Why, oh why, does my fresh baked bread always stick to the loaf pan? It’s kind of a bummer.
I lovingly mix and let rise, I exuberantly punch down and let rise again, and then I bake and patiently wait. And it’s all such a thing of beauty…until it comes out of the oven all steamy hot and smelling sweet and gets stuck in the pan!?!
It’s not right, I tell you.
Help?
Please?
(FYI: I’ve been oiling my pans with olive oil. I’m sure that’s the wrong thing to do.)
2.
I just love these whimsical birth announcements! I’d like to think I might use these in September but I’m imagining they’re going to be cost prohibitive. (I haven’t had the heart to check yet.)
3.
Would you like to know what variety of bean I’m carrying in my belly? Take a guess! Boy or girl? Leave your guesses in the combox! I’ll post the answer there later on!
Oh, and would you do me a favor? I have 13 weeks to go and I never deliver early. Tell me it will fly by. Just lie to me, would you? Thanks.
4.
This, I love. Buy one. You can find them at any drugstore. You will thank me.
5.
I have a crush on Harry Connick, Jr.
Shhhh. Don’t tell Mr. Beguiles!
(Just kidding…he already knows.)
6.
Speaking of music, I think I need something new.
Who is your favorite recording artist/band of the moment? I’m not picky. There really aren’t too many genres I can’t get into. Will you help a gal out?
Thank you, girls!
7.
I hope you all have a deliciously romantic weekend!
And just in case you need a little inspiration, here’s a bit of Wallace-n-Murron love for you all:
Oh, I just heard a new song this week that I'm LOVING. It's by Biffy Clyro? I've never heard of them before, but my friend in Sicily says it's really popular there right now. Anyway, the song breaks my heart, and I can't understand why I like that…but it's a beautiful song.
Here's a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAh–lH0H3U
Oh, also? 13 weeks?! That's nothing! You're so close to the end, it'll be no time at ALL until that SWEET little bean will be in your arms :)
Don't oil the pan at all. Try leaving the pan in the oven for 20 minutes to heat before putting in the bread. Do the last rise in an oiled bowl, then transfer the dough the hot pan (I sort of let it just flop in there) and put it in the oven immediately. It worked for me!
*bread- I use vegetable shortening, for what it's worth.
*I love Harry too… saw him when I was 17 in Vancouver… sang "You are my sunshine" on a revolving grand piano. Oh. My. Stars.
*Maybe it's not new, but me and my boys have been loving Owl City.
Cute post!
-A new Saskatchewan reader.
I like Harry, too!!
There's a song that I like right now called "Beautiful Life" by Fisher. I have no idea if it's new or old. But I really like it. It seems like the perfect summer song =) I'll look forward to what others suggest, because I could use some new music, too.
As for your bean, I have no. idea. I'll say boy, just to say something. I have boy on my mind, because I'm hoping for a brother for my son, the only boy among 4 girls. Either will be wonderful, of course. I'm due in Dec.
Have a great weekend!
I don't bake much bread, but for pretty much everything I bake I slather Crisco (name brand, not generic) on the pan. And depending on how lazy I feel, then dust it with flour. I also think it has to do with how long you leave it in the pan to cool? But I'm not sure about that…
Looking forward to hearing if it's a boy or a girl on the way!
I've got 13 weeks myself, so I'm hoping this summer will be FLYING by. The last few months have gone faster than the first few, so I think it's possible!
My guess: Boy.
It looks like those Truffles cards are about $4 a piece, I think. Kinda rough on the pocketbook!
I guess boy!!
I concur with the other commenters. Definitely a boy. Am I right?
1) I'm sure you could find a friend that could make an announcement on photoshop like that for much cheaper. Printing shouldn't cost much either at shutterfly.com or something.
2) I'll say boy too, go with the crowd. He will be here before you know it!
3) We recently saw Mark Knopfler in concert and my husband has been listening to him nonstop. He's from the 80s band Dire Straits. He's got an incredible voice and his songs are very melodious. I've come to really really like him.
Hello Betty!
I am a new follower/subscriber and love your blog! I don't even remember how I stumbled upon it…but am glad I did ;^) Always nice to 'meet' faithful mamas out there.
As for your music question…not sure exactly what you are in the mood for, but I couldn't help but want to share the ridiculous amount of favorites I have gathered! A few that I love are Eva Cassidy, Patty Griffin, The Be Good Tanyas, Ray Lamontagne, and Joe Purdy. Check them out… you won't be disappointed! (Do I sound like a commercial yet? Hmmm…)
Have a blessed weekend!
