Cast-Iron Skillet Calzone

The kids headed to school this week! Matthew is officially a 3rd grader and as enthusiastic about school as ever. Emma was filled with a bit of worry and anxiousness as her first day of Kindergarten approached. Understandably since this was to be her first day of school EVER. Just as when I sent Matthew to preschool, I was a little sad thinking that Emma was no longer going to be with me all day, every day. But at the same time, I know she is ready to spread her wings, make some friends, and learn from someone other than me. She came home after that first day with a big smile on her face and full of excitement to head back the next day. In fact, she hasn't even given us any trouble about waking up early in the morning. Normally, Emma is a pain to kick out of bed but since school began she gets up with a smile and immediately puts on her school uniform and comes downstairs for breakfast.

And speaking of her school uniform, Emma looks so adorable wearing her little plaid jumper and carrying her gigantic teal backpack. I do miss her during the day but the one who really misses her is Lucy. Lucy balled her eyes out as Matthew and Emma drove away. In fact, she has cried pretty much every morning since as well because she so desperately wants to go to school with them. I have gently tried explaining that she is not old enough for school yet and she just looks up at me with tear-filled eyes and says: "But Mommy I AM big enough! I am potty trained now!"

Especially now that school has started, our schedules are about to get busier than ever making mealtime a challenge. One of the most popular requests in this house is for homemade pizza. Pizza made from scratch start to finish can be a real pain to pull off on a weeknight. But you know what's an even bigger pain? Calzones!

Who has time to make dough and then intricately craft individual calzones for each member of the family? Certainly not me, especially on days when Matthew has homework. That kid needs all the encouragement he can get when it comes to homework. So much encouragement, that after he goes to bed, I am in dire need of a large glass of wine.

But back to weeknight calzones. Leave it to the brilliance of America's Test Kitchen to come up with a way to make one giant calzone in a cast iron skillet that can serve a large crowd. I actually stumbled across this recipe in my instagram feed and immediately copied it down to make in the coming week. My feast day was coming up and that traditionally means that I get to choose the dinner. I like pizza just as much as your typical kiddo and knew that it was a recipe the whole family would probably not have any qualms consuming. I used the pizza dough recipe from my favorite cookbook The New Best Recipe, but if you are in a time crunch and don't have 90 minutes to dedicate to waiting for your dough to rise, I'm including a recipe for a foolproof, quick pizza dough that is pretty amazing as well.

Even though the recipe explicitly states to allow the calzone to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing, we were impatient and starving so we dished it up as soon as it came out of the oven. The result was a bit of a sloppy mess that was extremely difficult to cut and serve. It still tasted incredibly delicious but if you are looking for perfect, neat slices, please do not follow our poor example but rather actually heed the recipe instructions and wait (albeit impatiently) for it to cool! My pictures might have been prettier had I done so!

This was absolutely delicious. And of course it is - you didn't need me to tell you that. It has all the tasty stuff in it! Sausage? Good! Pepperoni? Good! Mozzarella? Gooooood!

Cast-Iron Skillet Calzone
adapted slightly from America's Test Kitchen

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound hot Italian Sausage, casings removed
4 ounces pepperoni, quartered
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds pizza dough (see recipe below for a quick version)
8 ounces (1 cup) whole milk cottage cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon pepper
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (4 cups)
1 cup marinara sauce
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat to 450 degrees. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add sausages and pepperoni and cook, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant. Transfer meat mixture to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.

Place dough on lightly floured counter and divide into one 22-ounce piece and another 10-ounce piece (roughly two thirds and one third). Press and roll larger piece of dough into a 16-inch round. Transfer to now-empty skillet, letting excess dough hang over the edge. Set aside.
Combine the meat mixture with the cottage cheese, basil, and pepper. Sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella over the surface of the dough in the cast-iron skillet. Dollop the mixture over the top of the cheese in an even layer. Spread the marinara sauce over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella.

Brush the overhanging dough of bottom crust with the egg wash. Press and roll remaining dough into a 14-inch circle, then loosely roll dough around a rolling pin and gently unroll it over the filling. Trim overhanging dough to ½ inch beyond edge of skillet. Pinch edges of top and bottom crusts firmly together. Roll overhang to be flush with the edge of skillet, then crimp with tines of a fork.
Brush the top of the calzone with the remaining egg wash. Cut eight 1-inch vents in the top of the dough in a circular pattern. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating the skillet halfway through baking.

