Watercolor pastels,Bran Muffins and Pain Magique.

I am always in the need of good bran muffins..and I make all kinds because I do love them so:)

So you have read about all my faves..and this is another..a classico:)  The one on the Quaker Bran box:)

I add dates that I plump..chopped plumped dates..

it is one of the few times I use Crisco.

And très peu.

In some pie doughs I do also.

I do  confess.

Do you..

Remember that commercial?

About frying chicken and  Crisco? One of many!

I do.

And the one about being a good cook ?

The Easy Off one? LOL

Be a good cook mother said and you'll get a man.

What did I get?25 years in a dirty oven..

Oh how times have changed;)

Thank goodness.

This is a bit funny..I have had these watercolor pastels for over 10 yrs..I have played with them..the same way I do w/ my oil pastels,direct on the paper..all ridgey and ugly they looked....and then wet the effort..that was almost worse..

hated everything..until I saw someone on IG..using Daniel Smith stick paints..and I thought..I should try this with my watercolor pastels..

Guess what?

Now I know how to use them..for me..it may not be THE WAY..wet your brush and then go to the pastels..your brush will be imbibed w/ the pastel watercolors..I did a quickie quickie dress..it works!

I like all kinds of materials for painting..the PH Martins I have had for at least 15 yrs..they will outlast and outlive me..perfect for work like Danielle Donaldson's book.

Who else comes home from Paris w/ an empty cream bottle?

If I had had a regular suitcase and not just a carry one..so much more would have come home to my little town..

their cream is not like ours..well the ones we found.

So the day I decided to make this bread..it was dark and cloudy and I was trying a different setting  on my camera..w/ a different lens..and the photo was AWFUL..not the camera's fault.

It still is..but compared to what it was..anyway..

the purose is to tell you about this recipe..non bread bakers will..should love it..

Look at it..the holes..the rise..and good.

even easier than Ricardo's..that I still LOVE.

you still need a dutch oven type Le Creuset thing..that you don't care how it eventually ends up looking..like for Ricardo's.

I was smitten w/ the girl on  the Josée Di Stasio show..and she made this bread..plus I had made jams and marmalades..needed a bread with substance.

Pain Magique.

Now mine didn't have a indentation on top..nor did the one on the show..A nice round boule.

so how easy is this?

3 cups of flour

2 cups of water

pinch of salt

half a tablespoon of instant yeast

mix everyting w/ a spoon..in a large bowl until uniform and firm

Cover with an inverted bowl (I used cling)..12-24 hrs ..until doubled or tripled in size..

I brought mine into my craft room where Jacques is fermenting wine..

Preheat oven to 500 F w/ your cast iron lidded pot..

Turn your risen dough over into a well floured pan..or board..do not kneed..you just want the bread floured..well..then plop into the hot cast iron pot.cover..bake 25-30 minutes(30 for me) uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes..

or until a nice color.

PS I put parchment in my cast iron..fit in in prettily..

when it comes out it has a crunch top..It will soften..the same day it is wonderful..the next day we toasted it..still great..even a couple of days later..I had put mine in a banneton .

as you can see lots of nice air holes etc..

A winner.

Easy Peasy. 

Easy as Pie.

I have a sourdough starter starting..fingers crossed..it's in the wine room too..

Inspired by Lee-Ann

Susan..who sent me the starter for Xmas

And Linda..who I swear..it's her first time..and WOW.

(footnote..I put the starter in the oven w/ only pilot light on)

I have baked one loaf..not qute right yet..(the sourdough)

when I get it..I will share.

Fingers crossed.

Oh and the neat little program that made a photo less terrible?

COLOR STORY

On my Ipad..free..you can upgrade..but I like just the basic..unlike Lumyer that totally stopped on My Ipad..they said it does not work on an Ipad..hmmm..well..it did..

Enjoy...