3 Cooks in the Kitchen

This weekend, I spent some precious time w/ my two girls, making pies.  For the first time, we made Grandma Peterson's pie crust recipe together.  Brooklin was a little grossed out by the messiness of the shortening & flour mixture.  Kinda made me giggle.  Brooklin sliced the apples & Natillie mixed up the crumb topping for the Dutch apple pie.  It didn't turn out as pretty as this perfectionist would have liked, but we had fun making it, and it sure tasted good. Next time we'll make sure we have plenty of apples to fill the crust.  What a wonderful way to spend our Sunday afternoon.  Maybe I have a couple of pie makers to help me open up shop again in the future!

SWEET things to come!!!!

I've reinvented my blog, and I'm going to be adding some exciting posts soon.  Check back in the next several days, to see what's coming! 

No!  I'm not expecting!
Yes! It has to do with food!
Yes! It's HOMEMADE!

See ya soon!

Time passes by . . .

I've been away for so long! I hope I remember how to do this!

It seems that these past several months have been filled w/ us relizing that God, alone, is in control! We have endured a very difficult school year w/ our oldest. A year that has worn both Dave and I out! I don't remember 4th grade being this diffucult. Of course, I can only remember that I went ga-ga over the boys that year! Glad we haven't faced that yet! I know, it will be here sooner than I care for it to be!

This Friday, my "little" brother, CJ, will say "good-bye" to high school! Where has time gone? I remember the day he was born, the day he met Dave (he kicked Dave in the shins w/ his pointed cowboy boots!!), and the tears he shed as I left w/ Dave for our honeymoon! I'm so thankful that God gave our family CJ! What a blessing (most of the time:-) ) he has been! My emotions are running high! Can't believe that he is "all grown up"!

Savor the moments . . . Time passes by too quickly!

                                                              

 

"That's what little boys are made of . . ."

This evening, as I was drying Ethan off after his bath, he leaned in really close to me and whispered, "Mom, why don't girls have (boy part)?" (for the sake of those who don't like the word, I have omitted it from the story - but if you are around my son too long, be prepared, he will call the (boy part) by it's rightful name)

"Well, if they did, then they would be boys, and then there wouldn't be any girls."

"But why don't they?"

"That's just how God made boys and girls different. Each one is very special."

"Girls, don't; boys, do. Girls, don't; boys do. Girls, don't; boys, do." He said, as he is holding up his hand, and counting off w/ his fingers.

This little guy of mine is constantly amazing me w/ how his little mind works. He has been mastering his game of checkers now, for several months. We no longer let him win . . . we have to pay attention, or we will lose! He has a love for board games. We took all of the kids to Toys R Us this past weekend so they could buy something w/ their b-day money that they had saved. Ethan picked out the game "Guess Who". He still gets confused as to what questions he should ask you to help him figure out who you are, but I bet he'll be winning the game in no time.

So, my blessing that I am sharing w/ you today, is this little man, Ethan Brock. If you are ever in need of a hug, he is the one to give it. If you need to hear a good belly laugh, he is the one to listen for. If you want to be always on your toes, wandering what will be said next, come spend some time w/ him! He is my sunshine!

Complaint Department

As a mother, there are times when I am giving my children directions, or "having a talk" w/ them, that I hear words come out of my mouth and go "Hmm." Today was one of those "Hmm" moments. All week, we have been dealing w/ excessive grumbling among our kids. I was telling whomever was griping that it would make me so much happier, if they would simply follow instructions, w/out complaining. That's when the "Hmm" moment occurred. This past month, week, day, has had more than it's share of complaining, and grumbling from me. Be it about the girls' school, homework, bills, kids, myself, the weather, time constraints, household duties, etc., I've noticed that I've been quite vocal in what I don't like/want. But I haven't even began to scratch the surface in being vocal about my praise and thanksgiving. How humbling, to look back over the last several weeks, and realize that God must have felt the same way about my griping, as I was about my kids' griping. So, today, I ask you to forgive me, if in this past month, I have come to you, grumbling about something. I want my words of thanks to far outnumber my words of discontent.


