How to make...

English Muffin Bread!

I love to bake....but I just don't feel like I have the time anymore, nor do I want to heat up my entire house during the Arizona summer.

So what does this girl do?  She finds the best bread recipe that requires a minimal amount of oven and prep time!

And without further ado, I bring you this recipe!

Dry:

3 Cups flour
1/2 Tablespoon sugar
1teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1-2 Tablespoons cornmeal

Wet:
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet) + 1/4 cup warm water (combined)
1 cup warm milk
1 Tablespoon shortening (or butter, approximate measurement)


1.  Combine the yeast and warm water, and let sit.
2.  Combine all dry ingredients and mix together.
3.  Throw in the shortening/butter and incorporate into the dry ingredients.
4.  Add the warmed milk and yeast mixture.
5.  Knead for a minute or so (or if you are lazy like me, use the dough hook on your kitchenaid).
6.  The original recipe said to divide the dough into 2 pans, but my bread pans are too big, so I put all the dough into 1.  Before doing that, I sprayed the pan with Pam, and dusted it with cornmeal.
7.  Let it rise until it's double in size....about 2 hours.
8.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes (that's right 15 minutes!)

One tip for this finished product is that it does need to be toasted to taste the best!  I hope you enjoy this recipe!  The bread is relatively healthy, and you can change it up and use whole wheat flour and leave out the shortening, and I can guarantee it will still be delicious!  It also freezes well!

I adapted this from a recipe found here.

Oh No!

What has the world come too?

What ever will we do without this or this?

I'm going to go stock up RIGHT NOW!

how do you deal with a bad day?

this is my coping strategy...

Chocolate Devotion Ice Cream from the gloriously delicious Coldstone 

(unfortunately mine wasn't this large....)

(image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/gamany/2255838283/)

Why did I have a bad day you may ask? (ok I know you guys aren't asking, but I'm still going to tell you.)

Anyways, back to the question.  Let me just start the list...

1.  I am incredibly stressed....tooo much to do (sell our home, fill out paperwork to buy our new home, tons of work obligations, Rhett's leaving me on saturday, my house is a wreck, etc. etc. etc.)

2.  After my house being burglarized, my insurance agent basically told me to tell the adjuster that the computer that was stolen was mine (it was not, it was our house sitter's).  During the recorded conversation with the adjuster, I told him my agent told me to lie to them, but I couldn't do that and look at myself in the mirror.  Well apparently my agent is mad about that and changing his story saying that he never told me to lie to to the adjuster.  He is trying to make me feel bad, and has advised me to find another agent.  I'm upset because I wanted to already have different coverage by now, and be able to call him and say that I was switching coverage (not the other way around).

3.  No one would return my phone calls today, whether they were prospective insurance people or mortgage lenders.

4.  I needed 10 more hours today to get everything done that I needed too.

ok seriously...I'm just a big baby.  But I do feel better now that I have complained, and that my tummy is full of ice creamy deliciousness.

I hope you all had a better day!

golden delicious nuggets...

of CORN!

I'm gonna clue you guys in on a little secret....of a fine eating establishment....

It's pure fried deliciousness....and it makes my heart happy (in an artery clogging kind of way)....

If you ever have the opportunity to go, don't pass it up.

They have amazing little nuggets of crack (or most people would say corn), the yummiest chicken tenders, and a new item.....fried pickles!

So go here and discover the Chicken E closest to you....

I can just feel my arteries clogging...

So I tried to be domesticated tonight and made some good ol' chicken fried steak (I have never made CFS, but it was a valiant effort).  

Anyways, we sit down to eat dinner...I check the DVR to start some Biggest Loser, and I discover that it hasn't started to record!  GASP!  I curse out our DVR (not really, but it's for some effect), and switch to NBC to realize that the President is giving an address.  That's great and all, but I really wanted to watch The Biggest Loser....I know I know, where are my priorities?  

And now I'm sitting watching commentary....still wishing I could be watching one of my fav shows....tis a sad night....

(I also want to state that I eat the unhealthiest foods when I'm watching BL....)

Our exciting trip to Houston! (Day 1)

So last weekend we got to experience the great state of Texas, and it was spectacular! I have never been to Houston, so it was great to see what it really is like (not what I have always envisioned..smoggy and humid).

SO instead of typing, here's is an illustration of the weekend!

Who wouldn't enjoy their 2 hour airline flight when they were watching their free digital copy of MAMMA MIA!? It was fabulous! Except when Pierce Brosnan was singing!


You may be asking yourself...what are those boys doing? Getting a salt scrub of course! Being the good wives that we are, Melissa and I were tired of holding those dry scaly hands, and our husbands gladly (ok so maybe they were forced) participated in the salt scrubbing. Funny thing is, Rhett totally wanted to buy some after it was all said and done....


Here is Aaron thinking he is almost like Jesus....trying to "walk on water" and all....I had to break it to him that none of us can be that cool ;)


Rhett and I in downtown Sugarland!  They have such a pretty town square area!

Ok so this picture doesn't do this Hot Chocolate justice....it is crack on drink form from Border's.  I didn't understand why Melissa and Susan were so pumped about this hot chocolate...and then I saw the mountains of delicious whipped cream, topped with white and dark chocolate shavings and a hunk of chocolate sticking out to enjoy....It was a glimpse of heaven!  yummmmmm

And this all happened on the 1st day!  stay tuned for the next post, for the a tour of the most awesome museum in AMERICA!

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And several of the blogs that I read are having some awesome giveaways so go check these blogs out:

Misadventures of a Newlywed is giving away some super cute stationary

House of Rose is giving away some monogrammed flat cards! Have I said how much I love stationary?

The PInk Potpourri is also giving away some fabulous stationary!

Be Thou a Knight is giving away a Vera Bradley Bag