Tuesday, March 29, 2022

A Culinary Evolution: Be My Guest


Be My Guest, guest post blog writing series | graphic designed by, featured on, and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics #blogging


I must be a bad hostess. Let's make that a really bad hostess. It's been, after all, 2 years since my friend Rena has been my guest. Literally 2 years. Almost to the day. 

But I must have done something right, because last month, this veteran traveler informed me of her travel plans, and it was too my front door. Well, my blog's front door, anyway.
 
Blogging connects people who are worlds apart, and not just literally. You'd think Rena and I would have nothing in common (the woman likes sleeping in tents, for g-d's sake. Deliberately), she's been known to half cook a turkey, and once almost burned her kitchen down.
 
Bottom line, though, Rena has a heart of gold. We've worked together and supported each other through some really difficult times. She was her mother's caregiver for 10 years. We've both lost a parent to Alzheimer's. 
 
Covid has forced Rena to back off of her love of travel, but she's maintained her Alzheimer's support website and her Technology Therapist business. What's given me great pleasure, however, is watching her evolution into the world of culinary arts. Rarely-cooks-Rena started growing her own vegetables. This year she's germinating seeds indoors. She'll be growing vegetables and herbs, is planning a greenhouse and I think I even heard her mention raising chickens!
 
And now she's tried a recipe of her own, based on one from her mom. These are the best recipes in my opinion, ones that honor the past while adding touches of the present. But I'll let Rena tell you about it:

 Worst Cook in America . . . Did I Win?
 
Kick Ass Potato Salad by Rena of Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver | featured on www.BakingInATornado.com

Some people are awesome cooks (I'm looking at you, Karen). Some people are terrific at organization {{side-eye look at Karen}}. I'm neither, often those two things collide head on with many, many MANY unsuccessful attempts.

I get my superb cooking skills from my momma. She was the Queen of boxed food, and she never met a can she didn't like. Do you think I'm joking? Take a look at a general week of dinners in my house growing up:
 
1. Sun - out to eat
2. Mon - cheeseburger & ff
3. Tues cheeseburger & ff (once in a while this turned into chli)
4. Wed - fried fish & ff
5. Thurs - cheeseburger & ff
6. Fri - cheeseburger & ff (sometimes this was turned into a meatloaf)
7. Sat - eat out
 
Everything she cooked was deep fried in an old industrial deep fryer. She NEVER changed the grease! She'd also keep a bowl of flour in the drawer for breading that she used over and over again. Everything that was fried on the stove came with a spoon of grease from the deep fryer!

Honestly, I'm not sure how we survived, but no wonder I left home at 15 and the only thing I could make was . . . you guessed it . . . a cheeseburger! I managed to fumble my way through the kitchen while the kids were growing up, but nothing was exciting. Bland. To me, cooking was another chore that had to be done, and it was often speed that made the choice of the menu.

Today, I've been happily married for 31 years, and over the years we spent a lot of time and money in restaurants, but since Covid I no longer want to sit in a crowded restaurant (especially here in the South).

I had a few recipes that I learned from mom and one of them was potato salad. Her version was potato, egg, celery, miracle whip, relish, and mustard. Eatable, but again, bland. So earlier this year I was looking for some new shows to watch, found Guy's Grocery Games, and was hooked. Not by what they were cooking, but by teaching me about all of those mysterious ingredients that I was always curious about.

After I binged that show, I wanted to find something similar that would inspire me in the kitchen, found Worst Cooks in America, and that light bulb went off. See, I've been watching cooking show by pros like Pioneer Woman, but the problem is they are pros, so for someone like me, it's often overwhelming and confusing.
 
WCIA (Worst Cooks in America is an ego boost first and foremost, because I've never been as bad as a lot of the participants. They ask the questions I've always wanted to know but was too embarrassed to ask. They teach the basics first, and I love that part.

As a matter of fact, since WCIA, I have been making some amazing new recipes that I never thought I'd try, and loved them. Not all have worked out, but the good outweighs the bad. It's given me confidence in the kitchen that I never knew I could have.

