your vote is requested

This is my son Bobby and his wife Bridgette.  Bridgette is the singer for a band and Bobby is the band's manager/roadie/jack of all trades.  I am not a big fan of metal music but I really love Bobby and Bridgette.  Their band,  Siva Addiction, is a in a battle of the bands contest sponsored by the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indiana. 

to vote,  just go to the link, then scroll about halfway down and vote for Siva Addiction.  You don't even have to listen to them if you don't want to or put in any information, it is very quick to vote.   The contest has a big prize,  $20,000!     It is a limit of one vote per computer. 
So,  if you want to take the time to vote,  it would make Bobby and Bridgette very happy to get your vote.

thanks!

Pyrex baked bread

My grandparent's bread recipe makes 4 little loaves that fit perfectly in my 4 little Pyrex loaf pans. 

You can still use this recipe even if you have not collected Pyrex. Just bake it in 2 regular loaf pans and it will be just as delicious.  It might not be as cute, but then everyone does not always care if their bread is cute, do they? 

we will be having some tomorrow at breakfast,  toasted with crockpot apple butter.  yum!

Crock pot apple butter

I bought 2 bags of cooking apples this fall and planned to make apple pies with them.  Then Jeff got several bags of apples from a coworkers yard and I made pies with those apples.

Those grocery store apples have been sitting in the fridge just waiting.... and they were not getting any fresher. 

So I looked up how to make crockpot apple butter to use them,  and it was very easy.  I used THIS as a guideline -  my way  used a little more than 5 pounds of apples, peeled and chopped,  2 cups sugar, 3 t cinnamon, 1/2 t cloves and a dash of salt.  It cooked on high most of the morning until the apples all broke down, I mashed them with a potato masher to help them along.  Then they cooked on low all afternoon until the juice cooked out and they thickened up. 

I put the apple butter in 1/2 jars - it made 7- and then put them in the fridge.  They will get eaten pretty fast here.  The recipe talks about freezing it and I am sure it could be canned. 

and you sure don't need scented candles or potpourri when apple butter is cooking,  it smells wonderful!