I will be at the Saint Augusta Legion this Saturday for the Craft and Vendor Show. It runs from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Come and get a free Shaklee 180 Green Tea packet. I love my daily cup hot, even better with a book. Add yours to your water bottle for a pick-me-up on the go, if you like. I will have samples of some of the Shaklee 180 snack bars. Make a purchase from me or sign up to host a meeting and receive a stamp on your vendor card. Redeem your full card for a door prize. I will be providing a bottle of Basic H and a set of spray bottles. Remember, that bottle of Basic H is the equivalent of 5,824 (26 oz) bottles of a leading window spray, and it contains no harmful ammonia.
I am making my last batch of my Swany Mill Wild Rice Flour bread today. I have to say that I was disappointed to see on the flour package labeling that the first ingredient was unbleached white flour, not wild rice. I should have looked closer when I bought it. I will not buy it again.
I am also making another double batch of the King Arthur Flour Beautiful Burger Buns. They are good!
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Friday, October 19, 2018
More Baking
In my last post I was making Beautiful Burger Buns from King Arthur Flour. I had a hard time working with the dough. I had used the smaller amount of water given since it was a rainy day, and the dough was very stiff. Certainly not the spongy dough the recipe said it should be. Nevertheless, Husband liked the finished hamburger buns. They were much more substantial than store bakery buns.
Yesterday I decided to try a new batch. I used the greater amount of water called for, and had a much softer, stickier dough. The buns turned out much softer and lighter. I also remembered to brush them with butter before and after baking. My only regret was that I did not read through the yield before starting, and therefore did not double the recipe. (It only makes 8 buns a batch.) Oh, well. I usually do not think it worth the effort to make a single batch of bread, although sometimes the ease of a single batch makes up for having to do it twice. We had a couple fresh out of the oven for dinner with our chicken patties.
The previous day I had made pies with the few apples we had from our trees. I had dreaded the task since our apples were not at all smooth. I knew they would be beastly to peel, and that I may have to cut out many spots. Add my inability to make decent crusts, and you get the picture. As usual mixed the crust, and things went fine until it was time to roll and put them in the pan. No spring to them even with a little butter thrown in. I do the best I can to fold and crimp the edges and get the pies in the oven. They did not look the best, but they taste really good. Later on the thought occurs to me that I use bread flour for everything to avoid having two containers of white flour in my crowded cupboards. I wonder if that is why my dough has no spring. I will have to experiment.
The previous day I also cut down the High American Cranberry bush from my flower bed. It was a bittersweet moment. I was concerned that its roots would eventually break apart my new concrete curbing. Also, the forsythia bush which I had cut down four or so years ago had managed to send out shoots which were growing in the cranberry bush. I did not want the two growing together, and it was impossible to separate them. Because I only chopped out the bush, I know I will be digging roots and cutting stump and suckers for a few years to come. The plus side, though, is that the two rose bushes planted nearby will have the chance to take the limelight.
The new concrete border already has a crack in it, and not in a place where I would expect it. So disappointed.
Yesterday I decided to try a new batch. I used the greater amount of water called for, and had a much softer, stickier dough. The buns turned out much softer and lighter. I also remembered to brush them with butter before and after baking. My only regret was that I did not read through the yield before starting, and therefore did not double the recipe. (It only makes 8 buns a batch.) Oh, well. I usually do not think it worth the effort to make a single batch of bread, although sometimes the ease of a single batch makes up for having to do it twice. We had a couple fresh out of the oven for dinner with our chicken patties.
The previous day I had made pies with the few apples we had from our trees. I had dreaded the task since our apples were not at all smooth. I knew they would be beastly to peel, and that I may have to cut out many spots. Add my inability to make decent crusts, and you get the picture. As usual mixed the crust, and things went fine until it was time to roll and put them in the pan. No spring to them even with a little butter thrown in. I do the best I can to fold and crimp the edges and get the pies in the oven. They did not look the best, but they taste really good. Later on the thought occurs to me that I use bread flour for everything to avoid having two containers of white flour in my crowded cupboards. I wonder if that is why my dough has no spring. I will have to experiment.
The previous day I also cut down the High American Cranberry bush from my flower bed. It was a bittersweet moment. I was concerned that its roots would eventually break apart my new concrete curbing. Also, the forsythia bush which I had cut down four or so years ago had managed to send out shoots which were growing in the cranberry bush. I did not want the two growing together, and it was impossible to separate them. Because I only chopped out the bush, I know I will be digging roots and cutting stump and suckers for a few years to come. The plus side, though, is that the two rose bushes planted nearby will have the chance to take the limelight.
The new concrete border already has a crack in it, and not in a place where I would expect it. So disappointed.
