Have you ever had a really strong belief about something only to be proven wrong? There are so many things these days that if you base it on face value without doing your research, eventually you will be proven wrong.

Let me give you an example. You know how when you go to pick up your kids to school, you see moms in the carpool line or standing outside the school to pick up their kids. You look around and immediately peg them to be one way or another. You don’t do it on purpose, but your mind tends to wander… “Look at her…totally high maintenance”, “She has it all together… look at her with her perfect hair, well dressed kids and pda.”, “She must be some kind of coffee addict… every time I see her she has a cup of coffee in her hand. How hard is it to walk two blocks to school without a cup of coffee?”

Several years ago, there was a lady I had seen around town. She was at church, at school, at neighborhood functions. For some reason, she and I never spoke. We’d brush past each other and say hi, but we never had the chance to talk or get to know each other. I just assumed, because she was always so aloof and quiet that she was a snob… too good to have anything to do with the rest of us.

Fast forward a couple of years and this woman and I got put in a task group together. I saw her walk in and immediately felt disappointed that we were going to have to work together. She sat down, turned to me and said, “I have seen you around here for the past few years and am so excited to finally get the chance to work with you and know you!” Ugh - did I feel like the biggest snot in the world or what? After I let my initial beliefs about her slide, we worked well together and now she is one of my best friends.

We miss out on a lot of great opportunities when we have preconceived notions and don’t take the opportunity to really look into something or someone. Beer Bread was that way for me. Several years ago when beer bread became really popular, a friend of mind had some out at her house. I’m not a fan of beer at all and just assumed that because it was made of beer it would have a heavy beer taste. I passed on tasting it based only on my misconceptions.

Beer bread has a very slight yeasty taste… it is soft in the middle and has a gorgeous, buttery outer crust. The best part about it is this delicious loaf of bread can be on your table in about an hour. If you are a mom, you know how wonderful a bread recipe has to be if you can make it and have it ready by dinner time… even if you remember to make it at 5pm.

Put your misconceptions aside and give beer bread a try. Once you do, you will be sorry you didn’t give it a chance earlier!

Beer Bread - Adapted from Recipezaar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients and beer.
3. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
4. Pour melted butter over mixture.
5. Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

Beer Bread is so versatile too! Check out what these other food bloggers have done to make their beer bread unique:

• Beer Bread with Sharp Cheddar and Dill by Farmgirl Fare
• Rosemary Feta Beer Bread by Kitchenmage
• Apricot Beer Bread from Baking Bites
• Italian Cheddar Beer Bread from Just Baking

When you look at the photo associated with this post, what do you think? “Mmmmm… fresh homemade Challah bread.” That would be the logical thing to think, now wouldn’t it? When I took this bread out of the oven today, do you know the first thing I thought of? “Oh… it looks like a little newborn baby all swadled up burrito style.”

It is official everyone… I have baby fever.

I know! You thought after this incident, that baby fever wouldn’t hit again, didn’t you? Reading through that post from that awful day, I am honestly amazed by it myself. Then you thought, “Oh, her kids are getting a bit older now, things are running fairly smoothly these days… she can get out of the house without a diaper bag full of the necessities for a newborn. She gets to sleep through the night… no nursing sessions every 2 hours each and every day. Why would she want to add another baby into the mix to just cause chaos in her already semi-chaotic world?” Yeah, exactly. You are so right. I should listen to you more often.

But, you know what, it is still there and it isn’t going away.

A special thanks for starting this whole fever goes out to you, you, you and you know what… I’m even blaming you a bit just because my Ella was born on the same day as Shiloh, and here you are going and having more babies. It also doesn’t help matters that Ella is at about the cutest stage of life ever… well, minus the humongous fits and incredibly strong personality… she really is doing some adorable things these days. Really, she is… trust me.

There was a reason we have been getting rid of all of our baby stuff the second Ella grows out of it… my husband is 100%, completely and totally happy to have three kids. It is probably a good thing he doesn’t read my blog or I imagine I would be padlocked away in a room somewhere until I reached menopause.

Tomorrow, I am sure I’ll change my mind. Someone will puke on my head, we will have a grocery store meltdown, or even worse… the children will eat all the bread that I made and I won’t get a single bite. Oh, wait! That did happen. In fact, it happend tonight with my little bambino loaf of Challah bread. I took the bread out of the oven, had one tiny nibble while it was still hot (because I personally can’t contain myself when it comes to waiting for bread to cool), left for a two hour meeting and came back to no bread. Not even a single crumb. Hubby placed blame on the kids, which I am not completely buying, but I do bet those little selfish creatures had a lot to do with it.

Well, guess what. Baby fever is officially out the window. I can share my body, I can share my life… I can even get through diaper bags, 2am feedings, grocery store meltdowns, puking on the head, etc., but I draw the line at sharing food with one more person in this family. So, back off baby thoughts, the next loaf is mine. All mine.

