More Bagel Fun

We've made several more batches of bagels, and I've gotten several requests for samples! Lynda suggested posting the recipe, so I shall. Here's a little video that contains the recipe and directions. Enjoy...and hey, send me a sample!


Some more pics in case you can't see the video. Mmmm!

We discovered that poking a hole in the dough and then twirling it around was more fun than rolling the dough into ropes and fashioning circles.


They kind of take on the consistency of dumplings when you boil them...not too appetizing, actually. But then, after they're baked...yumbalena!




Stay tuned for a new contest! It has nothing to do with bagels. Or potholders. But it should be fun.

Sounds of Spring

Now you can listen to birds all day and night -- in stereo! Check out Birdsong Radio for, well...singing birds! It's nice to listen to at work when you're trapped in a cubicle. Kind of makes me crave sunflower seeds though...

Bagelicious

I found a bread machine recipe for bagels, so we decided to try it. Basically, you let the machine mix and rise the dough for 20 minutes, then you shape them, let them sit for 20 minutes, boil them for a minute or so, and bake them at 550 for 8 minutes. The end results were delicious. Here are a few photos to document the process. Mmmmm.

Lenore Wins

Lenore came up with the winning name for my pencil sharpener:
Meet Rowena Tina!


I actually suggested this name for her coworker's new baby, but I don't think he's going to go with it. I'm not sure why. Whatever. I'm happy to reclaim it.

I Felt the Earth Move...

Isn't that a song?
So the earthquake we had at 4:37 this morning in Illinois actually woke me up. Sometimes I wonder if my house is haunted (I’m always hearing strange noises...though it’s probably just my house slowly collapsing around me), so, in my groggy state, I thought it was an uprising amongst the ghosts, because it felt like my bed was shaking. I’m pretty crabby when woken up, so I actually yelled, "KNOCK IT OFF!!!" and it stopped, so I went back to sleep! There have been a few more quakes to follow, but none that we've felt. I didn't realize there were so many earthquakes all over the world. Lenore's co worker sent her this link. My co worker said her dog went a little nuts this morning and wanted to be let out at 4 a.m. If Hoops detected anything, she didn't let on. Then again, her attention span isn't the most reliable.

A New Generation Potholder

I finally had some time to try weaving the new yarn-like substance that I got from Fishbed Knits. I'm not sure what it's made of. It's stretchy and springy, yet I think it's got wool in it. I think the birds would like it for nests. It works nicely in a potholder loom too! This one became a get well potholder for Lenore. Hopefully Xena won't find it -- she likes to deconstruct potholders.

Hot!

I was saving these pictures for such a time as this -- when news is lacking because, in this case, I was sick all week with a series of maladies that I hope are now behind me. (Though I still sound pretty tubucular, so don't get too close.)

Lenore and I took Roland and Amy out for some birthday Thai food and possibly the best present ever.



Lynda also got a PP Apron and immediately put it to good use cooking a steak. She said she was so busy posing, she almost overcooked it, to which Lenore replied, "Overcooked? What does that mean?"



I just noticed how much shorter this apron looks on Lynda than it does on me. I guess we should have ordered the "tall" version, aye?


Also found in my "pictures I still need to post" folder, this is a snow fort Lenore spotted in Carpentersville:

Did I mention it's been a slow news week? Fear not, something exciting is coming soon.