If You Can't Find It, Make It (without a BreadMaker)

I don't know about you but it seems to be getting harder and harder to find good tasting bread. When you do manage to find some you pay dearly for it just like everything else nowadays. Personally I'm getting a little tired of giving my money to someone else when I can make it myself. I'm on a mission to get back to basics, save money, be more self reliant and mostly to know what goes into the food my family eats. We started on this journey by having our own flock of chickens. Don't even get me started on the difference between store bought eggs and fresh eggs from the coop. Let's just say there is no comparison in taste or looks.

This sweet little flock give us lots of these.....

They give us more than we can eat....so we have extra for others.

We also have a garden......

from which we get lots of good food like this....

But back to the bread, I haven't made my own bread since I learned how in high school back when they still had Home Economics class. I remember how fascinated I was with the texture of the dough as I kneaded it and the fun part was punching it down after it would rise. The smell of the bread baking was heavenly and of course the taste of it was unparalleled, nothing like today's preservative laden goo. So I set out on a quest to find the perfect recipe to make my own and NOT with a breadmaker. The first recipe I tried was heavy and turned out pretty flat so yeah, it was a fail. I got lucky on the second attempt however and made two super delicious loaves of bread. I got the recipe HERE

The only thing I did differently is to brush an egg wash over the top of the dough just before popping it into the oven. Here's the bread.....

The Mr. couldn't wait for the bread to cool before slicing off some to eat with real butter. Ya know, it doesn't take that long to make the bread and the rewards are many. Not only do you get to eat some of the best tasting bread around you also get a bit of a workout on those arms and we all need that don't we :)

So why not give it a try, you won't be sorry. Next on the list is installing a clothes line out back so I can save money on electricity and enjoy some wonderful crisp fresh smelling sheets.
Partying at:
Metamorphosis Monday

A Little Coffee in my Creamer

For all you vanilla coffee lovers out there here's a great recipe for French Vanilla Coffee Creamer that my dear daughter from Texas sent to me.

That first cup in the morning is heavenly isn't it? Just seems to ease you into the day. 

Ingredients:

14oz sweetened condensed milk

14oz milk (whole, lowfat, or skim - doesn't matter)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR Vanilla Coffee Syrup for a stronger flavor

a mason jar (quart is perfect)

Instructions:

Pour all of the ingredients into your mason jar.  Screw the lid on tightly, and shake vigorously for a few minutes until well combined.

To Make it creamier, substitute the milk for heavy cream

You can store it in this jar in the fridge and when you really want to feel the love transfer some into a cute little creamer like my yellow cow.

Here is one of the little tea towels I made, A couple more are on the horizon. 

Of course you have to have a great cup of coffee to start out with and I haven't found a better way to brew coffee than my vintage coffee pot, to get one for yourself see the link on my sidebar. It makes the most wonderful pot of coffee, so smooth and rich. 

Still loving my possum belly cabinet. I'm on a mission to get back to basics and this cabinet gives me the incentive to do just that. I try to envision how the homemakers back in the day centered their day around the kitchen, baking and canning. While i don't think I could do that, still I like to incorporate some of the old way of doing things. I think it's just a more wholesome way of living. 

Linking to:

 Elaine's Sunny Simple Sunday

Brenda's Tweak It Tuesday

Angie's Knick of Time Tuesday

Yummy Fig Preserves

We have two fig trees on our property and they yielded a bumper crop this year. This is our first year here so I decided to give fig preserves a try. I gathered a basket full of the purple plump cuties and gave them a nice little bath.

I added sugar, water, lemons, a pinch of salt, some sure gel and of course the figs in a large heavy pan and cooked on low for 3 hours. I'm telling you it smelled sooooo good in my kitchen!

I sterilized the jars and lids to ready them to be filled with delicious fig preserves. Then a 10 minute water bath and waited to hear the pop, pop, pop of the lids sealing. There you have it, the most mouth watering fig preserves ever!

These will be good for 1 year. Next I'm going to dry some so I can use them to top cereals and just to eat as a snack. Did you know that 1 cup of figs contain twice the amount of calcium as whole milk? Thats good news for women, as we need to keep those bones strong! If you would like the complete recipe here is the link Yummy Fig Preserves