New Year's Bread - Vasilopita

This bread is made once a year to honor St. Basil on his name day, which happens to be New Years Day.  The Vasilopita is cut on New Year's Eve.

When the clock strikes midnight, the lights are turned off and then turned on again to mark the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year.  The Vasilopita is cut into slices.  Inside the Vasilopita there is a hidden gold coin.  The custom is, whoever finds the gold coin in their slice of bread, will have good luck for the whole year.

I tried my hand at making Vasilopita this year, and was shocked at how easy it is to make.  There is quite a bit of time spent waiting for the dough to rise.  Other than that, it's pretty simple.

Here's the recipe I used from the Greek cookbook that I have:  From a Traditional Greek Kitchen:  Vegetarian Cuisine by Aphrodite Polemis.

Vasilopita

(St. Basil's Bread)

ingredients:
3 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
2 cups honey
2 TBSP mahlepi powder *
pinch of salt
2-3 pkgs dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
9 cups unbleached flour

directions:
Heat milk to scalding.  Remove pan from heat and add butter, honey, mahlepi and salt.  Let cool to Lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to lukewarm milk.  Transfer to a large bowl.

Gradually stir in flour and mix until a soft elastic dough forms.  It should not be firm.

Cover with wax paper and towels and let stand in warm place for 3-4 hours or until dough doubles in bulk.   Punch down dough and knead.

Divide dough into 3 parts.  Make a braid from each part and then circle the braid until the ends touch.  Place in individual greased 9" baking pans.  Let stand again in warm place until dough rises to almost double (about 1 1/2 hours).

Brush with a little butter and bake in preheated 350F oven until top is deep chestnut color, 45-60 minutes.  Check every 15 minutes and if the color is darkening too quickly, reduce heat to 325F.

Cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then invert on a rack to finish cooling.


*can find this in a Greek grocery store.  Mine came whole and I had to grind up to a powder.

*I think I used about 7-8 cups of flour.


If you decide to make Vasilopita, let me know how yours turns out!

Happy New Year!

Year in Review - 2017

It's time to say good bye to 2017.

Let's take a look back at what we did  I did  happened this year, shall we?

I shared my Yiayia's famous Ice recipe.  Despite the easy steps, my children still have not figured out how to make it.  Maybe that can be one of their goals for 2018?

We went back in time  We travelled to the 90's  We solved the Case of the Missing Walkman.

We came up close and personal with RT's napkin hoarding.  I thought it was pretty bad when we went out to dinner and I mentioned that I could use a napkin and he pulled several out of his pocket.  We knew it was bad when he sent me a text with a picture of his desk drawer at work, full of napkins.  Let's hope he gets some help.

I received a knife sharpener as a gift and have used it a whole three times so far!  By the way, my book, "How to not use a Knife Sharpener and live your life on the edge," is available for sale now.

You learned more about my weird dog.  (I told you he was weird)  Probably a lot more than you wanted to know in the first place and, now believe he is really weird.

We also had some fun with RT's hearing.  Giving him the phone number for those who are hearing impaired.  Accidentally, of course!

You met the homeless hiker walking through the neighborhood (me).  I was later joined by my weird dog on my walks.

Oh, and how can we forget my endless number of car dealer visits?  In fact, that's where I am right now, writing this post!!

That brings us to the countless hours I spent watching golf!  I'm surprised I didn't start a golf blog!  How exciting and fun would that be!  Reading about golf!  Maybe that should be my goal in 2018?

We had a lovely summer of the zucchini...because that was the only thing that decided to grow in my garden this year.

I climbed a mountain with RT and Bella.

We learned about RT's love of doing laundry while on vacation.  By the way, he still has some dates left for the 2018 vacation season.  Better book now before those fill up!

We also learned that "It wasn't me" visits our house (quite often) and does some strange things.  In fact, if you see "It wasn't me," tell him to swing by and clean the pee that he left on the bathroom floor.  Thanks!

You joined me on my soap making adventure and my swim suit shopping excursion.

You cheered me  RT and I on our Vegan Challenge.  I still say RT cheated.

We had a couple of losses this year.  We had to say good bye to my alarm clock and the air conditioner.  May they rest in peace.

