Breaking bread

I believe if someone told me that I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, I would request that it would be homemade bread.

Of any sort.

There is nothing - I repeat nothing - as good as yummy homemade bread... of any variety.

Yeast dinner rolls warm from the oven.
Sunflower bread with a little butter and a drizzle of honey straight from the farmer's market.
Crusty baguette topped with a slice of cheese.
Fresh, chewy rye.

I could go on all day. I just loooooove bread.

I remember being younger (when my mom was a stay-at-home mom), she would make those mini loafs of fresh bread. There was nothing better in the world. To this day, I think if a stranger walked up to me and handed me a fresh mini loaf of bread, I'd kiss them and propose marriage.

But baking bread myself? Well that something I have not tried yet. That seems a little advanced for me. I still feel like a cooking novice. Moms are the only ones who know how to bake bread. I've only ever baked bread with my mom. I can't do it solo! Or can I?

So I decided to push my bread-baking fears aside after reading Hungry Mouse's blog post about Fougasse (Provencal Bread with Olives & Herbs.)

{pic via}

And if I didn't try to make it this weekend... well... I don't think I'd be able to live with myself. So I'm doing it. I'm running with my arms wide open into the world of yeast, rising and kneading.

I'll report back to you with my success... or lack there of.

Kneading love,
MPLT

Sunday Supper

Sunday is usually my most productive day in the kitchen. I can usually fix a pretty yummy meal (since I have all afternoon to do it), as well as do some of my prep work for the week.

Yesterday for dinner, we had the best crock pot bbq ribs. I have made them once before - and they are by far the best ribs I've ever had. In years past, Chad and I always fixed ribs on the grill... and while I enjoy the charred flavor, the ribs never get tender and always seem dried out.

Crock pot ribs? Those babies fall off the bone.
Look at all that yummy sauce.
Here's the recipe I use...

Crock Pot BBQ Ribs:

Ingredients:
3 pounds short ribs
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup water
2 teaspoons beef flavored bouillon granules
1 cup hickory barbecue sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in small amount of water

Directions:
1. In large skillet over medium high heat, brown short ribs on all sides.

2. Place ribs in a slow cooker. Top with onions. In bowl, combine water, beef granules, barbecue sauce, brown sugar and mustard. Pour sauce over ribs.

3. Cover and cook on LOW 6-7 hours or until tender. Add cornstarch mixture and continue to cook 20 minutes or until sauce thickens.

4. Enjoy!

And yesterday I did something I rarely do - baked a dessert! I like doing desserts... I just don't make them often. I guess I'm more of a cook than a baker.

But these - Hungry Mouse's Black and White Cookies - are so easy and delicious. The secret ingredient in them (which you'll see when you read the recipe) somehow make the cookies very crisp and airy (almost meringue-like.)

Oh man.
Tell me why I decided against bringing a cookie to lunch today?

The problem with making cookies (especially when you only have 2 of you living at home), is that they are best right out of the oven. But you end up making a whole batch (and really, who can to eat 24 cookies within a few days) - and then end up throwing half away a few days later. I combatted this problem by only making a few cookies, and freezing the rest of the dough.

Here's how I did it: I took a cookie sheet, lined it with wax paper, and dropped spoonfuls of the cookie dough on the sheet like I would if I were baking them (except I squeezed a lot more on each cookie sheet... since I didn't need to leave room for them to expand.) Then I loosely cover the cookie sheet with cling wrap, and pop the unbaked dough in the freezer. I left it in there for about 3 hours until the dough froze. Then I took the cookie sheet out of the oven, and took all my frozen cookie dough balls and put them in a freezer bag (to save space.) Now, I can just make a few fresh cookies at a time by taking out a few of the frozen dough balls and letting them defrost in the fridge for a couple hours before baking.

Frozen cookie dough will stay good for 4 to 6 weeks.

Consider this a MPLT Public Service Announcement.

Annnndddddddddddddd you're welcome.