Breit Family Blog: Decorating the tree

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Decorating the tree - Dec. '08

It was fun to put on the Christmas music and get out the

holiday decorations. It put us in the Christmas spirit,

after feeling sorry for ourselves that we would

not be spending it with extended family. :(

Someday we'll have a big, beautiful Christmas tree covered with
tinsel and pretty glass ornaments. But for now, our kid-friendly,
mix-and-match ornament tree is PERFECT!!

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Mothers Who Know

"Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world's goods in order to spend more time with their children -- more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all."

-Julie B. Beck; Nov. 2007

Books We Love

Ranger's Apprentice series, by John Flanagan
Percy Jackson series, by Rick Riordan
Tunnels series, by Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams
The Hunger Games Series, by Suzanne Collins
Holes, by Louis Sachar
Shadow Children series, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Septimus Heap series, by Angie Sage
Inkheart; Inkspell; and Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
The Great and the Terrible series, by Chris Stewart
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo
Captain Underpants series, by Dave Pilkey
Hardy Boys series, by Franklin W. Dixon
Charlie Bone series, by Jenny Nimmo
Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen
Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale
The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis
Fablehaven series, by Brandon Mull
Eragon; The Eldest; and Brisingr, by Christopher Paolini
(Hate to admit -- but...) The Twilight Saga, by Stephenie Meyer

Some Favorite Quotes

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. - Helen Keller

In short, the habits we form from childhood make no small difference, but rather they make all the difference. - Aristotle

Our life is what our thoughts make it. A man will find that as he alters his thoughts toward things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him. - James Allen

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. - Anais Nin

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. - Helen Keller

Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. - Benjamin Franklin

Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt. - Abraham Lincoln

Some Favorite Recipes

My motto has always been 'KEEP IT SIMPLE'. This applies to everything -- including cooking, as reflected in the following recipes.

Parmesan Baked Potato Halves
(These are so good and super easy.)

6 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
1/4 c. butter
Grated parmesan cheese
Garlic powder
Any other seasonings you like

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9 x 13 inch pan and spread evenly across the bottom. Generously sprinkle parmesan cheese and lightly sprinkle other seasonings all over the butter. Place potato halves face down on the butter and seasonings. Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Cornbread
(This has become my new favorite cornbread, replacing my previous buttermilk cornbread recipe. So moist and yummy!)

2/3 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 2/3 c. milk
2 1/3 c. flour
1 c. cornmeal
4 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Cream butter & sugar. Mix in eggs and milk. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture.
Bake in a greased 13 x 9-in. baking pan at 400 degrees for 22-27 minutes. Serve warm.

Banana Crumb Muffins
(I just tried this new recipe and it is DELICIOUS!! I doubled it for 2 dozen because they go so fast here.)

Muffins
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 bananas, mashed
1/4 c. brown sugar **
1/2 c. white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 c. vegetable or canola oil

Topping
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 T. flour
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 T. butter

Preheat oven to 375*. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and oil. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together first 3 topping ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

** You can use all white sugar instead of brown sugar if wanted. Also, I added a little cinnamon and nutmeg to my dry ingredients.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
(Super moist! A delicious gift for a friend!)

3 c. flour
1 T. + 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. sugar
1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin
4 lg. eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. orange juice or water
1 c. sweetened dried, fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat overn to 350*. Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil and orange juice in large bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon into prepared loaf pans. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 2 loaves.

Buttermilk Pancakes
(Our most requested breakfast)

2 eggs
1/4 c. oil
2 c. buttermilk
1 3/4 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add oil; mix. Add buttermilk; mix. Add dry ingredients; mix just till smooth. Bake on griddle. Makes about 16.

Baked Swiss Cheese Chicken
(Super yummy with rice or mashed potatoes.)

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. chicken broth
6 slices Swiss cheese
1 c. seasoned stuffing mix

Place chicken in greased 13x9 dish. Combine soup & broth. Pour over chicken. Top with cheese and sprinkle with stuffing mix. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Feather light Overnight Rolls
(Thanks for sharing, Kim)

2 pkg. yeast
1/2 c. warm water
1 c. water
1 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 c. cold water
4 eggs, beaten
7 1/2 + cups flour

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 c. warm water. In a pan, bring 1 c. water to a boil. Add butter, sugar and salt and remove from heat. Mix and add 1 c. cold water. Mix, then add yeast & water mixture. Add in beaten eggs and mix. Add flour & mix.
Cover pan and refrigerate overnight.
Divide dough into thirds. On lightly floured surface, roll to 1/2 inch thick and spread with butter. * Cut into wedges and roll each, croissant style. Place on greased baking sheets. Let rise 4 hours. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes. Makes 3-4 dozen.