Braided Bread Machine Challah (from Recipezaar)

45 min | 15 min prep

1 loaf

Ahhhh, you like homemade bread, do you? Check out these tasty recipes from other bloggers around the blogosphere:

• Fresh Tomato and Basil Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread, from Farmgirl Fare
• No Knead Bread, from Steamy Kitchen
• Rustic Bread, from The Fresh Loaf
• Irish Soda Bread, from Closet Cooking
• Caramelized Onion Bread, from One Hot Stove

I was traveling in the car last week on the way to South Padre for vacation when when a message popped up on my Twitter account about the loss of wonderful food blogger. Sher, of the blog What Did You Eat? passed away suddenly from a heart attack last week and has since left huge void among her blogging friends.

I did not know Sher very well on a personal level, but at one point early on in my blogging life, she helped me immensely with answering some questions about growing an herb garden… how to do it, what herbs to include, etc. She was selfless with her time and I appreicated it greatly.

Upon returning from vacation, I discovered that my husband had forgotten to water my herb garden. My poor herbs were brown, crispy, and no longer viable. As I was digging them out, preparing the soil for some new plants, I couldn’t help but think of Sher and her lovely blog.

One thing that hit me as I read through some of Sher’s past posts, is that she has certainly left a wonderful gift to her family and friends through her blog posts. Through blogging, we have all been able to get a glimpse into Sher’s life that we would not have had otherwise. Through our blogs, we are all giving this gift to the current and future generations. A permanent place in the world where our “legacy”, of sorts, will live on.

My heart goes out to Sher’s family and friends. I am thankful to have known Sher through her blog and appreciate the opportunity to be inspired by such a kind, funny and remarkable woman.

The recipe I made tonight for Sher’s tribute (go to Glenna’s blog for more details) was not from Sher’s blog, but because of the herbs involved, it reminded me of Sher and her contribution to my herb garden.

Garlic-Thyme Foccaccia (from Cooking Light)

1 teaspoon sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided (about 11 1/4 ounces)
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in fine sea salt. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and spoons; level with a knife. Add 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, stirring to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/3 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook 5 minutes or until fragrant. Remove garlic from oil with a slotted spoon; discard garlic, and remove pan from heat.

Place dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Brush garlic oil over dough; sprinkle with thyme. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Make indentations in top of dough using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingertips; sprinkle dough evenly with coarse sea salt. Bake at 425° for 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Recently, I was asked what I was passionate about. What subject really got my engines revving? At the time, I mentioned that I had strong feelings about certain subjects, but could not think of any that I was extremely passionate about. Then, I knew just the thing… family meal time.

I am passionate about family meal time. I grew up in a house where mealtime was a priority, and we almost always had at least one meal together as a family each day. Sitting around the table as kids was where our most important conversations happened. We had the best laughs (mom and kathy… remember “speaking of peas?”), the best debates (aka fights when you and your sister had major sibling rivalry), and where we recapped the events of our day…both the good and the bad. I cannot even imagine all that my parents would have missed out on in our lives had it not have been a priority that we sit down to dinner each and every night as a family.

Any time I have the opportunity to support and acknowledge someone who shares those same important mealtime values, I jump at the chance. Enter the new cookbook by Carol McManus, Table Talk - food, family, love. Carol resides on Martha’s Vineyard, owns her own Cafe, and still encourages people to eat at home and enjoy dinner together as a family. She is as passionate about sharing quick to the table, delicious meals in her cookbook as she is about keeping family dinner time a staple in households everywhere.

When Table Talk arrived in my mailbox on Saturday, I was immediately sucked in the second I opened the cookbook and read Carol’s forward. Then I continued to flip through the book and you know what… I sat there and read through the entire thing, front to back. The recipes are very appealing, simple and special… the majority have ingredients I already have on hand. The photography is stunning. Most importantly, the core values of Carol and her family shines through in each little snippet, quote and story behind life on Martha’s Vineyard and the recipes to accompany such a life.

I do not get anything by encouraging you to purchase Table Talk… there is nothing in it for me. I would not recommend a cookbook to you if I absolutely did not love it. I can tell you that this is one cookbook that you will turn to time and time again. If not for the enticing recipes , for the reminder of the significant importance that sitting down together as a family, whether a family of 2 or 22, can have on your life.

Every day of my menu this week has recipes gathered from Table Talk. Stay tuned during the week for an even deeper peak into the pages of Table Talk. To purchase Table Talk, visit www.tabletalkcookbook.com or visit your local Barnes and Noble.

Presidential Muffins from the Table Talk cookbook

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour

¾ Cup Sugar

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

½ Cup Butter, Melted

8 ounces Cream Cheese, Softened

1 Cup Milk

1 Tsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

¾ Cup Blueberries

½ cup Strawberries, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins or use paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a food processor, combine melted butter, cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and eggs. Process until smooth. Pour liquid into dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in fruit.
4. Scoop batter into muffin cups. Lightly sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake for 30 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly pressed.

