I've written about her before but to reiterate, my Aunt Julie is one of the most amazing cooks on the planet. Many of our favorite recipes are hers and the times I spent at her house as a child she always took time to teach me how to cook. What I really liked was that she gave me all of the tools and knowledge to complete my recipe and then she left me alone. She let me make messes, I mean, I had to clean them up, but that was all part of the learning process.
I made these cinnamon rolls for Molly's first day of school and quite a few people asked for the recipe. I am not great at making breads and rolls but this one was so easy! The dough was so easy to deal with and pretty that I was a little sad to cook it.
I giggle a little when I read this recipe because dear Aunt Julie obviously thinks that everybody knows how to make cinnamon rolls without real directions. I will share it the way it is written and then add my extra instructions.
Leanne's Bread or Cinnamon Rolls
Rolls:
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 1/2 cup warm water
2/3 cup lard or shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
8 cups flour
Dissolve the yeast in water. Stir in shortening, sugar, eggs, salt and flour. Knead. Let the dough rise, then shape into dinner rolls or cinnamon rolls.
Topping for cinnamon rolls
1 cup ice cream
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
Melt ingredients together, boil for approximately 1 minute.
Literally. That is the end.
I love that she thinks people just know what to do with that. Here is the same recipe with my additions in color.
Leanne's Bread or Cinnamon Rolls
Rolls:
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 1/2 cup warm water
2/3 cup lard or shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
8 cups flour
Dissolve
the yeast in water. Stir in shortening, sugar, eggs, salt and flour.
Knead. Let the dough rise, then shape into dinner rolls or cinnamon
rolls. To make the cinnamon rolls, roll dough out to a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar, I used about 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar. Then, starting with the long side, roll up into a spiral. Cut into 20-24 1 inch slices.
Topping for cinnamon rolls
1 cup ice cream
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
Melt ingredients together, boil for approximately 1 minute.
Pour mixture in the bottom of 2 9x13 pans and level out. Layer the slices of rolls evenly in the pan and cover to rise. Once they are doubled in size, bake about 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven when they look done in center. Let cool on counter for about 5 minutes and then invert on a baking sheet to let the caramel drip over them.
This recipe is fantastic for dinner rolls as well. My Mom and I are of the opinion that holidays don't really need anything except these rolls.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Monday, February 15, 2016
Working it!
A while back, I read an article that really stuck with me. So much so that I have no idea who wrote it, who posted it or how to find it. Ha! But the message stuck with me much better than that. It was about working out. I have been working out fairly regularly for a couple years and I love the way it makes me feel. Endorphin's are pretty dang awesome! There are so many fantastic benefits to a fitness routine like sleeping better, stronger body(especially for a weak back!) smaller clothes, albeit marginally in my case, and energy.
You hear about all of these benefits constantly on tv, online, from that super annoying friend who works out constantly and yet their hair is never messed up (like seriously, what they hey?!) and of course, crossfitters. Gotta love their crazy enthusiasm even if I don't understand the strange lingo they speak.
There is another benefit that specifically hit home with me. I have people watching me. Little people, with really big eyes. Little minds that are still forming and learning who they want to be. They watch every move we make and those moves define how they will view life and themselves one day. As Christians, it has always been our main focus to to teach our kids to live for God by doing so ourselves and that principle is exactly the same in this instance.
Girls of all shapes and sizes struggle with their appearances. We are raising daughters. I have bounced from feeling too skinny-too fat-too tall-too flat chested-to busty and back again a few times...well I haven't bounced back to too skinny. I don't hate my body and in fact, after having kids, I actually like it more, after all, I made people! But that doesn't mean I don't understand the danger of low self esteem. Jared is great about treating me like a lady and giving the girls an example of what love should be and how a man should love a woman but I have not always lived up to my end of the bargain. I hide my attempts to improve myself. I prefer to only show the parts of my life that I feel good about. I usually work out after the kids are in bed.
