Free LL Bean Items

LL Bean credit card

Have you heard about the LL Bean Visa?  Every $1000 spent earns you a $10 gift voucher.  Other than an expiration date which seems a few months after issue, you spend it like regular money.

Before you agree that the last thing you need is another card, try thinking of putting all of your general household bills on it and you might get $10 every two months.  Put your telephone, Internet, house alarm, electric and water on your card every month as an auto payment.   If you would be good about it, you could even add the gas!  Done correctly you will have about $120 in free rewards.

Wait to gather $30-40 worth of certificate and use them for your holiday shopping.  We especially like the blue jeans, shopping the sale items and of course pet items.

Check out the application at:

https://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ShowOAPLander?nav_gnu2

Little Dog Grooming 101

Doggie Grooming 101 with bows!

My little cupcake needs a lot of grooming to keep her girly appeal.  I do have a great local groomer and we have a standing appointment every fives weeks...but we bathe at home weekly.

Little "Cupcake" is white as snow  (that is her in the tub) and I use a special whitening shampoo though I am recently concerned about the chemicals found in her shampoo as well as mine.  It is a doggie whitening shampoo off Amazon as seen here.

I bathe her in the old porcelain 1940's era tub.  She does not hate it but at the same time she does not enjoy it and never sits down.

We start out with 3 inches of water which helps to soak those dirty paws.  Often I have put in a splash of olive oil or baby oil to keep her feet soft.   I add some mild soap like baby shampoo or Dawn liquid because all girly girls like  bubbles in the tub.

We use a pink sponge and a blue cup to pour water (the spray arm is tooo scary for her), I am so careful with her eyes and  the sponge is lightly used on the face.  Each paw is scrubbed and she raises one at a time.

When we are done I lift her out onto a rug covered with a towel.  I throw a baby bath towel with hood over her and cradle her as I towel her off.

I later use a brush or "lift" style comb to fluff her as she is almost dry.  Her pink skin hates a hair dryer!

Bows are added and I recently learned how to make them watching this video

Here is our grooming routine:

Saturday am bath  brush and fluff  add hair bows

Every other Saturday a pedicure when I do mine (front paws only)

Mondays or Tuesday- a nail trim with our Pedi Paws- just a little every week as we try to get her "quick" to recede so that her nails can be shorter.

So do you bathe your dog at home?

A quick lunch

A quick lunch

Note:  I cook "old school!"

Fried ham in a cast iron skillet- no oil or butter

The ham is slices from a large ham that had previously been cooked.

Fresh green beans & garlic

10 green beans

1/tsp sea salt

1 tsp chopped garlic ( I buy ours prechopped in a tub)

water to steam them

Throw beans together and cook on high about 5 minutes while stirring.  Turn down the heat and  add a splash of water every now and again to keep them from burning.  Should take about 15 minutes total to get a somewhat crisp but not tough green bean.  You might like to add a lid to retain steam.

Baking Bread

Making, Baking, Breaking Bread ....TOGETHER

Makes two loaves or three bread bowls!

Ever since I married, it has been a personal goal to learn how to make a soft light bread to compliment my meals.  It has since changed to anything that will rise above two inches.  One day, I would like to be able to bake bread from memory.  Join me as I continue my bread making quest!

This past Saturday morning I tried my hand at a bread recipe I found on the Internet of course.  Originally from the Tightwad Gazette

Cuban Bread
5-6 cups all-purpose flour  (I used a little more than 4 including 1 cup of wheat)
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
2 cups hot water (120-130 degrees)

1- Proof your yeast!

I used my kitchen aid mixing bowl, added the yeast, water and sugar and let it sit about 15-20 minutes.  Begin the recipe when it is foamy.  This means your yeast is good.

For hot water, I let the tap run till it feels pretty hot.  When I have microwaved in the past, I have gotten it way too hot and that will kill your yeast!

2-Add the salt.  This is after you visualize the foam.  You are ready for the flour!

3-Add 2-4 cups of the flour and beat 3 minutes with the mixer.

4-Stir in the remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

5- Pick up the dough in your hands.  Take off your rings!  Spray your hands with oil.  Knead 8 minutes.  You should feel as though the bread is alive in your hands.  To knead you are pulling and rolling while holding it with both hands.  Some folks use a greased cutting board.  Roll it into a ball and flatten then turn and roll and flatten again.   TIME this part!

6-Spray or grease the mixing bowl you used and place the dough in it for about 15-25 minutes.

I put my dough to rise  in the cold oven because I have central ac and that can affect the rising.  Somehow it is humid enough in a small space like an oven to rise.  I have heard of folks covering the bowl wiht a larger bowl as a cap while it sits on a counter.

7- After time has passed, punch down the dough.  Shape into two round or oblong loaves, and place on a baking stone or use your cast iron.

Cut an X or a few slashes 1/2 inch deep on top with a sharp knife.  I fogot this part and it worked fine.

8-Baking Do not preheat your oven!   Place a pan of boiling water on the lowest shelf.  (The water helps to form a tough crust) Add your bread to the oven.  My shelf was one level from the top.  Turn oven on to 400 degrees and check in about 20-35 miinutes.  Your bread should sound hollow to some degreee when you tap on it.

9-Shine with olive oil.

10-The most important part.  Share one loaf with a person who could use a smile today!  Those that never get out anymore, who are facing a tough prognosis, or those having trouble with work.  It is not about giving them food- you should be prepared to visit ,take it warm, and "break bread together."  They will carry your warm thoughts for months.