Old Heels Get New Life - Homemade Croutons

I always save all the unused heels of bread from our homemade bread in the freezer.  Once I get enough, I make homemade croutons.  We love them on salads but the are especially good on steaming bowls of soup.

I thaw the bread and cube it into "bite sized" chunks.  I toss them in a big bowl with olive oil and a mix of seasonings (listed below).

I spread them in a single layer on a jelly roll pan and bake @ 350 for 30 min., stirring every 10 min.

Times may vary based on the humidity in your area, but I bake them until they dry out and are crunchy.  Then I cool them well before packing them into air tight jars.

I usually get 2 quarts per batch and they keep well in a cool dry place.

Seasonings:

1 t poultry seasoning

1/2 t celery salt

1/2 t dill seed

1/2 t thyme

1/2 t rosemary

1/2 t garlic granules

1/4 t white pepper

add or subtract for your taste - sometimes this is too much for one batch (depending on the amount of bread) so I will save it for the next time.  All measurements are approximate - I cook with dashes, splashes and pinches - I am trying my best to make it measurable for those who like numbers.

Let me know if you make them, like them or added something different.

Enjoy!

Wisconsin Trip: Part 2

Leave it to my mother-in-law to find the coolest things to do in Milwaukee.

SPIN, is an indoor ping pong hall.  Similar to the pool halls of old, complete with dozens of tables, food & cold drinks!  We spend the afternoon in the air conditioning whacking balls at each other.

At times the competition got fierce!

(once we figured out all the official rules)

Then it was off to the river walk - outside - hot - humid - we suffered through the sticky sweaty walk to see the sights.

Despite the heat, we couldn't resist the classic phone booth photo!!

Even the Fonz managed a smile that sultry afternoon.

The architecture was amazing and I took way too many photos.  So many in fact that they while be featured late in a post all their own.

Stay tuned for more from the Dairy State!

Wisconsin Trip: Part 1

And we're off!

Every other year we hit the friendly skies for a trip to Wisconsin to visit Jim's family.  But first a few crazy pictures at the Durango airport.

A snowboard in the airport?  Makes for entertainment while waiting for your flight

Standing next to an "Idea" balloon, I said "Sometimes... I randomly start to think." 

Jim and Stown agreed that perhaps I shouldn't.  Ha! Joke-sters! 

Wow! Look at this Motley Crew!

Jim (on the far right) and all his cousins.

Once in Wisconsin, they entire family gets together for a reunion.   Food and beer and catching up on stories makes for a great afternoon.  However, to the teenagers this can be a bore, so they split out and found the local quarry.....

Nothing can be as much fun to a teen age boy as jumping off the rocks to impress the chicks!

GO STOWN!!

Great Aunt Anita & Jim

The next day we spent to afternoon visiting with Jim's Great Aunt Anita.  She's 91 (92 this Fall)!!

She told us wonderful stories about hitching rides in a horse drawn carriage to get to church in the winter, the different farms she lived on in her lifetime and shared beautiful photo albums she had been working on chronicling the family history for her sons.  I can't believe how well she gets around.  She still has friend over every Monday for cards!  Sharp as a tack, it was such a gift to hear her stories.

Just part one of our trip, stay tuned for more to come!!

As you may have noticed, I am still having issues with the set up, why won't it upload a vertical photo vertically?  Why can't I rotate it once it's uploaded?  Is anyone else having these problems?   Any help would be appreciated.  I guess for now if I plan on taking a "blog specific" picture I will have to remember to take it horizontally.

STAY OFF THE ROADS!!!

Well, it's finally here...

The Day Stown Got His Permit!

Actually, he took his test and recieved his paper temporary last week.  This one arrived in the mail today.  In Colorado, he has to hold his permit for 1 year before he gets his license. 

Perfect!  12 months of weather and adverse road conditions on which to practice!

On that note, you might want to invest in Calming Tea. 

 I have a feeling I will be drinking it by the gallons!!

First day of school

Stown Everest Ross

15 1/2 yrs old

10th Grade

WOW!

My have you grown!

Shining like a star and blossoming like a flower.

(I can't figure out how to rotate photos yet, just tilt your head.)

Still a bit sideways,

but I am sure you will straighten up with time!

Stown, you are amazing! 

Keep striving for all you can imagine possible.  The world is yours for the taking if you keep your head down, focus and work hard enough.

I love you, MOM!

Disclaimer: I don't know what the little photo off to the left is doing there, how it got there, or how to remove it.  It doesn't show up in my drafts but is there in the final post.  Oh well, more to figure out another day.

YEAH!!!

Ok, just like Jim taking the time to teach Stown how to change the oil in the truck, I too need to find the patience and the time to tackle complex, changing and unfamilair things in my world.

Finally, I sat down with nothing else to do and attempted another blog post (with success, I might add!).  Soon this will lead to more stories and pictures of life here in Durango.  Sorry to all those who have missed our little corner of the world - I will be attempting to catch up on all the summer postings that have been missed due to my fear of confronting technical changes.

Love to All!

Thank you for your patience.

Workin' to figure it out...

 Like Aspen trying to figure out the smell of the wild flower, I am trying to figure out the new changes to my blog layout /format / set-up / etc.  I can't seem to understand why this picture uploaded horizontally when it is a vertical picture in my files.  I also can't seem to figure out how to rotate it. 

Oh well, on to bigger and better things....

Like Jim snowboarding in July!!

(Sunday 24 July 2011)

Washed down from above in an avalanche.

A testimony to how dangerous this area can be during the winter.

 A little snow-skating for Stown, after he hiked up and took some turns on his snowboard.

Doug was giving me a good luck kiss before I headed down the mountain. 

Thanks for not actually licking me, Doug.

Well, I will have a smile as big as this if I publish this post and it looks right and I can continue updating my blog regularly and effortlessly.

If it doesn't work out right, frustration may get the best of me again and the future posts may be few and far between.  As for now, I am crossing my fingers and hitting "publish"...