Bread!

 I'm finally relaxing into my stay-cation.  We aren't going anywhere again this year.  Partly because we're letting our bank account recover from the kitchen reno and partly because we had 2 sick cats.  One I wrote about the other day but the other still needs us to be around.  We give her sub-coutaneous fluids for a kidney problem and it works.  Very well.  We thought she was gone 2 years ago and she is still doing great because of this treatment.  It does put a damper on our previous travel-the-world lifestyle but we'll get back to that and in the meantime we're glad to have our little buddy with us.

Anyway, I felt a little at loose ends on Monday (my furniture refinishing project was delayed a bit because I couldn't pick a colour of stain and I felt a little lonely since my husband isn't off this week).  Tuesday was better.  I committed to a stain colour, which I think is a little light but it might be the quality of the stripping of the old stain contributing.  I also spent some time chatting with the neighbours so was less lonely.  Today, I made bread and the electricians came to put in our chandelier, finally.  Not finally because they were slow.  Finally because we were.  First we needed to get a table (which we've had for a couple of months now).  Then we needed to call the contractor to get his electrician here to put it in.  That took rather longer than it should have but now it's in and we're done.

Not much of this relates to bread but I'll go there now.  I love making bread.  I love baking in general but the eating of said baking is not so great for the waist line that seems to know only one direction so I try to avoid eating too many sweets.

I made three different types of bread today.  The buns in the picture here are from The New Whole Grains Cookbook, a book with a lot of good grain recipes including these buns.  I've made them once before, did not embellish and thought they were excellent.  The recipe calls for bulgur or another cooked grain and I guess I used the bulgur the last time I made them because it was nowhere to be found.  So, I cooked up some Quinoa (of which I have a rather large collection for some reason) and off I went.  I decided to add a little cheddar cheese and walnuts after the first rise since I also have a bit too much of both in the house.  The result, just finished for lunch with a glass of chardonnay (I am on vacation and although I vowed not to drink at dinner during the week said nothing about lunch).  So very, very, very tasty.  I had 2.  One as a sandwich and the other just plain because I couldn't help myself.

The bread is my new go-to whole wheat bread recipe from Williams Sonoma's Bread cookbook.  It is a very satisfying bread.  Rises properly too (which I think might have something to do with the proofing feature on my new oven because I've never had such success with bread ever before).

Finally, I made some whole grain biscuit mix from the Whole Grains Cookbook.  I've made these before and they are also fantastic.  The last time I made them was for a dinner party and the recipe went home with both couples.  The recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour which I had never seen before and when I specifically looked at my local Longo's couldn't find.  I was in Whole Foods yesterday (still on vacation so decided the expensive store was acceptable) and saw some.  So of course, I had to make these.  The biscuit dough gets mixed, stored in the fridge or freezer and baked when ready.  I love the combo of rolled oats, wheat germ and whole wheat flour.

I've always thought I should try to make baguettes but I really prefer the whole wheat bread varieties. Maybe sometime when I have my very plain eating niece and nephew over I'll make them.  Until then, I'll stick with these richer, earthier flavours and enjoy.

Now, I just have to find room in the freezer with the zucchini bread and bran muffins that I have also made this week.