Hi friends! How are you? How’s your new year going? So far 2020 has been pretty good. I didn’t do a regular weekly roundup because we’d just rounded up the year and I thought that was too much rounding up. I’ll give you a quick rundown of everything that’s happened so far in 2020. And then I promised a bread recipe over on instagram so we’ll get to that too.
First, lots and lots of fun things are happening here on the homestead. We’re still decorating, painting, etc. I’m not adding much to the homestead this year. Chickens and bees can wait. I’ll focus on the food part this year-expand the garden, plant more berries, trees, etc. Spend time on the tractor. I am planning on helping out a friend with her meat chickens. And we have enough local friends with farm animals that I can get in some chicken snuggles or goat kisses whenever I can.
I’ve finalized the details for the Maple Syrup class here on the homestead. I’m collaborating with a good friend to bring some foraging classes here to the homestead. You can see some of the dates here. I’ll provide more information as we work to finalize those details. I’m booking classes at local venues. You can see that list here. My application to become a member of Pure Catskills was accepted! That’s great news! My latest collaboration is with the Honesdale Loft. Their customers will receive a 4 ounce jar of my Ruffled Feathers salve, among other things. That’s a very exciting development! I’m looking to the summer and farm markets. I’ll definitely be back at the Walton Farmers’ Market!
Okay. I think that’s it. Just a brief update on the things I’ve been working on. I’m looking forward to them all and to adding more events and classes as 2020 continues. And I’m looking forward to seeing where your journey takes you. How about a bread recipe now?
If you follow me on instagram, you might have seen this post. I also mentioned it here so we’ll keep the recap brief. You might recall that I’ve been having the great flour debate of 2019, trying to decide which flour to purchase in bulk and from where. I ended up ordering the King Arthur All-Purpose flour in bulk and then buying some King Arthur Special Flour to experiment with (on Ashley’s recommendation–the experimenting with it part). Experiment because the special flour is high in protein which isn’t good for pie crusts. So when making a loaf of bread last week I decided it was time to substitute some of the ‘special’ flour with either buckwheat, rye, spelt, or whole wheat (those are the flours I have on hand). I grabbed the rye and thought there’s no time like right now! So I did it. And it turned out really, really nice! I also used honey instead of sugar in the recipe.
One note about the recipe and my bread making before we get to the actual recipe. First, I use a bread machine. I am a lazy homesteader after all. I know a lot of you are purists when it comes to making bread. And I applaud you. I just don’t have it in me to spend all that time in the kitchen watching over bread, kneading bread, when I could be doing 20 other things at the same time. So I use a bread machine. There. I said it. I cheat. And I’m lazy. So my recipe is in the form of bread machine usage. Second, I’ve had this recipe for many, many years. I cut it off the back of the Pillsbury All Purpose Flour bag when I first got my bread machine (way back in 2008! That one, of course, has since died, but I bought the exact same machine a couple of years ago because I liked it so much. And I use it. A lot). And thankfully that recipe has the ‘conventional’ method of making bread. I’ll include those instructions here but I haven’t used them so be warned. Without further ado! THE RECIPE!
The Recipe:
1 cup water, heated to 100°F
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dark rye flour
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 egg for egg wash
Instructions:
Using a bread machine:
Place all ingredients except egg for egg wash in bread machine pan according to manufacturer’s directions. Set to dough cycle. Press start. Let run through dough cycle.
At end of dough cycle, remove dough from machine, place on lightly floured surface. Punch dough down, adding more flour as necessary if dough is too sticky, knead about 5 times. Shape into a round circle, cover with clean cloth, and let rest for 15 minutes. Punch dough down again, shape into a round loaf or baguette-shaped loaf. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or lightly floured cookie sheet, place dough on prepared cookie sheet. Cut slits into top with knife. Cover; let rise in warm place for about 25 minutes or until doubled in size.
While dough is rising, preheat oven to 375°F. Recut slits if needed. Using egg wash, brush top of dough. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. (I usually bake mine for exactly 25 minutes but if you would like a more traditional bread continue baking until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.)
Conventional Method:
Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and yeast; mix well. Add warm water, honey, and oil; mix well. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough 10 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in lightly greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place for 30-40 minutes.
Sprinkly ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal. Punch dough down. Cover dough with inverted bowl and allow to rest on counter for 15 minutes. Shape dough into baguette-shape loaf about 12 inches long. Place dough on cornmeal-coated cookie sheet. Cover; let rise in warm place for 35-40 minutes or until doubled in size.
Heat oven to 375°F. With sharp knife, make 1 deep lengthwise slash in top of load. Brush loaf with egg wash. Bake at 375°F for 25 to 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
That’s it! Happy bread making and baking! Let me know if you use the recipe and how it goes. Until next time.
xoxo
-k
Bekah L Marten
Any homemade bread is good bread, whether prepped in the bread machine, kneaded with the assistance of a Kitchen Aid, or done by hand at a kitchen counter. It all tastes yummy 🙂
chickenlibrarian
Agreed! Homemade bread is homemade bread! It is soo yummy!
