kittyball's Profile

I also live by myself and bake a lot. For bread I bake a loaf once a week or so, and then slice it and freeze it in a ziplock bag. They all week long I just grab slices and pop them in the toaster. Muffins and Cakes are also easily frozen, just make sure you wrap them carefully so they don't get freezer burn. I usually do wax paper, foil, and then freezer bag. Scones and biscuits I freeze unbaked, then bake them fresh, allowing them to defrost while the oven preheats.

I recently did 2 blog posts on my baking and freezing routine. :)

http://www.julimiller.com/index.php/notebook/detail/dreams_of_a_wannabe_expatriate/
and
http://www.julimiller.com/index.php/notebook/detail/blame_the_heat/

Hope that helps.

my cat used to eat popcorn. Then I realized she was eating it for the butter. When i stopped eating buttered popcorn she stopped, still makes me a little sad. It was really cute.

Thanks for the response. I was actually getting the overflow for a good 2 days after it went in the fridge. But I just wiped it clean, and made bread the following week as usual. I'm still a little wary of it, having it's own life and all, but it works. Sometimes the rise is a little weak, so I have to let is sit for a long time. But other than that I'm still making bread from it.

I got a scale a few months ago, and the first time I used it i loved it, but all the recipes I use don't give weights. Sometimes I try to convert the recipe, but it seems to questionable.

I was horrible at sliding breads off a peel, they always ended up turning sideways or something. (Granted I didn't actually have a peel, so I used various cutting boards and pans)

Then I started using parchment paper, way easier and I can't tell the difference in the crust. I just do my final rest on the parchment, then pick the whole thing up and plop it on my pizza stone.

I had great plans for a Christmas brunch, originally involving those cranberry scones, but now remembering how much I love all things bread, egg, cheese, and tomato related.

But then I got home and found out our oven was broken. Tragic really.

I do the soup thing. And eggs. I love to cook, but I don't eat that much, and soup keeps well for a week. I just got so sick of everything I bought made going bad. At least I don't mind eating the same thing several days in a row. I like to get together with friends to cook larger fancier meals, to get my more extravagant cooking fixes.

I'm trying the tupperware of damp sand storage method. So far so good, except my carrots sprouted, but they were still fresher than if I left them in the fridge for the same amount of time.

I love steel cut oatmeal. With cranberries almonds a little vanilla and cinnamon. I dont use sugar, i think it covers the creaminess. Just a pinch of salt. Particularly the overnight method because I eat breakfast first thing. But I also prefer my oatmeal made with milk, but don't like the idea of a pot of milk sitting out overnight. Any suggestion? (I don't have a slow cooker)

How do you store apples, squash, and beets for that long. I know they last longer than most foods, but my beets always get soft after a week or two. Is there a special trick?