So, here is a blessing that I would like to share w/ you:
My two "little" brothers! They are the two biggest cut-ups I know! God knew that I was way to serious of a person - so, in His infinite wisdom, He chose to teach me to "lighten up"! Being separated from both of them is very tough! Jeremy and I are only 18mths or so apart, so we are used to always being close to each other. CJ and I share a very special bond because I became his second mother (there are 16 years between us). When I am home, the two of them tease me mercilessly! But my world would be so void w/out them and their teasing! Jeremy, CJ - I thank God for each of you. You may tickle me until I cry - but w/ Dave's help, I can return the torture!!!


My verse for this week:
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.
Philippians 2:14-15 NIV

Downsizing??? Yep!

Wow! What a crazy month our family has had!!

May brought many tears, questions, fears, 2 trips to KS, prayers, answers, headaches, boxes, sweat, loss of sleep, and sore muscles! What happened, you ask? Well, let me start at the beginning.

On May 1st my best friend from K-12th grade lost her daughter very unexpectedly. This event took me to KS for several days to spend time w/ her and also my family. The day that I left to fly out to KS, Dave came home and informed me that he had just been let go from his job . . . so, I flew out to KS, w/ a very heavy heart. Not knowing what we were going to do, but for some odd reason, feeling a strange peace about me. So, after I returned to IN, we began packing and looking for a place to live. The big issue was pricing on the home. We told God that we needed a certain price to meet our budget. He came through . . . almost $200 below what we asked!!! Dave contacted his former employer from KS about a possible job, and they had one for him! We headed back to KS last week, for him to work on a few job details, and "refreshers", than drove back here to finish getting settled in our new place. I had forgotten just how tiring hauling boxes up and down stairs can be!! Dave's new job will allow us to stay in IN, and he will be able to work out of his "office" aka kitchen table here, for the time being. (I just hope the kids remember to clean up all the playdooh before he sets his pc down to do his work :-) ) We know that God's hand has been on us as we have been on this journey. It has been so awesome, watching Him work. We are still unpacking boxes and trying to figure out where to put things!!! We went from about 1800 sq feet to a little over 1000!! Dave Ramsey says to live w/ what you need, and that is what we are getting ready to do. There are many things that we have, that we do NOT need, so, guess it is time for a garage sale . . . or maybe just several GOODWILL trips!

So, if you see me, and I look a little haggard, or my clothes don't exactly match - it's because I'm so overwhelmed by the mountains of boxes in my house right now! I'm not really sure I'm making any headway on getting things put away, but hopefully, by the weekend, things will look differently!

Lovin' my Husband

Dave and I have spent the last 10 years "learning the ropes" of marriage. Let me tell you, those ropes have been slippery, and we have both earned our share of blisters. But the beauty of it all is that we've learned to work together to pull/support each other's ropes.

I'm so thankful for having such a wonderful person in my life! I can't imagine going through life w/o him by my side. The best part of every day is waking up beside him. He makes me laugh everyday . . .well, at least he tries! Here are some fun facts about the love of my life:
1. He was born in New Castle, IN
2. He hates olives
3. Loves the heat . . . can't stand winter
4. He can't swim :-)
5. He can be very sarcastic . . . 99% of the time
6. I taught him how to drive a stick shift in my truck while we were dating
7. He loves Peanut butter (my kind of guy)
8. He loves to sing
9. He is younger than me . . .but only by 7 mths!!
10. He is a wonderful Father
11. He has more socks than a person should be allowed
12.His side of the mirror is speckeled w/ toothpaste splatter
13. He has a few OCD qualities :-)
14. I locked him out of our hotel room on our honeymoon . . .by accident :-)
15. He is the youngest of 5 biological children, and his parents adopted 2 infants when he was around 16.
16. His dad is a preacher
17. He really does have hair on his head . . .he just chooses not to share it w/ everyone!
18. He always orders the same thing at a restaurant
19. He used to weigh 300# (college)
20. He likes loud music!!!

