Baking Bread - From scratch !

When I have time to indulge in , all I like to do is hop , from one fabulous blog to another.
In doing so, I have come to one conclusion - food bloggers out there are extremely talented !!!
To get fussy kids to eat and more importantly like what they eat, takes creativity of an entirely new level.Each blog that I visit, adds so many more recipes to my repertoire and more importantly stretches my mind just that bit, allowing me to see how much I can let my fledgling imagination soar and work wonders in the kitchen.
Well...I have miles to go before I reach that level of expertise, but every journey must begin with a single step. And every goal of becoming an experienced bread baker must begin with the first loaf of bread ! With such an exalted aspiration, I began scouring the virtual kitchens for easy sounding bread recipes. Most of them sounded either too intimidating or too time consuming..Eventually I stumbled upon this recipe ..
I decided to try it out and was nothing short of stupefied at the result !!!

I couldn't believe at the delicious looking and smelling loaf that came out of my oven and sat alluringly on my counter top ! When it finally cooled and let itself be sliced into generous sized slices, I was more than glad that I had embarked on this quest to try my hands at making bread from scratch ! It was crusty and crispy on the outside and tender inside...perfect !

I followed Trent's recipe to the letter, so I will not bother writing it up again, until I have enough courage to tweak it and make it my recipe ! I have already made this loaf twice now and anticipate making it again and again with different flours and flavours !
Will keep you posted !


Notes:

• I do not own a stand mixer and did the kneading by hand. For the dough that is required for a couple of loaves' worth, I didnt find it too hard to do the kneading. As has been mentioned in scores of blogs, it is indeed therapeutic to get your CLEAN hands into the dough and knead it until it goes from a sticky messy mass to a smooth, round , impressive looking ball of dough.

• I have only used white unbleached bread flour. I intend foraying into whole wheat and whole grain breads, because I am not too fond of including white bread in our diets.

• Temperature of water, freshness of yeast and allowing the dough to rise are very important to the end result !

I will leave you with some pictures and some links to expert bakers who can explain thge process so much cleary than I can !


http://www.thefreshloaf.com
http://ayearinbread.earthandhearth.com
http://breadbasketcase.blogspot.com

No doubt there are loads of helpful and expert resources available on the internet as well as in your local public libraries.I am just listing a few that make me drool every time I see the pictures!

Do you have any bread recipes that you rely on ? Do you have any tips and tricks that would make it easier for novice bakers to attempt this wonderful art ? Do share !

Green Thumb Series:Enthralling Flowers !

This is a continuation of my previous post in the same series.
This year being our first attempt at gardening, TH and I tentatively began with only a few flowering shrubs. One of the first ones that we purchased was a hibiscus plant (actually two). Hibiscus shrubs are very common in India and almost every backyard is home to at least one plant, if not more. The hibiscus flowers come in various colours, each more brilliant and enthralling than the previous one !
Although short lived ( they stay fresh on the plant for only a day), they provide a burst of blooming freshness and colour throughout their flowering season.
The hibiscus is not planted for only aesthetic purposes, however. The entire plant can be used in a variety of ways.

• The seeds are used for their oil .
• The leaves and fruits have diuretic properties.
• Leaves are also used in some parts of the world as a soothing cough remedy.
• Hibiscus flower extract is also used for liver disorders and high blood pressure.

There are recorded culinary uses as well !

• Tender leaves and stalks are eaten in salads.
• The flowers are also used in jams, jellies and the like.
• A good friend has also posted a very delicious sounding idli recipe made with the leaves of the white hibiscus plant.

People familiar with Indian deities should also note that hibiscus flowers, especially red ones, are considered to be the favourite flower of Lord Ganesh.

That done, here are a few pictures of my thriving hibiscus plants. The only problem being, these are not tropical hardy hibiscus, which means that in all probability, these beauties will not survive the winter here. That would really be a shame.
Had I known in advance, I would have either opted to plant these in big containers or would have gone for the hardy variety.I guess all I can do now is take some cuttings from these plants, mulch them heavily, and pray for a tiny gardening miracle !


