Sometimes a girl just wants brownies. I used chopped dark chocolate in the batter and added semi-sweet chips over the top just before baking.
January 27, 2012
by Julie
2 Comments
Brownies
January 26, 2012
by Julie
2 Comments
Chicken and dumplings
Brown chicken in all sides in a little olive oil. Add 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped ribs of celery and some bay leaves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables have softened then add 4 cups chicken stock and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer, cook 30 minutes, covered, and turn off heat. Let stand 60 minutes, covered. Remove chicken to a cutting board, pick meat from bones and return it to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Rub 1/4 cup butter into 1/3 cup flour to make a paste. Add the flour paste in small bits to the pot, stirring often. Let simmer about 5 minutes. Stir together 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 large eggs and 3/4 cup buttermilk. Drop by spoonfuls into the simmering soup, cover and cook ten minutes.
January 25, 2012
by Julie
2 Comments
Suffolk Puffs
One of the techniques I am learning with this first applique block is a “Suffolk Puff” aka “Yo-yo” with a turned edge. You stitch around the edge of your circle about 1/8″ in, insert a circle template, cinch it up and iron. Then you remove the template and stitch right on that folded edge, cinching it up a second time to form the little puff. This block is meant to be maple leaves but there’s some artistic license here as that puff in the center with little French knots in it seems much more like a flower than a leaf.
January 24, 2012
by Julie
2 Comments
Gabby strikes again
Gabby’s creativity when it comes to nappy spots knows no bounds. Sure enough she has decided the new shelf full of mittens, hats and gloves is a very cozy sleeping spot indeed.
January 23, 2012
by Julie
0 comments
Applique beginnings
This is the start of a project that will likely take most of the year. It’s called “Oriental Baltimore” and comprises a series of 9 floral applique blocks. I’m off to a wobbly start but I’m sure by the end of the year I’ll be much better!
January 22, 2012
by Julie
1 Comment
Mostly Maine Coon
Rileykin has developed yet another Maine Coon trait. She’s got “britches” on her legs, meaning the fur is quite long but then shorter on the foot. She’s also got the thick double coat, the M on her forehead, rings on her legs and a myriad of other traits- all except for a “butterfly” on her back. We’ll never know her lineage but we love her just the same.
January 21, 2012
by Julie
2 Comments
by special request
![Cinnamon rolls](http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7011/6736941213_fa7ac25264.jpg "Dough-
6½ c. bread flour, plus more for work surface
2 Tbs. active dry yeast
1½ Tbs. salt
1 c. honey
¼ c. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
about 2 cups warm water
filling
1/2 cup. butter, room temp.
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
Directions:
Place flour, yeast, and salt in a very large bowl.
In a 4 c. measuring cup mix the honey, oil, and eggs. Add enough warm water to reach the 4 cup mark and stir it all together. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir to combine. Beat for until dough forms a lumpy, sticky mass.
Cover and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and started to collapse. Transfer to refrigerator overnight.
Transfer half of the dough at a time from the bowl, placing on a work surface that has been heavily dusted with flour. Dust the with flour and flour your hands and/or a rolling pin. This dough very sticky, so flour as you need it to keep it from sticking to your work surfaces. Gently work dough out into a rectangle that is ~12" x 8". Spread half the filling over the dough as evenly as you can, making sure to disperse evenly. Start at the short end and roll into a cylinder. Cut into rolls and transfer to a 9-inch round baking pan. Repeat with second half of dough and filling.Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for ~1 hour. Preheat oven to 350° F.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool about ten minutes before serving.")
Cinnamon Rolls
Dough-
6½ c. bread flour, plus more for work surface
2 Tbs. active dry yeast
1½ Tbs. salt
1 c. honey
¼ c. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
about 2 cups warm water
filling
1/2 cup. butter, room temp.
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
Directions:
Place flour, yeast, and salt in a very large bowl.
In a 4 c. measuring cup mix the honey, oil, and eggs. Add enough warm water to reach the 4 cup mark and stir it all together. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir to combine. Beat for until dough forms a lumpy, sticky mass.
Cover and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and started to collapse. Transfer to refrigerator overnight.
Transfer half of the dough at a time from the bowl, placing on a work surface that has been heavily dusted with flour. Dust the with flour and flour your hands and/or a rolling pin. This dough very sticky, so flour as you need it to keep it from sticking to your work surfaces. Gently work dough out into a rectangle that is ~12″ x 8″. Spread half the filling over the dough as evenly as you can, making sure to disperse evenly. Start at the short end and roll into a cylinder. Cut into rolls and transfer to a 9-inch round baking pan. Repeat with second half of dough and filling.Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for ~1 hour. Preheat oven to 350° F.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool about ten minutes before serving.
January 20, 2012
by Julie
1 Comment
Whole wheat sourdough pita bread
I made some homemade pita bread this week to go with falafels and it turned out very nicely though the falafel was really a struggle. Our big food processor is in need of a new bowl as the safety catch isn’t working anymore so the blade won’t turn on. The mini processor we got for Christmas came to the rescue but then I had issues with the recipe because my balls were disintegrating in the frying oil. I did manage to rescue them but that recipe went out with the recycling and I’ll continue searching for another.
Whole Wheat Sourdough Pita Bread
1 cup sourdough starter
½ cup filtered water, warmed
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup additional whole wheat flour (approximately
Mix whole wheat starter with the next 4 ingredients, mixing/kneading well. Add enough additional flour to make a smooth dough. Let rise until doubled, about an hour.
Divide dough into ten equal portions and roll each less than 1/4
inch thickness.
Preheat an oven with a baking stone 475 degrees F. Put pitas directly onto the stone and bake for about 6 minutes or until fully puffed, turn and continue to cook until just starting to brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
January 19, 2012
by Julie
2 Comments
Spin spin spin
There’s been slow but steady progress on the BFL/alpaca roving. I finished up a second ginormous skein this week. I lost count but I think it’s upwards of 700 yards. Winnie was keeping a wary eye on the proceedings.
January 18, 2012
by Julie
1 Comment
Maple banana bread
This week I tried a maple banana bread recipe. I used vanilla instead of maple extract and I omitted the sugar on top. It’s decidedly less sweet than a traditional banana bread which I liked.