Pumpkin Shaped Bread

 

With Thanksgiving celebrations coming up,

I thought I'd share this version of 

French Bread that I made for our early Thanksgiving.

This is how easy it is!

Follow the recipe, using the full 5 cups of flour to be sure that it hold its shape.

After letting the dough rise, divide it in half and shape it into 2 balls.

Cut four 18 inch pieces of cooking twine for each loaf. (may not be exact - I didn't  measure)

Lay twine criss-crossed on parchment paper lined pan.

Place ball of dough in the center and tie up the twine, coming to the top.

Tie "just to fit" not tight. Insert a piece of cinnamon stick in the center.

Cover loosly with tea towel and plastic. 

Let rise about 30 minutes and you will see the indentations.

Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes, until golden.

Cut twine and pull out. 

Cool on wire rack.

Pouring boiling water into a baking pan (not glass) on bottom rack right after placing bread in oven, and closing the door as quickly as possible, may help create steam and a longer lasting crispy crust. 

Apple Season

Our two little apple trees are loaded with fruit this year and

we have looked forward to the harvest.

Yesterday the girls came over for what we hope will become an annual event.

Jack is in part-time pre-school so he got to help as well.

We peeled and chopped for 9 pies.

Maybe 60 - 70 apples.

We began with mixing a single recipe just to get the feel of it. 

Kari had never made a pie,

and Kristal wanted to get her pies to look better. 

Recipe for one double crust 9 inch pie:

1 2/3 cups flour

2/3 cup Tenderflake lard

1 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons cold water

Filling:

6 - 7 peeled and sliced apples

3 Tablespoons sour cream

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 generous Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

After our warm up drill, the girls each mixed a multiple size recipe: 

1 pound Tenderflake lard

5 1/2 cups flour

3 teaspoons salt 

3/4 cup cold water mixed with 1 egg yolk and 1 Tablespoon vinegar 

for egg wash - whisk 3 egg whites

• In an extra large mixing bowl, cut room temperature lard into dry ingredients with pastry blender until all the flour is incorporated and pastry is crumbly looking. Larger chunks are good. 
• Sprinkle with cold water
• Stir with fork in a circular motion until it comes together to easily shape into a ball. Do not knead
• Divide into 6 (if making 3 large deep dish pies) or 8 (if making 4 medium 9 inch pies) even pieces. (Cover unused portions and refrigerate to repeat the following instructions)
• Roll out bottom half big enough to stand a bit taller  than the side of the pie plate. (This is a key thing to do in order to be able to flip the top pastry over it.) Brush bottom with egg wash and fill with fruit. 
• Cover with top pastry, tucking it over "standing proud" bottom and pinch (crimp) top and bottom crust together.
• Brush top with egg wash and cut slits before baking.
• Bake in lower third of oven at 375 F  for 15 minutes. Turn down to 350 F  and bake until filling  bubbles out, about 45 minutes more. (put a sheet of aluminum foil in bottom of oven to catch drippings) 

This makes 4 medium (8 - 9 inch pies) or 3 large deep dish pies that can be frozen raw and baked from frozen. Will take about 75 - 90 minutes to bake.

It was fun to observe how quickly they became experts! 

The chatter that happens around a kitchen island makes it feel like the peeling, cutting, mixing and rolling is no work at all!  And seeing my girls not only desire to keep learning but then have fun with it, fills my heart with joy! 

These Two

This afternoon date began with Papa picking them up.

It was the first time this school year, 

so he had received a video message from Jade before school

with clear instructions on where to pick up.

I have a sneaking suspicion that anyone she talked to that day

knew everything about her after school plans.

That's just Jade.

Evy, on the other hand is quiet,

but those smiling blue eyes tell all too. 

He took them out for sprinkle donuts at Tim Horton's

and delivered them to our front door.

There has never been such a thing as personal space between these two.

So, at our house we play with real play dough

and I'm still surprised, after all these years,

that every grandchild loves the feel of dough,

the squishing, the shaping, the rolling ...

and the tasting.

Even just the name, sugar cookies, 

sounds like something a fairy made up.

Serious fun!

Papa came in just as we began icing.

I had a bit of a plan ...

and then just had to let them have fun 

trying to draw with piped icing.

Definitely not as easy as it looks, but they were undeterred.

In the end two very proud girls left 

with two sheets of the best tasting cookies on the block,

leaving their home delivery to my imagination. 

