SailorScoutMandy

27 minutes ago, Aguy said:

I brush with butter and don't do any spritzing or water tray in the oven so it may make a softer crust, let me/us know if you do.

I'll report in next weekend.

2 hours ago, Aguy said:

I could tell, I've got a pretty astute pretzel eye. I've made them a couple times and they don't get that Super Pretzel crust, more crusty bread.

Im tempted to try what I do when baking bread. To make the crust I throw a pan of water in bottom of oven while baking to make it steamy in there. Want to apply that to the pretzels. 

10 hours ago, Aguy said:

Are those Alton Brown pretzels?

They are! Turned out pretty well, tho didn't get much of the soft crust pretzel crust. 

Today included pretzels with a smoked gouda and 4-year-old cheddar cheese beer dip, then standard loaf of bread. Didn't look fancy, but taste good. 

2 hours ago, arch_8ngel said:

It is my honest opinion that the "funnier looking" the outer crust of a bread item is, the better it will all taste, and the better texture it will have.  (big lover of "pizza crust bubbles" :P)

So I'll go through the effort of stretching and folding the dough for a bread loaf, since you need that "work" on the dough for texture -- but I don't bother making it pretty.

My scoring attempts on bread have been pretty funny. Never do it seriously. 

22 minutes ago, arch_8ngel said:

Yeah, the nice thing about most basic bread recipes is that you can sort of wing in as long as you cover the basics.  (getting dough to the right texture - i.e. not too dry -- cooking in a really hot oven -- and making sure you have the patience for the cooling phase where the insides are still steam-cooking)

I think it's cool that people bake all kinds "pretty" loaves where they do a good job on the aesthetics -- but I don't put in that level of time and effort and don't mind "funny-looking" loaves.

It's all about the taste. I've had many dinner looks terrible but taste yum. 

1 hour ago, arch_8ngel said:

I've tried a few -- the one from "all recipes" or whatever the site is called is pretty solid, and marginally more consistent for me than Alton Brown's recipe.

I generally use that site for jumping points. Lots of good base info. 

Haha so among us followed by among us. 

36 minutes ago, Aguy said:

We've had great success with Alton Brown's recipe. Here a picture I posted earlier this year in the "What's for dinner" thread.

https://altonbrown.com/recipes/homemade-soft-pretzels/

Alton brown hasn't let me down. Just wish his new show was on hulu, just the reloaded 13 eps. 

Today is peppermint marshmallows with crushed candy canes 

And cranberry walnut spiced biscotti.

15 hours ago, Gloves said:

It was yeast that we couldn't obtain here in Toronto. Of all things. Fuckin everybody HAD to make sourdough that first few weeks. Weirdos. 

I ended up with a huge bag of yeast from Bob mills and then a local bakery was selling stuff cheappppp and I got a pound of yeast from them as well. 

15 hours ago, arch_8ngel said:

Just the flour was impossible to find for awhile in the first month or two of things shutting down.  (to where I can't help but buy a 5 lb bag anytime I see one at the store  just to make sure I'll have it later)

Haven't tried doing bagels yet.  Pretzels, I have a recipe that works well for me, and I have a lot of confidence in the end product.  Rustic bread, I've experimented enough with, that I know it's pretty hard to screw it up, and as long as you don't cut it early, it will be good.  And pizza dough is even more forgiving, as long as you make sure you stretch it or roll it thin enough.  (and in ALL cases, it is all about having the oven very hot -- and if you can use a cast iron skillet or a stone to hold the bottom-side heat, you'll end up with a better end result)

Few weeks ago my fiance went to the store for me and came come with 6 bags of unbleached flour since I was having a hard time finding it. Safe to say I have plenty of flour for now. Haha

My favorite bread recipe is from KAF . Which pretzel recipe do you use?

5 hours ago, arch_8ngel said:

I've just been sticking with bread baking, throughout the pandemic -- but I haven't done pretzels in awhile (had become a weekly staple during the first few months) and I've mostly reverted to rustic loaves since they are a lot less work and mess.  (I can easily do a rustic loaf on a week night, and prep during an afternoon break from WFH -- but pretzel making is involved enough that it is weekends-only)

We have been making our own bread too. Was impossible to find for awhile so just started making own. So much tastier. I want to make bagels, yummm. 

58 minutes ago, DoctorEncore said:

The only baking I do is chocolate chip cookies with the classic Toll House recipe. Soft cookies fresh from the oven. Mmmmm.

Can't go wrong with classic chocolate chip. Tho dark chocolate chips and added sea salt are hard to say no too as well

What are some of your go to holiday recipes? 

Here's one of my favorite: 

Cake: 

4 eggs

1/2 c canola oil

1/2 c water

1/2 c rum*

1 box cake mix*

1 standard box of instant pudding*

Mix eggs, water, oil, and rum. Add cake mix and pudding, mix 3-5 mins. 

Bake at 350F for 40-45 mins in a well greased bundt pan. 

(This also works in a 13 x 9, just bake less time)

Glaze:

1 c sugar

1/4 c water

1 stick unsalted butter 

1/2 c rum

Bring sugar, water, and butter to boil. Remove from heat and add the rum. 

While cake is still in the pan, poke holes into cake and pour half the glaze on. Remove from pan and repeat on other side. 

* Variations: 

Malibu rum, pineapple cake, and vanilla pudding (personal favorite)

Spiced rum, chocolate cake, and chocolate pudding

White rum, white/yellow cake, and vanilla pudding

All things Harry Potter and Sailor Moon. Different releases of the books and movies/shows. Was gifted the sailor moon games that are on the snes, too story heavy to play untranslated tho.

Among us is cross platform with the switch now? Cool.

I've loved anything sailor moon since elementary school. It was my favorite thing to look forward to after school, sailor moon followed by dragon ball z on cartoon network. 

3 minutes ago, Estil said:

Yet another example of how dogs have owners and cats have staff?  

But don't they usually steal your chair rather than your desk?

You know, I tried bargaining, offered more treats or food, nothing.

2 minutes ago, Estil said:

They make even better bed warmers; there is nothing in this world more beautiful and loving than sharing a bed with your kitties

Unless they're hogging too much space and you can't fit...then you gotta sleep on the floor or couch  

Hahaha between four cats that know nothing of personal boundaries and the fiance, there is zero room for me but it's Soo warm. 

Since working from home, I promptly also lost all access to my desk. It's the cat bed now. 

2 hours ago, Estil said:

Oh I have a pic of my dearly departed Tweetie (2005-12; RIP) sitting on my right thigh watching me play MMBN4 on my Game Boy Player!  Kitties watching you and patting things with their mittens...these are a few of my favorite kitty things!  

They do make the best lap warmers don't they.

When my brother and I were younger, my mom often got us a shared big gift for Christmas. One year, we got the gold N64 that was the toys r us exclusive. We would all play pokemon stadium together, including my mom, and even mario party together. Not sure what happened to the system sadly. 

She also likes to help you try to win. 

2 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

That sounds great!

Thank you! Forgot to mention artichokes in the ricotta. It fell apart, forgot to alternate the noodle layers, but tasted delish. 

She just likes to try to help out.