ cups oil

3 eggs

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups plain flour

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup coconut

1 cup seedless raisins

3 cups chopped apples

1 cup chopped nuts

Bake at 350 for approximately 1 hour.

APPLE SAUCE CAKE

1 cup vegetable oil

1- 16 oz can apple sauce

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

2 teaspoon cloves

2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

1 cup raisins

Mix oil, apple sauce, and sugar in one bowl. Blend all other ingredients in another bowl. Mix together and pour into a tube of loaf pan. Bake at 325 for one hour, until cake tests done.

BANANA NUT BREAD

1 stick oleo

1 cup Crisco

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 large bananas

3 tablespoons milk

3 cups flour

¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts

Bake on 325 for 1 and ¼ hours. Let stay in pan 10 minutes then turn over. Make 2 loaves

BUTTERSCOTCH BARS

1 stick butter, melted

1lb. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups plain flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped black walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

While butter is still hot, add brown sugar. Stir in 2 eggs, one at a time. Sift together dry ingredients and add to mixture. Fold in nuts and vanilla.

Bake at 325 for 25 minutes until light brown. Use a 9X13 pan.

CHERRY DELIGHT

Bottom:

1pkg. graham cracker (crumbled)

¼ cup sugar

1/3 cup butter (melted)

Mix together and press into bottom of dish

Middle:

1 large pkg. cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoon milk

Mix together well; fold 1 pkg. of prepared dream whip. Spread over graham cracker crust. Top with one can of cherry pie filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHICKEN CASSEROLE

4 large chicken breasts

1 stick butter

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can chicken broth

1 small bag stuffing mix

Boil chicken, cut up, mix soups and broth together. Melt butter and pour on stuffing mix. (first put stuffing mix in dish then chicken, then soup mixture over chicken, then repeat) Top with stuffing mix. Top with butter, if desired. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

CHOCOLATE PIE

4 oz. German sweet chocolate

¼ cup butter or margarine

1 can (13oz) evaporated milk

3 eggs, slightly beaten

½ cup sugar

Pie shell, unbaked

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add milk, eggs and sugar and stir until blended. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Cool and serve warm. Store in refrigerator.

CHOW CHOW

2 Large cabbages

½ gallon green tomatoes

3 quarts Bell Flower

3 or 4 hot peppers

8 large onions

1 cup salt

1 cup water

Chop all, let drain overnight

Then boil:

5 cups vinegar

9 cups sugar

3 teaspoons celery seed

4 tablespoons turmeric, if wanted

Pour over cabbage mixture, Boil 10 minutes, and then serve

COCONCUT CAKE

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs

3 teaspoons baking powder (scant)

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup water

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with buttermilk and water which have been mixed, Add vanilla and blend thoroughly.

Turn into 3 greased paper-lined cake pans. Bake in 375 oven about 20 minutes. Don’t overcook. Remove from oven, let stand in pans a few minutes, then turn out on rack to cool slightly before putting together with the following:

FILLING FOR COCONUT CAKE

Large fresh coconut, grated (keep milk form coconut)

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup coconut milk (add sweet milk to make 1 cup)

Set aside ¾ cup grated coconut, and then mix remaining coconut with other ingredients, place over medium heat and cook, stirring until thickened. Cool slightly. Spread between layers, sprinkling a bit of grated coconut on top of filling on each layer. Spread over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle grated coconut on top of cake.

COCONUT CAKE

2- 1/3 cup self-rising flour

2 eggs whole

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup Crisco

1 cup sweet milk

1- 1/2 cup sugar

Beat all together, Grease and flour pan, bake in oven at 300

FILLING:

2 teaspoons white syrup

2 eggs whites

1 ½ cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 pinch salt

Put into double boiler; beat till it stands in a peak

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 tablespoons coconut juice on layer

COCONUT CUSTARD PIE

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 eggs

½ stick margarine, melted

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-6 oz package coconut

Mix all ingredients and blend well. Pour into a 9 inch unbaked pie shell. Bake 45 minutes in oven  at 350 or until crust is brown and custard is firm.

