Playing Catch-Up

Well folks, after an unreasonable amounts of phone calls and two shipping attempts, I FINALLY got my laptop up and running again.  Oh boy, have I missed it! And I've missed ya'll too.  So much to tell you about, so i won't delay.  Here goes:

NO MORE STORE BOUGHT BREAD

I have a bread machine and I've made a lot of things in it: pizza dough, jam, pie crusts, cookie dough, but since I first got it, I have only ever actually baked a loaf of bread in it once.  It was really very silly (and lazy) to keep buying bread though when I was totally capable of making it.  Still no incredible whole wheat recipes yet, but Nick is being a trooper and making do with what I've made thus far.  I'll be sure to share when I find one I like though. 

 

OUTING TO GIANT EAGLE MARKET DISTRICT, ROBINSON

I had heard many good things and we were in the area on shopping day.  I should point out that I didn't need anything exotic, just some basics.  I could have gotten everything on my list but the agave nectar in Dry Tavern.   I had expected to find, if nothing else, the full extent of the nature's basket line present there, in addition to a greater selection of other organic foods.  There was a great variety of ethnic & specialty items (much as one would have found at radicchio's before they closed) but no such luck on the Nature's Basket.  I was also diappointed in the freshness of their produce.  I did, however find Pistachio torrone, which totally made my day! Torrone is an Italian Honey-based nougat.  It's much yum.  <3

 

BUTTER DAY, HAND MIXER STYLE

My old college roomie, Cristy, commented on my first Butter post that she uses a hand mixer to make her butter.  This sounded like a good idea, since my food processor stunk like sour dairy for some time, despite being thoroughly cleaned by my loving hubby.  I did indeed wind up with butter, though it took a tad longer.  I was able to make a larger quantity in one batch because a mixing bowl doesn't have the liquid capacity problems that a food processor does.  The butter did not clump into a ball like in the food processor, so I had to watch carefully for the full separation of butter & buttermilk.  As the butter thickened, it really taxed the motor on my cheapo little hand mixer.  In all, the hand mixer is a totally viable solution, but in the future I think I'll stick with my food processor. 

 

RUTABAGA FRIES

Hello.  My name is Angela and I am addicted to potatoes.  Fired potatoes even more so, but all potatoes.  I have never met a potato substitute that even came close to the awesome yumminess, but they really probably shouldn't be quite as regularly present in my diet as they are.  I was reading a food blog on Yahoo (can't remember which) and the suggested that rutabaga fries were a great substitute that really looked like fries.  Having never tasted rutabaga, but having seen the yummy looking pictures, I decided to give it a shot.  I was disappointed in the rutabaga I got in Robinson (I'd seen better in washington) but all of it's bruises peeled off nicely. 

 

I tried to use my mandolin, with the wide julienne blade and the regular slicing blade set as wide as it'd go (the perfect setting for shoestring fries), but apparently rutabaga is too dense for a julienne blade.  It wouldn't go through.  (at this point my good camera died)

After much hand slicing, they smelled horribly of broccoli (I have to admit i put regular fries in as a back-up) but looked like the real deal.  (Real fries are on the right)

Honestly, they didn't go over very well in my house, but feel free to try them at yours!

NICK & I CELEBRATED OUR 3RD ANNIVERSARY

(lookie at my purty flowers)

 

Playing Catch-Up Part 2, tomorrow....