When finished baking, let the calzone sit to cool for 30 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.

Quick and Easy Pizza Dough

Note: For use in the recipe above, double this recipe. It'll make a little more than 2 pounds of pizza dough.

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups flour (see note)

In a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the water, honey, oil, yeast and salt. Add the flour gradually until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The exact flour amount will vary depending on where you live, so go by the touch and feel of the dough versus the exact cup measurements in the recipe. The dough should be soft and smooth.

Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes in the stand mixer using the dough hook. If kneading by hand, this will take at least twice as long.

Let the dough rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Then, shape the dough into pizzas or use in the calzone recipe above!

Grandparents

While the rest of us have been home enjoying our potty training fun and eating cookies, Matthew and Emma haven't exactly been suffering in Montana. Swimming, boating, fishing, tea parties, plane rides, and lots of playtime with cousins are just some of the highlights of the fun they have been enjoying with the Montana Nistlers. They're not going to want to return home after all their adventures - I certainly wouldn't if I were them!

I feel incredibly blessed and thankful that my children have two sets of wonderful grandparents who strive to give them so much personal time and attention. While growing up, I never had that type of relationship with my own grandparents and it was something I always longed for. I had plenty of friends who would speak excitedly about heading to Grandma's house for Christmas or for a week over the summertime but that was never really a possibility for me nor would I have been entirely comfortable visiting on my own even if it were because my grandparents were largely strangers to me. I certainly admired them and looked forward to seeing them, but other than the initial hugs at the beginning of a visit, us kids just did our own thing while the adults sat in a circle and discussed adult things. Occasionally, one of us would be called over by one one of our grandparents - our Grandpas mainly - where we would be held in a tight "half hug" against our will, half-listening awkwardly to the adult conversation, while glancing over longingly at the other siblings playing freely outside and wishing to be set free. As soon as that arm released even a bit, we could run free back to play!

This is the complete opposite of how my children feel towards their grandparents - they have no qualms with spending an inordinate amount of time with them. They barely miss us! And I love that they feel so secure in their relationship that "Grandma's House" whether it be the one located in Montana or Indiana is a second home to them!

I have been reflecting a bit on my relationship with my grandparents since my Grandma Korson passed away in July. Daniel and I had been scheduled to fly out to visit her for her 92nd birthday party and I had been very much looking forward to it. In the heat wave that hit Riverside, causing the temperatures to skyrocket to above 113 degrees Fahrenheit, Grandma suffered a massive heat stroke, entered a coma, and died over a week later. Daniel and I missed seeing her by a matter of days.

Growing up, I actually feared my Grandmother a bit. She was never unkind to me but I always felt intimidated in her presence. As I have grownup and started my own family, I have come to appreciate her for the remarkable, resilient, intelligent woman  that she was. She raised a very large family and lived through a lot of difficult experiences and still maintained her sharp mind, memory, and dry sense of humor until the very end. During my last phone conversation with her, I expressed how I had a particularly frustrating day with the children and she not only commiserated with me ("Oh how I remember those days!") but also encouraged me to continue doing the very best I can, ending with "And I know you are!" Her last words to me were, "You have a beautiful family and I'm very proud of you. I love you."

Now she is gone - the very last of my grandparents to pass on. The loss of her has hit me much harder than the others because I felt as if I was just starting to become closer to understanding her, to appreciating her, to experiencing a level of comfort with her that I had always desired as a child. I have experienced massive regret that I did not try harder to bond with her sooner through more frequent phone calls or visits because I will never have that chance again. Now I can only pray for her, remember her, and look forward to seeing her again someday in heaven.

I am incredibly grateful that my children will never experience these feelings of regret when it comes to their relationship with their own grandparents. They have an intimacy and level of comfort that will carry through the remaining years they share with them and I hope and pray that they appreciate both sets of grandparents for the wonderful, saintly people that they are! Time is short...but my children have already made memories with their grandparents that will last a lifetime!

