Nom Nom – Pretzel rolls

Oh man. I’m addicted to pretzel rolls.

So on the ‘About’ page on my site you will see that at the moment I have a salt addiction (it has been a very long moment). I can remember my mom having a pretzel addiction growing up. You would find partially eaten bags all over the house, as though she needed to have them a hands reach away when the urge hit. So far I have not really had any interest in pretzels unless they are dipped in white chocolate. What I do have is a newly found interest in pretzel rolls. Last July, I had them in the form of pretzel breadsticks at Stonewood Grill in Raleigh, N.C. (which I have recently learned has closed). Major bummer, it was a great restaurant. Then in November, I had them on a plane flying back from Amsterdam. Yes, I said it, I had an amazing pretzel roll on an airplane. Then, last week, at a local bakery.

The domino effect (and to my husband’s great excitement) led me to track down a good recipe for pretzel rolls. This one is very simple and tastes so yummy. The actual recipe is at the bottom of the post. The difference between a regular yeast roll and a pretzel roll is what they call the ‘lye’ bath, details, further explanation, and photos at the above link. Basically you are poaching the rolls before baking, and that gives the pretzel roll the darker brown/harder texture.

The great thing about this recipe is that they freeze well, and are just as good warmed up after pulling out of the freezer (no need to thaw), making this recipe last a long time! Well, maybe not a long time (they go fast at my house). They take about 2 hours to make, but most of that is in the rising of the dough.

Pretzel rolls - (made last night)

Pretzel rolls = happy husband! We could not stop eating them last night.

Keep your energy clean

Posted by random olio

Since I’m from Indiana I always get the normal terms for sweep and vaccum mixed up. We said ‘sweep’ or ‘sweeper’ when we were referring to pulling out the Hoover and cleaning the rug, as in: “Go sweep your bedroom.” My husband has tried to train me that sweeping is with a broom and a hard floor (aka no carpet), but I guess you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you cannot take the Indiana out of the girl.

In any case, Friday’s Daily Om on January 20, 2012 (an email newsletter I referred to here), discussed sweeping as a way to look ahead. I am going to focus on this idea this week in my life. I had a great call with a friend on Friday about where we are at in our life, in work and relationships and I am at a crossroads. I can make the choice to go forward with what is or has been comfortable or I can try something new and go on an adventure! Either choice can have its scary or fearful parts.

I especially love this specific quote from the Daily Om: “Sweeping each morning prepares the ground for the new day at the same time as it deepens our awareness of the importance of letting go of the past to welcome the present. As we clear the energy of our space, we clear our own energy systems. In addition, we create a space that feels clean, clear, and open to all who enter. Be sure to think welcoming thoughts as you sweep, manifesting what you need for the day. Making sweeping part of our daily ritual tunes us into the continuing cycle of releasing the old and welcoming the new that is the hallmark of a healthy energy system.”

I am going to approach each day this week, letting go of my past and welcoming the present. For those of you who are not necessarily at a crossroads, you too can clean the energy of your space by starting fresh each day on the project you are working on, in a relationship, or with your kids.

Remember you are responsible for the energy you bring to each situation, your home, work, car, etc.

My brother-in-law letting go in Kauai.

Keep your energy clean today! (New bumper sticker?)

You know when the men are gone

Posted by random olio

I am addicted to my husband. So one can understand that while I love having some “me” time while he travels for work, I still hate that he travels for work. I have always been in awe of my mother-in-law who spent much time away from my father-in-law while he served for 30+ years in the Air Force. I really do not know how she did it.

So it was an honor to read: “You know when the men are gone” by Siobhan Fallon, I was in awe for what our Armed Forces go through, not just in the line of battle, but for what their families experience while they are home and away. This book is a quick read, but shares a variety of experiences from the perspective of the soldier who is away, or the soldier who comes home and finds his wife has found someone else, to the wife from abroad that was brought back to the US and has to learn to cope. Each story was heartfelt and made me appreciate what I think I could never make it through – the trials and tribulations of the lives of our military and their families.

My father in Turkey while in the Air Force

Thank you to all the men and women in the Armed Forces for all that you do to defend our country and to keep us safe and free.

Riley and Pink Toys

Posted by random olio

A thank you to a few Facebook friends for sharing a few interesting links yesterday. It is not a coincidence to me that they are all from different folks, yet the theme is all so similar.

First off, I was a Barbie girl growing up. I wanted the next best and greatest Barbie. I was known to cut their hair (a horrible idea if you ever want to ever have them not look freaky). Their hair grows in rows, so when you cut it, all you have left is 3 or 4 rows of hair sticking up. I loved dressing them, brushing their hair, and yes even having them have sex to the only cassette I had at the time: Daryl Hall and John Oates. At the time, I was a ‘pink’ girl. I loved putting on the eye shadow my grandma had in her cabinet, a bright blue color that looked hideous on me, but she still let me leave the house looking horrible. I wonder why she never wore it?!

Later in college, I ranged from the other end of the spectrum. I had a shaved head, did not wear make-up (I guess the blue eye shadow got it out of my system). I guess being a ‘pink’ girl did not stay with me.

So when I watched this video of Riley, well she just made my day. I wish every little girl could have such passion, eagerness and questioning conviction for their toys! We need more discussions with children about how completely okay it is for boys to play with dolls and pink things and girls to play with space ships and super heros. It allows girls to learn qualities of strength and adventure, and boys to learn to nurture and enjoy beauty. Riley ROCKS!

If only our lives were all so balanced later in life! What led me as a little girl towards Barbies? Hall & Oates/Barbies/Sex? Blue Eye Shadow? How do we learn these things? Which leads me to the next article I read by Lisa Bloom, it is a bit older going back to last June, but it is still just as important today. Lisa Bloom’s new book is going on my reading list! I love how she describes how she talked to Maya about her mind instead of her pretty face or dress. I will definitely be trying doing that when encountering little ones in the future.

On sidewalk in Amsterdam

Close up of sticker

In honor of this from Lisa’s article: “You go on with your bad self, Maya.”

I am going to take my bad self and dive into the next book I am reading.

david baldacci // donate your books

Posted by random olio

My life would not be the same without books. As a young child, I remember participating in the summer reading club and hiding under the covers after my bedtime with a flashlight so I could finish whatever good book I was reading. Was it Encyclopedia Brown or the Babysitters Club? Who knows. We escape into the lives and adventures of others, learn new skills, and hear true stories through memoirs and biographies, and so much more. Life without reading would be drab.

My mother-in-law told me I would enjoy reading David Baldacci’s book: One Summer. David is known in Virginia and has a home on Smith Mountain Lake where my in-laws live. In addition to writing a multitude of books, he also started the Wish You Well Foundation. I love what they are trying to do and it made things start to spin in my head. If I start a my own business, I want to set it up so that some of my profits/proceeds go to a foundation that supports literacy. Books have been one of the most important aspects of my life. As a child, and now as an adult.

Smith Mountain Lake

I also love the trickle effect of a good idea. I told my sister about this foundation and my earnest desire to support literacy. Later I found out that David’s foundation sparked the idea for her company to do a book drive for children’s books over the Christmas holiday. Within just a few weeks, they collected over 200 books for children to donate to the Children’s Book Bank.

For more details about what you can do nationally, you can contact the Wish You Well Foundation.

You can also do an Internet search for how you can donate new or used children’s books. Donations are usually tax deductible.