BakerAunt
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I've been thinking about this topic all day, Kimbob. I'm also retired, so the biggest changes for me have been not venturing to the next town for groceries or having friends and my stepchildren visit. I also miss the farmers market, which did open up today, but as there is still not a lot of produce available, and they want exact change (which I didn't think to get before lockdown), I didn't go. Otherwise, it's the usual baking and cooking and home chores. I haven't done as much reading as I'd expected, but I write more emails to friends and family. The rural location makes it easy to get out for a walk or hike. We live on a lake, so I'm practicing my kayaking (sit-upon) on quiet weekday mornings when the weekend influx of visitors--and large boat waves from said visitors--abate.
I pulled out some sewing projects, and of course made a mask. I finished a strawberry table topper that I have been cross stitching on and off for sixteen years. (The outline stitching at the end was very repetitive, as the pattern is repeated four times around each side.) If we at Nebraska Kitchen end up doing a tea party, I'll use it along with a china strawberry teapot and cups and saucers. I'm exploring needlepoint and have completed the front for an embroidery scissors case and am debating whether I want to attempt a more complicated needlebook. I have enough stitching projects stashed to get me through years of sheltering in place.
I had planned on seeking more community engagement this summer. When we moved here three years ago, we were in a holding pattern for the first year, until we realized the contractor was just not that into us and replaced him with another contractor, and we were under construction and living in the small garage apt. for seven months, and the house was only completed three months after we were back inside. Now I'm ready to have dinner parties, but given that our county which is opening up--and has double the cases today that it had a week ago, that will not be happening soon for us.
I do miss travel and the short day trips and several days jaunts we enjoy, especially when school is in session, as that reduces the crowds.
For Saturday dinner (and dinners beyond), I cooked black-eyed peas from scratch (soaked overnight in salted water, drained, then cooked in salted water). After they had cooked for an hour, I sautéed chopped celery, chopped yellow bell pepper, and 8 oz. pre-packaged cubed ham in grapeseed oil, then added 2 cloves minced garlic, before adding the black-eyed peas, 1 ½ Tbs. Penzey’s dried onion that I had rehydrated, and 1 1/4 cups brown rice. After bringing it to a boil, I let it simmer for 45 minutes, then I added some torn kale. The flavors really came together well; no additional spices were needed. I think that sautéing the ham gives depth of flavor.
I answered correctly through a lucky guess.
There are plenty of dry beans at my local grocery store. Occasionally, they have been low, and some varieties are not available. It must be another of those cases where it depends on where in the country you are.
Back in March, I baked a Chocolate Olive Oil Blood Orange Cake, dividing it between two of the half-size Bundt pans. We ate one, and I froze the other, along with enough juice to make glaze. I decided tonight was the night to have it for the dessert, so I pulled it out of the freezer last night and let it thaw on the counter in its wrappings overnight. The cake is as wonderful as it was the day that I baked it. The flavor of the blood orange may even have intensified. I used the juice to make the beautiful and delicious pink icing.
I will keep my eye out next February/March for blood oranges again.
At the start of sheltering in place, I bought another bag of brown rice (organic at that!) at the local grocery store because I was afraid of getting caught short. Well, they still have it to sell here. It's interesting how some parts of the country are short on some items and others on different items.
I pulled out the electric Krumkake maker on Friday, and after perusing the recipes, decided that the German recipe, which uses a lot less butter and eggs had possibilities for converting into one lower in saturated fat. I replaced 4 Tbs. butter with 1 Tbs. butter, 2 Tbs. canola oil, and 1 Tbs. 1% milk. There was an option of ½ or 1 tsp. vanilla, so I went with the lesser amount. These turned out very well and fill my need for a crunchy sweet cookie. I went ahead and rolled them into cones, but they would also work well as very thin flat cookies. I will not be filling them with whipped cream, but the next time we have frozen vanilla yogurt in the house, I might try making cones or even shaping bowls. Until then, they are great with tea!
