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Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Day 2 Sourdough Starter and Amazing Sourdough Rosemary Crackers

I'm in absolute LOVE with my Sourdough starter.  

I can't wait to share all of the amazing things I have made in just the first week.  And I must admit I am surprised how easy it has been caring for the starter.  I have already adjusted the amount of flour and water at each feeding to make sure I have enough "waste" to make more delicious recipes.  The key is equal parts of the sourdough starter, flour and water.  And to make sure you are feeding it once or twice a day if out of the fridge.


In week one I have successfully made

Day 2 - three varieties of Sourdough crackers

Day 3- Sourdough garlic, rosemary, basil moz flat bread
Day 4 - Sourdough waffles
Day 5 - Sourdough Egg Noodles
Day 6  - Sourdough Bread - as I finally had ripe sourdough starter to use
Day 7 - Sourdough Soft Pretzels

Okay here we go - the recipe I used to create some mouth watering, out of this world Sourdough crackers.

1 cup Unbleached wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup sourdough starter (unfed/waste)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp
2 tablespoons of dried rosemary
Olive oil for brushing
Maldon Sea Salt for sprinkling on top

  1. Mix together the flour, salt, sourdough starter, butter, and rosemary to make a smooth(not sticky), dough.
  1. Divide the dough and shape each piece into a small rectangular slab. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a couple of hours, until the dough is firm.


  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Very lightly flour a piece of parchment, your rolling pin, and the top of the dough.
  3. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough to about 1/16" thick (I roll it as thin as i can get it without tearing). 
  4. Transfer the dough and parchment together onto a baking sheet. Lightly brush with olive oil and then sprinkle the Maldon salt over the top of the crackers.
  1. Cut the dough into bite size squares; a pizza cutter works great.
  2. Poke each square with the tines of a fork.
  3. Bake the crackers for 20 to 25 minutes, until the squares are starting to brown around the edges. Midway through, reverse the baking sheets: both top to bottom, and front to back; this will help the crackers brown evenly.
  4. When fully browned, remove the crackers from the oven, and transfer them to a cooling rack. Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage.  


I must admit the cracker were gone in a matter of a few minutes so we didn't have to worry about it.

Thank you King Arthur Flour for the great recipe for Sourdough Crackers which I used.

This recipe serves as a great base for creating other flavors and types of crackers.  I have also added fresh garlic and black pepper to make a highly seasoned sourdough cracker.  And my favorite was using King Arthur Vermont Cheese Powder and Garlic powder - I will never eat another store bought cheese cracker again!

I can't wait to share more sourdough recipes in upcoming posts.

Monday, January 7, 2019

Day 1 - King Arthur Flour Fresh Sourdough Starter - FEED ME

My Sourdough adventure begins.

I am excited, nervous and anxious to see how this new baking journey is going to go!

King Arthur Flour and I have a long delicious history together.  And when I saw a great sale on their website, I decided it was time to embark on my sourdough journey.

My one ounce Fresh Sourdough Starter arrived today and a simple booklet with Sourdough tips and recipes.  And the message, "Feed Me".  In order to keep the starter alive and healthy it is recommended you feed it within 24 hours. 

So after I put my boys to bed I followed the instructions carefully.

It was time to feed my starter for the first time.  **it is recommended to weigh out all the ingredients for accuracy**

I weighed 2 ounces of lukewarm water and added it in the container of fresh sourdough starter.  Let me tell you, the sour and acidic aroma made my mouth water in anticipation of recipes to come. 

I gently stirred the water around to loosen up the starter.  And then the starter and liquid were added into a bowl with 8 ounces of lukewarm water and 8.5 ounces of Unbleached All-purpose flour.  A quick stir to incorporate all the ingredients and now it was time to cover the bowl loosely in a cool room and wait 8 to 12 hours for the next step.  I am hopeful as I already saw some small bubbles.


To be continued....

**I purchased the sourdough starter and this series of posts is not sponsored by King Arthur Flour**

Sunday, January 6, 2019

'Twas the Night Before Christmas Break was over

'Twas the Night Before Christmas Break was over.......

And this Mom decided to finally go through her children's backpacks! (YES...Epic Fail!)

Of course our youngest son had an optional extra credit assignment that was due Monday morning!  Which left him 3 hours to complete before much needed bedtime would arrive.

Did I mention that "this" son is a go getter and an over achiever?  Sooooo, there was no question the extra credit HAD to be done!!

Well, his teacher was gracious to give many extra credit options that all pertained to the class novel study of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.  "Easy" options like making a map, a missing persons poster or a critique of the book they had already read.

Any guesses on which extra credit my son "HAD" to do?

A DIORAMA!!!

Good Lord Help Me!!!