On the bread: I usually just spray my pan with no stick spray (because I am lazy), and then make sure you let it cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before you take it out. Most of the time, mine comes out fine (every once in a while a little piece will stick, which I blame on my lazy reliance on no stick spray). It could also have something to do with your recipe. My favorite recipe is here: http://articles.urbanhomemaker.com/index.php?article=83
I use the hand method in my kitchenaid mixer (I have a small one) and then, for the best looking loaves, I do a little hand kneading at the end. Or, I just have slightly ugly loaves.
Bread–I would ask what kind of pan are you using? I was using stoneware and wasn't really happy. I bought some Pyrex pans and I like them much better. I spray them with (generic) Pam.
1. I use Crisco and my bread never sticks. I turn it out of the pan and onto a cooling rack as soon as I pull it from the oven.
But we also have a Pampered Chef stoneware pan. (That I adore!) You can't clean it with soap, just water and scraping it; but once a stoneware pan is well seasoned, things just don't stick to it.
Still, I've never had any lucky greasing pans with olive oil. Go buy a can of Crisco and see if that doesn't work.
3. I'm thinking boy.
It will fly by. It will. And in the meantime, go read The Philosopher Mom on Waiting and the Present Moment.
6. Music. I'm afraid I can't help. I'm on a U2 kick right now. That's definitely no new. But oh it's so fun to sing along with in the car.
By the looks of #7, you need a night out, girl! My youngest was born the end of August. I spent that summer sacked out on the couch every afternoon feeling like a terrible mother as my kids watched videos. But we all got through it and looking back the time was a blip in the scope of life. You'll get through it. One day at a time.
Okay…so I have to start my big reveal with a story. My husband has a gift for predicting the gender of our babes. As in: he has never been wrong.
Until now. He was absolutely, 100% positive we were having a boy. He was named Charlie.
So, don't feel bad girls. Little Charlie fooled everyone.
We're havin' another girl! :)
Oh, and thanks for all the advice and recommendations! :)
Hey, I'm only 13 weeks along, so your thirteen weeks to go is nothin! :)
Your bean is a boy and you can name him "Harry" after your fave singer :).
Oops, I guess I should have read all the comments before guessing boy :P. How about if you name your girl "Harriet"? lol
Thanks for a delightful post! I wanted to let you know that, per your recommendation, I tried out Lime Ricki for a swim suit. It has now been to the beach and the pool — and the verdict is that I LOVE it. I was a lifeguard/swim instructor for years and had reconciled myself to always being the "wet rat" at the pool. Now, I feel lovely. (So lovely, that I have to remind myself about MODESTY — the humility kind!) Thank you!
Oh, to have more girls…
Until I do, I'm listening to Marty Robbins, "Love is Blue." Vintage and cheesy.
Congrats on the little one ! ! !
We just found out we are having a boy. Robert Damien! That's our 5th little blessing, and like you, they are age 7 and under.
Thanks for sharing the article about Bishop Nickless' Cry for Modesty. He is an awesome Bishop.
May God bless you and your family.
Hi! I love your blog! Glad to have found it!
Congrats on having another girl. That is wonderful. And what a cute story to tell her, as she grows up!
My bread sticks in the pan, too. I use parchment paper (and then compost it, when I'm done baking with it). It makes getting the bread out of the pan so easy.
Yay for a girl!
I have four weeks to go, and I'm torn between feeling that I have no time to get ready, and that four more weeks slogging this belly around is four weeks too many.
Here's how to make your weeks speed by: tell yourself to start cleaning for the homebirth. Then don't clean. Suddenly, you'll find that many weeks have passed and it's time to get it all done in two days. :)
Matt Maher, Switchfoot, Mercy Me, David Crowder Band–all in regular rotation here.
Try using glass pans for bread – you get a nice golden crust. Also, I use butter to coat mine.
Can't wait to read all about your new baby girl! A happy delivery is just around the corner!
You might like Jamie Cullum if you like Harry Connick, Jr. He does covers of jazz standards and writes great songs himself, too. He is a piano player and a little more all-over-the-place, genre-wise. I like to use hyphens.
I have a Kaiser La Forme nonstick bread pan that works great, although I am trying to move away from using nonstick. I love my stoneware pizza pans but they took a while to season. I leave my stoneware in the oven now when I'm baking other stuff – seems to speed up the seasoning process.
For the birth announcements: Do you have a Flickr account? They have a free photo editor (Picnic) and I'm pretty sure you could easily generate your own birth announcements with that software, in terms of pasting text over a cute photo. I love the ones you linked to – very unique!
I'm sure you listen to him already, but we have family dance parties to Just Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble. Good luck with your last – well, must be down to 11 weeks by now!