How can any self respecting aspiring gardener not have roses ? With hundreds of varieties to choose from, getting a few is that much easier (or that much harder, depending on how you look at it :-) )
These are the fragrant flora that bloomed in my front yard !


I couldnt resist taking a picture of this okra bud in my vegetable garden !



I will leave you for the moment with these few peeks into my humble garden. Hopefully I will have more pictures to share!
Until then, may the grass be always greener on your side of the fence !

Green Thumb Series:Summer Rolls into Fall....

As the growing season here in Texas comes to an end, I realize that I have not posted any updates on my
gardening ventures lately. Now that I am done with the vegetable bed for the year, its time I have a few pictures in my blog !

The most successfully grown plant this season was the bottle gourd...aka sorekaayi (in Kannada), dudhi bhopLa (Marathi), lauki (Hindi)..
A mere three plants provided me with at least 20 gourds, which I happily shared with friends ! ...I am sure that if the plants had been given the support they deserved, they would have produced even more...In any event, even without the support, they did perform extremely well...taking over almost my entire vegetable patch very aggressively ...they even strangled my precious tomato plants (sob ...sob...) ..


The patch was also graced by a lone okra plant that also did well..turned into a very healthy and very tall plant ( growing to almost 6 feet)..producing several okras, although only a couple at a time..I have plans to plant many more next spring, since these plants don't require too much care, do not take up a lot of space ( this is aimed as a special dig at the bottle gourd plant).


I had very high hopes from another plant that had I had lovingly tended from seed...Its called the Mangalore cucumber ( at home we also called it as the mogekai ) ...its available in most Indian groceries as the dosekayi. The plant did well initially and also gave one big squash..but later withered away dramatically...probably did not get enough water ( blush.. blush ) in the hot weather ...I have preserved some seeds and hope to do better by it next spring !

Basil and bell peppers also deserve some mention because they did reasonably well under the circumstances.

This was my first attempt at tending a vegetable garden and I know that it is not a venture to be taken lightly...It does need a lot of work and patience.....I am too much of an amateur to pretend that I know all about it ...but I will say this...whatever the efforts, the rewards are amazing ! To be able to step into your backyard and come back into the kitchen with the makings of a healthy delicious meal is such an exhilarating feeling..I am already planning my spring bed !!!
What did you grow in your garden this year ?

Until the next post, may the grass always be greener on your side of the fence !

All Featured Quotes

Dear Readers, you might have noticed that the blog has a section titled 'Quote of the Week' on the left side bar. I try and add all such quotes that have caught my attention. They either make me laugh, make me think ! I have been meaning to consolidate those quotes that have already appeared on the site.
This post is just that - a place to visit if you are looking for wise words :-)
Enjoy browsing!

• When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

- Victor Frankl

• Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead.

- Mac McCleary

• To love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever.

- Henry Drummond

• Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

- Mother Teresa

• The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

- Allan K. Chalmers

• Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

• Love is not blind : it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less.

- Rabbi Julius Gordon

• Modesty is the gentle art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it.

- Oliver Herford

• The things people discard tell more about them than the things they keep.

- Hilda Lawrence

• Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.

- Blaise Pascal

• Nothing is too small to know, and nothing too big to attempt.
  

- Sir William Van Horne

• Success is more a function of consistent common sense than it is of genius.

-An Wang

• What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

• The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.

- Pierre Corneille

• When I open my eyes and look at the wide world, I become great; when I close my eyes and look within, I become greater still.

- Hazrat Inayat Khan

• Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.

— Victor Hugo

• You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.

-- George Burns

• Money and time are the heaviest burdens of life and...the unhappiest of all mortals are those who have more of either than they know how to use.

- Samuel Johnson

• There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings.

- Hodding Carter

• Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.