COCONUT PINAPPLE PIE

4 eggs

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

1 stick margarine

1 small can crushed pineapple, slightly drained

1 can angel flake coconut

Melt butter, add sugar and eggs. Add other ingredients. Cook about 30 minutes at 350. Make 1 large or 2 small pies.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

One 4 oz. cream cheese

¼ stick oleo

1 to 1 ½ cup powdered sugar

DON’T KNOW THE NAME DESERT (DUMP CAKE)

1 large can crushed pineapple

1 can cherry pie filling

¾ box yellow cake mix

1 stick of margarine

Pour crushed pineapple in bottom of dish. Add the can of cherry pie filling. Add the cake mix. Melt one stick of margarine and pour on top. Put in oven at 350 and bake until brown.

EGG CUSTARD

3 eggs

2 cups milk

¾ cup sugar

Butter (the size of an egg, melted)

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Pastry for one pie

Line pan with pastry, bake until almost done. In the meantime beat eggs and butter etc., mix carefully. Pour in partially baked shell, return to oven baking at 325 to 350. Custard is done when knife comes out clean.

EGG CUSTARD (make your own crust)

Blend together:

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tall can milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Pour into 9” glass pie plate that has been greased and floured. Bake 30-40 minutes in oven at 325.

EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

2 medium eggplants, peeled, chopped and cooked in salt water

1 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoon melted butter

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups oyster crackers, crushed

1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup evaporated milk

Mix all ingredients together. Use 2 quarts buttered casserole. Place casserole in pan of water and cook in oven at 350 for about 45 minutes.

While still hot, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (16oz) solid pack pumpkin

¾ cup sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. ground cloves

1 can (12oz) evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 375

Combine filling ingredients in order given above. Crimp edge of deep dish crust only to stand ½ inch above rim. Place pie crust on preheated baking sheet.

Pour filling into pie crust. Bake near center of oven for 70 minutes (45 minutes for regular crusts)

 Or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Cooling time 2 hours. Garnish with whipped topping if desired.  

GERMAN SWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

4oz German sweet chocolate

½ cup boiling water

1 cup butter or margarine

2 cups sugar

4 eggs yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

4 eggs white, stiffly beaten

Melt chocolate in boiling water. Cool. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each.  Blend in vanilla and chocolate. Sift flour with soda and salt add alternately with buttermilk to chocolate mixture, beating after each addition until smooth. Fold in beaten whites. Pour into three 9 inch cake pans, lined on bottom with paper. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Cool. Frost tops only.

COCONUT PECAN FROSTING

Combine 1 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup sugar, 3 slightly beaten egg yolks, ½ cup butter or margarine and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 12 minutes. Add 1 ½ cups coconut flakes and 1 cup chopped pecans. Cool until enough to spread, beating occasionally.

JAPANESE FRUIT CAKE

4 tsp. baking powder

1 ½ cup butter

2 cups sugar

1 lb seeded raisins

3 ¾ cups flour

4 eggs

Cream sugar and butter, add 4 well beaten egg yolks, and add milk from fresh coconut. Add flour and fold in 4 beaten egg whites and flavor with 1 lb. raisins that have been run through food chopper.

Filling:

3 grated rinds and juice of lemons

3 cups sugar

2 slightly beaten egg yolks

1 lb. English walnuts

1 can crushed pineapple

1 fresh coconut

 A piece of butter about the size of an egg

Cook in double boiler until thick. Sprinkle in part of grated coconut and walnuts. Use rest on top of cake. 1 bottle of cherries to decorate cake.

KINGS POUND CAKE

Cream together 4 sticks of real butter with 4 cups of sugar, using a heavy-duty mixer. Add 10 whole eggs, one at a time and with the mixer running continuously at medium speed. Add 2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla. Finally, add 4 cups sifted cake flour a little bit at a time. Grease and flour tube pan and pour the thoroughly mix batter into it. Bake in a preheated oven at 325 for  1 ½ hours, or until a straw test shows that it’s done. Remove to a rack to cool and then turn out onto rack.