Ok! Thats my man! Just wanted to brag on him for awhile today!

God's Faithfulness

I woke up this morning, to the sound of Dave ironing his clothes. I saw the sun shining through our window, and listened to the birds singing outside. I love sunrises . . . although I've seen more than I probably have really wanted too! All morning, I have felt surrounded by God's arms . . . He's here w/ me, reminding me that I am His! I love the song, " I Still Believe" by Jeremy Camp. God has been so faithful to me and my family!

Just wanted to tell everyone how Happy I am today! God is Good!

I've updated my play list down below. The group Third Day is one of my new fav's! They have several love songs that have really touched me.

Now, I get to try to "infect" my kids w/ my happiness . . . they are NOT so happy today - kinda weird how this day has started!! Have an awesome week!

Easter

We hope your Day was a Blessed one! Easter is my most favorite holiday! The beauty of spring, combined w/ the wonderful gift of Redemption fills my heart w/ so much JOY!

As I promised, verbally, to a few of you, here are some pics of the girls dresses! Let's just say that although I love sewing their Easter dresses almost every year, this year almost did me in!! I finished Brooklin's almost 2 wks ago - minus securing the sash. But than . . . I had to go and slice my finger, thus requiring stitches, rendering my finger virtually immovable (the cut was right at the knuckle). Have you ever tried to operate a sewing machine w/ an unbendable finger . . . Well, I finally sat down to work on Natillie's dress on Friday, after having the stitches removed from my finger. I finished her dress Saturday night around midnight!! Unfortunately, Natillie's dress making event didn't go as smoothly as Brooklin's did, but she was so pleased to have it done! The girls love the anticipation of new dresses at Easter . . . maybe I will keep this up for another year or two! Oh yeah . . . and my little guy . . . just steals my heart - he's such a cutie! I can be prejudice . . . right?!

Mommy Memories

Remember those days when Motherhood was new? Those first few days home from the hospital were scary, but beautiful - if you could look past all those horrid first poops, the 2 am feedings, 4 am feedings, days w/o showers, spit-up running down your back etc. I remember holding my little ones, close to my heart, and thinking how wonderful that God had created such a beautiful little person and entrusted them into my care! I've seen several young mothers and babies lately, and I smile as I remember the way a baby smells, the softness of their skin, their tiny socks, & those wonderful gowns. Our kids are growing quickly, and those years are far behind us now. But every once in awhile, I will see a look come across their face, that reminds me that they are still the same person as the sweet, helpless infant I once held in my arms. Some days . . . I have to watch really closely to see that look!!

How fun to look back and see the changes that their little bodies and personalities have gone through over the years. Find a picture of your kids as babies or toddlers, and remember how you felt on the day the doctor placed them in your arms, for the very first time! I'm doing alot of that today . . . remembering that they are still the sweet bundles of joy - they just need a little more attention and guidance in different areas now . . . thankfully, they are almost all dependant of my help in the bathroom!

Isn't God amazing?!

Storms, Rainbows, and Trust

I've been on a hiatus, again, for the last couple of weeks. So much has been going on in our house lately. First off, I want to tell everyone how much I love my husband! Dave had no clue what he signed up for when he signed his name on our marriage license 10 years ago! We celebrated 10 years on March 20th! Where has the time gone?! Oh yeah . . .we've been raising 3 precious gifts from God (and trying to maintain our sanity)!!

I want to share something very dear to my heart w/ you today. It has been a difficult 16 months for us here in the Bittinger household. Our move from KS to IN was "a God thing". He knew that we were in need of His help, but that we were "blinded" to the need of it, due to life, as we knew it. So, shortly after moving here, we found ourselves facing the possibility of losing our family, and each other. Selfishness had crept into each of our hearts, and there was no longer room for each other. We began going to counseling, and working on learning to love, laugh, trust, and live together again. Don't think that this deterred Satan from trying to destroy us! He then attacked us through bringing my depression back. There were many dark days . . . .days that I was afraid for myself and my children. Days that Dave didn't know what he would come home to. I was finally able to find help through medicine, and the days got much brighter. I'm happy to report that God healed me from this horrid pit of despair, a little over 3 months ago! His sweet spirit has been a daily gift in my life. But Satan still wasn't done w/ me! He and his demons came for me in a very vivid and frightening dream one night, but as I spoke the name,"JESUS", those demons fled. The past several weeks, I have been going through w/draws from my Rx. The days have not been pretty! But, praise God, I'm at the end of that "journey"!