So, what does this Momma do?  Yes, first I googled trying to get some easy inspiration on Hatchet dioramas.  But, if anyone who has ever helped with a diorama knows, there is no such thing!

On to the next plan. I talked to my son to see what he envisioned.  Oh, the ideas just flowed....a plane crash, animal attacks, a tornado and more.  What to do?  What to do? 

Before my son set his idea in stone, this Momma ransacked the bottom of two toy boxes looking for anything that would become "stars" in the diorama.  I found many cast members that were not a fit.  But there it was the holy grail....a bear, an action figure, a broken helicopter and some fake foliage.  SUCCESS!!

Next we found an old shoe box (as a parent you know never throw a shoe box away - even if it means storing them for almost a year), construction paper, Elmer's glue, craft sticks and wood glue.  My son was soo excited and started creating his vision.

By now I was getting into the diorama myself so I went out with a pair of scissors and trimmed small pine branches off our shrub in the back yard and collected a small branch.  Let me tell you these additions fit in perfectly...BUT

Trying to make pine branches stand up in a shoe box to look like a "real" forest without poking holes in the bottom of the box...hum. Gorilla glue? Nope didn't work.  Wood glue? No.  Elmer's glue? Took too long to set up.  Old Fashioned Super Glue?  With much persistence, patience dwindling and canned air (Don't ask) it worked!

The Diorama is complete and my son is sooo proud and that is all the matters.



Now just to get it to school in the morning in one piece as the weather forecast is for winds gusting to 50 mph! 




Saturday, January 5, 2019

Back to Blogging. Welcome 2019

It's been a long time and I have missed all of you!

Life is always changing and if full of its rewards and challenges.

So the big question is.....what am I going to focus on via Fishful Thinking in 2019?


Product Reviews?  Giveaways?  Recipes?  Life Lessons?  Blogging Tricks and Tips? Technology? Or something else?

I would love to see what you are interested in or maybe a mix of everything...A melting pot.

So....To Be Continued.....





Let's make the best of it, no matter the circumstances.


Thursday, July 20, 2017

Back to School Savings Made Easy

The below content is sponsored. 

Who is with me?  Back to school shopping has to be one of the most horrific events EVER!  The lines, all the choices, not finding the exact item your child wants and the list goes on and on.  And I almost forgot to mention the embarrassing temper tantrums.

Two years ago I decided to take charge of this dreaded time of year and haven't looked back.  Actually I have continued to look forward and find ways to stream line the whole online shopping process and in turn save my sanity and a lot of money too.

Who is interested in learning a big secret to my back to school shopping savings success? One of my biggest secrets is using Groupon.

If you are not familiar with this Free Online Service ... Groupon offers a one stop location for free coupons and discount codes that you can use on different online shopping sites as well as restaurants, hotels and more.

My current favorite on Groupon is Walmart. They offer 80+ coupons and you can even sign up for alerts so you don't miss any great savings.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

NOVICA Fair Trade Artisans make for unique gifts

Disclaimer: NOVICA provided me with a gift card to purchase a product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product and giveaway.

I love NOVICA and want to show you the amazing products I received from a great promotion I participated in back in November.  There were so many beautiful choices but I went with my favorite artist from a few years ago.  His name is Victor Hugo Lopez.  Before I reveal what I received...check out the beautiful gift wrapped packages!


 This is actually how my order arrived.  I am in love. 
 And even a personally signed card from this gifted artist.  Victor Hugo Lopez's biography which is found right on the NOVICA site is very touching.  Here is an excerpt  :  "I really enjoy my work and, over the years, it has let me take my designs far beyond the borders of Guatemala. I am so proud of the resources we have here. 

"I'm grateful to Novica for the opportunity to have a window to the world through the web page. I'm also grateful to you, the shoppers, for making your homes a cultural showcase for artisans like me, who live and dream of our work."

 I selected the Forest Kitchen Ceder Spatula set and a beautiful sugar bowl and spoon that matched a bowl I received hand crafted by Victor Hugo Lopez years ago.  


And let me tell you this artist continues to take pride in each piece of work he crafts.  Thank you NOVICA for allowing artists to blossom!


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/novica/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NOVICA/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/novica/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+novica/posts 

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Holiday Treat from The Lovely Candy Company Co.

Disclosure statement: I will be receiving free products from The Lovely Candy Company/US Family Guide for sharing the following information

The Holidays always make me think about all the special treats to enjoy with loved ones.  And sometimes it is wonderful to find that one candy company which creates such lovely products and in turn become a family tradition.

I just stumbled across The Lovely Candy Company today and I can't wait to try some of their treats.

