...And I'm back!! In the kitchen, I mean. Other than last night and today, it has felt like forever since I have had some gen-u-wine time with my kitchen. Tonight I got the fever. I had been wanting to try and make my own bread and jam. What is it about making something from scratch that really really really just makes things taste so delicious? I read a review tonight on the bread recipe that I made and a fellow lady breadmaker said, "This bread makes store-bought bread taste sickening."After making this bread, I get that, I really get that.
I was in the kitchen for four hours. YES, 4 hours. John was sitting at our dining room table working on his paper for Business Communications and we were both in total silence. It was blissful. No music. No talking. Just me, my thoughts, and silence.
I thought about a thousand things. Here are a few things that ran across my mind:
my mother
my father
my sister
my piano test on thursday
applying for grad schools
what I am going to make for dinner for our friends for our jam sesh tomorrow night, and hoping so much that they enjoy it
traveling abroad
living abroad
my friend lisa on her mission and how much i miss her
how to better serve others
how i can be a better wife
how happy i was to see my friend jenna yesterday
how i want to loose weight, but how i'm not really doing anything about considering what i am about to make
my wonderful calling at church as a den mother for the cub scouts
my sweet voice teacher
how much i don't like our kitchen wallpaper
how i really really need to take our recycling to the roswell recycle center
how incredibly sticky the bread dough is, and how i look like i have on bread dough mittens
how handsome john is when he is doing something intently and he has no idea that i am staring at him.
Here is the recipe for the strawberry jam:
Directions: Combine the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the strawberries and continue to cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, until the strawberries release some of their juices and the mixture boils slowly. Cook until a small amount of the juice gels on a very cold plate. (I keep one in the freezer.) Pour carefully into 2 pint canning jars and either seal or keep refrigerated. Use immediately, or follow proper canning guidelines.
I only had one jar to put the jam in, so we improvised and used an old soda bottle that we drank at our wedding. We still had the twist top so it still sealed up.
I felt like the jam paparazzi taking all of these pictures, but I couldn't help it, it turned out so cute!
Now, let's see if the Mister liked it...
Seal of Approval. I know I have done well if I see this face. I live to see this face. Right after this picture was taken, he looked at me longingly and pulled me in for a nice long kiss. I'll take that as a reward for making something yummy. He then professes to me his deep LOVE for homemade bread. Good thing this recipe makes 6 loaves (I froze 4 balls of dough). We are planning on making french toast out of what ever we have left over!!
On the other hand, contrary to what this face (below) may be telling you, I really did believe this was delectable.
Don't forget, the pinky is what completes the scene.
Whew! This felt like another plog...that was quite a bit of work. Sleepy time.
*link to the bread recipe
