Growing Up

Paxton is delighted that he's now just tall enough to reach things at the table's edge (such as unattended, mint, chocolate chip ice cream).

And Carsten insisted on not missing a photo op. :)

Kitchen Shower

Paxton was safely down for a nap in Carsten's bed, which a child-proof doorknob cover so Carsten couldn't harm him. Carsten was set up to watch Thomas the Tank Engine. And I was going to take a shower knowing they were both safe and occupied.

I came out of the shower to find a shower going on in the kitchen!!! Carsten had gone outside, turned on the hose & sprinkler, and placed the sprinkler right outside the OPEN glass door!

Baking Cookies

Carsten & Paxton were helping bake cookies.

I don't remember now what I had to step away for, but apparently it was just enough time for Carsten measure everything back out of the bowl that had previously been measured into it.

I like to take pictures when I find messes like this for two reasons:

1. To document/preserve childhood memories
2. To give myself time to defuse before reacting...

One Minute Ciabatta Bread

So much for my New Year's resolution to blog more... :) Here it is half-way through February already and I'm back-dating my first post to January so I won't have missed a whole month.

Anyway, I did make an amazing discovery in January. I stumbled upon a recipe for ciabatta bread that takes only one minute of preparation (presuming the ingredients and utensils are pre-gathered)! It has only four ingredients and it is delicious. In fact, here's a picture of my first attempt:

I wasn't able to get the camera before it was all gone! :)

1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry yeast
2 c warm water
4 c flour
==================
Mix (easily done by hand with a big spoon) and let rise for 8-12 hours, then shape and bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

I've told everyone I could to Google "one minute bread" and find this recipe because it is nothing short of amazing to me! I shall never buy ciabatta bread again!

Hot Tamales

Many moons ago... my friend Kristy gave me some corn husks for tamale-making purposes. I was in Ohio at the time and it just wasn't going to happen there, but I was hopeful that someday I would attempt and conquer that task.

In January, I finally decided it was now or never. I found a fabulous recipe on the Internet and set about to acquire all the ingredients and cooking gadgets I'd need. I warned Brian beforehand that this was my project and he should not touch anything... (I can be a little territorial when I want to prove to myself that I can do something from start to finish.)

I cooked the meat per the instructions and waited until the next day to do the rest (recommended in the instructions). The next day, I soaked the husks, made the masa, and began assembling tamales. I filled one pot full of tamales but... the meat bowl looked just as full as it had when I started! That's when I realized I had bitten off more than I could chew...
I went pleading to my dear, wonderful, sweet husband to ignore what I said earlier and please, please, please save me from myself. And he did. :D


So, together, we spent the rest of the evening making several dozen tamales. They turned out great!

P.S.
Yes, Monica, they freeze well. One of the kitchen gadgets I acquired was a vacuum sealer; the recipe says they will keep indefinitely that way. :D