pizza bread.

I've made this before, and people have wanted the recipe for it, but i never put it up.  so here it is, finally.  first off, start with a basic bread recipe.  here's the one i use:

Amish White bread

2 cups warm water

2/3 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup oil

6(ish) cups flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, then add yeast.  mix salt and oil into the yeast.  mix in flour one cup at a time.  knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.  place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough until coated in a thin layer of oil.  cover with a damp cloth (i haven't ever used a damp one, and it turns out fine, my roommates all use a damp one, and it turns out fine) and allow to rise until double in size- about 1 hour.  punch down dough.  knead for a few minutes and divide in half.  shape into loaves (i roll them out flat to a rectangle, and then roll them up into a loaf, but just shaping it without rolling it should work fine too), and place into 2 well oiled 9x5 loaf pans.  allow to rise about 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above the pan.  bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

make the dough like normal, and bring to the point where you would put it in the bread pans.  once at that point, roll out the dough into a rectangle.  the size is up to you, just remember it will later need to go on a cookie sheet for cooking.  cut slits in the sides, roughly two inches apart.  it makes it easier if the slits on each side are roughly directly across from each other.  next, fill it up.  in this case, we used pizza toppings.  i've also made just sandwich ones, and i also tried a successful apple cinnamon one.  whatever you think sounds like it would go well on this.  next, braid it. it takes some practice, so if it doesn't turn out pretty on your first try, don't be surprised.  :)  let rise for another 30-60 minutes, roughly doubled in size.  then bake according to your bread directions.  enjoy!!

fried green tomatoes

Recipie:

Cornmeal
Salt
Green tomatoes
oil, for frying

mix cornmeal and salt together.  how salty you make it is completely up to you.  i used at most (i just poured some into my hand until it looked like a good amount, and added a bit more later when it wasn't quite enough) two tablespoons to about 1/2 cup of cornmeal (again, sorry, i didn't measure.  i just guessed how much i would need for the tomatoes i was doing).  Wash the tomatoes, and pat dry.  press tomatoes into cornmeal mixture, until thoroughly coated (i should note here, the sides won't ever be coated, they seem to refuse.  this could probably be fixed by first dipping the tomato into an egg, if you like).  fry until cornmeal starts to turn brown.

all in all, its pretty simple.

the history:

On my mission, we had a less active member who never showed up to church again after being baptized.  we would sometimes go and talk to him, to see what was going on in his life, and he would always tell us "sorry sisters, I'm too busy to talk right now" and would then run inside to avoid us.  one night, we decided to stop by when he or his wife wasn't home, and weeded his garden for him, to at least help him be "less busy"  he came home while we were out there weeding, and he joined us for a bit.  his wife came home a short while later, and offered to fix us some dinner, which we accepted.  fried green tomatoes was on the menu for the night (as a side to some just as wonderful hamburgers that she made as well).  I made sure to get the recipie for the tomatoes from her, so i could make them myself one day.  the happy part to the story is that as we were eating, we were able to talk to him about things, and start to help him out again.  he never did make it to church, but he was at least a bit more friendly to us.

how did they turn out?
well, lets just say about half as many tomatoes as i cooked ended up in my stomach, and i had to stop myself from keeping on munching them (though i'll probably continue to munch them throughout the day.  I'll have to make sure to save a couple for drew :) )

Creation

President Dieter F. Uctdorf gave a talk once, in a general Relief Society broadcast about our innate desire to create.  And its true.  All people everywhere have a desire to create, something at least.  Some people desire to create food, others beautiful art, some people children (especially women), but all people have the desire to create something.  Recently, the fact that I'm in a married student ward has hit me harder.  Seeing all the ladies around in various states of pregnancy and child rearing have made me want to create a child of our own.  Knowing that it isn't possible for at least a year (possibly three), sometimes makes it harder, sometimes makes it easier to deal with that desire.  I've had to find other outlets for that desire to create something.  food has been the most prominent outlet, though unfortunately, it has been in the form of deserts and sweets.  Trying to change that to healthy delicious meals for us has been hard pressed (though it has manifested itself every once in a while).  The other fact that I am now unemployed and no longer in school, its given me insane amounts of time.  trying to create a clean home i thought would take more time than it really has (though one room will still take a good amount of time).  All I need now is a better balance between the two.  I've discovered i like to do one or the other.   But it is still a lot of fun to learn to do, and to learn to better fulfill my new role as a wife.

finding the blance

WARNING:  this is pure rambling about things, with no coherency to it.  sorry if this doesn't make any sense.
Married life is great.  Is it what I thought it would be?  honestly, I'm not sure.  I wans't sure what to expect in the fist place, so how can i know if it met those expectations.  there are great parts, there are parts that take some adjusting, but for the most part, its been good.  i enjoy it.
learning to accept that I have a husband who loves to do things, that can be hard sometimes.  finding the balance between being independant, and wanting to do everything for him, and letting him do things for me, its been the hardest thing to adjust to.  i love that he loves to cook, and wants to make dinner.  i need to learn to accept that, and not feel horrible when he does it while i don't notice, doing homework.  on the one hand, i'm glad he has the thought, and does it for me.  on the other, i almost feel like i'm neglecting my duties as a wife.  especially when he is in school, and i am to be supporting him in that endevor.  on the other hand, i've found ways to help him out also.  making sure to keep the dishes clean, and the house in somewhat orderly manner (which has been interesting, with fixing and building bikes, and other homework strewed across the living room).  learning to find a balance, and let him share in the work... its what needs to happen, and something i need to let happen.  

the realization

as the day of the wedding creeps steadily closer, I ask myself each day "am i really ready for this?  can i really be a wife and a future mother?  can i meet those needs? (along with the question what the heck am i doing?)"  as much as i know i want it, it seems like the impossible.
and then it came to me.
what i want, is to just be done with school, and have a family of my own.  the sound of children's voices, the sound of small feet running through the kitchen and living room, the hugs and kisses, the holding of small hands... its what i want.  I have a whole slew of fears that go along with it, and probably will until it comes, and even past that.  but i want to try my hand at it.
sadly, school being done is still a long ways off.  classes yet to be taken, many many internship hours yet to fill.  but as soon as possible thereafter, the idea of having children of our own, with his amazing red hair and blue eyes, will be the ultimate joy.  

the fruit craving

all month, since moving back here, i've been stuck with having only apples, and them sparingly.

the problem with being a student, is that your food budget is only so big, and fruit costs so much.  especially in the winter.  it always sticks me with a problem, every winter.  the desire for fresh raspberries and peaches, and being stuck with frozen or (in peaches at least) canned.  and although they are still good, and still meet the need i have for fruit, it just doesn't taste the same.

as i'm getting married, i think to myself, "how likely am i to acutually be able to can my own fruits?"  i know that it is something i do enjoy doing.  and i know that it is possible (given the right type of stove), and can be done in small batches.  but will i actually get around to doing it?

though, canning also requires lots of time, and a fair investment into the fruit (or vegetables) being canned (yes, even in season).  as a student, or, as two students, both are somewhat harder to come by.  though they do make for nice saturday activities.

meanwhile, i'll just sit and dream of spring, when fruit is in season, and when i can get my one thing of rasperries for the season, and enjoy it.