Perfect Every Time-Overnight Rolls!

Overnight Rolls


1 Tblsp. yeast
2 Tblsp. warm water
2 C. warm milk
1/2 C. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
6 C. flour
3/4 C. melted butter


Dissolve yeast add milk, sugar, egg, salt and 3C. flour.  Beat in butter and flour.  Do not knead.  Place in greased bowl, cover and place in fridge overnight.  Punch, divide roll into 12 inch circles cut in 12 pie wedges.  Beginning with the wide end, roll up and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Cover with cloth and let rise for at least one hour.  Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes.
Serve warm!

Aussie Bites

These are mini breakfast muffins.  They are sold at Costco foods.  I found this recipe online that claims to be from the source.  I do think they are less dense and  slightly different from the originals.  Nonetheless, they are delicious and perfect for a snack on the go!  I have finals this week and was in need of some easy snacks to keep the body and brain functioning.  I believe I will try a few modifications for the next go round.  Enjoy!

Aussie Bites


2 cups rolled oats
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour ( 1/2 cake flour (3/4c to 1/4 c cornstarch) to 1/2 all purpose)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flaxseeds
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1 cup finely chopped dried fruit (apricots, raisins, dates, figs, cranberries, etc.)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons hot water
3 eggs, beaten
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Melt honey and butter together. Mix baking soda and salt with hot water and add to butter mixture. Stir in vanilla. Combine butter mixture with dry ingredients, add eggs, and mix well.
Use a tablespoon to drop the batter into lined or lightly-greased mini muffin tins. Flatten the tops.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes; finish cooling on wire racks.

Mary, Mary quite contrary

Flowers from my yard!  I love Springtime!  It is a time of new beginnings.  Aren't they breathtaking?  I especially admire the two with orange and yellow incorporated into stripes and designs.
I purchased the home I am living in from an elderly couple who now find themselves in an assisted living home.  Her name is Shirlea and she has a wonderful passion for flowers!  I am anxious to see what is going to make an appearance next!

I do hope I can keep up with everything a resplendent yard such as this demands.

This lovely bouquet adorns my kitchen counter.  The pulchritudinous flowers left on my doorstep (a few posts previous) have fulfilled their purpose and gone the way of all cut flowers.  I am however, recycling the greenery which has a tendency to outlast the more frail flowers.  It makes for a perfect background for the tulips; don't you think?

This single...or rather double...tulip is one of my favorites.  It almost puts a rose to shame!  I love how it has taken what it has and made the most of its exceptional beauty.  I think people are much the same; they can take what they do have and make something extremely lovely!  I appreciate the lovely people in my life.

Sisters are Sweet!

My sister showed up on my doorstep yesterday and presented me with this shawl!  Isn't it gorgeous!  I was with her at the yarn store when she fell in love with this soft yarn.  She told me she would make a shawl for me if I would purchase the yarn!  Who could ask for a better deal than that?!  I am so pleased with how it turned out!  She is quite the knitter!  Not only did she knit one for me, she knitted one for my daughter as well.  I have yet to take a picture of them together but plan on it and will post one as soon as I do.  This picture was taken at my sister's place.  I wore it yesterday and was surprised at how soft and warm it is.

Personality testing!

I am currently taking a Human Development class wherein we are studying life from birth to death.  It has been nothing short of enlightening.  I have enjoyed learning many theories and results of cross-sectional research.  During one lecture, we discussed the differences of personality versus temperament.  Scientists have determined that personality is a product of nature.

My professor challenged us to take a personality test online.  In the past, I have attempted a few such personality tests.  In all I have tried, I have not EVER fit into any one category.  For instance, the color personality test, showed that I was fairly equal in blue, yellow, and white.  The only color I did not score equally in was red; I have very little 'red' in me.

I found a personality test online that revealed so much about me; it was scary!  I have never been 'pegged' so well.  Here is the link to the test.  http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp  They sometimes use this test in middle schools to help a student determine what types of careers they may be best suited for.

I am what is referred to as an INFJ or "counselor".  

Here is what a couple of sites said about my personality and I am astounded....I definitely do not expect you to read through my personality traits; I wanted a safe place to keep them for future reference.  If you feel so inclined, however, click on the link and take the test for yourself to see if this test; that was actually implemented around WWII can 'peg' you as it has me.  Good luck and prepare to be amazed!  One more note, do pay attention to the numbers associated with your letters as that can reveal a fair bit as well.

Counselors have an exceptionally strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others, and find great personal fulfillment interacting with people, nurturing their personal development, guiding them to realize their human potential. Although they are happy working at jobs (such as writing) that require solitude and close attention, Counselors do quite well with individuals or groups of people, provided that the personal interactions are not superficial, and that they find some quiet, private time every now and then to recharge their batteries. Counselors are both kind and positive in their handling of others; they are great listeners and seem naturally interested in helping people with their personal problems. Not usually visible leaders, Counselors prefer to work intensely with those close to them, especially on a one-to-one basis, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes.
Counselors are scarce, little more than three percent of the population, and can be hard to get to know, since they tend not to share their innermost thoughts or their powerful emotional reactions except with their loved ones. They are highly private people, with an unusually rich, complicated inner life. Friends or colleagues who have known them for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that Counselors are flighty or scattered; they value their integrity a great deal, but they have mysterious, intricately woven personalities which sometimes puzzle even them.
Counselors tend to work effectively in organizations. They value staff harmony and make every effort to help an organization run smoothly and pleasantly. They understand and use human systems creatively, and are good at consulting and cooperating with others. As employees or employers, Counselors are concerned with people's feelings and are able to act as a barometer of the feelings within the organization.
Blessed with vivid imaginations, Counselors are often seen as the most poetical of all the types, and in fact they use a lot of poetic imagery in their everyday language. Their great talent for language-both written and spoken-is usually directed toward communicating with people in a personalized way. Counselors are highly intuitive and can recognize another's emotions or intentions - good or evil - even before that person is aware of them. Counselors themselves can seldom tell how they came to read others' feelings so keenly. This extreme sensitivity to others could very well be the basis of the Counselor's remarkable ability to experience a whole array of psychic phenomena.