*Variation: You can add cinnamon and brown sugar here for sweet rolls. Or you can sprinkle with white sugar and grated orange peel for a delicious orange bread.

Braided Sweet Bread
(I tried this over Christmas and my kids LOVE it! They ask for it all the time now.)

1/4 c. water
1 1/2 c. warm milk
1 pkg. yeast (= 2 1/4 tsp.)
4 T. margarine, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 c. flour (more to knead)

Mix together water, warm milk and yeast. Add melted margarine, sugar, salt and flour. Knead dough. Place in bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Divide dough into 6 parts and shape each into long pieces. On a baking sheet, braid 3 pieces together like you would hair. Braid the remaining 3 pieces. Cover and let raise 1 more hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Gently rub butter cube over the top of each loaf after removing from oven.

(Shortcut: Use the breadmaker to make the dough. It works great! Then just braid, raise and bake.)

Bread Twists and Stuffed Crust Pizza
(This replaces my old pizza crust recipe. This one is SO much better! I make one batch for bread sticks. When they're on the pan I put them into a slightly warm oven to sit and raise. Then I start a second batch for pizza crust. By the time my pizza's ready to bake, I can cook them both at the same time.)

1 1/2 c. warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast

Mix and let sit for 5 minutes. Then add:

3 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt

Mix until smooth. Let raise for 10 minutes. Roll out dough into a large square on a floured surface. Pour on melted butter (1/4+ c.), then sprinkle on garlic salt, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese (or your choice of seasonings). Fold in half and cut into 1 inch strips. Twist and place on a cooking sheet. Let sit for 15-20 minutes to raise. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately after baking, rub butter across the top. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

For pizza dough, just roll out into a large circle, place on a large pizza pan (lightly greased & sprinkled with cornmeal). Spread dough just past the edge of the pan, then tear 4-6 mozarella cheese sticks in half and place all along the edge of the dough. Roll edges in around the cheese sticks and press lightly to seal. Add your favorite pizza sauce (we just use canned spaghetti sauce) and toppings. Then bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. When crust looks golden brown, add cheese and put back into the oven just long enough for it to melt.

Chilled Broccoli Salad
(My favorite -- not my kids or husbands!)

1 bunch broccoli, chopped
1 small purple onion, chopped
1/4 c. raisins
6 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. vinegar
1 c. mayonnaise

Mix sugar, vinegar and mayonnaise. Add to remaining ingredients, mixed. Stir well and chill overnight. Serves 12.

Taco Soup
(So flexible and easy, and great for cold nights!)

1 lb. cooked ground beef or chopped chicken
1 medium chopped onion
1 pkg. mild taco seasoning
16 oz. can of kidney, red or pinto beans (drained)
28 oz. can stewed tomatoes
8 oz. can tomatoe sauce
Tortilla chips
Sour Cream
Grated Cheese

Add first ingredents to soup pan. Mix and heat through. Serve hot with crumbled tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese.

* I frequently change this recipe, using fresh salsa in place of the taco seasoning. I fix it with or without meat. It's also very flexible to use up leftover onions, peppers, corn, etc.

Mandarin Orange Pudding Salad
(This is served at our extended family gatherings -- Yummy!)

2 c. buttermilk
2 pkg. (3.5 oz) instant vanilla pudding
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip
2 cans mandarin oranges (drained)
1 can crushed pineapple (drained)

Mix buttermilk and pudding well. Add Cool Whip & mix until smooth. Fold in oranges and pineapple.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake
(Paula Wood's recipe)

1 cube butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (2 c.) chocolate chips

Topping
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and sour cream. Sift together and add baking soda, powder and flour. Add vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips. Put 1/2 batter in a greased and floured bundt pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of topping on batter. Add remaining batter. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove and add remaining topping mixed with 1/2 cube butter. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes more. Serve warm.

Fluffy Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust (6 oz.)
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. pureed pumpkin
2 eggs

Mix cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in pumpkin. Add eggs and mix unil blended. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Breit Family Blog

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Decorating the tree - Dec. '08

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