God's Word for Today

Saturday, November 28, 2009

A German Chocolate Cake – A Tower of Chocolate, Coconut and Nuts…

I have made lots of German Chocolate cakes in my time…from a BOX that is.

German Chocolate is my husbands favorite cake so birthdays, holidays this is usually on the menu.

What I had never done was made one from scratch.

Again I ask the age old question:

How Hard Could It Be?

Well not really hard, time consuming, utensil heavy and lots and lots of ingredients.

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Cake Flour came to the party as well as…

Salt

Baking Soda

Crisco to grease the pans

Parchment paper to line the pans

Sweet Baking Chocolate (4 ounces melted)

2 secret Be Still and Know ingredients

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Condensed Milk

Egg Yolks

Beaten Egg Whites (stiff peaks if you please)

Butter

Sugar

Vanilla

Flaked Coconut

Chopped Pecans

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Lots of these came to the party.

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Lots of Butter was invited as well as a generous helping of Buttermilk!

It felt like I used every baking and cooking utensil in my entire kitchen as whisks, measuring spoon, pans, mixing bowl, knives and my kitchenade got a good workout!

There was sifting involved, melting, creaming of butter and sugar, separating egg yolks, alternately adding the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients, there was folding of egg whites involved…

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Lots of these as well…

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Lots of stirring and stirring and stirring and then more stirring…12 minutes of stirring to be exact.

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Three of these…

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I had to do the baking in stages as I only had two 8” pans.

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More stirring…coconut and pecan go into the the cooled icing, which is really more like a custard.

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Then you stack em up with generous spoonfuls of creamy sweet coconut & pecan icing in-between.

 

Let’s jus take a moment shall we to gaze upon it’s magnificence!

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Y’all it was so tall it would not fit under my cake dome.

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Paula would have been proud.

All total I used 7 egg yolks, 3 sticks of butter and 3 cups of sugar plus all the flour and bla bla bla bla…and other ingrediants.

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Can’t y’all just hear the sighs of shame from the apple and pumpkin pie.

They fell sadly inadequate as they lay side by side beneath the powerful dark shadow of the mighty tower of chocolate glory!

The chocolate chip cookies have taken a vow of silence in the aftermath of their utter and complete humiliation.

I am “Tower of Chocolate” hear me roar!

It was good y’all!

Blessings

Robin

Friday, November 27, 2009

The Menu

The day started with Stuffed French Toast served with warm Syrup, Bacon, Grapefruit and Orange Juice. A Holiday traditional at our house.

While I am slaving away in the kitchen (NOT…as most of it was done ahead, I am all about pre planning) the dog was taking it easy and lounging around. Every once and a while he would muster up the energy to wander through the kitchen to make sure nothing had landed on the floor during the meal preparations.

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It holds us over till our meal.

At about 2:00 PM I set out a plate of crackers and my Pepper Jelly over cream cheese for an afternoon tide me over snack. Super Yummy if I do say so myself. The Hubs did not like the jelly but that just means more for me!

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Y’all it happens every year. I should have used this one for my last Random Dozen.

Without fail we manage to fix enough food for twice as many people (3 times probably). But isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about. A celebration of a bountiful harvest and being thankful for God’s provision.

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Well we did it up right this year.

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Spiral Sliced Ham with a Brown Sugar Glaze

Turkey Breast (Brined for 24 hours)

Dressings

Gravy

Mashed Potato Casserole topped with Bacon & Cheese

Macaroni & Cheese

Creamed Peas

Spiced Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Pineapple Casserole

Broccoli & Rice Casserole

Corn Pudding

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Apple Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Homemade German Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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I have enough leftovers for a month!

My sister and crew have just left. My tummy is pleasantly full. I managed to restrain myself from over eating to the point of misery.

After dinner we played a game of Picturekia and enjoyed our desert and a round of latte’s.

It was a wonderful time of family and festive holiday celebration.

Now, I am nestled in the corner of my sofa, laptop on my knee with a roaring fire watching Shrek contemplating a piece of pumpkin pie or maybe Homemade (from scratch) German Chocolate Cake (whew…that’s a whole other post) but y’all it was really good!

Happy Thanksgiving

So what did y’all have on the menu?

Blessings

Robin

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

 

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PS 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

 

Blessings

Robin

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Random Dozen

Joining Lid over at 2nd Cup of Coffee for this weeks Random Dozen

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous?

