A few months ago I bought myself a breadmaker. I've made all my own bread ever since. I mostly use the machine to mix up and knead the dough, and to do the first rise. Then I shape the dough however I want it, let it rise again and bake it.I've had a wonderful time working through some of the bread recipes on my dear blogworld friend Marjie's site. I can thoroughly recommend her Italian Potato Bread recipe.
So you'd like to make bread but don't know how? Check out Marjie's Bread Tutorial. It has instructions that cover working both with and without a breadmaker. Marjie makes bread most days so she knows what she is writing about. You'll also find links to a wonderful array of other recipes on Marjie's sidebar (check out the cakes!!!).
This is my other new toy - a new sewing machine, a Christmas present from my parents. This was a complete surprise.I haven't tried using it yet (too busy knitting plus I need to clear the table) but I have read the manual from cover to cover. I know how to sew, I just haven't really for years. I must declutter so I have space for sewing once more.
My Folks bought it from the Bernina Sewing Centre Tauranga where I'm can get free lessons on the new machine when I'm up there over Christmas and help over the phone any time I need it. Mum (and Dad) have been regular customers since retiring up to Tauranga 21 1/2 years ago. The two sisters who own this sewing centre and their family have become special friends of our family.
And what about Zebby Cat? Well he now has his own cat grass plant inside together with his own cat mint (catnip) plant . The catnip gets brought down to his level once or twice a day for him to indulge in, while the cat grass is always down at Zebby level and it is already well munched upon!
10 comments:
What fun for Mr. Z. I'm sure he is in feline heaven!
I used to love to sew. I made all my daughters' clothes (before they were old enough to want "label" clothes. I loved to smock, and used to do this fancy work, along with embroidery on most of their dresses and night gowns. About last big project I made was Peggy's wedding dress. By then Polly was 11, too old for pretty little dresses.
Now that Polly has her own flat, I'm turning her room back into a workroom/guest room. I'm going to install my old sewing machine, and get started on a couple of projects I have in mind.
I hope you have lots of fun with your lovely new machine.
My late mother was a great dressmaker!
Love your new toys, Mickle. I've made my own bread with a machine for many years now and recently had to replace my much loved machine (very like yours) with a different model as they don't make the old one any more. Sigh... Enjoy the sewing machine. I can't get on with mine at all, so stick to knitting.
Yay for new toys - and toys with a purpose are even better (apart from chocolate, which is always good).
I'm hoping Santa will bring me an egg incubator, but I'll have to wait and see - they're very expensive.
That smell of fresh bakes bread, though - you can't beat it!
I'm so happy about your new toys! I love using my bread maker, bot just as a mixer, so I can shape my loaves and rolls just so, but also on the delayed timer, so hot bread awaits when we wake up. Ryan loves a slice or 2 of fresh bread with his eggs before school. And the sewing machine! It's so pretty, in addition to having lovely stitches. Do be sure to learn to use the blind hemming feature well. That has made all the difference in how many things I complete (as opposed to never hemming, and therefore never finishing, and never starting anything else).
I was thinking of starting a nice pot of grass for Winston for Christmas, and Zebby's recommendation makes it almost a certainty. Of course, Winston's less than 2, so he'd just jump up for the catnip. I think I won't grow him any of that.
I'm so glad you're feeling better, dear Mickle. I've missed your posts.
Now you've done it !! Made me all ashamed that I've stopped making my bread....must get back to it (lol)
This year I decided to make my bon-bons for the Christmas table and soon learned that it is a VERY expensive exercise. The tubes and poppers alone aren't cheap and then the little bibs and bobs to stuff them with and the outer covering, ribbons etc. Well, to cut a long story short, I was in a bead shop yesterday talking to the storekeeper about it and she told me she used to do "all that" but this year she bought commercial bon-bons, undid (carefully) one end, tipped the crappy stuff out and put her trinkets in !! Whallaaaa!!!
Now why didn't I go to her shop first instead of the last port of call?
Good Luck with the sewing machine, remember its just like riding a bike, you never forget how to.
OXOX
Happy breadmaking and sewing! And a scratch ZC under the chin for me :)
Snap, we also bought a bread-maker for ourselves and have thoroughly enjoyed playing around with it. I see Marjie says about the delayed timer, I must have look and see how that works, sounds like a good idea.
My sewing machine is still in a box where it has been for some time. Still no room to put it anywhere. Take care Diane
oooh I like your new toys! I must check out some new bread recipes. I love my breadmaker but tend to stick to the same recipes - time for a change. As for sewing - I'll leave that to you!
Hi Michelle What nice presents, when I use a bread machine I do use it the same way as you do. Most of the time I use my old faithful Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer now all of 30 years old!
Years ago I worked in a Mennonite Fabric shop and they sold Bernina machines, they are great and built to last, if you lug them around much you will build up arm muscles!! Like lifting weights!
Merry Christmas there and Happy New Year!
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