Makes sense! Cookies beware!

Home of the Free? - America in decline . . .?

If a teacher cannot teach students about their rights as American Citizens and is punished for doing so, there is something very dark and evil going on in our world today. Why are 'freedoms' limited to what a person in power deems to be free? Wasn't America founded on individuals working together for the common good even when people begged to differ on issues? Unfortunately, if you follow all the news sources, you will find this is just one aspect of our regimented freedoms today.

http://lastresistance.com/2187/teacher-faces-disciplinary-action-for-telling-his-students-about-their-constitutional-rights/

Gluten-Free Bread - Recognizable as Bread!

 I've been baking 'things' that are supposed to be bread. They have tasted okay and were handy for bread puddings or crumbs for breading chicken, etc. I had yet, however, to produce a loaf of gluten-free bread that looked and tasted like the real deal . . . until today!

I found the recipe in Gluten-Free on a Shoestring - Quick and Easy. As you can see the recipe worked well and we enjoyed our chicken soup accompanied with bread and butter. I highly recommend the book.

The interesting aspect of this recipe was that it wasn't as touchy as some have been where you have to either hurry or avoid working with the dough too much. You basically mixed the ingredients together, dumped it into a roomy container, and left it to sit in the refrigerator twelve hours to rise. It could also be left for up to a week. The bread had a great crust, good crumb, and a sour dough tang. I had better put another batch to rise as I'm afraid there might be some confrontations on the remaining half of the loaf.

Almond Snack!

Since I try to keep the foods around the house of the healthier variety, I'm always on the lookout for ideas to provide snacks that satisfy yet aren't full of empty calories. Over the recent weekend, I remembered a favorite one. After making a batch, I couldn't believe I had forgotten about it. It all started when I was sorting through the freezer and discovered a bag of almonds . . .

Almond Snack
Approximately two pounds of shelled but unblanched almonds
1 egg white
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like it hotter)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.

Dump the almonds into a large mixing bowl. Add the egg white and mix into the nuts to coat them all. I know, it seems that one egg white isn't enough but it is! Add the rest of the ingredients and mix to get all the nuts coated.

Spread the nuts evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the nut are hot through and the coating is dry. It is a good idea to pull the pan out every few minutes and stir them around for more even roasting.

Let them cool thoroughly before storing them in a container. Makes a great hostess gift packed in a small canning jar with a bit of fabric to decorate the lid. Nice to have a jar on the counter for the family to grab a quick snack. Goes well with an apple for breakfast!

The Meaning of Memorial Day . . .

 I imagine that the first thing that will clue you into tomorrow being a holiday from work and school will be the smell of barbecues firing up. You have to wonder how many people will take time to attend a special service, go to Mass, or observe a moment of silence for our military working for us today, our retired soldiers, and the ones who have died in the service of our country.

My grandfather died as a result of a wound while fighting in World War I. My father was overseas when peace was announced in World War II. My great-uncle retired after many years of service and many months away from home on military duty. My own father died from a service related ailment. How many other families have stories to tell, parents to mourn, and fathers currently overseas helping to protect our freedoms.

That first bite of a delightful barbecue picnic meal comes to us all compliments of men and women who offered so much that we could have a day to celebrate their accomplishments. Let's not forget this in the joy of the day.

The Faces of Memorial Day . . .

 

Boy Scouts and Everyone's Right to a Choice

The Boy Scouts of America made a choice, yesterday, and that is how the world is supposed to be . . . freedom of choice. Given this, Dr. Taylor Marshall is making a choice and offering an alternative to scouting for boys. Sounds intriguing and I'm interested to see how this goes.

http://www.taylormarshall.com/2013/05/why-im-starting-new-boy-scouts-my.html