Focaccia Bread

Focaccia Bread
1 loaf

1 tablespoon honey
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly chopped rosemary
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve honey in warm water; sprinkle yeast over top and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 5 cups of flour until dough comes together. Knead on a well floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes. Place dough onto oiled baking sheet, and flatten to cover the whole sheet. Use the tips of your fingers to make indentations all over the dough spaced about 1 inch apart. Drizzle the focaccia with 3 tablespoons olive oil; sprinkle with rosemary, parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon salt. Let rise for 10 minutes. Bake at 415 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

I've never made this before and have always called it, "that good Italian bread that I can't pronounce and it starts with an F." ;-) So I looked it up! If I'm going to bake it, I need to know how to say it. :-)

Focaccia (pronounced foe-CAT-cha) is a flat oven-baked Italian bread, which may be topped with onions, herbs or other foodstuffs, related to pizza.

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Round Up.

To Stay at Home is Best

Stay, stay at home, my heart and rest;
Home-keeping hearts are happiest,
For those that wander they know not where
Are full of trouble and full of care;
To stay at home is best.

Weary and homesick and distressed,
They wander east, they wander west,
And are baffled and beaten and blown about
By the winds of the wilderness of doubt;
To stay at home is best.

Then stay at home, my heart and rest;
The bird is safest in its nest,
Over all that flutter their wings and fly
A hawk is hovering in the sky;
To stay at home is best.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

illustration courtsey of www.allposters.com
"The Road Home" by Ray Hendershot

Cashew Chicken

Cashew Chicken
6 servings

2 cups chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bag frozen oriental stir fry vegetables
1 1/2 cups cashews
hot cooked rice

In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of broth. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, cayenne pepper and remaining broth until smooth; set aside. Add chicken to the skillet; stir-fry over medium heat until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Add garlic and vegetables to skillet; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Stir broth mixture; add to the skillet with the chicken. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in cashews. Serve over rice.

I am participating in "The Simple Woman's Daybook" -

please visit The Simple Woman Blogspot to join in the fun!

~ for today ~

Monday, May 19th 2008

Outside my window...

I see sunshine and a cloudless, beautiful blue sky.

I am thinking...

about summer!

I am thankful for...

my family.

From the kitchen...

it will be bagel pizzas for lunch.

I am wearing...

capris and a baby doll top.

I am creating...

our last two weeks of lesson plans.

I am going...

to my son's end-of-season soccer party this evening.

I am reading...

Where Two Ways Met by Grace Livingston Hill.

I am hoping...

to go for a walk this afternoon.

I am hearing...

the birds outside, the dryer and the children's voices.

Around the house...

I am doing Monday's laundry, homeschooling,

and tidying the house after a busy weekend.

One of my favorite things...

to do is to plan and host a party.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

finishing up last lessons in school books, having company on Wednesday evening, planning Memorial Day activities, planning my daughter's birthday party, taking a trip to the library.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

of my sweet little Daisy girl.

Supper Menus
May 19th-24th

Monday
soccer party - out to eat burgers
Tuesday
cashew chicken, rice
Wednesday
angel hair pasta with spaghetti sauce, focaccia bread, green salad
Thursday
crispy chicken cutlets, crescent dinner rolls, long grain and wild rice, lettuce and tomato salad
Friday
black bean enchiladas, tomato salsa, green chili rice
Saturday
'lil cheddar meatloaves, make ahead potatoes, green salad

Welcome to all those stopping by from Organizing Junkie's "Menu Plan Monday". Please come back later in the week - I post recipes and pictures each evening. Thanks for visiting!

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Yesterday's dead,
Tomorrow's unborn,
So there's nothing to fear
And nothing to mourn,
For all that is past
And all that has been
Can never return
To be lived once again -
And what lies ahead
Or the things that will be
Are still in God's Hands
So it is not up to me
To live in the future
That is God's great unknown,
For the past and the present
God claims for His own,
So all I need do
Is to live for Today
And trust God to show me
The Truth and the Way -
For it's only the memory
Of things that have been
And expecting tomorrow
To bring trouble again
That fills my today,
Which God wants to bless,
With uncertain fears
And borrowed distress -
For all I need live for is this one little minute,
For life's Here and Now
And Eternity's in it.

~Helen Steiner Rice

Daisy in the rear view mirror

An Afternoon at the Park

"What riches are ours in the world of nature, from the majesty of a distant peak to the fragile beauty of a tiny flower, and all without cost to us, the beholders! No man is poor who has watched a sunrise or who keeps a mountain in his heart."

~ Esther Baldwin York

"There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland scenery that enters into the soul and delights and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations."

~Washington Irving

My Fair Lady

Cheese Filled Manicoti

Cheese Filled Manicotti
6 servings

1 package manicotti shells
15 ounces ricotta cheese
8 ounces mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Cook manicotti shells according to package directions. Combine cheeses, bread crumbs, parsley, and salt; set aside. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, basil and oregano. Simmer 30 minutes. Pour half the sauce in a baking dish. Stuff cooked manicotti shells with cheese filling; arrange in dish and top with remaining sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Hints for the Homemaker

from Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook 1961

• PLAN AHEAD

Write menus for a week's meals at a time. Shop for staples once a week, fresh fruits and vegetables twice weekly.

