30 January 2014

BREAK OUT THE BIKINIS

Hello Buttfaces.  Just heard that today, we're headed into the mid 20s (F).  We're talking heatwave people.  Break out the bikinis and let's see some jiggle.

Meanwhile, my recent draft of Italian cheesy bread was a hot mess.  Smoke everywhere.  But that's okay because the next day I sliced off the top and made killer croutons.

I LOVE BAKING!

Now, if I could only make a living at it ...

29 January 2014

Happy Little Loaf

Each time I watch this episode I get the BIGGEST smile.  Especially when Lucy says, "Happy little loaf."

Which brings us to yesterday's quiz.  Well done to all who named Lucy as the baker.  I award you one nail file, three raisins and a stinky piece of cheese.   Because that's just the kind of prizes we give out around here.

Thanks for playing.  Enjoy and boogie boogie.

24 January 2014

Even if It's Scary

By the end of this week I wanted to have a how-to bake post done.  Only I must not have wanted it bad enough because it's not ready.  It's not even the baking part that's the problem.  I could write and test bakes all ding dong day long.  It's the getting the post ready part. 

It's very easy for me to write and test a bake, snap a few pictures and show it off, then quickly move onto the next bake.  But to sit and write each recipe in a way other people can understand and use them, is not my strongest area.  

Time to change that.

I love writing them at my kitchen table, but I need to make the transition to the online world.  Start posting on Reddit and oh my gosh, I don't want to, but maybe even a Google+ account.  Maybe I'll write a food zine.  But the one that scares me the most, shoot a video from my kitchen.

Just writing about it now, I'm uptight and nervous.  So erase, erase, erase, and next week, I move forward.

Even if it's scary.

23 January 2014

BEST GET CRACKIN'

Where did my week go? I had one goal: Write a how-to bake and get it posted.  Did I do that yet?  Nooooooo.  I did not.

Meanwhile, I've got a stack of dishes with my name on it, and nowhere else to be.  After that, it's onto daily chores, followed by tonight's bake.  Not sure what I'm making for supper yet.  But I'm thinking something with dough.

22 January 2014

Heart Bread - Sorta Kinda Maybe

Last night I baked heart shaped bread.  The little heart worked better, but still needs help.   Maybe I'll fill it in, or add beet root powder.  As for the bigger one (50g) balls.  That one didn't shape well, but the dough tasted good for sliders.

After tasting the smaller (23g) balls, I got an idea for chocolate ball bread.  Not a sickly sweet bread but a nice flavor.  Never made chocolate bread before, so I'm excited because I like writing and testing new bakes.

Not today though.  Because today is all about heart shaped dog biscuits, and cat treats.  My goal is to have the how-to post published by the end of the week. 

But first, I gotta get my tomato sauce on the stove so it can simmer for two billion hours.  I need the sauce ready for Friday, which is scheduled for personal pan pizza making.  Then stash those babies in the freezer for a quick meal.

That's all from me.  Thanks for reading.  Boogie boogie.

Bought these cheapy ones to use for dog biscuits.
Only a buck fifty. 


19 January 2014

My First Sliders

Made them for the first time last night.  Baked 50g rolls and used 50g of hamburg.  When I make big burgers, I can't get them to work.  Even though I've been eating meat for a little while now, I'm still not good at beef burgers.  So I went smaller and that worked.  So much so that ate three.

Tim only got one.

18 January 2014

SPIDER-MAN DANCE

Click SPIDER-MAN to see them dance.   Now that Tim signed up for Amazon Prime, I get to watch this show again.  If you haven't seen this scene, please do enjoy.

Meanwhile, it's Saturday and so far, I'm not even dressed, but get this.  I've been strong enough to do some walking with the pups.  Today will be day four.  I can't walk very long which bums me out, but also, I have to keep in mind that it's better than last week, when I couldn't do it at all.

That's all from me.  Off to eat some leves (soup), make a quick blob of dough, and then walk the pups.  Tim is having a hard time getting the Amazon Prime to play through the 360 and is on the phone with them now.

Happy Saturday and boogie boogie.


17 January 2014

TGIF Bunn

Ever have one of the those weeks that you were looking forward to.  The kind of week where you thought you were really gonna kick some ass/arse, only you never did?

That's how my week went.

I'm behind on just about everything this week.  And I have to say, I'm really happy it's the weekend.  Even better, Tim gets THREE days off in a row.  His only request is calzones and a trip to the Barnes cafe.  Simple enough.  Might even throw in almond pizzelles, just because he loves them.

Meanwhile, here was last night's dessert.  I had extra dough so I tossed together a single (but nice sized), cinnamon bunn.  For the top I mixed local maple syrup, icing sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, to taste.

