Mom’s Musings

Hosted by Peggy

For Today…January 4, 2010

Outside my Window…is typical Pacific Northwest winter weather: rain. It’s not too terribly cold – 38 degrees – and there’s a wonderful freshness to the air, mixed with the aroma of wood smoke.

I am thinking…this is my first post for the New Year and the new decade. I wish you a Happy and blessed New Year! We stayed up late playing games as a family, and then ran outside to shout, “Happy New Year!” at the proper moment.

From the learning rooms…I want to brush up on world geography. The sixth graders with whom I work are my inspiration; some of them are excelling at this.

I am thankful for…another year to be alive, in the company of my loving family and friends. I want to spend the year well, to God’s glory.

From the kitchen…I have a new favorite cookbook, Simply in Season: A World Community Cookbook
by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert. Here is the most recent recipe we enjoyed from it:

Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls

1 ½ cups whole wheat bread flour (I used white because I didn’t have whole wheat.)

¼ cup sugar

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

 

Combine in a large bowl.

 

1 cup sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed

1 cup milk

¼ cup butter

 

Combine in large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted and mixture is warm. Add to flour mixture. Beat with mixer set on low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is all moistened, 1 to 2 minutes.

 

1 large egg, beaten

 

Add and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.

 

2 to 2 ½ cups bread flour

 

Stir in enough flour by hand to make dough easy to handle. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 7 to 9 minutes (or 5 minutes if your mixer has a dough hook). Place in greased bowl, turn to grease both sides, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down dough and divide it in half. Roll each half of dough on lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle.

 

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

 

Brush each circle with 1 Tablespoon butter. Cut into 12 wedges and tightly roll up each wedge from wide end to point. Place crescent rolls, point-side down, on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

 

I am wearing…dark red sweater top with striped collar and cuffs, black long-ish skirt, and black leggings. Cozy attire.

I am reading…Venetia by Georgette Heyer. This may be my favorite historical fiction (Regency period) piece by this author, to-date.

I am hoping…to write blog posts more frequently, while still keeping a focus on good meals and baking on the home-front.

I am creating…this blog post.

I am hearing…the hum of the computer. The children are quietly going about their business (studying, showering, reading) upstairs.

Around the house…It’s soggy outside, and the river waters have risen. Everything is looky pretty squishy.

One of my favorite things…is quiet time at home at the end of a busy day. I want to read a bit more of that book I mentioned earlier, in just a little bit.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…We are waiting for our van to be repaired. The gas pump (which is located inside the gas tank) went out while some of the children were driving on a busy highway. Thankfully, they were able to pull over safely, the tow truck came, and we transported them safely to their destination. What makes gas pumps go out, I wonder? Bad gas, possibly? This is the second time this has happened.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you…

This is granddaughter Claire, who is 4 1/2 months old.

Hostess Peggy says this about The Simple Woman’s Daybook:

Are you content to linger on the simple things of life…then join me in taking a little look into the day plans and thoughts of those of us who are focusing on simplicity…the beauty of the everyday moments around us. That is my vision for this idea!