Traditional!


2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.")

My House. I now have a home that can accommodate a large family gathering. We can host thanksgiving now without having people eating in the living room balancing a plate on there knee! Everyone will have a chair and can sit at the table and eat dinner together. We will have a grown up table and then a Tween table in the dinning room. Yea!!!!!!!!!


3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for.

Maturity. The knowledge that thankfulness does not depend on tangible things. Thankfulness starts with recognition of something greater. Something beyond what you have or what you can buy.

PHP 4:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.


4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory.

I think it was the last thanksgiving we spent with my grandmother before she went home to Jesus. I have a vivid memories of us whirring around in my sisters kitchen getting the meal ready.

Grandma was off to the side sitting in her wheel chair and we would take the pot or bowl over to her for her inspection or a final tasting. She would look down into the bowl and pronounce that whatever we were fixing looked just right or maybe it needed a bit of sage or a dash of salt.

Later when the meal was served Grandma got the seat at the head of the table because she was in a wheel chair at the time plus she was the matriarch of the family so she deserved to be at the head of the table.

Sadly her hands were so debilitated from the rheumatoid arthritis that she was unable to feed herself very well. Her hand also shook terribly from the Parkinson's. I helped her with her meal, cutting her turkey up and arranging thing on her plate so she could enjoy the meal as independently as possible. She had a special set of utensils with large padded handles that made it easer for her to grasp.

I remember sitting next to her and keeping an eye on her plate making sure that she was not struggling to get the food on the fork.

I have such vivid memories of sitting around my grandmothers table at holiday dinners.

The meals she prepared and the command she had of her kitchen. The contrast of how she was in those last few months of her life were so different from the powerful organized in charge woman she was before the ageing process took her was very dramatic.

I am thankful for memories of my grandmother.


5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year?

I always make to much dressing!


6. Do your pets get any left-overs?

No! The hubs is very adamant about the puppy not getting table food, but confession time sometimes I will sneak him a treat while he is not looking. So he might get a nibble or two!


7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying?

Yes! We all gather in a circle and hold hands and then my husband will usually pray.


8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing?

Not huge sports fans here. We will be sitting talking and enjoying each other company. I feel certain there will be pie and a latte involved.


9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing?

That’s a big no!


10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving?

I think so, but then I am far from a history buff!


11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying?

Apple, Pumpkin and then a Homemade German Chocolate Cake.


12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!)

That’s another big no and while I’m at it pass the carving knife!

 

Blessings and happy Thanksgiving

Robin

Lost and Found

How do you guarantee you will find something you lost?

 

  1. Order the replacement part online.
  2. Receive the placement part in the mail.
  3. Attach new stylus to cell phone.
  4. Go to meeting at church and use new stylus multiple times.
  5. Return home from meeting and sit on sofa enjoy a handful of Licorice Jelly Beans.
  6. Spill a handful of Licorice Jelly Beans in-between the sofa cushions.
  7. Retrieve Jelly Beans as well as the lost stylus for my cell phone which had fallen down into the deep recess of my sofa.

I even commented to my husband after I ordered my replacement stylus “You just watch! As soon as it gets here I will find my old one!”

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Blessings

Robin

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Weekend Warrior

Y’all it felt like we were on an episode of HGTV’s Ground Breakers.

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In a nutshell, my weekend started on Thursday with a trip to a local grower. I returned home with three Leland Cypress, three Autumn Twist Encore Azaleas and two flats of Liriope New Blue, that’s Monkey Grass in normal people language!

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Not all of this lovely green-ness belongs to me. Some of it is now in Skoots1mom’s yard, plus one of my other dear friends as well.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were a whirl of backyard activity!

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I got almost a third Liriope planted on Thursday!

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and two thirds left to go…it seemed like I had about a million of these little suckers to plant but in reality it was only 36 small plants.

I finished up part of my planting on Friday and then the really hard work started.

Ever moved a fence line? ON A HILL!!!!!

Let’s just say that there was much digging, sledge hammer wielding (by the hubs, not me) hauling bags of concrete, and yes I managed a few bags and they weighed 50 pound each!

We dug holes, we filled in holes, I stirred concrete, I shoveled concrete, I used loping shears, hack saws, a hammer, I hauled sticky juniper branches, got stuck by prickly sticky juniper braches and YES…I used power tools!