This week I made a change and started working out in the living room with a large and often interactive audience. I don't necessarily love it, especially when I can't quite do something. They love it. Emily excels at burpees and jumping jacks, Molly can do push ups and planks like a pro and Caleb learned how to do somersaults, on accident, while attempting a burpee. Ha! Tonight, we did yoga, they don't do it well but then, neither do I. Caleb stopped me mid vinyasa to grab me by the ears and kiss me violently.
Is it working? Am I instilling a good work ethic and teaching them to love their bodies? I don't know. But it is worth a try. And even if it garners us nothing more than some laughs and good family time, well, we get to have some laughs and good family time.
You hear about all of these benefits constantly on tv, online, from that super annoying friend who works out constantly and yet their hair is never messed up (like seriously, what they hey?!) and of course, crossfitters. Gotta love their crazy enthusiasm even if I don't understand the strange lingo they speak.
There is another benefit that specifically hit home with me. I have people watching me. Little people, with really big eyes. Little minds that are still forming and learning who they want to be. They watch every move we make and those moves define how they will view life and themselves one day. As Christians, it has always been our main focus to to teach our kids to live for God by doing so ourselves and that principle is exactly the same in this instance.
Girls of all shapes and sizes struggle with their appearances. We are raising daughters. I have bounced from feeling too skinny-too fat-too tall-too flat chested-to busty and back again a few times...well I haven't bounced back to too skinny. I don't hate my body and in fact, after having kids, I actually like it more, after all, I made people! But that doesn't mean I don't understand the danger of low self esteem. Jared is great about treating me like a lady and giving the girls an example of what love should be and how a man should love a woman but I have not always lived up to my end of the bargain. I hide my attempts to improve myself. I prefer to only show the parts of my life that I feel good about. I usually work out after the kids are in bed.
This week I made a change and started working out in the living room with a large and often interactive audience. I don't necessarily love it, especially when I can't quite do something. They love it. Emily excels at burpees and jumping jacks, Molly can do push ups and planks like a pro and Caleb learned how to do somersaults, on accident, while attempting a burpee. Ha! Tonight, we did yoga, they don't do it well but then, neither do I. Caleb stopped me mid vinyasa to grab me by the ears and kiss me violently.
Is it working? Am I instilling a good work ethic and teaching them to love their bodies? I don't know. But it is worth a try. And even if it garners us nothing more than some laughs and good family time, well, we get to have some laughs and good family time.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Playing with Dolls-The boring grown up way.
It is January, which in the Hemberger household means that we are tidying, cleaning and purging. Last week I tackled clothes and this week I am working on toys. My Mom sent me a video recently of a way to clean and repair American Girl doll hair. I knew I wanted to try it but put it off. Today, Emily asked for a tea party with her dolls and I noticed just how nasty the poor doll heads had gotten!
I mean seriously, look at those poor things! So I got out the supplies and went to work.
That is a shampoo/conditioner 2 in 1 that I banned my husband from using on our daughters heads ever again, a spray bottle with just water, a plain old straightener(like, seriously old. Pretty sure I have had it for 13 years) and a wig brush. You can get a wig brush at Sally Beauty for under $5 but you may also find one at Walmart.
I started by getting their hair soaking wet. On the Dollie and Me brand doll, this was a cinch but on the Target brand dolls, their hair did not absorb water at all. I would hazard a guess that they had some sort of water proof coating. It took quite a bit of warm water to actually saturate the hair. Next, I washed it with the shampoo and rinsed it well.
Next, I brushed the nasty mess. This is a Target brand doll and it wasn't too bad. The Dollie and Me brand was tough. She came with semi curly hair that tangled very badly. It was also not sewn in well so she lost some hair. You can't tell by looking at her though so I didn't care.
This is the Dollie and Me doll. Her hair straightened very well, much better than the others. She was tougher to do because her body was not stiff enough to stand or sit so I had to straighten her hair laying down. I straightened their hair with a standard iron. She said the key was to keep it very wet so that is what I did. Basically it steamed it straight. The hair was still quite wet when I was done.
If you are wondering what my kids were doing for the 1.5 hours that this project took, they were being angels. Emily was engrossed in her PBS cooking shows and Caleb dismantled the house.
