please don't think i am too crazy but i went back to my old blog- http://www.agodlyhomemaker.com/  i just missed it.

thank you sooooo much for reading me here!

i hear homemakers all the time say they don't bake their bread items, cakes etc because they don't know how. they don't even have the products needed!  ( oh the generation of the microwave!)

grab yourself a few good cookbooks and  the basics and you can bake! join a website like all recipes and learn tips and techniques from them (check out the pancake section!)

it takes very little time to mix a birthday cake(see below) together rather than spend $30 on one or make one from a box ( something i prefer not to do because of the aluminum in them)

with very little effort you can make these hamburger buns and never need to buy those nasty ones at the store again!

i stole my bread recipe from smockity frocks  (thank you Connie!)

keep olive oil, coconut oil (healthier for you than canola oil) , butter (not margarine! it is one molecule away from being plastic! do u really want that in your body?),baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, flour, sugar, brown sugar,yeast, oatmeal (how else can you make oatmeal cookies?!) , powdered sugar,honey, salt,vinegar, vanilla,raisins and nuts on hand. while it is nice to have a mixer, both hand and bowl, spoons will do. bowls of course are a must!

here is a recipe to get you started!

 Chocolate Cake (I get raves for this everytime I make this. I took it from a cookbook called Vegetarian Times but don't let the name scare you!)

 2 1/2 cups flour

 2 cups sugar

 2 tsps baking soda

 3/4 cup cocoa powder

 1/2 tsps salt

 1/4 + 1/8 cup oil (use canola if you must)

 2 1/4 cup water

 1 tsps vanilla

 1/8 cup white vinegar

 in a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a different bowl, combine the liquid ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and stir until blended. Preheat oven to 350, grease and flour your cake pan, 13 x 9. Pour the batter into the pan.Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean - about 45 minutes.

easy icing -

 1/3 cup flour

 1 cup milk

 1 cup sugar

 3 tbs butter, softened

 1 tps vanilla

 1/8 tps salt

 in a saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick and smooth. Remove from heat, place the pan in a pot of cold water to cool. In a separate bowl mix the sugar, butter, vanilla and salt until fluffy. When your flour mixture is completely cool, stir it into the sugar mixture and blend well.

 Tip for frosting - first frost the cake with a thin layer of frosting. let sit for 30 minutes, and then frost entirely again.

try it- it is goooood!  (no i didn't forget the eggs!)

linking with Raising Arrows  and  Time-Warp Wife and Women Living Well and Far Above Rubies and Growing Home and A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Today we ran into town and i found a pressure canner at the antique store! it has all the parts and only needs a manual. I have ordered it from the company online.  it was only $25 and the manual was $8 so i saved about $200 I believe- I'm thrilled!

I have water bathed canned before but not pressure. I admit- I am a little afraid. (ok a lot afraid!) but I am still anxious to try.

After stopping for lunch - Quiznos- and then going to Lowes we came home and I got into bed! I didn't get much sleep last night and it is catching up with me. Hubby is reading about how to build an earthbag home and I am reading thru some genealogy records I have already discovered, Then I am gonna go thru my list of Kindle books and see what catches my eye. All 5 dogs are with us (Buttercup the lab,Rosie the Dutch Shepherd, Snickers the beagle, Blackjack the terrier and Peanut ,also a terrier.) It's getting crowded in here!

Tomorrow is grocery shopping day. Each week we take one child alone with us so they get one on one time with us. They are allowed to fill up on treats while we shop!  Jamison goes tomorrow. So  far I only have 3 meals planned so I need to think of more . Chicken noodle soup, bean soup, and chicken spaghetti are all I have so far.

Just a lazy evening here tonight! Reading, making a list and drinking coffee.