Tracy
Hello Kristin! Congrats on becoming a member of Pure Catskills! I hope it’s beneficial for you. 🙂 It’s great when a new year is off to a good start. Really sets the tone, I believe. It also sounds like you will have another action-packed year. A lot of good things to look forward to! Kudos on your energy. The maple syrup classes would be awesome to attend. 😀
That bread loaf looks AWESOME and the angle appears as if you were handing it to someone. (You could hand me a tasty loaf of homemade bread anytime… hehe.) Rye bread is actually – maybe – my favorite bread. Mr. Gordon and I were just talking about making a loaf of rye sometime soon. Instead he recently made a boule of a “sweeter” wheat. It was a flatter boule than he expected, and I really liked it, but he wanted a different outcome. He’s always on the search for a better bread recipe. He recently made borscht so he wanted a pumpernickel bread, but he went in a different direction, still hoping for a dark bread. There’s a Russian Black Bread recipe that King Arthur has, so maybe we’ll try that one. I’ll also make sure he sees your recipe – thank you for sharing it!
Speaking of pie crusts, have you used the animal lard in your crust yet? When you do, let us know how it goes! I’m so curious.
Chickens and bees: So, I might have mentioned that Mr. Gordon is all about getting bees at some point. I have nothing against the idea, but I firmly believe (granted, from the little I’ve read) that there is no good, safe place on our property for hives. On the property lines it would be too close to homes and / or dogs (really well-behaved beagles live “next door”), we do not have a safe “tree line” to situate them against, and I just can’t see it. Mr. Gordon called the local co-op extension for some advice a couple of years ago, but he didn’t really get a good resource there. Anyhow, it’s on hold and we are investing in other things right now. BUT, speaking of bees, we planted this Tulsi Holy Basil last year and they loved it: https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product/tulsi-temperate-holy-basil-africanum-packet-of-50-seeds-organic/ I could sit an watch the sweet bumblebees drifting from flower to flower. They could not get enough. Highly recommend – and it smells just lovely.
We’re still on the fence about chickens. Right now the cons are outweighing the pros, so it’s on hold. We’re focusing on the garden expansion and hopefully the addition of 6 to 8 fruit trees. (Pop over to the the blog for a list of what I’m hoping to get into the ground this year.) I just checked the temperature: 17 degrees F. Garden planning is what keeps me going when we’re in the middle of this cold season!
Okay, enough of my ramble! 😀 Hope you have a fabulous weekend! Stay warm!
chickenlibrarian
Bread is funny…I’m sure it has something to do with temperature, humidity, etc etc but when I make a loaf of bread it sometimes comes out better than when I make a round loaf. other times it’s the opposite. And I don’t do anything different. But I love experimenting. And as my friends say at our friend’s gathering, it tastes good so that’s all that matters. But is it too much to ask to have a pretty loaf of bread that tastes good? I don’t think so. LOL.
I haven’t used the lard yet. I rendered some lard last year but I need to check to see if it’s still good. If it is I will definitely be experimenting with it in the ol’ pie crusts! I’m excited to experiment but it will have to wait until I have more time to bake.
I’m curious how Mr. Gordon’s baking is going. I see he commented so I’ll ask him directly 😉
As for homestead additions, I guess you just do what you can. I’m not familiar enough with bees to comment on placement but I don’t think it’s too hard. They definitely benefit from a tree line but overall I don’t think they’ll ‘bother’ anyone or the animals. I want to put mine behind a fence and then an electric fence, only because we have bears. My dream is to have them up on the hill with the garden and the chickens on the old tennis court all fenced in with a fence separating the chickens and the garden with a gate in between the two. Then have an electric fence around the bees and maybe the chickens too. We have lots of predators and by moving the chickens farther away from the house, they’re more susceptible to predators. But I don’t think this is in the cards this year. I think getting the tennis court turned into a garden will be the priority. Which I’m really excited about. Expanding our food production will be fun. Especially since we’re reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I feel so motivated and inspired.
Speaking of, it’s time to catch up on that. I’ll get back to blog reading asap. I can’t wait to read all about your garden! You’ve inspired me with the other posts on the garden…I know I mentioned that I ordered the seed catalogs after reading your posts. And I think you are leading me down a road of veg addiction! Hehee.
Gordon
Hi, Kristin.
No apologies for using a bread machine, please. We all use machines in one way or another, and I don’t believe there is any ONE right way to do anything. Even if you hand-cranked those wheat berries into your own flour, you’d still be using a machine! We all need to do what works for us because we are all different; and that is something, like your bread and maker spirit, that is to be applauded!
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Cheers for now!
chickenlibrarian
Aww shucks! Thank you Mr. Gordon! I haven’t really looked at it like that before. I like your perspective. Tracy tells me that you are working on a darker bread…perhaps a pumpernickel or a black Russian bread. I do hope you’ll share those results with us!
Leslie Susan Clingan
What a hearty loaf. Discovered you via Daenel’s blog. You had me at rye flour and honey. Lovely photographs, too.
chickenlibrarian
HI! And welcome! Thank you for visiting my little blog and for your kind comments. Isn’t Daenel THE best?!?!? 🤍🤍
Shugunna
Hi Kristin, looks as though you’re off to a good year! Congratulations on being accepted into catskills and that bread looks wonderful!
chickenlibrarian
Thank you sweet friend!!