Win a Piece of Montana

Big Sky, Montana

Patti P has Won a Piece of Montana!

Here is a brief introduction to Patti...

Most people around the web know me as Patti P or musicalfrog. I love to read, travel, cook, bake, play with my grandbabies, meet new people, sing, dance, lots of other stuff and not in that order.

In the last few years I have started attending lots of online book/author chats and I’ve done some online book reviews for http://romancing-the-book.com/ 

They also repost to other sites like Amazon/GoodReads and others, mostly romance/erotica but I also love to read fantasy and sci/fi. I could never compose a list of favorite authors because there are way too many. Thank goodness for e-books and libraries.

Between us, my husband and I have 5 children and we are awaiting our 9th grandchild. I am currently studying under a Healer who is teaching me traditional his traditional healing ways and I am really loving working with nature and people. Learning how to work with creation, I would like to have my time in this life be useful as much as possible. Last summer my husband and I took two months and drove west from Illinois to visit some of our nations national parks. It was an amazing experience and we are talking about repeating it again very soon.

Missoula, Montana

If you would like to enter to Win a Piece of Montana
...just follow this link.  

One of my favorite vacations ever was a trip to Montana many years ago to a dude ranch. If it weren’t for how my bones feel about the cold I would love to live there.

I am looking forward to my wonderful surprise! I plan on being out your way someday soon.

Thank you so much,

Patti P

Make Breakfast

Life Lessons of a Rodeo Queen

Lesson #3

I am busy person. Four kids, husband, cats, horse—well soon to be horse. We’re fixing her fence as we speak. I’ve heard all of my life that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When I was growing up, we always had breakfast.

I’ve always cooked breakfast. We have all manner of things: scrambled eggs, spinach omelets, whole-wheat toast, protein fruit smoothies, scones etc…

But, this summer, we were so busy, I tried the cold cereal route. I thought tossing a couple boxes of cereal on the table with a few bowls and spoons would do the trick for breakfast.

Not so.

I learned pretty fast that the best way to have happy, smiling children at 10 am is to make breakfast. Same goes for a happy, smiling husband.

So I thought I’d share a recipe that is a hit at our house: Sunday Morning Cinnamon Waffles with homemade Buttermilk Syrup.

Cinnamon Waffles

2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
½ tsp of ground cinnamon

Preheat your waffle iron.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and butter until well
blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and cinnamon; stir into
the buttermilk mixture. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites and vanilla with an electric
mixer until stiff. Fold into the batter.

Spoon batter onto the hot waffle iron, close, and cook until golden brown. Top with homemade buttermilk syrup.

Buttermilk Syrup

1 1/2 cups white sugar
 3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup. Bring to a boil on medium heat and cook for 7 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Add the baking soda. *Warning—this will make the mixture foam. I add the baking soda and then quickly stir with a whisk lifting the whisk up and back in a circular motion—almost like scrambling eggs. This will dispel the foam so it doesn’t overflow over the edges of the pan.

Stir in the vanilla.

Pour over warm Cinnamon Waffles.

Add in a nice cup of coffee or tea and you’ve got happiness all around.

What breakfast menu is a hit in your house?