some simple doings

  Every little once in a while I entertain the unction to participate in a blog community.  Such things as Yarn along and Happy Homemaker Monday presently pop into my mind. Which also brings to my mind a certain blog I would read years ago where a woman would photograph and write about her knitting projects, and she always included a cookie recipe.

 Yesterday as I baked a most delectable cookie I decided I would like to create a post using a similar idea. 

 A post of this sort should  contain a Reading and Cooking/Baking portion. Since I love to work with my hands, it must also include a Gentle Art of some kind. Oh, and quotes, I really must throw in one of those too.

Three of these books belong in my own personal library, two purchased from Abe Books and the other one ordered from another source. Homebrewed Vinegar is on loan from a local library. And speaking of local libraries, Rose and I took Ivy to the library last Saturday.  I realized I had not physically been inside a library in two years!  It was a very arresting moment. I have not realized how much I have missed such a simple joy of the past.

Ever since I read Jane Brocket's book, The Gentle Art of Domesticity, her word for cookies has delighted me and still bounces around happily in my mind from time to time. Rock Buns! I do love Oatmeal Raisin cookies and since we do try to limit our sweet intake, I adjusted the recipe in order to lessen the high amount of sugar. If you eat sweets consider making them at home with whole ingredients and I do not think lessening the sugar amounts makes  for a less appetizing sweets one little bit.

This particular Oatmeal Raisin Rock Bun is a delicious, just sweet enough cookie. 

1 cup of unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar 

1 Tablespoon unsulphured molasses

1 Tablespoon of vanilla

2 eggs

Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the molasses and vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine:

1 1/2 cup of unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3 cups of organic oats, not instant or quick cooking

1 cup Thompsons raisins; if you use other kinds you might want to soak them before time. (I am a die hard Thompson Raisin fan.)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Stir until well incorporated.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. 

I have mentioned my revisiting of the art of cross stitching. Now instead of using AIDA cloth as I did back in the 80's, I stitch on beautiful linen fabrics. I am very happy I found Krista's site, Avlea, because she has outstanding kits to order and stitch. Krista is personal and helpful and she runs her business in the best possible manner, offering to make you satisfied with your purchase as far as she is able. Plus there is the added loveliness of your order arriving wrapped in the most beautiful way. I have had to succumb to reading glasses to stitch on the linen though, but I am thankful for my red trusty ones.

"However, as I reflect on our time I feel sure the basic values of life are not changed, or the basic experiences. We are born, we grow into maturity, we die according to the law of nature. Our highly mechanized civilization has not redesigned the human heart. We find happiness, we suffer sorrow, we make our contribution to the world around us, whether it be a blessing or a disaster. Every man's life is entangled with others."

                                                   Harvest of Yesterdays Gladys Taber 

 

 

an excellent and easy sourdough bread loaf

"With bread all sorrows are less"

     Don Quixote, Cervantes

I have tried many different flours and just as many recipes in baking bread with a sourdough starter. I have discovered some very good recipes with great successes using various flours and recipes over a period of several years. But today I wanted to share from my own repertoire of bread baking and experience in the baking and eating of sourdough loaves.

This loaf bread is absolutely by far the easiest sourdough bread recipe for taste that I have found and has become my weekly loaf. It is delicious in taste and slices beautifully for toast or a sandwich. My husband is a fan of it, and that alone speaks volumes. The recipe is found here from dieteasily. It is extremely easy and begins with a very sticky dough that does not require any kneading. After mixing the ingredients together, you pour the dough into your baking pan and throw a cloth over the top. It is set in a warm (room temperature) place to rise anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. I usually make mine after supper and the next morning everyone wakes up to the smell of freshly baking bread.

I have ground my own wheat for this loaf which makes a more dense bread, but an organic all purpose flour works the best for my family's needs.

I do not presently add any seeds because my family likes it plain. It is not always a pretty loaf, but the taste never fails and as mentioned before it cuts wonderfully with just a tender bite in the outside crust. 

Give it a try and tell me what you think!

t