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Bread Baking
My plans changed this afternoon. I was supposed to be weeding at St. John Cantius. Then, rain. Now I am home baking.
I am trying several new recipes today. The first is Beautiful Burger Buns from King Arthur Flour. Arthur uses buns for all of his sandwiches. He always liked Cub Foods buns, but since they closed it has been an endless search for the right buns. This is the second time I am making some for him from scratch. My previous buns were too small. So far I have not liked the dough. I used the amount of water called for for humid days since it is raining, and the dough was very hard to knead. It certainly did not feel soft, as the recipe indicated it should. The dough seems to be rising well. I'll reserve final judgement until they are baked and tasted.
The second recipe I am making is Wild Rice Bread, a recipe I picked up from Swany White Flour in Freeport when we stopped there on the way back from Parkers Prairie. My mom and dad used to buy a great homemade wild rice bread at the Farmers' Market in White Bear Lake, and I would love to make something similar. Swany Mills has wild rice flour, so I bought a bag. So far the bread dough has worked very well. I got a phone call while I was waiting for the dough to rest. That may have played a part in the easy kneading. I did not have to add any flour while I did the kneading. No sticking. I could see little flicks of black in the dough, and it felt grainy, or sandy, as I kneaded. I hope that means it is full of fiber! It, too, seems to be rising well. I will see if this recipe is a keeper after tasting.
I have been busy sewing baptismal garments for St. John Cantius and St. Anthony's. Then two weeks ago I purchased several fat quarters at a garage sale, both to match those I already had, and some new ones. Since then I have sewn several cosmetic bags, which I will donate to the St. Marcellus Mission Group at Holy Spirit for their craft sale. The first two were thrilling to complete because I was learning the patterns and methods. The next several, not as fun. My sewing room looks like a disaster with all of the scraps, as well. I am pleased in that I was able to cut interfacing for four more of the wallets out of the fusible fleece interfacing scraps left over from the bags. The fusible fleece is really slick to use. No sewing required, and it is a bit stiffer than the old interfacing scraps I have lying around.
I leave with a quote from Blessed Pope Paul VI, which I think is so appropriate for our time.
"Live for the Church, work for the Church, bring sacrifices for the Church, stand faithfully to the Church in spite of all the storms that shake the Church from the outside and the inside. Then you will truly love the Church. And your apostolic activity will become fruitful for the Kingdom of God."
Addressed to the Schoenstatt family in 1972.
I am trying several new recipes today. The first is Beautiful Burger Buns from King Arthur Flour. Arthur uses buns for all of his sandwiches. He always liked Cub Foods buns, but since they closed it has been an endless search for the right buns. This is the second time I am making some for him from scratch. My previous buns were too small. So far I have not liked the dough. I used the amount of water called for for humid days since it is raining, and the dough was very hard to knead. It certainly did not feel soft, as the recipe indicated it should. The dough seems to be rising well. I'll reserve final judgement until they are baked and tasted.
The second recipe I am making is Wild Rice Bread, a recipe I picked up from Swany White Flour in Freeport when we stopped there on the way back from Parkers Prairie. My mom and dad used to buy a great homemade wild rice bread at the Farmers' Market in White Bear Lake, and I would love to make something similar. Swany Mills has wild rice flour, so I bought a bag. So far the bread dough has worked very well. I got a phone call while I was waiting for the dough to rest. That may have played a part in the easy kneading. I did not have to add any flour while I did the kneading. No sticking. I could see little flicks of black in the dough, and it felt grainy, or sandy, as I kneaded. I hope that means it is full of fiber! It, too, seems to be rising well. I will see if this recipe is a keeper after tasting.
I have been busy sewing baptismal garments for St. John Cantius and St. Anthony's. Then two weeks ago I purchased several fat quarters at a garage sale, both to match those I already had, and some new ones. Since then I have sewn several cosmetic bags, which I will donate to the St. Marcellus Mission Group at Holy Spirit for their craft sale. The first two were thrilling to complete because I was learning the patterns and methods. The next several, not as fun. My sewing room looks like a disaster with all of the scraps, as well. I am pleased in that I was able to cut interfacing for four more of the wallets out of the fusible fleece interfacing scraps left over from the bags. The fusible fleece is really slick to use. No sewing required, and it is a bit stiffer than the old interfacing scraps I have lying around.
I leave with a quote from Blessed Pope Paul VI, which I think is so appropriate for our time.
"Live for the Church, work for the Church, bring sacrifices for the Church, stand faithfully to the Church in spite of all the storms that shake the Church from the outside and the inside. Then you will truly love the Church. And your apostolic activity will become fruitful for the Kingdom of God."
Addressed to the Schoenstatt family in 1972.
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