Bread From the Oven – Sweet Success!

by Brandie @ Joy of the Kitchen

in Baking, Uncategorized

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I always wanted to make fresh bread.  The problem is, I was the world’s worst baker.  I tried making bread.  It turned out dry and ordinary.  So, I quit doing it.  Then, I started seeing some friends on Facebook turning out these gorgeous loaves of bread that I was paying $5 or so per loaf.  Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind.  They were yummy, and I would be most happy to go 100% carbs all the time.   But still, there is nothing like fresh (good) bread from the oven.

So, I looked into the book these friends mentioned.  I was intrigued.  5 minutes a day and I have bread.  I know, it sounds like a get-rich-quick scheme.  I had slaved over bread recipes with mediocre results.  So, after looking at these insanely delicious looking loaves on Facebook,  I was going to give it another shot.  Oh, yeah, am I glad I did.

I mixed up my first batch of dough, using my handy mixer and dough hook.  I put the dough in oversized food container I picked up at the Big Box Store.  And I waited for two hours.  And it rose.  I was as giddy as a school girl.  The dough went into the oven to rest overnight.  Oh, that anticipation.

Tonight after dinner I decided to give it a whirl, just case I had the same experience as before.  Nothing’s worse than a flop at dinnertime!  So, I shaped the bread and popped it in the oven.

The house filled with the heady aroma of yeast as the bread baked.  I watched the crust turn a golden brown, and I think I squealed like a school girl.  I couldn’t wait too long to try it… and there was Nutella involved.  Oh sweet success…

Bring it on bread.  One down, two more to go for this batch.  Ah, sweet bread.  Welcome home.

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Just in case you’re interested in trying this out yourself, here’s a link to the book I’m referring to >>>

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Spice Heaven

by Brandie @ Joy of the Kitchen

in Kitchen, Organize

My spice rack is ready for an upgrade:  Brandie’s Spice Rack 2.0.  So, I’ve been cruising around checking out how other people organize their racks.  Two of my favorites are this vintage inspired rack and this wall-mounted version.   However, I also found all the gorgeous eye candy below.  So, if you’re ready to creatively upgrade your spice rack, check out these options and see if one inspires you.

photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/enigmachck | CC BY 2.0

photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mellis | CC BY 2.0

photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/taste-buzz | CC BY 2.0

photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mckaysavage | CC 2.0

photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mckaysavage | CC BY 2.0

photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirrilyrobert | CC 2.0

photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirrilyrobert | CC BY 2.0

photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sudhamshu | CC 2.0

photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sudhamshu | CC BY 2.0

Ok, so maybe my spice rack won’t look like this, but how gorgeous is this?!

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[All photos are licensed under Creative Commons 2.0]

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Classic [...]

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