I missed it.
I did hear about Tuesday Morning, Mike. The nearest one here is in South Bend, and we don't go to South Bend that often. I had been thinking we would get there in October, after my husband's family reunion, but it looks like the reunion will not be held this year due to Covid-19. Usually Big Lots would have better prices on the foods. Tuesday Morning seems to me to have moved direction in the past few years. A lot of my nice baking and cooking ware came from there, but I recall thinking a couple of years ago that if I were shopping for the same items now, I wouldn't find them there.
Note on zucchini we had for dinner. I found a roasted zucchini recipe on line. I cut the zucchini into slices and put it on a half-sheet pan lined with parchment. I brushed each slice with olive oil, then sprinkled with a bit of garlic, salt, and pepper. I grated a little Parmesan cheese over each slice. I roasted at 475 for 5 minutes, then put under the broiler for 2 minutes. These are delicious.
Thanks, Len, it pays to haunt their site!
Aaron: If only we could chain our kitchen implements to the kitchen (as Medieval churches used to do with Bibles), they would actually be there when needed and not in the possession of Ida Know and Not Me (characters who show up occasionally in the Family Circus comic strip).
I have been a member of the Baker's Rewards for as long as the program has existed. It was a much better deal when I could get 25 lb. bags of flour, but they stopped shipping the large bags.
Some ingredients I buy exclusively from KAF: the special dry milk, medium rye flour, Bakewell Cream baking powder, pumpernickel flour, maple sugar, and Vermont Cheese powder. I can no longer get white whole wheat flour locally, and Bob's Red Mill no longer carries that product, so when I need it, I have to use mail order.
Other ingredients, like their dried mixed fruits or candied ginger are occasional purchases.
I usually buy their 100 sheets of parchment paper, which is not available locally.
I agree with Mike that KAF used to have a wider array of gadgets, many of which found their way into my kitchen. I still use them. Lately, they have had less, although that mini spatula/spoonula set I picked up has been wonderful, especially the spoonula for drizzling glaze.
I can usually get KAF AP locally (when there isn't a pandemic!) Usually, I buy my bulk yeast from KAF. I'm rarely near a store where I could buy it.
I've bought various bread baking dishes and pans over the years and so don't need the standards.
One thing that I like about the Bakers Rewards is that you don't have to wait for a shipping special. However, you do have to buy $25 worth to qualify for BR free-shipping, and if you use a BR $10 off coupon, the total before the coupon is applied must be $35. You do earn extra Bakers Bucks if you are a Rewards member.
For me, since I live in a rural area not close to an array of stores, it makes sense to have the membership--even though I'm not happy that KAF has not extended expiration dates on Baker's Bucks when they don't have much of what I want in stock.
Bob's Red Mill had the best shipping deals (free over $59--excluding 25 lb. bags), and pre-Pandemic, I would do a couple of large orders per year. That is why I switched to their bread flour, whole wheat flour, and other specialty flours. They also have grains and beans. I do not know if the shipping special will come back after all of this.
So, Kimbob, think about your particular case and needs when making your decision.
On Thursday, I made All American Potato Salad. The recipe comes from Cook’s Country, although I have tweaked it slightly. For us, it must include Hengstenberg Crunchy Gherkins, a German pickle. I buy jars at Tuesday Morning or Big Lots, usually in September and October during Oktoberfest promotions. I am down to my last jar and do not know when I will have a chance to re-stock. We will have it with roasted chicken thighs (on silicone racks so that the fat runs off). I plan to sauté zucchini in olive oil with a bit of Penzey’s Tuscan Sunset as the green vegetable.
Good catch, Aaron!
While there is some overlap between bakers and barbecuers, I'm thinking that the bread baking craze is in no danger of slowing down, IF people were baking good bread. It may be that they will realize that they need really good buns to set off what they barbecue.
I missed it.
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