My Bread Adventure continued: Oatmeal Bread with Molasses

Homemade oatmeal bread with molasses! #bread #homemade via caseygoduti

I am a big oatmeal fan. I was just thrilled when I came across this oatmeal bread recipe. You could add molasses or honey to add extra flavor and color. I decided to try the molasses. My Mother had molasses in her cabinet and she told me she hardly ever used it. So I decided to try it.
It definitely had nice flavor. This recipe made two loaves. If you are going to get good at making bread you have to make lots of bread.
I found this recipe in Fannie Flagg's Cookbook.
When I mentioned I put molasses in it, everyone thought it would taste like molasses but surprise, surprise it didn't.
Have to try the bread with honey.
I actually am not big on carbs in my diet. I try to stick with one carb at one meal a day. So that doesn't leave room for a lot of bread (or it means my bread just lasts a lot longer). There is always plenty to share.
What comes next is the recipe.

The bread was worth the time I spent making it, and everyone enjoyed it.

Other breads to make

Breads: The Italian Loaf

English Muffin Toasting Bread

Homemade Cinnamon Bread

English Muffin Toasting Bread

I started a journey of bread when I baked my first loaf of bread. I may have had to make the same loaf about eight times to reach perfection with the yeast but I finally accomplished it. This time I decided I wanted to make an English muffin loaf because I love English muffins. The best bread is sometimes the one that goes into the toaster. It was a lot of fun making the Homemade Cinnamon Bread, so I wanted to have more of the experience.
So I decided to make Bright Eyed Bakers version of the English Muffin Toasting Bread. It was very easy to make and excellent toasted with butter.
This bread only required one rising.
It was very easy.

Related articles

• Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the First Female Doctor
• The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn is Played at the Marriage of Queen Victoria's Daughter and Friedrich of Prussia
• Edith Wharton was Born
• The Birth of Joan of Arc
• Alice Paul writer of the Equal Rights Amendment born January 11
• Hattie Caraway became the First Woman Senator on January 12, 1932

Here Come New Ideas for Volunteering

Many of us can profess to leading busy lives. Between working full time, taking care of the family, cleaning the house, and running errands, you probably hardly have any time for yourself.

The Ivoryton Playhouse, Ivoryton, CT

One way to get some time to yourself is to do some volunteer work. I volunteer at the local theater, The Ivoryton Playhouse, as an Usher.  I also help them with some online marketing whenever I can. I enjoy this kind of volunteer work because I love the theater and it is a way to make new friends. My interest in the theater came from my Grandmother, now I continue on the tradition with my Mother. We usher together.

Another way I found gratifying to give back to the community was to volunteer as a Friendly Visitor for the local Assisted Living/Convalescent Home. As people grow older they find many of their friends and relatives pass away over time. Older people also develop more health problems and they need some support or friendship because they become lonely.  This program was created to help give them a better quality of life. Someone other than their family they can turn to talk to and have some fun. They bring in a Friendly Visitor.

I was vetted through an agency in my local, and matched with a person in the Convalescent Home. I told them my likes and dislikes. The Home gave me the rules. I follow the dress code, and follow some safety and cleanliness guidelines. More or less I am there to be a friend for someone who needs a friend.

We play game like scrabble and rummy. You can be matched up with someone who shares you interests. Many people need letters written for relatives for them, or just someone they can talk to. It is a way to pay it forward, perhaps you might have your own Friendly Visitor in the future. It is a way to give back.

Related articles

• Simple Chicken Cutlets
• Pleasantville Meatloaf Revisited
• Chicken Teriyaki
• Homemade Fluffy Butter Frosting on the Happy Cake for Mother's Day
• Southwestern Chicken

Lobster at Mystic Seaport Memorial Day Weekend

Lobster at Mystic Seaport Memorial Day weekend. What did you munch on?

Honey Barbecue Chicken

This was dinner tonight and here is the recipe...

This recipe came from a book/magazine called American Classics Easier-Than-Ever Chicken and Poultry and is published on page 24.

The first change was just that I bought chicken pieces (thighs).  I didn't have enough soy sauce. The recipe calls for 1 cup but I didn't realize that I only had a couple of tablespoons. The day after marinating I added Hoison sauce to the barbecue marinade. I also used Beringer Pinot Grigio.  I broiled the chicken instead of grilling.

It was tangy and delicious. If you love barbecue this is definitely worth a try.

