Simply Craig

I’m leaving town today, so I wanted to put a little something extra in the girls’ lunches. Something that would remind them, right there in the middle of their school day, just how much their momma loves them. Nothing fancy. Just a momma having a little fun with lunch. And, of course,  Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies ( one of their favorites). Because sometimes “I love you” looks like something out of the ordinary tucked inside a lunchbox. I’ve included the recipe for anyone who wants to make an extra-special someone a treat. Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup margarine (I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter) 3/4 cup white sugar 3/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 1 cup Heath bits 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup white chocolate chips  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Cream together brown sugar, white sugar, butter, mar...

Well, gee golly, take a look at this! It appears we have another gardener in the house. Apparently someone decided my little salad garden needed a little something extra. And really, what garden is complete without a K'NEX flower planted right alongside the lettuce? I think I'll leave it right where it is. Some things are just too cute to weed out.

About two years ago, I stumbled my way through planting my first outdoor garden. Somewhere along the way, I learned something about myself that I didn't know... I  l-o-v-e  gardening! There is something so satisfying about planting a tiny seed, watching it grow, and eventually walking outside to pick something fresh for the dinner table. And because I love a good fresh salad, I've decided...for the very first time, and with a little help from my sister...to plant my own  salad garden . So here we go... I think it's coming along quite nicely, and I'll admit, watching all these little greens pop up makes me a little giddy. My son, however, doesn't exactly share my enthusiasm. After gazing over the garden, he muttered, "Of all the different things you've planted, nothing in there looks good." I beg to differ. Let's just say this poor child is  a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y  missing out. As for the rest of us, we're hoping these little garden beauties can ho...

WHITE BREAD: Add the following ingredients to a Bosch mixer: 6 cups warm water ¼ cup yeast 1 cup sugar ½ cup honey Cover and let sit in the Bosch for  5 minutes . Then add: ¾ cup olive oil ⅛ teaspoon salt Flour—as much as needed until the dough completely pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Don't add all of the flour at once. Start with about  9 cups , adding it one cup at a time and watching the dough as you go. Continue adding flour until the dough completely pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and knead on low for  8 minutes . Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a thin cloth, and allow it to rise for about  1 hour , or until doubled in size. Punch down the center of the dough. Remove it from the bowl and divide into  5 loaves , approximately 23 ounces of dough per loaf. Shape and place into loaf pans. Cover and allow the loaves to rise for another  1 hour . And this time... DO NOT TOUCH! Bake at  350 degrees for 30 min...

Simple and easy. Simple. Easy. And so good. French Toast 2 eggs  4 egg whites  ½ cup milk  ½ tsp. vanilla  ½ tsp. cinnamon  Pinch of nutmeg or sweet spice blend, optional  1 loaf thick-sliced bread (I used homemade) In a bowl, whisk the eggs and egg whites together until foamy. Whisk in the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You know what to do from here. :) But if you want to turn an ordinary plate of French toast into an  extra-special breakfast , make this syrup. Homemade Syrup 1 cup brown sugar  1 cup whipping cream  1 cup light Karo syrup Blend until smooth. Heat and serve warm over the French toast. Maybe you'll eat every last bite too! It's that good.