A warm slice is a delight, like a cup of pudding… but pound cake needs to set up a day or two and if there is any left in a day or two try a slice toasted for breakfast.

LEMON CAKE

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs

3 teaspoons baking powder (scant)

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

½  buttermilk

½ cup water

 Cream butter and sugar; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition

Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with buttermilk and water mixture. Add vanilla and blend thoroughly.

Turn in 3 greased paper-lined cake pans. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let stand in pans a few minutes, then turn out on rack to cool slightly before putting together with the following:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

Juice and rind (grated) of 2 large lemons

2 or 3 tablespoons of butter

Beat eggs until fluffy, add sugar and blend well. Add juice and rind of lemons and blend. Cook on top of double boiler over boiling water, stirring, until thickened and smooth-about 20 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Cool and spread between layers, on top and side of cake.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

1 ½ cup sugar

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup cold water

½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

3 egg yolk, well beaten

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 ½ cups boiling water

Grated peel of ½ lemon

2 to 3 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

9 inch baked pie crust

In saucepan, thoroughly combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually blend in cold water and lemon juice. Stir in egg yolks. Add butter and boiling water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in lemon peel and food coloring. Pour into baked pie crust. Top with three eggs meringue, sealing well at edges. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool for 2 hours before serving

Three Egg Meringue as follows:

In bowl, with electric mixer, beat 3 egg whites with ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

MACARONI & CHEESE

1 box macaroni

1- 16oz extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 egg in a cup of sweet milk

Cook macaroni until soft. Grate cheese. Put one layer of macaroni on bottom of bowl then one lawyer of cheese, another layer of macaroni, another layer of cheese. Mix one egg in a cup of milk, stir up. Pour on macaroni and cheese. Put in oven until cheese is melted and brown on top

OVEN MACARONI AND CHEESE

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoon flour

½ teaspoon salt-pepper to taste

2 cups milk

8oz sharp cheese

Cook over medium heat until thick, stir often to keep from sticking. Add cheese and stir until melted. While sauce is cooking, cook 1 ½ cups macaroni in salted water until tender, drain and mix with sauce. Pour in baking dish and cook 30-45 minutes at 350 until browned.

MILLION DOLLAR PIE

1 can condense milk

1 can crushed pineapple (15oz)

¼ cup lemon juice

1 large cup cool whip (9oz)

1 cup chopped nuts

Mix all together and put into baked Graham cracker pie crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Top with toasted coconut, service chilled.

PECAN CRUM APPLE PIE

2/3 cup sugar

¼ cup flour

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

6 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples

1 pie crust

CRUMB TOPPING:

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup flour

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup pecans

In large bowl, toss together sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and apples. Spoon into frozen unbaked pie crust.

For crumb topping, combine brown sugar and flour; cut in butter. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake in preheated oven at 400 on preheated baking sheet 40-50 minutes.

PECAN PIE

3 eggs

1 cup dark brown sugar

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup pecan halves

1 baked pie shell

In medium bowl, beat together eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt. Arrange pecans on bottom of pie shell. Carefully pour egg mixture over pecans.

Bake on bottom rack of preheated oven at  400 oven until knife inserted near center come out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

PINEAPPLE CAKE

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chopped nuts

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt

1- 20oz can crushed pineapple and juice

Mix and add ½ cup water. Grease and flour 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

POTATO SALAD

Cut your potatoes in pieces and cook until soft.

Boil 3-4 eggs and cut into potatoes.

Chop one onion, add to potatoes,

Salt and pepper to taste.

Put 2 tsp Dukes sandwich relish into potatoes

Add mayonnaise and mix together.

POUND CAKE

1 ¼ cups margarine

2 ¾ cups sugar

4 large eggs

3 cups sifted plain flour

½ tsp. baking powder

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

Allow the margarine and eggs to come to room temperature.

