Quick Hamburger Buns

Annie has been mixing up our muffins and cornbread for several years. Ever since baby Cora came along and Mama was resting out of sight of the kitchen and the messes therein made by a seven year old. We had made a generic dry muffin mix for the freezer beforehand and Daddy helped Annie add in the buttermilk and fruit to bake fresh for breakfast.... She was hooked and we are blessed!

Now it is time to graduate to yeast breads! It seems to work well for us if we use the same recipe several times over, then Annie can take over with confidence. 

Here she is baking away and even instructing little Cora.

The original recipe (twice in Far Above Rubies cookbook) calls for more sugar and oil and yeast. We like to see how much we can reduce these not so healthy, not so cheap ingredients and still keep good flavor of product. So here is our version... 

Quick Hamburger Buns

• 2 1/2 c. warm water
• 4 tsp. yeast
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c. sugar/honey
• 1/3 c. coconut oil
• 2 tsp. salt
• 7 1/2- 81/2 c. flour

Combine all ingredients except flour in mixer. (We have a Bosch.) Add 4 c. flour (we use red or white wheat) and stir in. Add remaining flour, 1 c. at a time until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Knead 3 minutes. At this point you can put in the fridge overnight if you want fresh for lunch or cover and rest 15 minutes on the counter. Roll out 1/2" thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or cup rim. Let rise 20 - 30 minutes. Bake 350* for 12 minutes.

We have made larger buns using a wide mouth jar lid as a cutter, and made ready-to-go sandwiches by rolling thin, topping with mayo, meat, & cheese, then folding over and baking.

Baked Goodness!

Ice Cream Supper

Labor Day weekend. Lemon Park. Softball. Freezers of homemade ice cream.

Our first ice cream supper (when we moved here 10 years ago) was at a different location, but is ever impressed in our memories for the multitude of ice cream (and flavors)! I remember growing up (in Ohio) and enjoying maybe 3 varieties at an uncle's home, always with salty pretzels to dunk in the cold sweetness. But here in Kansas, on a holiday weekend, you can find enough cream to overfill your tummy, plus sandwiches, snacks, and cookies besides!

freezing  ice cream on the porch before driving to the park

Riley at bat

Sisters

young friends: Carly & Cora

line-up of freezers

Coffee, raspberry, salty caramel, Grapenut, Snickers, peach, Hawaiian, espresso, rocky road, chocolate malt, and more!

A great reason to meet, to share a sweet treat!

Riley is 13!

Shannon and I took Riley to Wichita for the afternoon. He had a Cabela's gift card burning a hole in his pocket, so we meandered that store as well as Gander Mountain. We were also looking at refrigerators. And so the day waxed old and Sonic drive-thru became our special supper stop. Riley usually chooses hot dogs or hamburgers at home anyway for his birthday meal, so that suited him fine! He got a large shake instead of a cake.

and we got a fridge!

Shannon is 37!

We enjoyed a family day in Yoder and had friends over for a meal for Shannon's 37th birthday. He chose No Bake Cookies for his sweet treat (multiple choice of chocolate cake, brownies, or no-bakes). Annie doubled the recipe so we had enough for company and more on his special day following. The girls insisted he open 1 present on Birthday Eve...

....which happened to be new boots from Annie & Cora!

We made pancakes & waffles for breakfast, with maple syrup and mixed fruit.

Then Daddy opened the rest of his gifts!
(Thanks Aldi for your cheap sweets that gratify the giver as much as the recipient!)

Happy Birthday Shannon!

Yoder Heritage Days

The fourth weekend in August, a local Amish community, Yoder, hosts a heritage days festival. We went the first year we lived in Kansas, in 2003. Riley was a toddler, Annie was an infant, and it was Hot! The town has improved the day's events quite a bit in 10 years, and now there is a newly opened bent & dent/ bulk food shop!

We arrived just as the parade started. It amuses us to see "plain people" galavanting in the parade line-up. They have a lot of fun and the children enjoy the candy flying!

front row seats

back row standing

sucking out the tootsie roll

Shannon & Riley watched the Antique Tractor Pull while the gals observed the Kiddie Tractor Pull. We watched 2 of our friends pedal hard. Tucker even placed 2nd in his age group!

The highlight of the day (besides the parade) were the horse events. There were races, obstacle courses, and even horse basketball!  Hutchinson prison has a wild mustang taming program, so it was half inmates, half Amish competing. 

Peters boys and Bowman girls

Nelson Yoder rounding the barrel

The evening brought live entertainment on the center stage. Here is the nighttime crowd seated on Main Street.

We passed through the singing area from the pony bleachers, toward our van as we had supper waiting in the crockpot at home. Abe & Amber and Jake & Kayla stopped on their way home and we all enjoyed burritos and watermelon and fellowship!

Meg Is Walking!

August 22, Meg started trucking across the floor, onto the carpet, and back again! (Of course she had many practice sessions with the girls coaxing her to take more & more wobbly steps.) She loved being the center of attention, applause, and praise! She wouldn't even slow down for Mama to get pictures. (When she sees the camera on her level, she is coming after it!)

Now Meg can sit too, when food is around. I had her on my lap eating supper and did not notice until -too late!- she had grabbed 1/2 a tomato and juiced it down!

And she is learning to sit and listen to a story as well.

One last wet summer playtime. The Slip-n-Slide was discovered and immediately put to use! Meg got a little chilly before the other 2 were finished.

And that's our sweet Meg!

Growing up!!