Snow Day!

We've had some really great dialogue about the English muffins over the last few days. I'd love to hear how some of yours turn out and what changes you've made. There are so many variations.



We got some snow a couple days ago. It has been so cold here, but the weather is warming up today. I wanted to add some snow day photos. We didn't actually go out to play in the snow, though we did go to the library for story time. It was just too cold and windy to get out there!

Look! It's snowing!

Sam enjoyed watching the snow from inside though. When he first woke up he was uninterested, but once he had a good breakfast of warm English muffins and homemade raspberry jam (yes, from our own raspberry bushes), he really got into it.

"Look Mama!! A snow day!!"

Bill is having our wood burning stove cleaned on November 5th, so we haven't actually started a fire in it yet. But, man are we itching to. So far, we've used our electric baseboard heaters upstairs and the monitor heater downstairs. The monitor heater is a new item to us but most houses here have one (at least the ones we looked at for purchase). It is a very efficient way to heat the house using gas.

I haven't been posting as often as I usually do because I hurt my neck a week ago today. I had a muscle spasm that led to a pinched nerve, I believe. A friend of a friend came to visit me on Tuesday to give me a gift and she happened to be a doctor. I had her look at it and give me some advice about it. So far, her advice is working very well and I almost have full range-of-motion back. Thank goodness - I was getting tired of being so careful. Eventually I'll be able to exercise again too - can't wait for that day.

Getting back to cooking for a moment, are there any recipes you especially want me to share? Any questions about cooking I can answer? Feel free to ask...and I'll include a recipe for my great grandmother's homemade chili in the next post. Perfect for a cold winter's night!

For now, here's another sweet treat that we love around here. It happens to be my friend JoJo's fave - and as his wife said recently, you will gain a pound just reading it!

Chocolate Revel Bars

1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 t baking soda
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz can (1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed milk or low fat sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 t vanilla

1. Set aside 2 T of butter or margarine. In a large mixing bowl, beat the remaining butter or margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and baking soda. Beat till combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and 2 t vanilla till combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour. Stir in the rolled oats.

2. For filling, in a medium saucepan combine the reserved 2 T butter or margarine, chocolate pieces, and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over low heat till chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in the walnuts or pecans and 2 t vanilla.

3. Press two thirds (about 3 1/3 cup) of the rolled oats mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Spread the filling evenly over the oat mixture. Dot remaining rolled oats mixture on filling (smoosh little bits with your fingers and lay them over it - leaving some gaps or drop the dough from a spoon).

4. Baking in a 350 degree oven about 25 minutes or till the top is lightly browned (chocolate filling will still look moist). Cool on a wire rack. Cute into bars. Makes 60 bars. Peanut Butter-Chocolate Revel Bars: Prepare as above, except substitute 1/2 cup peanut butter for the 2 T butter or margarine when making the chocolate filling and substitute peanuts for the walnuts or pecans. Whole Wheat Chocolate Revel Bars: Prepare as above, except reduce the all purpose flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 1 cup whole wheat flour.