Bread Bowls

Yesterday was such an awfully cold and windy day that  some super cozy comfort food like clam chowder was definitely what we needed -- it was a day to make lemonade out of lemons.  I thought instead of just clam chowder I'd do something cool to go with it. I love clam chowder, but it's just not the same without serving it in a warm bread bowl. That's our favorite way to eat it. So I decided I would try and make my own. Traditionally, bread bowls are made using a sour dough recipe. I just used the simple french bread recipe I have, rolled the dough into four small balls for the bowls, (not the gigantic ones you usually get when you eat out) and then I made a small little loaf of bread for the kids with the extra dough. After baking I let them cool just enough to be able to handle them. To serve, I cut the tops off and buttered them to serve alongside the hollowed out bowls filled with chowder. To hollow them out I just ran a knife a little bit from the edge all the way around and then the middle all came out mostly in one big chunk which was pretty yummy to eat as well. They turned out great. Riley said that was the best bread he's ever had (probably because it was all soaked up in chowder.) I guess I should have acted like they were much harder to make so he would have been even more impressed. :) This was just one more of those "duh" moments for me, like why hadn't I tried this before? I make french bread all of the time.

I'm glad I attempted to try this out and I'll be doing it a lot more often with other soups and things. The bread held up really well and didn't get overly soggy. It was very fun and very easy.

I'm happy there were leftovers for my lunch today because after running this morning I was STARVING! MMmmmm........

If you don't already have a french bread recipe you like, here is the really easy generic one I use:

French Bread:
2 T yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 T sugar
1 T salt
7 cups flour (not approximate, I kind of eyeball the last cup until it's the right consistency)

(I use my stand mixer and this usually makes 2 big loaves)
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Add salt and 2 cups of the flour. Mix well. Add the rest of the flour cup by cup making sure it doesn't get too dry (sometimes you can add a little bit of water to it if it is) and knead for about 5 minutes. Let rise for about 30-45 minutes. Grease cookies sheets. Punch down the bread and knead for another minute on a floured surface. Divide dough into whatever sizes are needed at this time. Let rest 10 minutes. (I usually just skip that part). Roll into ropes pinching ends under and then place on cookie sheet. Let raise until doubled (about 30 minutes). Place a pan of hot water on the lower shelf of the oven. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the bread gives a hollow sound when it is tapped.

Book Reviews

Yay! Finally got a few new books reviewed on my book blog. I've had them on the back burner of my mind for a while as I've been too busy to write about them. I finally had a somewhat quiet Saturday afternoon to put some thoughts down. Jump over there and take a look if you'd like. Both were very interesting in their own way. Enjoy!

Not much is new around our place. It's been freezing cold the last few days and when it gets that cold, it just makes me want to throw chores and productivity out the window and instead curl up with a blanket and a book in front of the fireplace. It was 9 degrees this morning when Kendle left for school, it's definitely a hot chocolate type of day. I'm hoping this is one of the last cold fronts before that earthy, rainy spring weather starts making it's way in the door with March. But at least the sun is shining, so I will take that and be happy with it today. I think I got caught up on my vitamin C intake for the year by eating at least half a box of those yummy little cutie oranges and it's making me long for warmer weather.

I've been rearranging furniture and getting some organizing done this week and also enjoying my new vacuum which I can use on our hard floors. Kale absolutely hates the vacuum with a vengeance and pretty much doesn't stop screaming and crying until it's not only shut off, but put back into the closet and out of his sight. Cooper doesn't mind it so much as long as it's not coming in his direction, if it is he will promptly sprint off to a safer location to observe what I'm doing. Morgan hated the vacuum at their age as well and he still covers his ears when it gets too close to him. It is a lot louder on the hard floors than on the carpet, I will admit that. I bought some new area rugs and the kids have been loving them and actually want to spend time in the living room now. I should have got some a long time ago. I also ordered some new curtains and a cool lamp this week which I'm excited to get.

Kendle has her very last basketball game tomorrow. Sad to see the season end because it's been really fun, but it's getting over at a good time just before this next week when things get crazy again with Riley's high school soccer season starting. Now he'll be overlapping club and high school until the end of May or so and then we'll be throwing Kendle's softball into the mix as well later on in the spring. Riley also has a home tournament with his club team this weekend. They are supposed to be playing at 8:00 in the morning tomorrow and I don't even want to imagine how cold and uncomfortable that will be. Those are tough girls -  that's for sure. I feel so bad for them and just hope nobody gets an injury or pulled muscle related to the cold. I don't know who's more dedicated, the girls or the parents who sit out in the cold to watch them.

Kendle was super excited when she came home from school yesterday. She got a new book for the AR points she has earned and it was the next Percy Jackson book she has been waiting to read. Talk about stoked. She's tried to check it out at the library but it's always checked out since it's a popular book I guess. She was one happy reading machine last night. I guess I will have to give in and read them so I can know what she's going on and on about. She's also started reading the Lemony Snicket books and really liking those.

My family has been telling me how deprived they have been that we haven't had any home made cookies or treats in the house all week. (I think they are just spoiled) I should use up the bananas in the freezer and make some banana bread at least I suppose. That's one of Kendle's favorites. I've been craving pumpkin bars, but those can be pretty dangerous as I find it impossible to not want to eat the whole pan. Might have to make it a baking weekend and make some big batches to stock up the freezer with for later. I've also got some new books to review on my book blog and hopefully I can get around to that this weekend as well.

Well, I have had to stop and start writing this post about fifty times to keep the twins from injuring or maiming themselves. They have mastered climbing up on chairs and everything else in this house so it takes constant vigilance to prevent one disaster after another, so that's all for today!

If you give Cooper a cookie

When I went to wash the boys up after supper last night, I got quite the shock.

Here is my neat and tidy Kale who barely needed much more than his hands wiped up:

And then I look over to find Mr. Cooper who looks like he took his cookie and used it to give himself an oreo facial:

Yikes! That is all from HALF an oreo cookie. I'd hate to see what he could do with a whole one.

He was laughing just like he new it was really funny too and really hamming it up. Riley and I were nearly in tears we were laughing so hard ourselves.

The cleaned up "after" shot. That's much better!

Thanks for the laughs Cooper.