- Judy Garland

• Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old

- Franz Kafka

• Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.

- Charles W. Eliot

Facts on Flax...

With all the information available at their fingertips, people are getting amazingly conscious about what they put into their bodies.
Food pyramids, weight charts, food labels are good reference sources for people who want to watch what they eat. I am also realizing that vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming more and more common even in the densest meat eating populations, which is heartening indeed. However, diets based mainly on plant sources have to be supplemented in order to incorporate some micro nutrients and essential acids which are in short supply in the food that is generally consumed. For e.g. calcium is readily available in dairy products, but if you are a vegan then you have to depend on soy products, dark green leafy produce. Vitamins B and B12 are not processed by either plants or animals. Vegans and vegetarians can get this essential nutrient ( required for cell division and blood formation) by including fortified cereals and milks in their diet .Nutritional yeast is also a good source of Vit. B12.
Another essential nutrient that I want to pay attention to today are Omega 3 Fatty Acids. These are not produced in the human body but are required for well being. Omega 3's are readily available in fish, eggs and some meat products. This often poses a problem for diets abstaining from meat.
Why do we need Omega 3 acids , you ask ? Well, these acids are deemed essential to normal growth in children. After much debate and research it has also been shown that this component reduces the risk of coronary heart diseases. People suffering from Depression, strokes, blood circulation problems all seem to benefit from this essential nutrient. Its also a point to note that a small amount of Omega 3 fatty acids was sufficient and increasing the quantity had no additional benefits !
So, coming back to Vegetarian sources of Omega 3's, without further ado:

• Flax Seeds
• walnuts
• Pecans
• Hazelnuts

** Eggs, Milk and cheese are also good sources of Omega 3.

I was always partial to nuts and had no problem retaining them in my diet. But my husband and I also started using Flax seeds to reap its nutritional benefits. Flax seeds are available as whole form as well as ground. Whole seeds pass through the human body undigested,so if you buy the seeds, then you have to grind it to a fine powder before using it.
Both forms of flax are available in grocery stores and whole food stores. The seeds have a very high content of oil, so its recommended that they be stored in the freezer.

Now for some advertising for the tiny flax seeds that pack such a nutritive punch !

• Flax seeds are one of the best plant based sources of Omega 3 fatty acids
• They contain both soluble as well as insoluble fiber.
• They are also one of the best sources of lignans and phytoestrogens which are supposed to prevent breast, colon and prostrate cancer.
• Flax is safe for everybody, including pregnant and lactating women.

How to use Flax Seeds:

• Flax seeds have a distinctive nutty flavour. Ground seeds can be mixed in smoothies and fruit drinks.
• Ground flax seed can be sprinkled over any kind of sandwich or salad for a nutty, crunchy taste.
• Flax seeds can also be sprouted and used in salads.
• Flax seeds can be used as an egg replacer in baked goods.
• A couple of tablespoons of flour can be replaced by ground flax seed in baked products.

Caution:
Excess consumption of flax seeds can cause diarrhea.


Other facts:
The flax plant is grown for both its seeds as well as for its fibers. Various parts of the plant have been used for making fabric, dye, paper, medicines, fishing nets and soap.
The use of flax for the production of linen goes back 5000 years !!!

Please note that this article is for reference purposes only...something for you to start your own research. It is not intended as a diagnostic article..I have no medical background ! Please consult a physician if you are troubled by any of the above mentioned ailments. However, if you are looking to supplement your vegetarian / vegan diet for Omega 3 fatty acids, then don't hesitate to grab a box of milled flax seed on your next grocery run !


Here are a few more links about Flax and its benefits:

http://www.naturalhealthweb.com/articles/weil3.html

http://arthritis.about.com/od/flaxseedoil/Flax_Seeds_FlaxSeed_Oil_Flax_Oil_Uses_Benefits_Side_Effects.htm

http://medicinehunter.com/flaxseed.htm