The Dance

Jessica went to a dance recently. I thought she looked so cute. I snapped some pictures of her and some of the other kids who were there. I just about had to twist her arm to let me take these pictures. If it were up to Jessica, there would not be any pictures taken of her, ever. She will thank me one day.

Whole Wheat/White Bread Recipe

I want to share my favorite bread recipe. My family enjoys fresh baked bread more than just about anything. This recipe is so simple, yet so soft and chewy.
This one loaf bread recipe can be made with whole wheat flour, a mix of the two flours, or just make white bread with all white flour. I use unbleached white and wheat flour. I use my bread maker on the dough cycle to mix this, then shape my own loaf. You can use your kitchen aid too. I turns out great every time. Try it and let me know what you think.

Whole Wheat/White Bread

3 1/2 cups white flour or (2 cups ww flour and 1 1/2 cup white)

1 T oil (vegetable or olive oil)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 T yeast

1/4 cup honey

Mix water and yeast in small bowl and set aside. Add flour, salt, oil and honey to bread maker. When yeast mixture has foamed up, add to bread maker. Select dough cycle on the bread maker. Sometimes it is necessary to add a little more flour. Check the dough when you hear the bread maker start to mix. If the dough seems way to sticky, add a little more flour. When the cycle is complete, shape the dough into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan. Let it rise for about 20 minutes. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Chicken Casserole (delicious!)

My sister-in-law, Ashley, has informed me that blog etiquette requires a recipe for any pictures of yummy food. I do want to follow the rules, so here is the recipe for the yummy chicken casserole pictured in the previous post. I just have a couple of things to say about it. You don't have to use Mrs. Cubbisons Dressing, but it is the best. Do not use stove top stuffing. I actually used the Kellogs cubed brand and it worked out just great. If you want more of the "crunch" on top, use more of the dressing. For the chicken: I bought a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store on sale for $4.88. It was so great. I just stripped off all of the meat and used it in this casserole. Quick and easy. Of course, you can cook your own chicken and be just fine.

Some of you also wanted the wheat bread recipe. I posted it today too. It is my favorite bread recipe. It just makes one loaf and is super easy to make. Let me know when any of you make these recipes! I'd like to know how it goes.

Chicken Casserole:

1 cup butter
4 cups Mrs. Cubbinsons dressing (cornbread or cubed)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can evaporated milk
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
2 T minced onion
1/2 cup chopped celery

Melt butter in a medium saucepan and add dressing. Stir, letting the dressing absorb all of the butter. Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan, and spoon in 1/2 of dressing mixture. In a bowl, combine soup, evaporated milk, peas, onion, celery, and chicken. Pour this mixture over the dressing. Top with remaining dressing mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

New Recipes

I get so tired of making the same thing for dinner week after week. Don't you? I came across a great website that I just love to visit. It is www.thepioneerwoman.com. The lady that runs this site is so funny. I wish I could be her real friend, and not just her website friend.

She has some great recipes that I have been enjoying. I made two of them over the weekend. You must make her chicken salad! It was divine. I made a loaf of whole wheat bread and spread that chicken salad on it and WOW was it yummy! I also tried the Asian Noodle Salad. The dressing was great! You all must go visit this site and tell me what you think.

I was so proud of my loaf of bread that I took a picture of it. I also took a picture of the yummiest chicken casserole ever. (This is a recipe from my sister, Tammy, not from the pioneer woman.)If you want the recipe, you must let me know. It is true comfort food!

Dollywood!

We felt so lucky to finally visit Dollywood! The company I work for treated all of the employees and their families. It was so great! We have wanted to go since moving here, but it is so darned expensive for a family of six. It was such a beautiful Fall day. The leaves were out in full color and the decorations around Dollywood were so festive.

I stayed with Ben for the first couple of hours while Brock took the three older kids on the death rides. I have had my day of riding rollercoasters! I just don't like it very much anymore. I get a headache. I can hardly watch my kids swing at the park these days. My equilibrium just isn't what it used to be. Ben and I walked around and just enjoyed ourselves. Cotton candy made the walk a little more fun too.

Which Twilight Female Are You?

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

I took the quiz and found out that I am most like Esme. That suits me just fine! Go take the quiz. I am so excited to see the movie. How about you?