Christmas goodies

Every year, we make a Christmas breakfast as our gift to our Dickson family in the area.  We always serve cinnamon rolls, bacon, sausage links, pancakes, eggs and assorted beverages.

Sheri loves my coconut pancake syrup.  Here's the recipe.  It's also good on ice cream with toasted coconut.

Coconut Pancake Syrup
1 can coconut milk
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt

Combine coconut milk and cornstarch in saucepan.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bring to boil.  Allow to cool to room temp and strain through mesh strainer.

I've searched and searched to find the best recipe for cinnamon rolls and I think I've found it.  We enjoy these on Christmas, General Conference, and the 1st day of school.


Stephanie's Cinnamon Rolls
1 tbsp. active yeast
1 c. warm water 
2/3 cup + 1 tsp. white sugar
1 cup milk
2/3 cup butter
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
7-8 cups pizza flour

Filling:
1 cup melted butter
1 1/2 c. white sugar
3 tbsp cinnamon

Glaze:
2/3 cup melted butter
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4-8 tbsp. hot water

Mix together water, yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in small bowl.  Place milk and butter in bowl and microwave until butter melts. Set aside until temperature falls to 120 degrees.  Place in mixer: butter/milk, 2/3 cup sugar, salt and eggs.  Stir well, then add yeast mixture.  Add 1/2 flour and beat until smooth.  Stir in remaining flour until dough is slightly stiff but still a little sticky.

Knead with mixer 4-5 minutes, set aside and allow to rise until doubled 1 - 1 1/2 hours.  Punch down and let rest 5 minutes.  Roll out on floured surface into 15x20 inch rectangle.  Spread with 1/2 cup melted butter.  Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over dough.

Roll up jelly roll fashion, pinch edges to secure and cut into 12-15 slices.  Coat bottom of 9x13 and 8 inch square pan with remaining melted butter.  Place cinnamon roll slices in pans, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Leave on counter for 1 hour to warm up in the morning, then bake at 350 degrees until nicely browned, 25-30 minutes.  Cool slightly.

Mix melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in bowl.  Add hot water a little at a time until desired consistency.  Spread over rolls.  Enjoy!

Happy Birthday to me!

Yesterday was my birthday.  The day started out with getting 10 kids ready for church.  Most had showered the night before and since Randy & Lisa's kids already had their church clothes ready to go, it was a smooth morning.  Then, I taught in Relief Society.  My favorite thing to do is go skiing on my birthday so teaching the martyrdom of Joseph Smith was quite a change!  When we got home, I took a nap and the kids were nice enough to decorate for me.

My mom, her husband Greg, my brother Matthew and his son Gabriel came over to enjoy dinner with us.  They brought with them a pug named Ramirez and a basset named Rosebud.  We had a lot of kids running around and dogs baying and playing.  It was great!

tea party in a box, what could be better?

Here's the delicious dinner I made.  Lamb with mint sauce, white asparagus with blood orange reduction (doesn't that sound fancy), homemade roll, glazed carrots, green beans, mashed potatoes (real ones since it's my birthday and gravy).  My mouth is still sore from getting my wisdom tooth out so it took me a while to eat as I had to cut everything up into tiny pieces, but it was worth it!

My mom brought a cake from Coldstone.

We played one of our family's favorite games, Apples to Apples.  Miriam won which just goes to show why we love the game, it's great for all ages.  Sharon called to sing me a Happy Birthday and as things were winding down for the night, four of my dear friends came over to sing to me.  It was a great day!  I wish I could always have 10 children in my house but I don't think the state would sign off on an adoption that put six girls in one bedroom!  The other kid bedrooms each had one boy in them since Jared and Isaac slept downstairs.

Jingle Bells by the Giggle Sisters

These girls love to sing, and laugh.  Take one was a bunch of giggles.  Lainey had recorded the accompaniment  to the song on the piano.  The plan was for Miriam to hit the go button when they were ready.  She sat at the piano, hands raised like a maestro and when told, looked down and started plunking away.  She was fully prepared to be their pianist.  The girls cracked up.  Once she understood the true nature of her job, she was a bit disappointed.


