[BakerAunt]

Great cake, Len!

Wednesday was a mixed day in the cramped apt. kitchen in which I am still baking and cooking. I successfully baked Jam-Oatmeal Bars, from that recipe S. Wirth cited (and that I’ve made twice before now). This time I used mostly mixed berry jam that I canned last year, with a bit of my black raspberry jam to make 10 oz.

My second Wednesday project was to be Wheat-Oat Flax Buns, which I planned to use for a 4th of July meal. However, I had too much on my mind, and I accidentally used not enough liquid. I was ¼ cup and a couple of Tablespoons off. I thought the dough looked and felt rather odd after I took it out of the bread machine. At the end of the process, instead of the wonderful light texture, I ended up with what are more like biscuits, without much rise. We decided to have them as biscuits along with leftover chicken and a salad.

I’d planned another project for this evening--a special sweet roll for the July 4th festivities--but I will wait and make it tomorrow or the next day.

[BakerAunt]

On Monday, I made salmon and couscous with Penzey’s Mural Seasoning. We had microwaved frozen peas on the side.

For Tuesday’s dinner, I roasted chicken thighs seasoned with a bit of olive oil, poultry seasoning, and sweet curry. We had them with lemon-pepper noodles and a salad that included romaine lettuce (hydroponic) from the farmers market on Sunday, a tomato from an Amish lady who had it from her greenhouse, and some lovely green onion from yet another vendor.

We had rain this afternoon, and it cooled our area down nicely--for now.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 5 months ago by BakerAunt.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 5 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

I got it--but only with my scientist husband's help.

[BakerAunt]

Aaron--I came across this article on spent grain bread and thought of you.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/restaurants/bakery-brewery-partnership-yields-bread-made-from-spent-grain/article_466b0833-c9c7-5dcf-8f18-eb9a795ea9a3.html

The bread does look delicious!

[BakerAunt]

Glad to hear the AC is working, Mike.

I started my baking projects on Monday morning, as it will be a warm day. I first baked my Lower-Fat Whole Wheat Sourdough Cheese Crackers from the dough I made a week ago. I don’t usually keep it this long, but I was hoping for a break in the weather. The crackers came out fine. I then made the KAF Maple Granola (recipe on their site—not the one in the Whole Grain Baking Book). I again reduced the coconut from one cup to a half cup. I decided to leave the salt at ½ tsp., I used pecans (still working my way through those from our former home in Texas), and I added ½ cup pumpkin seeds. I added 2 cups of raisins after the granola finished baking, as my husband does not care for cranberries or apricots. In this hot, humid weather, when my husband is working around the yard and house, he seems to do better with slightly salty snacks, and those with potassium and magnesium seem to help as well. I was surprised that he really liked the granola, which he finds a delectable snack. I like to mix it into my Greek yogurt, or occasionally to have it for breakfast without milk.

Addendum: I also delete the vanilla--no point in covering up the maple flavor! I baked the granola in the large pan I used to use for Chex mix instead of messing with two separate short pans.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 5 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

It was in the 90s on Sunday, and that is on top of a stretch of hot, humid days, so I wanted a simple dinner. I made a stir-fry with ½ cup bulgur, cooked in 1 cup of water, celery, carrots, green onion, mushrooms, and snow peas from the farmers market. I cut up the last two small slices of pork tenderloin and added the small amount of juices from the dish, with a little water to wash it out. I do like these quick and easy meals.

[BakerAunt]

I guessed correctly, in part due to the chocolate ganache I make for my husband's birthday cake every year.

[BakerAunt]

I also guessed the incorrect city.

[BakerAunt]

It's in the 90s here as well, so the oven is staying off.

[BakerAunt]

The banana granola recipe does look interesting, although I would use canola oil for the coconut oil.

I like the maple granola recipe that KAF has on its site. It's an updated version of the one in the wholegrain cookbook, and it uses less canola oil and adds powdered milk. I made it a few weeks ago, and my husband was grabbing it for snacks, so I now need to make it again when the weather cools down a bit. I reduce most oil in my granola recipes.

I've banned most butter from my baking in my quest to lower my cholesterol. I've had good results with substituting some canola oil or olive oil. The olive oil gives a richer flavor and was lovely with apples. Cass tells me that oranges work well with it as well. Not all recipes can be adjusted with oils instead of butter, which is why I have not had scones for the past 10 months (SOB), and why I have baked very few drop cookies. The positive side is that I lost 13 pounds over the past year and can fit into clothes I'd though I'd have to give away.

[BakerAunt]

I missed it too.

[BakerAunt]

It is hot and humid, but I needed to use up some vegetables in a soup, so I made soup for lunch. I combined a scant 4 cups chicken/turkey broth, a 14 oz.-can tomatoes, with vegetables (onion, celery, carrots, mini-yellow and orange bell peppers) sautéed in olive oil. I added the last cup of frozen roasted garbanzo beans from the freezer (a recipe that is too much work for the results, so I won’t be making them again), ½ cup farro, and turnip greens. I added a pinch of baking soda, and toward the end ¼ tsp. dried basil and freshly grated black pepper. I had it with some Parmesan grated on top.

[BakerAunt]

I baked my version of Ellen’s Buns on Friday afternoon. I made twelve buns. We will start using them tonight for pork tenderloin sandwiches.

[BakerAunt]

Got it!

[BakerAunt]

That makes sense. I've been pleased with the chewy crust I get with the long Emile Henry Baker that KAF and others sell, although I've not tried it with rye bread. I don't think it would work well for large-scale bread production.

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