[BakerAunt]

I got it.

[BakerAunt]

Our area has had high heat and humidity for two weeks now, with just one little break. We also spent a lot of the day arranging furniture in the now finished guest bedroom. Accordingly, dinner tonight was a rotisserie chicken and a salad, featuring Romaine lettuce, tomato, and green onion from the farmers market, joined by store-bought carrots and Baby Bella mushrooms.

[BakerAunt]

That's a good habit to have, Len. I almost tried the recipe as a bread yesterday but decided I needed to use up some of my harvest grains.

[BakerAunt]

That was in a cast iron pan, Chocomouse?

[BakerAunt]

I missed it, too.

[BakerAunt]

On Monday, I baked bread, using what is now my go-to basic recipe. I made it with Harvest Grains—a full cup. I had put in too much water in the past, so I cut it back to ½ cup. I also decreased the honey to 1 Tbs. and used 2 Tbs. olive oil. Grains and seeds used: 1 1/2 cup bread flour; 1 cup whole wheat flour; 1/2 cup dark rye flour; 2 Tbs. wheat bran (need to use up); 2 Tbs. flax meal; 1 cup Harvest Grains. I decided to bake it at 375F, rather than 350F. It took 40 minutes, and I am pleased with the color. I’ll add a note tomorrow about the flavor and texture.

[BakerAunt]

On Sunday my husband cooked boneless pork slices, and I boiled new potatoes from the farmers market, then drizzled them with olive oil. We had microwaved frozen peas on the side.

[BakerAunt]

I was able to work out the correct answer. My refrigerators do not show the temperature. Instead, there is usually a range of numbers. Probably the manual would state what temperature corresponds to each number.

[BakerAunt]

Welcome back, Joan! One of my sisters is thirteen years younger than I, so I understand that family dynamic. That fig jam sounds scrumptious. It's too bad we can't get a "Smell" and "Taste" button at Nebraska Kitchen.

[BakerAunt]

I must have read it somewhere, because I knew it. I don't think that I've ever eaten it.

[BakerAunt]

I went back into the kitchen on Friday, determined to put Wednesday's mistakes behind me. I baked Len’s recipe for Wheat/Rye/Semolina Buns. I made just a couple of changes: I proofed the yeast in ¼ tsp. water and replaced the rest of the water with buttermilk; I added 2 tbs. special dry milk. I used the olive oil. I mixed it in the bread machine--waiting to add the olive oil until after the 5-minute mix and 5-min rest at the start of the dough cycle. I made 8 buns. They are as wonderfully light and delicious. We used them tonight for Sloppy Josephines, and we are looking forward to rerunning the meal tomorrow!

On Friday, I used my Nordic Ware 6-well “basket” pan, which I unpacked this week. I took the recipe off the package, but I substituted canola oil for the butter, used buttermilk and adjusted the baking powder and baking soda, reduced the sugar slightly, halved the salt, and used 1/3 cup barley flour. I really like barley flour in cakes. I also mixed by hand. The resulting cakes taste delicious, and they make good holders for fresh strawberries with low-fat frozen vanilla yogurt on top. I no longer miss strawberry shortcake.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 8 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

Friday’s dinner was Sloppy Josephines, which we had on Len’s Wheat-Rye-Semolina Buns. Originally, I'd planned to have the SJs for 4th of July, but when I messed up my Oat Wheat Flax Buns, that got delayed.

[BakerAunt]

We're just going to have to get those vitamins, minerals, and Omega 3s the old-fashioned way: consuming foods that contain them! 🙂

[BakerAunt]

My husband's cousin introduced me to the technique when she used it at a family gathering. I have never used it.

[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.

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