I needed a test. I decided to make over momma's potato salad, and this is what I did:
 
Kick Ass Potato Salad by Rena of Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver | featured on www.BakingInATornado.com
Kick Ass Potato Salad
 
1. Boil eggs (depends on the amount of people you're feeding, 8 - 10 for a large batch, or 4 - 6 for a smaller batch).
2. Cut & cube 4 - 6 potatoes, put them in salted water, and bring to a boil. This can be tricky because you don't want them hard, but you don't want them too soft either because then you'd have mashed potato salad . . . hmmmmmm.
3. Slice half of a Vidalia onion and dice up (more or less to taste).
4. In a bowl, add sliced celery (1 - 2 cups for a large batch, 1 for a smaller batch.
5. Add in 2 cups Miracle Whip (may need a little more or less).
6. Add in 3 TBSP mustard for a large batch, or 1 1/2 TBSP for a smaller batch.
7. Dice 4 - 6 Sweet Gherkin pickles. Add them along with 1 TBSP juice from the pickles.
8. Add 1 tsp salt (to taste).
9. Add 1/2 tsp pepper (to taste).
10. Add 1 TBSP celery seed.
11. Add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.
12. Add 1/2 tsp of onion powder.
13. Add 1/2 tsp paprika.
14. Mix together. Sprinkle with additional cayenne pepper and paprika. 
15. Store any leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator.

My husband was never a great fan of the old potato salad, but LOVES this version. He said it was the best he'd ever eaten, but then again, he sleeps with me so he may not be impartial.

Let me know what you think!
Rena

~ Me again:
I told you a little about Rena at the beginning of this post, but I wanted to give you a few specifics:
You can visit The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver for information and support (and the blog section features her creative writing).
Whether you have a blog or website, or are interested in building one, she offers website maintenance, management, hosting, and more at Technology-Therapist.
And you can follow her of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Reach out to her, she's easily approachable.
 
Thank you so much for being here, Rena. Now don't be a stranger!

Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics




Kick Ass Potato Salad       
                                                                                      ©Rena, The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver

 
NOTE: the amount of each ingredients depends on whether you are making a large or small batch, and are easily adjusted according to taste

Ingredients:
8 - 10 eggs for a large batch, 4 - 6 for a smaller batch
4 - 6 potatoes
1/2 Vidalia onion
1 - 2 cups sliced celery for large batch, 1 cup for smaller batch
about 2 cups Miracle Whip (more or less to taste)
3 TBSP mustard for large batch, 1 1/2 TBSP for smaller batch
4 - 6 Sweet Gherkin pickles
1 TBSP Sweet Gherkin pickle juice
about 1 tsp salt (to taste)
about 1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)
1 TBSP celery seed
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder 
1/2 tsp paprika
 
additional cayenne pepper and paprika for top
 
Directions:
*Boil the eggs to hard boiled. Cool and chop. 
*Cube the potatoes, place in salted water, bring to a boil just until they start to soften. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
*In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes, eggs, onion, celery, Miracle Whip, mustard, pickles, pickle juice, salt, pepper, celery seed, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, onion powder, and 1/2 tsp paprika.
*Sprinkle additional cayenne pepper and paprika over the top. 
*Store any leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator.
 

Friday, March 25, 2022

Collections and Perceptions: Monthly Poetry Group

 

Spicy Pulled Pork Pot Pie, spicy pulled pork, cheese, and vegetables are topped with mashed potatoes for the ultimate pot pie comfort food. | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner

 

 

Last Friday of the month is for
Monthly Poetry Group to rhyme.
Diane, Mimi, and I take turns,
"Collections" is the theme this time.
 
As usual, today I'll try,
a poem to write . . . or fudge.
Whether I'm successful or not,
you get to be the judge.  




 
 
 
 
 
Collections, a monthly multi blogger poetry writing challenge based on a theme. | Graphic property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #poetry



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Collections and Perceptions

Young man loved his collections,
action figures made him smile.
Sports shirts, toy cars, and legos,
displays went on for a mile.
 
But as he reached his teenage years,
his allowance started to wane.
There seemed to be a gap between,
what he wanted, and what he could gain.
 
