Mock Cornbread

This is wheat free, corn free "corn"bread. It can also be dairy free or even vegan if you use an egg replacer.

Really it's millet bread but it tastes so much like cornbread it's absolutely amazing!

I found the recipe at Ginger Lemon Girl - here.

I'm in love with her - just for this recipe.

I'm putting my adjustments here so I can stop refiguring them out every time I make this.

Dry Ingredients:
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup arrowroot starch
1 cup millet flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon tapioca startch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (She used 3. I wanted to see if this would work for savory dishes and I loved it with 1 tablespoon. I will do 3 when I'm wanting sweet cornbread!)

Wet Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice

I replaced the baking powder as I always do. I have yet to find any corn free baking powder here so it's just easier to use my own substitutes.

Also I have twice forgotten to the the lemon juice to the almond milk and the bread turns out fine. So if you don't have any - that's okay!

I only had some whole millet so I ground a cup worth in my little magic bullet thing and that worked perfectly. 

You can read the rest of the directions back at the original post.

Thanks again to Ginger Lemon Girl. I'm so happily eating "corn"bread as I type this. YAY!

Her own “special” pillow…

The other day our neighbors had a garage sale. Leah managed - with her own funds - to purchase this small square pillow with a princess of some sort on the front. She was quite pleased with herself.

And in typical, 'fantastic', older sister fashion she informed Hannah that this was HER special pillow and Hannah as not to every use it or touch it. (No I didn't smack her in the back of the head.) I comforted Hannah the first few times I heard about it and then I decided to tell Hannah we would go to the store and find her a pillow of her own.

When Hannah & I finally were out just the two of us we looked all over walmart for a decorative/kids pillow and couldn't find anything fun. So I took her to the fabric department and told her to pick out any fabric and I would make her a pillow.

She was so beyond delighted at the idea. Just that moment was worth it. 

She - of course - picked out some Dora fabric. I went and picked out the fringe and a pillow form. Away we went.

A few days later I produced a pillow and again her reaction was so completely worth it.

Here's a couple of pictures. It's just a simple envelope style. We are talking about Hannah here. It needed to be washable. I've never done an envelope and fringe at the same time but including drawing out what I was gonna do on paper the whole thing was maybe 20-30 minutes.

 

 

And now Leah is wanting a pillow made by mommy instead of what she has. And let's not stop there. Drew wants to know could I please make him a manly version (yes. he said that. manly version).

Potty training. Sigh.

Hannah: I want to wear underwear.
Me: You have to pee in the potty.
Hannah: I don't want to.
Me: Then you have to wear a diaper.
Hannah: No. I want to wear underwear.
Me: Then you have to pee in the potty.
Hannah: I don't want to.
Me: Then you have to wear a diaper.
Hannah: No! I want underwear.

....

Repeat.100 times.

....

Save me. And what is left of my sanity. Please?

Mommy Judges

I know this is an age old topic but I've seen a few things on facebook lately that have me thinking about it.

Why Why Why WHY do mommies spend so much time judging each other?!!?!

Forget the huge working vs not working. Spanking vs not spanking. Blah blah blah.

I mean all the tiny little things...

You spend too much time with your kids. You don't spend enough time with your kids.

Your kids watch too much TV. Your kids don't get to relax enough.

Your kids are in too many activities. Your kids don't get to do enough.

You complain about your kids too much. You don't enjoy your kids enough. 

You're too _______ with your kids. You don't __________ with your kids. 

Seriously people?

Motherhood is HARD! Yes it's joyful, Yes there are amazing & wonderful parts. I love being a mommy. It's so part of who I am - it's not ALL of who I am though and when your children are fighting and hounding you for things and you can't complete a task or a conversation in peace and you're frustrated and do a facebook status... the last thing people are needing is a panel of judgmental moms who feel they are doing a better job with life!

Give it a rest. Cut each other some slack and really - how 'bout we all 'pretend' that we're all just doing THE BEST WE CAN and offer some encouragement?

Personally I think it's a good idea.

That is all.

Manners

Hannah: *ACHOO*

*a moment passes*

Hannah: Say Bless you!
Leah & I in unison: Bless you, Hannah!
Hannah: Thanks guys!

It's a good thing she's here to remind us to be polite. Heh.

Pet Peeve of the Day

I was watching some reality TV... This is when this pet peeve is the most aggravated...

"I'm giving 110%!"

There is not a time when someone says that on TV that you won't hear me groan or yell at the TV or something.

It makes me crazy. If you say it in my presence, be certain I'm chewing on my tongue to keep from commenting - or I'm actually commenting and you're annoyed with me. lol

You can't give more than 100%. It's a silly little thing but nonetheless...

That is all.

Audiobooks

I love - love love love - to listen to audiobooks while I'm cleaning and cooking.

But so often this is how it goes...

Everyone is outside playing (and on this day I mean Leah, Hannah & two cousins - Elaina & Julia). I'm starting dinner and I think to myself: ohh. now is a good moment.

So I quickly plug my phone into the external speakers I keep in the kitchen and hit play.

*split second passes*

Hannah: MOMMY!

sigh. pause the book.

Answer Hannah's request.

Back to cooking.. wait a few minutes... push play again.

*about 2 minutes pass* (That was a good long time, right!?!?)

Leah: MOOOOMMMMMM!

Pause. Yes?

Elaina: I'm thristy. 

Sigh. pause the book.

You get the idea. 

So this generally happens four or five times before I yell at everyone. It makes me insane. It's like my pushing play triggers my children's request. It's worse than going to the bathroom!

