Stromboli

Okay, so here is the extension of the French Bread recipe I promised. This is so good.

Let the French bread dough rise once, for about 10 minutes. Then, roll the dough out into about a 12" x 18" rectangle on a large, greased cookie sheet. It should almost fill the pan. If it is easier to work with, turn the cookie sheet over and bake it on the inverted pan. Just remember to spray it w/ Pam, or it will stick!

Now, spread 3/4 to 1 c. prepared spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce down the center of the dough, longways, about 4" wide, leaving about 1/2" at the ends for sealing. (This is a good way to use up some leftover spaghetti sauce, plus you can pour the rest of the sauce over the bread when serving.) Over the sauce, lay about 25-30 slices of pepperoni--enough to cover the sauce. Next, sprinkle w/ 1 c. grated mozzarella cheese. Then, sprinkle 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese over all. Next, slice each side of the dough at 1 1/2" intervals, top to bottom, keeping the slices even, and at about a 20-degree angle. Layer the slices alternately over one another, from side to side, creating a faux "braid" on top. Pinch the layers and ends to seal.

Bake at 355 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Brush w/ melted butter or melted butter mixed w/ garlic powder, to taste.

Serve plain or with remainder of spaghetti sauce, heated through.

Constancy & Hope

Over the past several days I've been pondering the constancy of God. The organization of nature and of this universe. The fact that night inevitably follows day and Spring follows Winter. That apple seeds produce apple trees, and rosebushes produce roses. Even down to the fact that if I eat too much my stomach will hurt. The order of His creations gives me peace, comfort, and abiding faith. So much of what I see in the earth--birth, renewal, even death--can bring hope to me, if I let it.
Look at the beauty and variety of His creations. I marvel at not only the tastes and smells of different fruits and vegetables, but also their characteristics of color, size, shape,and texture. It's amazing to me, not only at the beauty of these foods that He has provided for our enjoyment and nourishment, but also at the particular poetry of each plant or tree or bush on which they grow, or the flowers these plants produce! It's no wonder I've gotten distracted into forgetting about the outside world--when I absorb it, how can I not remember the Lord?
Most of all I am grateful for His constancy in remembering me. In giving me chance after chance--loving me, helping me, giving me only what I need, when I need it. I'm so grateful for His perfect and loving ways, His desires for good, the light He brings. I'm grateful for what He teaches me and for what He allows me to experience. He is my perfect parent, and I'm grateful to be one of His children.

Grateful

I've been remiss in my gratitude feelings and journaling lately. I have felt melancholy tonight, and I don't want to feel this way. So in my prayers tonight I asked for help, and was reminded that I haven't read from the Book of Mormon at all today, not yet. So I will, after I post this. But I want to express my gratitude for the Book of Mormon; any time I feel hopeless or down, I know I can read this inspired book, and it will help me feel better. It helps me to think better, to keep things in perspective, to have hope. I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon and for my access to it anytime at all.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 small - med. head of green cabbage, shredded
1-2 pkgs. ramen noodles, uncooked, crushed
4-6 green onions, chopped
4 c. cooked, diced chicken breast
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
1/3 c. sliced almonds, toasted
2-3 cans mandarin oranges, drained

Dressing:

3/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 tsp. garlic salt
1-2 seasoning packet(s) from ramen noodles

Directions:

Toss salad ingredients together. Mix dressing ingredients together. I usually add just a few teaspoons of the juice from the mandarins to the dressing to thin it out a bit.

Note: You can toss the salad and dressing all together at once if it will all be eaten in one sitting. We like to pour the dressing on the salad as we eat it, to keep the cabbage from wilting and the ramen from getting too soggy.

Peanut Chicken

A Shiozawa family favorite, this recipe was given to me by Troy’s grandma, May Shiozawa, when I was a young bride. She told me, “Oh, this is a good one, and it’s so easy!” Well, Grandma, it is a good one, and not hard to understand, but I wasn’t prepared for the hours on my feet while chopping, dipping, and frying. But it’s worth it to put a beautiful dish of red-sauce covered chicken on the table for my salivating children.

Peanut Chicken
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size cubes
1/3 to ½ c. corn starch
½ tsp. garlic salt or seasoning salt
2-3 eggs, beaten and thinned w/ a little water

Mix corn starch w/ salt in a medium-size bowl w/ a lid, or in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Add chicken cubes and toss to coat. Beat the eggs w/ water in another medium-size bowl. Dip chicken cubes in egg mixture, then drop pieces into hot oil (abt. 375 ). Let cook until light brown, abt. 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from oil w/ a slotted spoon and let drain on several layers of paper toweling. When chicken is all cooked, pour it into a large serving dish and place it in a warm oven while you prepare the sauce.

Sauce:
Pinch salt
1 clove garlic, crushed (I use crushed garlic from a jar)
1 c. sugar
2 c. cold water, mixed w/ 2-3 Tbsp. corn starch to thicken
¾ c. ketchup

Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let cook for 2-3 minutes to thicken. The sauce will clarify as it thickens. Pour sauce over warm chicken. Garnish w/ chopped peanuts and chopped green onions.
Serve over hot rice.

Snickerdoodles

Taylor and Gabrielle love snickerdoodles. Here is the latest recipe approved by them:

Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar, divided
1 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 Tbsp. water
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 c. of the sugar with the cinnamon and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and remaining 1 1/4 c. sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and water and beat until fluffy. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix in short bursts until flour is nearly blended in, then continue mixing at medium speed until well mixed. Shape dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture, then place on cookie sheets. Flatten slightly w/ the bottom of a glass. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen 3" cookies.

First Week of the New Year 2010

Today I am grateful, once again, for a new year, a fresh start; I'm grateful for the chance to begin again. Troy and I both went to bed on time and got up early; the kids were on the ball (esp. Taylor) getting ready and were early to school. The best part was that we followed through with our plan to drop everything and pray at 8:15 and then each read silently from the Book of Mormon until 8:30. It was so great--such a peaceful feeling. The kids were compliant and willing--it felt so good. And it was reaffirmed to me that if I make a plan, ask for the Lord's help in executing it, and then do all I can to make it happen, He will help it happen. It will take focus and diligence to make these actions habits, but I believe it will be worth it. I was also made aware of how much easier it is/will be to achieve goals if we set them as a family, and then encourage one another to follow through with the changes we've put in place.
I also signed up for a BYU class on-line today: "Changing Self-defeating Behaviors and Emotions through Rational Self-counseling". It is two credits, and is part of the curriculum for the "Family Life" emphasis in the Bachelor of General Studies Program. I wanted to start with a class this week, to get moving forward on my degree again; I think this will be a good class to start with. I read "As A Man Thinketh" this morning, by James Allen (it is the text for the course). I am just grateful that education is so accessible to me. I am grateful that I have the time and energy and health to pursue this goal, and any goal I desire, really. I am aware of the fact that I need/want to be better at managing my time effectively so that I can be more task-oriented and less distracted. I am progressing, for which I am also grateful! I used to look at all my weaknesses and get discouraged; now it is easier for me to observe those weaknesses with more patience and compassion for myself. When a shortcoming presents itself, I am more likely now to acknowledge it, look for ways to overcome it, and ask the Lord's help in doing so. Any degree of progress, no matter how incremental, is a blessing.