annie blog

Rye

I tried my hand at making rye bread yesterday. The bread turned out really well. I used the recipe from Smitten Kitchen and followed it exactly. I’ll make it the same next time, all except I’ll not form it into the large round loaf as the directions say. I didn’t mind it — except that the finished loaf is so large that a bread knife the length of a saber is needed to slice the thing. So, next time, I’ll make either 2 smaller round loaves or maybe an oblong batard.

We shall see. Oh, and one more thing about the rye besides the taste — which was excellent, by the way — it has carraway seeds. It is dark instead of white.

What does that mean for this mom of some picky folks?

More for me. Wonderful.

Rye

I tried my hand at making rye bread yesterday. The bread turned out really well. I used the recipe from Smitten Kitchen and followed it exactly. I’ll make it the same next time, all except I’ll not form it into the large round loaf as the directions say. I didn’t mind it — except that the finished loaf is so large that a bread knife the length of a saber is needed to slice the thing. So, next time, I’ll make either 2 smaller round loaves or maybe an oblong batard.

We shall see. Oh, and one more thing about the rye besides the taste — which was excellent, by the way — it has carraway seeds. It is dark instead of white.

What does that mean for this mom of some picky folks?

More for me. Wonderful.

There’s a Nutter in My Kitchen
Unfortunately, I am she.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Sorry I was missing here for over a week. My computer has had issues with getting on the internet lately because of its antenna. I think that is what it was. I know nothing about computers. My man handles all that. Whatever was broken has now been fixed. Cue the rejoicing.

I probably wouldn’t have had time to blog anyway this week because I’ve been some cooking. More cooking than I usually do because we had a birthday and then I also did some baking for a school auction. Usually I don’t even think about what I’ve cooked lately and I definitely don’t make lists about it — but last night I started trying to remember all that I had made this week. Then I wrote it down because it was so crazy. Nuts, truly.

Send help, y’all, an intervention might be needed.

red velvet cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream
2 loaves rustic white bread
baked potato soup
chocolate cake layers
tropical carrot cake layers
chocolate chunk muffins
tropical carrot cake layers, again (Dog ate first ones. I briefly wished him dead. Then I stomped around for awhile. Then I thought that I was over it and realized that I wasn’t. Then I yelled some more.)
cajun chicken pasta
cajun chicken sandwiches with grilled peppers and onions
mexican rice
corn cake
pico de gallo
grilled chicken/cheese quesadillas
2 sour cream apple pies
coconut cream cheese frosting
dark chocolate sour cream frosting
chocolate curls
tomato soup — total bomb, I threw it out
homemade pizza, homemade cheese sticks
roast
wine sauce
carrots and potatoes
granola
spinach pecan rice

See the nuttiness? I’m glad I recorded this craziness for posterity’s sake.

And may I have the sense to not be in the kitchen so much next week.

Have a good Sunday, everybody!

There’s a Nutter in My Kitchen
Unfortunately, I am she.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Sorry I was missing here for over a week. My computer has had issues with getting on the internet lately because of its antenna. I think that is what it was. I know nothing about computers. My man handles all that. Whatever was broken has now been fixed. Cue the rejoicing.

I probably wouldn’t have had time to blog anyway this week because I’ve been some cooking. More cooking than I usually do because we had a birthday and then I also did some baking for a school auction. Usually I don’t even think about what I’ve cooked lately and I definitely don’t make lists about it — but last night I started trying to remember all that I had made this week. Then I wrote it down because it was so crazy. Nuts, truly.

Send help, y’all, an intervention might be needed.

red velvet cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream
2 loaves rustic white bread
baked potato soup
chocolate cake layers
tropical carrot cake layers
chocolate chunk muffins
tropical carrot cake layers, again (Dog ate first ones. I briefly wished him dead. Then I stomped around for awhile. Then I thought that I was over it and realized that I wasn’t. Then I yelled some more.)
cajun chicken pasta
cajun chicken sandwiches with grilled peppers and onions
mexican rice
corn cake
pico de gallo
grilled chicken/cheese quesadillas
2 sour cream apple pies
coconut cream cheese frosting
dark chocolate sour cream frosting
chocolate curls
tomato soup — total bomb, I threw it out
homemade pizza, homemade cheese sticks
roast
wine sauce
carrots and potatoes
granola
spinach pecan rice

See the nuttiness? I’m glad I recorded this craziness for posterity’s sake.

And may I have the sense to not be in the kitchen so much next week.

Have a good Sunday, everybody!

