thought twelve: best thing since sliced bread.

Bread. I have always wanted a bread maker but can never justify the amount of bread I would eat. I would be massive! 


But there is nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread in the house. 
Biting into a lovely, warm freshly baked roll. 
The satisfaction of having made something so wonderful and tasty.


So, I baked some bread. 


I am definitely NOT a morning person (ask my husband, he will back me up on that one) but for some reason the thought of fresh bread enticed me out of my warm bed yesterday morning. I mixed up the dough the evening before and then jumped out of bed at 5:45am to roll them out and pop them in the oven before work. 


It's a Swedish recipe so I have translated the ingredients and method and popped it up here.


Pumpkin Seed Rye Bread Rolls
Makes 8-10 small rolls
15-20mins cooking time             overnight proving + 30mins prep


Ingredients


3-5g yeast (I used dry yeast but I think you can use either)
3 cups cold water
3 cups sifted rye flour
3 and half cups bread flour
1 and half teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon honey or syrup (light or dark)
sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds or for decoration


Method


Dough (night before):
Pour the water into a large mixing bowl. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (including the yeast but not the seeds) and then add the honey. Add the dry ingredients to the water and mix around thoroughly. The dough should be loose but not runny. Add more bread flour if needed. Leave it to prove overnight covered with a tea towel at room temperature.


Next Morning:
Pour the dough onto a floured surface and form a long, narrow baguette. If the dough is really loose and doesn't keep its shape, roll it in flour to make it a little firmer. Brush with water and sprinkle with desired decorations. Let it rise on the table without cover about 30 minutes.

Turn the oven to 250-275 degrees (some ovens only go to 250 degrees). Place a baking tray in the middle of your oven to preheat. 

Then, divide the bread into about 5 cm long pieces, put them on baking paper on a cutting board, remove the hot tray from the oven and quickly transfer the loaves on the sheet. Bake in middle of oven about 15 - 20 min. 

Check that they have a nice golden brown colour. Let them cool on a rack slightly and serve warm. Enjoy!

thought eleven: Pinterest revisited

I wrote (a few thoughts ago) that Pinterest was a nice idea but that it was all creativity from behind a computer screen. I challenged myself to actually make/try the things I've found.

Here are just a few of the things I have tried so far.

my microwave cake in a mug.

This was surprisingly easy and tasted absolutely amazing! I totally recommend this to anyone who just wants an easy dessert after an evening meal.

my place names.

Again, seriously simple. Just cut out a template, trace and cut. Write out the names and stick it in your fork!

my microwave chips.

A bit hit and miss on the chip front. I tried salt and vinegar, but they just tasted like the salt ones. But I was surprised how crispy they were. 

my sock bun.

I loved it at first. But I find it hard to hide the sock, so I don't often wear it.

latest addition: my weekly board (with handy whiteboard marker to write on the glass!)

I love this so much! It is such a basic idea yet it works so well! I was hesitant about the whiteboard marker because I heard it wouldn't be as strong as a wet erase marker, but it works just fine and is much cheaper! My husband and I always use it and it's a great way to remember what's coming up that week.

If you want any hints on any of these ideas, please just ask!

thought ten: chocolate

You know those days when you come home from a pretty rubbish day at work, you're feeling a bit low and then BOOM a sudden urge for something chocolatey hits you in the face.

Well that was me today. 

I searched my cupboards. nothing.

I looked through the draws. nothing.

I emptied the contents of my bag. nothing.

I even raided the youth group basket of goodies. nothing.

But then, when I thought all hope was gone, I went to Pinterest. And gosh have I found the solution!

Microwave Chocolate and Caramel Mug Cake

The ingredients were all just normal cupboard things and it takes no more than 5 minutes to make.

Salted Caramel Mug Cake
What you’ll need: {makes 1 mug cake}
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg – beaten
3 tablespoons skim milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 salted caramels

What to do: 
1. Into a small bowl add: flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, egg, milk, and vegetable oil. Mix to combine.

2. Pour mixture into a regular sized coffee mug. Drop caramels into center of mixture one at a time.

3. Microwave on high for one minute and 30 seconds. If needed {if cake batter is still gooey}, microwave on high for up to an additional 30 seconds.

{Recipe thanks to: http://blogs.babble.com}

This is how mine turned out.

thought nine: when I grow up.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" It's a question every kid is asked when they're little. Then it turns into "What do you want to do when you finish school?" or "What do you want to study at uni?" 

Some kids want to be firefighters, some want to be ballerinas. When I was little I told my Mum I was going to be a Nun because boys have germs (I thought it was get married or become a Nun- simple, black or white). 

The problem is, I'm not that little girl anymore (and I'm married now, so the Nun option's out the window) but still don't really know what I want to be?

I've been working in a high school and I really enjoy it. Just helping out the teachers with kids who need a little extra support. It's wonderful getting alongside the kids and helping them learn, understand and figure out how they fit in life. There's never a better moment than when you've helped a teenager discover something for the first time. 

Option 1: High School Teacher.

But what subject?

I love Art.

Social Ethics.

(that's about it)

Then there's the creative side of life. I love creating, making, designing,  painting. I used to design cards for art galleries and small boutique shops. Mostly children's designs. Here are a few:

Can I do something creative? Artistic? 

Option 2: Graphic Designer. 

But that involves a whole lot of university!

Do I follow something I love but am pretty bog standard at or do I just stick at something that most people can do? A job is not my identity, it just pays the bills so should I get this worked up about it? Should I just do something? 

The thing is, my husband is a Youth Worker at our local church and I get pretty stuck in helping him. So whatever I do for money I need it to work with helping serve there. That is incredibly important to me and I love working with him as a team serving Jesus. 

This thought doesn't really have an ending, it doesn't have an answer. Just rambling really. But it helps. Helps me to organise my thoughts. I think I will leave creativity as a hobby and follow a path that will help pay the bills at the end of each month. It's starting to look a lot like teaching Social Ethics is the answer. 

 

thought eight: why does it always rain on me?

Rain. I know, as an Australian, I should be totally thankful for the rain but gosh it makes me feel...urghhh...


Today has been a mix of blowing wind, freezing rain and just general grey skies. All day I walked through the corridors at work feeling pretty miserable and dragging my feet. I was unmotivated, distant and just didn't feel really in the mood to do anything. 


What is it about grey weather that makes us feel rubbish? 

Apparently winter blues is a common feeling for people, like us, who live up north. It's got a fancy name, seasonal affective disorder, and up to 5% of the population can have it. People feel sad and low in the winter months when the temperatures drop and the days grow short. People who have it often eat more and sleep more so gain loads of weight. And get this, women are twice to three times more likely to suffer from it than men! So not only do we feel crap from the weather but we're more likely to gain weight and feel moody and tired! 

It's all sounding pretty crap isn't it? Well this is where my little thought pops in...

STOP! DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! 

So, this is what I am doing about it. 'Spanish Night' at home. We are bringing the summer to our little, grey, British flat. The weather outside is utterly vile but inside it will be sunny, warm and full of fun. I am making Paella for dinner, we will play our favourite Spanish music, look through our favourite Spanish holiday photos, turn up the heating and close the blinds. 

So stop the stinking thinking and turn up the music, your mood is totally what you make it and I am sick of moping around and watching the rain. 


P.S.


This is how it went...

Just a little something simple to turn a normal evening in into something a bit special. 

I pinched this idea off Pinterest, simple yet so cute.

Paella and Spanish music

Some pictures and postcards from our last holiday

I replicated a dessert we tried on our holiday, I recommend this, it was amazing!

It's funny how little things like music, food and pictures can send you straight back to a relaxed and happy place.