To Victoria for Dinner

Just when there was nothing very different to post,

we got a text from friends,

asking if we could join them on a flight to Victoria for dinner.

We left home about 4:30 in the afternoon and headed to the airport, 15 minutes away.

Excitedly we boarded their little plane, taking off over very familiar farmland,

for the 25 minute flight across the Pacific, or the Strait of Georgia.

The aerial view gives a good idea of the scattering of islands that the BC ferries meander through.  

Victoria is at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, farther south than Bellingham, 

so part of our flight was over Washington State. 

We taxied almost to the door of the restaurant ...

and walked in as though this was totally normal!

Our visit over dinner was the best in every way,

feeling like we were whisked away from everything, 

for such a time as this. 

We left Victoria as the sun was setting, 

day turning to night.

Looking down and around at this amazing beauty

I coud not help but feel a sense of peace,

Being held. 

All too soon we saw the lights on the mainland,

and our dear pilot and his wife brought us safely back to land.

We are blessed to know them,

not because of a night like this, but because of who they are ...

using their gift of hospitality in serving meals

or simply welcoming people as they walk through our church doors.

A couple with big and generous hearts.

The Retirement Celebration

I'm in recuperation mode from a month of planning

and seeing it all come together in a happy celebration.

One way I do this is to go through photos,

thankful for the ones shared by family.

I could not keep the party a surprise since he had to help me gather the guest list.

We went back over the past 49 years of staff,

and I tried to connect with as many as I could. 

It was wonderful even just to talk to numerous ones on the phone. 

We put many hands to work in preparation.

Stephanie, is a friend and decorator who not only gave me some good ideas, 

but also has a collection of frames, boxes, tables etc which she brought over to decorate our shop.

I simply had to collect the photos and memorabalia such as old newspaper adds,

plans, wallpaper books, wood, tile and carpet samples

and she made the shop look like a showroom. 

Frames, bunting banners and building plans are such a great idea to create backdrop!

Herb was not allowed in here until just before guests arrived.

It was a walk down memory lane, showing how times have changed.

Stephanie and I conspired together about centerpieces.

She proceeded to gather and put together what was needed. 

I am so thankful that we had a beatiful day to set up and celebrate.

Such a wonderful gift! 

Time just flew and all too soon the string quartette came along for a short concert

while guest were arriving.

I had talked to Dr. Calvin Dyck (Julene's violin teacher many years ago)

about getting a group together,

and when they arrived I was so excited to see that he himself came out.

I could not have asked for anything better!

In the meantime Kristal served punch as guests gathered.

One of my very favorite things was seeing people who had not seen

each other for years, suddenly recognize each other.

There was so much joy! 

Greek food was delivered 

and Monika and Bob took over the serving 

and later the clean up. 

I don't have much for photos, but they had all the kids

helping in various ways.

Even if just running the water down to the tables.

It's a day they will not forget ...

for as Jade commented on their way home

"Well ... that was a night full of work!!!"

Mics call out to kids.

A very different view of the pickle ball court. 

It made me very happy.

They're still smiling.

The dessert bar was a highlight, even if I do say so myself! 

I didn't hear any excuses about  not having dessert ...

At the tables we had some advice, memories and  wishes to be filled out. 

A night to remember.

Like I said in my tribute, 

it would seem that I am very happy to have my husband home and I am.

As we read the wishes and memory cards later

I was again reminded of the many who noted that they were thankful

for the chance that they were given ... often those new to the area or country. 

It was a night to celebrate all of these 

and a night to bless my H, for his integrity and faithfulness through 

good times and hard times.

A man I deeply admire and love,

looking forward to what God has in store for us.

 

The Flower Farm

For Mother's Day this year, I received a gift to look forward to -

and three months later - here we are at Five Acres Flower Farm 

It was a perfect summer evening and ladies from all over 

came out for this workshop ...

dressed for a special occasion. 

No memo on that ... but somehow the feeling was in the air. 

The owner gave us a tour of her fields, showed us how to cut stems

and then let us go cut as many flowers as we liked.

The dahlia fields were at their prime, but there were many other 

flowers! I had forgotten the wonderful scent of sweet peas!

We were shown how to incorporate eucalyptus and scented herbs as fillers.

Really, it could not go wrong. 

We took our buckets to the tables where vases were waiting to be filled.

As the sun set, the lights shone brighter,

and I could have just gone around taking pictures.

These sweet young women and the one in Indonesia

are such a blessing to me!

To love and be loved is the greatest gift!