I am construction worker hear me roar!

In the process I only had to make two trips to the Home Depot for additional supplies. Isn’t it just a right of passage that you always need more or forget just one thing!

Anywhoo, on one of my trips to get a fence post I saw a bright yellow dancing chicken advertising a local hot wings restaurant and two hot air balloons out for an afternoon flight on the absolutely amazing fall day we were having. The dancing chicken was amusing but the hot air balloons were awesome. I tried to get a picture of them but sadly by the time I got to the Home Depot they had dropped to low in the sky for me to see them.

In the process of moving the fence line we vexed the dog to his limit as he had to remain on his chain while he was in the backyard. He could see his ultimate freedom, but to his great frustration his chain held firm! He did however exact his revenge by snatching and gnawing on a finial that was laying at the hubs feet awaiting installation.

At long last on Sunday afternoon the new fencing was in place and we stood back and surveyed our handiwork with a sense of satisfaction.

Satisfaction flavored with a thick covering of Georgia red clay, sweat, concrete dust, splinters, sunburned faces and shear exhaustion.

Here is a picture of the completed project. This new space will be the future home of  a backyard shed.

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Thrilling I know.

But it will also mean that we can move many many, many, many, many things stored in the garage out of the garage. In turn this will mean that I can back my van out of the garage with out whacking my side view mirror on the garbage can for which I will be eternally grateful!

Here is a picture of the new landscape area in the back yard.

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If you look closely you can see the line in the dirt where the previous fence line was. We moved it back about 10 feet. Did I mention that we moved it back ten feet ON A HILL!

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This is our ingenious solution, much to my perfectionist husband dismay, to correct the dog sized gaps at the bottom of the fence.

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And guess what y’all we are still not done. We move on to shed installation 101 and then moving the fence line on the other side of the house!

But that’s for another weekend!

What did y’all do this past weekend?

Blessings

Robin

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

We had some rain…

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 it rained and it rained, it rained all day! My trees got a nice long drink!

Look how much rain we got!

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The next day the sun came out and a sweet feathered friend came for a visit in my new tree!

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Blessings

Robin

Monday, November 16, 2009

Fall Into Flavor – Stuffed French Toast

Joining in on Fall Into Flavor hosted by 2nd Cup of Coffee today. For more recipes go over and check out the other participants! It has been great fun over these last five weeks!

This has been a holiday breakfast tradition at our house for a very long time.

The variation on this on are only limited to your imagination.

10 to 12 slices of the bread of your choice. I usually use white bread but it works well with whole wheat. It would be very good made with raisin bread also!

8 oz cream cheese (you can use fat free or 1/3 less fat) depending on how much cream cheese you like you may need two blocks of cheese??)

12 eggs ( you can cut back on the egg yolks too)

1/3 cup maple syrup (if you cutting calories you an use reduced calorie syrup also)

2 cups milk (depending on how much fat you want you can use skim, it will not be as creamy but it will still be very good, or you can go for it and use whole milk or half and half)

Spread the cream cheese on the bread and make sandwiches.

Cut the crusts off the sandwiches. You don’t really have to cut the crust off it but it looks better and it’s the holidays so cut the crusts!

Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Place cream cheese sandwiches side by side in the pan. You may have to cut some of them in half to get all the pieces to fit.

Beat the eggs and milk and maple syrup together.

Pour milk and eggs over bread and cover with foil and place in refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 375.

With foil still on pan bake in 375 oven 30 minute.

After 30 minutes remove foil and bake an additional 15 or so minutes until top is golden brown. It will puff up a lot and then settle down once removed from the oven.

When the center is firm it is done.

Serve with warm maple syrup.

You can add anything you like to the cream cheese, I have added cinnamon, chopped nuts, apricot jam, orange zest…the possibilities are endless. You can also go savory by adding chopped bacon or crumbled sausage. I would omit the maple syrup from the recipe if you are going savory.

You can even add a bit of cinnamon to the milk mixture if you like as well.

Serve with orange juice and a fruit salad and your good. For a real festive holiday treat make your orange juice with sparkling water (for those underage) or hey if you at my house it might be a bottle of champagne.

A mimosa is holiday treat! I limit myself to one or the turkey will not make it into the oven.

