Sunday, February 5, 2017

Back to the starter~and back to my start:)








                                             

When Christmas came..Susan..at Savoring time in the kitchen..sent me an added gift..this Black Hills Sourdough Starter..

So I have been playing with it for a couple of weeks..I did make one loaf..not sure the starter was ripe enough..will definitely have more goes at it..it was good and pretty but dense..the verdict is perhaps it was not well started enough..
when you feed the starter..you discard some..that kills me;)

So on the KAF website..there was a recipe for the starter you are going to discard..I had half a cup ..so I tried their sourdough buns..

the recipe makes 2 pans of bread buns..I thought hmm.. too much ..rolls..as bread..people said making cinnamon rolls out of the dough..was winner..

So I rolled up the dough..but on the left hand side..I brushed the butter and parika mix..on the right side..I spread butter..and cinnamon sugar..
there you go..a sweet and a savory all at once..
both are good..
Jacques said..add plumped raisins next time:)
I baked mine Convection..fan as Mary and Paul would say..thus the more golden color..

They are  good..but both best right out of the oven..not the best rolls..in both cases.. but definitely easily palatable:)
I have made many more bun recipes that are softer and more delicious and at least 2 cinnamon roll recipes that are way better.

And back to my start :)When I was a starter..

I grew up with Barbies.

I LOVED Barbie.

I was maybe 6 or 7 with my first.

She was the spitting image of this one..but blonder hair and a red bathing suit...the red bathing suit though..this one is telling me that maybe it was this one;)And curly curly bangs.

I had her case♥Vinyl..she was on one side..her clothes hung up on the other side.

Not 100 % sure..which one I had..

I know feminists are not Barbie fans.
I never gave it a second thought at 6 or 7.
And having her now I still don't.
There's a lot more plastic on real people now.

I had her Barbie Fashion Shop..it was  cardboard back then..







I got these photos from the internet..they are fuzzy..but see the stage?And the chairs to view the parade of clothing from the stage?
My fashion shop was never messy like the middle one lol.
I had everything placed on the shelves..in the display case.
You could see some of these items from outside Barbie's shop.


I had her Red Flare Coat, velour ..and her velour clutch and velour pillbox Jackie O velour hat..long white gloves and shoes to match.
I wish I still had that.




I don't think I ever had the dress....look at the gold clutch and pearls:)




And for some reason..I had the above for both Barbie and Ken..


And this one♥ I loved the velvet skirt..skates and furry jacket..when I was 21 I bought one..OY.

Later on..Ken came to live with us..but he had flocked..kind of velveteen  hair and part wore off..




Midge too..but she was never like Barbie..




I had the brunette..
they came like this..poor dolls.




Barbie ..I could change her hair a lot and make it stay with straight pins through her head..lol.Big buns ..braid and then bun too.
I loved every pair of shoes..:)

I had other outfits but it's the red flare coat set I remember loving most.The swing coat.

Eventually Skipper w/ her long blonde hair and bangs came to my house too..case and all..and a pj..I remember the pj..I may have had Scooter..but she is not clear in my mind like the others..
Skipper had hair like I would have loved...straight..even at the beach,and bangs.







Oh and I had Barbie's plastic pink and white canopy bed..(my love for canopy beds was always existent:) )
I wonder why the fabric was PLASTIC.




I didn't get all these at once..we were not well to do..at all.
But w/ birthdays etc..that would be my favorite gift..I was still playing w/ them at 11 ..

So..a lady on my daughter's Facebook sale was selling this anniversary one..w/ THAT BOX..that cardboard box I loved..
So..I bought it..♥
I showed the boys..and they were not that impressed..but they humor me.
So I am very tickled pink to have her..as I wish I had all my "stuff".

I don't know why I gave Sophie Soulis many of my things.
She was little and I was a teen..
Regrets....I've had a few..(Frank Sinatra..:)

2 other toys I liked..Chatty Cathy w/ her string and holes on her chest for the voice to come out..what an invention..did I pull on that string or what?See her talk here..




And baby Thumbelina..she was beautiful..I took such good care of her..you would put her on her stomach..on her back she had a button...you wound it up and she would gently move her head .I had the small one.I looked on EBAY..yikes.The price!




I can still smell her♥
She felt so real..I had the small one..I Googles and 

remember those fake milk bottles you turned over and the milk would disappear as if your doll drank it? I LOVED those too.
I still have one of my toys..a beautiful little cradle..I will show you..it's in the attic..
When I had my girls..I was 21..23..Needless to say..I PLAYED with them..and they had a canopy bed..at one point we had 2 cribs in the house.
Happiest days of my life.

