Snow Day+Yeast Bread

I'm not sure why but when I get a snow day I have to try a new yeast recipe. There is just something about a warm cozy house with the smell of yeast, while it's cold and snowy outside that I love.

Macaroni Grill Copycat Rosemary Bread

• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons rosemary
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Prep Time: 2 1/4 hrs

Total Time: 2 1/2 hrs

1. Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly.
2. Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
3. Add one tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary.
4. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Add more flour if necessary.
6. Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel.
7. Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.
8. Punch down dough and divide in half.
9. Let dough rest about 5 minutes.
10. Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray.
11. Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves.
12. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.
13. Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.
14. Preheat oven to 375°F.
15. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
16. Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired).
17. Hubby and Max gave it a thumbs up with butter or with olive oil. I thought it was good but not great...

More Than Flurries, Pleeeeze

I was really hoping for snow. Some straight down, 8-10 inches of white stuff would be just right.

No school kind of snow. Everything is closed, the world stops kind of snow.

The weatherman was making all kinds of promises for snow. Now not so much, "some snow turning to rain for today and tomorrow, folks". Not the forecast I was hoping for, but I'm sure all you snow haters, party poopers are happy. Blah!

BD Love

Ballard Designs, I love you. I love your fabrics, your sofa designs, your colors, your artwork, your personalized party ware, your push pins to your furniture, I {heart} you, Ballard Designs.

Please relocate across the nation. Thank you.

Wow! She's Cranky!

If you can't think of anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. -Thumper's Mom

I took a fall. My knee is sprained, swollen and really hurts. I am so crabbbby I can't stand myself. It hurts, I don't like to slow down so my attitude is poor. Falling when you are in your fifties is different than when you fall in your twenties. Every time I get up I feel sick and bitchy.

So, in the meantime, I have watched the two part Christmas episode of the The Office, watched Guarding Tess, watched Doc Martin Season 4, episode 8 and now I've begun the British version of Men Behaving Badly.

I'm reading Rescue by Anita Shreve.

Jodi brought me a stack of magazines.

I researching my guys.

Danny is working at Bistro Bella Vita in Grand Rapids, MI. I think if I ate dinner there I would have a hard time deciding between the filet mignon and the Harvest Ravioli.

Sam has been chosen to work on his Expert Medical Field Badge. I don't think I could do the 12 miles in full gear right now and I don't think I could ever treat the open abdominal wound. Go Sam!

I am shopping for summery resort wear but nothing is out yet. I have my purse by my bed though, just in case. I wish we had a Dillard's Department Store here. I need a cute cover up, some new shorts and a flirty skirt for evenings.

I did some Waikiki research, I think we'll be able to find plenty to keep us busy and fed. Max says all he wants to do is go to our spot and sit. No research necessary for that activity.

I have tons of things I want to do, clean the museum gift shop, take inventory, rearrange the shop. At home, take the love seat and chair apart for painting and upholstery, finish painting the trim, clean the garage, wrap my mom's birthday gift, laundry, blah blah blah.

Oh, and I'm snacking on carbs, because I'm nauseated and don't feel like a diet.

For someone who shouldn't have said anything at all, I think I've said enough.

Grilled Chicken Pesto Sammies

Before one our holiday parties I came up with a new recipe for Grilled Chicken Pesto sandwiches. We called them sammies as I used baguette sliced thin for the bread and made mini sandwiches.

I use the Cash and Carry chicken breasts which is already cooked and cubed. Take 2 cups of cubed chicken and chop small. I add about 1 cup shredded mozzarella and toss. In a separate bowl mix about 1/3 cup pesto (you can make your own pesto recipe or buy it ready to go). Add about 1/4 cup mayo to the pesto and mix. Mix everything together and grill, just like you would a grilled cheese sandwich.

You have to kind of guess as I kind of guessed for this recipe... sorry. No pictures of the grilled sandwiches as they got eaten fast, sorry...

The baguette slices make nice appetizer size sammies. Tonight I used sour dough bread for the guys' sandwiches and one of those Safeway slender sandwiches for mine. Next time I think we'll try them with fresh tomato slices.

During bowl season I need dinners that can be eaten in front of the TV. It's the Sugar Bowl tonight, one of the real bowls. I only consider the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl and the Cotton Bowl the real ones... there are just too many bowls for them to actually be taken seriously.

Anyway, enjoy the sammies!

Happy New Year!

Our sweet Hawley isn't doing so well. He has hip problems and arthritis. On Saturday something must have happened and he is moving slow. Hubby and Max lift him into the house. Hawley is such a happy dog though, he is still wagging his tail and happy to see us. We are hoping he just slept wrong and will recover soon. Could be the cold too. It was 21 degrees when I went to boot camp this morning. Brrrrr...Today is Take Down Christmas Day. Not a favorite of mine. Some years I take everything down before New Year's Eve, this year I was still enjoying everything last night. Now this morning it can not be taken down fast enough. I am going for the clean and bare look in the Stone House.

Happy New Year everyone! Any resolutions, goals, for 2011? I have the same old, same old goals. Maybe I'll actually meet them this year! You?