[BakerAunt]

We had leftover Black-Eyed Peas with Rice and Ham for dinner on Monday.

[BakerAunt]

After the chicken and potatoes came out of the oven for dinner, I put Rye Soda Bread, which bakes at the same temperature into the oven. The recipe is from King Arthur and uses equal parts of King Arthur AP, pumpernickel, and Irish Style flour, as well as 3/4 cup Harvest Grains. My only change to the ingredients was reducing the salt from 1 tsp. to ½ tsp., as the recipe requires 1 ½ tsp. baking soda. I made a small change in the mixing directions in that I soaked the Harvest Grains in ¾ cup of the buttermilk for about 5 minutes before mixing all the ingredients together. It has a long baking time of 70 minutes, so it is in the oven now.

Later: 70 minutes was the correct time. I double checked with an instant read thermometer after the cake tester came out clean. It read 200F. I'm looking forward to having it with breakfast tomorrow.

[BakerAunt]

I used the rest of the apple seconds we bought in November to make applesauce on Sunday. The bag was marked "Ida Red Mix," but there are at least two kinds of apples, and one kind took a long time to soften while cooking. I did not make the same mistake as I did last time but continued to cook them until they were soft enough to put through the food mill. The taste and consistency are better than the previous batch but not as good as the more mixed batches I made in the autumn by adding another kind of apples from a local place. I froze two cups of it. The rest we will have throughout the week.

We had some applesauce with Sunday's dinner of a roasted chicken, roasted potato chunks, and microwaved fresh broccoli.

[BakerAunt]

Happy Birthday, Joan!

[BakerAunt]

On Saturday, I made black-eyed peas with brown and wild rice, yellow bell pepper, celery, dried onion, thyme, and chunks of ham from the freezer. We have enough leftovers to alternate with other meals during the coming week.

I also made yogurt.

[BakerAunt]

On Friday, I took the King Arthur recipe for Maple Walnut Biscotti and adjusted it by replacing 1 ½ cups of the AP flour with white whole wheat, adding 3 Tbs. milk powder, and replacing the 1/3 cup of butter with ¼ cup avocado oil. I thought the recipe would work, since the butter in the original recipe is melted. I changed the mixing instructions so that all the dry ingredients and sugar are mixed together, then the wet ingredients are added, along with the walnuts. I followed the baking temperature and time for the first bake, but when I put the cut pieces back, I reduced the temperature from 350 to 325 F and baked for 15 minutes. The biscotti have a great maple flavor and will go well at teatime.

Note: I made a correction to this post. It should be 6 cups of flour/grains.
Skeptic--The recipe has 1 cup sourdough starter (that would be 1/2 cup of flour), 3 cups whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups bread flour, 1/2 cup pumpernickel flour, and 1/2 cup of King Arthur's Harvest Grains. So that is 6 cups of flour/grains. The bowl helps the bread hold its shape. I might be able to do it with the cloche bottom, but I worry that it might stick to the lid along the sides. I have done a 3-cup recipe in it that I like.

[BakerAunt]

Friday night's dinner was Crispy Oven Baked Fish and Chips with the rest of the Dill Tartar Sauce and some leftover coleslaw. It is a meal we do not mind eating twice in a week!

[BakerAunt]

It's good to have you posting again, Aaron. Thanks for your condolences on the hand mixer.

On Thursday morning, I baked Orange Breakfast Muffins, a recipe that came from a Grape Nuts cereal ad in the old Los Angeles Times food section. (I'm not impressed with the current L.A. Times food section, from what I have seen of it online.) I altered the recipe by replacing AP flour with white whole wheat, reducing the sugar from ½ to 1/3 cup, cutting the salt from ¾ to 1/4 tsp., reducing the baking powder from 3 tsp. to 2 tsp. and adding ¼ tsp. baking soda, and replacing ½ cup melted butter with 1/3 cup avocado oil. The orange I used was not that juicy, although it produced a good amount of zest. I only had ¼ cup, so I added water to get the ¾ cup liquid. I had part of an egg to use up, so I used it and another one for the two eggs. I also added 3 Tbs. milk powder. I reduced the temperature from 425 F to 400 F and baked the twelve muffins for 15 minutes. The orange flavor does come through, although not as strongly as it would have if I had had the full amount of orange juice. It was nice to be able to bake a healthier version of an old favorite.

In the evening, I baked Whole Wheat Sourdough Cheese Crackers from the dough I made last week.

[BakerAunt]

To go with leftover roasted chicken thighs on Thursday, I made a small stir-fry of farro cooked in broth and sauteed carrots, celery, mushrooms, and a bit of kale from the pot my husband is growing under the grow lights on our enclosed porch.

[BakerAunt]

We had a full afternoon, so it was good to know that dinner was awaiting us in the refrigerator. We finished the Spaghetti Squash-Turkey Casserole and had some microwaved frozen mixed vegetables.

[BakerAunt]

I took advantage of having recently fed my sourdough starter and, having made the levain Monday night, I baked my Rustic Sourdough Mixed Grains Bread on Tuesday. I used a Romertopf glazed bowl (greased with Crisco and coated with farina) and put the cloche top on it. This loaf came out particularly well in appearance, so maybe I am getting better at forming a boule. I look forward to slicing the bread tomorrow.

I think that I will stick to my ceramic bakers. With this recipe, I put the covered bowl, with dough that has risen for 35 minutes and then been slashed, into the cold oven, set the temperature to 425 F, turn it on, and bake for 55 minutes. It's nice to be able to use the pre-heating as part of the bake.

[BakerAunt]

I've done mashed potatoes with garlic before, Len, but I never thought to add Parmesan. I'll have to try it. BTW, I also have discovered, with my hand blender that a taller pot is essential when mixing.

I roasted chicken thighs and sweet potato chunks for dinner on Tuesday, which we had with leftover coleslaw. There is enough chicken left for another meal, and there is still plenty of coleslaw.

[BakerAunt]

Thank you for reviewing that recipe, CWCdesign. I had printed it off to try sooner or later. Given your review, it will be sooner!

[BakerAunt]

I've been happy with the cloche I bought from Skeptic, although for larger loaves, I use a Romanoff bowl on the bottom with the cloche on top. I like that the recipe calls for a cold oven start. In fact, I'm going to make the levain tonight for my Rustic Sourdough, which I will bake that way tomorrow.

I have never tried the "drop it into a heated Dutch oven." I also use my Dutch ovens frequently for soups and stews, so it does double duty. I have a ceramic Emile Henry Dutch oven that I've used for rolls, but although it is supposed to be safe on the stove top, I have no plans to try it there.

[BakerAunt]

For dinner on Monday, we had coleslaw and Crispy Oven Baked Fish and Chips with Dill Tartar Sauce.

I also made yogurt today.

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