My Adventures in Yeast

So I've apparently become too domestic for my own good. What a great statement to start a blog, right?

But sadly it's true. I bake now like there's no tomorrow... it doesn't hurt that my husband really, really loves bread. But here's some recounting of my adventures with yeast.

My parents came and visited me and Jason in July and they we so kind to get us A LOT of flour, sugar, rice and yeast. So now Jason and I have had the ambition to make our own dough, bread, rolls, etc. (Of course to go with the homemade raspberry jam)

But I have to say I was a little nervous with the whole idea of using yeast. To me its a temperamental ingredient. But I guess lets have the pictures speak for themselves.















Here are some rolls... I was just so amazed that the bread actual raised. My house is really cold so I let the dough double in size in the oven. It works for me so I guess it works.

My here's a little temptation that every time I see a picture of I start to drool.














Stuffed Crust Pizza!
















Pizza Hut eat your heart out... I think I might have just put you out of business.
















It's mine and Jason's favorite pizzas meeting in our kitchen. We both love Chicken BBQ, but Pizza Hut has us in their snare with their stuffed crust pizza. However, we can now make out own!!! You just use string cheese and seal it in the crust. And of course, the inclusion of onion and green bell pepper and you have a symphony in action.

We've had some delicious tasties as of late, but all I can say is pride cometh before a fall... I think I've gotten a little too confident with my yeast abilities and I'm pretty sure this last time I tried to set it up in the hot water and wait for it to all boil up... I think I killed the yeast... and of course you don't get to see the pictures of my bellyflop creations.

Well, lets hope my head doesn't get too big, but let the tasty bread keep coming!!!

Bugs, Berries and Jam, Oh My!

We've been wrapping up our Boy Scout summer. And not a moment too soon, I can tell you that. However, this week has been pretty lackadaisical compared to the regular boy scout week. We had a Scout-reach...kind of a program to get non-BSA organizations familiar and using Boy Scout programs and facilities. So I get paid for a full days work, but I only work till 3 pm (compared to the regular 9 pm). So its been pretty nice.

Jason and I got it into our heads to make jam. Everyday after work we walk down from our area that is surrounded by wild raspberries. And it's just the right time of the season. Red berries are popping up everywhere. So we formed a little brigade to pick raspberries.
















We got our buttload of berries, but it seems I've run into some bad luck of late. While I was picking berries here and there, away from everybody else, I happened to stumble upon someone's house. To be more specific, a wasps nest!


Try going face to face against this guy.














My only problem is I had no idea I was intruding, and then all of a sudden I felt some major pain in my right ankle... and it was about at this time that I started running and flailing about. I paused after I left the wasp-y area and I looked at my foot and I still had a guy staring up at me. So I flicked him off and ran some more...basically freaking out because it had been a long time since I had been stung by a bee... but this time I was stung at least three times.

But I survived... no major swelling up, didn't need an Epi-pen, I was just pretty wary of busy areas with lots of luscious berries.

But to get back to the main point, we got a lot of berries... at least six cups.

Jason and I brought it home and then the true fun began. We found a recipe off the internet and we just went from there.

3 cups raspberries
3 cups sugar
Mash berries in a saucepan and stir in sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and beat with a wire whip or mixer for 6 minutes. Pour into jars and allow to cool. If not canning, keep stored in refrigerator.
















We doubled the recipe. And for never having made jam before, and using no pectin, the jam was perfectly thick. And it was really tasty. Obviously.