He had his very first car too,
and gas, well, wasn't cheap.
He'd need to find a part time job,
between school, homework, and sleep. 
 
Looking through the want ads, found
a job, seemed tailor made.
Couldn't have been a better fit,
for his hobbies, he could be paid!
 
Nervous for the interview,
arrived early, neat and clean.
Knew the points he wanted to make,
so his character, they could glean.
 
The questions seemed unusual,
what he sounds like on the phone?
And if he's a persistent guy,
how he does working alone.
 
But he mentioned his collections,
sure to impress the boss.
Even said that it's a family thing,
Mom collects cookie cutters and pots.


 Spicy Pulled Pork Pot Pie, spicy pulled pork, cheese, and vegetables are topped with mashed potatoes for the ultimate pot pie comfort food. | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner
Spicy Pulled Pork Pot Pie
 


It worked! To his amazement,
he was hired on the spot.
Taken to the back room where,
there were people, quite a lot.

Later met up with his friends
asking "how was your first day?"
"I Quit! It seems collections is
hounding people with bills to pay."




Monthly Poetry Group, a monthly group writing challenge, poetry based on a theme | graphic designed by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics #poetry

 
Before you go, stop by these blogs for more Collections poetry:
 
 




Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics






Spicy Pulled Pork Pot Pie         
                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 cups Spicy Crockpot Pulled Pork (can substitute your own or store bought pulled pork)
1 cup broccoli slaw
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 can (15 oz) corn, well drained
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
1/4 cup spicy doritos, crushed
 
Directions:
*Grease a 2 qt casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Mix together the pork, broccoli slaw, sharp cheddar, and corn. Pour evenly into the prepared casserole dish.
*Spread the mashed potatoes over the top. Sprinkle with the crushed doritos.
*Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, until hot.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Taming the Ho

 

 

Cinnamon Hojaldras Crisps, an interpretation of the light and crispy traditional ethnic treat, Hojaldras Fry Bread. | Recipe interpretation by www.BakingInATornado.com | #reicpe #bread

 I beat the Ho.
 
Well, I didn't so much beat it, more like kneed it. Well, kneaded it, anyway. One thing was for sure, that Ho wasn't going to defeat me. I decided I was in it to win it this time (also known as redemption, btw) whether it killed me or not. And it could have.

But ding, ding, ding, time for round 2. Not even so much for me, but in the hopes for the forgiveness of not only Mimi, who was kind enough to share her family recipe (which I then completely botched), but to make it up to all Panamanians and Columbians (including my niece, yikes).
 
I should mention that since I have to look up the spelling every time I use the whole word, and don't know if I'm pronouncing it correctly when I say it, I refer to these treats as "ho," the only part of the word I'm pretty sure I got right.

Before moving on, let's go back to the (painful) beginning. I wrote a post in the end of January called Ho Bread and Me, did you read it? If not, you should, not only for context here, but it's funny (in a laughing at me, not with me kind of way). 

So yeah, I didn't take Mimi's advice and get a bread machine. Truth is, with the Covid numbers climbing like Jack making his way up the beanstalk towards those golden eggs, I don't go out much. Not having that bread machine sentenced me to an excruciating (melodramatic much?) two sessions, 45 minutes each, of kneading. 

Turns out, that was way harder than it needed to be since I, you know, didn't add the water to the dough {{sigh}}.
 
 
Taming the Ho | graphic designed by, featured on, and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

 

This time was different. I added the water first. I could hear the voices of everyone who ever successfully made Hojaldras asking me if I'd added the water. IRL, both College Boy and Hubs asked. College Boy actually asked twice.

I decided to press my luck and cut the kneading down to 30 minutes each time. I know, you're thinking "why is she screwing with the recipe when she's looking for redemption?" Yeah, well, that's just me. With a heaping helping of self preservation.

But a miracle was coming my way. In the first kneading session, College Boy actually offered to take over for 10 minutes. Since I left the kitchen, I don't actually know that he kneaded the whole time, just that he was working on it when I left and when I came back. What happened in the middle? I can't say, but the fact that he was nowhere to be found when it came time for the second kneading bodes well.
 