I am very happy with the way they turned out. Both Target dolls were a little more work to straighten but the end result was nice. I did need to trim one dolls hair because some ends were just destroyed. This was quite a project but I am really happy. There is a tutorial on the video to curl their hair too but I think it will be easier for the girls to manage their hair if it straight. The girls don't own an AG doll but I have one from my childhood and after experimenting on their dolls, I look forward to rejuvenating her next.
Here is the video, the girl in it must be 12 but she has some great tips!
American Girl Doll Re-Hab
That is a shampoo/conditioner 2 in 1 that I banned my husband from using on our daughters heads ever again, a spray bottle with just water, a plain old straightener(like, seriously old. Pretty sure I have had it for 13 years) and a wig brush. You can get a wig brush at Sally Beauty for under $5 but you may also find one at Walmart.
I started by getting their hair soaking wet. On the Dollie and Me brand doll, this was a cinch but on the Target brand dolls, their hair did not absorb water at all. I would hazard a guess that they had some sort of water proof coating. It took quite a bit of warm water to actually saturate the hair. Next, I washed it with the shampoo and rinsed it well.
Next, I brushed the nasty mess. This is a Target brand doll and it wasn't too bad. The Dollie and Me brand was tough. She came with semi curly hair that tangled very badly. It was also not sewn in well so she lost some hair. You can't tell by looking at her though so I didn't care.
This is the Dollie and Me doll. Her hair straightened very well, much better than the others. She was tougher to do because her body was not stiff enough to stand or sit so I had to straighten her hair laying down. I straightened their hair with a standard iron. She said the key was to keep it very wet so that is what I did. Basically it steamed it straight. The hair was still quite wet when I was done.
If you are wondering what my kids were doing for the 1.5 hours that this project took, they were being angels. Emily was engrossed in her PBS cooking shows and Caleb dismantled the house.
I am very happy with the way they turned out. Both Target dolls were a little more work to straighten but the end result was nice. I did need to trim one dolls hair because some ends were just destroyed. This was quite a project but I am really happy. There is a tutorial on the video to curl their hair too but I think it will be easier for the girls to manage their hair if it straight. The girls don't own an AG doll but I have one from my childhood and after experimenting on their dolls, I look forward to rejuvenating her next.
Here is the video, the girl in it must be 12 but she has some great tips!
American Girl Doll Re-Hab
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Why my cupboards are nearly bare
I have been contemplating writing this post since last fall when it was clear to me that our eating habits had changed for good. It wasn’t a conscious decision by either of us but a happy by-product of my recipe challenge from last year. Suddenly, packaged foods, foods with cream of whatever soups, anything that came out of a can, now tasted bland or extra salty. I was searching for recipes that didn’t have any of those ingredients and was excited to see new recipes for “whole foods”. We began eating many veggies and loving them. I used to despise carrots and cauliflower, but as it turns out, I just don’t like them raw or steamed. Roasted is the way to go for those vegetables! I have learned new cooking techniques that intimidated me before and now are just a quick step I don’t even think about when preparing a meal. Roux no longer frightens me.
We have also discovered that, with the exception of Chinese food, we don’t enjoy going out to eat as much because we feel like we could make it at home for a better price and it would be better for us. Really, I am paying for someone to do the dishes and I am too cheap to do that. We haven’t gone so far as to eliminate white sugar or white flour from our diets, in fact, I am of the opinion that sugar is not bad for our bodies if consumed in moderation, but we have begun eating more fresh foods, no convenience foods and foods that have more value to them. When choosing veggies in the store I used to reach for the basics-lettuce, bananas, apples, potatoes and the occasional onion. Now we eat an enormous variety. I have learned so many things from this venture that I want to share with you.
1. You may dislike a vegetable because of the way it has always been served to you. Like I said, I used to despise cauliflower and carrots because they were ALWAYS served raw or steamed. Carrots were often cooked with roast making them bland and mushy. I learned to roast them and now we all get very excited when I am making them. Broccoli was one I would only eat smothered in cheese but now we roast it quite often. Asparagus, green beans, peppers, onions, brussel sprouts, leeks and sweet potatoes are some of the many other veggies that we have learned a lot about and now actually enjoy. I still don’t like zucchini.
