What are you baking today?

[dave the baker]

DW said I haven't made my special Onion Bread in ages, so I'm making that this morning and will put together the sticky buns this evening and let them rise overnight in the fridge.

 

[corazon]

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f15/chicken-pot-pie-13131.html

Probably some chocolate chip banana bread too, if I have time.

 

[JoeV]

.......maybe Joe can send some of his delicious buns FedEx!!!

Expatgirl,

If only it were that easy... I lived in Turkey for 18 months (in the Air Force), and my mother would send me food from home, but only during the cold winter months, and only things that kept well for up to 2 weeks. Cookies, dried sausages, smoked meats were among my favorites. Even when things like cookies that were a little stale from the long trip, they were still like fresh-baked to me. Do you have a local bakery that you could tap into for fresh breads? Probably not the same as "Joe's Buns."

 

[pdswife]

I'm going to bake up some stuffed tomatoes thanks to Rachael Ray.

 

[babetoo]

hopefully halloween cookies

 

[JoeV]

Had a carrot cake mix in the cupboard, so I made cake mix cookies.

18-1/2 oz. Carrot cake mix
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 large eggs well beaten
3 T Warm water
1/2 C oatmeal
1/2 C raisins
1/2 C chopped walnuts.

Turned out great.

 

[dave the baker]

Got up at 3:30 and baked the sticky buns for Lynn to take to the office. She texted and said they're all gone. Must have been okay. I went back to bed and caught a couple of hours. Too beautiful today to heat up the kitchen and the girls at the office where I used to work invited me for their Halloween Potluck, soooooooooo, here I go.

 

[dave the baker]

Joe: I'm guessing about 12 - 14 minutes at 350. Am I close?

 

[JoeV]

Joe: I'm guessing about 12 - 14 minutes at 350. Am I close?

Yep! Your basic cake cookie recipe.

Joe

 

[LEFSElover]

the baby's were coming over so banana/peach/plum brown sugar bread got made quickly.
wanted them to smell good stuff when they entered.
half of it's now gone which is good and they'll be here tomorrow to enjoy the other half and the brownies.
the starter gets stirred twice a day, it blew up upon making it but then settled down after stirring, now it's just a blob. one thing I wanted to ask you Dave is I think I read you wait for the right smell that being sour, I always thoughts I'd read you will know it's done becoming started when it smells yeasty. think I'm confused, could you clarify?
here's the container I chose......Dave, let me know if this stuff looks 'right' to you, thanks

 

[dave the baker]

LEFSElover: The container is fine, but you shouldn't weight the lid, let the gasses escape. The yeasty smell is when it's new, not sour. I don't stir mine until I'm ready to remove some for baking, then I stir it, remove as much as I need and then feed it to keep it going. Your's looks fine; sometimes it will coagulate and have liquid on the top (the Blob!) - it's fine. Smell is the way to tell. Usually a week max before refrigerating.

Here's a simple recipe to start with: 2 C Bread Flour, 1 1/2 C starter (remember to stir it up before using), 3/4 tsp Salt. Mix well and knead till "smooth as a baby's bottom" as they say. How much extra flour you knead in depends on the temperature and relative humidity. Let it rise in a greased bowl, covered with plastic wrap (and a tea towel). I put it in the oven with the light on, it raises fine in an hour or so; let it double. Deflate the dough gently. I once asked my oldest son to punch down the dough and he did! With his fist, and we had dough everywhere! Anyway, form it into a tight ball with your hands and pinch the bottom seams together, place it on a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a silicone baking pad) and let it rise in a draft-free place for about an hour. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 400 F at least 20 minutes ahead. With a sharp knife cut an X in the top of the loaf, put it in the oven, toss in a few ice cubes on the floor of the oven for crispier crust, and let it bake till golden and it sounds hollow when you thump it on the bottom. Make sure it sounds hollow, otherwise give it a few more minutes (all ovens are not created equal). When done, cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes and then ENJOY your fresh bread!

 

[dave the baker]

Oh! And please send us all a picture of your first loaf.
Thanks

 

[babetoo]

finally baked the halloween cookies and frosted them. only made them to have something for great grandbabies for trick or treat.

i don't get more than 2 or 3 kids here. and everyone is afraid of homemade stuff. to sad!!

 

[dave the baker]

We haven't had any kids here for the past two years, but we were ready for them! Maybe tonight.

Yeah, Babe, the dummies don't know what they're missing.

 

[LEFSElover]

LEFSElover: The container is fine, but you shouldn't weight the lid, let the gasses escape. !

That's not a weight Dave, it's a burl wood stirrer.
I just have it sitting there to remind me to stir it.
Years ago, I found a yard sale where the man who owned the house, made kitchen spoons and forks and utensils for cooking purposes. He changed his design and wanted to unload ones that were years and years old that were well used, by him. He gathered them in lots of 7, I bought a lot. They are as smooth as silk, beautiful and so nicely hand crafted.
I love the idea of the recipe . Not sure if I'd mentioned that we are bread-aholics! thank you so much, and I will report. So no more stirring then right? Until ready to use...and I do toss in ice cubes, but on a little tin pan for steam...

 

[expatgirl]

Expatgirl,

If only it were that easy... I lived in Turkey for 18 months (in the Air Force), and my mother would send me food from home, but only during the cold winter months, and only things that kept well for up to 2 weeks. Cookies, dried sausages, smoked meats were among my favorites. Even when things like cookies that were a little stale from the long trip, they were still like fresh-baked to me. Do you have a local bakery that you could tap into for fresh breads? Probably not the same as "Joe's Buns."

Joe, as much as your buns would be appreciated over here..........I'm not kidding myself..........and my oven does not work now...........it will once we get the part.........but I'm not pushing the landlady.......some things you restrain yourself on.........she knows she was not thinking when she ordered an oven governed by an electronic system..........these things burn out with time and the fluctuations in the the electrical systems...........

 

[JoeV]

Joe, as much as your buns would be appreciated over here..........I'm not kidding myself..........and my oven does not work now...........it will once we get the part.........but I'm not pushing the landlady.......some things you restrain yourself on.........she knows she was not thinking when she ordered an oven governed by an electronic system..........these things burn out with time and the fluctuations in the the electrical systems...........

Do any neighbors have an outdoor stone oven you could share to bake bread? No kidding...I'm serious. Stone ovens are still in use in many parts of the world as the primary cooking source. Not everyone has access to electricity or natural gas.

 

[expatgirl]

Thanks for the tip, Joe.......but no, there is noone to give you the time of day...........you wouldn't believe what some of the people are like here..........friendly is not an adjective that comes to mind..........in fact about 3 weeks ago there was a knock at the door and the lady downstairs practically barged in determined to find me at fault for her apartment having a leak............not nice or polite.............though I made sure to shake her hand and introduce myself to her.......she was a bit taken back......sorry, you're playing by my rules and that means you're going to be polite........

 

[dave the baker]

LEFSElover: That's right. Your stirrer remimds me of a product sold years ago (many) by the then wine-slopping Galloping Gourmet (he has since reformed). They were call ed "Spurtles". I had a set and they were wonderful. They were made of olive wood or some such type. You've inspired me - I'm going to find the patterns and make a set of my own!

Sadly, no kids last night. We live in a "over 55" area and for some reason nobody comes a-callin on Halloween.

 

[meshoo96]

coconut raspberry bars today I think...made a cake Thursday and DH made apple pie cookies and a new one he came up with pumpkin cookies. He's been playing around, testing new ideas. I'm thinking he needs to do some with nuts though.