Thursday

helpful hands.

i had some really cute helpful hands in the kitchen while making these blueberry muffins. i saw this recipe in a taste of home magazine (that my sweet dad gave me) and i had to try them. i am a HUGE blueberry and strawberry muffin fan so i was excited.




blueberry yogurt muffins
1 cup all purpose flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup fresh blueberries



1. in a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. in another bowl combine the egg, yogurt, oil and milk. stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. fold in blueberries.
2. fill paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full. bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes. cool for 5 min. yeilds 6 muffins.



try it. it's easy and very tasty!

Wednesday

BREAD!

i am so excited about this post. it's been a long time coming... but it's finally finished. a good friend taught me how to make homemade sourdough bread and believe me... it's delicious. granted, it's a long process but it's super fun. so here it goes:
1. feed the starter. after feeding the starter you have to let it sit for 8 hours. this completes the first step.


2. the next morning you have to make the bread. after combining flour, sugar, salt, oil, starter and warm water you mix all the ingredients together (with a wooden spoon) and let it rise for 8 hours.





3. after the dough has risen pour it out on a floured surface and knead. then separate the dough into three loaves. don't forget to spray the loaf pans! let the dough rise again until it doubles or for 8 hours.





4. it's finally time to bake it! you put the bread into a COLD oven (do not preheat it!) Bake @ 350 for 35 min. then here's my FAVORITE part- take it out of the oven and ENJOY! i put butter on one piece and then butter and jelly on the other. i honestly like it so much better with just the butter. the bread has excellent flavor by itself.





i plan to continue making bread! it's fun to eat and give away!
so thank you to my good friend and mother of 6 for teaching me how to make this!

Monday

it's been far too long.

2 months? seriously? that's ridiculous. i wish i could say that i have been making really neat things but i haven't... after being gone 3 weeks to youth camps i haven't had much free time. however, although life isn't slowing down it is becoming more scheduled so that makes for more time to cook, bake and make things!
1. i bought this shutter on my birthday at a antique store in brinkley, arkansas. my best friend and i went shopping and couldn't pass up something so cute and inexpensive. i had decided that i was going to make a necklace holder out of it many months ago but i just got around to doing it... and it only took 5 minutes! at first i was going to paint the shutter but the more i looked at it the more i loved the chipped paint and light color. the only sad part is that we have not/will not paint the walls of our apartment so it doesn't look too good when it is hung on our walls. but when we have a house the walls will be painted so it will look great. after getting the shutter i went to walmart and bought some hooks that have a screw on the end. and that's it. it really was that simple but is so much more fun that a store bought necklace holder.



2. tonight i am going to complete step 1 of a 4 step process of making homemade bread. if everything turns out as planned the bread should be done wednesday morning. i have really been looking forward to making bread and excited to have the time!