Wednesday, October 15, 2008
York Maine Harvest Festival
This weekend don't miss out on the 24th Annual Harvestfest held in York Maine. The festivities begin Friday with a market place and food festival on the Village Green in York Village. Saturday and Sunday have a full line up of events. Check them out at: www.gatewaytomaine.org. Weather wise - it's going to be sunny to mostly cloudy and in the 50's this weekend. Enjoy!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Car Care for the Winter
This weekend was "get the cars ready for winter". We not only washed and waxed both cars but cleaned out the insides but made sure we were prepared for the winter ahead. Here's my check list:
- Check all fluids
- Check windshield wipers for wear
- Tire pressure (I check mine once a month)
- Check battery and connections (does it need to be replaced)
- Check lights, directionals, heating elements
- Don't forget to check your spare tire (condition and air)
Survival kit that I keep in the trunk: jumper cables, blanket, flashlight (check batteries), de-icer, ice scraper, extra gloves, bucket of sand/salt, portable shovel, old sweatshirt (to add a layer if needed), first aid kit.
I also pack bottled water, granola bar or other snack but I keep these readily accessable, like behind the seat.
Use wisdom and be safe this winter!
Spelt Bread
I love the smell of fresh baked bread. In an effort to stay away from food that contain white flour, I switched to spelt bread. However, with a cost at over $5 a loaf I found it cheaper to make my own.
2 Cups warm water (105-119 degrees) 
Combine yeast and water in a large bowl and dissolve yeast (approx 10 mins). Stir in melted butter and salt.
Add 1/3 of the spelt flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-6 mins.
Melt a generous tablespoon of Coconut Oil* and coat your mixing bowl (even if there are pieces of the dough left on the sides after scraping the dough out. Its ok they come out at the end).
Place the dough in your greased bowl and turn to coat it. Cover it with a dishtowel and let it rise for 2 hrs.
Prepare two baking pans (I use stoneware. I find that it bakes better and it's healthier too) by coating them with coconut oil. I use it in its solid state to coat the pans.
After the dough has risen punch it down and remove it from the bowl. It should slide out and leave your bowl super clean!
Divide into two equal parts and place them in the baking pans. Smooth them out and let rise for 1 hour.
Then place them on a cookie sheet in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 45 mins. Turn out onto a cooling rack before storing.
Footnotes:
Coconut Oil- I use coconut oil because olive oil turns into a transfat at high temperatures so I use it for all my cooking and olive oil for cold dishes and dressings.
Brown Rice Syrup - better for you than honey (less calories, carbs and sugar).
Cost: I figured it cost $5 to make 2 loaves of bread.
Here's my receipe. Try it and let me know what you think.
2 Cups warm water (105-119 degrees)
2 Tablespoons of Yeast
3 Tablespoons of Brown Rice Syrup*
2 Teaspoons of sea salt
6 Cups of Spelt flour (a mix of white & whole).
3 Tablespoons of Butter (melted)
Coconut Oil*
Combine yeast and water in a large bowl and dissolve yeast (approx 10 mins). Stir in melted butter and salt.Add 1/3 of the spelt flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.
Add another 1/3 of the flour and then the remaining flour until the dough becomes stiff.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-6 mins. Do not clean (wash) your mixing bowl yet!
It is important not to OVER KNEAD the dough.
Melt a generous tablespoon of Coconut Oil* and coat your mixing bowl (even if there are pieces of the dough left on the sides after scraping the dough out. Its ok they come out at the end).Place the dough in your greased bowl and turn to coat it. Cover it with a dishtowel and let it rise for 2 hrs.
Prepare two baking pans (I use stoneware. I find that it bakes better and it's healthier too) by coating them with coconut oil. I use it in its solid state to coat the pans.
After the dough has risen punch it down and remove it from the bowl. It should slide out and leave your bowl super clean!
Divide into two equal parts and place them in the baking pans. Smooth them out and let rise for 1 hour.
Then place them on a cookie sheet in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 45 mins. Turn out onto a cooling rack before storing.
Footnotes:
Coconut Oil- I use coconut oil because olive oil turns into a transfat at high temperatures so I use it for all my cooking and olive oil for cold dishes and dressings.
Brown Rice Syrup - better for you than honey (less calories, carbs and sugar).
Cost: I figured it cost $5 to make 2 loaves of bread.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Eliot Library October Fest
Although fall is here you wouldn’t know it today when temperatures reached high in the 60’s. So my husband and I took advantage of the warm sun and took our Yorkies, Zach and Joy to the Eliot library’s October Fest. We arrived late in the afternoon. They face painting for kids, a silent auction, an apple pie contest, and the Taylor Band playing in the back ground. Oh can’t miss their book sale!
They have several throughout the year and they are a bargain! 25 – 50 cents depending on if it’s a soft or hard cover. Periodically they also sell DVD’s and CD’s all to raise money for the library. I never walk away empty handed.
It was also bath day for the kids.
Here’s Joy the one on the left is her rolling around getting dried off and the one on the right is her taking a breathier. Isn’t she just too cute!
They have several throughout the year and they are a bargain! 25 – 50 cents depending on if it’s a soft or hard cover. Periodically they also sell DVD’s and CD’s all to raise money for the library. I never walk away empty handed.
It was also bath day for the kids.
Here’s Joy the one on the left is her rolling around getting dried off and the one on the right is her taking a breathier. Isn’t she just too cute!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
