Mmmmmm.....Updated I forgot something

Here's the recipe I promised to share, I think I enjoyed this loaf more after I cut it up and tossed it in olive oil and toasted the cubes on a cookie sheet making them into croutons serving them over baked Italian tomatoes with basil & Parmesan cheese. I'm very new at baking bread so each recipe is an experience for me.

Pepper-Parmesan-Dijon Mustard Bread
5 - 51/2 cups bread flower 2T. active dry yeast 1 T. salt 1 T. sugar
1 T. coarsely ground pepper 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 c. dijon mustard
2 cups hot water olive oil kosher salt
Combine all ingredients (except olive oil and kosher salt). Mix to make soft dough, knead until smooth, rise covered until doubled. Divide dough into two parts, shape and place in two round cake pans, rise about 30 minutes, slash tope with knife 1/2 deep and brush with olive oil and salt. Bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes, mist loaves twice 3 minutes apart during the first half of baking time. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

The teddy bear in a bunny suit is coming along, I hope to have it completed and posted by the end of the week, I'm having fun making it, silly I know, but in life anything that makes you smile I think you should surround yourself with.


Here's another silly item we've added to our livingroom, I had to seach high and low to find large sized gumballs for this machine. I've had this for years out in the garage and Husband cleaned it up and brought it in the house (he's always trying to clean and make room out there). A trip to the local mall to a very expensive Candy Store-Let's Charge a Fortune and now we have gumballs. Let me tell you, this is only a penny machine and at the cost of those gumballs I think I need to add a donation cup next to it. I do have to admit, it is fun dropping a penny in the slot and turning the knob and the surprise of the color gum ball that drops out. These are not the usual hard stale dry gumballs I remember as a kid, after sampling a couple I think they are worth the cost, a real burst of flavor in your mouth. Again, how many people's homes do you walk into and find a gumball machine with pennies waiting to share the childhood memory, if it brings a smile, bring it on......

I forgot to give you details.....Quarterback Crunch, vanilla flavored ice cream with chocolate covered rice crunches with a wonderful carmel ribbon...:)


Okay, while we're talking smiles.....finally a great Flavor of the Month Ice Cream!! I have to say this is the first one I've actually liked. Everyone joined in the sampling this month (in the past months if it didn't look good they opted for a flavor they'd tasted before - boring, let's live on the edge and experiment a little, it's only ice cream) I enjoyed each and every lick and I was the last to order and the first one finished....




Ultimate Italian (Better Homes and Gardens Special Issue)is the name (sorry for the glare, I'm hoping for a new camera for Christmas)

Here's a picture of a great new magazine I just picked up at the market the other day - each and every page has great looking recipes, several include using a slow cooker which really works for me working during the week or if the temperature soars again (which it always does in October). I'm tossing around the idea of cooking something from every continent, that would make for an interesting Thanksgiving meal... Thanks for taking time out of your day to stop by and read my blog....I'm wishing you a great week.