The Gift Of a Beautiful Day In Late Winter

Today was a lovely, almost Springlike day here in Central Oklahoma.  A rare treat, since we've had snow and COLD off and on for weeks, with only a day or two of respite.  (Not exactly normal for us.)  Today was sunny, and bright, and not too cold.  A perfect day to get out and visit our friends at the winery.

Canadian River Vineyards and Winery in Slaughterville, OK is a lovely place to visit. Friendly folks (even if they haven't known you for years), and GREAT wine.  They have a nice deck overlooking the vineyards where you can sit and enjoy the view.  You can taste all the wines they have available in the Tasting Room, and we ALWAYS buy some, even though we really go just to see our friends.  All the grapes are grown locally in Oklahoma, and their wines have won awards at several festivals.  My favorite right now is the Moscato, which is sweeter than the wines I usually like.  They also have a fabulous Merlot, and Shiraz, and chardonnay, and ... it's ALL good!

We have a long tradition of taking food out to share with our friends (and even other customers if they want some).  Today I took a simple appetizer that I got the recipe for from an email pal years ago. You take a small wheel of Brie (or, as I did this time, Camembert), put it on a microwave safe plate, and spread the top with basil pesto. (I use my homemade pesto.  I try to put enough in the freezer every Summer to last until the basil comes back again in late Spring.)  Then you pile some toasted slivered or sliced almonds on top, and zap it in the microwave for a minute or so, just until the cheese is softened.  Served with toasted baguette rounds, it makes a lovely accompaniment to all types of wine.  We also took some of Matt's homemade beer mustard and some corned beef.  All were very popular.
I made a batch of dark chocolate shortbread and took that as well.  A few folks were eating that with the Moscato and with the Merlot.  (Dark chocolate and Merlot pair very well!)

Being able to share good food with good friends is a great joy.  Wish we could do these things more often, but life is so very busy.  I just decided that the laundry could wait this week, and we should go see friends we haven't seen in awhile.  We had a very nice visit, and I only used my phone a couple of times to upload a photo or two.  Spent the rest of the time talking with our friends and other visitors to the winery.  It was a very, very nice day.

Now we are home, the wine is safely stashed in the wine rack, and Matt has the brisket in the brine for the home made corned beef for St. Paddy's Day.  Time for me to finish this up, start the laundry, and see what else I can get into.

I hope your Saturday was enjoyable as well!

We made a happy wine rack today.  All full up.  (The liquor shelf was already happy.)

Let The Wild Revels Begin!

Me and my best friend, lover, husband: Matthew.  Long ago and far away.

 Friday, February 20th

My work week is done, that means that my Birthday Vacation Week has officially begun!  Not much exciting stuff planned, but some fun stuff.  Friends coming over tomorrow for braised short ribs, got an early birthday present in the mail today, Contemplating whether or not to make a birthday cake this year.

Saturday, February 21st

Got up and cleaned house this morning.  Still have to work out and start laundry before friends arrive at "5-ish".  Matt is busy cooking.
Got another birthday present in the mail today.  The other Perlgirls are spoiling me.  Now I have to figure out how to spoil them back.
The dinner this evening was FABULOUS!  Dear Husband has outdone himself!  Beef short ribs braised in wine, with carrots and onions, butternut squash soup, roasted cauliflower, Gratin Daphinois (of potatoes with Gruyere).  SO good!  Also, had the company of very good friends, and poundcake and berries for dessert.
Had a Mustang Brewing Co. Washita Wheat Beer before dinner, and some very nice Shiraz from our friends at Canadian River Winery and Vineyards with dinner.  Had some herb tea with dessert, and used the birthday gift my friend Kelly sent for the tea.  (A mug covered with pictures of my favorite actor's mug!)

They are threatening us with nasty winter precipitation starting tomorrow into Monday.  I sincerely hope it doesn't come on very strong.  I would like freedom to travel around the area on my birthday week.  (Also, I'd really prefer to do the commissary trip on Monday if I can, but since I'm off work this week, I could easily go another day.)

Even though it is Birthday Vacation Week, I will still need to do laundry tomorrow.  Sigh.  Laundry never sleeps.  It just keeps sitting there piling up on you until you run out of clean underwear.

Getting ready to close this out and head for sleep.  Before I go, a little poem:

Treasures
As time goes by
It seems to me
That though I try
To let you all  see
How much I care
I cannot express
Or easily share
The happiness
The laughter,
The joy
You bring to my life.
Dear friends,
Know that no
Material things
Can ever mean
As much to me
As the joy of your
Friendship does.
Your kindness
Overwhelms me
The fact that you
Are there when I
Need cheering up
That you let me
Cheer you up, too,
The give and take,
The laughter
And the tears
Are things I will keep
In my heart
And treasure
For YEARS.

