Mushrooms in Red Wine

There were a lot of mushrooms in the refrigerator threatening to topple into the realm of undesirability, so I cooked up a few for myself in:

butter

red wine

garlic

lemon juice

rosemary

thyme

They came out delicious. No one else in the Sarris house except Dearest Mother enjoys them, though (wimps!).

We also grilled burgers marinated in soy sauce and some other things of which I am unaware, and they were beauteously done.

Fruit of the Afternoon

Beautiful, simple snack.

apple

kiwi

raisins

raw sugar

Brownie Cookies

Mother is the Town Clerk for Hubbardston, and today she had to be at work from 6 AM to 10 PM, presiding over the local elections and counting the ballots with her volunteer help. Earlier she had complained about the lack of chocolatey desserts available in the house, so it was Bee's idea to make her something to ease her pain. We couldn't decide between brownies and cookies, so I decided to attempt cookies out of a Betty Crocker boxed brownie mix. They didn't turn out terrible, but regular cookies seem to be more pleasing.

The ingredients were (assembled somewhat randomly):

1 box brownie mix

1 stick of butter (softened)

bloop of vanilla extract

1 large egg (farm fresh!)

1 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

~1/2 c. vegetable oil (when the dough proved unbearably dry)

a bunch of walnuts

a bunch of white chocolate chips

These had to bake for longer than a normal chocolate chip cookie. In the end they were kind of crispy, like chocolate crackers, but with a melt-in-the-mouth quality. Very different from the generally desired soft cookie, but I suppose if it's your thang...

There was a rainstorm during the baking process, and these freshly-baked cookies got splotched with rainbows in a most pleasing fashion.

Bagels!

Making bagels is something I've wanted to try for a while, and today it didn't seem like it'd be so hard. First, combine:

1 package rapid-rise yeast

3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. warm water

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp salt

and beat with vigor for a few minutes. Then, add about 1 1/2 c. more flour until a stiff dough is formed. Knead this for a few minutes, and let rise (covered) for 15 minutes. I left mine much longer than that, as it wasn't rising very quickly and the family was engaged in some mandatory horseplay in the other room.

When the dough has risen, cut it into 8 equal pieces; form each into a ball. Poke a hole in the center and enlarge it while working into bagel shape (or really, whichever shape happens...). Cover these and let rise again.

Boil a gallon of water (with a pinch of sugar), and when it's simmering, add the bagels. Boil them for 7 or so minutes, and remove to a greased baking sheet. I brushed them with beaten egg for kicks, which provided a nice lil' crust.

Bake at 375 degrees for about half an hour.

I was gleeful to get an actual bagel taste out of these, with none of the strange preservative-induced hints that you get in Thomas' and other storebought bagels. And they weren't too much work.

Also, delicious for breakfast with cream cheese and smoked salmon!

Art and Dinner

Because Bean and I have taken to consuming large amounts of ice cream during the afternoon, supper is usually a light affair. This one was white wine, a greek salad, and painting. :D

Square Pizza

Supplies are limited, as we'll only be in Troy for a few days, so we're having the same dinner tonight as we did last. Carefully, the pizza was portioned like so; the blobs, of course, being mushrooms.

But! This time, the crust dared to unfold whilst protected from our watchful eye by the cover of the oven, leaving a barren ring of no-sauce-no-cheese around the thing.

Beat that mushroom pizza below by miles, though...

Sister Graduation

Meedle graduates, and I get blueberry pancakes in a diner.

Meeds!

And directly after I spent a few days in New Bedford with the gurl. We bummed about the apartment, sitting outside and tending the garden; taking naps and rough-housing with roommates and chatting and you know. This pizza, though, was somehow disappointing, though mushroom is my absolute favorite kind...

Home for Dinner

I am not sure when I started loving to cook for the family, but it has happened. I prepared this meal for Brie, Moth, Fath and I. It was individual pizzas! Apparently everyone's on diets, so I had to keep that in mind. For Brie and Moth and I, I made a simple spinach + mushroom pizza, but for Father...

His had smoked kippers and jalapeno peppers. He said it was one of the best pizzas he's ever tasted, and he said it thoughtfully, which means it's a real compliment.

Now to New Bedford with dearest Meel!

Cookies en Masse

Moth asked me to make several batches of cookies for her meeting tomorrow night. Busy busy busy; strangely enjoyable.

1. chocolate chip

2. snickerdoodles

3. sugar cookies rolled in green

PB Granola Bars

Moth used to make a granola bar that for us as kids, that we'd take hiking and on trips and to school and out to play and anywhere. They required no baking and lots of peanut butter and dried fruit. I couldn't find her recipe anywhere....

Here's one I found online.

Stir together:

1 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. corn syrup

1/3 c. butter

2 tsp vanilla

Add [really anything]:

3 1/3 c. oats

1 c. of dried fruit (we had pineapple, papaya, kiwi, canteloupe, strawberries, craisins and raisins)

1/2 c. chopped almonds

1/2 c. chocolate chips

This was freaking sticky and hard to deal with. Bake for 20ish minutes in a greased 13 x 9 inch pan, at 350 degrees. When they were done (and Bee and I were done snacking) I cut them up and wrapped them individually in seran wrap for easy packing...all I could think about was motorhome trips out West; Bratty Becky and the giggling and running about and coke-bottle rockets, group poem-writing and contests to see who could be quietest, and tests-of-true-sistership.