S'Mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

While Emma and Matthew are in Montana with their grandparents, I had the pleasure of spending the entire week focusing on Lucy and Daniel. With Matthew and Emma not around to fill the silence with their endless chatter, things have been much more quiet and a bit more peaceful. Lucy does seem to miss her older siblings but simultaneously is enjoying getting all the attention to herself. As I mentioned earlier, the main focus of the week has been potty training and, overall, things are going really well! Lucy has taken full advantage of the fact her parents are so desperate to get her out of diapers that they are fully open to any bribery necessary to make it happen. As a result, Lucy has been showered with all the sugar, sweets, and ice cream she wants each and every time she successfully uses the bathroom. In fact, whenever she has to go, she normally stands in the middle of the room, in her underwear, and declares loudly: "I need to go pee on the potty right now. And after I pee....I am going to get an ice cream cone." And, of course, since we are beyond desperate to only have one kid in diapers, Paul and I have to acquiesce to her requests.

In addition to dishing out endless amounts of sugar, we also took both Lucy and Daniel to the movie theater to watch Christopher Robin. It was so much fun taking Lucy - she is still mostly unspoiled and so fun to treat! She got a kick out of having the entire movie theater basically to ourselves. We went to one of those nicer theaters that are super clean and have large, reclining seats which made the whole experience very enjoyable because we could cuddle comfortably with the kiddos during the entire film. We made sure to also get Lucy a very large popcorn and an even larger cup full of root beer, the latter of which made us very nervous that a certain type of accident might occur. Thankfully, it didn't and we all enjoyed the movie - it was such a great, family-friendly film with a wonderful message. Go see it with your little ones!

Lucy and I also made cookies together to get ready for the school year. I find it very useful to make a huge batch of cookies that I can freeze and use for school lunches - or work lunches for Paul -  over the coming weeks. It also gives me an opportunity to eat a ridiculous amount of cookie dough while I test out a never-before-tried recipe. Lucy, like her sister Emma, also relishes any opportunity to eat butter by the spoonful. During the execution of this particular cookie recipe, I'm certain Lucy ate her weight in the raw dough since I entrusted her with scooping the cookie dough at one point as I straightened up the kitchen. Ten minutes later, the kitchen was sparkling and Lucy had yet to scoop a single mound of cookie dough onto the baking sheet. However, she was licking her chops and telling me how "Deeeeelicious!" it tasted. After that, I fired her.

But Lucy's right! The raw cookie dough for these S'mores Chocolate Chip Cookies was delicious but the BAKED version is even better. Chewy, thick, full of chocolate and marshmallow bits, and boasting a delectable graham cracker flavor...these are the cookies of which dreams are made. Dorky, but true. This recipe is going into my regular cookie rotation!

S'Mores Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Note: I found the marshmallow bits at Target for a little over a dollar. Check the Target website for local availability as well as for information about where in the actual store it is located. Otherwise, they can also be ordered from Amazon. Regular marshmallows will NOT work. Thankfully, this recipe is worth the hunt! Also, as always, at altitudes above 5500 feet, cut the baking soda in half for higher-rising cookies!

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup (7.5 ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar
1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (8.75 ounces) all-purpose flour (see note)
1 cup (4.5 ounces) graham cracker crumbs (about 9 rectangle crackers crushed)
2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup (1.75 ounces) miniature marshmallow bits

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Using an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, add the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix together until very light and creamy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until evenly combined.

Add the flour and graham cracker crumbs and mix until just barely combined.

Add the chocolate chips or chunks and marshmallow bits and mix until incorporated.

Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 2-inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until just golden on the edges and a little crackly on top. Let the cookies sit for a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Avocado Chicken Salad

Emma and I played the most hilariously brilliant prank on Paul the other day. As you might know, Paul is deathly afraid of snakes and spiders. While he has made great strides in his arachnophobia, even killing one now and then without hyperventilating, his fear of snakes is as strong as ever. He can't even watch them at the zoo without shivering in terror and wishing he had a large machete or M-16 to use in self defense. So, when we moved out west, the only thing that made Paul doubt the decision was the fact that our area is known for its rattlesnake population. They are sighted all the time on trails, in backyards, or in the many open spaces. While Paul has been very fortunate to not spot one, I have seen multiple while out and about with the kids. As long as you keep your eyes open and don't try to poke, prod, or bother them, you shouldn't really fear them.

