Easy White Bread- The Versatile Recipe

Back in 2008 when our country encountered the recession, I found myself struggling right along side the majority of middle class America.  Initially, our financial surplus went from just above what we needed to just below what we "needed."  I was forced to re-evaluate our spending. It was very difficult for me. Within 6 months into the recession, we had signed up for Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and also hired a private financial coach to help us navigate through these difficult times. I learned a lot of very important lessons that really transformed my world view, and life application regarding money.

A big part of where we spent our money was on food. I desperately needed to re-learn how to spend our grocery money, and I was forced into an immediate crash course. Now in my mind, I had always desired to be a homemaker diva. Not in a snobby Martha Stewart kind of way, but in a chic Barefoot Contessa kind of way. ;) I wanted to be able to make my own breads, and a variety of delicious meals from scratch. I wanted my husband to see me as resourceful, and most of all I wanted to live below the provision that God had given our family. Now was my chance to take the next step in living my dream!

The first thing I wanted to conquer was to minimize the money we spent on baked goods. From bread, to tortillas to cookies and cake- I was determined I would make it all. I ended up purchasing a great bread machine off of Craigslist, and committed to myself that I would use it for more than making my challah dough. I talked myself into adventurous cooking and baking, and in the end fell in love with it.  If you know me personally, you know that I am definitely not a "plain Jane." I am spicy, artsy, creative, and bold... especially in my cooking.

When I came across this basic bread machine recipe for white bread, I liked it, but definitely wanted to make it my own. I always take my liberty to change it to whatever I want to. Sometimes I add fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or dill. Other times I add spices (like cinnamon) and dried fruit. And other times, I replace the sugar with good honey, or exchange the butter with extra virgin olive oil.  Needless to say, the possibilities are endless!

Whatever I decided to use, my family has always enjoyed the fresh baked bread and it has cost us pennies on the dollar, compared to the breads I would usually purchase. It's delicious, fresh and made with tons of love.

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups of warm water
4 tbspns  softened butter
2 tbspns sugar
4 tspns milk
2 tspns kosher salt
4 cups of bread flour
2 tspns of instant yeast

Place your ingredients in your bread machine in the order they were listed. Choose the white bread setting, press start, and walk away! If you want to delay the setting, you most certainly can. I like to time it so that the bread is baking in the bread machine by about 5 am. Sometimes, I'll set my coffee pot to brew at the same time. It is the most amazing scent to wake up to!

If you want to bake it in your oven, just set the setting  to "dough," and then when it beeps (about 90 mins later), take it out, knead it, shape it, baste it, and bake it at 350 degrees for about half an hour.

This is really a no fail recipe! Your family will love it, and so will you. Apart from it's total deliciousness, I LOVE how it makes my home smell. It's warm, welcoming and says, "I love you!"
I guess you can see that I really like bread. :)

I hope you get to try this recipe. Enjoy!

P.S. My favorite combo is to add fresh rosemary (as much or as little as you like), replace the butter with olive oil, baste the bread with olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake it, and eat with pleasure! :)

(a pic of the baked bread will be up soon.)

No Spend Menu Week 2

After taking inventory of my pantry and freezers, I am SO happy with what I was able to put together for this week's menu. With minimal additional groceries needed, here's what I came up with.  :) Hope it inspires you to get creative and shop from your own pantry as well. Shavua Tov!

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Sunday	Challah French Toast	Super Salad, Papas y Mojo, Yemenite Poached Halibut Crusty Thyme Olive Oil Bread	Same
Monday	Orange Cranberry Almond Scones/ Lemon Poppyseed Almond Scones Nuts	Lentil Soup	Lentil Soup, Homemade pita, Hummus and Salad Russian Poppy seed Cake
Tuesday	Potato, Onion, Bell Pepper Frittata	Spinach Veggie Wraps with hummus and tons of fresh veggies	Chole, Rice, Bhature, Chai
Wednesday	Berry Smoothies	Green Chile Quesadillas	3 bean vegetarian chili & cornbread
Thursday	Green Smoothie	Chili & Rice Bowls	Pierogies Lasagna, Borscht
Friday	Barley Meal (like Oatmeal, but made with rolled barley)	Avocado on toast	Lamb Curry, Chole, Rice, Salad, Bhature
Saturday	Pumpkin Cheesecake Crepes	Left Overs	Bonfire food- Crock pot black beans and edible acorn cookies

Fall Afresh

This is my new favorite song of the season. I must have listened to it 15 times today. I thought you would like it too!

