BakerAunt

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 15 posts - 6,061 through 6,075 (of 7,722 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of August 19, 2018? #13244
    BakerAunt
    Participant

      This afternoon I baked a new recipe, Whole-Wheat and Oatmeal Zucchini Bread, from Ken Haedrich's The Harvest Baker (p. 50). Instead of using two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans, I used five 6x3-inch smaller ones and baked for 35 minutes. I used THE GREASE, and it worked as spectacularly as always. I used the quick oats option, as I have a lot more of those on hand. I made a few changes as well:

      I reduced the salt by half (from 1 tsp to 1/2 tsp.)
      I added 1/3 cup powdered milk (for nutrition)
      I added 3 Tbs. ground flax meal
      I used buttermilk.
      I deleted the citrus zest (Comments on zest in a previous week led me to that decision.)
      I used pecans instead of walnuts, because I still have a lot of pecans.

      We cut a warm one for dessert tonight. I will definitely bake this recipe again. I plan to freeze two or three of the loaves.

      I've now baked four of the recipes in this baking book, and I'm impressed--although I do make some changes.

      Chocomouse and Len--When we vacationed in Florida last January, we had to buy bread at the grocery. While friends raved about Publix's bread, I was VERY unimpressed. The loaf from National Bakery, however, was wonderful.

      • This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by BakerAunt.
      in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of August 19, 2018? #13239
      BakerAunt
      Participant

        Joan--don't you love it when it gets slightly cool and soup can be on the menu again?

        For lunch on Thursday, I made Vegetable-Lentil-Barley Soup, using the potato water left from cooking the potatoes yesterday for the potato salad. I sautéed chopped onion, chopped celery, chopped red bell pepper, and a bit of garlic before adding about 4 cups of the potato water, 1 cup lentils, 1/4 cup pearl barley, and 1 tsp. Penzey’s Bouquet Garni. Once it had all cooked, I added some freshly ground pepper. It made enough for four or so days more.

        • This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by BakerAunt. Reason: added missing information
        in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of August 19, 2018? #13234
        BakerAunt
        Participant

          We finished the leftovers last night, so I needed to cook tonight. I made the All-American Potato Salad, with the last of those Rose potatoes from the Farmers' Market. (I'll need to try one of their other varieties and hope it will work as well.)

          I made the Turkey-Zucchini Meatloaf with Peach Dijon topping. I tried increasing the oats to 2/3 cups and the zucchini to 1 1/2 cups. I also used 1/3 cup peach jam and close to 2 Tbs. Dijon (finished the jar).

          in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of August 19, 2018? #13232
          BakerAunt
          Participant

            I baked Bernard Clayton's Dark Grains Bread again on Monday afternoon. The bread does seem to do better with 4 tsp. of yeast, in spite of the fast rising times. I did cut the salt to 2 1/4 tsp. and I reduced the honey by 1 Tbs. I decided to throw in 1/4 cup of flax meal. I cut the baking time from 50 to 40 minutes, and that worked well. I'll add a note to this post after I slice it tomorrow at lunch. I'm almost ready to post my version of the recipe.

            Promised Note: The bread definitely has better texture with the 4 tsp. of yeast. Cutting the salt to 2 and 1/4 tsp. did not hurt it, nor did adding the flax meal. Cutting the baking time by 10 minutes produced a bread without a too-browned top, and one not as dry inside as last time. Next time, I think that I will shorten the first rise. While the dough did not fall, it did more than double, which may be why the second rise only took 25 minutes.

            • This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by BakerAunt.
            in reply to: Canning Season Will Begin! #13230
            BakerAunt
            Participant

              Today I made two batches of peach jam with what are probably the last of the peaches from the honey people at the farmers' market. I canned five 1-cup jars and one 1-pint jar. I refrigerated a little more than another cup; I plan to use it in a recipe later this week.

              I don't know that I'll be making much more jam, as the fruits of summer are about done here. Soon I'll be starting my quest for good cooking apples. We are going to a family reunion in Michigan in October, so I'm hoping that some good apples will be found along the way. I'd like to can some apple pie filling.

              in reply to: What are you cooking the week of August 12, 2018? #13224
              BakerAunt
              Participant

                For lunch on Saturday, I had my first Bacon-Tomato sandwich of the season. There will be many more.

                in reply to: What are you cooking the week of August 12, 2018? #13217
                BakerAunt
                Participant

                  For Friday’s dinner, I made a pork-vegetable stir-fry with buckwheat noodles and used the drippings saved from when the pork chops were cooked earlier this week. We have enough left over for dinner tomorrow.

