trying a new bag shape

I normally put handmade shopping bags in the Christmas stockings that I fill.  This year I did not get there.  My Mom mentioned that she felt like she lost a week between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I admit to feeling much the same and bags were part of what gave.  But I still had beautiful fabrics to use.  Even some I picked up on our Alaska travels.  Ones that I keep looking at and admire so that I am having problems cutting into them.  Soon though, soon.

I decided to try a new design with a flat bottom.  I am going to change the measurements up a bit but this is close.  Very close. 

This one I sent to my Mom for testing.  I think I will send the next one to the Tall Short Person for testing.  Probably with more flannel for Koda Bear in that package as well.  He needs cozy right now.  And letters.  I send those strange paper things in the mail.  Yes, please laugh but I do better with letters then the phone.  I am a strange lady.

I need cozy but tea and sitting at my sewing machine works in place of cozy.  Spinning wheel works.  There is nothing cozy about surfing currently.  It is down right cold, even in a wet suit, but it does bring calm.  Skateboarding someplace would help too.  Camping.  I am obviously rambling.  Calm is a good thing.

quieting the strangeness

Can I say that last week was a very strange week?  It was just not all the bizarreness of work either.  There is a lot of stress going on with the falling of oil prices and more layoffs being announced which just makes work chaos theory in action.  Then add in illness and injury at home.  Very strange.

I found concentrating on this quilt really helped quiet all the strangeness.  Taking the time to lay it all out, move colors around with a cup of tea.  I have been using my Yeti cups to keep my tea hotter longer when I work at home.  Just a simple pleasure.

I have been wanting to put more quilts together.  I have enough squares at least one more right now.  It may be the action of quiet currently.  Knead dough helps too.

trying to make thick ramen noodles

I know ramen is an in thing but we have been eating it for a long time.  Actually, noodles are a favorite in almost any form you can find them.  In mid-December, a ramen resturaunt was tried.  I would definitely go back if the opportunity presented itself but ramen is made in my kitchen.  The one thing that I had that I really liked was a thick ramen noodle.  I realized I needed to learn how to make those thick noodles because you cannot buy them in the stores closest too me.  Good ramen noodles can be purchased but not good thick ramen noodles.

Now, I do make Italian pasta so the idea of making my own ramen noodles was not daunting.  I found a recipe on the the Lucky Peach  blog so I decided to give it a try to get the thickness I wanted.  Ramen noodles are not much different then Italian pasta if it is not an egg pasta.  Baked baking soda is used to make them alkaline which changes the color and taste a bit.

The result was too thick!  But I was using a knife instead of a pasta cutter or stretching them.  I think I am on the right track.  Next time, I will cut them thinner.

There will be a next time.

homemade ramen noodles

Note:  I am using the recipe from the Lucky Peach.  Good directions, good pictures.  I am just trying to change the size:  thick noodles!

3 cups flour

1/2 cup baked baking soda

1/2 cup warm water, tap is fine

1/2 cup cold water, tap is fine

To bake the baking soda, spread the baking soda on a foiled lined baking sheet.  Bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.  Store in a jar for use.  

Dissolve 4 teaspoons of the baked baking soda in the warm water in a large bowl.  Mix in the cold water.  Mix in the flour.  Turn the dough out and knead for five minutes.  The recipe says that this will be a difficult pebbly dough but maybe I make too much bread and pasta because I did not think so.

Let the dough rest for 20 minutes wrapped in cling film on the counter.  Knead for five more minutes and rewrap.  Put in the refrigerator for one hour.

Portion the dough into four or six portions.  Roll out until it is as thick as you wish.  Thin or thick.  Cut noodles.  Dust with flour so that the noodles do not stick together.

Cook in a large pot of boiling water until done, two to three minutes.  Drain and pour hot broth over with anything you wish to eat on your ramen.

Yum!  Next time, not quite as thick.

malasadas

Miss A was having a tough week and she texted me saying maybe we should celebrate Epiphany with malasadas.  I did not have a clue what these were but I said yes.  What is more yeastie beasties and boiling fat in my life?

The malasadas are a doughnut type pastry made in Hawaii.  Shaped very similarly to a beignet.  They are pretty good.  I did tweak them with sourdough, a bit of heavy whipping cream, and a tad of whole wheat flour.  Actually, I did not use any true white flour which is the reasons they are so dark.  I only have heritage flours in the house currently and nothing is bleached.

I also tried my best to screw up this recipe.  I do not know why but every time I turned around, I did something wrong.  Even being that distracted, these turned out well.  I did make the whole recipe and it does make twelve large doughnut type pastries.  It is a good thing if you have a backyard full of boyos (who wondered why these have not been in their lives before) or cut the recipe down.

malasadas

Note:  I modified the recipe from Saveur to use sourdough.  I am also keeping some of my screw ups.

sourdough starter

1 cup whole wheat flour 

about 3/4 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups flour

oil for frying

sugar for dusting, we used both granulated which is authentic and powdered

The night before you wish to make the pastries, mix the starter, 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl.  Cover and let become bubbly.

When ready to start the next day, save a couple tablespoons of starter for the next baking.

Mix in the eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, butter, milk, whipping cream, and salt.  Mix in the flour and beat until smooth.  This is a very soft dough.  Cover with plastic wrap but do not seal.  Let rise until double.

When the dough has risen to double, roll the dough in about a twelve inch square that is about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut the dough into 3 inch squares.  If you have any extras, you can roll the dough out again and cut it.  This next part is key:  place on a buttered parchment paper about three inches apart.  Cover and let proof in a warm place for about an hour.

Put the oil in a pot for frying.  Bring it up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put about a cup of either sugar in a large bowl and set aside.  When the oil is up to heat, cut the parchment between the pastries, leaving a border that is large enough to hold.  Put the pastries in the oil paper side up.  The recipe suggested to use tongs but I used my fingers to put the pastries in the oil and gently peel the parchment off.  The dough is this soft.  Cook and flip once.  They should be puffy and golden, two to three minutes per side.  When warm, put in the bowl with sugar and toss.

I will need to make these again soon.  The boyos will be pleased and Miss A will need a call.  They were very much a hit.

more seconds for me!

I came home a couple weeks back and the boyos presented me with a second.  This time a cutting board.  They are branching out again.

Desert walnut, which has a story that includes border patrol behind it.  Story needs to be told over adult beverages.  End grain.  Two inches thick.  

I do not think I will be warping this one.  I have warped cutting boards in the past.  I still use them in that shape but always think I need to replace them.  I only wish this was a bit more rectangle.  But then it was an experiment and a second.  I am not going to be picky about that.

Just not good enough to sell to a customer for the price that they wish to sell it for.  It has already taken some abuse and it still looks like new.  But then I do cook about every day.

I am their most picky customer for sharpenings too.  Oh well.