There’s a Nutter in My Kitchen
Unfortunately, I am she.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Sorry I was missing here for over a week. My computer has had issues with getting on the internet lately because of its antenna. I think that is what it was. I know nothing about computers. My man handles all that. Whatever was broken has now been fixed. Cue the rejoicing.

I probably wouldn’t have had time to blog anyway this week because I’ve been some cooking. More cooking than I usually do because we had a birthday and then I also did some baking for a school auction. Usually I don’t even think about what I’ve cooked lately and I definitely don’t make lists about it — but last night I started trying to remember all that I had made this week. Then I wrote it down because it was so crazy. Nuts, truly.

Send help, y’all, an intervention might be needed.

red velvet cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream
2 loaves rustic white bread
baked potato soup
chocolate cake layers
tropical carrot cake layers
chocolate chunk muffins
tropical carrot cake layers, again (Dog ate first ones. I briefly wished him dead. Then I stomped around for awhile. Then I thought that I was over it and realized that I wasn’t. Then I yelled some more.)
cajun chicken pasta
cajun chicken sandwiches with grilled peppers and onions
mexican rice
corn cake
pico de gallo
grilled chicken/cheese quesadillas
2 sour cream apple pies
coconut cream cheese frosting
dark chocolate sour cream frosting
chocolate curls
tomato soup — total bomb, I threw it out
homemade pizza, homemade cheese sticks
roast
wine sauce
carrots and potatoes
granola
spinach pecan rice

See the nuttiness? I’m glad I recorded this craziness for posterity’s sake.

And may I have the sense to not be in the kitchen so much next week.

Have a good Sunday, everybody!

Muffins Don’t Photograph Very Well,
but I tried anyway.

You know, it isn’t really the muffin’s fault. The problem, I think, is just that baked goods in general are sort of brown. Now, don’t think I’m knocking brown, either, heaven knows that it is one of my favorite colors. Right now, in my wardrobe (if I can call it that without laughing) is a brown scoop neck t-shirt that I got on sale 3 years ago. I love it and wear it once a week, at least, year round. I will mourn it when it wears out. So my problem is not with the color brown, either.

You know, the problem is probably that you can’t smell this delightful muffin. That’s it. It’s that the photo only captures one aspect of this delicious creation.

I don’t make many muffins. I think that it is primarily because I don’t really make many breakfastish types of baked goods in general. My ideal breakfast involves eggs, avocados, spinach, onions, cheese….not baked things with sugar in them. So, that explains the lack of muffins ’round these parts. In fact, without the recent snow and the slew of baking that it somehow inspires me to do, we wouldn’t have it at all. Also, I should say that I was given some instant espresso by a friend and so I therefore had my off-the-beaten-path (i.e. nonAldi) ingredient and was good to go.

These are yummy. They don’t have much sugar and they have lots and lots of flavor.

Banana + chocolate + cinnamon + espresso = awesome.

Banana Espresso Chocolate Muffins

1 1/2 cups mashed, ripe bananas (about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 firmly packed brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 t. instant espresso powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a muffin tin or use papers.

In a medium bowl, stir together bananas, sugars, butter, milk and egg.

In another medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle muffin comes out clean.

Let them cool 15 minutes in the pan and then 15 more minutes out of the pan (if you can wait that long).

(Recipe credit to Baked. My modification was to add the cinnamon. Also, I made the recipe with 4 bananas and had 17 muffins instead of the 12.)

Muffins Don’t Photograph Very Well,
but I tried anyway.

You know, it isn’t really the muffin’s fault. The problem, I think, is just that baked goods in general are sort of brown. Now, don’t think I’m knocking brown, either, heaven knows that it is one of my favorite colors. Right now, in my wardrobe (if I can call it that without laughing) is a brown scoop neck t-shirt that I got on sale 3 years ago. I love it and wear it once a week, at least, year round. I will mourn it when it wears out. So my problem is not with the color brown, either.

You know, the problem is probably that you can’t smell this delightful muffin. That’s it. It’s that the photo only captures one aspect of this delicious creation.

I don’t make many muffins. I think that it is primarily because I don’t really make many breakfastish types of baked goods in general. My ideal breakfast involves eggs, avocados, spinach, onions, cheese….not baked things with sugar in them. So, that explains the lack of muffins ’round these parts. In fact, without the recent snow and the slew of baking that it somehow inspires me to do, we wouldn’t have it at all. Also, I should say that I was given some instant espresso by a friend and so I therefore had my off-the-beaten-path (i.e. nonAldi) ingredient and was good to go.

These are yummy. They don’t have much sugar and they have lots and lots of flavor.

