Baking Today

For some reason I am on a baking jag. Then a while ago it occurred to me that my paternal grandmother always baked on Thursdays. So I kept going.

So far this afternoon, I've made banana nut muffins and pumpkin muffins. Brownies of Death are in the oven as I type. Next up are cranberry-almond scones. And I am thinking I may start bagel dough, so they are ready to finish on Sunday morning.

Some of the muffins will go to our downstairs neighbor to thank him for shoveling the snow this week. The Brownies of Death will go to Stuart's research group tomorrow.

And for dinner, I'm probably going to try a recipe for cheese puffs I just saw today. (Since I'm on my own for dinner again there is nobody here to tell me I need to eat Real Food. )

And for dinner, I'm probably going to try a recipe for cheese puffs I just saw today. (Since I'm on my own for dinner again there is nobody here to tell me I need to eat Real Food. )

A rare opportunity to eat some animal proteins? Actually, maybe not that rare, sounds like you have dinner on your own a bit..

Your muffins look wonderful! I've only had time to bake bread lately, but have promised to take some choc chip cookies to a do on Sunday, so will need to get them going tomorrow. The boys are on school holidays and eating me out of house and home. I've taken to mixing up my sourdoughs last thing at night and then shaping and baking loaves first thing in the morning before work. Great system, but I need to do it about three times a week to keep up with demand! I keep thinking about Bob H's mum baking 12 loaves a week...

A rare opportunity to eat some animal proteins? Actually, maybe not that rare, sounds like you have dinner on your own a bit..

Well, he's been traveling on business this week, but ordinarily (if you can call one week of history "ordinarily") he is not only eventually home for dinner, but cooks it too! Quite a racket I have going with a personal chef, eh? He says cooking is stress reduction for him, so I am, as usual, only thinking of others by allowing him to do it!

I've taken to mixing up my sourdoughs last thing at night and then shaping and baking loaves first thing in the morning before work. Great system, but I need to do it about three times a week to keep up with demand!

You'll have that with growing boys!

I've been thinking of doing much the same with pre-mixing the dough, letting the flavor develop overnight, then baking the next day. I could probably get away with only once or twice a week at present.

The scones.

Oh, man, I gotta get home!

Cynthia, you need to eat real food. Just not for the next couple of days, until the baked goods are gone.

Oh, man, I gotta get home!

Cynthia, stop teasing the poor man...

No problem, I'll be back in about 2 hours. I'm on a layover in Salt Lake City.

Just trying to make sure he had a good reason to come home.

Doug, that's exactly what I think too! 1. Baked Goods. 2. Real Food.

Looks like you'll need to keep that hiking regimen up, Stuart, snow or no snow!

Cyn, beautiful scones, but get busy on the BAGELS!!!!

Wow, Cynthia, those scones. Mmmmm.
Could you be persuaded to post that recipe? I think that would be the perfect Christmas morning breakfast for the two of us.

Sure, Carrie. I'll post it separately so it shows up better on searches.

[Jenise]

Tres gorgeous scones, Cynthia. Well, and everything else too. Lucky Stuart!

Lucky Stuart!

Indeed! When I got off the plane last night, there was a plastic bag with two of them in there, calling out my name. They lasted, oh, about 100 milliseconds.

I keep thinking about Bob H's mum baking 12 loaves a week...

"C", I think of her bread quite often. I have a bakery locally that does come quite close to the flavor of her bread, not exactly, but close. Also, I might not have mentioned it but for many, many years she did it in a wood burning cook stove! The one I remember had 4 "burners" which set in a manner that both could be removed with one hand held lifter, to add another log to the fire. She could also lift each round burner (I say burner for lack of a better word). she would do this if she needed to stir the fire to bring it up a bit. The single oven was rather large, probably 36 inches wide and probably 24 inches deep top to bottom. front to back was about 24 inches too. there were 2 warming ovens above the cook top area, and to the right top of the cooking area was a reservoir for hot (not boiling) water. she had a large kettle for boiling water. She baked bread twice every week, and often did treats from the same dough. Thanks for giving me another chance to remember.

And thanks for sharing the memories with us, Bob. You'll never get bread like that again, Bobby, don't even try...