Well this is my Farewell to Fall Into Flavor for this year!

Blessings

Robin

I Won…You Win continues...

I won you win giveaway

Y’all this is just to exciting.

If you tossed you name in the wooden shoe over at 2nd Cup of Coffee and did not win well never fear the “I Won…You Win” continues!

Now is your BIG chance.

Head over to Bug’s Eye View for your chance to join in on the fun!

Blessings

Robin

Thursday, November 12, 2009

National Chocolate Covered Anything Day! Yes it’s true!

Just sharing the bloggy love for all interested parties. Y’all check out Marsha’s Kitchen for this dipped in chocolate piece of blog heaven! Sound like to much sweet dipped in chocolate fun!

Dipped in Chocolate Blessings

Robin

Let’s just use the phrase dipped in chocolate one more time shall we!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Random Dozen

Joining Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee for this weeks Random Dozen.

1. What was the last song you listened to?

I wish I “loved” music more, however I much prefer the peace and quiet of quiet! Silence is golden in my book. If I am in the car I either don’t have the radio on or I am listening to talk radio.


2. Have you ever had “buyer’s remorse” over anything?

I lack the shopping gene. I shop out of necessity rather than for enjoyment. I will say that if I buy something and I get it home and I don't like it it goes back to the store. But now that you mention it, the brown shoes I bought at the Wal-Mart that I wore all over San Francisco that don’t fit and can’t take back. I am remorseful over that one!


3. What is something in your life that you are thankful for now that you didn’t think you would be at the time of the event? (Something that seemed ill-timed, inconvenient or hurtful which turned out to be a good thing)

My answer is a spring board from a previous Random Dozen question. The Pivotal Moment of my cancer diagnosis was a blessing in disguise. I was not able to accept this blessing for many years. With much time and spiritual maturity I can now thank God for that difficult experience. It was at this time that I really learned to completely rely on God for His provision. I learned that trying to control something that can not be controlled is pointless (honesty I still struggle with this one sometimes). I learned that it is at our darkest moment when God shine the brightest. I learned that nothing is impossible for God! I learned that God can and will use even the darkest day for His Glory if only we will have the obedience to yield to His perfect and pleasing will.

I would not be the person that I am today if I had not gone through that experience all those years ago. Did I see it as a blessing at the time? No I did not! Has it become a blessing, well God is good in all things and He has refined that dark time into a blessing as only He can!


4. Do you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade every year? If so, do you have a favorite float or balloon?

When the kids were little we watched faithfully every year. However as my children have gotten older it has not been such an important holiday tradition. However I do love watching the parade and if I had to pick a balloon I would say I love the old balloons like Rocky and Bullwinkle. My all time favorite moment of the parade is the very end when Santa comes riding in on his sleigh. It kicks off the holiday season for me.


5. Share a quote, scripture, poem or lyric which has been an inspiration to you lately.

This week our Bible study is focusing on Isaiah. Specifically chapters 40 through 55. There is such a wealth of comfort. The first words of chapter 40 are:

Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people says your God!

Here are a few of the verses that kept popping off the page at me.

ISA 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
  I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

ISA 43:2 When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze.

ISA 43:3 For I am the LORD, your God,
   the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I particularly like this one and the reference to the gray hair!

ISA 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
  I have made you and I will carry you;

and since I can’t (or wont) copy the entire book of Isaiah I will share just one more!

ISA 49:16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;


6. This is meant to be a fun question, and this is a G-rated blog, but please share a “guilty pleasure,” something that you enjoy that’s probably not the most edifying, time-worthy or healthy thing you could be indulging in. Did I mention--G rating?

I have this sweet little orange pumpkin sitting on my table.

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Well the other day I was at the Ingles and they had their Halloween candy on clearance.

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My sweet little pumpkin is now filled with Candy Corn (yet another Random Dozen flashback)

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I think I may have to change my answer about Buyers Remorse because I really wish I had not bought these because now I can’t stop eating them.


7. What Thanksgiving food are you looking forward to?

Creamed Peas, it remind me of my Grandma!


8. What is your favorite book to read to children, or what was your favorite childhood book?

When I was a little girl I loved Pippi Longstocking, but sadly I was never able to interest my own daughter in this wonderful series.