Grease and flour a tube cake pan. (DO NOT PEHEAT OVEN) Cream sugar and margarine. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately and beat well. Fold in vanilla and almond extracts. Pour into cake pan and bake at 325 for about 1 ½ hours.

RICE PUDDING

1/3 cup uncooked rice

1 ½ cups water

1/3 cup sugar

 1 teaspoon cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups milk

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs yolks, beaten

Cinnamon or raisins optional

Combine rice and water in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes, or until rice is very tender and most of the water is absorbed.

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add milk and sugar mixture to rice. Heat to a boiling, boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Slowly stir about 1 cup of the hot rice mixture into beaten egg yolks in a bowl. Blend with remaining mixture in the saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, just until mixture starts to bubble.

Serve warm or chilled, plain or with cinnamon and or raisins.

STRAWBERRY CAKE

1 package white cake mix

4 eggs

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 package strawberry gelatin

½ cup cooking oil

Combine cake mix and gelatin, add eggs and oil. Fold in strawberries. Bake in three 9” cake pans at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

FROSTING

1 stick margarine

Milk

2 cups frozen strawberries

1 box powdered sugar

Mix powdered sugar, margarine and enough milk to spread evenly. Put strawberries and powdered sugar mixture between each layer. Frost side and top of cake with sugar mixture.

STRAWBERRY NUT BREAD

2- 10oz pkg. frozen strawberries

4 eggs

1 cup cooking oil

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ¼ cups chopped nuts

Defrost strawberries. Beat eggs in a bowl until fluffy; add cooking oil, sugar and defrosted strawberries. Sift together flour, cinnamon, soda and salt into mixing bowl; add strawberry mixture and mix until well blended. Stir in nuts. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until done. Cool pans for 10 minutes then turn them out of pans and cool on racks

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

3 cups sweet potatoes (cooked)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup melted butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together above ingredients. Put in buttered dish. Cover with topping.

 Topping

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup melted butter

1/3 cup flour-self rising

½ cup chopped nuts

Mix above ingredients thoroughly, put on top of potatoes. Bake 30 minutes at 350.

THE WISH COOKIE: an Old Swedish custom.

Place a Swedish Pepparkakor in the palm of your hand. Then, make a wish. Using the index of your free hand, tap the cookie in the middle. Swedish tradition states that if the Pepparkakor breaks into three pieces your wish will come true. If the Pepparkakor does not break into three pieces, you’ll just have to savor the cookie in smaller pieces.

Eating the Pepparkakor can make you a nicer person.

As early as the 19^th century, it was already common knowledge in Sweden that eating Pepparkakor makes you a nicer person. Exactly why this is so is not known. Gastronomes (lovers of fine food) surmise that it has to do with the natural spices and fiber in the cookie, which aid in the digestive process by reducing acid in stomach. Others, less scientific but perhaps equally as credible, suggest that keeping a person’s mouth occupied by savoring the taste of Pepparkakor leaves little room for idle conversation and adds to the peace and quiet Swedes are known to cherish. This certainly would seem to make some people nicer to be around

It’s anybody’s guess. However, regardless of the reason you’ll feel better. And people who feel better are nicer people.

PEPPARKAKOR

2/3 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup light molasses

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoons ground cloves

12 tablespoons butter, cut up

2 eggs

5 ½ cups all-purpose flour (approx.)

½ teaspoon baking soda

Combine brown sugar, molasses and spices in 1 ½ quart saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, and then remove from heat.

PEPPARKAKOR… (Continued)

Place butter in large mixing bowl, add hot sugar mixture and stir until butter melts. Blend in eggs.

Stir 2 cups flour and baking soda together. Gradually mix into butter mixture. Mix in enough additional flour to make dough stiff. Shape dough into ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Cut dough into quarters. Shape one quarter at a time into balls (refrigerate other dough). Use rounded teaspoonful of dough for each ball. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350 until light brown 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container.

