In a Nutshell: Soccer, Soccer, Soccer

Soccer season has begun. That means practices, practices, games, and more games.

It also means lots and lots of smiles from my two older Little Men. 

Middle Little Man is excited to be starting his very first season. He plays a younger league that plays 3 on 3 with no goalie. He LOVES his bright orange uniform. He wore it around the house for days before his first game.

It down-poured his first game, he didn't mind at all. Especially when he kicked in a goal.

During rain intermissions, Littlest Little Man enjoyed running around in all the glorious spring mud.

The rain held off for Oldest Little Man's game.

This game was rather monumental for him since in three seasons this was his very first goal!

After he kicked it in, he turned around and simply smiled and pointed to himself basically saying, "Did you see that Mom? That was me that kicked it in."

As I was jumping up and down in the mud I thought to myself, "Yep son, I saw that was you and now I owe you 5 bucks" Best 5 bucks I have ever spent.

Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Brownies

To.Die.For.

The End.

Okay, so really these are the most yummy. I have shared before what a sucker I am for brownies. Sigh...I heart them.

Years ago I came across this Rachael Ray recipe. We made it tons and tons right after we found it. Then when hubby and I shamefully realized that we were inhaling a whole pan in two days, we took a break. This week we came across the recipe again. Oh yeah.

Hubby stated simply, "we haven't made these in forever".

I immediately made a mental note, go to store buy all the ingredients and make ASAP. 

Another note to self...work out a little harder...for I knew I would not stop at just one.

These are richly divine. They are good without the raspberries but oh-so-de-lightful with them. Make sure you have milk in your fridge. Just sayin'.

Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Brownies

from Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients:

1 lb semisweet chocolate (you can use chips)

2 sticks of butter

5 eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup flour

2 half pints of fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 inch square pan.

In microwave or double broiler, melt 2 sticks of butter and half of the chocolate. If you use a microwave, heat in 30 seconds intervals, stirring each time, until melted to a smooth consistency. Set aside.

Beat the sugar and the eggs with your whisk attachment until bubbly, about a minute. Gradually whisk in melted chocolate (temper the eggs). Then whisk in flour. Scrap into prepared pan. 

Bake about 35 minutes. Let cool.

Again in microwave or double broiler, melt the remaining chocolate with 1 1/2-2 TBS of butter. Heat gradually again, until smooth, ganache consistency. MAKE SURE NOT TO OVERHEAT.

Pour chocolate over the cooled top. Set in fridge for 20-30 minutes, top should still be tacky. Place raspberries on the top. Refrigerate very briefly to set chocolate glaze. Either serve immediately or cut immediately and put back in the fridge. It is easier to cut them in the beginning than when the chocolate top layer has gotten too hard.

Now go ahead, eat one. Or if you really want to make me feel better about myself, eat two.

They are calling your name aren't they???

Enjoy.

Thanks for being patient for my Recipe Thursday post. 

It was a day.

You know how those go.

Easter Project at The CSI Project

Today I am over at The CSI Project sharing a sweet and easy Easter tutorial.

Gather up your mason jars

head over to The CSI Project

say hi

and get ready to make these cute jars.

Have a wonderful springy day!

Glory Be

Aren't these LOVELY?

Couldn't you just plant these everywhere? 

I could.

I want them hanging in baskets...

lining a stone path...

first I need a stone path...

I want them cheerfully greeting me in window boxes.

I think if I could be a flower, I would be this one...alyssum.

Lovely.

Welcome Spring, I have been waiting for you. 

These will be making an appearance this week in a project.

Homemade Bread

This is just about the yummiest homemade bread. It is a soft, chewy, light delightful chunk of homemade goodness. This bread is whiter than white and really is best that way. Hey come on, you can have white bread every once in awhile. I promise it is okay.

This recipe is FAST and super easy. You have four loves in about 2 hours. Once they are done, you may be down to 3 loaves in under 10 minutes....yes it is so good that one loaf very well might be inhaled in just 10 minutes.

This recipe is a little step weird to explain so I am actually including pictures with it. 

Let's make some bread!

Measure 5 cups of HOT water.

Add 2/3 cups sugar

add 2/3 cups oil

Add 2 tablespoons salt

Whisk the mixture for about 30 seconds...yes I actually count

Then add 1 1/2 cups bread flour

Whisk again, yup for another 30 seconds

Your mixture should look smooth like this-

Add 1 tablespoon of yeast

Mix for 10 seconds, say what? Only 10...yes because you will repeat these steps with two more tablespoons of yeast. Making 3 tablespoons totally and 30 seconds total.

Okay, rings off ladies. Now we need to add 10 more cups of bread flour.

Why rings off? Well 'cause of course it is better to mix with your hands.

Incorporate all of the flour. Lightly knead it in the bowl just to mix. It will be a lumpy soft, sticky dough. Your hands will be a hot mess.

Wash your hands. Cover the bowl with a hand towel and set your timer for 20 minutes.

After the 20 minutes, pour some oil on a large surface. Plop...yes I said plop...out your dough onto your surface.

Separate the dough into four equal pieces

For each piece you will, FIRST shape dough into this little rectangle type shape

Then you will roll it out following the length of the dough. You will want it close to uniform in width, but obviously as you can see in my picture is doesn't matter. You just want to make sure the dough is stretched out lengthwise.

Starting at one end, roll the dough up on itself to create a "loaf"

Put the "loaf" into a baking pan that you have sprayed with cooking spray.

REPEAT with the other 3 pieces of dough.

Put into your NON-PREHEATED oven.

Close the door and set it to 200 degrees. Let the dough rise in your oven for 20 minutes.

When the 20 minutes is up, WITHOUT opening the door, turn up the heat to 325 and cook for another 30-35 minutes. (In my oven it is 35 but that is because my oven runs cool).

Your bread is done with the top is golden delicious.

Leave in pans just for a few minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.

By now your children and hubby will be swarming and begging you for a piece of warm, yummy bread. Don't fight it, just give in and let them have the joy of a warm piece of bread.

Slice it up...

Slap some butter on it...

and enjoy.

This bread is best for just slicing up, toast and french toast.

It will work for sandwiches, but is soft and may crumble easily.