update on freezer pizza dough

Several of you requested I tell how the freezer pizza dough works out.
We had it for supper tonight. Jeff, Jimmy and Gavin all liked it. I liked how easy it was. It makes a crust that is a little chewy and crispy on the bottom.
I just used my basic pizza dough recipe - 2 cups water, 1 t salt and sugar, 1 T oil, 2 t yeast and about 6 cups of flour. I think any yeast pizza crust recipe would work.
I divided it into 3 crusts but I think it would do 4 if you like really thin crust.
I do think oiling the balls before putting them in storage bags is important as I think they would really stick while rising if not oiled.

The crust was a success and I will be making more batches of this freezer crust.

Sorry no pizza pictures - it was a little hectic here as the pizzas came out of the oven. Gavin was hungry, Jimmy just got home from work and Jeff was finishing up with the roofing contractor who will be doing our new roof tomorrow.

Momma Hydrangea and 5 of her babies

This is our original hydrangea. This is her 4th spring in our flower bed. I did not know how to take care of her until I learned from Manuela
Thank goodness she knows how because I was doing it all wrong, pruning it too much, watering and feeding it too little.
Last summer, this bush sort of collapsed and many of her branches were laying on the ground. So I follower Manuela's tutorial and ended up with 8 baby hydrangea this spring.
And not only did they grow, they are even putting on buds and blooming!
Thank you Manuela!
She has a great post today about her pretty yard. Her's are blooming bigger and sooner because she is in a warmer zone than we are, but mine should be blooming in full just like hers soon.





Notice all the holes in the leaves? Those are all from Oklahoma Spring hail.

This is a Blushing Bride hydrangea and was planted the year Nina and John got married. How sweet that this bush has babies the same year they are will have their first baby too?

my opinion of Olay Simply Ageless

"COVERGIRL & Olay Simply Ageless - A first-of-its-kind premium make-up line that can actually make you look younger - "

well, that is what they say anyway.

I have belonged to BzzAgent.com for about 6 years. I have participated in several campaigns where Bzzagent sends out products for sampling and testing, they hope that the bzzagents will like the products, then talk favorably about them to their friends.

My latest products from Bzzagent were 4 Olay Simply Ageless cosmetics. They sent 2 under eye concealers, which I don't really need but I do think they are a good product if you use eye concealers.
They also sent a blush in a color I am not crazy about but I do like the blush.
I really like the foundation. It is light for foundation, goes on smoothly and not heavy looking, easy to blend and does not have any scent that I can tell.

sorry, I don't have any free makeup to offer you, I do have 5 $2 coupons that I would be happy to mail out to any one who wants some of them, while they last any way. Just leave me a comment and I will get back to you.
But I think there is an even better Cover Girl coupon that does not expire until the end of May that is B1G1F.

Saturday morning yardsale purchases

It was Jeff and me out to the yard sales today. I'm a little sad that I did not see a single piece of Pyrex but we found a few good deals.

retro coffee/tea pot for $1

2 yard toys for Gavin for $1
Both are Fisher Price, one is a Lion Glide and Ride and sells at Target for $43.

Boppy baby seat for Baby E. It was in great shape, but since the cover was so easy to remove, I machine washed it and it looks even better.

And - a Walmart sack full of very nice baby girl clothes, $5 for all!

I ran all of the clothes through the wash too. Then I hung them up on hangers after partially machine drying them. There were 14 complete outfits, 3 bottoms, 1 top and a cute little bathing suit with a skirt.

I like all of the clothes but I think this appliqued dress is my favorite.


So, did any of you go yard-saleing today? and what goodies did you find?

once a week baking

well, I hope this baking will last a week but you never know! Jeff likes toast every morning for breakfast and Jimmy is here for the summer, he really likes sandwiches.
Yesterday, I made 2 recipes of my Grandpa's bread. One recipe was baked into 5 small loaves.

See, I don't always use Pyrex. I've had this Pampered Chef pan for several years and tend to use it spurts, then store it back in the bottom of the cabinet for a year or so.


The second batch of dough was made into sandwich buns and hot dog buns. I slice them with a serrated knife almost in half before storing away, that way they are easy to open up but the tops don't get separated from the bottoms if they are still slightly attached.

I also made a batch of pizza dough and am trying freezing the dough balls. The theory is to freeze the dough, then on the day of pizza making, let the dough thaw and rise in the fridge all day before making pizza that night.
I oiled each ball with olive oil, then put them in twist tie bags so they could expand a little without popping the bag as they froze.

Then I put the balls into a freezer bag for better freezer protection.
I'll let you know how they work out.

another shower for Nina and Baby E

Nina was blessed with another baby shower last weekend. It was hosted by her matron of honor and longtime best friend as well as the wives of other coaches that John works with.


Baby Elizabeth got so many nice things.
Can you see the baby doll Nina is holding? It was crocheted by my mom, and is just like one that my Grandma made for Nina when she was a little girl. The baby is all crocheted except for the soft plastic face and hands. One hand is holding a baby bottle that fits in the baby's mouth.

