Monday, January 21, 2013

Huh! Learn something new everyday!

In fact.....I learned two things today.  First thing is that I needed to run my flour through my grain mill one more time and it would be fine(pun intended).  I have just made two loaves of applesauce bread that are 100% whole wheat.  I had some unsweetened applesauce I needed to use up.  CHECK!  The second thing I learned is to wait a total of 5 minutes to proof my yeast for my breads.  I haven't been doing the whole 5 min.  I would put the yeast in and it would bubble but then sink to the bottom of the mixing bowl.  Today I waited and then the coolest  thing happened.  There were lots of little bursts of yeast as the yeast was really activated.  I only thought it bubbled before.  It was down right foamy after I let it sit the whole 5 min.  I will see if it changes the quality of the bread.  But!  Now I have two loaves of bread rising to bake.  So my whole house has a sweet smell and soon a yeasty bread smell.  Mmmmmmm  yummy!

Full disclosure here....I will probably never be a sz 8.  It is just too much fun baking! 

So now that my baking is done for the week, my plan is to get outside tomorrow and spray my fruit trees, and burn some yard debris.  Rubbing my hands together gleefully in anticipation of the garden to come.  Its a clean slate so to speak.  A new chance to do it right this time; plant the right things, spray when I need to, fertilize the right time. etc.  Plus it is soon to be time to see if my experiments paid off.  The two I am thinking about are my raised beds, and my baby blueberry bushes.   I moved two little baby bushes this past fall out from their mamas protective shadow and in to their own place.  One of them seems to be doing well.  Haven't really had a chance to check the other one.  Also last fall I dug up some beds, setting the dirt to the side and filled the hole with garden debris(weeds, dead plants, etc), liberally sprinkled fertilizer over the debris, topped it with the set aside dirt, then covered the whole shibang with black plastic to a)kill off any weeds there, and b) it warms up the ground allowing the garden debris to breakdown(hopefully).  We will see how it does.  Won't be long now! 

Okay, so for lack of anything else interesting to say, I will say I actually havea kinda sorta menu planned for the next three days.  It isbasedon the realization that I haveitems to use up.  Good thing to do.  Waste not want not.  I have some bread loaf ends that I need to use up so tonight is meatloaf night!  For tomorrow I  roast and corn meal to use up so it is spicy beef and beans and corn bread for dinner tomorrow night.  Wednesday is church and some italian tomatoe sauce so spaggetti is on the menu.  After that I have no idea what I am doing.  It is impressive that I have three days planned! 

Okay, I am out of things to say so.....I know, you guys share some of your things here.  Tell me what wonderful concoctions you will come up with to use up things in your fridge.  Til then, have a great day!

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