Pizza buns

It was a bread baking day today. The girls have been enjoying homemade buns, so I made a slightly different batch this time. The original recipe was from Betty Crocker that I have used for bread for years. I've adapted it over the years and continue to vary it. This is the way I did the pizza buns.

1 scant Tbsp. instant yeast
3/4 cup warm water
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 cups of warmed milk (this time I used whey leftover from yogurt making topped up with water)
3 Tbsp. sunflower oil (I worry about GMO oils, so I think this one is ok)
1 Tbsp. salt
2-3 cups of whole wheat flour
3-4 cups of white flour

I dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup water with the sugar. Let it get foamy and add the remaining ingredients, starting with about 4 cups or so of flour. Let the KitchenAid mix it up for a while, slowly adding flour til it looks ready to knead. Dump it onto the floured counter and knead away. Usually takes about 15-20 minutes til its nice and smooth and the gluten strings have developed. Keep adding flour when it needs it, but try not to add so much that it gets dry. Ball it up and put back into the mixing bowl. Cover and let rise. In the winter I put it in the oven with the light on. If its really cold, add a 2 cup measure of hot water to the oven for warmth. Should be risen in about an hour.

While the dough is rising, chop up an onion and cook that in some olive oil on low heat in a frying pan. Don't burn the onions, I don't even let them brown.

When the dough is risen. Punch it down and divide it. I use roughly 2/3 of it for a 9x13 pan of buns, and the rest for a loaf of ordinary bread. You could probably get 9 more buns in another pan if you like.

For the buns, roll it out into a rectangle, fairly thinly. Cover with pizza sauce and the onions. Top with lots of shredded old cheddar. Roll up from the wide side. Cut into 12 pieces with a serrated knife. I put the pieces into a 9 x 13 pan lined with parchment to stop the cheese from sticking. Let everything rise for another 1/2 or so. I added more cheese to the top before baking. Bake at 350F for around 30 min.

Long time

Long time no blog. Its long past time to see what has happened to a reinvented self.

The kitchen adventures and misadventures are still occurring. Here is a bowl of sour cherries from last summer.

After pitting, and chopping.

Six jars of Sour Cherry Jam were the result. Now that it is winter, and spring seems so far away, the taste is wonderful. Somehow, in the summer, the easy availability food outside the doorstep gets ordinary. Not now, when the frozen ground is resting. This is why I do this. 

who is this woman?

I am beginning to think a new woman has taken up residence in this body.

When she first announced her joyous presence, I thought it was just summer euphoria and that she would leave again as soon as holidays were over. She is still here.

I like her alot. I hope she stays a long time.

riche$ are on their way

Really, I'm sure of it.

I was outside just now, trying to avoid indoor chores. This is not a very good strategy as there are at least as many outdoor chores, but whatever.

I only have a little bit of the rhubarb explosion left to deal with sitting outside keeping coolish. There was ~15 lbs. of free rhubarb, now only maybe 2 lbs. left. Obviously I learnt nothing from the banana event.

Instead I ambled out to the veggie patch with hoe in hand. The potatoes have grown gloriously well and are seriously in need of hilling. I can ignore the weeds that are competing and winning leaves down by the peas and beans.

As I was hilling and cursing at the hoe, who's blade spun if I worked too hard. Good enough excuse for not pushing too hard I say. Anyway I wondered why the deer who live around here have been leaving my salad bar alone when other people's gardens, tulips and roses are getting chomped. Then it occured to me...

Wait for it.... when you hear this, you will want to rush to your mailboxes cheques addressed to me in hand...

I promise to spend the $$ wisely.....

I have a large elderly golden retriever. Mostly nowadays she sleeps and sheds. The canister of the vaccuum cleaner fills up astonishingly fast with hairy dirt if I ever bother to vaccuum. When the thing won't pick up another crumb, I empty it out into the garden. Voila, deer repellant.

OK, its rather gross, but I really think its working.

I'll start checking my mailbox daily, so that it doesn't get too full with all of the cheques.

Survivor

Yup, I survived the spring break from the netherworld. I celebrated by picking a new decor for the blog.

The car is still looking sad after I was so careless last week. Pay day is this week, so a new fender is not out of the question. Good thing duct tape matches my paint. I never thought of how clever it was to buy a duct tape coloured car at the time of purchase. I may always buy one this colour.

All teenaged persons have left the building, and judging by the time it is now, they must have caught the bus. This was the most peaceful school day morning I can remember. I pray that the attitude adjustment holds, is a week too long to wish for?

The violets are blooming themselves silly outside. Will try to pick some more to add to the ones already drying downstairs. Oh and I saw a good sized couple of dandelions by the currant bush. Romeo will like that.

If I go outside, I won't hear the dirty dishes at the sink growling at me. Those can be tamed later.

yes, we have too many bananas

I knew that hating to waste good food would bite me back one day.

Today was the day.

When I saw bananas without even a single freckle being tossed in a bin, of course I had to comment to the produce clerk. I was even polite. When offered a box full for $x, I responded $2?. No, he said $3. I waffled briefly, and said sure. I'll come back in a few minutes. And he wrote $2 on the box!! My cashier was jealous, I hope she gets a deal too.

He had loaded the box onto the cart, so off I went. Trying to load the box in my car should have been a clue. I could barely lift it. The smell of bananas quickly filled the car. Yup, the tropics visited my car in freezing January. I hope you are all jealous. I am about to get mine.

Visited a friend on the way home and managed to give her a few bunches off of the top. Got home and hoisted the box onto the kitchen table. Oh my goodness there are a lot of bananas in there.

Fortunately a neighbour was home and took a bag full that she would take with her to her sister's and leave them there. Clever woman.

Got most of the newspapers delivered and started peeling and freezing these things. There are a lot of bananas in that box.

Phoned a friend. She knew something was up right away. Thankfully she played along and said she would come and get some.

First batch of banana nut chocolate chip muffins go in the oven. Oh I didn't mention that I already had 5 freckled bananas on the kitchen table that were destined for baking. There are still a lot of bananas. DD makes a smoothy, one more gone.

Phoned another friend. Friend number one would be happy to drop some off. Sure she will, as soon as she finds out (smirk). Friend two offers the name of another victim. Awesome.

Friend one takes away three batches of bananas. I can see the bottom of the box. There are still a lot of bananas in there. Peeled and froze some more. I think I have finally gotten most of the squishy ones from the tossing.

There are still 27 bananas!!!!!! Plus 3 freckled ones. I will freeze some in their skins, tomorrow.

Thank you God for friends who will save one's penny pinching soul from her latest folly. goodnight

I forgot

Thus ensued a frantic search for the bit of paper with the codes scrawled thereon.

Note to self- think of a better spot to keep your backup memory. Pretty soon ten thousand scraps of paper are all going to look alike.