. . . moving on . . .

I went through the process and it came time to fry. I held my breath. Seriously. I took the course, did the homework, this was the final. And wow, I felt the sun shining down on me when they went into the pan and started to puff. Those air pockets formed, just like they were supposed to (can you see them in the picture?). I did it!!

Let me tell you, those air pockets make all the difference, they keep the Hojaldras light and crispy. The angels sing the first time you bite into one (or maybe I was just delusional when it finally came time to eat).
 
I sprinkled the majority of them with powdered sugar as recommended, but a mixture of cinnamon and sugar is also just as divine. Honey, caramel sauce, maple syrup . . . the options are endless. Next time I swear I'm going to top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle them with chocolate sauce. 
 
Wait, did I say next time? 
 
{{closing my eyes and starting to sway}}, I'm having a vision. I see a bread machine being delivered to our house sometime in the near future. I know Hubs won't be mad, he was elbowing his way towards that plate of Hojaldras with the rest of us. Note to self: along with the bread machine, have a football helmet and pads delivered to the house. They come in my size, don't they?
 

Cinnamon Hojaldras Crisps, an interpretation of the light and crispy traditional ethnic treat, Hojaldras Fry Bread. | Recipe interpretation by www.BakingInATornado.com | #reicpe #bread
Cinnamon Hojaldras Crisps
 
 
I mentioned in the first post that even though I was writing about Hojaldras, I wouldn't be sharing the recipe because it isn't mine to share. Since that time, Mimi did give me permission to share it. The one I'm posting has its base in Mimi's family recipe, but I changed one ingredient, added another, and worked out my own instructions.

I'm going to end this post not with the list of apologies (phew) like last time, but with gratitude to Mimi (and her ancestors). 

OK, to them, but also to my wrists and my shoulders, all screeching, but still functioning.

I really hope you'll try my version of this traditional ethnic treat. These things are to die for. 
 
Which, I almost did. 
 
Twice.
 
P.S. I had a hard time naming this post. Beating the Ho? Conquering the Ho? Licking the Ho? Somehow none of my options quite sounded right. And probably would have gotten this blog some unfortunate unsavory labels.


Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics



Cinnamon Hojaldras Crisps        

                                                Recipe interpretation and directions by ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients: 
5 1/4 cups flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (not in the original recipe)
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
16 oz bottle Crisco vegetable oil, divided

OPT (the options for toppings are endless): 1/4 cup powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, honey, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, maple syrup 

Directions:
*Whisk together 5 cups flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Add the water, eggs, and 1/2 cup of the oil. Mix well, then flour your kneading surface with the remaining flour and knead for 30 minutes. Form a ball, cover the top with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 2 hours.
*Knead again for 30 minutes. Separate the dough into golf ball sized balls (I ended up with 32 balls) and let them rest for 1/2 hour. 
*One by one, place each dough ball on a piece of parchment paper and, using a rolling pin, roll out very, very thin. 
*Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. It's ready when you add a tiny piece of the dough and it bubbles.
*Using your finger, punch 2 vent holes into each piece of dough. 
*Place 3 into the skillet and cook until the bottoms brown, just a couple of minutes. Carefully turn over and cook until the other side is brown, another couple of minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. 
*Continue with the rest of the dough until all are cooked. You may have to turn the heat down a bit if they get too brown too fast.
*OPT: dust with powdered sugar or any toppings you'd prefer.

Friday, March 18, 2022

Good Gravy and Ghost Pepper Chips: Fly on the Wall

 

Garlic Spirals are a great accompaniment to any lunch or dinner. | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe



 Welcome to a monthly Fly on the Wall group post. Today 3 bloggers are inviting you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in our homes. Come on in and buzz around my house. At the end of my post you’ll find links to this month’s other participants’ posts.





My name is Karen and I'm a Fresca addict.
 
Hubs (coming up from the man cave): Today's your lucky day.
Me: Sorry, I've got a headache.

Hubs looks at me, rolls his eyes, shakes his head and goes back downstairs.

I guess he can't take a joke. But then I think I lost out, 'cause I really want to know how it's my lucky day, so I go down to the man cave.