One day, while walking with my daughters and my sister, we came across some very large snake skins that had been shed by some rattlers in the park near our home. One was nicely intact and nearly five feet long. I carefully picked it up and took it home to show to Matthew, who is quite the budding naturalist and would find that snake skin fascinating!

At dinner that night, I mentioned to Paul that I had found a snake skin to show Matthew and he was immediately grossed out. He told me he didn't want to see it, touch it, or have it anywhere near the interior of the house. It was just too creepy. That's when a brilliant idea suddenly came to the devious little mind of Emma. After dinner, she pulled me aside and whispered, "Mom! We should hide the snake skin in the drawer of Daddy's desk!"

Seeing the brilliance of this plan, I agreed. We carefully placed the skin in the top drawer of Paul's desk - the one containing his pens, pencils, rulers, and calculator. It's a drawer that he is almost guaranteed to open if he sits to do any work at his desk. Then, all we had to do was wait.

Well, we waited quite a while. Paul didn't seem to have much work to do because nearly two days went by and nothing happened. I had just about forgotten about the prank when one night, shortly after we had put all the kids to bed, I suddenly heard a cry of terror followed shortly by: "You JERK!"

Out of the office came Paul, beet red and recovering from the shock of discovering the snake skin. I had a pretty good laugh about that. He was so nervous about the skin that he wouldn't even touch it to remove it from his desk. I told him it was Emma's idea and he immediately went upstairs to chastise her (in a joking manner) but she was already asleep. She had to wait until morning to gleefully relish the fruits of her evil plan. She's a funny kiddo.

Speaking of Emma, her and Matthew are currently off in Montana spending some quality time with the Nistler side of the family while I'm back in Colorado caring for the baby and watching Lucy prance around sans pants most of the day. It's potty training time and so far Lucy is actually doing remarkably well. This is probably my least favorite part about parenting, but it needed to be done because Lucy's diaper-wearing is starting to get embarrassing and a bit pricey. When your toddler's butt is getting too large for the biggest diapers out there, it's probably time to bite the bullet and force the potty training. So, I'm here typing this out while watching Lucy ride around the kitchen on her scooter wearing only a Wonder Woman cape and a pair of undies sporting a smiling panda bear face on the back.

Here's a great recipe for warm summer days that is super easy, super tasty, and very filling! This salad is a protein powerhouse - chicken, bacon, eggs, and avocado combine with corn, green onions, and a tangy lemon dressing to create a meal that is light yet will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours. I found the recipe on the blog Natasha's Kitchen and it is one of her most popular for a reason. I could eat this every day. I like to throw in extra avocado because you can never have too much and serve this alongside toasted bread. Delicious!

Avocado Chicken Salad
adapted slightly from Natasha's Kitchen

For the Salad:
2 large cooked chicken breasts shredded or chopped
2 large avocados
1 cup corn from 1 cooked cob
6 oz bacon cooked and chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp Dill chopped, or to taste (optional - I've never thrown it in)

For the Lemon Dressing:
3 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper

Dice or shred the 2 large cooked chicken breasts and place into a large mixing bowl.

Peel and pit 2 large avocados, slice into bite-sized pieces and add to the mixing bowl.

Add 1 cup of cooked corn (freshly cooked corn is best), the hard boiled eggs, the green onion, chopped bacon, and the fresh dill (if using).

Add dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until slightly thick and emulsified. Drizzle over your salad and toss to combine. Serve with freshly toasted bread.

Ten Years

How has it been 10 years since Paul and I became husband and wife? Ten years since we started on this crazy, wild adventure of adulthood, parenthood, and life all at once? We were so young...barely out of college and with so much hope for the future. We had no idea what life was going to throw at us or where we would be when a decade passed us by, but here we are and things are even better than we could have imagined. We have four beautiful children that drive us crazy but also make our lives so incredibly rich and meaningful. We live in a simple yet beautiful home near the mountains of Colorado, a place Paul always dreamed about moving his family and, finally, right before our marriage turned 10, we made that happen. Despite my fears about the move, I have fallen in love with the mountains, the sunshine, and the never-ending list of outdoor activities and adventures! We are older, grayer, more tired. Our dreams for our family have become more focused and simple. We are more serious about our relationship with God and becoming detached from temporal things. And, we are more in love than ever before because our love runs deeper than it did when we said our vows on a Saturday in August back in 2008.

