2 1/2 cup warm milk
2 T yeast
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup melted or very soft butter or oil
2 tsp salt
7 cups whole wheat flour (or white flour if you prefer)

In mixing bowl, stir all ingredients together for about one minute. Allow dough to rest for ten minutes. Knead dough for five minutes, adding more flour if necessary. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.

Place dough in a greased bowl. At this point, you can refrigerate the dough for an overnight rise, or allow it to rise at room temperature until double.

After it has risen (or within the next couple days, if you refrigerated the dough) shape the dough into the bread you desire.

I got this recipe from http://homejoys.blogspot.com/2011/02/sweet-dough.html

Good morning, ladies!  We had a great visit yesterday with David, Jess, and the kids.   It was a nice warm day and as you can see, most of it was spent outside.  If you look on the ground you can see where Daniel’s boots are.  I guess they got in the way of swinging.  

Sam and Katie.  Sam had so much fun sitting with Katie and taking pictures.  Every time the we would take a picture, he would just bust out laughing.  So of course, we took MANY pictures.  I thought this one was the best. 

David helped Hubby fix the brakes on the car yesterday.  It was a full day’s job but we think they are finally fixed.  Thank’s again Dave for helping.  Jess and I worked inside on making her some applebutter.  She ended up with 5 qts.  We had spaghetti with homemade sauce, rolls and cinnamon rolls for dessert.  Daniel told me spaghetti was his favorite.  I made a new recipe for cinnamon rolls and I really liked this recipe.  Much better than the one I had been using.  I got the recipe here.  http://homejoys.blogspot.com/2011/02/sweet-dough.html  I also posted the recipe under sweet dough in my recipe file.  I did divide the recipe in half and got 18 cinnamon rolls.    I will  definitely be making them again.  We are planning on starting a  remodel at Jessica’s on Monday.  Her kitchen is getting a facelift.  I hope to remember to take the camera and I’ll show pictures of the process. 

I hope you all have a great day and God bless.

Every evening we turn the chickens loose to scratch and play.  They love it!!  They stand right at the fence when we go out to turn them loose.  Each one wanting to be the first one out the gate. 

As of right now we have 13 of these lovely ladies, 4 red and 9 white.  We want to expand the chicken house and lot this spring and get more-maybe about 20. 

They are extremely curious ladies. They follow us around wanting to be petted. If any of us step outside they will come running up to us to see what we are doing. They are definitely a lot of fun to have around. Today has been warm but the wind is a little strong. Jess and David and the kids are coming up tomorrow. I hope to get some new pictures to show you all. Enjoy your day and God bless.

Homemade Laundry Soap

 2 1/4 cups shredded Ivory

* you can use the other soaps used on the web (just google) ..

2 cups Borax

2 Cups Arm and Hammer Soda

1 Cup Water Softener (Calgon) (I use Purex water softening crystals-lavender)

*Essential Oil of Choice and as much as you like.

I combine these ingredients in my food processor.

I package this for sale.

The girls finished their Sunday night sewing projects.  I have mentioned before that Mrs. Sally, the pastor’s wife is teaching the girls to sew.  The above picture is the dress Julie finished.

This is Grace’s shirt.

Look at the cute little label they made for Grace’s shirt.  I think they both did great jobs.   I wonder what their next project will be.

Enjoy your day and God bless.

We had a great visit with the Horn’s yesterday.  We were celebrating Mckenzie’s birthday.  They had the table decorated so pretty and cheerful.

Best of friends! 

Mrs. Vicki’s goats and chickens.

While the kids played, Vicki showed me how to make a blue jean skirt out of old blue jeans.  I think it turned out really nice.

I hope you all have a great evening.  Supper tonight is pork tenderloin roast, fried potatoes, corn and fresh baked rolls.  God bless.

Monday afternoon the rain stopped and the wind really picked up.  The girls finished their outside chores and wanted to stay outside for awhile.  Do you see the two little dots in the distance?   Well, that’s them.   I took  these  this pictures from the house as they were walking the field. 

They are never out without company.  The cats always follow them any time they walk outside.  I zoomed this picture in so you could see them better.

And, of course, Shadow.  He would never dream of allowing them to be out of his sight.  I’m not sure why this picture turned out so dark but you can still see him. 

Yesterday was a beautiful day.  The girls and I were at Jessica’s.  The temperature at her house was in the 60′s so I know it was probably in the 50′s here.  I love this weather-makes me think about spring.  Today is supposed to be nice too and then rain is in the forecast.  The girls and I are going to the Horn’s today after school.  YEAH!  We are soooo looking forward to it.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

1 box yellow cake mix, 4 eggs, 3/4 cup oil, 8 oz. sour cream.  Mix ingredients, spread 1/2 of cake mixture in a greased 9 x13 cake pan.  Sprinkle 1/2 of the following mixture on top:

1 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 tbsp. cinnamon

spread remaining cake mixture on top sprinkle remaining brown sugar mixture on top and swirl with butter knife.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min or until done.    Glaze cake when cooled.

Glaze for cake:  2 cups powdered sugar, 5-6 tbsp evaporated milk, and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Yesterday morning we awoke to this.  Ice was everywhere.  We think the fog froze as we had lots of fog.  It was slippery here but once we got on the road it was fine.  We awoke this morning to sleet.  YUCK!  Thankfully, the temps warmed up enough to melt the sleet before Hubby left for work.  The rest of the day so far has lots of rain and fog but no sleet.   The girls and I had planned on going to Sam’s today but we have postponed that trip until later in the week,  for just in case.    I do not want to take a chance on running into  slick roads.

We have  been doing school today and, of course,  a little house cleaning as well.  Supper tonight will be beef roast with potatoes and carrots and homemade rolls (which I better get busy making).  I will leave you all with one more picture.  This was taken yesterday about 5:00 p.m. while we were on our way to church.  Still a little icy with a little fog. 

Enjoy your day and God bless.

•  1 stick butter melted
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-2/3 cups flour (I use 2/3 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.
3. Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completelely
4. Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

I got this recipe from http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dessert-recipes/pumpkin-whoopie-pies