High Hopes

Today is the day that I hop on the wagon and join "The Bread Bakers Apprentice" challenge. It is a group of bakers that have joined Nicole at "Pinch My Salt" and are making a bread a week out of Peter Reinhart's award winning bread book.

A friend of mine told me recently (you know who you are) to keep your expectations low..that way, you're never dissapointed. I think that may be pretty good advice for me here. I tried this once before when the "Baking With Julia" book came out. It didn't go well. Those breads looked so beautiful in the pictures. Mine, however, were another story. And I consider myself a pretty good baker.But it was a challenge to be sure. So here I go again. Apron on, book in hand, got the King Arthur flour, got fresh yeast, am actually studying the book like a textbook...and this time... I hope I'm not dissapointed. To be honest, I'm keeping my expectations...low.

Oh, and that's Dande ..just hangin' out....

Contentment

Old recipes and old recipe boxes fill me with happiness and contentment. The red plaid one was my mothers. And I am lucky to have it. I remember it sitting on the drainboard in our kitchen when I was a little girl. Every afternoon my mom would start going through it wondering what to make for supper.I treasure her handwriting on those recipes. My mom passed away 3 years ago this August from cancer. But having those old recipes is like having a piece of her here with me still. The meatball recipe was from my Aunt in Santa Cruz. I love to serve those with boiled white rice and gravy. We are still in bbq mode around here, but I am sensing a shift. I am growing tired of bbqed burgers and chicken right about now. I want those meatballs and some gravy and corn that is no longer on a cob, but in a can. I know. Canned corn? But it reminds me of my childhood. And how can that be a bad thing?

So, once again, tonight we will sit outside and bbq those burgers and eat that corn off the cob. And I better enjoy every second of it, because, before long, I will look out to that garden and watch the rain pour down and remember those late August bbqed suppers. And I will smile.

Aftermath

Just A Taste

I couldn't help myself..it was cool here this morning..and I was pretty sure the Halloween Police weren't stopping by today..so what the heck...I did it. And I LOVE it. It just makes me HAPPY...Oh, it is my kitchen window..and the recipe is for taco casserole..anybody gettin' a fall off of that?

Pizza Night

Well, we were tired after the birthday party, but we did manage to make a pizza.John likes sausage and I like plain cheese..so we split it. I always wonder how much of that sausage grease runs onto my side, but I never say anything. But it was good. And it makes us happy to make it.

Two More Of My Beloved

I'm spending the weekend with Jamie....I Know....Lucky me ! (the book version..I can only wish of the real life version)

Any Excuse

As you will soon see...we use any excuse we can around here to make pizza. I have been making pizza dough for 30+ years..I started making it in high school. And I have never stopped. I sometimes wonder to myself..is this the one millionth time and I don't even know it. ( I think about that when I buy cat food too..is it the 10 millionth can and I don't even know it) ! Pizza is my favorite food, my "last meal" "the ship is sinking", "stranded on a desert island and can only have one food" food. So tonight, in honor of the last quarter of the August moon..we will be having pizza. Last night at the party my sister-in-law brought a basil plant for my brother, and as they are gone camping for a while, I am "babysitting". Which means..lucky for me...fresh basil on the pizza..with some of the leftover fresh mozzarella(bought too much..Oh, darn) and some fontina I got at a fancy cheese shop that I have been sandbagging until the moment was right. And tonight...the moment is right.