INFJs are distinguished by both their complexity of character and the unusual range and depth of their talents. Strongly humanitarian in outlook, INFJs tend to be idealists, and because of their J preference for closure and completion, they are generally "doers" as well as dreamers. This rare combination of vision and practicality often results in INFJs taking a disproportionate amount of responsibility in the various causes to which so many of them seem to be drawn.
INFJs are deeply concerned about their relations with individuals as well as the state of humanity at large. They are, in fact, sometimes mistaken for extroverts because they appear so outgoing and are so genuinely interested in people -- a product of the Feeling function they most readily show to the world. On the contrary, INFJs are true introverts, who can only be emotionally intimate and fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or obvious "soul mates." While instinctively courting the personal and organizational demands continually made upon them by others, at intervals INFJs will suddenly withdraw into themselves, sometimes shutting out even their intimates. This apparent paradox is a necessary escape valve for them, providing both time to rebuild their depleted resources and a filter to prevent the emotional overload to which they are so susceptible as inherent "givers." As a pattern of behavior, it is perhaps the most confusing aspect of the enigmatic INFJ character to outsiders, and hence the most often misunderstood -- particularly by those who have little experience with this rare type.
Due in part to the unique perspective produced by this alternation between detachment and involvement in the lives of the people around them, INFJs may well have the clearest insights of all the types into the motivations of others, for good and for evil. The most important contributing factor to this uncanny gift, however, are the empathic abilities often found in Fs, which seem to be especially heightened in the INFJ type (possibly by the dominance of the introverted N function).
This empathy can serve as a classic example of the two-edged nature of certain INFJ talents, as it can be strong enough to cause discomfort or pain in negative or stressful situations. More explicit inner conflicts are also not uncommon in INFJs; it is possible to speculate that the causes for some of these may lie in the specific combinations of preferences which define this complex type. For instance, there can sometimes be a "tug-of-war" between NF vision and idealism and the J practicality that urges compromise for the sake of achieving the highest priority goals. And the I and J combination, while perhaps enhancing self-awareness, may make it difficult for INFJs to articulate their deepest and most convoluted feelings.
Usually self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have strong writing skills. Since in addition they often possess a strong personal charisma, INFJs are generally well-suited to the "inspirational" professions such as teaching (especially in higher education) and religious leadership. Psychology and counseling are other obvious choices, but overall, INFJs can be exceptionally difficult to pigeonhole by their career paths. Perhaps the best example of this occurs in the technical fields. Many INFJs perceive themselves at a disadvantage when dealing with the mystique and formality of "hard logic", and in academic terms this may cause a tendency to gravitate towards the liberal arts rather than the sciences. However, the significant minority of INFJs who do pursue studies and careers in the latter areas tend to be as successful as their T counterparts, as it is *iNtuition* -- the dominant function for the INFJ type -- which governs the ability to understand abstract theory and implement it creatively.
In their own way, INFJs are just as much "systems builders" as are INTJs; the difference lies in that most INFJ "systems" are founded on human beings and human values, rather than information and technology. Their systems may for these reasons be conceptually "blurrier" than analogous NT ones, harder to measure in strict numerical terms, and easier to take for granted -- yet it is these same underlying reasons which make the resulting contributions to society so vital and profound.

Homemade Laundry Soap

My Mother discovered the recipe for this homemade laundry soap.  I am excited to begin using it to see if it holds up to the claim of being capable of getting out tough grass and oil stains.  I love the idea of making this and having jars of it on hand.  It is supposed to have a longer shelf life than regular detergent.  The cost is the best part!  It costs less than five dollars per batch which yields 12 quart jars.  When you are ready to use it, you pour it in your laundry soap container, add two quart jars of water, and shake it up.  It can be used in high efficiency machines as well!

Coarsely grate two bars of Fels-Naptha soap into a 12 quart plastic dishpan, and then add 4 quarts of boiling water.  Stir until soap is dissolved.

Add 5 quarts hot water and stir in 2 cups of Borax and 2 cups of Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda.

Once dissolved, add hot water to the dishpan up to a few inches from the top, stir and let sit overnight or 48 hours.

After the mixture has gelled, chop it into pieces with metal spoon; fill a mixing bowl with pieces of it and mix with a hand mixer until it reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes.  Repeat with remaining gel.

Disperse the blended mixture evenly among 12 quart canning jars.  Top off the jars with a little water, cover, shake and store.  This is the concentrated form of the soap.

To use it, mix one quart with two quarts of water and shake well.  Measure it with the same cup on your regular detergent and use slightly less for HE machines.

Stopped me in my tracks

I discovered these on my front porch shortly following the purchase of my 'new' home.  I had no idea flowers could mean so much.  Previously, I have considered it a bit of a waste of money to purchase flowers when there are so many other tangible ways the money could be spent;  I have changed my opinion on the matter.  This astounding bouquet has served its purpose well.  Every single time I have entered my kitchen, it has been there to greet me with unequaled beauty and fragrance divine!
These flowers have created such a nice distraction as the moving process has become rather messy and unorganized.