The Lovely Candy Company makes premium, consciously crafted candies for consumers looking for indulgent treats which offer the best ingredients available. Lovely candies are all natural, certified gluten free, tested non-GMO, certified kosher and contain no high fructose corn syrup or artificial ingredients.


They have Chewy Caramels, Fudgee Rolls, Fruit Chews with real fruit pieces, and Gluten-Free Licorice. A great treat for you and a fantastic treat for the whole family. Live Life Lovely! Get your Lovely Candy for the Holidays TODAY.

I can't wait to try them!!!  

Friday, November 13, 2015

$25 Gift Card Giveaway from NOVICA / National Geographic Fair Trade Gifts Ends 11/24

Disclaimer: NOVICA provided me with a gift card to purchase a product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product and giveaway.




Let NOVICA help you Spread Happiness this holiday season and beyond.  As NOVICA's mantra is "Spread Happiness".  And they are able to do that by creating opportunities for artisans around the world by building a completely new system to connect them to the customers seeking their beautiful creations. I love seeing and experiencing Fair Trade in action! 

And oh my, the unique and beautiful creations that are available on NOVICA's website.  Look at some of the amazing gifts I personally found on NOVICA.
This hand carved sculpture Nativity Scene would be a perfect addition to your Christmas celebrations.  

And here is another one of my favorites!
Oh, Gift for her ... or should I wish gifts for me.  Created by one of my favorite artists Victor Hugo Lopez, a dip painted, hand carved wooden mortar.

The NOVICA system is built around a basic concept: Create an efficient market by reducing the multiple layers of middlemen. By doing so, the NOVICA system allows for artisans to make more and customers to pay less.

So with that happy thought....

Who wants to win a $25 Gift Card to NOVICA?

Just simply reply to this post in the comments section the item you would purchase if you win!  I can't wait to see what you would pick! Giveaway ends on 11-24-15.

Don't worry if you are not the lucky winner you can use the code "Save7Novica" to save $7 off your 1st purchase.  

NOVICA is making a huge presence all over social media!


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/novica/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NOVICA/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/novica/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+novica/posts 


Congrats Winner - Madeline B  "I'd choose the blue lotus blouse—so pretty!"

Think outside the Holiday Box with ClubsGalore

Disclosure statement: I will be receiving free products from ClubsGalore/US Family Guide for sharing the following information.




The holiday season is upon us and I love being able to get fun and unique gifts to family and friends.  And how about thinking outside the gift box this year.  Why not try something fun and new that will keep on giving throughout the year. Have you ever heard of ClubsGalore?  I just have the opportunity to look over their amazing website and all I can say is Wow!  So many different choices.


Gourmet Snacks!

And look at this!!
Dessert of the Month!  I am in heaven!!!

ClubsGalore Gift of the Month Clubs are the perfect way to celebrate any occasion for more than just one day. Whether it's a birthday, anniversary, thank you, retirement, or other special event, the multi-touch programs allow you to show that special someone you care - again and again.

$10 OFF - Ten Dollars off any gift with code: Gift10 at ClubsGalore.com - Gift of the Month Clubs PERFECTED.

What gift would you like to receive?  

Monday, October 26, 2015

Love Cooking Company Pans in time for Holiday Baking

Disclosure statement: I will be receiving free products from Love Cooking Company/US Family Guide for sharing the following information.

Love Cooking Company has set out with a mission to make baking a simple task. Partnered with some great names in the baking and entertainment industries, Love has crafted bakeware that helps you easily achieve the best-looking baked goods on the table, from filled cakes to bite-size desserts and more.




The PushPan is a 100% watertight and leak-proof cake pan with a patented silicone-lined removable base making it perfect for cheesecakes, pies and more! An alternative to a spring-form pan, you simply place the pan on something sturdy, press the sides down, and voila - the perfect cake! The PushPan also comes with a 25 year warranty

The Mrs. Fields Cutie Cakes pan creates 48 bite-size cakes when you need a small amount of something sweet. It's ideal for savory options, like mini corn dogs or potato pancakes. After you create your tiny treats, just pop the pan in the dishwasher.

The Mrs. Fields Fill N Flip is the easiest way to make a layered cake and create a surprise center that everyone will love. Once you bake your cake, add filling to the side with the large opening, place the non-filled layer on top, and enjoy! Plus, the pan is dishwasher-safe, making clean-up a breeze.




My Readers receive 10% off your entire order - Love Cooking is inviting you to take 10% off your entire order on lovecookingcompany.com with the promo code LOVE10. 

For a limited time only.

For details on this and other special offers go to http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=12246&dealid=2092 .@usfg


Stay Connected with Love

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LoveCookingCompany
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lovecookingco
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lovecookingco
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/lovecookingco