Mere words cannot help but fail to describe what this man means to me. He holds my heart, my soul, my everything. And he has given me everything...his heart, his soul, his children.

Being the old, decrepit individuals we have become, we did not plan anything outrageous or sentimental for the day. We had a simple dinner, sans all kids - including the baby! - at a sushi joint. I ate way too many maki rolls and discovered that I really do not like Toro, a supposedly, coveted, prime cut of fatty tuna. Blech! Then, we went home and put the kids to bed. And then fell asleep ourselves. I told you we are old.

BUT there is more! In honor of our anniversary, we wanted to climb a challenging mountain peak. We couldn't wander too terribly far from our home, so no 14er for us, but we decided to hike Bear Peak near Boulder instead. We had heard from the online reviews of the trail that it is quite a challenging, steep, and rocky hike. We got a sitter for Lucy and brought Daniel to carry on our backs because he's a little young yet to leave for the 4-5 hours the hike would require of us. Of course, we also brought Peyton with us.

The trail was gorgeous and honestly not nearly as challenging as the reviews led us to believe. Everyone warned us that the last mile to the summit was a bit technical with the loose rock and steep inclines. It really wasn't bad. I even fed Daniel as we hiked up. The biggest challenge was keeping Daniel warm. On the ground when we started up, it was pretty muggy, warm, and nearly 80 degrees. When we got up to the ridge line shortly before the summit, suddenly the wind picked up and the temperature dropped about 20 degrees. It felt great to Paul and I because we were heating up from the exercise, but poor Daniel was chattering his toothless gums together. Paul, being the good father that he is, resorted to removing his own shirt and wrapping Daniel up tightly in it. Daniel immediately calmed down but Paul was left feeling very self conscious at his naked, hairy chest exposed for all the other hikers to see. He wouldn't stop worrying about what a freak everyone else we passed must have thought him to be. "I'm just trying to be a good father!" he wanted to explain. Instead, he did his normal sheepish grin and head nod, "Hey...how you doing? I'm just enjoying a hike in freezing temperatures...without a shirt."

The final rock scramble to the very, tippy top was a bit too risky to do with Daniel, so we took turns climbing up and taking in the GORGEOUS 360 degree views. All of Denver and Boulder stretched in front of us on one side, with views of the vast mountain ranges, snow-topped 14ers, and the continental divide expanded behind us. Breathtaking. The perfect activity to experience together for our anniversary.

I will climb any mountaintop with you, Paul! Even if you are shirtless and hairy!

Remember how I said we were old? After the hike, Paul had a bit of trouble climbing up and down the stairs for a couple of days. I told him that for our 11th anniversary, I'm going to have to get him one of those chair lifts for our staircase.

Happy Anniversary, my love!

Crusty Gruyere-Stuffed Loaves

One issue that I was very concerned with when we decided to move to the mile-high city was how the transition to a higher altitude would affect my baking. Our new home is at 6000 feet and at that elevation wonky things can happen to baked goods. The lower air pressure causes baked goods to rise more quickly and lose moisture at a quicker rate. This can lead to instability in the structure of the cake, bread, muffin, cookies, or what have you, causing overly dense and dry results. I was terrified that all my tried and true recipes would no longer work and I would be in a constant state of experimentation, never able to just make a recipe as written but always having to consider the factors the lower air pressure in my kitchen may impart on the final results. It sounded like way too much work.

After doing a bit more research, the adjustments I have to make haven't been as annoying as I expected them to be and, so far, I have had no disasters and everything has turned out pretty delicious!

Thankfully, yeasted breads are the easiest items to adjust when baking at altitude. Since yeasted goods rise quicker at a higher elevation, I simply cut back on the yeast in order to lengthen the rise times so that the overall flavor of the final product is fully developed. I'm also careful about the hydration levels of my doughs, usually working with a higher liquid to flour ratio than before. When I pulled my first batch of bread out of the oven after the move, I was relieved to find that these slight adjustments produced loaves that were just as flavorful, chewy, and airy as my bread back in Pennsylvania.