It was so flippin' good.

16 January 2014

I Made Little Hearts

The flat one was super yummy but the rest were bland.  But they're so darn cute, that I can't wait to give them another go.  I made these with leftover bread dough.

Meanwhile, I'm running WAY late today.  Never made it to the market and I still have to get tonight's meal together.  I'm rolling turkey dogs in dough.  Got the dogs for free.  Actually, they paid me a dime to take each package out of the store.  Thank you, coupons and sales.

Anyway, that's the scoop for today.  I tell you what, I'm starting to feel like writing a post each day isn't so easy.  I will hit 44 in a row, but 444 feels less likely.

Cheers and boogie boogie.

15 January 2014

Full Frontal

A week ago we cleaned Ethel and my gosh, she's pretty.  Tim pulled out and washed the shelves and I scrubbed the inside.  But the BEST part, was putting her back together.

I tell ya, that's some seriously gorgeous full frontal.

13 January 2014

Annoyed & Cranky

Today I'm annoyed because I don't have anything I want to write about, and I committed to at least 44 posts in a row. 

Only I don't want to be cranky over a blog because that's a waste of my energy.  So I'm going to work on my pepperoni rolls, and address the hemorrhaging issues.

Meanwhile, dig these treats I baked last night.  Not only does it save money using scraps, but they're fun to make.

Details and a how to post, on the way.  But for right now, it's off to my lab for another pepperoni roll experiment.

That should knock the crankies right out.



12 January 2014

My Overproved Loaf

Here's what happened when I overproved my loaf.  Notice the wrinkly skin, the whole loaf fell.  Whoosh, all the way down, flat.  Was curious what would happen, so I popped this baby in the oven.  Little denser but super duper soft crumb and a good crunch to the skin.  Just really really flat.

The third photo was just after I put it together.  This is my first go at six strands.  If you haven't played with dough this way, I encourage you to give it a go.  It is so much fun.  The only bummer part is being out of dough to mold.  Other than that, great little hobby.

Also last night I worked on pepperoni rolls, personal pizzas and making a dog bed blanket out of scraps of fabric.  Today, we're fixin' to hit the Barnes cafe.  Last time we went I had to update my coupons but today, it's back to reading bake books and taking notes.  That's all from me.

You Boogerbutts have an oogie boogie Sunday.

Click to enlarge the wrinkly bits.

10 January 2014

DIG THIS STACK

Just got back from getting cracked, and boy does that feel good.  Now I am to rest for a good part of the morning.  So it's a cup of tea, homemade apricot lekvár and toasted bread.  Plus dig this stack the girls at the chiropractor gave me.  Perfect thing for my mind, whilst my body rests.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to post each day.  Not sure how many days I'll do in a row but I'm working on gaining momentum.

Would be neat if I could post 444 days in a row.  What's the longest amount of days you've posted in a row?  I think mine might be around 28 or so.  I'd have to check.

Okay dokey.  On to rest.  Which I don't want to do.  I want to write bakes and test them.  Yesterday I wrote and tested quite a few bakes, including a new dog treat, using leftover chicken scraps.  I took pictures of the steps and plan to post the how to, right after I crop the images.

Until then, have an oogie boogie day.

I'm tellin' ya.  That's a stack of FREE money. 

09 January 2014

Date Night & TGBBO

Good Morning, Boogerbutts.  Last night was date night so we snuggled on the couch and finished series four of THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF.  Such a great show.  Then Tim found Masterclass with Mary and Paul.  I'm pretty darned excited.

If you haven't seen it, it's TGBBO is best bake show ever.  I want to make every single thing I see.  Tim wants to eat everything he sees.  But for right now, I best get to my morning chores and then my own bakes.  

Here's what I played with last night.  I don't know where my brain was, because I forgot to turn the oven on.  That's sorta important for bakes.   And that's all from me.  Time to scrub the crappers and get my day going.

Happy Thursday and boogie boogie.


04 January 2014

My Bakes

No blog for me today, but because it's the fourth day of the month on a year that ends in a four, I had to post something.  So I give you, my bakes. 

Just reach in and have a nibble. 

And that wraps it up for me.  We're headed to the cafe and it's so bright and sunny outside.  Sure, everything is covered in snow, but that's just life here in NW PA.

Cheers and boogie boogie.

03 January 2014

Friday Question: Followers

If I asked you not to look at any blog rolls or feeds, how many bloggers could you name?  This can be either by their blog name, screen name or real name.

With pen and paper, I hit 100.

How about you? Without looking, how many can you list?

PS:  Here's Tim's Friday Question.