Bagels!

Since the bagels mentioned in my last post met with such interest, I figured that I should do a post dedicated to them!

First of all, I got my recipe from here, as a recommendation from my friend Sally.

Getting Started!

All you need for ingredients are: water, yeast, sugar, oil, bread flour, salt, and molasses (the recipe calls for malt syrup, but I was told you can substitute molasses just fine)

Bagel-making can be split into some basic steps:

1. dough
2. rings
3. boil
4. bake

A more detailed description would go something like this (directions from the site mentioned above):

1. In a large mixing bowl (I used my stand mixer) stir together water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand for 5 min.

2. Stir in oil, malt (I used molasses instead) and one cup of the flour. Add salt, then enough of remaining flour to make a stiff dough.

3. On a lightly floured surface, knead for 10 to 12 minutes. Cover with a floured dish towel and allow dough to rest on a board for about 15 minutes. (I would recommend more like at least 30 min.)

4. Divide dough into 8 sections and form each section into 10-inch long strips. Roll the ends together to seal and make a ring. (note: this method was suggested in order to get the most ring-like bagels...however, some of mine came detached during the boiling process, so I might suggest forming each section into a ball, poking your thumbs through, and making a hole that way). 

dough divided into sections
(from my first ever bagel-making experience)

5. Place on a lightly floured surface, cover, and let bagels rest 15 to 20 minutes, rising about halfway and becoming slightly puffy. 

6. Meanwhile, fill a large cooking pot or Dutch oven three quarters full with water. Add the malt syrup (again, I used molasses) and salt.


7. Bring water to a boil. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with baking parchment and, if desired, sprinkle generously with corn meal. Set aside.

8. Line two other baking sheets with a kitchen towel, set near your stove. Reduce boiling water to a simmer and cook 2 bagels at a time (do not crowd the pot). Simmer bagels for about 45 seconds on one side, then turn and cook other side for another 45 seconds and then drain bagels on the towel-lined baking sheet.

9. Carefully place bagels on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake bagels plain or sprinkle with a topping of your choice. Place in the hot oven, immediately reduce heat to 425 degrees F, and bake about 17 to 25 minutes. When almost baked, turn bagels over (a pair of tongs do the job easily). If you have a baking stone, finish bagels on the stone directly. Transfer bagels to wire rack to cool.

boiled, topped with sesame seeds

Once the bagels are boiled and ready to bake, they are sticky, so the toppings stay on nicely!

Our favorites were sesame and garlic (for the garlic bagels, I just dabbed on some bottled minced garlic, and it kind of roasted in the oven! SO yummy! 

The finished product! They were not quite as puffy as I had hoped, but not bad! =)

Let me know if you try them!

Summer & Fall Highlights

What to post about next???

A friend recently suggested that I start blogging, to which I replied that I actually do have a blog, but haven't posted anything for MONTHS!

So, I started thinking...where should I start? I have had such an eventful year, I don't know what to share first!

I could write about our summer house renovations, our 5-year anniversary trip to Costa Rica, all the delicious pumpkiny fall foods I made, coaching soccer, baby showers, or the crafts that I have been attempting. I have been so blessed by having so many experiences and adventures, and so many opportunities to exercise our creativity.

So, to remedy this dilemma, I will attempt to give just the highlights. First, because food is a big part of my life, I'll highlight the foods that marked major parts of the past few months.

In the summer, to fuel our house-renovating selves, I made bagels!
They were fun to make, and tasted delicious--my dad was such a big fan, I had to make them again the next time he visited! If you use the link above, and don't have malt syrup, you can substitute molasses (that's what I did!).
Favorite toppings: minced garlic (bottled), sesame seeds, and poppy seeds.

In August, we took a special 5-year anniversary trip to Costa Rica, where we were spoiled with delicious fresh fruit and Gallo Pinto every day! When we got back, we had to try to re-create Gallo Pinto at home. It couldn't quite compare to the original deliciousness, but it was still pretty darn tasty! It's also very cheap to make, and makes a big batch! The trick, however, is Salsa Lizano, which we had to buy there and bring back with us.

My favorite time of year for baking and cooking is fall. As soon as the weather turned slightly cooler, I stocked up on cans of pumpkin, donned my apron, and away I went!

There are certain dishes that have become annual traditions for us.

1. Butternut Squash White Bean Soup (SO tasty!)
2. Pumpkin Turkey Chili (yummy & healthy--we usually add a few diced habaneros to this recipe)
3. Creamy Pumpkin Brown Rice (makes a a huge batch and is great with chicken sausage!)

This fall I went pumpkin-crazy! I made pumpkin pancakes (without the streussel) which were delish! There's nothing like steaming hot pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup, and hot coffee on a Saturday morning!

I had also previously made granola bars, so then I made pumpkin granola bars which were a combination of these and these. =)

I found a recipe from Cooking Light for Pumpkin Pound Cake which I had to go out and get a bunt cake pan just to make--totally worth it (although the first time I made it I accidentally used twice as much butter as the recipe called for...)!

Pumpkin Apple Pie (left)
and Cranberry Apple Pie (right) on Thanksgiving

For Halloween and Thanksgiving (and multiple get-togethers in between!) I made a new recipe from Whole Foods: Pumpkin Apple Pie! It's perfect for someone like me who can never decide between Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie! Plus, it's delish.

That's pretty much it for the tasty highlights of the last few months, but at this very moment I have a batch of Gingerbread Men dough in the fridge! Mmmm!

