Saturday, August 20, 2016

In the Kitchen on a Summer Saturday


I'm toying with the idea of making all of our bread.
While I do make bread on occasion, we mostly buy it at the supermarket.
The pros to this idea:
~ knowing exactly what ingredients are going into each loaf
~ using up the yeast before it expires
~ the scent of bread baking
~ saving money on the grocery bill

The cons:
~ hmmm
~ ummm
~ gee, I can't think of any except that I might lose interest in the whole idea and go back to the convenience of buying it at the store.
But, for today, I am motivated and inspired to give it a try so I began my day in the kitchen baking bread.  A basic whole wheat loaf.  I let the bread machine whip up the dough and then baked it in the oven.


The kitchen was my happy place today.
Once the bread was baked, it was time to replenish the granola supply.


While the oats were out I decided it was also time to replenish the frozen fruit crisp crumbs.  Seems I first did this around this time last year after reading the recipe in the Mennonite Girls Can Cook Celebrations cookbook.  I believe the recipe can also be found here.
I love fruit crisps and I especially like the idea to keep the crumbs in the freezer.  It makes it so easy & convenient to take out just the amount needed to put a delicious fruit crisp on the table any time the craving strikes.


The inspiration for today's kitchen time.


My Double Delight roses are having a bit of a comeback.
When I noticed a bunch of buds forming earlier this week, I braved the oppressive humidity and treated them to a dose of Rose Tone.  I then gave them a long, slow drink from the garden hose.  They are now thanking me with beautiful flowers.  I feel a tad guilty for accepting them as most of the summer I have been neglecting them terribly.



At day's end there is a sense of satisfaction in surveying the fruits of one's labor. 
Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow.





12 comments:

  1. I love the idea of keeping the fruit crisp topping ready to go! I never would have thought of that. Baking my own bread all the time would be dangerous! There's Nothing better than fresh hot bread...with butter. :)

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  2. It's easy to get "hooked" on making your own. I started a couple years ago and have expanded from regular bread to all sorts of fancy types and it's even expanded to English Muffins. They are so awesome-I could never go back to store bought.
    Your roses are so beautiful. What a treat!

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  3. I made all of our bread when my kids were growing up. We were on a whole wheat kick and it was always so good. I eat more homemade bread...that's the draw back for me! lol I made yeast rolls and cinnamon rolls last week and still don't need to look at a recipe or measure. I've made them so many times. Sounds good for Sunday morning too! heehee! Hugs!

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  4. I bet homemade bread is great - do you use a machine? I've never tried that way but used to enjoy kneading few loaves by hand years ago! I think I'd eat far too much bread if I baked my own now! I love breads from local artisan bakeries - the closest thing here to a wonderful French boulangerie! Now, if I lived in France, I be a fresh baguette-aholic daily!

    Since my thyroid surgery in June my swallowing foods such as bread is not so good so I've cut way back. . . . . . and I do miss it, however my bathroom scale is happy!!!!!!

    Happy Sunday Kim.

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  5. You've been busy in the kitchen. Everything looks so good.
    I bake most of my bread.
    I do like a bread called 647 from the store though because it has 7 grams of fiber in each slice and it is low calorie and tastes good.

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  6. Baking all your bread sounds both ambitious and dangerous! It would be for me anyway. Perhaps you'd have to employ my great-granndmother's method of never, ever allowing anyone to eat bread fresh from the oven. LOL!

    Oh I like that idea about having crisp topping at the ready...it may be time to take another look at my MGCC cookbooks!

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  7. Yay for bread baking! I hope you keep baking your own. I love my bread machine and I think I'll join you and make at least a loaf or two! Happy Sunday, Kim!

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  8. I make my bread like you do, using the bread machine to do the dough but then baking it in the oven. I love that my grandson says he can smell bread right through the door ( that connects our places). That's when he comes looking for that warm crust. He HAS to have that crust. I also make a big batch of crisp topping like you do except I keep mine in a Tupperware canister in the fridge. It sure is handy.

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  9. I bake my own bread. We eat much less bread than we used to and I keep it sliced, in the freezer, ready for toast or whatever. I use a recipe that requires the dough to rest in the fridge overnight or up to three days. There's nothing like the scent of fresh bread (and eating a crusty slice with butter and honey, warm from the oven). The crisp topping looks like a good one.

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  10. I love it when I spend the day baking and making. :) I have a friend that only bakes her own bread. One problem for me is that I would eat a whole lot more. lol! I don't eat much bread, but if it was homemade, now that's a different story.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  11. Hi Kim, I'm a pretty new follower, I am enjoying all your homey posts. I have been thinking of baking my own bread also, It has been so long since I've pulled out my bread maker I cant remember. I love your pro...makes house smell good-nothing like the smell of something yummy in the oven. Your last photo is so beautiful to me. Hope you have a great weekend.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Row,
      Thank you for your kind words and welcome. Like you, my bread maker had sat on the shelf for too long. It's been fun to dust it off and try some new recipes. I hope you are having a great weekend.

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