Homemade bread in a flash

This bread recipe is quick and easy. I found the recipe for 'Easy Peesy French Bread' at My Mundane and Miraculous Life blog, and have adapted it to suit me. If you asked me, I'd say it was as easy as piss french bread.

I find it not like traditional French bread, but for something that is ready in under an hour, it is worth whipping up on short notice.

I usually bake it when we are having spag bol and make garlic bread with it.

You can cook it during the day, so dinner time isn't so rushed. Lord knows how hard that time of night is and usually has me wishing I'd bought wine.

This is the yeast I buy, and I do like it says. I keep it in the fridge.

1 1/2 cups warm water (not hot, you will kill the yeast, been there, done that)
1 tablespoon honey (use a tablespoon of sugar if you don't have honey)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Dry yeast
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour

Place everything except the flour in a bowl and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes to go frothy.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees.

Mix in 3 1/2 cups of flour to form a dough. 

Knead in flour until it is not sticky. The dough should feel sticky, but not sticky enough that it still sticks all over your fingers.

Shape into two logs.

Cut slits in top and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. The loaf should sound hollow when knocked.

You could use the dough to bake a whole loaf, or divide it further into rolls. 

If you want to make garlic bread with it. I use 3/4 cup margarine, with 4-5 finely chopped garlic cloves mixed in. Slice the bread, not all the way through. Then spread the butter on both sides of the sections. Wrap in foil and bake at 220 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Garlic bread, with no green bits. My kids wouldn't touch it otherwise!

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Puddle fun at the skate park

The circus was in town Friday, we went for a sticky beak at the showgrounds, and saw the show that evening. 

Izzy was home from school because she had a cold, so what happened next was probably not perfect, but they had loads of fun, and it was straight home for a hot bath. It's a bit like tetris, but luckily their bikes fit in the car.

SALA at the Millicent Art Gallery

Our local art gallery is situated in our public library. Two weeks ago saw the opening of the SALA exhibition. I went along and I really enjoyed it. Although I took my camera, I was too embarrassed to whip it out and shoot away, which is silly, I should really get past this.

Almost once a week we visit the library, usually a Thursday. This week Summer and I went back on Tuesday, I took my camera and took some photos of the artwork. 

All the artist are local, and that is what SALA is about, showcasing local South Australian artists within their communities. This in turn, is great for our community. I really enjoyed celebrating and getting to know some of our local artistic characters.

All sorts of art forms are covered. We really do have some talented and inspirational people in our community. 

I haven't shown all of the artists here, you'd be here all day! These were some of my favourites. 

Loreto Cataldi is an amazing artist. I just love his self portrait using red chalk on watercolour paper.

I loved this weaving by Leah Hamilton. She used inspiration from the seaside town she lives in, and is a personal piece, with wool used from her grandmother's socks.

Mosaic art by Karen Talanskas

I really like this piece by Peter Dunn

Mary McKillop, by Ardri Vanderheyden

  

I really like this style of painting by Ardri

Paintings by Carol Baxter. Carol paints at the Millicent Craft Group with a group of other visual artists.

This one was one of my favourites

Oops-My IceScream by Amanda MacLeod. Bit of a weird one.
Her paintings below too. One man standing next to me, commented he wanted to go up and touch the boobs. Must be a man thing. 

Young local artist Mel Cecotti

This awesome piece of art welcomes visitors at the entrance of the library. Crafted by local metal work artist Greg Hann.

I loved these pieces by Pam Hales of Beachport. I just love the embroidery enhancing her paintings. So clever. 

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My new favorite thing to eat

I have quit the community garden. I can't give myself to the gardens without sacrificing my own mental health. Just not doing it. Head. Brick wall. That is all I have to say about that.

I am working towards a healthier me. Except for the wine. You will never take the wine. It might be my undoing, where my weight is concerned.

I have found a favourite thing to eat though. It is a quick and easy lunch solution, as long as you have a decent head of lettuce on hand.

What's more it is delicious and satisfying.

Firstly you need to fry some bacon. I know, BACON. This is a BLT like you will never find, plus mine has cucumber. You could make it your own, and add whatever you like. It doesn't have to be bacon. I have used grilled chicken and pesto mayo, and it's just as good.

While your bacon or chicken is cooking, lay out a couple of good large leaves of lettuce. Lay some slices of cucumber and tomato down the middle, and a lashing of mayonnaise.

Have you ever tried to make your own mayo? It is easy as pie. This is the way I make homemade mayonnaise ever since I saw it on Masterchef. Works every time.

Lay some bacon or chicken on top and wrap it up. Eat. You could even have two!

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Pecilan Point

No I haven't spelt it wrong. I've spelt it just the way Summer says it. Isn't it funny how pronunciations just stick. 

One of my friends once mispronounced 'caravan'. She said "Canaravan", ever since it's stuck in my vocabulary when I talk about our old van. It's long gone now, we sold it after we bought the holiday house! No need for the van now. Our last trip in her was to Marysville, to the snow, this time last year.

Over the weekend we went to stay at our holiday home in Pelican Point. We had a nice day on Saturday. 

Brett took the girls for a bike ride and I followed a bit later on foot, for a stroll down to the beach. There's a lot of weed on this stretch of beach. The sand is grey and when it is dry, it's like powder. It gets in everywhere. 

When I caught up with them, the girls had stripped of their pants and were playing in the water. I am sure kids don't feel the cold like us oldies do. 

You're being bombarded with photos. I haven't been in the habit of carrying my camera around for ages. 

On Friday night I went to the opening of SALA, at our local art gallery. It was SO nice to be out of the house on my own. I picked up a glass of wine on my way in, looked at some amazing art and chatted to some awesome local artists. It was so interesting to listen to the stories behind their art, and what inspires them. It was awesome to experience the feeling of community. 

So it's given me a push and thirst to be creative. I am hoping I find some inspiration to draw or paint from the photos I take. 

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