Number 3: The Bread

Every Christmas, my friend Brian bakes this amazing bread. I don't quite know how to describe it other than to say it is the tastiest bread I ever did have. I've often wanted to ask him for the recipe, but I always hesitate because baking bread intimidates me. For some reason, it just seems like baking bread takes a special touch that I'm not confident I have. I have baked all kinds of things from cakes, cookies, and brownies to chicken, biscuits, and casseroles. But I have never attempted bread. Before today, that is.

I am proud to report that I only had one tiny snafu during the whole process! At first, I was using all purpose flour instead of bread flour. Seeing as how I never baked bread before, I think that is an allowable mistake. And I caught it just after I mixed all the dry ingredients together, so I didn't have to re-do much of my work. (Major props to my husband, Tobin, for running out to the store to get me the right kind of flour!)

Oh, and just so you know: if you don't have a 4" circle cutter like the recipe calls for, a large pumpkin shaped halloween cookie cutter substitutes quite nicely. Sure, it doesn't come out perfectly round, but it worked for me! Just make sure to pinch off the stem part...

Without further ado, here is the picture of my finished bread--which I'm happy to report tastes EXACTLY like it does when Brian makes it, which is delicious--followed by the recipe. Enjoy!



Parker House Herb Loaves

4 cups bread flour
2 (1/4 oz) envelopes rapid-rise yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp garlic salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbsp choppped fresh basil
2 Tbsp minced onion

Combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and garlic salt in a large mixing bowl, stir well.

Combine milk and 1/3 cup butter in a saucepan, cook over medium-low heat until mixture reaches 120 degrees, stirring often.

Gradually add hot milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring well. Add eggs, beat at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto a well-floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (about 6-8 mins). Shape into a ball. Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 30 mins or until doubled in bulk.

Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup softened butter, herbs, and onion; stir well. Set aside.

Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 or 5 times. divide dough in half. Roll half of dough to 1/4" thickness, cut with a 4" round cutter.

Spread 2 tsp herb butter on tops of dough rounds; fold in half, bringing bottom within 1/4" fo top half, allowing herb butter to peak through top. Place half-moons upright next to each other on a greased baking sheet.

Repeat procedure with remaining dough and herb butter, making a second loaf. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 20 mins or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 375 for 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush loaves with remaining herb butter. Yield: 2 loaves.

Number 25: The Surprise

I love surprises! I love planning surprises. I love hearing stories about surprises. I love being surprised. So accomplishing Number 25, to plan a surprise for someone, was fun for me to the extreme!

My friend Daniela and I were supposed to go on a week and a half road trip together when both of our husbands were out of town. For scheduling reasons, that did not work out. Then we were going to do a one night getaway. For financial reasons, that did not work out either. So what we were left with was a day at home in Palm Beach County--just like any other day. I decided to turn this into my surprise day to add some excitement!

I took her on a scavenger hunt around town to all the places that mean something to us and at each location, we played a game that we normally play together, only each game had a more extreme twist. I gave her a series of cards with ryhming clues about where she was to go next. The locations included: Chapel by the Lake, the parking spot by the Narnia pole, my house, my chriopractor's office, Longhorn Steakhouse, and her place. Writing the rhymes was fun, but my favorite part was making the games! Daniela and I like to play hangman, tic tac toe, and the question game to pass the time. On the Surprise day, we played all of those games, but an extreme version of them. The games included...

A 3D tic tac toe board, on which you could make three in a row in the usual ways (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) as well as up, down, and accross the three boards. It was challenging fun!

Sidwalk Chalk hangman where there were three phrases, each with its own man waiting to hang, played simlutaneously.

Blindfolded sculpting...this was to replace blindfolded baking because I just didn't have the ingredients to bake something. We sculpted things out of play-doh while blindfolded. The outcome was ridiculous.

The Q Game. I took our traditional question game (in which we basically just ask each other questions back and forth) and made it into a card game. This was my favorite one to make. Maybe I'll patent it one day...best not write about the playing cards I made up so no one steals my idea!

The day culminated in a good old fashioned sleepover--a rare event for the married woman. I don't know about Daniela, but I know that I had a blast both preparing the surprise and executing it. Success!