There was a time in my life when I used to buy all of my intimate apparel at Victoria’s Secret. I would not be caught dead without a matching bra and pantie ensemble on and that matching ensemble had to have the same colors in it as my outfit did. Even though people would not necessarily see my intimate apparel, I just felt better knowing that I matched underneath.

There was a time in my life when I used to shave my legs… every single day. It was part of my luxurious morning routine to lounge around in the shower, exfoliate, and shave.

There was a time in my life when I would not leave the house without makeup on. Even as I started having contractions at home in the middle of the night with my first child, I got up, took a shower and put on makeup. I did not want the pictures taken of me in the hospital to be without makeup.

There was a time in my life where I always had polished, well manicured hands. On the day my husband proposed to me, I had just taken my finger nail polish off and had gone out for a run. I was sweaty and gross. When he got down on one knee, took my hand, and presented the ring to place on my finger, I seriously gasped at my fingers…forgetting that I had removed the polish , ran into the bathroom, painted my nails and came back to him to say “yes” and place the ring on my hand. (Can you believe he went through with it after that “diva” moment?)

And, there was a time in my life that I ran. Enough said.

In relation to the above statement, there was a time in my life that I actually weighed what is listed on my drivers license.

There was a time in my life where I considered a can of Diet Coke to be a good breakfast. Little did I know what I had been missing…

I bid farewell to that time in my life. I cheer for this time in my life, where life is so happily full I don’t have time to worry about what color my underwear and bra are, where I shave my legs almost everyday (but not quite), and I have a few more curves (OK… the drivers license bureau folks would keel over laughing if they saw me and my drivers license in the same room), but those extra curves are the result of a few precious kiddos (aka my excuses) and the realization that breakfast beyond Diet Coke is something I could really get used to.

It is time to out with the old, and in with the new. Breakfast is hip, trendy, fashionable and sexy. Are you convinced yet? If not, check out this recipe from fellow food blogging buddy, Deborah at Taste and Tell. Try it once and you will be knocking shaving your legs and intimate apparel coordinating down on the list of morning priorities to make room for starting your day off with a great breakfast.

Brown Sugar Muffins from Deborah at Taste and Tell

Makes 16 muffins

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup nuts, chopped coarsely (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease or line 16 muffin cups.

Combine all ingredients until mixed. Fill prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Are you ready for some muffins? Try out these other recipes from food bloggers around the blogosphere:

• Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping, from Sunday Nite Dinner
• Pumpkin Muffins, from Muffin Top
• Chocolate Flecked Multigrain Muffins, from Baking and Books
• Cottage Cheese and Eggs Breakfast Muffins, from Kalyn’s Kitchen
• Cinnamon Muffins, from Baking Sheet

We lost a friend to cancer yesterday afternoon. Crissy was the wife of one of my husbands high school best friends. She had a daughter, Gracie, six years ago and then found out just shortly after that she had cancer. Cancer has been a part of her life since then. Crissy fought a very valiant fight… always keeping things real and soldiering on.

Tonight, as I reflect on Crissy and her life, I cannot help but think what power cancer has over people. The power of cancer is a scary thing.

• Cancer has the power to make a woman who is full of life… outgoing, boisterous, and funny… lose all of her external spark and vibrance.
• Cancer can make a mother, who knows that her time is short and fearing the memory of her will be lost, plead with people around her to “No matter what, please let Gracie know I was a great mom and I loved her very much.”
• Cancer has the power to make a man throw out the notion that showing emotion is not acceptable. Distraught at the thought of life without his partner, cancer has the power to make a man overcome with the desire to make things better and to wish that he could do anything to turn back time. A widower at the age of 34, cancer has the power to make us all realize how truly unfair life can be.
• Cancer has the power to make a husband cling to his wife. After spending time and being witness to what his friend is going through, cancer has the power to make a husband plead with his wife “no matter what happens, please don’t die before me.” Cancer makes us realize how lost we would be without one another.
• Cancer has the power to make a precious six year old girl, who has never known her mom without cancer, be forced with the harsh reality that this time it is different. Mommy won’t be coming home with you tonight to tuck you in and dry your tears.
• Cancer has the power to bring people together, to fight for the cause and to hopefully bring a cure home soon. Like the LiveSTRONG day A Taste of Yellow Event, hosted by winosandfoodies…I can guarantee the food blogging community will do their part to raise the awareness of the devastation and power of cancer.

I know that Crissy is now a spunky, beautiful angel, lighting up heaven’s gates. Crissy will be missed by all who knew her, and will be remembered for her strength, smile, character and most of all… the impact she made on her daughters life in the short amount of time.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

45 min | 20 min prep | SERVES 10 -12