Day 5 of the "I too can bake bread challenge" -A Penny Loaf

So today is the day that we can eat the fruits of our labor. Just think, you'll be a bread making pro in no time. Not only is it fun, but it's also super cheap to make (hence the title of the post). If you are just joining in or if you've missed any of the installments of our "I too can bake bread challenge" you can catch up here to get started on your sourdough, or if you are ready to bake, you can catch up here.


To bake:
Once your 12 hour allotment of time has expired, you can proceed with either of the directions. As I have stated before, I do not have a degree in Molecular Science of Culinary Creations, (see here for the inside joke) nor am I advocating to be an expert, I'm just basing it off of my past bakes. I have done bread either way, and both taste just as good.


 For both set of directions you will need the following:

• Flour for dusting the board and your fingertips
• Cornmeal or Wheat bran to dust loaf
• Parchment paper (optional) or Proofing basket
• Dough scraper
• Cooking spray 
• Tea towel
• Dutch oven, corning ware dish with lid, or clay dish with clay lid

Flour your board/counter top, and turn dough out. Semi flatten the dough out trying not to be too rough with it. Dust with more flour on top. 

Fold dough into thirds. If dough sticks to your board, use your dough scraper to help fold the dough.

Fold dough into thirds again. This should sorta resemble a square.

Lightly spray parchment or proofing basket with cooking oil and dust with cornmeal. Move dough onto dusted parchment paper, and back into your clean mixing bowl. This helps round out the dough.

Now here is where the directions will differ. Direction #1 will bake immediately, and direction #2 will bake after resting 2 hours.

Directions #1:

 If using these directions, preheat your oven to 500 degrees adding in your baking dish and lid into the preheating oven before you fold your dough.  

Once your oven has been preheated for 15-30 minutes, place your dough into the heated baking dish and cover with the lid.

Bake with the lid on for 30 minutes. Remove the lid after 30 minutes, lower the temperature to 450 degrees, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.

Directions #2:

After rounding out the dough, let it rest for 1:30 minutes. After the allotted time, preheat your oven to 500 degrees adding in your baking dish and lid into the preheating oven.

Allow an additional 30 minutes of rest while your oven is preheating. Bake with the lid on for 30 minutes. Remove the lid after 30 minutes, lower the temperature to 450 degrees, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.

Once your bread is done, DO NOT cut into it. As tempting as it is to eat HOT fresh baked bread, it still needs to cool down. I have found that my bread is drier if I cut into it too soon. So remember your patience will be rewarded for waiting.

I hope that you have found this tutorial helpful, and if you have any other tutorials you would like me to do, please feel free to leave me a comment. 

Also, don't forget to enter the contest for the $5.00 Amazon gift card I have going. I still only have one entrant. This giveaway will expire at 2:00 PM PST on September 1, 2011.Enjoy!

I didn't forget to bake bread...

Sorry it's been super busy around here. I'll have the tutorial up in the next few days. In the process of baking the bread today. :)

37.6 weeks-"Chard"-ly any time left

Wow! Another week closer. This week we got the crib back from my Dad, and now the nursery is pretty much set up. I just need to add the finishing touches (ie curtains and pictures). I am getting excited.

This week at our Dr. Appointment the Fundus was measuring at 36cm (guess we are going to have a small baby). I also lost weight, so I gained a total of 16 pounds so far. Baby heartbeat was in the 150's again. Things are looking good. I did get an exam to see if we were dilated yet, but thankfully nothing is happening just yet. I don't mind him "cooking" for a little longer. I still have a few things to do around the house to prepare for his arrival. Besides, we want him to be born on September 4th...lol.

This last week was so busy with our 30th church anniversary services. Don't have time to tell you about it now, but I do have time to tell a funny yet embarrassing story?