2. There is a good chance your food is under-flavored. This was an eye opener for us! We started using fresh herbs and more onion in our cooking and we discovered that many dishes we hadn’t liked before(stroganoff, chicken stew, potato soup) was just lacking in flavor. Once we learned how to layer our flavors it gave eating a new joy. We actually enjoy eating in a completely different way than we used to. We don’t eat to fill up, we eat to enjoy. Going out to eat can be a huge let down now as we have gotten so used to eating full flavored food.
3. Butter. It really is better. I can honestly say that I still prefer margarine to top my toast. I don’t like the flavor of uncooked butter. But cooking with it transformed my food! We even use it sometimes when the recipe calls for olive oil. The flavor that it gives our food is absolutely unbeatable. And if you haven’t tried browning butter yet, you are missing out! Wowza! I realize that some people are under the impression that butter is unhealthy but I firmly believe in eating foods that have been processed as little as possible. Butter is as natural as it gets and the fats in butter are actually , mostly, good fats.
4. Onions are so under rated! I didn’t used to like onions. I’m still not a fan of raw ones but adding a good, sweet onion to a meal can enhance the flavors to make even the blandest of meals into something amazing. We have gotten back to a much simpler way of eating with more meat and veggie style meals and nearly all of them require a healthy dose of onion. We used to eat one a month but now we are eating a dozen or more each month. Just this past Friday evening I realized that we were completely out and kind of freaked because my entire menu required onions. On top of being absolutely delicious, onions are sooo good for you. They even help you fight off germs by giving your immune system a boost. Which brings me to my next point;
5. No more sluggishness. We used to experience severe sluggishness after dinner and now we feel refreshed after eating fresher foods with no preservatives. Now that summer is here, we have noticed that the sluggishness returns on nights we have chips with burgers or bratwurst. But we love brats and chips and once in a while it’s a nice treat.
6. Weightloss. For Jared. I have not achieved that particular happy side effect. I think one of the main reasons for this is because our meals stick with us longer. There is less snacking after dinner because meat and veggies last longer than highly processed foods.
7. Attitude changes. My kids were always pretty good about eating what they were served and even ate veggies pretty well. Now they get excited for them! We don’t cook a separate meal for them so they have tried, and mostly liked, everything we have tried over the last year+. Just tonight we had roasted cauliflower and green beans(from our garden) baked with chopped up chicken breast and topped with bacon and cheese. Everything we ate was healthy and “real” food but it was still a kid friendly, delicious meal that we all loved.
8. Budget. I am not going to lie, our food budget had to stretch a bit to compensate for the healthy foods that we were adding. I would say it is a 10-20% increase depending on the menu. We do eat less than we used to though, and veggies are actually incredibly cheap.
9. Shopping. The way I grocery shop has changed a lot. We can’t use many coupons anymore because they just don’t make them for the foods we eat. I get really excited when I find them for dairy products or condiments that we actually use. Same goes for price matching, when your diet is mostly veggies and meats, price matching is rarely an option.
10. It is worth the effort. We feel better, fuller, more content and we really enjoy food.
Of course, we break the rules and it will probably seem a bit hypocritical of me to post this the same day that I posted a photo of the baby eating cheetos. We are working on it. It will be an ever evolving lifestyle for us. I don’t buy cheetos often and it was a real treat for the girls. Plus, I hate cheetos so there is no temptation for me. I still drink soda occasionally and Jared is a big fan of potato chips. I feel like deprivation is not the way to go. If I ever find a way to make potato chips at home that are healthier and still taste good, I may do that. For now, we are working on it a little bit at a time. My cupboards are becoming more bare as time goes on and we eliminate more and more processed foods. At first, you miss it, but after a while, it doesn’t even occur to me to grab a can of condensed soup anymore. Little changes over time have a great impact. So if you see me in the grocery store with a cart full of chocolate, don’t hold it against me, I am a work in progress. Also, I am a Mom and chocolate is food group.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Stitch fix-Take 2
I was really pleased with my first Stitch Fix box even though I only ended up keeping one item. This time around, I am in love!
