Sunday, May 3, 2009

I've got the itch...

...So the dryer is broke as you've all heard, and I have the itch to sew. But all the fabric I have now needs to be washed and preshrunk before I can start any project. Which means I have to wait until we get a new dryer, since air drying doesn't shrink the fabric... Bummer!
So right now I am reading these books, and dreaming about several beginners projects. (If you know me well enough, you'll know that patience is NOT one of my virtues. Hence the struggle. AUGH! )

On another note, I also discovered how great homemade bread tastes like, and if you've ever made homemade bread before you'll know exactly what I'm talking about... Store bought bread sucks compared to the REAL stuff... Man was I in the dark! In the beginning I almost swore to myself to never ever buy store bread ever again. but then I remembered how I have two babies under 3 and we eat a ton of bread in our household( what can I say we love sandwiches). So I revised my oath and decided on making homemade bread and bagels whenever I get the chance. ( never?!)

So now I have the itch to sew, the itch to bake and the itch to read about both... But unfortunately there isn't enough time. What did I do with all the time I had when I was baby-less and single?... Dang!

Related questions:

If I start making homemade bread do I need to buy flour in bulk?
If so, where can I buy it from?
Also anymore tips on both subjects are much appreciated.

Peace.

5 comments:

Umaringalls said...

I love homemade bread!! I don't have time though. I've been buying sprouted bread which I really like.

My neighbors who have multiple kids use a bread machine or a kitchen Aid mixer (for kneading) and they seem to be happy with both. They also make their own yogurt which is really impressive. I guess it saves a lot of $$.
I usually buy bulk flour for less than a $1 at our organic local store, you can also try Costco..good luck habibty..

Anonymous said...

I think Lauren's doing an every day bread recipe that somehow only takes five minutes? I think she mentioned it in her blog. I'll try to find it.

One thing I've always meant to do is make a huge batch and freeze the dough (in one-loaf hunks) before it rises, since it saves clean-up time and freezer space... But have I done it? Nope!

Anna

lauren said...

Yes! I do have a bread book that I *love.* It is called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day. It's similar to the no-knead recipe (and indeed involves no kneading) but for some reason the no-knead recipe never really took for me, but with this one, I can't stop.

You make your dough (5 min) in a bucket with a lid, and let it rest on the counter for 2-5 hours. Then it goes into the fridge for up to 2 weeks, and you just take a chunk out as you need it. For a regular baguette, the dough is shaped (~3 min) and then rests for 20 min, then bakes for 20 (takes like 1 min to put in and take out). You are supposed to cool it before you eat it but I never manage to. It's SO easy and so simple. Fast enough to make for breakfast even on a work day if you are that sort of person. Way easy to make with dinner. And, YUMMY.

The book also includes recipes for fancier breads like cinnamon rolls and other sweet breads, and savory breads, all based on the same basic recipe and using the same technique. So far I have just made baguettes and hamburger buns one time, and sandwich bread another time, from the super basic recipe. I like a mix of half white and half whole wheat flour.

And no, we don't buy in bulk, just get the 5-pound bags from the grocery store. Check your community co-op for larger bags though ... or if your regular store has a bulk section, you might be able to get a 25- or 50-pound sack from them that they would otherwise use to fill up the bulk bins. Make sure you will really use up all that flour though!

Anyway, we love the book -- it's highly recommended.

Muslim Hippie said...

Yasmine- how many pounds do you buy for less than a 1 dollar??

Anna and Lauren- Always the saviors.
Thank you guys:)

Robyn said...

I, too, am looking for a way to buy flour in bulk. We have a co-op I have yet to go to, so I need to check them out. I also saw that on King Arthur's website they have 20lb bags of flour. I was thinking about buying that.
As for sewing, I am a pretty visual learner. I have to see pictures, videos, etc. and do it myself to truly understand how it goes. And I don't always have the patience for reading the instructional books I have on sewing. So, most of the time I just jump right in and learn as I go. Not always the best way, but it works for me.