                  • This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.
                  in reply to: What are you baking the week of August 12, 2018? #13215
                  BakerAunt
                  Participant

                    I had three peaches left from yesterday’s jam session, so on Thursday afternoon, I scoured various recipes and settled upon Peach Apricot Crumb Crostata from Ken Haedrich’s The Harvest Baker (p. 277). For the crust, however, I used my buckwheat flour adaptation of Dorie Greenspan’s crust that I used for the galette on Monday. I also substituted peach jam for the apricot jam that is spread over the center of the crust before the peaches are arranged on top (with a bit more put onto the peaches), since I had some left over from canning yesterday, and I do not have apricot jam. Although the recipe called for 1 to 1 1/4 cups of jam, I just used the scant half cup that I had available. I only made half of Haedrich’s streusel recipe (and substituted in 2 Tbs. of whole wheat flour), and I only used half of that reduced amount of streusel on the crostata. (I’ll save the rest for muffins or coffee cake.) We each had a slice for dessert tonight, with a bit of vanilla ice cream. I will certainly bake this recipe again.

                    • This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt. Reason: clarity
                    in reply to: What are you baking the week of August 12, 2018? #13212
                    BakerAunt
                    Participant

                      It's amazing how many Germans settled in Texas. Before living there, I always thought the Germans went to the Midwest.

                      in reply to: What are you baking the week of August 12, 2018? #13209
                      BakerAunt
                      Participant

                        Thanks for posting the link to the video, Mike.

                        In my high school German club, we had an Apfelstrudel social every year. Our teacher and club advisor had a recipe, and we would gather to make the strudels. She would have people stand around the table and work as a group to stretch the strudel dough. We sold it by the slice, except for one strudel that was auctioned off. Frau Hodjera, our instructor, usually managed to be the one to buy it!

                        I was only able to participate for one year because one had to be in second year German before being allowed into German club, and then in my senior year, Frau Hodjera went on sabbatical. I only peeled apples the first year, so I never got to do the dough stretching--something that I've regretted since my interest in baking increased.

                        • This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.
                        in reply to: What are you baking the week of August 12, 2018? #13208
                        BakerAunt
                        Participant

                          I've also been making the buttermilk pie crust with all butter (subbing measurement for measurement with the shortening). The first time I did it, I had put in all butter by mistake. The dough baked up beautifully, and I thought, well, why not keep doing it?

                          I've been using pastry flour. Instead of an egg wash, I brush with heavy cream.

                          in reply to: How are the 2018 Gardens Progressing? #13204
                          BakerAunt
                          Participant

                            We have had one tomato from our garden. Today my husband picked about five or six. I am looking forward to bacon and tomato sandwiches in a few days.

                            A couple of tomato worms were on the plants, but wasps "parasitized" them. Thank you, wasps, and I will be careful not to get stung.

                            in reply to: Canning Season Will Begin! #13203
                            BakerAunt
                            Participant

                              I made peach jam today, using those luscious peaches from the farmers' market. I had enough for only one batch, with three peaches left over. I need to buy more on Saturday, so that I can make a second batch of jam. The yield was just short of four 1-cup jars. Sigh. I canned three 1-cup jars and one 1/2-jar. The remainder is in the refrigerator. Half a peach more would have given me the four 1-cup containers.

                              We don't particularly eat a lot of jam, but I am discovering that it can be used in a variety of recipes that I hope will brighten our lives in the fall, winter, and early spring.

                              in reply to: What are you cooking the week of August 12, 2018? #13202
                              BakerAunt
                              Participant

                                My husband cooked boneless pork chops last night. We had it with macaroni and cheese made with the Vermont Cheese Powder that only KAF sells. Sigh. We also had steamed broccoli. Tonight, we will re-run last night's dinner, but with peas from the freezer.

                                This Wednesday afternoon, I made peach jam. Details are on the canning thread.

                                in reply to: What are you baking the week of August 12, 2018? #13201
                                BakerAunt
                                Participant

                                  Apple Strudel is a wonderful dessert. One day, I need to try baking it. Happy experimenting, Bev. You might want to add 2-3 Tbs. sugar for a sweet crust. (I cannot recall if I put that in the recipe.)

                                Viewing 15 posts - 6,061 through 6,075 (of 7,722 total)