41Hawthorn Dita Sleeveless Ponte Dress $68
When I pulled this out of the box, Emily begged me to give it to her. She is a big fan of purple. I really loved the fit of this dress and will keep it. It is a deeper purple than the photo shows.
Pixley Ohara Faux Wrap Tie-Waist Dress $68
I so badly wanted to love this one! I love the print and color and fabric but alas, my upper body did not love it. It would look fantastic on someone a couple cup sizes smaller.
Level 99 Cindie Linen Short $78
Upon first glance, I didn’t love these. But they fit very well and are a bit longer so once I put them on, I wanted a pair in every color!
Market and Spruce Char Geo Print Maxi Skirt $58
I adore this skirt! Cute print, great cut and the fabric doesn’t cling to my extra curves.
Daniel Rainn Eliza Lace Trim Blouse $64
I love this style of top but they just don’t work on me. They hang funny and look like mumus. Again, it’s a cup size thing. This one is also shear and the last thing I want to do in summer is layer up.
Because I had a few friends sign up under my last link, I have a $100 dollar credit to use on this box. If I buy the entire box, I get a 25% discount making all 5 items minus my discount, $152. I went ahead and bought the whole box with the intention of selling the blue blouse and green dress on a Stitch Fix Facebook page. If I sell them both, I will have pretty much paid for my box, making my other 3 items totally free!
Once again, I have to recommend this service for anyone who needs help shopping. I love that it shows you how to style each item.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Stitch Fix Review
I really enjoyed my whole experience with Stitch Fix. The clothes that I received were very high quality and cute. I have decided to keep one of the five items even though I really did love 3 of them.
Liverpool Denise Bootcut Jean $78
These jeans were an obviously good quality and they fit pretty well. They were a little loose in the leg and they were a stretch denim. I am really not a fan of stretch denim so they are definitely going back.
Gilli Gabbey Sleevless Maxi Dress-$74
I really liked this dress. My photography does not do it justice. It is a nice color, great fit and it is made from good fabric so it flows well. But, I have a dark blue maxi dress in my closet. And though I like this one better, I can’t quite justify it.
Olive and Oak Liah Racerback Blouse-$48
Okay, this one fit soooo well! And it was long enough which tends to be a problem for me. The print was my issue with this one. It reminded me of the housedresses my Grandma wore.
Renee C Huebert Space Dye Open Cardigan-$58
I really loved this. It fit so well and would be perfect for nursing….but it was $58. And I am a cheapskate.
Pixley Millie Textured Dress-$68
This is the one I will probably keep. It fits very well and skims over my problem areas. It was comfortable and I really loved the pattern. $68 is more than I would typically spend on a dress but it was a very good quality.
When you order your box you spend a $20 styling fee that is then applied to any purchases you make. If you don’t purchase anything, you lose that $20. They also send a postage paid bag to mail back anything you don’t like and a styling card to show you ideas on how to wear the clothes. If you buy the whole box you get a pretty hefty discount, mine was over $70. I will probably be doing this again in the future because I really had fun! And, there is no impulse buying! Huge plus for me!
If you are interested in ordering your own box, here is the link.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Love the Skin You Are In!
---I need to preface this post by saying that I am not in any way shape or form endorsed by the companies I am about to tout. I spend my own good money on them and have never regretted a purchase. I am sharing just for the love of the products.---
I have had skin issues my whole adult life. Actually, I remember being a pre-teen and not being able to sleep at night because my legs itched so badly. As I get older, (almost 28 people!) it is only getting worse. Red bumps all over my legs, constantly dry, flaky skin on my face and oh the itching!!! I would find a new lotion at Walmart and it would provide relief for a few weeks but inevitably, before the bottle was even empty, I would break out in itchy red spots every time I use it.