When my children were little they loved Dr. Seuss…One Fish Two Fish, Cat In The Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Horton Hears A Who and the Berenstain Bears…Bears on the Moon, Spooky Old Tree, Old Hat New Hat. In fact now that it comes to mind I am off to find the box that they are stored in so that I can start sharing them with my sweet little granddaughter.


9. Do you collect anything? (Feel free to post a photo.)

I am not sure how it started but I have accumulated a large collection of bookmarks. One day I may sit down and count them all, but if I had to estimate I have probably over 100 maybe even more. Over the years I have gotten them on church retreats, bible studies, Emmaus Weekends, as gifts and I have picked them up on our travels to various places.

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I have a favorite though.

My sweet DS made this one for me when he was five years old.

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10. Gift bags or wrapping paper?

Gift Bag! I have to answer in the affirmative !

I went to a baby shower this past Sunday afternoon. I also stopped at my ever faithful Wal-Mart on the way there for a gift. I got a large gift bag for $3.00 and a package of tissue paper $1.00 and two minutes in the driveway before I went in to shove everything down into the gift bag and I am a happy girl. No tape or scissors necessary!!!!!!

I do have wrapping paper but if I can use a gift bag then I will always choose that option!


11. Share an after-school memory from when you were younger. What was your routine like on an average day?

Again no warm fuzzes here!

I would come home from school and look for the note on the kitchen table. It would be a list of instructions.

My little sister and me were latchkey kids before there was a term for latch key kids. Mom had to work so before she would leave for work she would usually get something underway for dinner that evening. When we would get home from school there would usually be a note on the kitchen table with very basic instruction for us to follow. When mom walked through the door our dinner was at least underway a little bit.

1. Call me when you get home.

2. Take (whatever was for dinner) out of the frig.

3. Begin the preparation for whatever was for dinner.

4. Set table.

5. at 5:30 turn the oven on to 350 degrees.

6. at 6:00 put ______ in the oven.


12. True story: Once, in a job interview, I was asked this question and told there would be no clarifying; I simply had to answer the question: “When you’re fishing, do you feel for the fish?” So what about you? When you're fishing, do you feel for the fish??

True Story: My husband used to be an avid fisherman. He still enjoys fishing from time to time He even had a fishing boat when we first got married. I remember one specific fishing incident when I had my pole in the water and I actually got a hit on the line. I struggled to pull the fish from the water. The Pole was straining and bowing over to nearly touch the water. By this time my husband had dropped his pole and moved over to me to try to help me reel in the massive fish I had hooked. I was so excited. He is yelling instruction at me. I am continuing to reel in my fish. With great effort we both managed to get the pole out of the water. To my surprise there was not only one fish but two hooked at the end of my pole. I continue to reel in my fish and my husband continued to yell instruction at me. In my fish euphoria and obvious inexperience I continued to reel in my fish. I am reeling and reeling and reeling and then……

SNAP!

The fishing pole flies from my hand as the tension on the line became so tight and then the fishing line just snapped. The fish fell back into the water joined at the mouth still on the hook.

Y’all, I was traumatized for the rest of the day and for some time after that. All I could think about were those poor fish swimming around in the lake stuck together at the mouth on my fishing hook!

 

Blessings and Happy Random Dozen

Robin

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

I am baker hear me ROAR! The Fall Into Flavor Road to Redemption!

When it comes to certain things I am a bit obsessive. I once spent an entire winter trying to make homemade marshmallows. I saw Ina do it one afternoon and it looked really simple and really cool. So again I asked the age old question “How hard could it be?” Well by now I am sure you know the answer to that one. It was a bit more difficult than it looked but after multiple failures I succeeded. But then it was winter time and I didn’t have anything better to do. You all have not lived until you have had a cup of hot chocolate with a homemade peppermint flavored marshmallow floating on top. It was totally worth the effort and I probably will never do it again either. I will live with the fond memories of how fabulous it was! But I digress…

After the shame of the Great Sourdough Disaster of 09 I was determined to prevail and emerge from my kitchen the victor.

Emeril, Better Homes & Gardens, Martha, Betty Crocker, Alton what do these people have in common? All their sourdough recipes or starter recipes include additional commercial yeast.

So although it might be possible to create a completely wonderful sourdough starter ala natural without the help of an additional yeast boost, I found that method to be unsuccessful as well as unhealthy for the state of my mental well being.

