My Favorite Things: English Muffin Bread

So many exciting things to share!

Blendtec Totalblender:
So I don't technically own one, but mom left hers in the log house when she left and it was so cold sitting there. Lonely. On the counter all by itself. Not mixing and pureeing and all those other functions it was built to execute. Poor thing. I just felt bad for it. I mean winter is coming and it even warms its own soups!

I like to think of it as a rescue.

It began on the counter in my baking center near the food processor, big mixers and other gadgets, but has since graduated to regular counterspace status, which is huge in my kitchen because I like and require large clean, clutter-free countertops. The toaster might be a little jealous, but I think he's happy to have a friend.

Anyway, why do I love it? Loads of reasons that are so phenomenal that you will think it is like Willy Wonka's magical chocolate factory......only smaller....and WAY healthier.....and no scary umpaloopas are involved... why do I keep digressing today? :)

Last week I was introduced to English Muffin Bread at a friend's luncheon and I fell in love! It was so moist, airy, chewy, and delicious! Then she told me she made it start to finish in just over an hour. Of course the next day I was investigating online....could it be true? IT IS!! IT IS TRUE! And I am so excited about it I MUST share this with you. Of course I tweaked the recipe to my liking to include some whole wheat flour (quickly and easily ground right there on the spot in that magical Blendtec blender).

I might seriously consider baking bread every week. I know my friends. Shocking stuff today, hunh? You never thought you would see the day I would say it. I mean, I don't even know how to bake bread and look at me now! It's that easy. I made a batch on Saturday, and I am making another one today! What better way to heat up the kitchen this chilly day? It was 15 degrees when I got up! Burrrr!English Muffin Bread (makes 2 loaves)
Ingredients
2 Cups whole wheat flour
3 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
2 (.25 oz) packages yeast OR 5 teaspoons
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups warm milk (110-115 deg)
3/5 cup warm water (120-130 deg)
Cornmeal or rough ground wheat

Directions:
In a large mixer combine 2 1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add warm water and milk; beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour (batter will be sticky). Do not knead (I LOVE THAT PART). Grease two loaf pans and dust with cornmeal or ground wheat. Spoon batter into pans and sprinkle with cornmeal or ground wheat on top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

Modifications: If you just want to use all-purpose flour, cut it back to 5 cups flour total, and reduce the water amount to 1/2 cup.
YUMMMY! Let me know if you try it!

Dancin' Through Sitka

Thursday, June 9th

Morning at the Alaska Raptor Center where we were able to feel how light bird bones really are in comparison to mammal bones. Interesting fact: full size eagles are around 11 lbs.--surprisingly light for how massive they are!We found more than just raptors on a walking loop near the raptor center:Anyone might be awed by the extravagance in nature, but to find the same wonder in the small things, even and especially amid the grand--that is a rare talent. --Nancy Lord, Green Alaska: Dreams from the Far Coast

Sitka is a mother lode of Native arts and crafts.We appreciate and love to support Native arts and culture, so we went and watched the Tlingit dancers.
{yes, I had paddle envy. bad. paddles half that size cost $400.}Jessa and Emeline got out there and danced the raven dance with them during their performance (with my prodding); Kate was suddenly very shy.

I spent the evening blogging while the girls slept...this blog thing takes too much time!!...but I am doing it for my dear husband and a few extra special friends. I hope ya'll appreciate it.

Grandma's Birthday

Happy Birthday Mom (aka grandma!). Today grandma got to call all the shots about what we did in Sitka, and Dad and Brett even got to come with us!

Harry's 1950's style soda shop was an extra special treat!the girls got chocolate milkshakes and I had my first banana split in years.

Later, on the way home, we got to stop and check out "Whale Park" {there were three whales each of the girls claimed as 'theirs'. Jessa demonstrates how effortless it is for a cowgirl to ride whales}
{kate running hard, stops for a breather}{the many stairs of Whale Park lead us to a cool spot to time-out and tidepool}
{i heart tidepooling}
{Emeline 'poses' on the back of 'her' whale}

Then we came home and baked grandma a birthday cake with the mmmmm so good frosting.

Silver Bay Sights

We arrived in Sika and dropped anchor in Silver Bay late last night. It is the latter part of my vacation, and work time for the guys.

Tuesday, June 7th: We tied up here at Silver Bay Seafoods and spent the morning working to unload all the cargo we had transported from Ballard. They loaded a fish sorting table onto the back deck. With mom, the girls and I spent the afternoon driving around Sitka, getting our bearings and deciding what we should spend our time doing while we are here.

