Melodie’s musings

I know what you’re thinking. This crazy lady makes homemade bread? Yep! I have a few tricks that make things easier. First of all, I have my own wheat grinder. Second, a Bosch to mix the dough. I inherited it from my grandfather. It’s probably around 50 years old and works great! I only use hard white because it works best! It makes the bread light and fluffy, not too dense. Some people prefer red, but it’s too nutty and heavy for me. I also use honey instead of brown sugar. I have tried both and the honey makes it taste better and is more moist. Lastly, don’t forget the non-lumpy version of dry milk. If you use older milk, you will regret it. Older powdered milk is usually lumpy and will make lumps in your bread.

I always mix my bread in a Bosch because it makes my life much easier! The first 10 years of my marriage I hand mixed my bread and it was OK but this is so much better! It mixes and I even let it rise in my Bosch.

Another thing to always remember is the type of Yeast. I used to use Fleshmans. But didn’t like it because it was not as good at helping things rise.

This is the final product! Delicious bread! I admittedly forgot to take a pic the day I made the bread, so this is the “out of the freezer”. Version. You can store it in the freezer for several months. Sometimes I store it in individual slices to save time if I only need a few pieces.

Last Saturday was the day before school started. I was feeling pressured to get things done before school came on Monday. I looked in my fridge and on my counter and saw all of the various types of cucumbers that were starting to go rotten. so I looked on my 12-year-old son Ben and said will you help me make homemade pickles to which he said yes! Thankfully, I have a go to recipe I’ve made several times that it’s delicious. Courtesy of my sister-in-law Emily, it’s super easy.

DIY dill pickles 4c. Vinegar 4c. Water 3-4 sprigs fresh dill Minced garlic 1c. Salt. Bring to a boil and then stuff quart jars full of cucumbers (I used Armenian and lemon cucs). Once the brine comes to a boil, pour it over the cucumbers and stuff in some fresh dill and garlic. Then process for 10 to 15 minutes in your water bath. Benjamin was in charge of scrubbing and chopping cucumbers. I was in charge of stuffing dill pouring on brine and getting them in the processor. It was quite a task but we got it done in about 2 1/2 hours. In 6 to 8 weeks they will be ready to eat!

It took me years to figure out how to manage my pain. I still struggle with it, especially during rain, snow and winter. The more toned and stretched my muscles are, the better. I also do 2 days of cardio per week. I can only exercise for about 45 minutes at a time about 3-4 days a week, with one day in-between to avoid more pain and flare-ups.

As a sidenote, my favorite types of exercise include PIYo, Pound class, Zumba and swimming.

I made stuffed hamburger sliders with 93/7% ground beef, not preformed patties as they are known to have chemicals that can cause inflammation, according to my dietitian.

Stuffed hamburger sliders 1 c. Quick oats, 1 egg, 3 T. McCormick Smokehouse maple seasoning, 2lbs. 93/7% hamburger, Worcestershire sauce. Grill on stovetop for 10-15 minutes, medium heat. Serve with ketchup, if desired. We also are berry and melon salad , low inflammatory as well.