...it's bread, 1.1

it's not pretty...but it smells good...



this was a "baking" picture...notice the same uneven top...



but it did rise...now I have to wait to see...
if it tastes as good as I'm hoping it will...

in the meantime...



some "kicked-up" bean soup...from the red & white can...

I use chix broth instead of water...and only 1.5 cans of liquid...
I add dried minced onion, garlic powder & fresh ground pepper...
it was a great lunch & will be a good supper on this damp & chilly day...

...a proper piece of toast

when I began my bread/toast journey...
which would lead me into the world of bread machines...
I was searching for a "proper piece of toast"...

I just had one...



looked like this...

tasted like heaven...

dense with all sorts of seeds and grains...
chewy & crisp at the same time...
warm with the butter melting & the bit of clover honey blending in...
[OK...it's Smart Balance Omega-3 spread...
no trans fats or bad fats...extra omega-3's...
and tastes like butter... really...]

I could taste the extra virgin olive oil I used instead of butter...
and the flax seeds I added... as well as the extra seeds/grains mix...
this is not a sweet loaf...
which is perfect with a bit of honey melting in with the "butter"...

this piece is my favorite "toast piece"...the heel...
[I like the "end " pieces of all baked goods...
extra crunchy... extra caramelization... yummm...]

there were 2 pieces of toast...a skinny half slice...
[I need to hone my slicing skills...]
and the heel...
[I ate the other heel last night, still warm...]

the skinny slice was also a good piece of toast...
the texture was perfect...crunchy & chewy...
with the melting "butter" & honey...

I have a bunch of other mixes to try...
as well as all the recipes in the books...
and I really want to try the recipe MM sent me...
but I do have things to do today...

a bit more choir music stuff...

I need to load my new camera software on my computer...
register my new camera & lenses...
and start "learning" it...

I also have wood to bring in...
a rug to vacuum [too many spilled plants...]
plants to water...
plants to plant...
some storage to work out...

& I'm going to go through my pantry, again...

paring down....

I guess I'd better get going...

...it's bread

the Zo sits...cooling after it's first loaf...



as does the bread...



a whole grain, multi-grain & seed mix bread...



I used dry milk[1/4 C +1 C water] & olive oil [rather than butter...]

the crust is crunchy, the crumb moist & chewy...
not at all sweet... it could stand to be just a bit sweeter...
but not bad for my first effort...

thanks to Miz Minka for her invaluable kelp...uhhh... help...
in getting my act together...
concerning all things bread machine related..

not only for all the practical advice & e-mail...
but for putting me on to this...



which I found "used, like new"...and came yesterday...
it is full of good advice & recipes I look forward to trying...

as well as the ones in here...



the instruction manual & recipe book that came with the Zo...

I'm off to slice and package half of my bread for the freezer...
[more good advice from MM...]
put the rest in the fridge & call it a night...
I'm really tired these last couple of days...

good night to all...

...out of the boxes & into the instructions[argh]

after my breakfast with FFers today...
I came home with great purpose...
to unpack, assemble & read instructions...

but as the day progresses...I'm really feeling sick...
so I got only this far...



here's the Zo, open...



and a look inside the pan at the kneader paddles...



the instructional video...[VHS tape...NOT a DVD...]



and the instruction manual...



unpacking was a bit more complicated for this...



I had to charge & insert the battery pack...
insert the memory card [4G, no less !]
& mount the lens...

at this point...

I'm hoping a nap will chase the nausea/headache away...
I'm pretty sure it's NOT food poisoning...
I didn't feel great when I got up...
[maybe too many virtual Guinnesses ...]
and it's been downhill from there...

I can't miss church tomorrow...
and I need to be focused, not spacey...
for all the rehearsing involved...

fear not any of you choristers who read this...
I will be there...
if I'm still feeling lousy...I'll wear a mask...

...the "Zo" is in the building

so after fooling around on Facebook until I was yawning...
had a headache from laughing at the dumb stuff I was doing...
the dog was doing the "I gotta go out NOW 2-step"...
I pried myself away from the computer to take her out & go to bed...

it has been a l-o-n-g and stressful day...
and I'd had enough silliness and drama for a while...
the chiropractic adjustment requires me to sleep it off...
and I'm bleary-eyed...and all day...
I expected to see some form of delivery guy bring my "Zo"...

so as I opened the door at 11:45 to take Molly out...
what did I trip over ? ...the Zo...
parked right in front of my door...
that must have been what she was going mildly insane about...
around 9:30 or so...[a bit late for a delivery...]

I took Molly "out"...we came back...
I schlepped the box inside...



and opened it...



"tah-dah"...the "mighty Zo"...



some of it's attributes...



and more...even than this...

but I'm tired & going to bed...

at least it's here...

...IT'S HERE... part 2 [part of it anyway...]

when I got home from the EVC last night...
I found this big, heavy box on my porch...
[no...it wasn't opened...I did that inside...
with a great deal of "help" from Sneaky Pie...]



at first... I was disappointed that it wasn't the mighty "Zo"...
[as the KAF blogger calls it...]
so I left it to be unpacked today...

and this morning...as I got into it...
my enthusiasm began to ramp up...




here were the storage containers & proofing bucket...
that I would need...



as well as the obvious...



and the, "not-so-obvious"...
but extremely necessary to me, ingredients...

as well as...



more "staples"...



and basic necessities for bread making...
avec ou sans le machine...

[WHY ? ... am I speaking French all of a sudden...?...
je ne sais quoi...]


and then, this...



was "on sale"...

I can think of one [maybe 2 ?] person[s] who are happy to see this...

hummm... maybe... I should have bought more than one...
[what recipe makes only 12 mini cheesecakes at a time ?]
I DO have a "10% off your next order coupon..."
I'll have to think about that...

of course...I don't have a scone pan...
and I got this...



hummm...where did I put that coupon... ?

and finally... there are these...



they work for machines or by hand...
but I'm waiting for my "mighty Zo"...

these are the mixes I have MM...
wanta trade any for a recipe or two ?

[of course... I have more than one of each...
why would you even need to ask ? [wink, wink...]

post scipt...
MM if I understood your comment you want this...
if I am missing your point...clarify, s'il-vouz plas...