In the evening, Brett and I went out on the skiff to a nearby hatchery to see if any king salmon were biting. There were some interesting sights..tons of eagles, including two brutally battling in a nearby tree
just playing around, Brett reeled in a few of these little guys that got thrown back,

...and what to my wondering eyes should appear....
...a wakeboarder!
In a different sort of way, I found this to be one of the most interesting things I have seen this trip. It just leaves me with so many questions reeling through my mind.

Baranof Hot Springs

I fell asleep before we dropped anchor last night, and in the morning (June 6th) I awoke to a gorgeous bay with the most beautiful raging waterfall. Of course we loaded up the backpack and went to check it out.

Right on the harbor there were 3 free public tub houses.{kate tests the temperature of the water in one of the tub houses}
Grandma stayed to try it out while we decided to hike "above the waterfall". We made it all the way up to Baranof Lake! I was so proud of both of my girls! Kate is a hiking machine and loves long distance, but in the past Jessa has tuckered her legs out before completing the hike. I was so proud of Jessa making it all the way by herself this time! {there was some pretty steep terrain and the girls climbed it all and helped each other out}
{Jessa splashes around at Baranof Lake}{and teaching E how it is done}

After making it all the way to the lake, we started hiking back and took the side trail that goes to the hot spring swimming pool right on the edge of the waterfall!!{hiking to the swimming hole, Kate will lead the whole way if I let her}AHH..where ARE our swimsuits??? It is summertime afterall! :)
{it just doesn't get better than this!!!}

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. --John Muir, Steep Trails

As we hiked back, I realized that since it was just us girls, there were no pictures of myself and Emeline hiking along. Kate took this picture...her first one with my camera!

Right at the end of the hike, we met grandpa hiking up. Grandma had sent him because she was worried we were going to get eaten by a bear or something!... silly grandma, she worries a lot!

Kake Anyone?

...why yes! Don't mind if I do!
Welcome to Kake (pronounced cake), Alaska!The Debbie Sue anchored near Kake. Kake produced my favorite seascapes of the entire trip. It was breathtakingly gorgeous.
Uncle Brett being silly makes the girls crack up as they pose near the tallest totem pole. Really, I think this is the tallest totem pole in the world. It was TALLLLL!
The girls had a great time playing with new friends, cousins Tevin and Lily whom they met when we went to church. Tevin and Lily called me "auntie" and their family said it sure didn't take me long to become part of the family! Kake is a community made up mostly of native Tlingit Indians. Tevin and Lily are Tlingit with some Navajo (their grandma is Navajo).

Shrimpin' Explorin' n Fishin'

We set the shrimp pots for the first time this trip today (June 3). Unfortunately, this was the last time we ever saw this particular shrimp pot:bummer!

We took the skiff out and did some neat exploring though (before we realized the shrimp pots were lost). We discovered a crabber's stash of crab pots, lots of really cool rocks, what may or may not be real gold, and saw our fair share of seals and some sort of weasel. {everyone loves a good seashell beach!}As evening came, we decided to try putting some of that herring to work as bait. For as long as I tried, I would get hard hits but all my bait would be stolen. Eventually, after we had given up and left the lines to 'soak' on their own for quite some time, Brett was pulling them in to go to bed, and to our pleasant surprise, we had a fish! It was a pacific cod, which we were happy about because they are good eating, and we had never caught one before!{the girls are checking to see if any school of herring are nearby}{the baby thinks she is hot stuff getting to fish all by herself, while Jessa cringes in fear that she is going to lose her fishing pole in the process}
I fileted the cod out and we had fish-n-chips with shrimp for lunch the next day. Yummy!...we even fried the fries!
{the girls with the catch: a pacific cod}
{my favorite shot of the day}

Shrimp anyone?In an answer to prayer, we were able to recover ONE of the shrimp pots, and in it 23 spot shrimp (which are technically prawns).
{this is my best shrimp face...I think my eyes need to pop out a bit more}

Frederick Sound

Lots of ocean mammal sightings today! (Friday, June 3)
Started with dall porpoises first thing
and continued with whales and more porpoise throughout the entire day!

Wildness is a kind of silence, and silence is wild.

Departing Petersburg

Some of the gorgeous views as we departed Petersburg and started through Frederick SoundOne of the glaciers we passed
Yet another Alaskan sunset