We can't forget about The Great Fruit Fly Infestation of 2017.  What a devastating time.  We thought it would never end!  And to think it started with a banana peel!  Hopefully my child we can learn from this bad experience and maybe clean our room more often?  watch where we put our banana peels.

We had our scary moment this year when RT almost got rid of, "The Shorts."  We had to have an emergency meeting to vote on whether "The Shorts" could be disposed of at that time.  The ruling stated that "The Shorts" were to be kept around.......FOREVER!

And, finally, we had a good laugh when RT accidentally bought Bean Boozled Jelly Beans instead of regular jelly beans.  We have some left, if anyone has a taste for: Stinky Socks?  Boogers?  Dog food?  Dead fish?

Wow!  We did a lot of crazy stuff this year!  I don't know about you, but, I'm looking forward to see what 2018 has in store for us.  I'm sure it's going to be strange  odd  weird  interesting  fun!

Hope you stick around for more of My Scary Journey.

We've had some frigid temperatures here this last week.  You know, where you feel like you are wearing a bikini and living in a freezer, even though you are wearing three thousand layers of clothing.  You bundle up to go out and wonder why you are going out.  You really can't see anyone's face because they are all bundled up, too.  And, of course, there is always that one crazy person that is wearing shorts.  You wonder how they are handling it or are they just doing it to show off?  And, all the while,  you are shivering and thinking that you should have put on that extra pair of underwear.

This one tastes like a booger

Recently we visited the Jelly Belly Factory.  During our visit, we purchased a variety of jelly beans.  My favorite jelly bean this time:  mango chili.  Sweet, but, with a spicy twist at the end.

RT happened to open a bag when we got back.  Popped a jelly bean in his mouth and started chewing.  "This one tastes like a booger."  Bella and I laughed.  He didn't seem phased by it.  And, we thought nothing of it.

That night, Bella happened to look at the bags of jelly beans we purchased.  On the back of one of the bags (the bag RT opened) it said, "Assorted Bean Boozled Flops."

If you know anything about Jelly Belly, you know that their  Bean Boozled game is quite popular.  That's where you spin a spinner and you eat the color of jelly bean that it lands on.  Sounds fun and easy, but, there are good tasting jelly beans and not so good tasting jelly beans.

For example:

Peach  or  barf
Tutti Frutti  or Stinky Socks
Berry Blue  or  Toothpaste
Lime  or  Lawn clippings
Chocolate pudding  or  dog food
Caramel Corn  or  Moldy Cheese
Juicy Pear  or Booger

I figure RT picked this bag without knowing anything about the Bean Boozle Challenge.  I thought we would have a little fun with him.

On our drive home, RT wanted us to break out the jelly beans.  Bella gave him a handful.  He tries one and we ask what flavor he got.  "This one tastes like cardboard."  Next one.  "I think they got the flavors mixed up on this one.  It doesn't taste right."

Bella decided to eat one and got dog food.  The entire car smelled like dog food.  We decided to tell RT about the jelly beans.

"Why would anyone want to eat jelly beans that taste like boogers?"

By the way, I think he had the stinky sock and dead fish jelly beans.  He also felt ill after eating them.

Charlie Brown Tree

We usually have an artificial tree for Christmas.

It all started when I was pregnant with Alex.  RT carried a tree into the house and the needles went everywhere.  Same thing happened when he removed it.  He cleaned up the needles both times.  The second time, when we were getting rid of the tree, he said (among other things that can't be repeated) that we were getting an artificial tree.

We had that artificial tree for a good 16-17 years.   It was looking pretty shabby the last few years and RT was bugging me to get rid of it.

Well, apparently I got rid of it last year.

We went to put up Christmas decorations and I asked why the tree wasn't brought down?  "You finally got rid of it last year."  

So, we decided to go get a real tree.  

Time went by and no tree.

We were about to run out and get one, when Alex asked if we could use his Christmas tree plant as our tree.  "You know, as a Charlie Brown tree."  I thought it was a great idea.  We could save a trees life!

The "tree" was really small when we bought it.  It was a small plant that I bought for Alex when he was little.  It was before Christmas and had little ornaments that I kept on the plant and moved them around as the plant grew.  It's a little over 2 feet tall now and is having it's big moment in the spotlight.

The Thermostat

The thermostat was invented to cause fights between married couples.  One person wants it warmer while the other likes it colder.  There's never an in between temperature that they can agree on.  Someone always suffers compromises to avoid a big fight.

