Bagels

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Had a fun time last night playing Mexican Train as the year 2016 rolled in.  There were quite a few people playing different games but most people left early. There were two  Mexican Train games going though and we all stayed past midnight.  We stopped at midnight and Pastor said a prayer and then we continued playing.  Didn't get to bed till 2:00.  I don't remember the last time we stayed out on New Year's Eve but I do know that it was one of the best times we've had on New Year's Eve. : )  

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Since we went to bed late my day started later than usual this morning.  I woke up at 8:00 and was out the door by 8:15. I still seemed early though because it was so cloudy.  It was 28 degrees but the wind made it seem colder.  There were a few snow flurries flying around but that was all.   It was just a bit colder up on the mountain top because the fog froze on the tree tops.

I walked around town and even though it was later in the day there were still no people around.

It was a good coin day to start the new year off. 

Found 62 cents - 2 quarters, a dime and two pennies.

I walked 5.7 miles.

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All the Christmas decorations came down today and the house is now back to normal.  : )

Ken likes bagels and I've been meaning to try to make them for quite a while now and today I gave it a try.

The little recipe booklet that came with the bread machine has a bagel dough recipe but not how to make the bagels so I made the dough and then looked on line for a recipe. 

Bagels

Bagel dough ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups water

1 and 1/2 teaspoons honey

1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons bread yeast

• When the dough comes out of the bread machine punch down and divide dough into 12 balls.
• Allow to rest for 4 minutes.
• Bring 2 quarts of water to boil.
• With your thumb, make a hole in each ball of dough and pull open about 2 inches, making a bagel shape.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the shaped dough onto a cookie sheet and cover for 10  minutes.
• Lower heat under water for it to be simmering.
• Drop 2 or 3 bagels at a time into the water for a bout 45 seconds, turning each once.
• Drain and place on greased baking sheets.
• Brush tops with beaten egg white.
• Bake for 35 minutes turning once for evening browning.
• Bagels are done when they are golden brown.

They turned out great.  Nice and crispy on the outside and soft inside.  Ken says they don't compare to the store bought kind.  

I'll be knitting on the scarf later and when I get finished with this one I think it will be quite a while before I make another.  After 15 of them I need a break.

That's it for this first day of the new year.

Hope you had a happy day.

happyone : )

There is a great man who makes every man feel small.

But the real great man is the man 

who makes every man feel great.

~ G K Chesterton