29 Weeks

Decembers Snow

I took this picture of Charlie

 just after it  started snowing on and off December 1

this morning we have about 5"

Its BEAUTIFUL

Happy Thanksgiving, Travel safe

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

~Author Unknown

Our Thanksgiving in Maggie Valley NC -

 Smokey Mountains with the Wests

Pictures

In the Sthil of the woods

A Picnic 

Load of logs - 

No work in the shop this week

so we made the best of our 

beautiful Indian Summer Days

getting wood for syrupin

Sunny Sixty and STHIL

 Old Blue still gets the job done 

 in November - 

makes for some perfect 

wood cuttin n splittin

 Big Boss with his mini boss

 Splittin time

Pretty logs all in a row

November 1st 2010 - already!

Home made Oatmeal Bread

Oatmeal  Bread

This tender bread is just slightly sweet.

3 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oats)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast*
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk
3/4 cup raisins or currants (optional)

*If you use active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk before combining with the remaining ingredients.

MANUAL METHOD: In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients, mixing to form a shaggy dough. Knead dough, by hand (10 minutes) or by machine (5 minutes) till it's smooth. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow it to rest for 1 hour; it'll become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk. Shape as directed below.

BREAD MACHINE METHOD: Place all of the ingredients (except the fruit) into the pan of your machine, program machine for manual or dough, and press Start. About 10 minutes before the end of the second kneading cycle, check dough and adjust its consistency as necessary with additional flour or water; finished dough should be soft and supple. Add the raisins or currants about 3 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle. Shape as directed below.

SHAPING: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled surface, and shape it into a log. Place the log in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan, cover the pan (with an acrylic proof cover, or with lightly greased plastic wrap), and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it's crested 1" to 2" over the rim of the pan.

BAKING: Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking. Yield: 1 loaf.

Fresh Home Baked Bread

n

Homemade Chilli

Oatmeal  Bread