Happy 4th of July!

In honour of the Fourth of July I thought I would share some of my
favourite american blogs and links with very useful resources.

Freebie of the Day - check this one daily

Ambleside Online - free online curriculum

Homeschool Helper

Lapbook Resources

Giggles, Grins and Grades - new blog I found and visit

How a spam email helped me!

Blessings come in disguise most of the times-right? We only need to listen to our inner voice even to open an unsolicited email.

I do that at times driven by just an impulse. The last time I did that, I was glad for my action.

The email started like this: “If you want to go for a vacation in Ireland and are heading for Dublin, then you should seriously consider staying at Louis Fitzgerald Hotel as it is one of the fines hotels in Dublin”…

My first natural impulse was to delete the email and I did that exactly but not before I clicked on the link to Easy to Book, an online hotel reservation site that offers excellent facility to search and reserve hotel accommodation in several countries.

While I was aimlessly browsing the hotel reservation site, I remembered my promise to look for a few options of London hotels to my landlord who is flying to the U.K. next week.

I quickly selected a few hotels in the heart of London city, took a print out and gave it to him. He thanked me profusely for my prompt help but I blew his gratitude in the direction of that spam email that deserved my landlord’s gratefulness.

Bagels

I added all the ingredients in the bread machine in order it was given and put it on the dough cycle. After the dough cycle I put the dough on a lightly floured counter and started my water. I then made 9 balls--->
Then I poked a whole in the center of the dough balls and twirled it around my finger to make the whole big-->
(My daughter helped me twirl)
Let them rest for 10 minutes---> Boiling water should be ready too

Then I place a couple bagels at a time in the boiling water--for 30 seconds on each side--->
They all get placed on a clean dish towel out of there water bath---->
*Note--don't use paper towel--it sticks bad.
Then the bagels are placed on a cookie sheet that has corn meal sprinkled over it--->
Baked for 20 minutes or so---I don't let them get too dark, because we toast them in the toaster when we want one----and I don't want them too dark---->
Here is the recipe I used:


Bread Machine Bagels
Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 3 Hours 25 Minutes
Ready In: 3 Hours 55 Minutes

Yields: 9 servings

"The bread machine does the heavy work, but you still boil and bake these bagels. Top them with poppy seeds, garlic or whatever pleases you."

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 quarts boiling water
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Place water, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough setting.
2.
When cycle is complete, let dough rest on a lightly floured surface. Meanwhile, in a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar.
3.
Cut dough into 9 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a small ball. Flatten balls. Poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. Twirl the dough on your finger or thumb to enlarge the hole, and to even out the dough around the hole. Cover bagels with a clean cloth, and let rest for 10 minutes.
4.
Sprinkle an ungreased baking sheet with cornmeal. Carefully transfer bagels to boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, turning half way through. Drain briefly on clean towel. Arrange boiled bagels on baking sheet. Glaze tops with egg white, and sprinkle with your choice of toppings.
5.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until well browned.
This recipe appears in the Allrecipes "Tried & True Favorites" cookbook.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2007 Allrecipes.com