Can I Challah at ya?

Yes, I am actually going to post something about today, as in this actual day. Amazing. Don't worry this doesn't mean the end of my procrastination it just means you never know if you'll read about something that happened a month ago or an hour ago. I like to keep things exciting.

well...not too exciting. This post is just more pictures of my thrilling adventures in the kitchen. I felt a Martha Stewartish fever today and started a baking frenzy - if you can call Challah bread and cookies a frenzy, which I can and do. I also was on a little cleaning kick, but then the baking bug bit and I ended up making very little inroads into the messiness that is our apartment. I also didn't want to call in the DH reinforcement because he has been busy doing actual work -from home no less! I think he's in the grips of the New Year's Resolution turn-my-life-around syndrome that takes ahold of us all this time of year. Luckily, have been able to smother my urgings of self-improvement and bake instead. Woohoo!

So, here come the gratuitous photos of my baked goods. It's like baked good porn - I love it.
Now, as a disclaimer, this is my first time baking Challah and it came out fairly well considering. It is a little on the dark and crispy side but I blame that completely on my oven, which lies to me. Oh and on the oven thermometer (we got it for Christmas) it also lies. I know it's hard to believe that these two appliances would be in cahoots with each other but I swear it is true. I don't know what they have against me or my baking but they are working together to get me. The funny thing is they don't even tell the same lies. One says it's one temperature and the other tells me a completely different temperature and I simply don't believe either one of them! So there.
Oh, yeah, the Challah. I was a bit concerned while I was making the bread because it didn't really seem to be rising. I had covered it with a kitchen towel and left it on the stove top to rise for an hour and nothing seemed to be going on. So, I read back through the Betty Crocker cookbook I was using and it said to cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. I did, et voila, rising bread dough. Good ol' Betty, she always comes through in a pinch. Now, in all honesty, I don't know if the plastic wrap had anything to do with it or if I'm just mental. I find the latter option to be quite possible.
As the bread was rising I decided to make some cookies. As a result of my complaining I couldn't find Cream of Tartar anywhere and my plea to be sent some for Christmas I received enough Cream of Tartar to choke a horse. I thank everyone who kindly sent me Cream of Tartar and I will do my best to use it up. I blame myself entirely for ending up with this large stash. I have learned a valuable lesson from this experience: no matter how badly you'd like something don't ask everyone you know to buy it for you! Lesson learned. Luckily, I had this pile of Cream of Tartar so I was able to make the cookies I've been Jonesing for for months - Snickerdoodles. mmmmm.....love me some Snickerdoodles. My DH claimed he'd never had them before (I find this hard to believe, but that is his story and he is sticking to it). After his first bite he fell in love and proceeded to devour 2 more. Hmmm...maybe it is a good thing I have so much Cream of Tartar, it doesn't look like the Snickerdoodles are going to last too long. I might need to make another batch in a day or two if he continues consuming at this rate! the Snickerdoodles turned out remarkably well. considering my distrust of the oven I attempted to keep a close eye on them as they cooked.

While I was making cookies I paused to punch my bread dough - that's one of my favorite parts of making bread, punching it! I divided it into three sections, rolled them into long snakes and braided them together. Ready to rise a second time. By the time I was done with the cookies and had washed all the dishes up the bread was ready to be popped in the oven. I was not so good about watching the oven this time. I let the bread get a little too dark. It kind of has a crispy crust which I've never seen on Challa bread. The egg wash makes it shiny, but I don' t think it should make it crispy. Funny enough I worked for a year in a bakery that mainly made/sold bread and I still don't know this stuff. All I know is that my Challah did NOT turn out like Allen's (the baker). Mine isn't bad for a first attempt, but it's a little overdone on the outside and it's a bit denser than I thought it should be. I mean every time I've had Challah it has had this lightness to it. Or maybe I'm thinking of another type of bread...hmm....
but, it still tastes pretty damn good, if I do say so myself- and I do!

Martha Stewart of France

Yep, just call me Martha Mosslins please. Since I have discovered all this free time on my hands - granted it's free time I should be putting to better use, like finding a job, volunteering, or learning French - I have gotten the baking bug. Scary, I know. As many of you know my skills in the kitchen are dubious, at best. But, I do seem to have a knack for baking, thanks mom. I'm sure these talents with a pastry fork were past while in the womb from my mother - the world's best baker. Then again, I did spend a year working in a bakery in Williamsburg, Virginia so that might have something to do with it as well. Who knows? The point is, I have become a fanatic about baking. I like to try out something new each week. Josh, naturally, wants the same things over and over: chocolate snack cake, for example, but that's just not much fun.
Today I was feeling adventurous so I went on a mission into the neighbors yard to steal some apples. After fending off their massive boxer, Picasso...ok, really all I had to worry about was being slobbered on. He's so nice and all he wants is company. The only danger I was in was drowning in his drool as he jumped all over me when I entered the gate. I brought Ally along as a distraction but she's all but worthless. Our pretty, pretty princess puppy does not care to be drooled on, has no desire to run around and play with the much bigger Picasso, and was merely glad to be able to roll around in the grass. So, to get on with the apple stealing. I scrambled up the small, ivy entangled apple tree, which guards Picasso's dog house and started pulling off the best looking apples. Having not thought ahead I am now stuck with my hands full of apples and no good way to get down. I think about dropping them but they'd probably land on the dogs, who are now standing there watching my every move. They probably think I'm getting these juicy apples as a treat for them. As I'm thinking this Picasso lifts his leg and gently pees on the base of the apple tree - is he trying to encourage me to remain up in the tree forever, or is this his way of saying "good luck"? Thanks buddy.
A bit of juggling and the use of my shirt as a basket and I safely find my two feet planted solidly on the ground with the prized apples in possession. Time to start the baking.
After a quick, get away from Picasso. Throw a ball in one direction and run in the other; works every time. Ally heads to the couch for her daily nap - stealing apples is hard work- and I head to the kitchen to start my first attempt at a pie crust. The goal of today's baking is to end up with a Country Apple Tart. I put on Saturday's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me and get busy making the pastry.
Yep, I even wear an apron. My baking has gotten better but the floury mess I make has not. As you can see I was successful in putting all the ingredients together and getting not only my tart crust, but the filling made as well. Let's here it for Martha Mosslins!!! wooohooo.
Check out that lovely, unbaked Apple tart. It's just begging to be put in that hot, 475 degree F (which is like 246 degree C) oven. Actually, the conversions get me all the time so I had my fingers crossed that I actually had it at the right temperature et voila, after about 30 minutes out it comes.
Hey, hey not too shabby, huh? Alright, you can see a few places got a little singed. It's my first try I'm hopeful that it will be prettier next time, but I have no doubts it'll taste fabulous. I'll have to give you the report after we try some out tonight with Vanilla ice cream. Can you believe that I didn't even taste it when it was hot out of the oven? No, I can't believe it either. Married life sure has changed me. To think just a few months ago I would have eaten it all myself, but now that I'm married I think of my hubby first... Ha! who am I kidding? I just didn't have any vanilla ice cream - Josh is going to get some on his way home!
Well, thanks for sharing in my exciting baking adventures. Now I'm off to do a little knitting. what, did you think I'd do something productive like clean the house or look for jobs? I did that this morning. Maybe I'll go straighten my underwear drawer - just kidding, even I'm not that Martha Stewartish!
Well, this is Martha Mosslins saying Bon Appetite!