The Mother of 100

I have mentioned my great nephew Dominic here many times. My sister is his grandmother and she is raising him. He just turned 5 a week ago. What a character he is! The kid is a riot and you never feel anything less than enchanted by him. Last night he was getting tucked into bed and he said something to my sister about his "other mother". She asked him, "What other mother, you only have one mother." He said, "I mean Lisa" She told him, "yes that is your mother. Who is your other mother?" She knew he would say her as she has had him since he was a baby. "Aunt Brenda is my other mother." Debbie laughed and asked him why he thought that. He said "She is my mother and Zachary's mother and TJ's mother and YOUR mother." Debbie asked him, "What about Emerson?" He replied, "Oh, Rachel can have her!" LOL Debbie called to tell me all this and I had her ask him just how many kids do I have. "100", he said! I am sure that is the biggest number he knew!

Well since I am the mother of 100, it was only fitting that I got my Mother's Day gift early!! Right? I had thrown the ingredients into my bread machine to make a loaf of bread this morning. I am making BBQ'd pulled pork for dinner and knew I would also need to make some of Niki's Buns to go with them. This meant that I would need to do 2 batches in my 1 pound machine. When Sweetheart asked me what my plans were, I explained my bread making day. He wanted to know why it took me two batches to make one recipe. I explained that my machine was only a 1 pound loaf capacity. Later he asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day. I really want clothes lines. REALLY. He does not want them in our yard, so I knew it was a losing battle. He said our yard is not right for them (subdivision/cul de sac). I mentioned a 2 pound bread machine would be wonderful since it would save me half the time to make bread. He said, "Let's go get one!" So we did!My old machine is a Sunbeam and I have never had a problem with it. Goodness it is 16 years old if not more. I chose the Sunbeam again becasue I have been so happy with my old one. There are several differences from the new machine to the old. The pan is no where near the quality in the new machine. Still it is much better than an Oster I saw. Also, the dough cycle works differently. In my old machine it mixes, kneads, rises, kneads, rises, kneads and beeps. In the new machine it mixes, kneads (a looong time), rises (a loooonger time) and beeps. It loses a knead and a rise and I have to start the cycle again to get it to knead for it's last rise in the bread pans I have prepared. It did a wonderful job with Niki's recipe and I did not have to cut it in half like usual.The first time I made this recipe, it was a fiasco! Once I cut the recipe in half, it was perfect, but left you knowing you only made 1/2! Here is the loaf I made in my old machine (which I plan to use at least once a week....I can make three 1 lb loafs at once now if I want!), plus the buns I made in the new machine.
I now have the ingredients in the machine for a 2 pound loaf (I will split the dough and make two 1 pound loaves) and started the dough cycle. During the kneading cycle it started making a terrible clunking noise. Not sure why. I think the dough was very heavy. I figured the recipe would just be double the ingredients I usually use, and it was, but they did not double the water (I used 7/8 cup in the 1 pound recipe and they called for 1 1/3 cup of water in the 2 pound recipe....not doubled). I almost doubled the water, but thought I would try their version. I think it was just too heavy for the paddle. Anyway, it is in the rising cycle now and I will add more water next time to see if that makes a difference. I may need to return it (???) I hope not.
Well that is all for today. It is gorgeous outside. Kyle just got home from work, Sweetheart did a weed and feed on the lawn, Charlotte is reading on the front porch, and Zach is at TJ's house playing and pulling weeds. I plan to grab the Peter Rabbit quilt and hand quilt the evening away!
Tomorrow I promised TJ he could come and play. I may keep both kids overnight. We'll see....