It's Crocker. Betty Crocker.

It's my birthday this week and I've got some really cool gifts! DD got me this jalapeno pepper spoon rest; does it get any cooler than that?! It looks so good in my kitchen you'd almost think I picked it out myself! Well, ok, I did drop a hint or two. Ok, I told her that I saw it and I loved it and it's at Home Outfitters so please buy it for me.

Then DH got me the breadmaker I've been wanting. That's because I swear I'm not like everybody else with a breadmaker who never uses it anymore. I'll be different; I know I will! Just like the sandwich maker. And the waffle maker. Oh wait, I haven't used them in a very long time, have I?

But I did test drive the bread machine already. First I made a recipe from the book that came with it. It's a garlic and herb loaf with sunflower seeds. So there I was counting out the cups of flour; one cup, two cups, what's that Honey? Really? Two cups, three cups, ...

Next thing you know the dough hooks aren't turning anymore and the machine is making some pretty nasty noises. Maybe that's how it's supposed to sound? I don't know, it's the first time I've used one. But no, turns out I've added an extra cup of flour and the machine had ground to a stop because the dough is too thick to knead. It was the smell of burning electrics that finally convinced me I'd done something wrong.

Now most people would have tossed the batch in the garbage at this point. But not me. Being the cheap bastard that I am there was no way I was going to give up that easily! So I took out the dough and added some water and kneaded by hand. I pulled out an old cookbook and followed the instuctions for a similar recipe using the oven and three hours later I had two big loaves of garlic and herb bread with sunflower seeds! I know, I can't believe it myself!

And then to make sure I hadn't done any permanent damage to the bread machine I made up a batch of another recipe, just a plain white bread. It's on the right in the pic, and I don't think I've ever tasted bread this good. Then I made homemade pasta with matriciana sauce to go with it for dinner. I even wore my cool apron with the flames on it.

And DH also got me a whole new screwdriver set and a seasonal trail permit for my snowmobile. Now how many girls can say that?! I love birthdays!