BakerAunt

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  • in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of January 22, 2023? #38201
    BakerAunt
    Participant

      Egg prices seem particularly high in your location, Chocomouse.

      My husband roasted a turkey on Wednesday. I made dressing, using a spare bag of Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix, and I made gravy. We had microwaved fresh broccoli with it. We look forward to a couple of days of easy meals with leftovers.

      Snow fell all day here. My husband says it is 4 1/2 inches. There is a possibility of more snow tomorrow.

      in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of January 22, 2023? #38198
      BakerAunt
      Participant

        On Tuesday evening, I baked another batch of oatcakes. I also baked my Lime-Pecan Biscotti, using some of the limes from my lime tree.

        in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of January 22, 2023? #38188
        BakerAunt
        Participant

          We had ham sandwiches and finished off the coleslaw for Monday's dinner.

          I also made yogurt today.

          in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of January 22, 2023? #38187
          BakerAunt
          Participant

            My husband would mope if I did not frost the cinnamon rolls. I am planning, however, to cut back on the amount of glaze I use.

            Skeptic--I started the griddle on a low-medium(?) heat for two minutes, then added some oil and spread it around, let it rest for maybe 30 seconds, then began the pancakes. I had just a bit of sticking on a couple of them. I used a silicone spatula that was good for getting underneath them and dislodging, in most cases, where a bit stuck. I also turned down the heat a bit after adding the second batch to the pan, as I did not want it to get any hotter.

            I realized as I was cooking them that I had forgotten to add oil to the batter, but they were ok. I only realized at noon that I had forgotten to add the egg as well! Clearly, I need to organize my workspace better.

            in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of January 22, 2023? #38179
            BakerAunt
            Participant

              I made cornmeal pancakes on Monday morning. I bravely used my cast iron griddle pan, and for the most part had no sticking problems. I have had the pan for a while but only used it for English muffins. I had read that it is best to heat the pan for a couple of minutes, then add the oil, spreading it over the surface, let it heat slightly, then add the pancakes. I had four small pancakes left over, so I will warm them up tomorrow for breakfast.

              in reply to: Happy Year of the Rabbit #38173
              BakerAunt
              Participant

                In Vietnam, however, it is the Year of the Cat.

                I didn't know until today that there was a difference between the two calendars.

                in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of January 22, 2023? #38171
                BakerAunt
                Participant

                  I will be baking pumpernickel sandwich bread again after lunch today. I'm tweaking it slightly so that it will be half wholegrain by replacing 1/4 cup more cup of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. I was surprised that my husband asked me to bake it again, right after we finished the previous loaf today, but that is great, since I can experiment while the results of the previous one are fresh in my mind.

                  I have also been buying my BRM products from Vitacost. The prices are good, and they have had some great percentage-off sales. Shipping is free, if you spend $49 or more. Products also arrive a LOT faster than from KABC. I've also ordered sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and they even carry the Tazo black-iced tea bags that we like. It's worth exploring their site.

                  in reply to: Yeast conversion #38161
                  BakerAunt
                  Participant

                    I always buy active dry yeast and use the same amount as any recipe that calls for instant. I suspect that the substitution would only be an issue if you are baking very large batches of bread, which we home bakers do not do. I like proofing the yeast. The one time I had a fail was with the special gold yeast, and I mixed it in as King Arthur advised. Never again. I proof both. I also get a kick out of seeing the bubbling.

                    When baking older recipes, as in Bernard Clayton's bread book, I cut back on the yeast for the reason Mike says: yeast today is more powerful than what we were baking with thirty or forty years ago.

                    I buy 2-lb. bags of yeast, split it between two containers and keep it in the freezer, along with my 1 lb. container of special gold. It takes perhaps 15 months to go through the regular yeast.

                    in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of January 15, 2023? #38160
                    BakerAunt
                    Participant

                      Saturday night's dinner was Oven Crisped Fish and Chips with Dill Tartar Sauce and coleslaw.

                      Joan--many smokers try multiple times to quit before they finally succeed. I hope your husband will give it another try.

                      in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of January 15, 2023? #38145
                      BakerAunt
                      Participant

                        I baked an apple pie Friday evening, using more of the Winesaps that we got last November. I reduced the sugar slightly, from 3/4 to 2/3 cup, since it still has 1/4 cup sugar in the streusel topping. I used 3 Tbs. avocado oil in place of 1/3 cup butter in the streusel.

                        in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of January 15, 2023? #38144
                        BakerAunt
                        Participant

                          It is great to see you posting again, Italian Cook!

                          I made a throw-together soup for lunch on Friday to use some of the broth I had to defrost to get freezer space. I sauteed onion in olive oil, then added the mushrooms, then garlic, then a can of petite diced tomatoes, along with thinly sliced carrot, then the 3 cups of turkey broth and a teaspoon of Penzey's Tuscan Sunset. I also used a half cup of shaped pasta and added pepper at the end. I have enough for additional lunches.

                          in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of January 15, 2023? #38141
                          BakerAunt
                          Participant

                            Oh, Joan! Yes, that kind of heat-resistant glass really shatters when it breaks. Good luck getting it all cleaned up.

                            in reply to: National Cornstarch Shortage? #38129
                            BakerAunt
                            Participant

                              Aldi's had frozen Butterball turkeys for 49 cents per pound today. Although our freezers are pretty full--and we have a turkey thawing in the refrigerator that we bought for $1.07 per pound at the local grocery--we bought it, and I made room for it in the Annex's freezer section. As I had to remove some frozen broth to do so, there will be soup made this weekend.

                              Aldi's had eggs for $3.69 per dozen. I was relieved that the price was not higher.

                              in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of January 15, 2023? #38128
                              BakerAunt
                              Participant

                                For dinner on Thursday, I made black-eyed peas with brown rice, ham, kale, and yellow bell pepper. While I did not make the quantities that Mike makes for chili, or that Joan makes for Brunswick stew, we have enough leftovers to rotate with other meals into next week.

                                in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of January 15, 2023? #38124
                                BakerAunt
                                Participant

                                  IMO, Aaron, it has to be what is the right pickle juice for the baker--the flavors you like in your rye bread. We buy jars of these German dill pickles, usually from Best Buy or, more expensively, Tuesday Morning. I like no other pickle in my potato salad or tartar sauce. The juice retains that flavor, due to the spices (dill, mustard seed, onion, and maybe something else). I strain the juice, so the whole spices do not go into the bread.

                                  I cut the salt to 1 tsp. this time, since I know that the juice is salty. I increased the yeast a previous time to 2 1/2 tsp., in order to use more wholegrains, and that seems to be what is needed. I also use Bob's Red Mill Bread flour, which I find gives better results with a more wholegrain loaf.

                                Viewing 15 posts - 1,861 through 1,875 (of 7,931 total)