Category: bread baking

~Home begins in the kitchen~

~home made latte~

When we left our home in February due to the unfortunate tree incident, I had no idea how long we would be gone. I was in a state of numbing shock. When I went to my home, post tree-fall, I just wandered around the kitchen lost. I wanted to clean, but it was almost pointless. There were holes in the ceiling, it was constantly raining, constantly saturating the whole place. The insurance company told us we would be “packed” out.   Well, as far as I was concerned they could just throw it all out. It was a total loss in my mind.  I really detached myself from my home. I think it was a coping mechanism because my house was so broken, it was just so sad.  We took the items from the fridge, freezer, our coffeepot and a few spices. Duh… what was I thinking?? I was so lost without my “things.”  I did not want to become too comfortable at our rental home, all I wanted was to go home, so we made do. Now that we are back and mostly unpacked when I am in my kitchen I feel that I am HOME.  It brings me great joy to be back home, in the kitchen.  I could not be happier.

~fresh tomato’s on the sill, yes, it’s Summertime~

~fried egg sandwich on home-made english muffin bread, yep.

~~ tomato, avocado, mozzarella salad with zucchini fritters, yes please.

I love to cook, love to eat.  I feel a little behind on the season, but I am catching up as fast as I  can.  I am going to try to savor these last few months of summer and enjoy each fresh prepared meal I make.

~ a little roasted chickpea snack, yum.

:: All recipes can be found on my Pinterest, under “Yummy Food to Make” ::

by Categories: bread baking, family, food, gratitude, home, Life, Memphis, MomentsTags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

~I love a bagel~

Oh my gosh! I made bagels and they are GOOD!!

I read this post and I was like oh yeah, I am so making that!

Right, so I pretty much followed this recipe . I used 3 c all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 c whole wheat white.  I guess I might try the bread flour next time. I did not have parchment paper, no biggie.  The only awkward part was when I transferred the bagel to the boiling water they kind of wanted to stretch out a bit, but after I dropped a few it went better. It was surprisingly easy.   The best part is that I made them at home and I know exactly what are in them. Fab, fab I tell you!   Now you know, you can go make them yourself!

Very, very good with cream cheese, butter, or turkey and provolone.  I especially like these bagels under glass on my cake plate.  Don’t they look pretty??

by Categories: baking, bread baking, foodTags: 2 Comments

~The power of soup and a loaf of homemade bread~

This is the best brocoli soup. Ever.

If you feel a little under the weather then you must have soup. 

The winter funk won’t leave our house. No matter how many times I sanitize and clean. The little people go out and bring back the funk. I am so over it.

I found this soup recipe .  I had to make it.   I put a little sour cream and a little garlic chili sauce on it and it was YUM!   After  I had eaten a bowl I realized that I had forgotten one of the main ingredients–th arugula!   Oh dear,  but it  was an  easy fix, I re-blended a small batch with the arugula and it was just fine.  The arugula really makes the soup. 

I doubled the recipe.  You can’t really have soup without bread. I have made several different types of bread. I’ve done the no knead bread, it is really good but you must have a plan with the amount of time it takes to get the end bread. I have made several loaves of wheat bread. It is good, but sometimes you just need a new recipe.

So, I came across this yummy recipe and I knew I had to give it a go.  I did not have any whole wheat pastry flour, so I used my 50/50 flour by Hodgson Mill and it seemed to work just fine.

I LOVE this bread! Really I do love it.   It is really hearty, but not all whole wheaty, which makes for nice for a change.  It is substantial and goes good with soup, or strawberry jam!

Love it!  It is really easy to make.   You must try it!

by Categories: bread baking, cooking, food, home, Life, Memphis, MomentsTags: , Leave a comment

~What’s for dinner?

Coming up with new ideas for dinner can be challenging.  Thankfully we are in the best time of the year for nutritious and delicious options!

 

I like to go to our neighborhood veggie store to pick up fresh items for dinner.
Today yielded some kale, snap beans, new potatoes, and summer squash. I have been wanting to try this recipe I have seen other recipes around, but I do not care for vinegar. However I LOVE olive oil and this version really worked for me.
The funny thing is these kale chips taste just like real chips.  I am not kidding.  If you took a bite without looking at it you would not know. I know it sounds crazy but it is so true!