Dave and I have latched onto the song "Bring the Rain" during this time. In fact we sang it at church this past Sunday - whew! I made it through w/o crying! We've been in a dark storm this past year, a storm that caused me to build a lot of walls between me and my family/friends. I'm so sorry! I can't believe some of the things that I did/said. The good news is that I can now see the Rainbow! God never left me during the storm. He kept His hand on me, protecting me from the worst of it. The storm was never about me . . . .it was all about Him and all for His Glory! God is good! His ways are not our own, but His ways are the right ways, even when we can't see that.

I share this with you, so that I can give God the glory for all that He has done for us! I am so amazed at how much He love us . . .me! I can't believe that it took me so long to sense, experience, and accept His love. I am His instrument.

So, what is your storm? Does it seem to be lasting forever? Just remember that the storm is for His Glory. He wants you to praise Him during this time. Yes, it is hard to do that. Yes, you can be upset that you are hurting. Yes, He feels each pain you feel, and He sees those tears too. The rainbow is just over the horizon. It isn't that far away. Trust Him; reach out to Him; accept the storm as a time for growth. God is in control!

Sisters Part 2

I've yet to find my granola recipe . . .something tells me that it will require some deep cleaning before I can find the cook book! So, unfortunately, we will all have to wait for that yummy snack!

Meanwhile, I thought I'd continue w/ my Sister series.

I met Terrie on my first visit to Indiana when Dave and I were starting to date. She was so welcoming and kind. I remember feeling like a duck out of water, as I entered into the very conservative world. My family was conservative, but I had been on my own for almost 2 years, so I didn't exactly look the part! :-) Terrie has always been such a great friend to me. We share a love for shopping, drinking an ice cold fountain coke first thing in the morning, eating chocolate (as an emotional treat), and loving on our kids. Our husbands are so much alike that we don't even have to guess how they will react to things! We love to laugh - life is too short to be serious! We call each other weekly, to check on each other, vent, laugh, and say, "You'll never believe what my husband did today!" She's a great friend, and I'm so fortunate to have her as a sister-in-law!

Here are a few of her tasty recipes. Did I mention that she is a great cook? I learned from her, how to make "Bittinger" pot roast, complete w/ noodles cooked in the gravy . . . mmmm maybe I'll have to do that this week! Enjoy!

Corn Bread Layered Salad
6-8 servings

1 8 1/2 oz box cornbread mix cooked
6 green onions
1 med green pepper chopped
1 15 oz can corn (drained)
1 15 oz can red beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 c mayo
3/4 c sour cream
1 t ranch dressing
4 T sugar
2 tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 c shredded cheese

Prepare and bake corn bread according to pkg directions (cool); crumble into 2 qt glass bowl
layer next 3 ingredients- (pepper/corn/beans); in small bowl combine mayo, sour cream, dressing and sugar. Spread dressing mixture over vegetables. Sprinkle w/ tomatoes and cheese.

Maple French Toast Casserole
6 servings

7 c cubed texas toast
1 8 oz cream cheese
1 c heavy whipping cream (warmed to 70 to 80*)
1/ c maple syrup
6 eggs
1/2 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
dash of salt
sausage links, cooked and chopped

Place bread in greased 2 qt baking dish, press down gently. In small mixing bowl beat cream cheese till fluffy, gradually add in whipping cream and syrup; mix well. Whisk together eggs,vanilla,cinnamon, salt; add to cream cheese mixture pour evenly over bread. Add chopped sausages . Cover and refigerate overnight. Remove from fridge 30 min- before baking; Add topping (recipe follows), cover and bake at 375* for 25 min- uncover and bake 25 min longer or until center is set and top is golden brown. Serve with syrup.

topping
4 T butter
3 T sugar
2 t cinnamon
make a crumble and pour on top prior to baking

I'm still here!!

