Homemade Grape Nuts

Had the munchies recently and wanted something satisfying without adding more to my girth. I used this recipe from my favorite cookbook, More With Less. When I requested this cookbook for my thirtieth birthday, my mother complained that this was about as exciting as the stepstool I had asked for the previous year.

Funny thing about this recipe. It's a two-step process and we usually consume Stage 1 and rarely get to Stage 2. I love that this recipe has no oil so the calorie count should be lower. But then again, if we eat a lot of it (and we do), we're back to expanding girths.

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine and beat until smooth:
4 c. graham or whole wheat flour
1/2 c. Wheat germ (opt)
1 c. Brown sugar
2 2/3c. Buttermilk or sour milk (add 2 Tb. vinegar to the milk and let it sit for five minutes)
1. 1/4 t. Baking soda
Pinch salt

Pour batter on two large greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes.

(You'll be glad you tuned it today because this recipe produces two products. Stage 1 makes a tasty, soft flatbread. We discovered that this bread tastes great. We often make the recipe to this point without advancing to Stage 2. Our family calls it "Snack Bread" and likes to rip off chunks and, well, snack.

Often the edges get a little hard and crispy, reminding me of a whole wheat fortune cookie.

If we want grape-nuts and not Snack Bread, once Stage 1 is done, I break the bread into pieces and whirl briefly in a blender, about a cupful at a time. When I like the texture, I put it back on the cookie sheet and bake at 250 for 20 to 30 minutes.

When cooled, I have homemade Grape Nuts. They aren't as hard as commercial grape nuts and don't hold up as well with milk. Milk shouldn't be poured unless the cereal will be eaten right away.
 

If I'm only making Snack Bread, I'll often add fun things like chocolate or cherry chips, or blueberries, or raisins, or nuts, ground flax seed, oats. Tried it once with bananas and didn't like it as well.

I've seen other grape nuts recipes on the internet and they're different than mine so I might try those
sometime and see which I like better.

Healthy, cheap, and tasty. What more could you ask for?

How Do You Spell Family?

Front Page News

"It's more fun,when you're not the only one having it."

--anonymous-- 

Second year in a row that Amy (on the left) got her picture on the front page of our local newspaper. Last year for a polar plunge. This year for a cross-country ski race where a newspaper reporter considered Amy's wacky outfit front page worthy. She wore wild ski tights and a multi-colored Tutu with glittered stars glued on the bottom. Her tutu and stars don't show up very well in the picture, but her smile definitely does.

The newspaper titled their picture, "Tutu Cute."

They titled themselves, "Team Tutulicious."

The few sentences about Amy are part of a larger article:
     “We get people outdoors and celebrate winter and we have fun,” Coach Liphart said.

As if to illustrate just that, Anna Nutt, Washburn High School freshman and club skier, hobbles by in her ski boots — wearing a blue tutu.

“We have a costume award,” Reed explains.

“Normally, I dress crazy in the first place because I like weird exotic things,” says Nutt.

Friend and fellow club skier Amy Vik — also donning a tutu — said the two just like to be “goofy.”

“And the reactions on people’s faces — totally worth it,” Vik said.

But, it’s all business on the cross country ski course, says Nutt.“We try to ski normal. We just look weird,” she said.

The two entered the 8K classic ski race which gives them a chance to touch up on technique for next week's big race. Both will compete in the state competitive skate and classic cross-country ski races next Saturday in Rhinelander. The two have been skiing for three to four years through 4H-CANSKI.

 The full article can be read by clicking here. 

Today I am linking up with Lori with Think Quotes

My Husband's First Guest Post

(Keith wrote this for our church newsletter and I asked if it could be posted on the family blog. I meant to post it in early January, but obviously didn't. Hope you still enjoy it now.)

What’s the difference between December 31, 2012 and January 1, 2013? One second? An IRS defining line? Nothing? Starting over? Well, are you a pessimist or an optimist at the core of your being?

I rather like the turning of years. Even though New Year’s Day is usually cold here in the North, I feel warm inside with the thought of what may come from a new dawning. I don’t mind getting older. Yes the old bod isn’t what it once was and those who say getting older isn’t for cowards are spot on. But... there is just something about the defining moment of the “new year” that brings excitement. Or it should be exciting and not dreadful in anticipation.

Before sitting down to write this I received an e-mail from a New Year optimist. I’ve known Melita for 32 years. As a young adult growing up in the 1960’s she was an original hippie from the Haight/Ashbury scene of San Francisco with all its excess and exploration. Out of this experience she came to have the greatest experience: a saving relationship with the living savior, Jesus Christ. She was and is an original Jesus Freak! This has made her an optimist to her very core.

Melita may die in 2013. She knows this. Cancer.

In the days of the New Testament, a cross was a sure sign of death. If someone carried one, it was to the place of their execution that they bore it. In our day, “palliative care” is a sure sign of death. Medicine and doctors can do no more. Jesus said take up your cross and follow me.
(Luke 9:23)

Melita did this many years ago and over the years has kept it on her shoulder. So having already once died, she is ready to die (Romans 6:3-8). That’s heaven’s logic (truth) and a believer’s optimism (faith) operating in soul- satisfying cooperation.