I forged ahead into batch number 4 ( I think!!!) and found that after I added a packet of yeast to the starter I was able to achieve the desired results. My sponge was wonderful frothy, bubbly and it had that wonderful pleasant sour yeasty aroma. IMG_0018As I placed my dough out onto my board it even felt different. There was a lightness to the dough with the familiar soft springy feel to it. It felt like a bread dough should feel. IMG_0020

There is not much difference here other than the dough had much more elasticity and it had a much softer feel to it! It was all starting to come back to me…

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Into the bowl for the first proofing. I placed the bowl on top of the oven and then went outside to help my husband work in the yard.

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Y’all it not only double in size, it TRIPLED in size.

So much so that it rose up over the sides of the bowl and spilled out on to the top of my oven.

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Bla bla bla, more kneading, more forming into loaves, placing in bread pans, bla bla bla bla, set aside for the second proofing, bla, bla, bla.

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About and hour later the bread has risen up and formed into wonderful loaves of bread that actually look like loaves of bread.

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Into the oven @ 350 for about 30 to 40 minutes.

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Out of the oven and they look GREAT!

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I am redeemed!

I am baker hear me roar!

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But wait…no forklift or crane was necessary to remove it from the oven and I was not in need of the husbands chainsaw either.

It sliced up perfectly and had the wonderful soft chewy texture a sourdough bread should have.

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But here is the proof. This was all that was left after dinner on Saturday night.

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Here is the recipe for the starter, however I would not REPEAT NOT NOT NOT recommend that you use the recipe he includes for the bread as he dose not add any additional yeast.

So here is the recipe that I use:

San Francisco Style Sourdough Bread

1 envelope yeast

3/4 cups warm water

2 cups proofed sponge or starter (see link above for instruction on this)

2 teaspoon salt or 1 tablespoon coarse salt

2 1/2 to 3 cups bread flour

You may also include a couple tablespoons olive oil if you like but it’s totally is up to you. It will not affect your bread if you leave it out!

In small bowl dissolve yeast in the 3/4 cup warm water and let it sit a few minutes until dissolved and active. You will see a froth start to develop. If it does not develop and there are no bubbles then your yeast is old and not any good. Check your expiration date on the yeast.

Pour the starter in the bowl of your stand mixer or large bowl and add the dissolved yeast and olive oil and salt.

Mix thoroughly.

Add the flour in small increments, I use my 1/2 cup measure. When the dough is the desired consistency it will start to pull away from the sides of the bowl and form a large ball on the paddle the mixer. If you have a bread hook once your dough has formed you may switch over to the hook to kneed the dough.

Note: You may need to adjust the amount of flour. It might not need all 3 cups or you might need to add more it just depends on the flour.

When the dough is formed pour out onto floured surface and dust the top of the dough ball with flour as well. Kneed a few times to form into smooth ball. The dough should be soft and elastic but not sticky.

Place in a bowl with a light coating of olive oil or vegetable oil and set in a warm place until doubled in size. This should take at least an hour but it could take as long as two or more.

When it has double in size take you fist and punch down the dough and then turn it out again on to a floured surface and dust the top of the dough with additional flour.Kneed a few more times until dough is smooth and soft to the touch.

With a sharp knife cut the dough into equal parts and form into loaves.

You can also form into small rolls or small round loaves it’s your choice. If you are forming into round loaves you can take a sharp knife and make some decorative cuts across the top. It is hard to do this when you are using traditional bread pans.

Form into loaves and place in greased loaf pans an set aside in a warm place until doubled in size and the tops form a nice round top.

Transfer to hot oven about 35o degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes.

For a really golden brown top you can brush with and egg wash or give your loaves a light brush with some olive oil before going into the oven. But do this very gently you do not want to disturb the risen dough and cause them to fall.

Let bread cool on wire rack or cutting board for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

Then slice it up, slather with butter or in our case low fat heart healthy margarine with flax oil in it that we pretend is as good as butter and your in fresh bread heaven.

Well my next batch of proofed sponge is sitting on the kitchen counter as I type up this post. I am so thankful that my bread disaster is behind me and I can move on to more pressing matters such as the life and death decisions of menu planning for thanksgiving.

Apple or Pumpkin, Turkey or Ham, Sweet Potato or Mashed…at least I know the bread will be OK!

Blessings

Robin

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