Why I'm awesome Wednesday

You know, some days (or some weeks, months, years) are just a little rough.  It is easy to get stuck in a slump.  Day in, day out, life gets a little tedious.  I start to feel overwhelmed, and my soul starts to gets weary.  Then things start to happen to my self-esteem.  I begin to doubt myself and what I'm doing as a wife and a mother.

No good.

So, here's what I'm going to do.  I have to remind myself why I'm awesome.  Maybe once a week, maybe less, maybe more.  Who knows.

Today, I'm awesome because once I start cleaning...really cleaning...I do it quickly and efficiently.  I can do it with two toddlers helping me!  I clean, disinfect, vacuum, and make lunch while singing and dancing a little, keeping my kids happy, and all within 2 hours leaving time for my projects.

What makes you awesome?

Easy Breadsticks or Easy Cinnamon Twists

I love, love, love this recipe.  It really is easy and it's fairly quick, as far as bread goes.  And, finally, I think I have it just about right.  At least, right enough to share.

So...here we go...

Please note, if you are looking at the pictures and find yourself thinking, "Hmmm, that looks like she used too much!" it's ok.  You can lay your worries aside.  I was doubling the recipe so that I could show the 2 variations on the recipe.


Start the party with 1 Tablespoon of Yeast and 1 Tablespoon of sugar.

I wonder if the sugar knows it is there to be eaten?  Hmmm...

Add to that 1 1/2 cups of warm water.

Let that sit for a few minutes until the bubbles start to form.  That's the party starting!

Add 3 cups of flour (you may need a little more...if it is too sticky, add more) and 1 tsp of salt.  

I misread the recipe (and didn't realize it until this very moment) and threw in 1/2 cup (1 stick) of soft butter to the mix.  Oops!  

But, this batch turned out to be my best yet, so...from now on I'm sticking with that.  You don't have to if you don't want to though.  (I'll put the correct recipe at the bottom of this post, by the way.)

Mix all of that together until it forms a soft dough.  Then, knead it like crazy.  

If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, then just let the dough hook do its thing.

It should look like this (I took this picture while the dough hook was spinning!  Well, I thought it was exciting.)

If you don't have a stand mixer, then knead it by hand.  That's ok too.  It just takes a little longer. 

I read once, or someone told me once, that dough has been kneaded enough when you can poke two fingers into it and the indents stay.

Like this.

I'm glad no one has to poke me to see if I'm kneaded enough.  

Sorry, friends.  I'm tired and when I'm tired the corny jokes and puns pop out.  It's part of who I am and I've learned to live with it.

Now, this part isn't in the recipe, but I have found that the breadsticks turn out better if they are given more time to rise.  Set the dough to rise for about 15 to 20 minutes, enough that the indents disappear.  I turn my oven on and set the metal bowl on the stove top.  The warm bowl and the warm oven make for good rising.

See?

Pretty.

Now that it has risen, take 1/2 a cup of butter (see, I should have waited and used it here instead of throwing it in the mixer.  But, no regrets...it was a happy mistake) and put it on a cookie sheet.

I always cover my pans with foil...it's easier to clean up.

Put the pan and the butter in a 350 degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes...until it is melted.

Then, take it out and sprinkle a good amount of garlic salt or powder over the melted butter.

Take your dough, punch it down and put it on a floured surface.  Roll it flat (about 1/2 inch thick).  

I have no idea why this rolled out in such a funny shape.  It looks like it has some kind of weird growth.  At least it still tastes good!

Get a pizza cutter (it works waaaaaay better than a knife) and cut the dough into breadstick-size sections.

Now, take each section and stretch it out a little (the dough is super soft and stretchy, so it should do that pretty easily as you pick it up), fold it in half and twist it.  Roll each twist in the butter.

Once you have all the pieces rolled, sprinkle them with Parmesan cheese (if you so choose) and let them rise again for about 10 to 15 minutes.  

Pop them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.  Pull them out and enjoy some fantastic, soft, and delicious breadsticks!

Um, don't forget about them like I did, though.  They still taste good, but they aren't as good when they are overcooked.  Word to the wise.

Variation!!!!

If you are more in the mood for cinnamon twists, make the same dough, let it rise the same, and melt the butter on the pan the same.  BUT, don't put garlic powder on the butter.

When you roll out the dough, before you cut it, sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar.  

Cut it, fold it, and twist it just the same as you did the breadsticks.  Roll them in the butter and bake 'em up.

I didn't forget about these ones!  (I have my priorities straight.)

If you are so inclined, mix some powdered sugar and milk and vanilla together (for the right proportions, check allrecipes.com.  I kind of just wing it.) and drizzle it over the top while they're still warm.

Enjoy!!!!

Easy Breadsticks

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, melted. 

Garlic salt or powder

Parmesan cheese

Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water.  Add flour and salt.  Mix all ingredients together.  Knead for 8 minutes.

Pour melted butter evenly over a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with garlic salt or powder.  Roll dough out 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into 1/2- to 1-inch thick strips.  Roll strips in butter.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Let rise 10 to 15 minutes.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Check my Linky Party page to see where I'm linking up!  