Magnolia Blooming: Raised Beds

Magnolia Blooming: Raised Beds: "Last year I was super excited (as usual) to get our annual garden started, so I planted all sorts of exciting veggies and herbs....but then ..."

Raised Beds

Last year I was super excited (as usual) to get our annual garden started, so I planted all sorts of exciting veggies and herbs....but then we faced two and a half months of nonstop house renovations in order to move into our new house....and all my seedlings died! =(

So this year, Mike and I have high hopes for a nice garden. We bought all our favorite seeds (tomatoes, hot & bell peppers, carrots, lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, zucchini, & summer squash) as well as some new additions (radishes, corn, turnips, broccoli, cucumbers, and onions) and a bunch of herbs.

Our yard is nice and big, but it it very rocky and difficult to dig up, so we decided to make raised garden beds. We checked out many YouTube videos, and Home Depot, etc., before eventually realizing that the fence posts that had blown down last winter would fit the bill just right!

So, yesterday, Mike and I, along with my mom (who is fantastic and decided to come visit for the weekend) measured, cut, screwed together, and installed two 4x8 raised beds!

I have to say, there's something so satisfying about using an electric saw! I got Mike a circular saw for Christmas, but I have a lot of fun using it =)

We even got to fill our newly created garden beds with beautiful, rich black soil thanks to Wolf Hill in Gloucester, who delivered a 1.5 cubic yards of soil that very afternoon!

It was so great to be outside doing something constructive and rewarding, with two people who are important to me!

All-in-all it was a fantastic Saturday, starting off with a lovely ladies' breakfast at our house, then the raised beds, and then our first Captain Dusty's ice cream of the season! =)

(I had Mississippi Mud...but would also recommend the Vanilla Heath Bar, which Mike had...)

I am so blessed!

Cake Pops!

So I successfully attempted making cake pops! They are quite an undertaking, because one cake makes SO many cake pops, but they looks super cute, and it was fun to make something new!

Things that I learned:

1. It probably would have been better to use a food processor to more evenly crumble the cake, and to blend in the frosting.
2. I would not recommend adding food coloring to the melted candy disks...it makes the consistency harder to work with.
3. It takes more than one bag of candy melts per box of cake mix.
4. Make sure the cake balls are cold enough before dipping them in the melted chocolate/candy, ore else they will fall off the sticks. =)

Thanks to Bakerella.com for the idea and inspiration for Cake Pops, and for Starbucks for reminding me about them...=)

Also, if you're interested, the Bakerella lady was a guest on Marth

a Stewart to demonstrate a version of cake pops: cupcake pops!

when life hands you lemons...

A couple weeks ago I really wanted it to feel like spring--so when I saw a pretty pink bowl at Marshall's, I got it and filled it with lemons! So pretty!

but now I have these six lemons...and only vague ideas of what to make with them...

I decided to keep track of what I do with them.

Lemon #1 helped create a delicious dinner tonight, which I can only call "Lemony Snicket" because, well, that's what came to my mind!

Lemony Snicket (the measurements are very approximate...I didn't follow a recipe...)

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half, pounded somewhat thin
• 2 Tbsp oil or butter (1 for chicken, 1 for mushrooms)
• 1 Tbsp butter (for the asparagus)
• salt & pepper, freshly ground
• 1 c. sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 2 tsp. or so minced garlic (I probably used more...)
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 c. chicken broth ( I would have used white wine instead, but we only had red...)
• 1/2 bunch fresh asparagus (rinsed, and with the bottom 1 in. trimmed off)
• 1/2 box pasta (we had leftover pasta w/ pesto from the night before...)

1. So, basically, in one skillet I heated some butter and put in the chicken, which I sprinkled salt & pepper on both sides of, and then into that same skillet I dumped the mushrooms and arranged them around the chicken. I drizzled some olive oil over the mushrooms and swished them around. Next, I added some minced garlic and mixed that in with the mushrooms, and let them get nice and tender over medium-high heat. The chicken needed to cook about 5-6 min. per side.
2. Meanwhile, in a second skillet I simmered the asparagus in some water.
3. When the mushrooms were looking softer, and the chicken was cooked through, I grated the rind of one lemon into the skillet, stirred it all around, then added the juice of one half of that lemon, and maybe 1/4 c. of chicken broth. I let that simmer for about 3-5 minutes, until it had thickened a little. Then I took out the chicken and put it on a plate, and added in the leftover pasta to the skillet, and stirred it around in the lemony mushroom broth.
4. Finally, I drained the cooked asparagus and added 1 T. of butter and a squeeze from the 2nd half of the lemon to its pan.
5. Each serving consisted of lemony pesto pasta with mushrooms, chicken, and asparagus with lemon butter....Voila! Lemony Snicket!

For Lemon#2, I think I will try either Lemon Yogurt Cake (as suggested by Aubyn C.) or Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares (as suggested by Andrea K.). =)

First, though, I'm going to finish my first attempt at Cake Pops! =)

I decided to join the blog world!

"Bloom where you are planted." ~St. Francis de Sales

I was reading through some friends' blogs recently, thinking about how nice it was to be able to catch up on my friends lives at any hour of the day, and I thought, "You know what? Maybe I'll start a blog too!"

I named the blog (with Mike's advice) for the lovely place that we live, and also with the above quote in mind. That quote has always been meaningful to me, reminding me to make the most of every opportunity, and to seek out ways to improve the lives and meet the needs of the people around me.

With that said, this blog will be the home of my random thoughts on life, my culinary endeavors, current projects...and the ways in with God is teaching and growing me, helping me to bloom where he has planted me!