TURKEY GRAVEY

2 tablespoons turkey pan drippings

2 cups turkey broth

2 tablespoons corn starch

¼ cup cold water

Salt and pepper to taste

Giblets from turkey, cooked and diced (optional)

In pan in which turkey was roasted, measure drippings. Stir in broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring to loosen browned particles. Remove from heat. Mix corn starch and water. Stir in pan. Add salt and pepper. Stirring constantly, bring to boil over medium heat, boil 2 minutes. Add giblets if desired and cook until giblets are heated.

WATERGATE SALAD

1 large can undrained pineapple

1 box of instant pistachio pudding

1- 8oz cool whip

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 cup of pecans

Mix pudding and pineapple real good, then mix remaining ingredients and place in a long dish, and refrigerate.

WHITE BREAD

3 to 3 ¼ cups bread flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon margarine or butter, softened

1 package yeast

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons very warm water

Mix 1 cup of the flour, sugar, salt, margarine and yeast in medium bowl. Stir in very warm water until blended. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place into greased bowl, turn greased side up.

Cover, let rise in warm place 40-60 minutes or until double in size, Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Grease loaf pan. Punch down dough. Roll up tightly, press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge to firmly seal. Brush load with butter. Cover and let rise until double.

Bake 25-30 minutes at 425 until lightly brown. Cool on wire rack.

A letter to my son's

To my Dearest Sons,                                                                                         November 7^th 2011

As I write this letter Ryan, you are 4 years old and in just a few more months I will be registering you for kindergarten!  Ryder, we just celebrated your 1^st birthday in September and you are growing so fast, walking and getting into just about everything. As the cliché goes… time go’s by fast, most certainly when you have kids, which is why I wanted to take the time to write both of you this letter.

While you both have many many years before you will understand what I’m trying to tell you, value this is not everything, there is so much more to know. As with any advice though, this is my view on life…a brief look into my heart and soul. What works for me might not work for you, but I hope to always be someone you look to for advice.  I know you will have to be responsible for yourself and learn things on your own and before we know it, you all will be grown and experiencing life from your own point of view.

The first thing I want to tell you is… Remember this; life on this earth is a mere moment of all we have to encounter. God is and should also be number one in your life. God is always there and will be waiting for you regardless of your relationship with him.  All events on earth really signify nothing in your spirit. Ultimately, this world is not about anyone or thing, than you and god. That being said, it doesn’t mean you will not have to deal with many of the issues this world brings...but when it does come your way know God will always be there for you to see you through whatever problems you are facing. 

As for God’s love, is mine too... I love you unconditionally. In my opinion a mother’s love is Gods way of presenting to you a small morsel of his love.  There is nothing you could do that would change my love for you. You are part of me, part of my life, and I love you more than any words can describe. I don’t think you will truly understand this yourself until you have children of your own.  There is not a day that goes by where I don’t think of you and how favorable I am that God has blessed me with both of you! Know you are and always will be loved and wanted. I pray every day I can be the type of mother who teaches you how to be strong men of faith, men who love and men who are reasonable.  My love for you is that you will always find happiness and content in life, even when it’s dark and hard to see the light at the end…you will know it’s not about all of those things. Life doesn’t always turn out the way we hoped but how we handle and respond to those changes is truly a reflection of who we are. While it’s not always easy to deal with many of these matters, it’s most important to listen to your heart. Do what is right and you will do what you should. If you ever need someone to pick you up during this journey, remember my arms are always reaching out to lift you up.

What about friends… friends are people in our lives who care and like being around you enough that they enjoy and want to spend their time with you and the same goes for you.  “Learn to choose friends who are kind to you, who actually care about you, who make you feel good about yourself. When you find friends like this, hold on to them, treasure them, spend time with them, be kind to them, love them.