I really had a taste for roasted vegetables so I tossed a bit of summer squash, snap beans, and vidalia onion with some olive oil.  I roasted this little medley at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Tossed with orzo it was fantastic! It was light and very satisfying.  I used Ina’s recipe for the new potatoes~ of course they were fabulous!! That goes without saying…

Every time I see cherries I just feel so happy.  They are one of my very favorite fruit.  Especially these oh gosh they are good!  I know these are not a local  product and honestly there is nothing that can be done about that fact.  I will have them~ they are that good.   I know how important it is to eat local etc, and I really do try to do just that.  I have to rationalize it this way, I lived in Portland, OR for a short time and my uncle lives in Seattle.  So, it is for old times sake?!  That is the best I can do.  I have some Memphis peaches, and Ripley tomatos waiting their turn for tomorrow’s meal…

  

~So my 6 year old “made”  us desert! Isn’t it pretty?? 

 My new thing to do with  apples is to spread this on them ~ oh it is heavenly!

This is where I am right now.  I always seems to be thinking of food!

 I need to to start another batch of  this bread  and I am going to try it without preheating the oven ~ because it is too hot here to have that oven preheating~ sounds like it might just work.

I am gearing up to get back to work on my  little project~  

but first I am trying to finish another Shalom 


ughh.. to many projects with not near enough time..

by Categories: bread baking, food, home, home keeping, knitting, quiltingTags: , , , , 1 Comment

Look Ma!! I made butter~

When I was a child my favorite favorite books were all of the Little House on the Prairie books. I just  LOVED them. I read them all probably no less then 1000 times.  Seriously! They were  my go to books when I did not have new books to read.   My dad would take us to the library every Saturday where we were allowed to check out stacks of books.  I was an avid reader when I was a young girl.  After I finished reading the  books I would go back to my Little House books.  Every  Sunday after church  I would eat my Ramen noodles and read one of the Little House Books.  Oh those were good times..

Some of the best things about Little House on the Prairie books are the vivid details of the ordinary tasks they would do. Remember when Ma would churn the butter? She would  color the milk with a grated carrot. Then churn the butter and then put it in her butter mold with the little strawberry and 2 leaf design. Oh, I loved those stories.

So, I was reading here at Amy’s and then found this. Well, I had to do it. I just had to.. it goes back to Little House of course…   This is what turned out… it is so easy and really good!

So, here it is in all of its glory, home made butter (minus the churn), buttermilk and a little bouquet of bulbs from the garden.  Homemade bread is baking.. yum!  Thank you Laura!

by Categories: bread baking, green kitchen, home keepingTags: , , 6 Comments

Oh my Bread!

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” Robert Browning (1812-1889) English poet.

 

Oh Bread! I love you warm and toasty bread.   Lately I have been reading a lot about the vast wasteland that store bought bread has become.  The additives and preservatives that have been added to prolong the shelf life is the supposed cause of many conditons, and the robber of nutrients and taste.  The cost however is what got my attention, the cost of bread has risen dramatically over the past few months.

So, I came across this article and had to give it a go.

So, here is the recipe ~

No-Knead Bread
Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1 1/2 hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

First thing to note, is that the four  ingredients listed are things you have not only heard of,  they are easy to pronounce and you more then likely have them around your house.   It is only 4 items and come on, could it be any easier then that??  I don’t think so.  Ok, so you throw flour, yeast and salt into a bowl, add water cover and let rise for 12-18 hours.  Turn it out and flour it with cornmeal, wheat bran or use whatever you have on hand, I used ground flax seed.  Form a ball place back into a bowl covered with two towels, let rise for two more hours. Heat up your pan, I used my little Le Crueset (thanks Mom) baked covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 15, and then done!

  ~ I did use organic whole wheat flour, because I love whole wheat bread, I also dusted my towels with a bit of the whole wheat flour,  to prevent sticking.  So, it is rustic, dense, and full of great flavor. The smell in the house was fantastic. It makes great toast, good for turkey sandwhiches, good with jam.  I can pronounce all the key ingredients and it is really healthy.  We loved it and have some more dough rising as we speak.  

Will this be the end to store bought bread?  Hmmm, maybe!

by Categories: bread baking, family, LifeTags: , 2 Comments