Fresh Bread

The most wonderful smell in all the world is fresh baked bread. Sure, cookies smell good too, and so does a roasting turkey. But, fresh bread carries with it a sense of home, belonging, comfort, and family that no other smell can do.

This morning I woke up and decided to bake some bread. I have a bread machine, so it's no big deal to throw in a loaf. My daughters love to bake. Claire helped me this morning. Her favorite thing is to stick her hand in the canister of flour and then run her fingers through it. But, she's also getting pretty good at adding ingredients to the bowl. So, although it takes at least twice as long to bake with her, I usually invite her.

Today I baked a new bread. I have a wonderful bread cookbook,so I'm always trying new recipes. Today we made cereal bread. It is made by adding 2 cups of your favorite cereal in with the flour. I used a great grains granola and pecans cereal. It made the yummiest bread! It is sweet yet tasted of whole-grain nutty goodness.

Ah.... Bread! I love it!

Here's the recipe for 2lb loaf:

Granola Bread from the Bread Machine Cookbook II

Water 1 & 1/3 C
Oil 3 T
Honey 3T
Salt 3/4 t
*grated orange peel 1 t
granola cereal 2 C
bread flour 2.5 C
wheat flour 1 C
yeast 2 t
*raisins 1/2 C
* sunflower seeds 1/2 C

I didn't add any of the optional things, but I'm sure they could be good.  

Baking and Aprons

I love aprons! My Grandma always wore an apron when she baked.  She had them hanging in the kitchen.  There were at least four aprons there, all the old fashioned floral aprons, large enough to cover a pretty dress.  She would allow me to pick one, then she would pick one out from the remaining aprons.  It was a small but delightful ceremony we'd go through before baking.

Cooking together for Dinner Club 2009

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with my Brother... baking Apple Pie 2010

I am a baker and I'm teaching my girls how to bake just like my Mom and my Grandma taught me.  I've been baking with them since they were able to sit up.  I wear an apron to keep the flour off of me if I'm kneading bread or pizza dough.  When baking with my two little helpers, it tends to be messy!  So we all have aprons.  My girls love to wear their aprons.  Recently, I let them pick out fabric that I can sew into new aprons for them.  Very cute stuff!

Jessie eating butter before we start baking 2009

 I have just finished embroidering a new design for an apron that I love.  It's a cupcake apron for sale in my Etsy shop.  It reminds me of all the cupcakes I've made and the fun parties I've been to with cupcakes.  Such a happy mental picture for me.  Cupcakes are so festive, it'd be hard not to smile at one.

New Cupcake Apron 2012

I love cupcakes!

I've noticed the new trend for aprons is the pretty and frilly aprons of the 50's.  I think they're really cute, and some are even sexy.  I still don't have one... I'm not sure it's really me.  However, I have thought of making one just to see what my husband says!  We have a tradition of making a pizza together on Friday nights.  I think he may really like a frilly little apron... and who knows where that could lead?  *grin*

Do you ever wear an apron?  If so, what kind?  Do you wear it to bake, cook, or grill?  I've found that mostly bakers wear aprons, not really most home cooks.