When cooking, assemble all ingredients and utensils before beginning to prepare the dish.

If you have a freezer, make several cakes, pies, cookies, main dishes or sandwiches at a time and freeze some for future use.

• COMBINE JOBS

Bake cake or cookies while washing dishes or cooking dinner. Pare vegetables while meat is browning.

Plan leftovers. Cook some foods to be served more than one, such as beef roast; use again for beef sandwiches, beef hash and beef pie.

Plan and organize daily work while working with hands (peeling potatoes, sweeping floor, etc.)

• REFRESH YOUR SPIRITS

Every morning before breakfast, comb hair, apply makeup and a dash of cologne. Does wonders for your morale and your family's, too!

Think pleasant thoughts while working and a chore will become a "labor of love."

Have a hobby. Garden, paint pictures, look through magazines for home planning ideas, read a good book or attend club meetings. Be interested - and you'll always be interesting!

If you have a spare moment, sit down, close your eyes and just relax.

• ORGANIZE WORK

Have a weekly plan for scheduling such tasks as washing, ironing, baking, shopping, cleaning the refrigerator or washing the floors. One task done each day provides a sense of accomplishment and keeps work from piling up.

Alternate sitting-down tasks and standing-up tasks. Don't be on your feet too long.

Let the family help you. Very young children can set the table; older ones can help cook and wash the dishes. Include them in party plans.

• BE COMFORTABLE

Wear comfortable shoes and easy-fitting clothes while working.

Stand erect. Good posture prevents fatigue.

Have sink, work table, and counter tops at a height that is comfortable to eliminate strain.

Use a dust mop and long-handled dust pan. Use a self-wringing mop to prevent stooping.

Farmhouse Bar-B-Q Biscuits

Farmhouse Bar-B-Q Biscuits
5 servings

1 tube (10 ounces) refrigerator biscuits
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Flatten biscuits and press into the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin tin; set aside. Brown ground beef; add ketchup, vinegar, and chili powder. Spoon beef into biscuit lined muffin cups and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from tin. Enjoy!

A Cup of Blessing

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"In all ranks of life the human heart yearns for the beautiful; and the beautiful things that God makes are his gift to all alike." ~Harriet Beecher Stowe

"Why should we think about things that are lovely? Because thinking determines life. It is a common mistake to blame life upon environment. Environment modifies but does not govern life. The soul is stronger than its surroundings." ~William James

Milk and Honey Bread

Milk and Honey Bread
2 loaves - one to enjoy and one to share!

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
7 - 8 cups all-purpose flour (or 1/2 all-purpose, 1/2 whole wheat)

Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add honey, butter, salt and 5 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down and shape into two loaves. Place in greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Enjoy!

Makes delicious sandwiches!

Morning Coffee

Every morning I look forward to my first cup of coffee. A few moments of quiet before the busyness of the day begins. And this morning, a few chuckles, too -
“Be a coffee-drinking individual - espresso yourself!”

~Author Unknown

“I make serious coffee - so strong

it wakes up the neighbors.”

~Author Unknown

“In America you can buy bucket-sized cups of coffee in any flavor you like other than coffee-flavor.”

~Author Unknown

“Deja Brew: The feeling that you've

had this coffee before.”

~Author Unknown

"I bought a decaffinated coffee table;

you can't even see the difference."

~Author Unknown

“This coffee tastes like mud!

Well, it was ground this morning.”

~Author Unknown(I had to think about this last one for awhile ,

before I got it! Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet this morning…)

That "Mr. Author Unknown"

– he sure is a funny guy! ;-)

Fettuccine Primavera

Fettuccine Primavera

6 servings

8 ounces fettuccine

1 1/4 cups chicken broth, divided

1 small zucchini, coarsely chopped

1 small yellow summer squash, coarsely chopped

1 small sweet red pepper, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3 teaspoons dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons corn starch

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Bring 3/4 cup broth to a boil. Add zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, carrot, onion, basil and salt. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Combine cornstarch and remaining broth until smooth; stir into vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes and sour cream. Drain fettuccine; toss with vegetable mixture, parmesan cheese and parsley. Enjoy!

Opinions please?

I have a decorating dilemma and would love your opinion! I can't decide which set of curtains I prefer in my kitchen window. I love the look of the brown tiers, but I have so much brown already and would love to bring out the blue of my dishes with the gingham valance. Which do you think looks nicer? (You can click on each picture for a larger image.) Thanks!

Choice #1 - brown tier set

Choice #2 - blue gingham valance

Tropical Lime Chicken

Tropical Lime Chicken
4 servings

for salsa:
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
1 kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
for chicken:
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup couscous

Combine salsa ingredients; cover and refrigerate until serving. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine lime juice, oil, lime peel, salt and pepper; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Drain and discard marinade. Place chicken in broiler pan. Broil 3 in. from heat for 5-6 minutes on each side. Cook couscous according to package directions. Serve chicken over couscous and pass salsa. Enjoy!

This was a new recipe I tried tonight and it actually went over very well with my family. I had been a little worried since it is quite a bit different from our usual fare. My husband, especially enjoyed it.