My Birthday

I woke up to this email from my mom and then the next one from my grandma, it made me cry...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Where did all the years go? 43 years ago today I was getting into the car about this time, mom, Marcia, me and you heading to the hospital.  I was so excited but wondering what was going to happen.  I didn't have any child birth classes only Rosie next door helped me a lot with my breathing techniques.  We would practise together and she gave me a book to read.  I had done my homework and now I was ready for the day.  When we arrived they didn't know which one of us was pregnant, but I stepped forward said it is me.  In to the bed I got and Mom and Marcia had to wait outside the door while they prepped me.  They shaved me and checked me and that was about it.  I had informed them that I didn't want any drugs.  So for the next few hours we all sat and talked, probably I listened as mom and Marcia rambled on.  About 11:00 or 11:30 mom said that she was hungry and off they went to get something to eat.  I was fine by myself, the thought of food didn't set very good with me.   All of a sudden the back pain came on and ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  Mom came back and when she saw the pain I was in she put a pillow behind my back and pushed to help relieve my pain.  In those days you couldn't get out of bed, but I think I was dilated too much anyway.  Shortly after that I went into the delivery room with the nurse.  Mom and Marcia couldn't go any farther.  Dr. Travis had been called and came from Anoka, 35 miles away.  I remember doing my breathing and concentrating on the clock for my breaths.  Just me, the nurse and Jesus in that room.  I remember praying to him and asking him to help me not to use any drugs.  When the doctor came I said something really stupid to him, something like you old rattle snake.  The nurse had been coaching me to not bare down, don't push and by the time he got his gloves on and took a look he said push.  30 seconds you were born.  12:30 p.m.  August 21st  1967.  What a glorious day that was.  All the angels were singing and everyone was elated, even my doctor whom had walked me through this journey.

So even though I can't be with you today, I still relive your birth and wish for you the best.  My best probably looks different than your desires, but one thing I've learned through the years is that you were a gift from God for a short time.  Now it's your life to live.  My prayer is that you live it well, for the things that really matter.

Happy Birthday Honey!  love you so much, mom


Happy Birthday first born grand daughter.  Does not see like it was 43 years ago that you and the only other baby, a boy, shared the nursery.  What a doll we brought home and such a joy. Love you, Grandma! 


Oh......sniff, sniff! I'm seeing if my mom will scan me pictures of WAYYYYY back then. I'd LOVE to see what she looked like, no one knew she was pregnant!!!!


I found this blog and I'm going to make this cake today. When we lived in Vegas it became a tradition to get a Nothing Bundt Cake. Once Jonathan sent me one when he was out of town, I think my mom was visiting. She sent me one the next year for my birthday - it's the BEST!!!!  

http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2008/09/nothing-bundt-chocolate-cake.html

Super Duper Cinnamon Rice Pudding

I’m in love!!! I’ve been reading the book, Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1887314156/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

My friend Tricia turned me on to it awhile ago and recently my friend Rachel started reading it as well. I HIGHLY recommend the book. Get it from the library 1^st or look for it used, it’s about a $25 book. Anyway, I was looking for some blogs on Nourishing Traditions and found some. One woman is even doing the Julie/Julia thing cooking each recipe and blogging about it. By the way, I LOVE that movie. I watched it once by myself and again the next day with Jonathan. I got him Julia’s cookbooks and he made the BEST duck ever!!!! 

On this blog, http://realfoodforlessmoney.blogspot.com/search/label/breakfast, she had a recipe for Butterscotch Rice Pudding. I’m ALWAYS looking for “what’s for breakfast.” I am not a cereal girl, I don’t like high carb breakfasts. I feel hungry within an hour. I like a “stick to your ribs” meal for breakfast. Her secret to “natural butterscotch” is that molasses and honey taste like butterscotch!!! Isn’t that great? We’re house sitting and I don’t have molasses, so I just made Super Duper Cinnamon Rice Pudding, and, did I say, “I’m in love?”

Super Duper Cinnamon Rice Pudding 


4 cups leftover rice (I used brown and jasmine)

2 cups milk

2 T Maple Syrup

1 T cinnamon 

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla



Heat the rice and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbly.
Turn the heat down, stir it fairly often and let it cook a bit to break down the rice about 5-10 minutes. Add the honey, molasses, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir well.

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Add a little bit of the rice mixture to the eggs and stir well. Pour the eggs into the rice mixture on the stove and stir quickly so the eggs do not clump. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

We just enjoyed this for breakfast and Jonathan, who “doesn’t like cinnamon,” LOVED it! J Enjoy

What do you like to have for breakfast?

