[BakerAunt]

I missed it, but I shared the information with my husband.

Our broccoli crop, and I don't know what variety it is--was eaten once by caterpillars, resulting in very lacy leaves--then, when it was recovering and a small head had formed on one, the caterpillars came back. My husband was removing them as fast as he could, but a tiny bit of broccoli, which he ate last night, is all he got.

Unless we can solve the caterpillar issue, I don't see broccoli as one of our future crops. I have suggested a "dead zone" around the outside of the long and narrow garden fence, so that the grass does not grow right up next to the enclosure, but that may not solve the problem. It's also why we haven't had a spinach crop. Another gardener told me that her kale was hit as well.

[BakerAunt]

I sympathize Navlys. We redid our kitchen completely, and I'm still trying to figure out how everything will fit. I have to store some items that I don't use as much in the apt. kitchen over the garage, which means going outside to get to them. Give yourself time. You will find yourself re-arranging as you go. I still need to re-do the utility cabinet organization, as well as the cabinet over the refrigerator.

[BakerAunt]

On Saturday, I tried another version of the KAF recipe, “Lemon Blueberry Cornmeal Cakes.” When I baked it a couple of weeks ago, making some significant changes, it was far too lemony and that overpowered the blueberries. I decided to make it in an 8x4-inch loaf pan this time, since I don’t have any of THE Grease mixed up, so I didn’t want to do a Bundt pan. This time, for the flour I used ¾ cup AP and ½ cup barley flour. I added 2 Tbs. BRM powdered milk and 1 Tbs. flax meal. I used just 1 Tbs. lemon juice and added ½ tsp. vanilla. I used ½ + 2 Tbs. EACH canola oil and buttermilk. I sprinkled the loaf with demerara sugar. I baked it for about 38 minutes, when it tested done, cooled it for 10 minutes in the pan, then turned it out onto a rack. We had some for dessert this evening. It is a slightly sweet bread that is definitely better with less lemon and a bit of vanilla. The original recipe includes a glaze, so that may be why the cake/bread is not overly sweet.

I also baked my lower-saturated fat version of Whole Wheat Sourdough Cheese Crackers from the dough I made last week.

[BakerAunt]

Saturday night dinner is a rotisserie chicken (on sale for $4.99), an ear of sweet corn each (we have to eat it while we can!), and microwaved green beans from our garden.

[BakerAunt]

Thanks for posting this information, Mike. I've forwarded it to a friend who has a flat cooktop on order, just in case it involves what she is getting.

[BakerAunt]

Ah, my educated guess was correct!

I'm bemused by recipes that call for white truffle oil. How much money do they think I have? 🙂

[BakerAunt]

When I was watching a Great British Baking Show "Master Class," I saw Paul Hollywood make Hot Cross Buns. Rather than a frosting, he made a special (non-yeasted?) dough and used it to make the crosses before the bread was baked.

It might be worth a call to those Ukrainian churches to see if anyone is keeping the bread baking tradition alive. Often that gets lost before the younger generation realizes its value and wishes it had asked for the knowledge before it is gone.

[BakerAunt]

I know this one!

[BakerAunt]

I made ratatouille for Thursday night’s dinner, using some of the “Carbon” tomatoes from our garden. This variety cracks and has green shoulders, and a bottom that is smoky red when ripe. My husband does not care for how they look, but they are a wonderfully sweet tomato, and worked very well in the recipe. That recipe also featured three different kinds of zucchini and an eggplant from the farmers market. The onion, garlic, and red bell pepper came from the grocery store. We had the ratatouille over a wild and brown rice mix, along with leftover chicken from last night.

[BakerAunt]

Early apples have shown up at the farmers market. I don't know what variety the "seconds" I used for applesauce were, but the pink applesauce had almost a "cherry" note. For eating, I bought a variety called Scarlet Gala for eating, and they are delicious.

At the orchard down near Peru that we visited in December (not a u-pick) last year, the Ever Crisp was a delicious eating apple that lasted well in the 48F garage during the winter. The small Winesaps also lasted well. We hope to visit that orchard again and put in a winter's supply.

[BakerAunt]

I missed it. I listed off the ones I see in the store (did miss one of the top 5).

[BakerAunt]

I'm actually trying to work on incorporating more vegetables at meals--not always easy with a husband who thinks that one vegetable, along with a starch is fine. Of course, I have zucchini hidden in the dessert....

[BakerAunt]

For dinner on Wednesday, I roasted some chicken thighs on a rack, so that the fat can drip off. I put just a bit of olive oil on them and sprinkle with Penzey’s poultry seasoning. We ate it with an ear of sweet corn each and microwaved fresh broccoli. I also had a half tomato from our garden.

[BakerAunt]

I missed it--in spite of narrowing it down to two possibilities.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

Just a note to say that we liked the Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Zucchini Bread. It is plenty sweet without the sugar I deleted, and the replaced oil is not missed.

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