I've been "away" for a few days, visiting my family in KS, last weekend, and enjoying time w/ my "ailing" Uncle, as he stayed w/ us the first part of the week. (He is recovering from shoulder surgery, and he and his family were needing reprieve from each other :-) ) We had a great time w/ him, the kids loved having Uncle Jon here to play w/ them. We even took in the new Lego Castle at the Children's Museum, of course, Uncle Jon gave in and bought each of the kids a toy from the gift shop!

I'm looking forward to getting back in the groove of posting on there. Tomorrow I'm headed to the store to pick up items to make one of my family's favorite snacks . . . homemade honey granola. I'm hoping to get it made and be able to post pics by tomorrow night. It is sooooo yummy!

Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of your evening, and give someone close to you a big hug! Here are 4 of my favorite people to hug! Thanks for checking in and come back for more tomorrow!

Sisters Part 1

God has blessed me w/ wonderful sister-in-laws! I am the only girl in my family (I have two younger brothers). And for at least 10 years, I was the only granddaughter, in a sea of boys! There are benefits to being the only girl . . . such as getting a "little" spoiled from family - but there was also something missing. Since getting married, I have acquired wonderful "sisters". I even have one of my "little" brothers to thank for giving me a sister! Over the next week or so, I'm going to be sharing recipes from some of these special ladies in my life.



I'm going to start w/ Amy. She married my brother Jeremy almost 10 years ago. I have to admit, and my family will tell you the same, I did not like Amy when she and Jeremy first started dating. I thought she was pretty uptight, and just not the right type for my brother. Fast forward to today . . . she is a wonderful person. As we both journeyed through our seasons of life, I began to discover what a truly incredible person she is. She has blessed me w/ a nephew (who reminds me so much of his daddy, that it is scary), and a beautiful princess niece. When we made the move to Indiana, it was so hard to leave Amy and Jeremy behind. Amy and I had taken our relationship to a new level. We were enjoying mothering and spending time together. We still talk to each other almost every week, and the emails flow frequently. We are each other's "venting" companion! Isn't life funny? I'm so glad that Jeremy chose her, despite my opinion. We are going back to KS this weekend, and I am so excited to be able to see her . . . and the rest of my family too, of course!! This is a recipe that everyone requests that Amy bring to dinner. It's very impressive - for someone from Missouri!! J/K!! KU ROCKS!


Cookie Salad *
1 package (4oz) Instant vanilla pudding
1 cup buttermilk**
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
8 oz whipped topping, thawed
1/2 package fudge striped cookies, broken into pieces


Combine pudding & buttermilk (will be thick). Fold in whipped topping, oranges, and cookie pieces. Chill until ready to serve.

*This can easily be made sugar free by using sugar free pudding, whipped topping, and cookies.
**To make your own buttermilk, place 1Tbs lemon juice or white vinegar in measuring cup, and add milk to measure 1 cup. Let sit for 3-5 minutes, or until thickened. Continue w/ recipe.

Lovin' on the family

This picture is a little old, but I came across it and was instantly reminded of what real love feels like! This was taken when Ethan was about 6 week old. As a mother, I embrace loving my children (that doesn't mean it's always easy!). They are my responsibility and if I choose to model love, they will do the same. I'm striving to cover my children in "love prints" so they in time, will do the same to their own children, sometime down the road.


I've been remiss in posting anything these past few days . . . I've been spending time w/ my family. Natillie, our oldest, came down w/ a horrid ear infection on Thursday. We had a play date at the mall play area on Friday; came home and made Valentine's cupcakes - complete w/ lots of pink frosting and sprinkles! Last year, we tried something new to celebrate V Day. The kids and I spent the day creating a surprise dinner for Dave. The kids decorated the table, we pulled out the sparkling china and goblets, used the velvet napkins, lit candles, and dressed in "fancy clothes". We all had so much fun! I think I remember our dessert being red, heart shaped jigglers :-) How fun it is to create a "fancy" dinner, that includes all of the family!



