The Domestic Life

In my younger days when I was between jobs, one of my favorite things was baking bread.

I got up early and decided to make a batch of bread using some whole wheat flour that was in the freezer and needed using up.

I make bread using several different methods: bread maching (least favorite), used to do it by hand but it's hard on the wrists as you get older, in the Kitchen Aid mixer with the bread hook, and my favorite- in the food processor.

About 1/3 of the flour I used was whole wheat and the rest was plain bread flour. You can see the yeast proofing in the measuring cup.

The dough has been kneaded in the processor. I then take it out and knead a few times by hand.

The dough is now ready for it's first rising. When I got my yeast out of the fridge, I was dismayed to see that it had outdated three years ago. But I stirred it into the warm water to proof with a little bit of sugar and it worked just fine.

It was nice and sunny in the kitchen. The first rise only took about an hour.

The loaves are now shaped and ready for their second rising.

They were nice and plump in about half an hour.

Into the oven they go!

I use a pizza peel to slide them onto the baking stone.
It took about 25 minutes for the baking. Bread is done at 190 degrees which I check with an instant read thermometer.

And here are the finished loaves! Just in time for a mid-morning breakfast of turkey bacon and eggs over easy.

Here's the reality check! The big sink full of dirty equipment!

Why does having fun have to make such a mess???

While I am in the kitchen, Zip was not slacking. I found these charis along the street in Chambersburg for bulk trash pickup. They were just plain wood with grungy upholstered seats. I brought them home and Zip took the seats off and painted the frames. Then I recovered the seats and this morning he put them all back together.

The ones we have in the kitchen now matched the off whte legs of the table, but they were too wide to fit well under the table at the ends. These fit nicely. We will paint the table legs to match.

My gameboard table runner is finished! And doesn't the bowl of GOURDS look good on it? Gourds like these and many other wonderful gourd creations for Christmas, Halloweed, etc. can be seen and purchased at Grant Street Woolworks.

Now on to the next project. I wonder what it shall be!