Waiting for the yeast to rise

So my girls are obsessed with cheese and bread. Matthew loves bread, but cheese not so much. However, they all could agree that these small loaves of crusty bread overflowing with molten gruyere cheese are pretty incredible. This was a King Arthur Challenge for the month of March and I'm so happy that I decided to bake along because it gave me the perfect excuse to make these. I had been eyeing the recipe for quite some time! The results were as delicious as I expected and the kids kept walking past the spot where they were cooling on the kitchen counter asking me when they would be able to try them. These make a perfect accompaniment to chili or lentil soup, but really I don't think you need an excuse to sink your teeth into a fresh loaf of bread!

The recipe published below is without the altitude adjustments. Also, I used the Rocky Mountain spice blend from Penzey's but the pizza seasoning suggested in the original recipe would also be fabulous. If you don't have pizza seasoning, feel free to leave it out!

Crusty Gruyere-Stuffed Loaves
from King Arthur Flour

For the Starter:
1 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup cool water

For the Dough:
all of the starter
1 cup + 2 tablespoons to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water*
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 tablespoon Pizza Dough Flavor (optional)
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

*Use the greater amount of water in winter, when conditions are dry; and the lesser amount in summer, when the weather is humid.

For the Filling:
2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese, or the grated/shredded cheese of your choice (sharp cheddar, or a mixture of provolone and mozzarella are tasty)
1 tablespoon garlic oil (optional)
1 tablespoon Pizza Seasoning (I ended up using a seasoning blend from Penzey's)


To make the starter: Mix the 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, yeast, and 1/2 cup water in a medium-sized bowl. Mix until well combined; the starter will be stiff, not soft/liquid. Cover and let rest overnight at room temperature (65°F to 75°F is ideal); it'll become bubbly.

To make the dough: Combine the risen starter with the water, salt, flour, flavor (if you're using it), and yeast. Knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a smooth dough.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until it's nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, or a piece of parchment. Pat and stretch it into a 3/4"-thick rectangle, about 9" x 12". Spritz with water (or brush with garlic oil), and sprinkle with the grated cheese (and Pizza Seasoning, if you're using it).

Starting with a long side, roll the dough into a log, pinching the seam and the ends to seal. The cheese will try to fall out; that's OK, just try to enclose as much as possible, then pack any errant cheese into the ends before sealing.

Place the log, seam-side down, on a lightly floured or lightly oiled surface (or leave it on the parchment and place the parchment on a baking sheet, for easiest transport).

Cover the bread and let it rise until it's puffy though not doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F. If you're baking two loaves, position a rack in the center of the oven. If you're baking four loaves, place two racks towards the center of the oven with just enough room in between to accommodate the rising loaves.

Gently cut the log into four crosswise slices, for mini-breads; or simply cut the dough in half, for two normal-sized loaves. A large sharp knife or serrated knife works well here. If for some reason you fail to cut all the way through the dough at the bottom, simply take a pair of scissors and snip through the dough.

Place the loaves on one (for two loaves) or two (for four mini-loaves) lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, cut side up. Spread them open a bit at the top, if necessary, to more fully expose the cheese. Spritz with warm water. The loaves will have deflated a bit by this point; but if you place them in the preheated oven immediately, they'll pick right up again.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (for the mini-loaves), or 35 to 40 minutes (for the full-sized loaves), or until the cheese is melted and the loaves are a deep golden brown. If you're baking four loaves on two pans, rotate the pans halfway through the baking time: top to bottom, bottom to top. Remove the pans from the oven, and cool the bread right on the pans. Bread is best served warm.

Store any leftovers, well-wrapped, for a day or so in the refrigerator; freeze for longer storage (up to 4 weeks). Reheat bread before serving; wrap in foil, and warm in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through. Bread that's been frozen can be taken right from the freezer, wrapped in foil (if it's not already), and put into a 350°F oven. It'll be nicely warmed in 45 to 50 minutes.

Blessings on Thee, Barefoot Girl

The transition to four kiddos has not been as brutal as I expected. This is partly due to Daniel being a fairly mild-mannered baby who cries only when he truly needs something and, even then, will only scream at top volume for about a minute before giving up. The worst part about the transition has been my continual frustration with the older children and their inability to help me out. My eldest is eight years old - is it too much to ask that he be able to put on his own shoes? You wouldn't think so, yet every time we have to go anywhere all three of my older children look completely shocked and taken aback that they actually need to wear shoes when running errands, heading to the park, or going to school. They would probably be completely fine and comfortable traipsing through the mall or grocery store sans footwear but what they fail to realize is that some well meaning bystander might see this spectacle and immediately call CPS on this completely innocent yet haggard mother.