All my love to my wonderful Matthew, our dear friends Mike and Nancy Rogers, and Mary, Kelly, Fi, Mallory, Jana, Linda, Paulette, Patti, Chloe, Anna, Marie, Amy, and Brina (the Perlgirls),
and of course, Julie D, Megan, Grace, Aaron, Darrin, Sally, Emily, Annette, Heather, MaryM, Molly, Shannon, and all the other wonderful, talented, and dedicated people I work with.  Life is good.
Katie

Adventures in Bread Baking - Oatmeal Sourdough In My Current Favorite Variations

This is a recipe I have used over and over again, and I have many variations on it.  Today I will interrupt the written recipe below with photos and with my current favorite variations.

Oatmeal Sourdough

You can make this oatmeal sourdough bread in many ways.  Slice diagonally for great oven toast.(If you make the traditional tapered loaves.  Slice as usual for bread if you use the loaf pans as shown here.)

The night, or day before baking, to make a sponge, in a large bowl combine:

 

This is how the sponge looks in the morning.

1 cup sourdough starter

2 cups warm water

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

3 cups unbleached all- purpose flour (I have also used whole wheat pastry flour.)

Stir well.  Cover and let ferment overnight, or as long as 24 hours.  When ready to bake, to soften yeast, in another large bowl combine:

½ cup warm water

1 scant tablespoon (or 1 packet) active dry yeast.

(I also add the recommended amount per loaf of vital wheat gluten when using the pastry flour.)

Stir into softened yeast mixture, in this order

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup soft butter

1 tablespoon salt

fermented sourdough sponge

2 cups all-purpose flour

Beat well.  To make a soft dough, gradually add:

1 to 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour.

Turn out on a floured surface and knead until smooth.  Place in a greased bowl, turning dough once to grease the top. 

  Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes.  

Risen dough.

 Knead dough down in bowl.  Divide dough into three parts.  Pat or roll each part into an 8-inch square.

If adding a filling, spread them to within 1" of edges of square of dough.

  Starting at one corner of square, roll to a tapered loaf.  Place on greased baking sheets, seam side down.

I also use  small loaf pans, miniature size, with 1/6 of the batch of dough in each.  81/2 x 4 1/2 x 2" pans may also be used if dividing dough into thirds as usual.  

 Cover and let rise until almost doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.  Before baking, brush tops of loaves with melted butter, sprinkle with rolled oats, if desired.

Risen loaves.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. *If you are using the mini loaf pans as I have here, check the loaves after about 20 min.  Should be brown and sound hollow when bottom is tapped.*  Cool on wire racks.  Makes 3 loaves.

Today's loaves set to rise.  Far loaves are really in too big of a pan size, but I was out of small pans.

 These loaves are: Bittersweet chocolate mint (at top)  Filled with a paste made of the leaves from 5 good sized (6" long" sprigs of chocolate mint fresh from the garden and about 1/3 cup of bittersweet chips, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1 Tbsp milk, and 2 Tbsp of walnuts processed in small food processor until a paste.

Parmesan and Pepperoni (Middle)  These are the loaves in the photos above, filled with about 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup mini pepperoni pieces.

Provence Herb loaves (bottom) these are filled with my herb paste made of parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme and a tiny bit of lavender, butter, a bit of olive oil, and a tablespoon or so of walnuts processes until almost smooth in food processor. I salt the tops of the Provence Herb loaves because I didn't put any salt in the herb paste. I always try to decorate filled loaves in a way that shows what's inside.  Sometimes these decorations come off during baking.  

And here are the finished loaves.  As you can see, some of the pepperoni and the mint leaves have come off.  Can't wait until I get done with the yard work and get the laundry started.  I am looking forward to trying the Chocolate mint bread with some ice cold Moscato.  

We took some of this same type of bread with us yesterday when we visited our friends at Canadian River Vineyards and Winery.  We enjoyed sharing it with them while we sampled some of their wines.  We replenished our wine cabinet, and included in that was two bottles of their lovely sweet,but not cloying, Moscato.  I am using that as the carrot to get myself out into the hot yard to get the mowing done.  Also have to sort laundry.  Chores are not fun, but I am so glad to have the yard that requires mowing and the means to mow it.  I am also grateful for the clothing that needs washing, and the very nice washer and dryer to wash and dry them with.  After last Spring, I appreciate this house and all my stuff a lot more.  Still have too much stuff, but glad it is still here, and not scattered between here and Del City.

I will add a picture later of the sliced bread, and my wineglass, possibly.

Here we go!  Canadian River Moscato with my chocolate mint swirl bread.  Mmmmmm.