I had to make 50 sugar free red velvet cupcakes for our church banquet this last Saturday. Soooo, I spent about 5 hours making them all pretty with fondant pearls and all. Well, I did not see them served at the banquet so I inquired once it was over, and of course they were not served (her reasoning was because no one asked for them...like people know to ask for a sugar free alternative, they will take what you have out on the tray)...so needless to say I was mad, got upset, and when I saw Joel, I immediately started crying. Well if you don't already know, pregnant women can sometimes have accidents. So I started crying into Joel's shoulder, and immediately I had a "small" accident....I was so embarrassed. I told Joel "I think I just peed, we need to go"

So we left right away. Like I said it was a "small" accident, and no on knew the better...yet it was still embarrassing. Once we got in the car, I told Joel, I sure hope that was pee and not my water breaking. At this point, Joel started getting nervous, and realized that we could go into labor whenever, and that at that particular moment, he was not ready. So the next time you see a pregnant woman get upset, have sympathy for us. We just might have an accident, or break the bag of waters and go into labor...lol.


What's new this week?

How far along: 37.6 Weeks

Maternity clothes: Yes.

Total weight gain: 16 lbs.

Waist: This week my waist measures in at 45". He must have dropped a bit.

Belly Button: It's a flat sorta looking thing, and at times, part of it sticks out. I don't think I will look like a "done turkey" in the next two weeks though.

Best moment this week: Getting the nursery in working condition. We just need the last few things done. Finding his "coming home" outfit. It's so cute! Here is a picture of the outfit so you can agree with me (even if you don't think it's cute), and a few of the nursery. It still needs a few things.





Food cravings: Rocky Road Ice Cream (well, that's what we had in the freezer, and it just sounded good)

Food aversions: Tums, it doesn't go well with my digestive system. I guess I need to eat more fiber.

Gender: He's still a boy! Check out the picture from our previous post.

Crazy Dreams: I need to start writing them down. I can't recall any crazy ones this last week.

What I miss: My back not hurting. The load of this child is a little burdensome at times.

What I am looking forward to: His arrival, but I am not in a rush for him to come.

Milestones: The nursery is set up and almost finished. He is moving around like crazy.

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Until next post,

Happy Birthday to a wonderful husband and a wonderful Pastor's wife!!!

So today is Joel's and my Pastor's wife's birthday. Joel is officially in his last year of 20's...lol and he feels old.

We celebrated their birthdays at the Rushings house. We BBQ'd up some steaks (btw...those were sooo good) and chicken. Sides were awesome...macaroni and cheese, asparagus, zucchini and squash. I've never been a fan of zucchini, but I thought I would give it a try....and I am soooo glad I did. It was yummy!

I made a special cake for the occasion too! I saw this other blog that made a Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake (thats a layer of red velvet cake, cheesecake, and then another layer of red velvet cake topped with the traditional cream cheese frosting) and decided to make it. It came out really yummy. Here are the recipes I used:

For the Cheesecake
For the Red Velvet Cake
For the cream cheese frosting

My changes for the cheesecake are: Minus the 2 extra egg yolks; add 1tbsp of vanilla. It turned out really yummy. I was very happy with the texture and taste.

As far as the Red Velvet cake, you might want to consider using a simple syrup to keep it moistened. I have noticed when I bake and split the cake, every time the bottom piece is always drier than the top. Weird I know.

And the cream cheese frosting is to die for.

Here's to another year older. Love you Joel and Sis. Rushing. I hope you had a fantastic day!

Make sure to check out the new blog

Make sure your stop by my new blog. I am adding new menu items to it all the time.

Here is a sneak preview of what I am cooking up. :)

Here is the web address if you don't have it already
http://angelasheavenlysweets.blogspot.com/ just copy and paste into your browser

I have a new blog!

So for the last year or so, I have been kicking around the idea, of having my own baking side business. Well today, I officially headed in that direction. With being laid off, I decided to do what I love, and that's baking.

So here is the link to my new blog:

http://angelasheavenlysweets.blogspot.com/

Now remember, I will continue to use this blog for my personal thoughts, ramblings, and rants. The new blog is only for my baking "business"

So hurry over, and check it out!