Slow Cooking

I bought a new slow cooker by Bella for $20.   I have a 7 quart Hamilton Beach which I love, but sometimes it runs hot and I don't want things overcooked.  I don't think I have it filled enough even though I am feeding a large family.  I have one that is 3 1/2 quarts, not big enough for daily meals.  

It is manual,  I like to keep my slow cookers simple.
I do not have a picture of the finished product but I tried Crock-Pot Sticky Chicken from Flavour & Savour.  It was a winner and just a small portion for leftovers.

Since I have the never ending supply of ground venison I am looking up more recipes calling for ground beef. 

Bread Baking Sunday

Woke up the mixer:

Baked two loaves of honey wheat:

Recipe:

2 cups warm water
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup melted butter
2 Tablespoons vital wheat gluten
4 cups wheat flour
2 cups bread or all purpose flour

Maybe 1/4 cup extra water

Dissolve honey in water add yeast, let foam.
Mix in butter and salt.  Add gluten then add flours.  Knead until smooth.  Oil a large bowl, add dough, turn to coat and cover. Let rise 1 hour.  Punch down place in two oiled loaf pans, cover and let rise 1 inch above top of pan.  Preheat oven to 350 bake 25 - 30 minutes.

Now sandwich bread is ready for the week.  Bought a new slow cooker.  I know, I know I didn't need another but then again I did.  More on that tomorrow.

Happy New Year... a bit late

I  am sure the title of this post should be Where the Hell Have I Been, but I will leave it as is.  Well for the past year I have been at work at my first out of the house job in quite a few years.  Getting back into juggling work and home has been quite the challenge, much easier when I was younger lol.  I started off part time which quickly turned into full time.  So many things have fallen by the wayside and I am trying to add more things back as time allows.  I have read blogs when I can.  I miss blogging, all the instant stuff seems so much more impersonal and then everyone points to their blog anyway.
I cannot remember the last time I canned anything that I have grown, or sewn something of use.  A fact I find depressing.  It will get there little by little.  I have been knitting socks.  My husband is fond of his and shows them off.  Here is a pair I am working on now:

It is a simple pattern and with all the colorful sock yarns I don't feel the need to use something with more of a design.  My husband only wears black socks so I like to work on colorful ones for myself when not working on his, it breaks things up.
My middle son is going to State next year (go dawgs!) and he is excited.
I still have three at home and the older two are doing well.
What direction is my blog going to go in?  Well the same as it always has, daily life.  I have been using the crockpot more for dinners, and I have to plan better for that.  We love to eat, nothing has changed there!
On another note, who the hell finally unleashed winter??  This week it finally hit at once!  The socks are coming in handy.  I will post again soon, I hope this finds you healthy and warm.