Hoo Are You #46

1.  How did you spend the 4th of July?

Well, we were going to go to a movie and then drive somewhere for a picnic and fireworks show (our town had their celebration on Saturday and I had to work).  But, the Mister came home on Friday and informed me that our car was broken.  It can be fixed but we had to order the part and it won't be here until today (Tuesday) or Wednesday.  So...we stayed home.  We had a picnic on our front lawn.  It rained a lot so we took a tarp and laid it over our heads (Mister and I were the tent posts!) while we ate and giggled.  Mister took his truck and bought us some fireworks, so we stayed up late and set off our own fireworks.  The girls were thrilled!  O thought they were so pretty that she called them Princess fireworks.  You know that is seriuos.

2.  What were a couple of favorite things you ate for the 4th of July?

Fried chicken....mmmmmmm!  

Watermelon.

Soft caramel popcorn.  

3.  Did you watch fireworks?

Just the princess fireworks we set off in front of our house.  Nothing big this year.

4.  What is your favorite firework?

Well, I have always been a lover of sparklers.  But, I think my favorite this year was what we named the Cupcake fireworks.  They looked like little fireworks.  Once they were lit, they spun in a few circles and then took off into the air...way up in the air...with a little *zing* sound.  It was thrilling!

5.  How hot was it where you were for the 4th?

Hmmm...I didn't really check the thermometer, but I would guess in the mid-80s.  And it was super humid because it was a little stormy.

Head over to Night Owl Crafting to play along!

P.S.  I am also participating in {Ginger Snaps} Tiggerific Tuesday blog hop.  Click the button below to join up and make some friends!

My secret language or a peek at one of my little quirks.

Do you remember those days in high school when you always had a crush on some cute boy...or you were frustrated with a friend...the days when you were filled with all kinds of ambitions and secret dreams?

Sometimes there were things you just had to tell someone, but when your best friend or your sisters or your mom weren't available (or maybe didn't understand), what could be done?  For me, I had to write it down.  Who better to tell than yourself, right?  I was pretty good at keeping my own secrets.

I still have lots of notebooks filled with my thoughts and hopes and loves.  But, here's the thing...those notes look something like this:

W oy ea wb xajs iwht Ywqtosx htoh W ywuth tojs ha zwee twe roqs ajsf obn ajsf ouowb.


Yeah, I was also a little paranoid.

You see, I had this thought that someone might notice me writing and would sneak up behind me to read what I was writing.  I didn't want just anyone to know who I was in love with and all the yearnings of my heart, so I made up a code.  Because, that doesn't look odd at all.

Seriously, I knew this code so well that I could write it, in cursive, as smoothly as I wrote in English.  I could also read it.

It became my own little language.  A place where I could go and feel safe and sort out my thoughts.  And, now that I think of it, I think it is pretty cool that I was able to create such a good place for myself.

It did become a little silly, though.  Like when I needed to go to the store to get...ahem...feminine products.  I was too embarrassed to write the actual word down on my list.  I just wrote "DOPE" instead...because that looks much better on a shopping list.  (heehee! If I write "dope" here, no one will notice that I'm buying maxi pads!)

You'll notice I'm not giving you the key to my code.  I have far too many notebooks filled with my teenage (and maybe not-so-teenage) secrets to let the key out now.  Besides...I may or may not be using it still.

Giveaway

Not me.

Head over to my friend's blog, Mrs. Sassy Crafter!  She has just reached 300 followers and is giving away a mystery box.  Good luck!

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!

The Fruits of My Ambition

Remember the before?

(here)

I fixed it.


I managed to pull that old cover apart, carefully label it, trace it, cut the pieces out of new (much improved) fabric, and put it all back together again!

The putting it back together again was fairly simple, although I hit a bit of a snag when trying to put the bottom back on.

But, after much worrying and fretting, I decided to just deal with it. I sewed it together, ignoring the parts that aren't as pretty as the rest, and continued to be proud of myself.

The most important thing is, the girls love it.

And they love each other.

Um, just on a side note, do you see that white thing in O's hair? It's a strip of Velcro. She calls it her headbandie.

I think it is the start of a new, totally hip fashion craze. Be prepared!


I used a piece of fleece for them to lay on when the couch folds out to a bed.

It's soft and cuddly.


See, she's sleeping.

(Not really)


She doesn't like to sleep, so why would she even pretend to? But she'll lay on the soft fleece!

I know some of you are hoping for a tutorial. I thought about making one as I went along, but then decided against it. I thought maybe I should figure out what I was doing before I showed other people the way. Besides, I couldn't remember to take pictures along the way.

I would like to do another one, to perfect it a bit (ahem...a lot) more. If I do, I'll make a tutorial with that one.

In the meantime, I would just like to throw out the challenge to you. If you have the opportunity to do a project that you're not sure you can handle, then jump in and do it. It's kind of fun! And super rewarding. And, toddlers are very accepting of new toys, even if they aren't sewn perfectly.

I'm linking up with my regulars.