Banana + chocolate + cinnamon + espresso = awesome.

Banana Espresso Chocolate Muffins

1 1/2 cups mashed, ripe bananas (about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 firmly packed brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 t. instant espresso powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a muffin tin or use papers.

In a medium bowl, stir together bananas, sugars, butter, milk and egg.

In another medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle muffin comes out clean.

Let them cool 15 minutes in the pan and then 15 more minutes out of the pan (if you can wait that long).

(Recipe credit to Baked. My modification was to add the cinnamon. Also, I made the recipe with 4 bananas and had 17 muffins instead of the 12.)

Muffins Don’t Photograph Very Well,
but I tried anyway.

You know, it isn’t really the muffin’s fault. The problem, I think, is just that baked goods in general are sort of brown. Now, don’t think I’m knocking brown, either, heaven knows that it is one of my favorite colors. Right now, in my wardrobe (if I can call it that without laughing) is a brown scoop neck t-shirt that I got on sale 3 years ago. I love it and wear it once a week, at least, year round. I will mourn it when it wears out. So my problem is not with the color brown, either.

You know, the problem is probably that you can’t smell this delightful muffin. That’s it. It’s that the photo only captures one aspect of this delicious creation.

I don’t make many muffins. I think that it is primarily because I don’t really make many breakfastish types of baked goods in general. My ideal breakfast involves eggs, avocados, spinach, onions, cheese….not baked things with sugar in them. So, that explains the lack of muffins ’round these parts. In fact, without the recent snow and the slew of baking that it somehow inspires me to do, we wouldn’t have it at all. Also, I should say that I was given some instant espresso by a friend and so I therefore had my off-the-beaten-path (i.e. nonAldi) ingredient and was good to go.

These are yummy. They don’t have much sugar and they have lots and lots of flavor.

Banana + chocolate + cinnamon + espresso = awesome.

Banana Espresso Chocolate Muffins

1 1/2 cups mashed, ripe bananas (about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 firmly packed brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 t. instant espresso powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a muffin tin or use papers.

In a medium bowl, stir together bananas, sugars, butter, milk and egg.

In another medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle muffin comes out clean.

Let them cool 15 minutes in the pan and then 15 more minutes out of the pan (if you can wait that long).

(Recipe credit to Baked. My modification was to add the cinnamon. Also, I made the recipe with 4 bananas and had 17 muffins instead of the 12.)

So, What Did We Think
about the new Emma that was on Masterpiece for the last several weeks?

Well, it has been awhile since I read Emma so I’m not going on the novel so much as previous movies and my own sense of the book rather than its particulars.

I really liked the series.

I liked how the interpretation of Emma’s character possessed the youthfulness that it needed while leaving off the snarky-ness that some other adapations have had. I loved the Mr. Knightly character. I thought that it was just wonderful and exactly right. (The actor who played Knightly is Johnny Lee Miller, an actor who I’ve enjoyed in every role I’ve seen him in thus far.) Additionally, the screenwriter for this adaptation of Emma is Sandy Welch who has done a couple of excellent adaptations that I have LOVED, including Jane Eyre and North and South. I frankly can’t wait to see what she’ll do next. Finally, they got some excellent supporting actors, Michael Gambon, to name just one. I just really, really enjoyed it — except, of course, the picnic scene where Emma insults Miss Bates. That will make me cringe from here to eternity. I suppose that only means that they did the scene really well to make it so cringe-worthy.

So that’s my take. What’s yours?

So, What Did We Think
about the new Emma that was on Masterpiece for the last several weeks?

Well, it has been awhile since I read Emma so I’m not going on the novel so much as previous movies and my own sense of the book rather than its particulars.

I really liked the series.

I liked how the interpretation of Emma’s character possessed the youthfulness that it needed while leaving off the snarky-ness that some other adapations have had. I loved the Mr. Knightly character. I thought that it was just wonderful and exactly right. (The actor who played Knightly is Johnny Lee Miller, an actor who I’ve enjoyed in every role I’ve seen him in thus far.) Additionally, the screenwriter for this adaptation of Emma is Sandy Welch who has done a couple of excellent adaptations that I have LOVED, including Jane Eyre and North and South. I frankly can’t wait to see what she’ll do next. Finally, they got some excellent supporting actors, Michael Gambon, to name just one. I just really, really enjoyed it — except, of course, the picnic scene where Emma insults Miss Bates. That will make me cringe from here to eternity. I suppose that only means that they did the scene really well to make it so cringe-worthy.

So that’s my take. What’s yours?