Archive for February, 2019

h1

What has me saying, “brrrr!”

February 25, 2019

You’ve seen the perfect arcs of boiling water solidified mid-throw, and perhaps this frozen speeding sign that duplicated itself over 2019’s Polar Vortex, but have you seen ghost apples? Thanks to a Facebook post by farm manager Andrew Sietsma, the phenomenon has captivated the internet, leaving commenters to marvel at the sight of these glass-like specimens that remain after apples have rotted from their icy exterior. Sietsema told CNN that this winter the weather in western Michigan was “just cold enough that the ice covering the apple hadn’t melted yet, but it was warm enough that the apple inside turned to complete mush (apples have a lower freezing point than water).” Jonagolds are one of Sietsema’s favorite apple varieties, but on the farm they are now referred to as “Jonaghosts.”

 

from colossal

h1

What am I sappy dog blogging?

February 22, 2019

h1

What am I baking?

February 21, 2019

Yesterday was muffin day but today I tackled no-knead foccacia rolls from Budget Bytes. They are spectacular and easy!  I left off the Italian seasoning on the top, but did brush them with olive oil.  Crispy and crusty and delicious.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 Tbsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp instant yeast
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil 
  • 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

  • The day before (about 18 hours ahead of time) combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir until well mixed. Add the water, starting with 1.5 cups, and add a little more at a time until the flour forms a cohesive, wet ball. There should not be any dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl. The total amount of water you’ll need will vary, but should be between 1.5 to 2 cups. See the photos below for more info.
  • Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 16-18 hours to ferment.
  • After 16-18 hours, the dough will look like a large, bubbly mass. Sprinkle with enough flour to be able to scrape it out of the bowl without it sticking to your hands. Place the dough on a well floured surface. Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball. The dough will be quite wet, floppy, and sticky, so sprinkle liberally with flour as you work.
  • Place the rolls on a baking sheet covered in foil and lightly sprayed with non-stick spray (I used two baking sheets). Brush the top of each lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over top. Let rise for 30 minutes to one hour or until doubled in size.
  • While the rolls are still rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Once it is fully preheated, place the rolls in the oven and bake until the surface is a light golden brown (about 25 minutes). Serve warm!
h1

What am I watching this time?

February 20, 2019
h1

What am I sappy lion blogging?

February 15, 2019

h1

Why am I saying, “by Jupiter*?”

February 13, 2019

*An ellipsis of a full oath of the form “I swear by Jupiter that…”. (wiki)

h1

Why am I saying, “Brr?”

February 11, 2019

Ephemeral performance art, courtesy Mother Nature

h1

What am I sappy cardinal blogging?

February 8, 2019

h1

What am I sappy cat blogging?

February 1, 2019

or is it a bird . . .?