We have the internet at home!

It’s been a looooong time…

So I’m looking forward to blogging again!

I love the colors.

I love the freehand shapes.

I love the springtime feel.

You can find them in my Etsy shop.

As many things as I can.

And I have been purposing to cut back on take-out dinners to maybe once or twice a month.

(It’s getting easier!)

Pizza is one of our favorite foods.

(Isn’t it everyone’s?)

Here is the bestest, easiest recipe ever.

I usually triple it to feed a crowd.

(Our family is usually a crowd.)

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

2 tablespoons sugar or honey

1 cup very warm tap water

3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in very warm tap water.
2. Allow mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
3. In the meantime, mix the flour with olive oil and salt in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle.
4. Add yeast mixture into flour mixture all at once.
5. Mix on low for a minute or two, until all flour is absorbed.
6. Turn mixer on medium and allow to mix/knead until the dough becomes a ball and is smooth in texture. (This usually takes about 5 or 6 minutes.)
7. Remove dough and lightly knead it as you shape it into a ball. You can do this in your hands or on a board with a little bit of flour.
8. Place dough ball in a large bowl that has been greased with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
9. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 1/2 hours. (If the weather is especially cool, turn your oven on 200 degrees and set bowl next to it. The warmth from the oven will encourage the yeast to do it’s job.)
10. Punch down the dough and use immediately OR place in a ziploc and put it in the refrigerator until you need it. Allow 2 hours for the dough to sit out and warm up before using.

Using your pizza dough:

• cut the dough into 4 equal pieces
• roll out on a floured board OR stretch using your hands until dough is at desired thickness
• place on parchment lined baking sheet and top using your favorite things: marinara sauce, cheese, veggies, meats, etc.
• bake at 400 degrees for about 7 or 8 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly

I finally took my Etsy shop off of vacation mode.

I reopened.

I even added a couple of new somethings.

These started out as a cashmere scarf.

I live in Hawaii.
We don’t need cashmere.

So I made a few cuts.

I didn’t intend to create a monster.

But I did.

And he was lonely,

So I made him a friend.

I named them Mr. Peabody and Mildred.

They are So-So Dolls.

They aren’t cute.

They aren’t ugly.

They are so-so.

You can find them here.

2009 was SOME year.

Lots happened.

Some good.

Some bad.

But mostly it was a good year.

A trying year.

A year of firsts.

First mainland trips.

First steps.

First birthdays.

God was gracious.

He provided.

He healed.

He protected.

I know He has great things in store for us in 2010.

I found a recipe by Sara Moulton for an apple cake cooked in a cast iron skillet. It sounded amazing!
So I tried to make it.

I realized part-way into the process that I didn’t have all of the required ingredients.

I was out of sour cream and only had brown sugar on hand.
(We’ve been on another island for a week…what can I say?)

So I made a few changes…

and they worked!

The resulting cake was moist, buttery, caramel-apple goodness. 

Ingredients

FOR THE TOPPING:

4 or 5 apples, peeled, cored and cut into six equal wedges

1 3/4 sticks butter

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

FOR THE BATTER:

1 stick butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped finely

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a 9″ or 10″ cast-iron skillet over low heat.
3. Add 3/4 cup brown sugar to the pan and stir to combine.
4. Place apple slices, wedge side down, in the pan. Don’t pack together, but don’t leave large gaps either.
5. Allow to cook over medium-low heat while you prepare the batter.
6. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 1 stick softened butter with 2/3 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy.
7. Mix in vanilla and eggs.
8. Add the buttermilk and mix well.
9. Gradually add flour mixture until moistened.
10. Stir in chopped apple.
11. Remove skillet from heat. Spoon the batter over the top and spread gently to distribute evenly.
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown and bubbly.
13. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.

NOTE: I put a large sheet pan lined with aluminum foil on the rack under the skillet to catch any escaping sugar mix. I’m really glad I did because quite a bit escaped over the edges!!

I have been on the Big Island with my kids for the past week and have not had computer access.

Tomorrow-

To-Die-For Caramel Apple Cake

Pictures from our trip

Halloween Alternatives

by Annie Waites

Organic Building Blocks

by Little Sapling Toys

Brown and Purple Dimple Mug

by Vessels and Wares

But…

I got through it.

Grumpily at first.

Then a little less grumpily.

And finally, I began finding peace again.

Here are some things that happened this week:

We had some really great news this week that may mean our move will happen soon! 

Judah cut his first two teeth…and they’re on the top! The girls teethed earlier and both cut bottom teeth first. He’s still fussy but it’s more manageable. Biting while nursing is a new issue, one I’m not quite sure how to handle. I’ve been thinking of getting a nursing necklace, which is basically a large ring on a cord that the baby can pull on and play with while nursing.

I got to take Emma and Gracie on dates on Saturday while Manly was home. I took Gracie to Starbucks and on some little errands. Emma and I got Starbucks and then I took her to get her nails done. It was her first time. I told Gracie she has to stop biting her nails before I can take her to get hers done!

The girls hit a new level in their relationship: they have DECIDED to be kind and loving to one another, to share their toys and play nicely together. They told me this on their own. I was such a proud momma, I could have cried.

I’m slowly but surely going to make my way through our house and set aside things for a garage sale and start packing our non-essentials. This is an unbelievably overwhelming issue for me…but I think I can do it.