[chocomouse]

We had shrimp tacos for dinner. It's the first time I've used soft corn taco shells, and I was so disappointed. They completely fell apart as soon as you touched them -- just crumbled, no way you could fold it in half or pick it up. I don't know if this is typical, or did I get an old, stale package of shells? I think I won't be buying any again, but will use my masa harina to make them. Has anyone had a similar experience?

[chocomouse]

Ours is an Insinkerator, and it has worked perfectly for 36 years - I highly recommend that brand. My husband had some trouble putting it in; with 2 replaced knees, one of which still does not work right, he could not get into the needed position under the cabinet and have the strength to do it. So, my son came and had it in within less than 10 minutes.

[chocomouse]

Rottiedog, your Sir Lancelot recipe, titled "Bagels" is the same as the "Bagels" recipe posted on KAF which is my go-to bagel recipe!! Yours calls for Sir Lancelot flour and 1 1/2 cups of water and the posted recipe calls for bread flour and 1 1/3 cups of water. I often substitute 1 cup of whole wheat for one cup of the bread flour. This time I used 2 cups of bread flour and 2 cups of high gluten. I still used the 1 1/3 cups of water, so I assumed the difference in dough structure was the high gluten flour did not absorb as much of the water (and it was not a humid day, but rather dry).

Mike, if you go to the main store in Norwich, you can get 50 pound bags of Sir Lancelot, at least you could about a year ago. I've bought it for many years. If you ask one of the roving employees working the floor, they can get you most anything from the back room - and load it into your car!

[chocomouse]

My garbage disposal is replaced! Now I can use my dishwasher again - good thing, as I was running out of clean plates and silverware. Also, this week the replacement part for our heat pump arrived and was installed so now we have AC and heat, although the temp last night was 46* so we didn't need either. Please don't tell me things happen in threes!

[chocomouse]

I take back what I wrote in my previous post about not finding anything on the KAF site about the High Gluten flour!! There is quite a bit, and specifically in several recipes for bagels. I'm not sure why I didn't find these when I did a search for high gluten. Anyway, I'll be reading those blogs and recipes and the comments for insight.

Thanks Rottiedog! I used to buy the Sir Lancelot in 50 pound bags - didn't realize it was high gluten! I'll check out that recipe.

[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.

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