[BakerAunt]

I guessed correctly.

[BakerAunt]

We have been eating leftovers as well. Yesterday, we finished the chicken and had potato salad, along with microwaved fresh broccoli. Monday night, we had leftover black-eyed peas, ham, and vegetable rice bowl, and we will have it for dinner again tomorrow. That allowed me to bake a pie this evening, and it will let me bake bread tomorrow.

[BakerAunt]

When I was at the grocery on Sunday morning to get bananas, an essential fruit in our house. I saw a bag of five Bosc pears for 99 cents in the clearance section. While they had splotches, that is not out of the ordinary, and Bosc pears are a favorite of mine, and I have been missing fresh fruit. I bought them, having no idea what I would bake with them. I found a recipe at the KAF website for Pear and Cherry Almond Streusel Pie. I had all the ingredients, including dried cherries. I baked the pie on Monday evening. I used my oil crust (recipe posted at Nebraska Kitchen) in a 9-inch Emile Henry deep pie dish. I was a little short on the pears (2 lbs. 10 oz. rather than 3 lbs.). I used 170 g dried cherries rather than 142g because I wanted to use up the bag. (These were from Bob’s Red Mill, and they stopped carrying most dried fruit almost 2 ½ years ago.) I reduced the sugar from ¾ to ½ cup. Pears are naturally sweet, and there is a streusel topping. I replaced the 6 Tbs. of instant Clearjel with 2 tsp. tapioca and allowed the fruit, sugar, and tapioca to rest for 20 minutes. While I parbaked the pie shell for 12 minutes, I par-cooked the filling in a skillet on the stove top. I do so with all my fruit fillings with streusel toppings in parbaked crusts. I stirred in a scant tsp. almond extract at the end. (I didn’t want to fetch another bottle for the full tsp.) I halved the topping ingredients, except that I cut the butter down to 2 Tbs. I sprinkled the bottom of the pie shell with a bit of Panko to soak up excess juice and keep the crust crispy. I baked at 425F for 10 minutes, then reduced to 375F and baked for about 35 minutes. We shall cut into it tomorrow.

[BakerAunt]

Aaron--It's only a matter of time before one of us says, to heck with it, and tries Ms. Parks' recipe with a stand mixer.

She also has a Yeasted Pumpkin Bread Recipe. I posted the link here at Nebraska Kitchen and started a discussion thread about it. Len and I both made the bread, and darn it, we used our mixers, not the food processor on which she insists. I even substituted in 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, and made up the rest of the weight with the bread flour the recipe specifies. Both Len and I were pleased with how hour loaves turned out.

So, one of these days....

As for all the orders, clearly the word is getting around that you have superior baked goods!

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

I just checked. The pans were there yesterday, in the "Sale and Specials" section. However, you are correct that as of today, only a few USA pans are there.

I like to use Bakers Bucks in the sale section, which is why I will be receiving the electric mini pizzella griddle, which I plan to use for crackers.

[BakerAunt]

BTW, King Arthur has a lot of their baking pans (USA) currently on sale, including the pain de mie pan.

[BakerAunt]

When I have soaked raisins, I have cut back the liquid or been prepared to add a bit more flour. I also try to let the soaked raisins rest on a towel to remove excess moisture.

[BakerAunt]

I answered correctly, which should give you an idea of some of the contents of my pantry.

[BakerAunt]

I miss garage and estate sales, but then, this area was never as good for these as the place I lived in Texas. There is one next weekend in town that might be of interest (same place I got the bread machine last fall). Masks are required, as is physical distancing. I've not made up my mind on whether to go.

[BakerAunt]

I made another batch of yogurt on Sunday. I have had to use nonfat Chobani Greek yogurt as the starter, but when we went to the next town for groceries for the first time since lockdown, I was able to get Stonyfield full-fat Greek yogurt again. I use ¾ cup (170g), so when added with the 1% milk, it is low enough in saturated fat. I like the taste of the Stonyfield yogurt better.

[BakerAunt]

For Sunday breakfast, I made my buttermilk wholegrain waffles (whole wheat, cornmeal, buckwheat flour; flax meal), with oil rather than butter. I had mine with maple syrup. My husband had his with honey.

[BakerAunt]

I guessed wildly and incorrectly.

[BakerAunt]

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.

[BakerAunt]

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.

[BakerAunt]

I answered correctly through a lucky guess.

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