Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I am Super-Mom....see me bake!

So, I've been reading blogs of other ladies for months who make their own bread, and make it look surprisingly scary easy, so I decided Today is my day to take on the world...err, stove.  I was headed to Wal-Mart already this morning, so I added yeast to my list and headed out with Monkey (my 2 year old son) in tow.

After coming home, eating lunch, and putting Monkey down for a nap, I gathered my ingredients, rolled up my sleeves, and began to tackle the monster that is homemade bread making.

  

I quickly discovered that mixing the dough is no easy feat, moving quickly from mixer, to mixer with dough hook, to hands, to a spoon....none of which seemed to do an efficient job at mixing.  Somehow I finally got it all mixed and turned it out onto the counter to begin the kneading process.



Wow....I had no idea how difficult this would be, not to mention the fact that I wasn't even sure what "smooth and elastic" actually looked like.  And my moving kitchen island wasn't helping.  But somehow I managed to do a decent job at the kneading and set the dough aside to rise.  An hour later I returned to punch it down, roll out into loaves, and place in the pans to rise again.


After another 45 minutes of rising, the loaves were finally ready to go into the oven, accompanied by a small prayer that the 3 hours I'd invested into these 2 tiny loaves had been worth it.  25 minutes later my labor of love was rewarded by 2 beautiful loaves of fresh-baked bread.


Don't let the picture fool you.  I very quickly cut into the loaf on the right  to sample it  (and then placed it strategically so you couldn't see the missing slice in the picture).....you can't serve your family something you aren't sure is top quality, now can you??

I made up a quick bowl of honey butter to go with it and served it with dinner.  All 3 of my boys (the hubs and both of my little guys) tore into it.  My super-picky eater (and super snuggler) actually ate bread crust for the first time in his entire life and requested a PB&J with it in his lunch box tomorrow!  GO MOM!  (this is where my self-appointed title of Super-Mom comes into play).


My husband asked if I could start making this all the time instead of buying store bread.  Ego-boost & added chores all in one....thanks, honey!  :)  I'm very proud of myself for stepping outside of my comfort zone in the kitchen today and find a new way to serve my family.  At the end of the day, there's nothing more rewarding than sitting at the table with your family watching them so thoroughly enjoy something you lovingly prepared for them with your own 2 hands.  

I did learn 2 very important lessons today, though.
1)  I very, very , very desperately want NEED a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer.  My Target knock-off stand mixer just doesn't cut it when it comes to mixing dough.  
2)  Kitchen islands on wheels were not intended to be kneading stations.  Period.


How have you blessed your family today?


In loving service to the Lord, my husband, and children,
the Busy-at-Home Mom


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