Me: So how is it my lucky day?

We played that "now I'm not telling you" game for a while (don't roll your eyes, you know you do it too), and finally he gives in.

Hubs: I just read that they're coming out with alcoholic fresca.
Me (with my eyes lighting up): Really?
Hubs: Yes. Now you're going to have to be careful when you reach for a fresca.
Me: Not hardly.

That, after all, is the the epitome of a win/win.


Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics
 
Hubs asked me to help him with something online (which he does fairly often) one morning while I was pouring my coffee.

Hubs: When you get a minute, can you help me with this order I'm trying to place?
Me: Do you need me right now?
Hubs: No, I'm running out to put gas in my car, how about around lunchtime?
Me: I'll see if I'm done by then.
Hubs: That's in 5 hours, what are you doing, baking?
Me: No.
Hubs: Laundry?
Me: No.
Hubs: Are you writing a blog post?
Me: No.
Hubs: What are you doing that takes half the day?
Me: Well, I've got Wordle, Wordle2, Quordle, my Curdle, Heardle, Nerdle, the second Wordle2 . . . maybe Jewdle, and Lewdle
Hubs: Ha, ha, see you at lunch.

I guess he thinks I'm kidding.


Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


I had made my Potato Crusted Meatloaf. I have to admit that I'm not a meatloaf lover, but this one I do like. Obviously a lot of other people do to, the post has 25,000 page views.

But since I don't love it, I make it for Hubs. I go to all the trouble of mixing up the meatloaf, cooking it, making the mashed potato topping, applying to the hot meatloaf and continuing to cook while I make a mixed vegetable to go with it. The whole process takes a couple of hours. I serve a beef gravy over the meatloaf, but it's the only thing I don't make myself, I buy a name brand gravy.

I call Hubs for dinner and after 2 hours of cooking, I'm excited to see him enjoy the dinner I made him. He looks at the meatloaf and I can see he's happy with dinner. He sits down and starts to eat.

Hubs: The gravy's really good.

You know that old saying "if looks could kill?" Yeah, that. I gave him such a wide eyed dirty look I think my eyes almost popped out of my head. 


Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

 
I grew up with Dunkin' Donuts, pretty much on every corner. Of course, when I moved to the Midwest, there were none here. But eventually the coffee made it into the stores and a few of the shops opened up.

I love their donuts, and especially their little munchkins, but I rarely had them at home, and almost never here. One day recently, Hubs had gone out in the morning and on the way home stopped by a Dunkin' that he saw on the way.

Hubs (walking in the door): I got you something.
Me: What?
Hubs (handing me a box of Dunkin' munchkins): Those donut holes you love, I got a box of assorted.
Me: Wow, thank you. Just for being so nice, you can have one.
Hubs: Laughing, I know you're usually sarcastic, but I'm guessing that this time when you say one, you mean one.
Me: Did you know today is National Women's Day?
Hubs: I didn't know that.
Me: Duh, you're supposed to say "I knew that."
Hubs (laughing): I knew that.
Me: Sorry, you're a day late and a donut short.
 


Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


 
I had made dinner and was trying out a new recipe, Garlic Spirals. College Boy really liked them.

College Boy: You should open a restaurant.
Me (laughing): No way, my food is just everyday family stuff, nothing special.
College Boy: You'd do fine, do you have any idea what kind of crap some of those places serve?
Me: {{blink, blink}}. Did that maybe not come out right?
College Boy (laughing): Maybe . . .
 
 
Garlic Spirals are a great accompaniment to any lunch or dinner. | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe

Garlic Spirals


Something I've been trying to get through to Hubs for years, he finally learned the hard way this month.
 
PurDude like really, really, hot spicy food. In fact, he puts sriracha on pretty much everything. College Boy and I like hot food too (but don't put sriracha on everything). Hubs prefers his spicy food more of a medium hot.

College Boy had brought some ghost pepper chips (yikes) and was telling me he likes the flavor, but can only eat a few at a time. He was handing one to me, chiding me to try it when Hubs walked in the room. He only heard College Boy tell me to try it, but nothing about it.