Still I enjoy it. I get to do it the most when everyone is asleep or if Drew takes the girls to the park or some place.

Besides - the only thing worse than my listening to an audiobook or going to the bathroom? Actually sitting down and opening a book to read. That makes everyone go completely INSANE. Even Drew can't handle it. He has openly admitted he suddenly feels like he needs to compete for my attention with the book.

Oy. Some people's kids and husbands, eh?

Good thing I love them!

Procrastination Meme

What am I procrastinating? I'll answer that later...

heh.

1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?

Hmm. I'm so loving the location I'm in right now that's hard to say. I'm definitely a fan of civilization! We have spent the last 5ish years leaving basically 100 miles from everything so at this moment I'd have to say my standards of location are fairly low. lol

I've wanted to have a home in Italy though. Or Ireland. One of those two places.

2. What is your favorite article of clothing? 

I have these 5 gowns/summer dresses. I love love love them. They don't touch too much of my skin (on the sensitive skin fibromyalgia days). They are flowy and comfy. My friend Jen (who also has fibro) told me about them one day and I ordered one, then another, then... you get the idea. I love them.

I also have this jean jacket I love. It makes whatever I'm wearing look better. Best jean jacket ever. It was made for me. I hate that it's too hot to wear it right now!

3. Last CD you bought? 

Sigh. Shake It Up. Leah cried and begged for it. We were getting ready to run out of town to go pick up the UHaul before we moved and she was headed off to her second to last day of school. And when it occurred to her we were going to pass a Walmart she wanted to come sooooo badly. It took me forever to get out of her why. Apparently one of her friends had told her she'd gotten this specific Shake It Up CD from the Walmart in Casper. Oy. The angst. That was a first for me from my own child. I got it while I was in there. She was very very happy.

4. What is your favorite place to be? 

I like to be where groups of family and/or friends are gathered.

5. Least favorite place to be? 

The doctor's office. What good comes of that?

6. Are you strongest in mind or body? 

Mind. Without question.

7. What time do you wake up? 

It's not normally of my own choosing. I get up when Hannah gets up - anywhere from 6:30 - 8:30.

8.  Favorite Kitchen Appliance

Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. Love. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

9. What instrument would you like to play?

I can play the piano with mediocrity. I sing. I can play the guitar some. And I used to be really fantastic at the clarinet - it's been a long time though. I always wished I'd tried a brass instrument - just so I could learn to play the french horn. Why? Did you hear the name? The French Horn. Besides - it sounds cool (The name and the sound the emits from the instrument when played well)

10. Favorite Color

Depends upon the subject. I love blues (most shades) in clothing. In decorating I really just like earthy colors - earthy reds, yellows, browns, etc.


11. Sports Car or SUV?

I'm just gonna be honest here - I seriously love my minivan. A lot. I know that makes me not cool but I really do.

I also really love big trucks.

12. Favorite Children's Book

Barnyard Dance!

13. Favorite Season

Fall - Because then the relief of heat is OVER. Oy I hate being hot. (I am at this very moment so it's on my mind. If you asked me this question during winter I'm pretty sure I'd say Spring!)

14. Least Favorite Chore

I hate to put away laundry. And I'm not using 'hate' in some lose sense. I seriously loathe it.

15. Favorite Day

I've always thought that was a funny question and before being a railroad wife I guess it was probably the weekend days but that's not part of railroad life. I guess my favorite days are the ones when Drew is home and there is no school - then we all get to be together like a "weekend" day. And days when I touch base with the people I love - those are always better days.

16. Favorite Food

Sushi & Seafood (all the better if they're in the same meal - and often they are.)

17. Favorite Drink

Ice Water but I wouldn't turn down an ice drink like a virgin strawberry daiquiri at the moment. 

18. Favorite Word

Really? That's an odd question. I don't have a single favorite word. I do have words I just like the sound of - or some that I say and think (or say outloud): I really need to find more reasons to use that word! But I can't think of one at the moment.

19. Favorite Inspirational Book

That's not really my genre - and it seems cliche to just say - The Scriptures. I don't think that's the intent of the question. How 'bout my favorite book?

No... Wait. I can't answer that question either. It just depends on my mood. I love The Wheel of Time Series most of just about anything. Fantastic books. FANTASTIC.

But my all time most sentimental favorite book is The Girl of the Limberlost. Happy Sigh.


20. Who would you like to play you in the movie of your life? 

What in the world? I have no idea - Clearly she should have red hair. And be awesome.

Fried Donut Holes (Wheat Free)

Jelly Donut Holes
Makes 16-18 donut holes

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
TB Butter butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups Artisan Gluten-Free Flour Blend*
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
Oil for frying

Those are all the things I used.

The instructions are here.

For the jelly I just used blueberry all fruit jelly. I stirred it until it was liquid enough and piped it into the donut holes.

*In the flour blend I substituted 1/2 cup arrowroot for the 2/3 cup corn starch. You use about half the flour blend recipe.

That's not funny!

Do I count as a blogger anymore? I'm seriously going long stretches here.

There are several factors. One - my laptop has been busted for awhile. And I don't mean it kind of doesn't work. I mean it's BUSTED. It's in pieces.

And I've been doing genealogy. A lot. So when I sit down at this desktop I am generally organizing dead people - which I love to do.

We are moving in two weeks and I've been packing, dejunking, organzing. Ew.

In really fantastic news, I am getting a new laptop in the next week or so. I so miss being mobile with my computer!

Now to the point of this post...

Just a funny little video of Hannah. She does the greatest dirty look!