Coconut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Try this one Prudy! We went camping with a bunch of families and these bars were the hit at the adult only dessert table (that I didn’t discover until the last bar remained!) Thanks April!!!

1 1/4c butter or oil (I used cocontu oil)
2c sugar (You could use honey or agave. I used sugar and would cut this by 1/2)
1/2t salt
2t vanilla
2 eggs (I used an egg replacer, as I was out - so mine were Vegan)
- Mix above together, then add in:
3 1/4c flour (or 2c flour + 4c oats) I used the 2c whole wheat pastry flour and 4c oats

1 1/2t baking soda
2c choc chips
1c coconut lightly toasted (opt) YES!
1c chopped nuts (opt) No...

-if seems too thick, add a little milk, but it should be difficult to spread out – I use a fork. (They did - I added some rice milk.
-spread over greased or buttered 12”x17” pan for bars – bake 375 deg for 15 min
-for drop cookies bake 9-11 min.

Talk about TONS of oats - India and I ate them for breakfast! To be honest, she doesn't like my "healthy treats." These she LOVED....we ate them all....

These photos are almost from a year ago, but they are so sweet, I had to include them.

Stacked Cinnamon Loaf

 

We're bakers, I think we come by it through our genes. I didn't start baking till I moved to Hawaii.  Here, a simple loaf of bread is over $5, so it's a good reason to bake. India loves to dump and mix and if I'm not fast enough, she starts "tasting" the flour mixture.  "Yum, this tastes good!" as her face and shirt become filled w/ flour. Let's face it, the girl loves to eat, even if it is flour and baking soda!

 

My friend Kelley is REALLY a baker. I think she does it almost everyday. I think it's her creative expression and it grounds and adds balance to her day.

 

This recipe and inspiration come from her, however, if she ever saw what I made, she'd say, "That's not what the recipe says to do." I always end up improvising when I bake - I know, it supposded to be more of an exact "science" than cooking, but I never seem to have the right ingredients and who knows what one wants to bake before the moment strikes them? Just ask my family, it's not uncommon to recieve a phone call from me asking what I can use instead of...

 

It turned out alright, even without the vanilla glaze. India and I like butter on it!

STACKED CINNAMON LOAF 

This is so easy and yummy – had to share….

Kelley Lacks

Place in mixer bowl:

3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I use half whole wheat)

¼ cup sugar

1 ½ tsp salt

2 scant Tlbsp (or 2 packets) active dry yeast

Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed (speed 2 on Kitchenaid) until blended, about 1 minute. In a heavy saucepan, heat until liquids are hot (about 120 degrees F) and butter begins to melt

1 cup milk

½ cup water

¼ cup butter, cut into 4 pieces

Add hot liquids to the dry ingredients. Mix for 2 minutes. Stop machine and scrape down sides of bowl. Mix on low speed tfo an additional 2 minutes. With machine running add, ¼ cup at a time, enough flour for dough to cling to dough hook and clean sides of bowl

½ to 1 cup flour

Mix well after each addition. Continue to knead dough on low speed until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer dough to a well-greased bowl, turning dough once to grease the top. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and toss until no longer sticky. Divide dough in half. *Roll one-half of dough into a 12-inch square. Brush top of dough with

1 Tlbsp melted butter (I use room temp butter)

Sprinkle with a mixture of:

¼ cup sugar (brown)

½ tsp cinnamon

This is where I like to add some other ingredients such as currants, raisins, nuts, chopped apple

 

Fold dough in from the sides to meet in the center. Fold dough in from the top and the bottom to meet in the center. Fold the package of dough in half and place on a buttered baking sheet or loaf pan. Repeat from * with the second half of dough. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. With a sharp knife, cut a long slash in the top of each loaf (I have never had this work very well. Sometimes it has caused my loaf to deflate a bit). Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. If desired, when slightly cooled, drizzle tops of loaves with Vanilla Glaze.

Makes 2 loaves.

Vanilla Glaze

Stir together until smooth

½ cup sifted confectioner’s sugar

¼ tsp vanilla

1 Tlbsp boiling water

Guava

      This fruit looks like a lemon, has lots of little seeds that you just eat, tastes like a sweet/tart citrus and smells like a grapefruit. It is often served on planes flying to Hawaii as a juice.  We find these on the road when we walk the dog.