Just a weekly report, and some recipes.

We had a good week. Honestly I am glad it's over. Wyatt got in some trouble at school, and it was such a fiasco. He was so brokenhearted about it. It ended up not being a big deal.

Talia was sick most of the week with a fever, and croup. She still sounds awful, but is really doing much better. I had to say that, because if you are in my ward, and heard that REALLY loud cough during the opening prayer.....that was Natalia. Isn't that the most horrible sounding cough? That is was she normally sounds like, so you should have heard her with croup.

My belly is getting bigger, and the baby is starting to kick like mad! Lincoln and Wyatt have both felt her kick, and Talia says she has- but is lying! =) We put all the girls names we like into a spreadsheet. There are too many! I like to make the kids say them, so I know IF they can say a certain name. I will say, "Talia say ______," and she will say, "NO!" Last night I tricked them into saying many names by throwing a beany baby cat back and forth, if you had the cat you had to say a name for the baby. Some of the names that came of of the kids mouths were HILARIOUS. Talia suggested "Africa" and "Bones".(...Talia has only seen the ultrasound picture, and she does look like a BONES.) Wyatt likes "Autumn" and "Sophie" and all the girls names from his class. I love the name Autumn, and I don't know where he heard Sophie, but he is sold on it. =) I will not share anymore of our names!! We have to have something be a surprise right?

I got to do sharing time again today. I actually really enjoyed it! Nothing monumental, but it was a fun day. Our home teachers came by, and one of them brought their 5 yr old. The little boy recognized me, and was so happy about it. That totally made my night! We were in the process of making bread pudding, and my kitchen looked like it had exploded. Lincoln and I were both embarrassed, but I said, "At least their expectations are set really low for next time!" (They were new home teachers.)

The bread pudding we made is the same bread pudding we had on our vacation. I found the recipe online, and had to try it. The recipe is really vague, so I think the next time I make it it will turn out a little better.


Raglan Road: Ger’s Bread & Butter Pudding Including the Butterscotch & Custard Sauce Recipes!

Note: This recipe comes straight from RR’s Head Chef’s cookbook.

2 oz. raisins
2 ½ Tbsp. Irish Mist (I used apple juice)
¾ stick butter, at room temp
12 slices medium-sliced white bread, crust removed
1 1/3 cups cream
1 1/3 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup caster sugar (a very fine white sugar, I didn't use it.)
2 eggs (these are 2 mystery eggs...I don't know where you use them, I added them with the yolks above.)

Soak raisins in Irish Mist overnight. Drain off excess.
Preheat oven to 350. Generously butter an ovenproof dish. Using the remaining butter, butter both sides of bread slices & cut each into fourths. (The dish I used was too small, resulting in too much custard. I will use the same dish, but not all the custard next time.)
Arrange a single layer of bread slices in the dish, slightly overlapping. Scatter with some raisins. Repeat with one more layer of bread then raisins. Press down gently.
Heat the cream & milk until just to a boil. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks & sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until thickened. Remove from heat and beat in the cream mixture.
Pour two-thirds of the custard mixture over the bread and let stand for 30 minutes.
Pour remaining custard over soaked bread in dish and arrange the rest of the bread on top. Press down firmly so the custard comes halfway up the bread. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
½ stick unsalted butter
4 Tbsp. light muscovado sugar (I found this at giant, it is a type of brown sugar.)
2 ½ Tbsp. clear honey
2 ½ Tbsp. double cream

Place butter sugar, and honey in a small pan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat. Add cream and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until thickened. (Yummy!)

EGG CUSTARD
2 ¾ cups milk
6 egg yolks
3 ¾ Tbsp. caster sugar
a few drops of pure vanilla extract

Bring milk to scalding point in a nonstick pan. Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar & vanilla stirring to combine. Slowly, whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Wipe out the pan and pour in the egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes until thickened. Do not let boil! (Lincoln and I both thought this sauce was time consuming, and not worth making again.)

We also made gingerbread men on Thursday. The kids had so much fun! The recipe I used turned out so well. I was worried about my kids loving the idea of gingerbread cookies, but not really liking them. This recipe was the perfect thing, it tasted like a gingerbread cookie, just MUCH milder.

Gingerbread Men

Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cook Time: 12 Minutes

Ready In: 1 Hour 37 Minutes Yields: 30 servings

"Doesn't need molasses!!!!"

INGREDIENTS:

1 (3.5 ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a medium bowl, cream together the dry butterscotch pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; stir into the pudding mixture. Cover, and chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.
2.	Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets. On a floured board, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness, and cut into man shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
3.	Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden at the edges. Cool on wire racks.