[BakerAunt]

My husband thinks that they may be self-pollinating. We shall see when they arrive. If we can get some wild blueberries for the terrace, that would give us a third variety. A friend let us look for some on his property, but unfortunately the area where my husband recalled their being present has been overrun with honeysuckle and the invasive bittersweet. (Gardening stores of yore have a lot to answer for.)

[BakerAunt]

Navlys--When you get the chance, would you add the year 2018 to the title of this thread? I'm thinking about our being able to locate it down the road--since we hope to have this site a long time. 🙂

[BakerAunt]

Cwcdesign--I've also noted that with the Star Bundt pan, because it is made for a higher, not as wide cake, the cake needs to bake the longer amount of time. (I, too, had one that did not get done in the center.)

What temperature did you use to determine it was done?

[BakerAunt]

Impressive Skeptic7!

I wish that Cass could comment here. You mentioned that the oil version separates from the bun, unlike the butter version. Cass told me, in connection with a yeast bread, that oil should not be treated in baking as if it were a liquid like water. Perhaps in this non-yeast cross of yours, the butter, which does have water content, works better because of that?

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

I forgot to mention that we will also plant bush beans.

[BakerAunt]

Lately I've been using grapeseed oil when I want a neutral oil with a high heat tolerance.

I just can't bring myself to use spaghetti squash as a base for sauce. I see possibilities in this quiche simply because it does not try to be pasta. If I can find a good spaghetti squash at the store, I'll try this recipe.

[BakerAunt]

I usually use chicken stock for my minestrone. I also like the large vegetable chunks.

[BakerAunt]

Today I baked Nelson's Choice Rye Bread. The recipe is originally from Secrets of a Jewish Baker, but KAF had it on a package and on their website as Peasant-Style Rye Bread. They have since made some changes in the recipe--as the dough usually needed additional flour--by cutting the water. I have wondered if the type of rye flour might have been an issue. I've been baking the recipe for years, usually adding some extra flour. This time, I held back 2 Tbs. of the water. I still needed to add 3 Tbs. of clear flour, but I did not use the 2 Tbs. of vital wheat gluten, as I do not have it, and am not sure that I will ever purchase it again. I used dark rye flour (Bob's Red Mill, while the KAF version called for white rye or pumpernickel. I decided to add 1 Tbs. potato flour to see if it will help the bread stay softer longer. I also cut the salt from 1 1/2 tsp. to 1 tsp.

As usual, I baked it in an 8-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides, as I do not trust my shaping, although it did do better this time. I did not let the second rise go past 40 minutes, and I slashed it five minutes before that, as I've had this bread deflate before. The timing worked, and it got excellent oven spring. The finished loaf is four inches tall at its highest point. I look forward to having it with the last of the turkey for sandwiches tomorrow.

[BakerAunt]

Joan--when you said pimento cheese sandwiches, suddenly I was back in the kitchen in Norfolk, Virginia as a child, while my mother made pimento cheese sandwiches....

The weather today has been rainy, snowy, sleety, and now there are ice pellets. Temperatures are in the 30s this early afternoon, so my husband went ahead and started a fire in the wood stove at lunchtime. Not one to waste a good wood fire, I pulled the turkey bones and those from a chicken out of the freezer, and now I'm making broth to restock the freezer, as I'm down to my last (4-cup) container of it.

[BakerAunt]

Tomorrow is my husband's birthday, and thus I baked KAF's Favorite Fudge Birthday Cake, which has been his favorite since I first baked it for him. I'll assemble it tonight, so that the frosting can set over night. It's a major chocolate rush.

I used "the grease" for the pans, and I'm impressed. The two layers came out of the pans leaving very little chocolate residue.

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by BakerAunt.
• This reply was modified 7 years ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

Note: I made the biscuits with half whole wheat pastry flour and half unbleached AP flour. They are still a light biscuit, so you may want to try them this way.

I've also used leftover gravy as part of the sauce mixture, adjusting as I go. While we prefer frozen peas and carrots, mixed frozen vegetables work well.

[BakerAunt]

I've only made one starter--and I still have it--one of those "soupy" ones. I followed the directions in an article on sourdough in Sunset Magazine over 25 years ago. It did use a bit of yeast to get it going.

Once we get the house remodeling done (it will need to be started first 🙂 ) I might attempt a rye starter. I'm just not sure how many starters my husband will tolerate, even with two refrigerators.

[BakerAunt]

A little fun for Pi Day:

https://www.eater.com/pop-culture/2018/3/14/17116472/google-doodle-pi-day-dominique-ansel-pie

[BakerAunt]

Dinner tonight was my Town Meeting Chicken [Turkey] Pie. We have enough leftover for several more meals. I made the biscuits that go on top with half whole wheat pastry flour and Pillsbury unbleached flour. I like that texture and will do it again.

[BakerAunt]

Here's the thread from the Baking Circle on making your own chips; I did indeed post it here under threads:

Baker Irene on Making Your Own Flavored Chips Thread

Baker Irene suggested using white chocolate and flavoring it. Naturally, you would not get chips, but you would get pieces that you could chop into the desired size.

I'll keep this in mind, but I'd really like to buy my own,

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