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I mentioned in the first Covid-19 thread that I have 2 tablecloths with napkins to go to the dry cleaner. Because of Covid, I put them in a garbage bag and stored under the desk. I've now decided I won't feel comfortable with them at the cleaners until . . . maybe late 2021. I'm tired of the cluttery bag, so I'm going to wash and dry them, fold them and store in the cedar chest. When we're far enough out of Covid for me to start entertaining again, I'll drop them off at the cleaners, assuming they survive the pandemic. If not, I'll do what my grandmother did. She put a clean sheet under the ironing board to keep her tablecloths clean when she ironed them.
Mike, I keep a CD player in the room adjacent to the kitchen. When I don't feel like cooking or baking, I put a musical CD in the player and turn the volume loud enough to hear in the kitchen. The music carries me along as I start the project I didn't think I wanted to do. Before I know it, I have something delicious on the stovetop or in the oven.
I appreciated reading the article, BakerAunt. I wonder: In KABC recipe for Tuscan Coffee Cake, they use what they call a "starter." Is that a preferment?
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/tuscan-coffeecake-recipe
BakerAunt, thanks for the suggestion of a pan of hot water. That would have been the ticket. I think the reason I didn't have oven rise is that I put them in a too hot oven and the yeast bit the dust. I also like letting the rise in refrig. I've done that with pizza dough, but never with rolls. It would work.
I read an article this week (forget where) that said grocers are stocking up to prevent shortages during the Covid/flu/cold season, in case there's another lockdown. I think that's good and dandy; I just hope they don't get stuck with excess inventory when spring arrives.
BakerAunt, why did you wait a day before slicing your Spelt Sourdough Bread? I'm always worried that if I wait until the next day to slice it, the bread will have already started drying out.
Weather here has cooled, and I forgot to take that into account when making dinner rolls. During the planning phase, I didn't consider the kitchen would be colder than when I made them during the summer. When the time for the first rise was up, the dough had barely moved. Immediately, I knew it was the room temperature, but I was tired of the project and wanted out of it ASAP. I revved the oven up to 400 degrees as if to preheat it. When it was around 200*, I turned off the oven, opened the door for a few minutes and popped the muffin pan with the roll dough into the oven and shut the door. I wondered whether I should cover the pan with a towel, but didn't. After ten minutes, the dough had popped up to the point where I, in my desire to be done, would feel comfortable baking them. I pulled them out of the oven, covered, and set the gouge to 400*. Baked. I'm unhappy with the end product, but the taste is there. They have a stick of butter, so how bad could they be? They had no oven spring from the actual baking time, and that is my disappointment. I'm reminded of a Pennsylvania Dutch saying a teacher loved: :The hurrier I go the behinder I get."
A few hours later, I baked Jenny Jones' jennycancook.com Chocolate Chip Loaf. Somehow, I must walk away from chocolate, but it's my Covid comfort food. That turned out as planned. The top edges of the loaf were bordering on black, so I think it needs to cook 5-7 minutes less in my oven. But the bread tastes good and isn't dry. It's for breakfast tomorrow.
This week, I made a pot of Cauliflower and Pasta Soup from The Romagnolis Table. Because of Covid, I had to improvise. I'm out of Parmesan Reggiano and Romano cheeses. I buy them from a shop in NY, and they import them from Italy. Because both places were hit hard by Covid, I'm afraid of ordering any. I'm worried that the shipping container or the cheese will have Covid from Italy or NY. Because the cheese adds salt and flavor to the otherwise bland soup -- recipe has it made with water -- I had to add flavor and salt. So, I substituted one quart of chicken broth for one quart of the water. Perfect solution! Soup was delicious.
Thanks, BakerAunt, for the tip on the semolina! Also enjoyed hearing about unique places to store flour.
I understand "Pandemic Paranoia," BakerAunt. I have it, too. I planned to buy 5 lb. KABC bread flour & another 5 lb. KABC AP. My husband pointed out that we don't have room for more.
Don't recall where, but I read an article that sounded like doom and gloom for the home cook. Some of the products in short supply now will never again appear on the shelves. Businesses are streamlining their offerings and permanently doing away with the poor sellers (some of which I buy). In addition, for the products they are having trouble procuring ingredients, they're permanently eliminating some of those products. The article didn't list any specific products on the chopping block.
I made KABC Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. They're best if set overnight. Then, I'll cut them for the freezer. This recipe works best if all the ingredients are prepped before actually starting. I didn't write that on the recipe last time I used it. The activity of making the batter goes so fast that I was in the weeds trying to measure ingredients as I went.
I also made pizza dough for later in the week.
Good lookin' bread, Mike!
I made Better Homes & Garden's Blueberry Muffins. I also used a technique from KABC's Department Store Blueberry Muffins. I mashed half the blueberries and left half whole. The recipe uses only 3/4 cup blueberries, so mashing some of them makes them look more blueberryer.
Glad your ankle is well enough for you to have a kitchen adventure, BakerAunt. Hope it heals completely quicker than you expect.
My favorite is the rabbit eating the forbidden fruit with a wary look out eye. But both are great, Len!
Your pizza sounds delicious, Joan, but what I really want is your husband's livercheese sandwich. When I was a kid, my mother would send me walking to the nearby ma & pa-owned grocery store to buy her livercheese. To her chagrin, I also liked it and wanted some. I don't know if her reluctance to share meant it was expensive, or if she was on a limited budget and wanted it only for herself. As an adult, I found a local deli that sold it & made to-go sandwiches. I enjoyed stopping in and buying a livercheese sandwich on light rye with light mustard with tomato & lettuce. It was a pleasure for many years until the owners retired & the building was torn down for lack of sale.
Since Covid began, I've been eating way too much chocolate. I don't drink, so . . .
Saturday I made chocolate chip pancakes for dessert . . . oh, I mean dinner. This morning, I served them for breakfast. My husband wouldn't eat any for dinner, but he enjoyed them for his breakfast.
I've been trying to find a ranch salad dressing recipe similar to Hidden Valley's. I refuse to use MSG, so I may never hit the exact notes. A while back, I tried an Internet one that used some fresh herbs. It was creamy, and it smelled like Hidden Valley, but it didn't pack much flavor the next day. A friend gave me her ranch dressing recipe, but I found that to be like my Dill Dip recipe in taste. Saturday, I used the mayo and buttermilk quantities in my friend's recipe and adjusted the herbs to be all dried and a combination from the two recipes. I'm pleased with the result, except I used 1/16 teaspoon cayenne, which is too much. Original recipe called for a pinch, and I should have stuck with that, using a small pinch. But it doesn't have the Hidden Valley deliciousness.
In addition to KABC and BRM no having packages of semolina I can handle, the grocery store didn't have any yesterday. My husband looked for it in the flour aisle. Would it more likely have been in the international aisle?
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