Half an hour after I got out of bed today I was making bread. I set aside today to bake two loaves of wheat bread (recipe here), a big batch of cloverleaf dinner rolls and a focaccia for supper. It was rainy all day today--the perfect weather for staying inside and baking. My goal was to have some sandwich bread in the freezer to last us a few weeks. I don't want to buy anymore unless I have to.The focaccia tonight made a delicious meal. Italian spices and minced garlic went into the dough itself, then when it came time to bake it I smeared a third of a cup of chopped garlic, Parmesan, olive oil and a bit of salt all over the top. It baked up so beautiful and golden with the smell of pungent garlic filling the house. I sliced it up into 9 pieces which I then halved, sandwich style. The filling was some sauteed chicken, peppers and onion along with a slice of cheese and some fresh salad greens on top. A big salad on the side and a dessert of lemon pudding made it a meal worth remembering. God it was good! Everyone loved it and we all agreed that this meal was a "do again".
I am full. I am satiated. And now it's time to relax. I am beyond worn out but I am satisfied that I accomplished what I set out to do.
After days like this, I feel like Queen of the Universe!
Why do I always leave here hungry?? Another great job Amy.
ReplyDeleteChris
Chris, Ha ha! Don't worry, when warm weather rolls around again I won't be in the kitchen as much! It's the only thing keeping me in right now. I hate winter!
ReplyDeleteYour bread looks absolutely beautiful... I can almost taste it!
ReplyDeletebut a good kinda worn out. Everything sounds like it turned out delicious.
ReplyDeleteAmy, those loaves and rolls are perfection! I can almost taste them. Your supper sounded so good. I love that kind of meal. I was thinking of making foccacia for our Christmas Eve meal which consists completely of appetizers. I was at Trader Joe's yesterday and they had samples of Swedish meatballs made with their frozen ones in a jar of marsala sauce with a little sour cream added. They were so good. At least I have two things on the menu now....well, three, counting the hot wings that we always have.
ReplyDeleteSunny, thank you! I'm having a good time learning how to bake all the different kinds of bread.
ReplyDeleteJoanna, yes it's a good kind of worn out. It's not work when I'm enjoying what I'm doing. Don't you wish all work was like that?
Susan, thank you! Ya know, if you and I were neighbors we'd both be about 50 pounds heavier. Those meat balls sound really good. If I ever end up in a Trader Joe's I'm in big trouble!
Hey Queenie, that foccaccia bread and sandwich sounds simply sublime!
ReplyDeleteYou should be proud. I was salivating reading about it.
I've been kind of down since my breadmaker died. It looks like your loaves are made without a breadmaker, though. Right? They are just so beautiful. Look like artisan breads that come with the big price.
They are really beautfiul, and looks so delicious.
Ok...I am so hungry now. gah!
~Lisa
New Mexico
Girl, you ARE the Queen of the universe! Those loaves are beautiful, and I can just imagine how wonderful they taste! You have my upmost respect- you rock!
ReplyDeleteLisa, I did bake the loaves in my oven. I used the bread maker to mix and knead the focaccia bread dough though. I'm learning that the bread maker is an excellent tool when I don't have time to bake in the oven, and it's also great for making the dough for me. For the wheat bread I used my KitchenAid to try to learn how to knead dough with it. Joanna's gonna have to give me some pointers cause I'm not sure it did what it was supposed to do.
ReplyDeletePaula, no YOU ROCK!!! (and thank you!)
That focaccia sounds heavenly! I wish I was close enough to "stop by" for dinner!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou are the queen! I want to come over next time you have that meal!
ReplyDeleteThat bread looks so good. I've been trying to make a decent loaf for months now and I think only once it turned out to where I liked it. I'm going to try this recipe. And I see you made bread bowls. I saw those on Paula's blog and hadn't braved up to it yet but I think I will now. lol Take Care :)
ReplyDeleteRainy days are great for baking!!
ReplyDeleteToo bad there are so few rainy days here in Niger!
Greetings from West Africa,
Esther
Wrensong, thank you! I wish you were close enough to stop by too!
ReplyDeleteKim, no YOU'RE the queen. Come on over!
Vickie, thanks for stopping by. Definitely try the bread bowls. They're fun to make and not difficult at all.
Esther, Wow, you're in Niger? I imagine you don't get much rain there. What do you like to bake?