I made a diaper bag for Nina and used this tutorial.

Hip Mama Diaper bag tutorial

Baby E is not due until the second week of June but some signs are pointing to an earlier delivery - who knows though?

Saturday yard sale finds May 15th

This was not a great day for yard sales. We went out this morning, my dad, husband and son with me. I made the only purchases but 2 of the things are on my yardsale want list so I guess we did not do too bad.



one Pyrex find - small refrigerator dish with glass lid $2
However, 2 of my offspring have declared this dish "ugly" but I like it.
what do you think? ugly or interesting?



brand new in the box little food chopper $2



Bumpo chair for Baby E $5 - this has been on my list of yard sales wants, we've seen 2 at other sales but they were priced at $20 and $15
Safety 1st booster seat $2

Pyrex in action

I really do use my vintage Pyrex most every day.

Bread dough rising in my newest aqua bowl


3 loaves of bread - baked in Pyrex


peeled carrots and potatoes sitting in water - waiting for the roast beef to cook before they bake with it


Orange jello with mandarin oranges - a family favorite



no Pyrex in this picture, just cute Gavin enjoying a slice of fresh bread

Spring Sewing

My sewing machine has been very busy this week. I am tired of wearing blue jeans so much and seeing the whole world wearing blue jeans everywhere. I can't change anyone else, but I want to dress with some more color.
I read on Diane's blog about her plan and progress sewing up 6 pretty spring/summer dresses.
I also get emails from Cath Kidston and just love their floral combinations and how they use red, blue, pink and green together.
So, here is what I came up with to improve my spring wardrobe.....


McCalls 5198 - yes, this bag is as big as it looks!

Polka dot apron

3 finished dresses - the same old Simplicity 5767 pattern, but with 3 different necklines

white eyelet at the sweetheart neckline

scalloped neckline on the white with pink flowers

I had a package of vintage rick rack to trim this mostly red one.

Family is comin'

family will be coming tomorrow and some will stay a day, some a week or so, and one will stay all summer. They all like to eat, and so do Jeff and I, so I spent part of today baking cookies.

4 kinds
Betsy's Coconut Cookies -
Washboard Cookies from an old Taste of Home magazine
Soft Oatmeal Cookies and No Roll Sugar Cookies
Nina needed a sugar cookie pizza crust for a party this evening, so since I was already baking, I made her recipe into one.

I put most all the cookies into the freezer except the big can of oatmeal ones. There are also some freezer biscuits and banana bread in there so we should not need any other sweets for awhile. You can also see some homemade spaghetti sauce and chicken broth.
If you're wondering about this small freezer space, it is small. We have 2 refrigerators, one is a regular size one and we have a smaller, apartment size one and you see the freezer part of that smaller fridge. I can get a lot in these 2 freezer spaces. We don't really have a convenient spot in our house for a deep freezer but I don't mind. If I just stack everything neatly, there is room for plenty of frozen food.

Pyrex and tornados

A number of scary tornadoes went through Oklahoma last night, thankfully we just had wind and rain at our home.
Bobby and Bridgette live where one of the big ones got its start and they have plenty of broken trees to clean up and they lost power for awhile- but no big damage and they are safe.



on to more fun things - like Pyrex.

I did not intend to start a Pyrex collection. I got my big brown and white bowl from my grandparents. Then I added a few pieces from yard sales and Jimmy found a few more pieces at thrift stores. I like using Pyrex so much, that I started hunting it out when we shop.
Yesterday, I decided my Pyrex, and a few pieces of FireKing that look like Pyrex, needed their own cabinet. So I rearranged and ended up with this, minus the few pieces that were in the dishwasher or fridge.

the big aqua bowl on the bottom shelf is my newest Pyrex, it is a Mothers Day gift from Jimmy.

and just so you don't think I have lost my marbles and am wasting too much space on silly dishes that I really do use everyday, Pyrex collecting is popular- here is a Flickr picture of just one of many big-time Pyrex collections.

These pieces all belong to Gracie

I sure hope her shelves are very secure and strong.

More May yard sale finds

There were just a handful of yardsales in my town this weekend. I think with it being Mothers Day and OSU graduation weekend, that caused people to schedule them some other time.
Nina is just 5 weeks away from her delivery date and she wanted to go, so we went.
She did not find much but we found a few things.

2 more Pyrex bowls - $1 each
10 Pyrex custard cups for $2

2 purses and a billfold - brand new, even had the silicon packet still in them - $1 for the batch

2 little chairs for $1 each - but they tip over too easy for Gavin so they will be going into the attic for a few years or in to our giveaway pile

vintage sheets - like new - $1 and $2

2 nice size frames for 25 cents each, the little football is a coin pouch that Jeff picked out

2 hardback books $1 each

free magazines

and remember the outdoor toys we found last week?
Well, Gavin kinda likes them!



linked to Rhoda's Southern Hospitality Thrifty Treasures
Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday
Linda's Coastal Charm Tuesday Treasures