Monday, January 05, 2009




My posts will be sporadic, just too much to do around home at the moment. Today is the first day my honey is back at school since mid-December, so its the first day I'm taking to just get caught up. Tell me, is anyone ever truly caught up?

I want to share my latest experiment with the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day recipes. I'm going to have to start another entire blog on that subject if I keep going like this. The recipe is simply amazing, and flexible. I've turned it into nearly everything I usually make, and I'm still coming up with new things each day.

My latest experiment was (drum roll...)



Homemade Foccacia Crackers


I mixed up the master recipe for the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. After it was prepared and ready to go, I rolled some VERY THINLY onto a mixure of flour, foccacia spice and Parmesan cheese. When the dough was rolled out thin, I sprinkled a bit of salt on top and gave one more soft roll.




Next I used a pasta wheel to cut out squares, and then I used a empty pop bottle to cut the 'holes' out of the middle. I did this to give an interesting shape, and also to prevent them puffing up in the middle. I then placed then baked them and VOILA. They turned out very nummy!

(the holes left over baked into little round balls that would make a great snack food) The recipe contains no fat, and they are baked so would not be bad for the waistline.

I served them with some Hummus dip Mr. Miles brought home and they were a big hit!

You can visit my friend Gina's blog to find out how her FIRST experience with baking the master recipe for the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day as she had her first attempt a day ago. She's published the master recipe there if you would like to see it. HERE'S the link.

Also, I always suggest going directly to the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day OFFICIAL website where Jeff and Zoe provide you with tons of wonderful, delicious ideas and are always available for feedback and to answer any questions you should have. Just click HERE to be transported. I own the book and I can testify its totally more than worth it, its an investment!



Ice Crystals on the Lake

I wait all year for a day like this... on Saturday we experienced an 'inversion' and it caused ice crystals to form on everything in sight. This is a photo of what the lake looked like. We've since had a big snow and so I don't know if I'll have an opportunity like this again this year.

I will be blogging some exciting news about my dear friend Penny on my next blog post, not enough time to fit it in today and I want to do it justice.

I am giving away a goodie today - whipped it up to honour my dear friend Valinda - who I've been neglecting lately. Sigh, just too much going on and I'd assumed I'd visited only to realize I'd not been to see her since a 'coons age'... Isn't that what happens often with those we care about most? Its a dangerous little thing called 'familiarity'... come to think of it, when was the last time I did something nice for Mr. Miles? Sometimes we get so busy we take the ones we love for granted and thats not good. Why not forgo a comment here today and just slip on over and say a BIG hello to my dear friend Valinda? You can find her by clicking HERE.





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13 comments:

  1. Good Afternoon Barb:)
    Long time no hear from.LORL
    Okay..you have more than made up for it! Back to the grind stone or the baking oven..which ever.:)I feel all warm inside now.Wish I could grab a few of those yummy crackers though..they look wonderful!!:)
    You know..you shouldn't tell someone where you live and then tell them they can spank you for being bad.LOL
    I love your New Growth Heart Elements.Soo pretty! Thank you!:)
    Doesn't look like it will be long and you can bruise your bum again on that lake.Especially if the weather stays as cold as it has been on that side of the world.:)
    Thank you so much for sending folks my way.Wish I had something to offer them for their visit but haven't a thing at the moment.:(

    Hugs,
    Valinda

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  2. Your crackers look amaaazing!! You are making me so hungry! I really will have to take the time to try this some day! Just post some more recipes like this and the day is coming... :)
    I went over to your friends blog too. She is really talented, just like you!
    Wish you a good week!

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  3. Thank you so much for this Freebie. I want to let you know that I posted a link to your blog in Creative Busy Hands Scrapbook Freebies Search List, under the V - Elements - Valentines post on Jan. 05, 2009. Please, notice that I've changed my url. Thanks again and Happy New Year.

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  4. I can't wait to get my book or esle visit you and dip in ...yummmmm. Awesome Val will love the new Growth Heart ...she is a sweet lady and a big help to all ...maybe se you online later


    hugs

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  5. Ooh, how pretty! And the crackers look delicious!

    It's so good to hear form you again my friend! I pray you are doing well. Yes, you have been missed ;) If you figure out how to get caught up, would you please let me know? I have been trying to figure that one out for a long time!

    Take care my friend! May you and Mr. Miles have a blessed 2009!

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  6. Dear SWEET Barb! You are the FIRST person I've come to visit since just posting my SAD computer news!

    Those NUMMY Foccacia Crackers might be just what the doctor ordered for this girls upset tummy!!!

    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    Now you are going to get a GOOD chuckle out of this me thinks! I had come over here right after seeing your new post on my blog roll and somehow in the midst of posting this comment, the screen disappeared! Now here it is in the wee hours of the morning, I'm closing windows to shut down AND lookie what I found!!! ROFL!

    Thank you for ALL of the support Barb and GOOD info. I was overwhelmed with all of the input!!! WOW! Amazing just how many have lost hard drives.

    Robert will be trying to make contact with his tech tomorrow and I am going to call my local ISP tech who is a computer geek and might be able to guide me along.

    I'm thinking I might try encasing the hard drive and hooking it up to the old computer. Not so sure the old one can handle one four times the size that is in it! I'm tired and probably not making much sense so I'd better go and close my eyes and start anew in the morning when I'm refreshed!

    You are such a doll and I thank you SO much for being such a GOOD friend! Mmmmmmmm .... those Foccacia crakers are sound mighty good! AWESOME job girlfriend, the look BEAUTIFUL!

    BIG HUGS,
    Linda :)

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  7. Thank you for sharing the hearts! :)

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  8. Your Foccacia crackers look lovely, I reckon your house is the place to go for tea! you always have something scrummy to show... hear my tummy rumble!
    The lake looks gorgeous, is it far from where you live? I bet you get so many pretty photo's throughout the seasons.
    Hugs to you

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  9. Good to see you around, and with more lovely bread too :)

    Amazing ice crystals but oh it looks so cold.

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  10. Good Morning Barb!!!!!!!!!!!!
    The crackers look so YUMMY!!!!!!!!!
    Not much going on here still unzippin my files I've DL & filing them away!!!! LOL
    TY so very much for these MARVELOUS heart frames!!!!!!!!!!!!
    HUGE HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  11. the crackers look SCRUMPTIOUS!! i have YET to try the bread but I WILL!! lol looks too good (and easy) NOT to try it!! LOVE the New Growth Heart and thank you for sharing!! Hope you get caught up and have an AWESOME day! :D

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  12. Very nice! TY

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  13. Good Morning again Barb:)
    Just stopping in to say Hi and thank you again for being who you are.A truly wonderful person and a fantastic friend!!:)
    Hope you are enjoying your day!!

    Hugs,
    Valinda

    ReplyDelete

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