Saturday, January 28, 2017

SWEDISH LIMPA BREAD ----- YUMMY!

I've been thinking about homemade bread for a while now. My go-to bread is the simple artisan bread that you make in a Dutch oven ... So easy and wonderful, like this one: http://www.jocooks.com/bakery/breads/crusty-bread/

A local bakery makes a wonderful Black Forest bread like my mother used to make. She also made Swedish Limpa. Every time I go to the market, I look for rye flour so I can be ready, but my favorite store never has it. Yesterday I went to Sprout's Market and was excited to find dark rye flour. So this morning I made Swedish Limpa for the first time.

Instead of using my Kitchenaid mixer and the dough hook, I decided to follow the recipe and mix and knead by hand. Luckily my right shoulder has somewhat healed! It's a messy business.

But I did get through the kneading part, and got the dough into the greased bowl to rise.

After punching it down and transferring to a pan to rise again, it baked and cooled for a very short time before I sliced it in half. It smells so good. And tastes wonderful! The outside is so crusty, the inside so tender ..... You can definitely taste the orange zest. It's on the sweet side and I love the flavor of the fennel and caraway seeds. This bread is a winner. I'll try my mixer and dough hook the next time.

Unfortunately my printed recipe does not have a website link, as I had to reduce it in size and screen print it. But, just for you, I will retype it.

SWEDISH LIMPA BREAD
Hand mix:
1 package (2-1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. warm tap water

1-1/4 cups warm tap water
1 tbsp. soft butter
1/2 tbsp. table salt
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. caraway seed
Zest of one orange
1-1/2 cups bread flour
1-1/2 cups rye flour
Up to about 1 more cup flour, as needed
Butter

In small bowl, proof yeast with sugar and 1 tbsp. warm water. (If it doesn't bubble up, the yeast is dead and you'll need to repeat this step with new yeast.)

In a large mixing bowl, mix water, 1 tbsp. butter, salt, honey, brown sugar, fennel, caraway and orange zest with wooden spoon. Gently stir in 1 cup flour and proofed yeast. Add remaining bread flour and rye flour until combined, then knead for 5 minutes, adding bread flour as needed.

Transfer to greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place til double. With a fist, gently deflate the dough. Form into a round loaf, transfer to a greased loaf pan, cover and let rise in a warm place until double.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake loaf for 35-45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, remove from pan, brush top with butter, finish cooling.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

NEW BRACELETS

I've had lots of time to work on projects indoors .... since it's been so cold in my garage work studio. One good thing is that we've had so much rain in the past few weeks and it looks like more at the end of next week.

Anyway .... I just finished this bracelet that has two strips of leather and beautiful sliders. It wraps around the wrist twice. I love this bracelet. I love the magnetic clasp. It's called "Trail Ride", and you can order the supplies from https://www.beadshop.com. (Find the project under Projects, then Prairie Leather Wrap, then Trail Ride).

This shop has a live Wednesday morning Facebook broadcast with a different project each week. It's hosted by the owner, Janice Parsons, and someone you probably know, Kate Richbourg. I should say, Kate will be at the upcoming bead show in Tucson, so she will be live from there Sunday the 29th at 10:30 a.m. PST (instead of next Wednesday). I really should stop watching their broadcasts, as it has become rather expensive! I must tell you, Beadship.com has the BEST customer service. They are called the "Customer Happiness Team".


Then there's the other bracelet I finished on my new loom a few days ago. This one is a bracelet kit from http://www.mirrixlooms.com called "Queen Nefertiti". Actually, the kit makes two bracelets, one 1" wide and the other 3/4" wide. It uses 11/0 delica beads. Crazy??? Yes! My daughter could not believe I was making it. The instructions were great, the beads labeled A, B, C, D, E and F. So I had six piles with a sticker label for each. I enlarged the pattern on my iPad and followed it row by row. There were about 74 rows! And now you know I AM crazy.

I have to decide if I want to leave the bracelet like it is or weave beads on the edges like the photo below.

Monday, January 2, 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A little late, but I wish you a wonderful year ahead! Stay healthy ... don't trip over your dog like I did last year on New Year's Day. I'm so thankful to be back to working on projects again and being active.

My new Mirrix loom has been a JOY! I just finished this wrapped bracelet made with seed beads. It's about 1/2" wide and 14" long and wraps around the wrist twice. I tried to take a photo of it wrapped around my wrist, but that wasn't possible! But I love it! I added a few of my own lampwork beads at the ends.

I showed you the first tapestry and bead bracelet I made in my post a few weeks ago. I've worn it many times, and it has received many OOOHs and AAAHs. Here are a few more similar ones made with the dyed silk thread ... I just listed them in my Etsy shop. There will be a loud scream and wonderful celebration if one ever sells!




Now I need to get back to my Cowboys and Indians jewelry class with Leslie Kail Villarreal which ends in a couple weeks. It focuses on using metal stamps and creating individual components that can be attached to each other, creating a beautiful necklace. Here is one of her examples. I'm not sure how mine will look, but am waiting for more metal stamps that are not available now. And am also waiting for warmer weather to work out in the garage! Need to use my hydraulic press, as well as a 3 lb. hammer and a solid working surface.