Best bread EVER
I’m putting my favorite bread recipe below the cut in honor of the brand new bread machine I got for eight bucks at a garage sale on Sunday. When I say brand new, I mean that the free yeast packets were still packed in its shiny bread pan. But it’s not brand new because the people were carting it around since 1998. Now it’s in my house and my eight bucks are in theirs and everyone is happy.
I’m getting more anxious about our visit to Madison’s extended birth family. I can’t get into the one hairdresser I trust so I’m thinking of just hacking at my hair with kitchen shears. For some reason I have more faith in this approach than in finding a new hairdresser. Also, I’m growing my color out, which means that my hair is three colors (burnt, sad, formerly-dyed orange — the color to which all dyes revert; sad, mousy brown; and dynamic streaks of white, which I love but are not fashionable and to which certain family members of my own who shall remain nameless react in horror). So I need to find a rinse to make myself wedding-presentable.
I’m also worried about the flight. You know, rambunctious toddler and a very, very small space. And seatbelts. And carseats. And boredom. I’m taking the advice of one of my friends and buying 1.2 million small toys at thrift stores to dangle in front of her and thus distract from the hell, which is cross-country flight.
I am worried about my hair and the flight to save myself worrying about the actual visit. I can buy a rinse for my hair, I can buy 1.2 million small toys but I cannot buy a damn thing to guarantee that the visit will be lovely. But I’ve decided that I’m looking forward to after the visit, thus ridding myself of those pesky hopes and expectations. Just think of the stories I’ll have then! And the pictures! (I don’t know if the stories and pictures will be good or bad but I know I’ll have plenty of both.)
Look beyond the cut for the super duper bread recipe.
This makes three loaves and I always make it in a bread machine because I can’t for the life of me knead anything long enough. I’m too impatient, I get too bored. I haven’t figured out a way to read a book or surf the internet while kneading. I’ve also tried using my dough hook in my Kitchen-aid without luck. So that’s why I use the bread machine.
This is a modification of a bread recipe from The Savory Way by Deborah Madison.
First dump the wet stuff into the bottom of your bread machine.
–1 1/2 cups water (you can use milk if you want and skip the dried milk addition below)
–1/2 cup cooking oil
–1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
–3 eggs
Then dump the dry stuff.
–3/4 cup dried milk
–1 teaspoon salt
–3 cups whole wheat flour
–3 cups bread flour
At the very tippy-top, put one packet (or 2 teaspoons) dried yeast.
Now hit the “dough” cycle and let it do its thing. My old bread machine had a dough WW cycle, which was grand. This one doesn’t because it’s older so I run it through the “dough” cycle twice. Also, I have a 2lb bread pan in my machine but sometimes it still needs me to help it mix up before it starts the kneading in earnest.
If after one or two cycles the bread hasn’t risen to the top of the pan (and sometimes in warmer weather it will actually start pushing the lid up), either your yeast is dead or your water was too cold or else you just need to let it sit some more. Anyway, once it has puffed up nicely, punch it down and shape it.
Cut the dough into three equal pieces and flatten ‘em out. Then roll them tightly and stick them into bread pans. Cover them and let them rise in a warm place until they have puffed up to the top of the bread pans. Meanwhile, you should have your oven preheated to 350. When the loaves have risen, stick ‘em in the oven for about 40 minutes — give or take.
Edited to add: You can find the original version of this recipe on an early journal entry here.
Okay the hair and the flight are natural. You are trying to put your best self forward. I decided the night before my 20th high school reunion to add hilights with a grocery store kit. I used to be a hairdresser I should know better. It was disaster, but I could part my hair in a different place and you couldn’t tell. Anxiety makes you do stupid things.
The important thing about this visit is that it shows J and her family that you value them. You are willing to fly across the country with a wiggly baby to begin a relationship with them. I think there really will be a positive outcome. You will become people to each other, not just ideas. It is easier to have positive ideas about someone you’ve seen flesh and blood.
dont forget snacks! airplane food can be horrible for kids. some airlines have childrens meals that you can order in advance; they may offend your health sensibilities, but at least look like more familiar things. (for example, my kids got pancakes, cereal and milk, and yogurt for breakfast)
i’ve had much success with my kitchenaid dough hook.
on a more serious note, i’m following the whole conversation about class and money closely — had a discussion along these lines with a good friend recently. you’ve given me more to think about; i’ll save the intelligent comments for another time.
Ask the good hairdresser for a reference to someone else, explain why.
Wrap little toys in gift type paper or put it little containers with lids. Adds to entertainment value.
Enjoy bread. You totally scored.
Hi–Paige from robot club–mama to semi-largish biracial boy Elliott (did I just admit outloud that my kid is getting bigger–oy!)
Anyhoo, I wanted to suggest using one of those temporary new L’oreal mousse dyes to cover your hair color angst (and the multi-coloredness of it all). It washes out in 8-10 washes, and best of all, it’s about 5.00. Probably not the most pressing issue in your entry, but the one to which I could speak. Have a great trip!
Oh yeah, I found Hyland’s teething tablets (at evil Walmart, Walgreens, CVS–)to be quite helpful on airplane trips. They are homeopathic and seemed to work like baby valium for Elliott–they didn’t knock him out, but everything was much more mellow and tolerable on his planet
Dawn,
Take a deep breath and relax. What will be, will be with your visit….I am a real worrier, too, but as someone just told me, worrying never solved problems…it just wasted my energy. I’m trying to think of this when I start worrying…
Speaking from experience having visited my son’s birth family many, many times, it is always a bit awkward. It is always a bit overwhelming. I’m hoping that during your visit you’ve got a nice quiet & private place that you can go to to just relax and regroup because it is likely to be lovely and wonderful–and tiring. I love my son’s birth family. They are wonderful people. And we always have amazing moments together. But, we are human, and there is always a current running thru our times together. It is neither bad nor good–it just is. So better to be prepared and grant yourself the grace to have a place so that you don’t have to be “on” the entire visit.
FYI with Madison on the airplane: why not wrap up the little toys so that she has the fun of opening them? We would give our son a toy every hour or so, and he liked opening them more than playing with them! Also, if Madison is ansty, she’s antsy. She cries, she cries. It’s life. We taken our kids on multiple trips to Mexico, and they are generally good travlers, but they are kids–and stuff happens. If she cries it is not because you are doing something wrong. Who cares what people think if she cries? You will do your best and that’s all you can do.
I hope you have a great trip!
HMBalison