Kitchen Conundrum

Archives for November 2013

NaBloPoMo- Challah And Apple Jelly

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DSC_0427There is nothing better than the smell of fresh bread wafting through the house. I’m pretty sure it’s one of those things that realtors use, like chocolate chip cookies and vanilla scented candles, to invoke subliminal emotions of family, warmth and a sense of home to prospective buyers. Never mind that the house only has one bathroom, I smell bread baking-sold!

I used to make challah every week. Everyone loves it when I do but it has been a while since I’ve made it.  The weather has turned chilly here so I’m all too happy to keep the oven on throughout the day now.  Inspired by a new cookbook I received to review about the art of making bread, I decided to revisit my old, trusted challah recipe first.

It’s quite simple and takes just a few minutes to prepare the dough. But it does take a good two hours for the dough to rise. While you could spend that time reading or sitting at the kitchen table having a cup of tea (in my dream life), I find that keeping on top of the ever growing pile of laundry takes precedence and this recipe gives me enough time to throw a load in, make the dough, switch the load, clean the kitchen, fold, braid, twist and bake the bread, put the laundry away and have a slice of freshly baked bread the minute it’s done.

A wonderful reward!

I made two loaves on Friday and one was devoured with dinner last night. The other I started late this afternoon with large melty pats of Beurre d’Isigny (a luxurious French butter) and a hefty spoonful of apple jelly (David Lebovitz’s divine recipe) that I made a few weeks ago after going apple picking.  It was hard to only have two pieces!

Apple Jelly

My photos for the original challah recipe post are terrible-it’s one of my first recipes on the blog- and I had no idea what I was doing back then. Funny though, I was so caught up in the making of my dough and trying to make a tiny dent in the laundry that I actually didn’t shoot new ones yesterday as I intended. Ah well. These things happen.

I did remember today, though barely -the one photo at the top- taken with my iPhone- as I devoured a slice. One of these days I will reshoot the entire recipe.

The new book looks wonderful and I feel like I have the hang of baking bread back. So, I’ll mix my dough tomorrow night after I get home from a day trip to Philly and hopefully will get to bake it Monday. I am excited to see how it turns out. These I will take pictures of!

 

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November and NaBloPoMo or What the H Was I Thinking?

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It’s November which means it’s National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo), a commitment by participating bloggers to publish one post on their personal website or blog every day for the month (read more about it here). I chose to participate in this challenge which is sponsored by BlogHer. Yes, there are prizes involved, but I was more motivated by the challenge to cook, write and photograph much more than I have for the past year.  I spent much of this year (and last) away from home. There were many reasons for this, but I am here, now, for this month and for the foreseeable future. (I tend to hibernate in the cold months.) It is time to rest, regroup, and focus on all the new and different directions I want to take.  I am hoping this challenge will also help me focus on the right path to take.  Just being in the kitchen, my safe place, doing what I love to do- cooking, taking pictures and editing them (yes, editing-I’m geeky like that), writing and being creative- always helps take my mind off the other parts of my life that I am not too fond to deal with. And being in that space lets me cope with those things in the best way I know how. It provides a comfortable place for me to work through the things floating through my head while showing my love to those around me.

Of course, for me, November is also my busiest month. Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday and whether I have just my small family or 12 others, I always go all out. I make everything- bread, soups, mains, sides and desserts all with multiple versions-read three kinds of stuffing and four types of pie. There is no cutting back on the menu either. That would be akin to blasphemy!  Plus, this year we have the honor of Hanukah coming early and coinciding with my favorite day- which means latkes will make an appearance as will the nightly gift ritual for the kids.

There are also science fair projects due and many, many invites for everyone to different events. I will definitely be going in all different directions this month. And despite the thought of “What the H@($ was I thinking by adding another thing to my list?”,  I am looking forward to spending time each night sharing what went on that day. I have to warn you though, I truly suck at these things. It’s true. I tried with great intentions to post each Friday for French Fridays with Dorie, but I ended up traveling early in the year and it got away from me. I also tried #photo365… I have the photos (simply because I do snap pics every day)  but do you think I posted each day? Nope. My Instagram and Flickr are barren.  That part got away from me too. But I am seriously going to make a valiant effort here. It’s only one month (it will go by fast!). If I can walk across Spain in a month, I CAN do this, too. (Oh wait! It took me 35 days!) Maybe there’s no hope for this- but at least I am going to try. Wish me luck!