In the winter, I don't mind the house to be a little cooler.  I mean, if you 're cold, throw on a sweater!  My family walks around the house in shorts and t-shirts all year long.  When it's cooler at night, it's great because you don't mind having a few blankets on your bed.

Unfortunately, I live with "someone" who likes the house to be warmer in the winter.  You know, so he "someone" can walk around in shorts (he "someone" claims it's cold at 66 or 67).  You can walk around in shorts, just throw a sweater or sweat shirt on.  Am I right?

When he "someone" adjusts the thermostat and makes the house warmer, the number of blankets on our bed is too many to count does not decrease with the adjustment.  So, one of us wakes up overheated in the middle of the night.

Normally, I fight this "someone" but, give in and let the temperature go up one degree.   I go along with the adjustment for a couple of days.  After several night sweats days, the temperature somehow magically goes back down a degree (or two).  And, no one notices everyone lives happily ever after.

Until "someone" realizes it's cold and adjusts the temperature while yelling, "Who keeps messing with the thermostat?"

I'm not sure how long I can get away with blaming it on one of the kids.

Calendar

We have the old fashioned calendar that hangs on the wall.  I write in activities, parties, work schedules, birthdays, appointments, etc.

I started using a notebook and writing the week's activities on a page and leaving it on the counter.  This way, everyone can look at it and see what is going on during the week.  I mean, walking over to where the wall calendar is hanging is a little too far.   This notebook is near the refrigerator, where there is heavy traffic.

Even though there are activities that occur every week (same time and day), "some people" forget.  I might have to include myself once in awhile.  Of course, I forget because I don't remember what day it is.

I am constantly being asked, "What's going on this week?"  To which I want to shout, "LOOK AT THE CALENDAR!"

I guess having someone tell you, or text you with the day or week's activities is a lot easier than every so often looking at the calendar.

RT has volunteered to be the basketball Coach for Bella's team.  He had to choose a day and time for practice.  Instead of looking at the calendar, he just chose a day and time.  Turns out that it's at the same time as one of Bella's dance classes.  Somehow, this is my fault.  The calendar is on the wall.  Schedule in the notebook every week on the counter.  Dance class started beginning of September.  So, yea, it's probably my fault.  I should have emailed the schedule.  Had it printed on our dinner plates and bowls and printed onto napkins.  Maybe even take out a radio and TV ad.

Dance class will be cut short for the next couple of months and I will be shuffling Bella from dance to basketball.

By the way, basketball practice has made it to the calendar.

The Deck Drop Off

We have this deck in the front of our house.  It's off the second floor.  There are two doors to it, one from our bedroom and one from the top of the stairs.  We don't usually hang out on this deck (it's too small).  RT uses it during Halloween, to lower the treat bucket (a neighborhood tradition).  You can find me out there several times a week shaking the dust mop over the side of the deck (Thanks, Pippen).

And, then there's RT...

RT likes to toss stuff over the front deck.

If anything large is being taken out of the house and is going into the garbage, RT decides that it's going over the deck.

I always wonder what the neighbors think when they see things being tossed out of our house from the deck.  Then again, maybe I don't want to know what they think of this deck dumping practice.

I think having the deck and the option of tossing things off it into the front yard is a big thrill for RT.  If we ever move, that will be a big selling feature for our house.  And, also, something we will definitely have to look for when purchasing another home.  I don't think RT will be able to live with out his Deck Drop Off.

Holiday Gifts and Crafts

It's that crazy time of year again!

I thought I would put some links up to easy Holiday Crafts and Gifts that you can make yourself, with kids or a Girl Scout Troop.