Help Fight Alzheimer's

Please help fight Alzheimer's and improve lives. Help support the New York Chapter Blondes and Brunettes in their play to tackle Alzheimer's. Here s the link to the page if you 


Here is a link if below does not work...

My Personal Page Welcome to the Donation Page of Lani Crescenzi My Team Page     $250 ($250.00 +) $100 ($100.00 +) $50 ($50.00 +) $25 ($25.00 +) Enter Donation Amount Here: *Currency shown: US Dollar $ My Fundraising Goal: $2,000.00 Money Raised to Date: $1,175.00 Join me in my efforts to support Alzheimer's Association New York City Chapter! You think that blondes have more fun? Well brunettes get more funds! They get it because their cause improves lives. Whether you are cheering for the brunettes or the blondes help me to tackle Alzheimer's, a devastating and mysterious disease. My research indicates that to date there is no treatment available to prevent, or cure Alzheimer's. However, with proper funds we can work together to find a cure. There are currently 5.5 million people diagnosed with Alzheimer's in the U.S. and by 2050 this number is expected to double. The annual cost of this disease last year alone was 172 billion dollars. This is undoubtedly more then it cost to bring two teams to the super-bowl. In addition, aside from the overwhelming financial impact, the emotional drain on families is catastrophic. The care of patients is in the hands of their family. For some the disease has been described as watching their loved one die a millions deaths, with their personality and demeanor changing to a point of non-recognition. They become strangers. Our success will honor and pay tribute to husbands, wives, and children who give an enormous amount of emotionally taxing hours and days to take care of the Alzheimer’s patient. A patient that often does not know who their caregivers really are. Every contribution no matter how large or small will help the brunettes make that touch down--- a cure for Alzheimer’s. Lets go team!!!

Shredding Day

Today I am busy shredding with the Royal MD100 and the Sentinel.  To me it looks like Mommy Shredder and Baby Shredder.

How much shredding do you have to do?

Cassandra

Life After the Holidays

I have been busy but not in the normal way since the holidays. My cousin moved from Los Angeles to New York City by way of Connecticut to be closer to family so I have been cat sitting. Here is a picture of the lovely little guy.

I have never had a cat as a pet before but apparently I am really a cat person. His name is George. My cousin wants to change his name, so he has picked up the name Leo. My sister-in-law came up with the name because he looks like a lion. I pet him all I can and he sits on my lap and gives me kisses and love bites.

My boyfriend's mother came to live with us and we are working with in house hospice. She has a live in aide.

I have written articles on Feedly, an extension that can be used on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, and Inside PR, a podcast I listen to.

I do have plans to Marmalade Morning Muffins.

Enjoy new experiences and try new things.

Cassandra

Black Friday

Image via Wikipedia

I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving here in the USA. I sure had a nice time. There is nothing better than roasted turkey and gravy with cranberry sauce. Don't forget the pumpkin pie and apple pie.

Recently I went to the movie theater and saw the latest Harry Potter flick...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. It was really enjoyable and those kids have definitely grown. They have been awfully lucky.

Image via Wikipedia

Today I watched a much older movie, Hooper starring Burt Reynolds and Jan Michael Vincent. Renolds plays a stuntman, and Field is his girlfriend. This is their third or fourth film together.


The Ivoryton Playhouse next show will be opening soon with the show Barnum. I can't wait go. It stars Bruce Connelly and Beverley Galpin.  It opens December 9.  I can't wait to see it. I also was interested in the world of Phineas Taylor Barnum. He is the founder of publicity.

Whip up new things in the kitchen and try new things,

Cassandra

Trader Joe's Boeuf Bourguignon

I always love to try new things and due to my hospitalization I had some TV dinners for lunch (you do not have to tell me I am glutton for punishment when I say the words "TV Dinner"). So I dared to try Trader Joe's Boeuf Bourguignon.

 On the back of the package their are three different ways to heat it.  I choose to heat it up in the oven. You take the meal out of the package and put it in a covered pan and heat it at 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes. Just to let you know I have also tried the Coq au Vin.

Here is the meal in a bowl for which I opted to dump it all in on top of some leftover noodles I had. You can see the bowl overflowed some.The meal was okay but I would say the meal would better served if I made it from scratch.
On another note I am now working for the Ivoryton Playhouse. I take care of their blog.
The world is becoming more exciting in the poitical arena as we get closer and closer to Elections, but thank goodness we have Halloween to give us a thrill before then.
Live life to its fullest and have a great day.
Cassandra