What's Cooking Sweet Potatoes

Judy started posting a weekly What's Cooking challenge to her blog and is tempting us to join her.  Each week on Wednesday, she'll call out the main ingredient.  It's our challenge to make something with that ingredient.  This week it was

 sweet potato.  

I've had a craving for Thai Curry lately and thought this was just the ticket for sweet potato.  Usually it's made with potato but I've made it with squash and sweet potato before,  It's delicious.

I had a packet of yellow curry spice in my freezer and a chicken thigh thawed.  I diced up some onions, sweet potatoes and chicken and sauted in a skillet with a little oil.  I added a little water and covered the skillet until the chicken was done.  Then added some stir fry vegetables.  After the vegetables and chicken was done, I added the curry spice and a can of coconut milk.  I heated it through and served it with steamed rice.

I'm all set up in front of the television ready to watch a movie.  I haven't decided what yet but I'll find something,.  By the way....this is delicious.

Get 'Er Done January 2013

Judy from Patchwork quilts has changed the name and concept of the UFO project.  Now it will be Get It Done.


Four items I would like to get done in January are:

1.  Bind Jessee's quilt

2.  Finish Doug's quilt back for his Jean/Crown Royal quilt.

3.  Finish binding tablerunner

4.  Jana's quilt needs to be quilted, bound and labelled

This post is being linked to Judy's Get It Done 

My Design Wall December 31, 2012

Not on my design wall but a completion none the less.  This is my last finished quilt from my UFO list of 2012.  Judy called for Number 2 in May.  This is my grandson, Jessee's quilt.  When they were here this fall, he decided that he liked this one better.  So the original number 2 is not done, yet.  Jessee's new quilt wasn't a UFO, it was a Color Pallette Challenge.  She named hers Sweet Tart and I named my Skittles.  It was a project in conjunction with Vicki's May  Color Pallette Challenge.

I posted earlier about my tension problems.  I finished it but still had a lot of thread breakage.  Jessee choose the back and since I didn't have enough for the whole back, I pieced it.  I think it turned out good.

I think Jessee will love it.

This post is being linked to Judy's Design Wall

I Finally Got a Picture/s!

I finally was able to get a couple of pictures of my Western Bluebirds.  They only visit me in the winter and all they want is the birdbath.

Isn't he beautiful!

Even a sparrow decided to join them.

They take their bathes and then they skeddale.  I know if we had some birdhouses made for them, they would hang out more.  Maybe this spring we can put a couple up.

Baguette Bread

I posted on Facebook Sunday that I was out of bread and needed to make some for our dinners this week.  I had a request for the recipe.  I thought I would share how I make my bread.  

I have been using the French Bread in the Kitchenaid booklet.  

I warm my bowl by running hot water on the outside of the bowl.  I add 2 1/2 cups warm water with 2 packages or 4 1/2 teaspons of yeast.  To this I also add 1 teaspoon of sugar, using a whisk to dissolve.  I let this  sit for about 5 minutes or until it is bubbly.  While this is happening, I put in a small dish 1 tablespoon kosher salt and melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter.  I premeasure 7 cups of unbleached flour in a seprate bnowl.  

I add about half the flour to the mixing bowl with the yeast in it.  I then add my salt and butter.  I start my mixer at the lowest speed and mix until it is coming off the side of the bowl.  Then I start adding a little flour to the bowl and continue mixing.  Most days, I end up using all the 7 cups of flour.  It depends on the weather and humidity. I then time my mixing for about 5 minutes.  

Take the dough out of the bowl and work in a little flour if the dough is sticky.  I knead for a minute or so, shaping into a ball.

Place it in a greased bowl and spray some oil on the top of the dough.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 60 minutes.

After the dough has risen for 60 minutes, take out of bowl and punch down.

  Since I am making baguettes, I divide the dough in 1 pound portions.  

Start flattening out the one of the dough balls.  I prefer not to flour my counter so the bread will sort of stick and shape better.  I flatten and shape just using my fingers.

I place my loaf pan in front of me so I know how long to make the loaf.  Start rolling up the dough starting at the edge.  I roll the dough with my fingers and roll outward to get the length I need.

Place the shaped loaves in the pans.  I found these pans on Amazon.  I love them.  No greasing, flouring or transferring to another pan.   Score your loaves with a shallow diagonal slits.

Cover and let rise 60 additional minutes.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Bake for 25 minutes.  About 5-6 minutes before the end of the baking, brush eash loaf with one eggwhite with a little water (whisked).

  

Take out of the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Note:

Just to let you know that you do not need a mixer to make this bread.  Mix ingredients with a spoon or dough whisk.  Knead on floured counter for about 5 minutes.  I find it easier to place a cople of fat phone books on the floor and stand on them while I knead.  If you don't have these pans you can place risen loaves on a pizza board sprinkled with a little corn meal.  Transfer to a preheated stone sprinkled with a little corn meal.  

I love making bread.  It is one of my most favorite items in baking.  I have been making all types of bread for at least 30 years.  At first they weren't very good.  But as the years go by, I've gotten better.  Practice makes perfect.


Make sure you at least get one slice before it cools.  Baker's choice, you know.  Enjoy.

This post is being linked to Homestead Revival Barn Hop