[chocomouse]

I agree with you Mike, that hydration is the issue. I had added more flour, but I guess not enough. I ate a bagel this morning - the flavor was good, texture good, it was crisp on the outside, and very chewy. The only real problem was the looks (wrinkly and lumpy) and the "floppiness" of the whole thing. It's odd that KAF advertises using the High Gluten flour in bagels -- but doesn't seem to have a bagel recipe that says to use it, or that lists it as an option. And I cannot find anything on the website about how to substitute high gluten for bread flour or AP. I don't find much at all about the high gluten, except what's on the product page. I'll call them Monday.

[chocomouse]

Dinner tonight was ham steaks, cole slaw, summer squash, and brown and wild rice from a prepared packet. We used to eat that quite often, but haven't had it for several years. I rarely used pre-packaged or prepared foods at all these days - too many ingredients that I cannot pronounce. It was delicious, a nice change, and I think we'll have it or something similar more often.

[chocomouse]

I made bagels today. HAHAHA I used 2 cups of KAF AP flour and 2 cups of their High Gluten flour, which I bought special to try in bagels just for the fun of it. The dough rose fine, easy to handle. I pre-shaped it into balls, poked a hole in the center of each, easier than usual, the dough was very tensile, not stiff and hard to stretch, let them rest for about 20 minutes. Picked one up to put in the boiling water bath, and it just sort of collapsed in my hand. Soft, limp, floppy. Every one of them! Boiling water bath for 2 minutes didn't change a thing. Baking for 20 minutes browned them nicely, but still kind of soft, not the typical bagel. They are very wrinkled, and show the marks of the tong I use to flip them. I haven't tasted one yet. Maybe they'll taste great - but they sure are not bagels!! I'm going to call the KAF chat line on Monday to get some thoughts about this experience.

[chocomouse]

Kimbob, we haven't had that for ages, although I can almost taste it now. But it will have to wait. I have a tomato tart in the oven - tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic, basil, mozzarella, and parmesan.

[chocomouse]

Here, too. My husband is putting in a new garbage disposal as I type. I discovered the cabinet under the sink flooded! I do have to admit that it has worked fine since 1985 when we built the house; I guess 36 years is a long time to expect any appliance to work.

[chocomouse]

I made a big pot of tomato soup (the Watts Tea Room recipe posted by jej on the obc) and corn bread. The rest of the soup will go into the freezer for chilly fall evenings.

[chocomouse]

I have a lasagna in the oven, made with fresh tomato sauce. And a salad with lettuce and veggies from the garden. I'll look in the freezer for rolls.

[chocomouse]

We enjoyed a perfect summer evening grilling on the deck. We had "sweet and spicy" sausages with roasted red peppers and onions, with horseradish mustard on THE Burger Buns.

[chocomouse]

A great year for peppers, thanks to the extreme heat. I'm picking a basket a day to freeze - in slices, chopped, chunks, and halves. Most crops have been a disaster, even with weekly soakings of at least an inch. Beans, lettuce, cabbage, and yellow summer squash have been productive.

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[chocomouse]

Some birthdays are worth two cakes!! Enjoy, and Happy Birthday.

[chocomouse]

I have hot dog buns rising, sausage with peppers and onions on the menu for next week.

[chocomouse]

Hummingbirds in this area, Vermont, start their southern migration in early August. By mid-month, there are only a few stragglers left; I've seen only 2-3 in the last couple of weeks. I didn't see as many birds this year, and no large group wars at the feeders prior to their departure.

[chocomouse]

For dinner, we had grilled chicken thighs, roasted potatoes, yellow summer squash, and sliced tomatoes.

[chocomouse]

Yes, BakerAunt, those my Lodge cast iron, 8.4" x 4.5"; I use them for all my yeast breads, only once in a while using the long oval covered baker.

I have a peach coffee cake in the oven now. I sort of used a recipe I found online after much searching. I used 4 large, juicy peaches, and Greek yogurt, and added cinnamon and ginger to the batter. I put down a layer of batter (with chopped peaches folded in) and then a layer of cinnamon streusel, and a top layer of batter. It smells divine, and luckily, unlike yeast breads, I don't have to wait until it has cooled to cut a generous taste test!

[chocomouse]

Today I baked 2 loaves of bread - a pumpernickel and a garlic-herb sandwich loaf. We have not cut into either one yet, but they rose beautifully and smell great.

You need to click on the photo to enlarge it and see the entire picture.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by chocomouse.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by chocomouse.

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