Christmas
Animal Ornaments 
Brazilian Holiday Flower  (great children's craft)
Candy Cane Sleigh 
Christmas Cards and tags
Felt Heart Ornament 
Foam Gingerbread House  (children's craft)
Foam Ornament Gift Tag 
Jingle Bell Bracelet (children's craft)
Mitten Gift Tags 
Mosaic Christmas Tree (children's craft)
Picture Frame
Snowman Ornament 
Stocking (out of construction paper) (children's craft)
Winter Scene (children's craft)
Snowman Ornament
Snowman Winter Craft (children and adult craft)

Gifts
Homemade Bubbles
Bath Bombs
Laundry Detergent (powder)
Homemade Hair Detangler
Homemade Liquid Hand Soap
Homemade Lip Balm
Homemade Lotion

Miscellaneous Crafts/Gifts
Bangle Bracelet (wrapped)
Blank Books 
Bubbles (homemade)
Book Mark
Bottle cap necklace
Cork Board using Old Picture Frame
Decorative Wrapping Paper 
Dryer Balls
Fun Scrapbooks
Gift Box
Paint Chip Monthly Calendar
Pumpkin Soap Recipe
Twine Napkin Holders 
Note cards  
Homemade Sidewalk Paint 
Sit upon (a cushion to sit on)
Wrapped Bangle Bracelet

Italian Bread

So, instead of a birthday cake this year, Nick decided he wanted Birthday Bread.   And not just any kind of bread.  It had to be homemade Italian Bread.  I told you that my kids were bread snobs. 

So, I did a practice run and made this Italian bread.  I found this recipe on The Spruce.  It's a simple recipe and makes two loaves.  

I don't think I have to tell you if the bread was tasty.  I will tell you that the bread did not last more than 24 hours.

Here's the recipe:

Italian Bread

ingredients:
1 TBSP sugar
2 tsp talt
1 TBSP (2 pkgs) active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups warm water (95-110F)
1 TBSP soft butter or margarine
5 cups bread flour (approximately)
1 egg white
1 TBSP cold water

directions:
In a large bowl, stir the sugar, salt, yeast and warm water.
Stir in soft butter.
Mix in enough flour to make a soft dough that can be kneaded by hand (3-4 cups).
Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, adding more flour if needed, until dough is soft and not sticky.
Place dough in greased bowl and flip over so that top is also lightly greased and cover with clean kitchen towel.  Let is rise for 30 minutes in a warm, draft free place.

Once dough has risen, it is time to shape the loaves.  

Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle it with cornmeal.
Remove dough from the bowl and place onto a lightly floured table.  Divide the dough into two equal parts.
Roll each half into a 15 x 9 rectangle.  Tightly roll the dough along the 15" side.  Pinch the seams and taper the ends of each loaf.
Place the loaves on the prepared baking sheet.
Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425F.
Make 3 deep diagonal slashes on each loaf and bake the bread for 20 minutes.

Lightly beat the egg white and cold water in a small bowl.  Remove loaves from the oven and brush with the watered egg mixture.  Return the loaves to the oven for another 5 minutes.
Serve the bread warm or cold.

Enjoy!

A Clean Stool

That title should be great for search engine optimization.  Can't wait to see how many people come to my blog after this posts.

RT was making a peanut butter fold over.  That's when you take a slice of bread, spread peanut butter on it and then fold it over and eat it.  (RT is the inventor of the fold over.  He's most famous for the cheese fold over)  As he was folding the slice of bread in half, the bread did a flip and landed (peanut butter side) on the step stool.  RT picked the sandwich up and was ready to get the tools to clean up his peanutty mess.  The stool has a lot of little grooves on top, great for gripping so you don't slip and fall.  Not so great when you get peanut butter stuck in all of those little grooves.

Me:  Why don't you do it the easy way?

RT gave me a strange look.  How can getting peanut butter off a stool be easy?

I called Pippen over and he went to work.  

Pippen did a great job cleaning the stool.  The only problem is that the half he "cleaned" is a lot cleaner than the half that did not get any peanut butter.

So, now I have to either scrub the other half or smear peanut butter over it and let the dog clean it up.

Weird Local Laws

I was trying to get some information from Nick, which is not an easy thing to do.  I just needed a quick answer or two.  Instead of the answer I was looking for, I got an earful about some of the weird laws from a town near us.  Nick then started to compare a similar law to one from our town (our town's equivalent law isn't that weird).

After several hours minutes, I finally told him I wasn't up to discussing the weird laws of local towns and just needed a quick answer.

It's never easy.

By the way, the law was a dress code.  You can't make yourself look attractive.  So, sweatpants and a bad t-shirt?  Our town apparently has a dress code.  It isn't as strict.  It states that you have to be covered (no risqué dressing going on in this town!).

If you are interested in any other weird laws, I'm sure Nick can find a few more for you.