Bread Machine Pizza Dough

I just put some pizza dough in the bread machine. I couldn't find my usual recipe so I got one from another book I've been meaning to try. This one is half white and half wheat flour. I'll like it fine, but I'm not sure my boyfriend will like it.
The bread machine sounded a bit clunkier than usual. I hope it's okay.

If At First You Don't Succeed

I don't want to give the impression that I'm the perfect cook and everything comes out great. Such is the case with my bread. Everything was picture perfect until the last rise. The directions said to form a loaf, put it on a cookie sheet, and let it rise from 1 to 3 hours. Well, after 4 hours, it still hadn't risen and I had no idea why.




Also, I was supposed to sprinkle corn meal on the pan first. I thought we had some but we didn't. So I used flour.
I brushed the top of the loaf with water. I put the bread in the oven after 4 hours. I checked the thermometer and it was 400 degrees spot on. I baked the bread 20 minutes and it wasn't even browning. So I left it in another 5. Still no browning. Left it in another 5. It was a little brown but I was afraid to overbake it so I took it out. I let it cool half an hour as per the directions. Then I tried to pry it off the pan. It has become one with the pan. I cut off/pulled off 3 slices. Later I tried to get the rest unstuck and broke the spatula trying. It was my boyfriend's grandmother's spatula.

Anyway, the bread did taste good. It tasted like sourdough and the inner bread was perfect. My teeth aren't the greatest so I didn't even try to eat the tougher parts of the crust. I'm sure it would be fine dipped into vegetable soup or spaghetti sauce.

At any rate, I fed my starter again, and maybe I'll try again. If the second attempt doesn't rise, I guess I should toss the starter.

Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained.

Five Minute Artisan Bread and Naan

At the archery gathering yesterday Diane told me about Five Minute Artisan Bread. So I found the recipe here: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx. She also said she has some sourdough starter that has been around since making it to the west in a covered wagon, and she promised to share some at our next meeting. The Artisan bread info also tells how to make Naan, one of my favorite breads that you can even make on a camp-out. So I can't wait to try that too.

The photo is of Diane beading a necklace. She's camera shy.

Apple Turnovers

For today I wanted to use up my leftover Fillo Dough and my Gaia apples so I found this recipe on Cooks.com for Apple Turnovers.
Since I was using already cut sheets of dough I had to approximate the way they said to fold it, but it came out fine. The recipe calls for Granny Smith Apples, so if you are making a trip to the store get those instead.
After I cut the apples, I asked my boyfriend if I could use one of the lemons he bought last time we went to the market and he said no. He was just about to use it for some Stuffed Grape Leaves (which turned out wonderful). So I had to walk to the store to get a lemon. Actually, I got a tablespoon of lemon out of just half the lemon. But I was also able to get some milk to go with the apple turnovers. So Yay!

The one thing that is not in that recipe is the Powdered Sugar Glaze. Put about 4 tablespoons of powdered sugar in a small bowl, and add literally a few drops of water at a time and stir, until you get the consistancy you want. Let the apple turnovers cool for 10 minutes before drizzling the glaze over them. Also, I sprayed the pan with ordinary cooking spray, but used melted butter brushed on with a pastry brush between the layers and also on top.