If there’s a single word you should live your life by, it should be this: Love. Live your life by the rule of love. Love your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends, with all of your heart. Give to them what they need, and show them not cruelty nor disapproval, nor coldness, nor disappointment, but only love. Open your soul to them. Love not only your loved ones, but your neighbors … your coworkers … strangers … your brothers and sisters in humanity. Offer anyone you meet a smile, a kind word, a kind gesture, a helping hand. Love not only neighbors and strangers … but your enemy. The person who is cruelest to you, who has been unkind to you … love him. He is a tortured soul, and most in need of your love. And most of all, love yourself. While others may criticize you, learn not to be so hard on yourself, think instead that you are a wonderful human being, worthy of happiness and love.” (I borrowed this from another blogger, He couldn’t have written it any better) … and learn to love yourself for who you are. You are who you are, don’t try to change that.

You only get one shot here, live and know your passion and pursue them. It’s okay if life seems “normal” and uneventful sometimes. It’s okay to be ordinary, to have a regular job, an average house and a day to day schedule that isn’t all glitz and glamour. It’s also okay if you become so rich that you don’t even know how much money you have…but most notable is that you don’t become what everyone else wants you to be or to define what is right for you. Take your own ideas and pursue them…

It’s important to know that when you bring others into your life, your ideas are now influenced by these people. Your ideas are no longer just from your point of view but from those you share your life with. If there’s no harmony in this, your passion will be lost. Still follow your heart, but also take care of the one’s you love and who love you back. 

Don’t wait for someone else to tell you what needs to be done. Be motivated and learn to be independent of your own ideas while still keeping a good perspective. Know that everyone has their own perception based on the life they have led. What might be important to you; isn't the same for others and vice versa.  Everyone reacts different for the most part…and it’s not your job to be judge or jury.

Follow your hopes and dreams. I Hope you explore the world and all it has to offer, without losing sight of your own beliefs and values. I hope you love to read and would suggest the following books…  The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein , Postmarked Heaven by  Jack Cavanaugh,  War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, The Last Days of Socrates: Euthyphro; The Apology; Crito; Phaedo, The Shack by  William P. Young and of course the Bible, just to name a few.

So now for some advice I know a lot about… Women. First and foremost, we are really not that complicated. Just like you and everyone else, we all want to be treated with respect, dignity, and know we are loved. Women want a man to be the rock of the family, a person who is strong in their love but not overbearing. Women want their husband to be partners in life; they do not want to take the back seat to friends. Once you find someone you want to share the rest of your life with, make sure you’re ready to be a good husband. Love is not what holds a marriage together, it is commitment and grace.

We want birthday cards, anniversary gifts and to be remembered on Mother’s Day… (and while it’s nice if our husband makes a gift with the kids to give us, it’s always nice to have something from just your husband…something special that he has taken the time to do for just you)... for some men it may be just another card but remember it’s not about you. It’s about taking the time for your wife to express how you feel, you are doing what they like or love because you love them, and for no other reason.

Women want to be treated like ladies; we like it when a man opens and holds the doors for us. I know this may sound old fashion, but remember good manners never go out of style and Chivalry never dies. We don’t like to be referred to as your “Old Lady”. We don’t want a momma’s boy, but we want a man who loves’s and respect his mother. We want a man who doesn’t need to be a bully to get his point across and we want a man who will teach his own children that just because he did something, it doesn’t mean you  have to follow suit if he was wrong.

After everything else, I hope you take each day as a new opportunity to learn, grow, and develop your knowledge. Know its okay to have fun and play around but also know when it’s not… Treat people the way you would like to be treated. Remember you don’t have to be mean or belittle people to get your point across… and your opinion doesn’t always matter, so know when to voice it and when to just stay quiet. People who treat other’s badly usually are unhappy themselves. Pray for them. Know that just because things have always been done that way it doesn’t mean it’s right… be the type of person who stands up for what is right, while still knowing when to walk away.  Learn to forgive people…remember it doesn’t make them right, it sets you free... I myself have 2 people I need to forgive. I hope and pray one day I will be set free from that resentment.

Last, please know that you cannot be all these all the time and that’s okay…

I would like to close this letter with these words of wisdom from a poem by Mother Teresa I hold near and dear to my heart:

           ANYWAY

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Be good anyway.

Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People need help but will attack you if you help them.
Help them anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

I love you both with everything I am

Your Loving Mother