We decided to make this a tradition. Dave and I can have our date later. This just made such an impression on the kids, that we want to make sure they experience it many more times! Tonight, the girls decided to forgo their "fancy" clothes, in fact, they almost came to dinner in their fuzzy bath robes!! The table had a beautiful hand knitted tablecloth (a gift from my grandmother for our wedding), metallic multi-colored heart garland , candles, M&Ms, and we even had sun catcher conversation hearts hanging from our chandelier above the table! No fancy food tonight, just lots of love and laughter as we shared a beautiful time together as a family ! God has been good to us, and His love continually amazes me!

Spring Fever

I'm getting Spring Fever. I am feeling the need to clean, wanting to open my windows, and feel the fresh breeze, and seeking out "spring time" foods. As a child, I never had the opportunity to eat asparagus. Not that I would have eaten it . . . I think I viewed it as an "old persons" food (kinda like turnips, parsnips, rhubarb, and horseradish)! So, I'm not sure if my opinion has changed because I am now "older" :-) or if I just gave the asparagus a bad wrap to begin with. Anyway, my dear friend, Stephanie Witt, shared this recipe w/ me while we were both still living in Fort Scott, KS.. My kids love it, and it is so simple to prepare! I even used this as a very popular side dish when we owned the Kress Tea Room in Fort Scott. I found some asparagus at a good price while I was shopping the other day, and couldn't pass it up. I was getting tired of frozen mixed veggies, and wanted something fresh. I'm so glad I picked up a couple of pounds. My family was glad to see an "old friend" resurface. Asparagus is a spring vegetable. So, I'm very happy to see young asparagus showing up more frequently in the grocery store! It's just a little over a month before Spring officially begins! I can hardly wait!

Parmesan Asparagus

serves 5

2 1/2 - 3 # fresh, young asparagus

2 Tbs olive oil (may sub. canola, veg. oil)

2 tsp Kosher salt (may sub regular salt)

2/3 - 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (not grated)

Trim asparagus approximately 3" below the head, discard the stems. Arrange asparagus in a single layer, on sheet cake sized baking dish. Drizzle oil over the asparagus, sprinkle w/ salt, and top w/ shredded cheese. Bake in 450* oven for 7-10 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned. This is best served immediatley. We like to cook it a little longer so that the tops of the asparagus

have a little crispiness to them from "searing" in some of the oil.

Chicken Salad

I thought I'd go ahead and post the recipe for the Chicken Salad that I took the the Rex family last night. I've been serving a lot of warm weather food this past week - you'll notice my love for fresh fruit shined brightly yesterday! I had bought a generous supply of fresh fruit, so I decided to go ahead and make a colorful fruit salad to go w/ the chicken salad.

Chicken Salad

serves 4-6

2 1/2# cooked chicken breast meat, diced

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 large can mandarin oranges, drained

2 cups red grapes, halved

2 cups mayo (approx)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp sugar (optional)

1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)

1/2 cup pecans/sliced almonds (optional)

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Gently mix. Chill until ready to serve. This is wonderful on croissants, by its self, wrapped in lettuce leaves, or on regular bread. I don't add nuts to ours, since our kids have nut allergies, but I have had it w/ both types of nuts, and they add that little extra crunch to the salad.

Summer is on its way! I can hardly wait! Then it's unlimited fresh fruit and salads!

Friends, laughter, tears, and HOPE

Today was a great day, spent w/ friends. My morning began at MOPS, visiting w/ my peers, sharing some laughs, needs, and tears. Learning that it is OK, as mothers, to push the "STOP" button - it's OK to take time for ourselves. In fact, it is very necessary to STOP on life's roller coaster, to pause, regroup, & take a deep breath before climbing on for another ride. After MOPS, I went home and fixed a meal for my dear friend, Melissa Rex's family. I've been kinda quite this afternoon, feeling like God is asking me to just "be still". (That is really hard to do in my very loud and crazy home :-) )

I am grateful for His goodness to me. He has brought me so far in the last couple of weeks, and I give Him alone the glory! Dave has introduced me to a new song, I've listened several times today, marveling at the word HOPE. I don't know how to move the song video down to this spot, so you'll just have to check it out up top! Sorry - I'm still learning how to work this technical stuff!