Menus

Writing a menu is the one thing that helps me most in my kitchen. It gives me just enough structure to quench my inner desire to be super organized, and enough flexibility to be creative and artsy.  Growing up, I hardly ever ate the same thing twice in one month. My mom was a gourmet cook extraordinaire and was always feeding us healthy and delicious food.

That element of love was a staple in our house. Everyday, whether I wanted it or not, I knew that I could come home from school to something absolutely delicious that had been prepared with love. This was part of the legacy that my mom left for me. Even during her last days, when her body was riddled with cancer, she managed to prepare simple and delicious meals that were full of flavor and love. Those were meals were precious to me, and I enjoyed them with tears of gratitude.

So naturally, with her as my example, I love to bless my family in this way.

As a home school mom of five kids, and one who enjoys living frugally, I make 95% of everything we eat. Eating out is a rare treasure and it usually costs us close to $80 per outing. While it provides the luxury of not having to prepare the food and clean up, I would almost always rather spend those $80 on fun grocery items to help spice up already yummy food into something extravagant.

When I write my menus, I write them with freedom. I know that if I have a super creative itch or craving, I can replace whatever meal is slotted- with whatever I want to make. If I want to switch up my days, I can do that. My menus really act like meal suggestions for the week.

I base them off of what we already have in the pantry, what food items are on sale, and what we want to eat. That way, I am being resourceful, while still giving my family what they want. With 5 kids, I usually run things by them to make sure anyone is not vehemently opposed to one menu item. Usually, they are excited about what I am cooking. Over the last 14 years I have developed a good pool of things (About 300 recipes) that I cook from. If I try something new and they like it- GREAT! If they don't like it, no worries, it never comes back. ;)

Okay, so without further adieu here is a sample of a menu on our No Spend Month. If you are interested, I will keep posting menus as I write them. Just to give you an idea. Enjoy!

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Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Sunday	Cream of Wheat	Super Salad with Tuna	Spaghetti and Meatballs & Green Beans
Monday	Pumpkin Waffles	Egg Salad Sandwiches	Red Beans and Rice
Tuesday	Oatmeal	Apples and Cheese	Potato and Leek Soup/Salad Homemade Bread
Wednesday	Frittata	Peanut Butter Sandwiches	Greek Pasta
Thursday	Green Smoothie	Tuna Pasta Salad	Barley Vegetable Soup
Friday	Cinnamon Raisin Bread	English Muffin Pizzas	Shabbat Dinner with CBH
Saturday	Pumpkin Bread Pudding	Left Overs	Pizza at the Park

 

Simple Menu Ideas for a No Spend Month

Keep in mind this doesn't include yummy and delicious breakfast items. This was just a brainstorm of healthy, delicious and inexpensive meals that could be made on a no spend month.  The possibilities are endless. These are just a few ideas. Enjoy!

 

Bean Dishes

Cajun Red Beans and Rice

Mexican Beans and Rice

Cuban Black Beans and Rice

Chole and Rice

Medajarra and Pita

3 bean chili and cornbread

Black Bean burgers

Tuscan white bean soup recipe

White Chili

Rajma Masala

Potato Dishes

Potato and Leek Soup

Fries

Mashed Potatoes

Knishes

Baked Potatoes

Potato Salad

Latkes

Papas y mojo

Pasta

Pasta Rosa

Mac and Cheese

Greek Pasta

Pasta Tuna Salad

Linguine with Alfredo

Kugle

With tomatoes, basil and feta

Fideo

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Soup

Matzo Ball

Chicken Noodle

Tomato Basil

Potato Leek

White Bean Tuscan

French Onion

Vegetable

Tortilla Soup

Barley Soup

Pumpkin Soup

Lunches

Salad

Tuna Salad

English Muffin Pizza

Verduras

PB & J

Apple and Peanut Butter

Apple and Cheese

Bananas with PB & honey

Quesadillas

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Naan Pizza

Cheese Sandwiches

Bean and Cheese Tacos

Rice

Chicken Fried Rice

Popcorn Rice

Lemon Rice with Grilled Chicken

Rice Pilaf

Rice Pudding

Eggs

Egg Salad

Omlettes

Quiche

Fritattas

English Muffin Egg Sandwich

Flan

Crepes

Egg in a Bell Pepper Flower

Egg in an Onion

Potato and egg bowls

Bread

Challah French Toast

Challah Souffle

Pancakes

Waffles

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Rosemary Sea Salt Bread

Challah

Endless bread recipes

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Waffles

Pumpkin bread pudding

Almond Poppyseed Bread

No Spend Month

Sooo, we're going to do it. We're going to have a no spend month. What's a "no spend month?" Well, it's where you tighten your belt to your budget, make sure that every dollar has a name, and that ANY extra, any "fat" as we call it in our family simply isn't spent.