The girls are having such a fun time together!

Ornament Party

Last night we had our annual ornament party.  Dode's family and I have been getting together each year to make ornaments for at least a decade.  Each participant brings a sample ornament and enough materials for the other ladies to make their own.  If you do the math, it seems like my tree would be drowning in ornaments, but they don't all last forever.  I always write the year and who brought the ornament kit and I love hanging them on my tree each year and thinking fond thoughts of my good friends.  Last night, Janice, Sheri, Vivian, Robyn and her daugher Caitlyn were the participants along with me. 

Hard at work crafting!

Dode was our long suffering babysitter (he's been doing THAT for a few years too!)

We ate some good food, including hot fudge cake and some yummy little caramel cookies I stole off someone else's blog.  Here's the recipe, and they're delish!   Caramel Tassies .  Janice brought Sharon's crab dip which was a delicious surprise.

We made some fun ornaments

Here's mine, stolen from this blog: Ribbon ornament

After the party, Janice proved she is the best Aunt EVER by loading  Isaac, Anastaya, Elizabeth, and Miriam into the BMW (that's Big Mormon Wagon for the uninformed) and driving out to Coupeville (1 1/2 hour drive, ONE WAY)  to pick up 4 of Randy & Lisa's kids to bring them over for a two night sleep over.  The kids were so excited! 

She got back to Arlington with her van full of 8 kids a little after midnight.  No one was ready for sleep, not even Janice who had been up since 4 am.

Janice slept on the bottom bunk.  Jenna and Miriam shared the top and enjoyed peeking over the edge at their fun fun aunt.

At 1:30 am,  I was the big bad mom and said, "Stop writing in your journals and go to sleep!"

 (In my defense, when there are 7 girls in one room journal writing is quite a loud activity). 

We had to pry everyone out of bed to help with the produce co-op this morning, at 8:00 am.  We had 39 baskets go out to 25 participants.  Hooray!  50 is my goal and it's looking closer and closer.  The truck driver decided not to come up our driveway again which is a very wise choice!  He brought the pallet up on his hand truck but got stuck in a loose gravel patch where we filled in a pothole.  The poor guy!  Hopefully he doesn't decide we're more trouble than we're worth.  Today we got:  sweet potatoes, white asparagus, cauliflower, blood oranges, bosc pears, braeburn apples, avocados, bananas, green beans (3 pounds each), carrots, english cucumbers and red grapefruit.  It's a lot but this week we could order an additional hostess pack since it's the week before Christmas.  I can't wait to dig in!

Let it snow!

We've endured over a week of below freezing temperatures here in Western Washington.  It was so cold and so dry, the static electricity was building up like crazy.  Dode and I went to Costco and it was pure torture to push the cart as every few seconds, enough static would build up to send a charge through the cart.  Ouch!  Dode was my knight in shining armor and pushed the cart most of the time.  Now that it's warming up, we finally get some moisture and with it snow.  The kids were thrilled and spent lots of time in it.  They are kind enough to bring some in to me as well, in the form of puddles and wet clothes.  Miriam brought me in a grassy, sand filled snowball which she melted with hot water and offered up to me to drink. 

Here's everyone in front of the garage, getting the lawn mower ready to pull the sled.

Anastaya and Miriam are ready to ride

Elizabeth was used to temperatures in the 20's, here she is overheated and taking a break.

Not content to enjoy the snow outside only, we made snowflakes inside too.

Miriam was quite proud of her snowflake

Here's the finished product, copied from someone else's blog.  Notice, snow inside and out!

Dode and Jacob had to do shut ins after church and went past three cars in ditches on the hilly road up to the family they were visiting.  Typical of Western Washington snow driving!

Here's wishing you snow when you can enjoy it and clear roads when you can't!