Hubs grabs the chip, laughs and says "I'll take that," as he goes to put it in my mouth.

Me: NO!
Hubs: What, you can't share? He has more.
Me: Don't . . .
 
As I'm in mid sentence, Hubs puts the chip in his mouth and heads downstairs.
 
. . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1
 
Hubs: Aaaargh.
 
After about 1000 years of marriage, I think he's finally figured out that maybe he should listen to me. 
 

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

 
PurDude and I had been talking about Tom Brady. I had been a big fan while he was with the home team, but thought he should have retired from New England and didn't like his choice to go to Tampa. 
 
I lost all respect for him when his retirement statement did not mention the team that gave him his break, the fans who loved him, or anything else about the first 20 years of his 22 year career.
 
PurDude, like many people, felt that Kraft should and would sign Brady so he could retire as a Pat. I, like many other people, felt that he dissed us all and really hoped that didn't happen.

PurDude: You're delusional if you think Brady dissed the Patriots or the fans.
Me: Could you maybe think of a nicer way to talk to your mom than calling her delusional?
PurDude: Sure. If you think Brady dissed the Patriots or the fans, you've finally lost your grip on reality.
 
OK, guess that's what I get for asking. 
 


Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

 
Hubs: You forgot to remind me to work on the sink this afternoon.
Me (to College Boy): You forgot to remind me to remind dad to work on the sink this afternoon.
College Boy: You never asked me to remind you to remind dad to work on the sink this afternoon.
Me (to Hubs): Well, you forgot to remind College Boy to remind me to remind you to work on the sink this afternoon.
Hubs: Well, PurDude forgot to remind me to remind College Boy to remind you to remind me to work on the sink this afternoon.
Me: So it's PurDude's fault. And he'll never know, 'cause he's 8 hours away and none of us are going to remember to tell him. Genius.



Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

 
I'd been trying different juices for Hubs to have with breakfast. I walked into the kitchen and he had the cereal, milk, and juice out and was grabbing a bowl and a glass.
 
Me: What are you thinking about the different juices I've been trying?
Hubs (pouring juice): I've liked them all, actually.
Me: You must really like this one, though.
Hubs: It's as good as all of the others.
Me: Looks like you like it a lot better than most.
Hubs: Why do you say that?
Me: Because you just poured it into your cereal.
 

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics
 
 
I'm a very light sleeper, the joke is that if the neighbor sneezes in the middle of the night, I'll wake up. Obviously the light sleeping was only enhanced by having kids. Even now, with adult kids, whenever they're in the house, I'm hyper aware of them.
 
Hubs, on the other hand, has been known to sleep through the tornado sirens, and those things are pretty loud.
 
As I age though, I find that I need my sleep more, or maybe I need to make up for not sleeping through the night. Either way, although College Boy was here, I was admittedly only semi awake when I talked to him in the middle of the night.  
 
College Boy (whispering from my doorway): Good night.
Me: What was all that banging coming from the kitchen.
College Boy: I had to kill a man.
Me: OK, sleep well.

 

 

Fly on the Wall, a multi-blogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics 

Now click on the links below for a peek into some other homes:







Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics






Garlic Spirals        
                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients: 
1# frozen bread loaf
4 TBSP butter, divided
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp garlic powder, divided

Directions:
*Wrap the dough in greased plastic wrap and refrigerate to thaw overnight.
*Grease a 9 X 13 baking pan. Melt 3 TBSP of the butter with the clove of garlic. Set aside.
*Flour your counter, unwrap the dough and roll out to about 10 inches wide to about 24 inches long.
*Pour the melted butter and garlic over the dough. Use a pastry brush to spread the butter to completely cover the dough. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp garlic powder.
*Roll the dough, using the long side, as tightly as you can, to form about a 24 inch log. Cut into 24 one inch circles. Place them into the prepared pan. 
*Melt the remaining butter and garlic powder. Gently brush onto the tops of the rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and place into a cold oven for about 5 - 7 hours, until they rise. Don't turn the oven on.
*Remove the rolls from the oven, discard the plastic wrap and turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls for 25 minutes.