“New” is not a word for pessimists. They like to live in the “old”, too scared to trust a better thing coming and opting for their known and comfy (maybe even miserable) existence. New, to them, is just a version of the “same old, same old” way of seeing and living.

You tell me. Is there heavenly logic in “He who did not spare His own son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

“All things” for Melita means palliative care and the optimism of a “new year.” Hallelujah!
Here’s to your new year—May you know the power of the cross and the One who loves you and the power of your cross and the peace it brings, oh you mighty optimists. Let’s see what God can do through us this year.

Caller ID Fail

Sometimes Caller ID is not specific enough.

The phone rang this week and my sixteen-year-old daughter, Amy, looked at Caller ID and saw the phone number for the place where her oldest sister works. Assuming it was Christina, Amy picked up the phone and said, "Como estas en el bano?

This is probably not good Spanish grammar, but Amy had asked, "How are you doing in the bathroom?"

Turns out it wasn't Christina on the other end. Turns out it was Christina's boss. Unbeknownst to Amy, her sister Anna had applied to work at the same place. The caller tentatively asked, "Is Anna there?"

Anna was embarrassed to answer the phone and hoped Christina's boss didn't know Spanish, but thankfully she still got the job.

Great Expectations

My son Andrew's latest Facebook post.

It was his way of announcing that his wife Rachel is pregnant. The envelope contained a invitation to his best friend's wedding. Andrew labeled the picture - "Thanks Luke and Megan for inviting our WHOLE family.

Facebook comments flew fast and furious. 90 comments so far. Facebook makes revealing juicy tidbits super easy. My first five pregnancies were pre-Internet days so news traveled a bit slower.

I'm so relieved this is out in the open. It was not an easy secret to keep. Andrew called a week before Christmas and said, "Hello Grandma Vik."

Andrew loves to joke and I didn't want to get my hopes up so I asked what he meant.

Turns out he wasn't joking. Lord willing, next July Keith and I will be grandparents. My grandmother biological clock has been ticking. I tried not to make any "hinting for grandchildren comments" around Andrew and Rachel because that would be annoying and I don't like to deliberately annoy people. (Just ask my husband who is trying to sleep while I blog in bed. If the light (dimmed of course) doesn't bug him, the pecking movements from my typing will.)

We were sworn to secrecy for a few weeks. I flunked secret keeping the very next day. It was the best news ever and I told two close friends and asked them not to tell anyone. We live six hours away from Andrew. What harm could it do?

The next day, I mentioned to another friend. "If you were to guess my secret, would you keep it a secret? I can't tell you, but if you guess, I'll say if you're right or wrong." My daughters had a fit so I didn't tell anyone after that. I only told three people. Keith told six. Normally we're better secret keepers but this news didn't want to stay bottled up.

My daughters are thrilled. They love babies. This poor child will be the first grandchild on both sides AND will have six aunts.

Lots of smiles at our house over this news with a few happy dances thrown in.

"Grandma Vik." I like the sound of that.

A lot.

Favorite Pictures of 2012

(almost everyone is wearing a pair of my reading glasses)

 
"Raising children is like making biscuits:  it is as easy to raise a big batch 
as one, while you have your hands in the dough." --E.W. Howe--

 I stole the quote from my friend Lori.

For your viewing pleasure,

My favorite family pictures from 2012

Muddy Buddies

(Amy and Anna)

Andrew and Rachel camped in the South Dakota Badlands

My DIL Rachel graduated from UW-LaCrosse in May
(photo by Cindy Schwerdtfeger)

  My Handsome Hubby
(photo by Brook Peckham)

First time my family has all been together in 22 years
(I'm the oldest - sister on far left is two years younger, 
sister in purple is four years younger,
and my brother is five years younger.  

Christina learning to shoot
(photo by Robin Stitzing)

Lani and Amy with two friends
(Little Girl's Beach near Ironwood, MI
photo by Lori Poppinga) 

Christina was Maid-of-Honor in this wedding
(I have a thing for hay bales)
photo by the wedding photographer

Wedding Photo Booth
(photo by Sarah Illick)

Enjoying my new purple reading glasses

Anna, Rachel, and Kiah

Lani's Birthday at Amnicon State Park

Our October Birthdays

Amy and Rachel

Lani, Anna's, and my reflection
(Korean War Memorial in Washington DC)

Amy, Lani, and Anna
(FDR Memorial in Washington DC)

 
Lani and Erica
(These two get along well, as opposed to 
other sister combinations who don't get along so well) 

Business as usual

“Your children are the greatest gift God will give to you, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in your hands. Take time with them, teach them to have faith in God. Be a person in whom they can have faith. When you are old, nothing else you've done will have mattered as much.”

--Lisa Wingate--

I'm linking up with Lori whom I stole the quote from

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