My great Recipe

I've been bringing the sacrament bread to church for over ten years.  It all started when Dode was the Young Men's President and he had the weekly concern if one of the Priests would remember their bread assignment.  There were several times when he had to make a last minute run up to his parents house to find a loaf of bread.  We tried stashing a loaf in the freezer at church but it was often missing by the time we needed it.  It was just easier on us if I brought it.  I've been asked for my recipe many times over the years and here it is.  I use a bread maker because it makes a nice moist loaf which works perfectly for being used in the sacrament.  We've gone through many many bread makers.  Lucky for me, I can usually find one at a 2nd hand store for less than $10.  Because we cut the crust off before we go to church, no one is bothered by the bread machine's worst drawback of thick crust.  I think what makes this bread great is the flour I use. 

1 3/4 cup water
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 c. pizza flour (purchased from Cash & Carry)
2 tbsp. dry milk powder

1 tsp. instant yeast

I place everything in the breadmaker in this order the night before set it to be ready before church.  I use this same recipe to make rolls by using 2 tsp. of yeast and the dough setting.

On the bread making vein, we have homemade pizza every Friday night.  We like a thick flavorful crust with a bit of crunch on the bottom.  I love using the bread maker to make the dough because it seems to be the ideal rising enviroment for the bread.  I use this same recipe sometimes in the stand mixer and it is so much more difficult to roll out. 

1 1/4 cup warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. instant yeast
3 2/3 cup pizza flour (Cash & Carry)

I dump everything in the bread maker on dough setting.  When it's ready, I roll it out and place it on a baking stone that has been sprinkled with corn meal.  Let rise 15-20 minutes and place desired toppings on.  Bake at 375 degrees until edges are golden.  For our family of 8, we make two pizzas and usually have a few pieces for leftovers the next day.

Performances

Last Thursday, the children had their first piano recital. It was held at the Arlington Building.

Elizabeth played Jingle Bells

Anastaya played Minuet and Isaac played Braham's Lullaby

That night, Miriam entertained us with her rendition of Book of Mormon stories.

 

12/5

We had a full day today.  It was the 2nd week of the produce co-op, Elizabeth marched in a parade, Isaac competed in a lego robotics event, Anastaya went to a birthday party, and Jacob slept in until 2.

Our first event of the day was the produce co-op.  At 7:30, we were greeted with the sound of a full sized 18 wheeler semi coming up the driveway.  We watched with interest as the driver hung a wheel over the culvert, clipped a small alder, drove through the flower garden, and crushed part of the stump in the middle of the driveway.  Maybe next time he'll just park on the road!  It's the 2nd time we've done the co-op here, but the first time he's tried to drive in.

 I've been participating in a site in Monroe since September but it was a really long drive so I worked to get one in Arlington.  It's organized through Bountiful Baskets.  They're huge in Arizona and Utah and just getting started in Washington.  I love the co-op because I hate spending money.  I love fresh fruit and vegetables but when the price for a pound of apples is the same as a pound of ground beef, I just cringe.  I buy a lot of produce at Costco, but a girl can only eat so much broccolli, baby carrots, grape tomaotes and spring mix.  I needed a change and the co-op is providing it.  For $15, I get $40-50 worth of produce that varies every time.  I actually buy two baskets which just about gets me the two weeks until the next co-op.  (I eat 90% of what I buy and the kids eat the rest.  Like I said, I love fruits and vegetables.)  It's almost like the thrill of getting a gift when I find out each time what we're getting.  I hope the co-op grows.  We have about 20 people in it now, I'd love to have 50 or more.  With a larger group purchasing, we will get more variety.  We sorted it all out into baskets that people could pick up in the 21 degree weather.  Brr!  Here's a picture of one order's worth of produce from Saturday.

Elizabeth marched as a reindeer in the Santa parade downtown.  She had a great time singing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" as she walked down main street.  She saw several people she knew.