This whole not wearing shoes thing came to a head the other morning when I was desperately trying to get everyone out to the car early in the morning to take Matthew to school for his last day before summer break. We have to drive a good 30 minutes to the school and since morning traffic in Denver can be so unpredictable, I wanted to get everyone going as soon as possible. For their last day, the entire school was to attend Mass and then say goodbye, grab their report cards, and be dismissed for the summer all before 9:30 AM. Since the school is so far, it only made sense that I bring everyone to Mass and wait for Matthew to finish up before taking everyone home. So, I am running about, changing diapers, dishing out breakfast, nursing the baby, and getting everyone dressed - because I do not trust the two eldest to pick out outfits that do not have questionable stains or are not weather appropriate (Emma is known for protesting wearing sweatpants all winter long but, once the 90 degree weather hits, they suddenly become a popular favorite!) - in an attempt to get to Mass on time.

As I'm finishing up with Daniel and Lucy, I strictly instruct Emma and Matthew to "get your shoes on and get in the car."

When I finally made it out to the car, I found to my complete amazement that both Emma and Matthew were already inside and completely buckled up. My heart soared! It feels so good when the children obey!

We got to the school in record time. Matthew hopped out and I then worked on getting the other three out and into the church. That's when I noticed that Emma was not wearing shoes.

"Where are your shoes?!" I squeaked.
Emma looks down at her painted toes and give a sheepish grin: "Ooops! I forgot!"

I had to sit and think for a bit. I really wanted to go to Mass but wasn't entirely sure it was appropriate for Emma to walk into the church barefoot. On the other hand, I really couldn't go home because I would pretty much have to run back out and pick up Matthew. Should I just wait in the car for the next 70 minutes?

I decided that God would understand. I told Emma to hop out and we all headed towards the church. Emma felt it necessary to continue to grate on my already-strained nerves regarding this situation by remarking: "Walking without shoes is so much fun! Everyone should not wear shoes! It's a piece of cake to walk barefoot!"
Lucy found this statement silly and responded: "Walking is not a piece of cake!"
To which Emma shot back: "It's a figure of speech, Lucy." I didn't even know she knew what a figure of speech was.

I was hoping we could sneak into the church unnoticed and hit up the cry room in the back. Of course, the cry room is on the opposite side of the church where we were parked so we had to walk through the entire building before making it to our hide out for Mass. And of course, there was an entire group of people standing and chatting in the vestibule that we had to sneak past. Including the pastor. Hoping to slip past completely unnoticed, I began to walk very fast. My sneakiness was stopped by Father Henri suddenly calling out while motioning at Emma: "Oh my! Young lady where are your shoes?" He was laughing while he said it, but that did not stop my face from turning beet red.

Father must have noticed my discomfort because he told me: "Don't worry about it. It's summertime! Kids should be running around barefoot. Let me tell you a story...a few years ago, one of our staff members noticed a man sitting in the adoration chapel for hours. He was wearing sport shorts and an undershirt and his feet were completely bare. She thought he was a homeless man who was trying to sleep in the church. So, she comes to my office and tells me, 'Father, I think there is a homeless man sleeping in the church.' I asked her to describe him to me and she did. And I knew immediately who he was. He was the Deacon from Saint Gabriel and I told her that he always dresses that way and prefers to not wear shoes. But she was that close to kicking him out!"

He laughed jovially and then patted Emma on the head, "So, young lady, it doesn't bother me. I'm just happy you came to Mass! But be good to your Mother and may God bless you!"

Thank God for kind and understanding people! A bit of my embarrassment and shame disappeared and we were able to enjoy Mass without additional problems. Matthew finished the 2nd grade and was promoted to 3rd grade, winning the "Most Enthusiastic Student" award for his class. We are so proud of him. He is a very intelligent kid but just needs to work a bit more on applying himself, because when he does, he blows us away with his talents! Next year he won't be alone at school either. Emma will be joining him as a Kindergartner and I can hardly believe it. This time last year, I would have cried at the thought of her leaving me to be at school all day but now I believe that she and me both are ready for the transition!

And she's going to have to be okay with wearing shoes to school.