Yep, that's right. Eating out? Nope. Not on a no spend month.
Shopping on Craigslist or Macy's clearance. Nope. Not on a no spend month.
How about that wonderful laundry detergent and fabric softener? What if I run out of that? Well, on this no spend month, I will be making any thing I run out of.

I was first inspired to do a no spend month about a year ago when I read this blog. I had entertained the idea, but frankly it kind of scared me. I mean, things are tight as they are, but to cut out ALL the fat together was just scary.

Alas, we have settled ourselves and are about to embark on this journey. Truth be told, I am excited. I mean, really, how much time is this going to free up? Not to mention time, but intentionality in menu planning, cooking, and even in clothing.

I am anticipating that I will come out of this with an even greater level of gratitude than I have ever had, which is perfect, because we will end it right before Thanksgiving. :)

I made a list of menu items that I could include in my menus for lunches and dinners that are still healthy, delicious and resourceful. I'll put up another post with that list in case anyone is interested.

I am so grateful that even when things are super tight, God still provides for all of our needs and we never, never lack anything. We have never gone hungry and have never lacked clothes to cover our backs.

The one luxurious plus to this no spend month is the fact that I have frozen Alaskan fish in my freezer from my brother in law, along with a variety of frozen meats. It will be used sparingly and with great appreciation. :)

As far as food goes, I am cutting our food budget by 2/3 and will be visiting Costco Business Center as well as Restaurant Depot. There I will stock up on the basics, and leave $20 a week for produce. I can get to 60 lb/ $10 packages of produce from "market on the go," or from Pros Ranch Market. I am anticipating that we will have more than enough, and that our hearts will overflow even more with joy.

Here's to a no spend month... We begin tomorrow.

Do you want to join me? If so, comment to let me know.  

Come to Me

I LOVE THIS SONG!

Real grace transforms a hard heart into one that is soft.

Eshet Chayil

Is it His best?

"If it's God's best, do it.
If it's not His best, don't."

One Chance

We have one chance to leave a legacy. Make sure it's full of everything you want passed on to the generations that follow. ♥ Shabbat Shalom!"

Holiness vs. Happiness

"In marriage: God is more concerned about your holiness than your happiness. Why do you think He put you with someone that irritates the "unholy" out of you? ;) Yet, when we surrender to His holiness, and live in absolute surrender to the LORD, making Him first in everything- God gives us more than "happy"; He gives us joy unspeakable. Your marriage cup will be filled to the brim & overflowing!

No Greater Privelege

There is no greater privilege in life than to pour yourself out in ministry with the LORD. Sure, there are very difficult times. Times of tears, betrayal, suffering, and brokenness. However, all of these experiences are sharing in the sufferings of Messiah. If we share in His sufferings, shall we not also share in His glory? Like giving birth- the newness of life, joy, fellowship, love and victory always outweigh any pain, and make it worth it! We are called to the life filled with resurrection power. And there is no greater glory than this resurrection power!

Romans 8
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Messiah, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Bedtime

 Little girls with messy locks and long soft t-shirts make my heart melt.

Likewise, little boys with precious hands and lots of love do just the same.


There are few routines that are more rewarding than bedtime. First, you get to tuck in your kids & snuggle. Then, you have the privilege of imparting your faith and legacy. THEN, you get every parents greatest gift- PEACE & QUIET! :) 

I love being Mommy! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Blessed In Discipline

Trusting God not only means that we trust him for provision, but for the blessing of discipline too. He is perfect and so full of love. He does not discipline the way broken people do. He weighs our hearts, and our motives, and then sends the gentle and compelling conviction of His Spirit to woo us right back to the center of His heart. If you are being disciplined, it means you are a legitimate child, blessed, and in the midst of a glorious transformation. He wants you to reflect Him, even in the smallest of things!

Job 5:17-18
“Blessed is the man whom God corrects;
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
For he wounds, but he also binds up;
he injures, but his hands also heal.

Tears of Repentance

Tears of repentance are some of the sweetest tears you could cry because they transition from mourning over sin to the joy of forgiveness.