Clouds and other good things

Bear and I took a late morning run to town for dog and cat food!

The clouds…

The clouds and sliver of lake…

And the breakthrough sun on the golden larch pine trees!

Beautiful.

Other good things…

A full jar of Linda’s (Savoring Every Bite) Pumpkin Ginger Biscotti.

I’ve made these twice. They are subtly spiced and include pecans…perfect Fall biscotti.

Bits of snow have come and gone.

It has been cold.

It has been damp.

It has been cold and damp.

This time of year, the cold and damp feel colder than the dry cold of deep winter.

A fire in the woodstove.

Clouds, biscotti, woodstove fire: good things.

Three years of my daily “no knead” bread

A bit over three years ago, I made my first high moisture, no knead, artisanal bread.

Despite having made traditional kneaded doughs for over 25 years, the high moisture, no knead method was the FIRST time I was successful at making an artisanal crispy crusted, custardry crumbed bread…the kind of thing I had been paying $6.00 a loaf for!!!

Over these past three years I have enjoyed perfect bread, english muffins, grilled flatbread, pizza crust, bagels and pastries from simple mix and stir and store recipes from: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

This past week a revised edition of the book was released and it is ON my Kindle Fire and with me wherever I go: The NEW Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Flatbread and boule: Peasant Bread dough

The crumb.

The golden larch and the blue sky.

The beardog.

Three years.

Oven bacon and sausage

I can’t believe it is Thursday already.

It is Thursday, isn’t it?

My week fell apart a bit on Monday afternoon when I suddenly felt bad, slight fever which led to not much sleep. A dental appointment on Tuesday morning and then I tried to work but finally gave up and went to bed. Wednesday was better and today I feel 100%, but now it is Thursday!

Anyway.

So, oven bacon.

I read about making bacon in the oven earlier this year. I LOVE this – was I the last to know of this? You put the bacon on a foil lined cookie sheet, put it in a cold oven, turn the oven on to 375 and 15-20 minutes later…BACON !!

AND, there is still some nice bacon grease to save for tortillas, frying onions, etc.

This worked in the motorhome gas oven as well. There is no splattering, no fry pan to clean and the bacon can be “baked” crisp or tender – whatever your preference.

This morning I was frying some of the sausage my folks sent me – my birthday and Christmas present. This is a wonderful spicy sausage that they hunted high and low for in Louisiana. I don’t know what’s in it and maybe I don’t want to know. I do know that I like it – a LOT. It is fully cooked and good cold, but I also like to fry it up a bit crispy for adding to soups, salads and pasta dishes.

This morning as I was standing there with fat flying, turning little circles of sausage… I got to thinking about the oven bacon and decided to try the next batch of sausage by that method.

Success!

The 2 batches mixed together – no difference except the oven batch method is hands off and cleanup is throwing away the foil.

Hoo – rah!

Auggie kept me company as I was experimenting.

This is the least blurry photo I’ve been able to take of him on this chair. He has been using it as a kind of “jungle gym”. I have to try to get a video. He goes to the top, hangs over, leaps down or weaves through the ladder back. And again and again and again.

I hope he, Bear and I survive his kittenhood…

Snippets of life

Last weekend’s haul from Farmer’s Market.

Contemplating one’s navel???

A colorful and scrumptious salad from the Farmer’s Market bounty.

What????

This morning.

Thunderbolt just ground beans make the morning coffee: local roaster Colter Coffee.

Roasted peppers from Farmer’s Market.

Dough rising for English Muffins.

Auggie blur…the tail up and crooked signals VERY HAPPY CAT!!

This was an early morning “explore the house” outing, while Bear was snoring on the bed.

Hey, I’ve been in here for…FIVE minutes…ALL…BY…MYSELF!!

Call me when the kid grows up.

Meanwhile, someone has to keep an eye on the place.

Friday sweet

Apple Cranberry Walnut Brioche-Galette…

…with a drizzle of butter-goat cheese** “frosting”.

And the best sweet…Sweet Bear!

**I use goat cheese in place of cream cheese.