Walking is the perfect way of moving if you want to see into the life of things. It is the one way of freedom. If you go to a place on anything but your own feet you are taken there too fast, and miss a thousand delicate joys that were waiting for you by the wayside. Elizabeth von Arnim

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Thursday, October 24, 2013

In the kitchen

Didn't start walking until 7:00 and then it was 32 degrees, windy and it was snowing out.  I started with my umbrella up and I could actually hear the snow flakes falling on it, but soon took it down because I felt silly having an umbrella for the snow.   I stopped at the post office to drop a letter in the mail slot and then walked to public works to drop off the water bill in the slot there.  Walked backed home and left my umbrella by the back door and then walked around town.  By this time the snow had stopped and I could even see a little blue sky before it clouded up again.

As I passed by the lone chicken I noticed that she had lots of hay in her coop now to keep her warm.
I walked around one of the cemeteries and down the main road for a mile and then back home.
There was one runner and one other walker out, both of them on the other side of the road as me so just had a quick wave and said good morning.

I was sad to read a sign on the bakery door that said,  "Moving to a new location at the Shop and Save" which is just 6 miles down the road but still it won't be the same with it not in town anymore.  The shop was very small and Ken thinks maybe they want to add some tables and maybe coffee and just needed a bigger place.  We shall wait and see.

I had on a few layers of clothing and was even a little warm as I walked.
Walked 6.3 miles -  12,268 steps.
Sunrise: 7:37
Sunset: 6:25
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I tried a new kind of bread in the bread machine today.

Summer Wheat Bread.
1  3/8 cups water
1 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast.

Put liquid ingredients in bread pan.
Add dry ingredients except yeast to bread pan.
Use your finger to form a well in the flour and put the yeast in it.
Put the setting on whole wheat setting and wait for 3 1/2 hours to have a delicious loaf of whole wheat bread.  We had a piece while it was still warm and it was very good!
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Baked another batch of cookies.  I used the same chocolate chip cookie recipe but instead of putting in chocolate chips, I put in cinnamon chips. These were very good too.  I had one, but Ken kept sneaking one every now and then as they cooled on the rack.
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I also made some Bean Soup which we will have for supper along with the Summer Wheat bread.

Vegetable Bean Soup
Tablespoon olive oil
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 onion
1 zucchini
2 cans cannellini beans
1 Teaspoon Basil (I used at least 2)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
16 oz can stewed tomatoes
14 oz chicken broth
1 bag of baby spinach

Dice celery, slice carrots, chop onion, dice zucchini.  
Empty one of the cans of cannellini beans in bowl and mash.

Saute celery, carrots, onion, zucchini, basil and pepper till vegetables are tender in oil.
Stir in tomatoes, broth, spinach, mashed beans, rest of beans and 2 cups water and cook over high heat to boiling.  
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes.  (I let it simmer for a little over an hour.)
Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
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We had snow showers on and off all day and it never made it out of the 30's but again there was no accumulation.
 From the back door.
 Standing on the front porch.
It was a nice day to spend in the kitchen cooking and baking.  Sure makes the house smell nice too.

Hope your day has been a happy one.
happyone : )
A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes,
smart enough to profit from them,
and strong enough to correct them.
~John C. Maxwell

10 comments:

Diane said...

What a delicious looking meal! I will definitely try to make the soup. The bread and cookies look good too.
How do you get the cookies so round and uniform in size?

Blessings, Diane

Happy@Home said...

Snow... oh my gosh it seems too early, but it looks so pretty in your winter wonderland.
You had the right idea to spend some time in the kitchen and prepare a delicious and nutritious dinner. I made a similar soup last night. Wish I would have had a loaf of this bread to go with it. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will be trying it soon.
I think Ken has been caught red-handed. :D

Nellie said...

What a lovely loaf of bread! I have used cinnamon chips before, but in muffins, never in cookies. They are not always easy to find in markets around here. I'd say you had a fantastic dinner!

It has been cold here, but we have had no snow flurries.

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Ok first of all those cookies look amazing and second of all that snowy scene looks like something right out of a postcard. Awesomeness.

Vee said...

Cinnamon chips sounds so good. Yup, you caught Ken just as plain as can be. Ha! Nothing much better than a warm cookie! I can't believe the snow and hope that it is a just a temporary blip. John says it could snow here tonight...Accckkk!

Deb J. in Utah said...

I love the pictures of the first snow and those cinnamon chip cookies sound lovely. We were in the 90s again here today... too warm for October! I missed stopping by for a visit yesterday but read that post today and noticed that you are quite near Pittsburgh. My oldest son just moved to Pittsburgh, so now I have a son in Pittsburgh and a daughter at Ft. Meade, so who knows, maybe someday, I'll get back there and we can meet up! That would be great. Enjoy your Friday!

Anonymous said...

Your bread, soup, and cookies all look delicious!

I'm thinking your view out the back door is going to be very scenic with snow piled on those lovely pine trees. Out front, too. :-)

Anonymous said...

I wasn't really taking cookies....I just wanted everyone to see your new counter top up close :-)
Ken

Anonymous said...

What a lovely way to spend a snowy day. I may try the soup. It looks delicious.
The cookies and bread must smell wonderful. Wish I were there for sure! Mary Jo

o2bhiking said...

You are getting snow early, we are officially only a month into fall!

You are making me hungry! Definitely want to try that soup recipe on a cold day.