And then I found Renew. A friend had been using it for many years and had recommended it a couple of times but I had been hesitant to try it because of the price. Now I am going to be honest. The price is high. About $19 for a 20oz bottle. A dollar an ounce is quite a bit higher than I would normally consider spending on anything but after the first bottle I was hooked. I use it on my entire body every day and it lasts me a couple of months. I even apply it to my face in place of moisturizer. No more itching, no more bumps and no more flaking! The lotion is the best feeling I have ever used as well. I use it to treat Molly’s dry skin and Caleb’s eczema and we all love it.
http://www.melaleuca.com/ProductStore/Product?sku=6600
When Molly was born she had slight eczema and very dry skin so our doctor told us not to bathe her more than once a week and to use a very mild bar soap like Dove. Well, Molly was a puker so we had to do more baths than that but using Dove over baby soap really did make a difference. Of course, it doesn’t have that awesome baby smell. So since it helped Molly so much, I decided to switch over all of our soap to Dove. It did help considerably but tended to leave a bit of a residue and it was still more drying for my skin than I liked. After much experimenting with other brands I was in our local grocery store one day and got a whiff of something amazing. And that was the beginning of my love affair with Pacha Soaps. These soaps are made here in Hastings and have the most amazing scent combinations. They are colored naturally and feel soooo good! I stopped using a bathroom air freshener because every time someone washes their hands, the house is flooded with the amazing scent of lemon and lavender. Once again, this is a product that I wouldn’t normally have spent this much money on but the feeling of the soap can’t be beat. It feel luxurious but is good for our skin and I love their mission statement.
http://www.pachasoap.com/
I have so many friends with skin issues and not every person will be able to use the same regimen but hopefully, my experience can help someone else out. Molly used to lay in bed and scratch her legs until they were red because they itched so badly. Now she doesn’t and as long as this lotion helps our skin, I will continue to pay the high amounts to make sure she doesn’t deal with it for as many years as I did.
The Renew lotion must be bought through a distributor but I have a friend who sells it so anyone who is interested I can get her info.
I have had skin issues my whole adult life. Actually, I remember being a pre-teen and not being able to sleep at night because my legs itched so badly. As I get older, (almost 28 people!) it is only getting worse. Red bumps all over my legs, constantly dry, flaky skin on my face and oh the itching!!! I would find a new lotion at Walmart and it would provide relief for a few weeks but inevitably, before the bottle was even empty, I would break out in itchy red spots every time I use it.
And then I found Renew. A friend had been using it for many years and had recommended it a couple of times but I had been hesitant to try it because of the price. Now I am going to be honest. The price is high. About $19 for a 20oz bottle. A dollar an ounce is quite a bit higher than I would normally consider spending on anything but after the first bottle I was hooked. I use it on my entire body every day and it lasts me a couple of months. I even apply it to my face in place of moisturizer. No more itching, no more bumps and no more flaking! The lotion is the best feeling I have ever used as well. I use it to treat Molly’s dry skin and Caleb’s eczema and we all love it.
http://www.melaleuca.com/ProductStore/Product?sku=6600
When Molly was born she had slight eczema and very dry skin so our doctor told us not to bathe her more than once a week and to use a very mild bar soap like Dove. Well, Molly was a puker so we had to do more baths than that but using Dove over baby soap really did make a difference. Of course, it doesn’t have that awesome baby smell. So since it helped Molly so much, I decided to switch over all of our soap to Dove. It did help considerably but tended to leave a bit of a residue and it was still more drying for my skin than I liked. After much experimenting with other brands I was in our local grocery store one day and got a whiff of something amazing. And that was the beginning of my love affair with Pacha Soaps. These soaps are made here in Hastings and have the most amazing scent combinations. They are colored naturally and feel soooo good! I stopped using a bathroom air freshener because every time someone washes their hands, the house is flooded with the amazing scent of lemon and lavender. Once again, this is a product that I wouldn’t normally have spent this much money on but the feeling of the soap can’t be beat. It feel luxurious but is good for our skin and I love their mission statement.
http://www.pachasoap.com/
I have so many friends with skin issues and not every person will be able to use the same regimen but hopefully, my experience can help someone else out. Molly used to lay in bed and scratch her legs until they were red because they itched so badly. Now she doesn’t and as long as this lotion helps our skin, I will continue to pay the high amounts to make sure she doesn’t deal with it for as many years as I did.
The Renew lotion must be bought through a distributor but I have a friend who sells it so anyone who is interested I can get her info.
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