This was originally the English Muffin bread recipe from the Rutherford Inn of Napa Valley, CA.  I've been making it for years, but yesterday, John asked me to include the "special" ingredients he favors.

                          English Muffin Bread

2 pkgs. yeast (or 4-1/2 tblspns.), 1-1/4 tblspns. white sugar, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, 2 tsp. salt, 5-1/2 cups unbleached flour, 1/3 cup oat or wheat bran, 1/3 cup flax seed meal, 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup water, and about 1/3 cup semolina, and 2 tblspns. butter. 

I melt the butter in the microwave for several seconds, and use a brush to butter up the insides of 2 loaf pans.  Then throw the semolina into the pans.  Tilting and turning, the semolina spreads around the bottom and sides of the pans and they are ready.  Put the yeast into a larger bowl, add the sugar, baking soda, salt, and 3 cups of flour.  Heat the milk and water in a pan and don't let it get too hot.  Just warm is fine.  Stir in.  Add the flax seed and bran to the remaining 2-1/2 cups flour and add this to the dough.  Stir it in with a big spoon.  The dough will be thick and pasty.  Drop it by big spoonfuls into the loaf pans and sprinkle more semolina around on top.  Cover the pans with a clean towel to let them rise, 1 hour or more, until they double and show over the tops of the pans.  Preheat the oven to 400 deg. and bake for 25 minutes.  Turn out onto cooling rack.

After the trying time I had listening to the current weight loss program at the Y, I got a grip on self and remembered my Granny Jahoda, who was climbing mountains into her 70's, and who never had trouble with weight loss.  Whenever she wanted to lose some weight (usually before going to visit other relatives), she would cut down her portions until the desired weight was lost.  Period....end of story.  You don't need to give up carbs, red meat, sweet treats, or anything else you would normally eat, including your hard-won "good-for-you" foods.  Your body needs a full and balanced diet.  Just smaller, teenier-tinier portions, and I have found that using small dishes and bowls works good for me.  And just getting serious about my intentions.

My only treat now is using packaged chocolate mixes to add to my coffee.  One packet of the Swiss Miss is 120 calories, but I add only 1 tblspn. to a cup of hot coffee, and the packet lasts for several days, so I'm not getting too many calories, but still enjoying a sweet treat. 

I cut my hair the other day.  It was so long that I had trouble getting to the end of it with a brush.  I pulled the sides away and cut the back off to what I thought was short.  Then each side was cut to join with the back.  After a few snips to straighten out any "underhair" stragglers, I ended up with a very decent looking pageboy cut that I am pleased with.  The sides are now chin length, but the back still is a bit longer.  It feels and looks good.

Today's the Viking (Brett Favre) game with the Packers in Green Bay.  My son is on his way to watch the game with his friends, and I'm just about ready to settle down and watch.