Stockpiling, computers, & bread

I need some technical help . . . how do I redirect you to one of my recipes that I already posted (ie the grilled cheese and tomato sandwich) so you can go directly to it? I became frustrated trying to "enclose" the link . . . what is the secret?

Well, my "stocking up" day did not go as planned on Saturday. I'm hoping to at least get some done today - maybe I'll just tackle the waffles. I do need to make some bread today, so I have chosen my favorite recipe. It is so flavorful and light. This is one of the breads that I love to use when I make Grilled Cheese w/ Tomato and Basil. I make it in the bread maker, on the dough cycle, and than remove it and place it in a bread pan to rise. I just have issues w/ cube shaped bread - don't ask my why? I'm kinda quirky that way!

Italian Bread
makes 1 loaf

1 cup warm water
3 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbs dried rosemary
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine, in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select either the dough cycle or the white bread cycle; press start. If you remove the dough to rise out of the bread machine, set your oven to 350*, and bake the risen bread for 20-25 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when you tap on it. Make sure you spray your bread pan w/ non stick spray before placing the dough in it to rise! You may brush the top of the baked bread w/ melted butter, if desired.

Playing w/ my food!!

I have a confession . . . one of my favorite things about cooking is that I get to practice "art". I was never very good in art class during school, but I love decorating cakes, and turning the ordinary, simple dessert, into a beautiful creation. So this past Sunday, I took advantage of the opportunity to be creative when I fixed dessert for lunch at my bro & sis-in-law's house. I absolutely love fresh fruit, and could make myself sick on fruit salads during the summer! Some day, my dream is to have a big orchard, berry patch, as well as my own vegetable garden! I absolutely love fresh produce! Anyway, on to yesterday's food . . . the fruit pizza was for lunch, and then I took some of the pumpkin oatmeal muffins (posted Jan 25th) as well as one of my favorite quiches, Sausage & Cheese to Sunday School. They were all three a big hit! My kids, nieces, & nephews thought the fruit pizza was pretty cool.

Fruit Pizza

serves at least 12

1 pkg refrigerated sugar cookie dough

8 oz cream cheese, softened

8 oz cool whip, thawed

Assorted fruits

1/4 cup Peach Jelly

Slice cookie dough into thin rounds, and place them on baking pan, side by side. Use fingers, or small rolling pin to flatten and connect the pieces to form one large crust. Leave approx. 1/2" of edge of pan uncovered, so the dough can expand w/o running off into your oven. Bake according to package temperature, for 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden in color. Let cool completely, and leave on pan. Blend cream cheese until smooth; fold in whipped topping, and spread on top of cookie crust. Arrange fruit, as desired and chill pizza until ready to eat. Just prior to serving, heat jelly 10 - 15 seconds in microwave, until liquid, but not too hot. Drizzle over the top of the pizza, cut and serve.

Sausage & Cheese Quiche

makes 1 9" deep dish (8 servings)

1# ground sausage

1 med. onion, chopped

1 small bell pepper, chopped

1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 Tbs flour

6 eggs, slightly beaten

3 Tbs. sour cream

1 1/2 cup milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tbs dried parsley

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 pie crust, unbaked

Combine sausage, onions, bell pepper, & mushrooms in skillet, cook until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Combine flour and cheese; toss w/ cooked sausage. Pour sausage mixture into bottom of prepared crust. In medium bowl, combine eggs and sour cream, until well blended; add milk and seasonings. Pour over sausage & cheese. Bake at 375* for 35-40 minutes, or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. You can cook this ahead of time and place in low oven to warm for 10 minutes before eating.