Elizabeth is on the far right

Isaac has been working with a team from his school to build and program a lego robotic car which they used to compete against 23 other teams yesterday.  They were given a course that they built and received points for doing different things like avoiding obstacles, navigating to certain areas, keeping their lego passengers on the vehicle, and retrieving small disks.  Isaac's team placed in the top half of the competition.  It was a long day for Dode who had to have him there at 9 and stayed until the end at 4:30.  Isaac felt like it was 1-2 hours.  It was definitely an activity that appealed to Isaac's mechanical minded brain.

Love his team name!

Isaac with the robot he helped design

Isaac receiving his competitor medal

Isaac with his team

On another note, today I was called out of Relief Society by a member of the bishopric.  They told me that they were setting Isaac apart as the 2nd counselor in the deacons quorum.  Usually we know a little before then but I figured maybe Dode forgot to tell me (not that that would ever happen!).  We got there and once all the moms were assembled, they realized they needed the dads too so we waited a while for the dads to come.  Dode also had no clue.  The most ironic part was they then proceeded to set apart the new presidency and even the boys didn't know they were being called to their positions.  Once the bishop realized that no one had been interviewed before, he likened it to the way they used to call people on missions at General Conference.  Isaac's eyes got pretty big when he heard his name called!  Once it was his turn,  I heard the bishopric member say his name, I felt so overwhelmed with gratitude for the names he carries with him.  Isaac, one of the patriarchs.  Lynn, his grandpa who is setting such an example of service.  Dickson,  history of righteous choices.  I remembered the day Isaac was born when we chose his name and also Helaman 5:6-7 "... Behold I have given you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.  Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them."  Thank you grandpa Lynn for being such a good example!

Deck the Halls!

If you came to our house, you'd think we're a little Christmas obsessed, (4 Christmas trees in one room?), but most of the decorations were ones I inherited when my mom downsized.  We do love to celebrate the holiday season, three of our family birthdays fall within two weeks of Christmas.  The girls had a lot of fun helping put up the decorations.

Here are SOME of our Santa pictures.  I don't know where I'll put the new ones!  In our family, getting the Santa picture has evolved into quite a day.  We ride the Amrtrak down to Seattle with my mom and hop on the underground buses to Westlake Center where we wait in a long line for a visit with Santa at Nordstroms.  At least with it being Nordstroms, they try to make the wait bearable by giving out hot cider, cookies, cheerios, and coloring pages with crayons.  We always follow up the photo with lunch out and a trip to the bookstore where everyone gets a new book.  Then, it's off to the outdoor carasol across the street from Westlake.  This year will be fun because they just opened up a new train station in Stanwood so we'll get to see some territory we haven't before.

This tree didn't look so large when we picked it out!  We go all out and carry it home when we buy it.  (It helps that we are only carrying it home from our next door neighbor, Haggens Grocery Store.)

We have a double sided fireplace with one side facing the dining room.  Maribeth gave us the nativity several years ago.  One reason I like it is that the wise men contain an asian, african, and european.  Yesterday it was down in the 20's in the morning so the roaring fire felt great!

The other side of the fireplace.  The snowmen and santa are all hand made by my mom and grandma.  The stockings are also hand made.  Dode is the odd man out with his knit stocking.  Everyone else has a felt and sequin creation.

We hide a Christmas village behind the couch with the hopes that little fingers will remain off.

The girls have their very own tree decked out with garage sale ornaments

Isaac claimed this Charlie Brown tree bought for $2 at the Target after Christmas sale for his ornaments.

The littlest Dickson has the littlest tree.  The pictures can't do justice to her tree, a  $2 after Christmas fiber optic wonder that she finds very beautiful with its rainbow of lights.  It looks like something that would be very at home in an elderly widow's front room.  The decorating scheme is always in flux because she loves to carry her ornaments around with her and admire them.

Merry Christmas to all!

 I love the way the house looks when we get it all decorated but once Christmas is done I can't wait to pack it away.