I am sure many of you have treasured memories of a favorite toy.
Maybe some of you fortunate ones still have one or 2..

45 comments:

  1. Oh such memories! I had that exact Barbie but with black hair...same striped bathing suit. I had Ken with that velveteen hair, and mine wore off as well, so I subbed him for Allen when he came out with the plastic hair. I had Midge....loved to stick straight pins in their heads to do their hair. My Mother who could not sew somehow made me outfits for Barbie....every birthday and every Chanukah was an outfit for Barbie and Midge. I did not have Skipper...or Thumbelina ...but I had Chatty Cathy whom I adored, and before that Tiny Tears , and also Betsy Wetsy...I had Patty Playpal who was supposed to walk. I do not think that she ever really did that well. She sat in my tiny rocking chair in my bedroom. Your buns look good! I d not have much discard with my starter....I keep it in the fridge, take it out a few days before I bake to feed it and wake it up. So to bake today on Sunday I take it out of the fridge and feed it on Thursday night. let it get really bubbly and active....I make my preferment on Friday night before I go to bed....let it work for about 12 hours or more. I made my dough Saturday night....did 5 sets of 10 stretch and folds...every 20 to 30 minutes...then I put the dough bucket in the fridge to ferment over night. I shaped my loaves and put in the Banneton...one in the fridge to bake tomorrow and one is sitting in the turned off microwave to bake in a few hours. It is not a quick process, but only requires a little bit of time each day and I am rewarded with two beautiful loaves per week....which we seem to finish. All natural wild yeast from my home made starter....that is only whole wheat flour and water. It does take patience though. Mike was asking me before is the bread ready yet! He is my best customer! Bisous xo

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  2. I love that you have the same memories as I do..we are so close in age it makes sense..it may not make sense to younger girls..but I think they should keep some things for when they are in their 60's..I still can't believe how fast 63 yrs went by.
    Almost in a blink.
    I find that a bit too bad.
    We don't even think of that when we are young..Probably so wise:)
    Allen..and Pointdexter lol..
    they were the only gifts I wanted...w/ my Nancy drew books in English..French were other ones.
    Linda..I just cannot grasp what you are telling me..it's like when Jacques gets into details about something lol.
    Ok..Check..fridge
    2..you never discard any?
    Preferment? What is that?
    In fridge or not?
    5 sets..of of 10 stretch and folds?
    More ferment?
    OMG Linda..you are now Ann T's sister..I admire you!
    Whatever you undertake is perfection.
    I mean that.
    Right now Ricardo is looking great to me..
    I will reread and reread..:)
    Promise.

    Did you keep any of your Barbie things?
    I have Monique Paypal;)Instead of Patty Playpal;)
    xx

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    1. I kept everything and when I left home to go on my own my Mom got rid of everything...I never could understand a woman who loves collecting and antiques...threw all my Barbie things and what toys I saved away. She saved my Girl Scout badges, Beret, and sash...that was it, A few baby shoes of mine...leather...tiny little things. That was it.

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    2. Oh no :( Would you like them back?
      I think it would be nice to just hold them:)

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  3. I think I had all the same dolls. Was so thrilled the day I got Chatty Cathy, haha! And I remember the first time I played with Barbies at a friends house - was sure I had died and gone to heaven. So fun to stroll down memory lane with you.

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    1. Aw..thanks Chris..I knew it..they would not be everyone's memories..I think when I saw the doll for sale..it just saprked so much"Je me souviens"..Jacques said:"you're not going to start playing with dolls are you? LOL

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  4. What lovely memories! Barbie was the province of my Baby Sis, who came along in the early Fifties and had a great collection. I made a lot of her clothes, copied fro magazines, with little stiff hats cut from straw and plastic and felt, and my favorite was the fancy little additions made of all the tulle and net and ribbon from my High School corsages preserved on my bulletin board. (Well, she was a sweet sister and I loved doing things for her---we both still love being together and we communicate every day).

    My own favorite two things from childhood, indeed the only things left are my Blue Willow Tea Set from my sixth birthday and the tiny white stove, fridge and sink made of molded white plastic, which had been in the kitchen of my dollhouse. The same dollhouse whose kitchen I painted pink with Mother's Revlon nail polish. Last year, I got my own pink kitchen (walls a lovely Sweet 'n' Low packet pink) and the tiny white furniture is against its pink wall in the pass-through to the dining room.

    Charming memories! Thank you.

    rachel

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    1. You made me smile with painting the walls with your mother's nail polish..they loved Revlon:)
      I think it's great that you got your own pink kitchen! With the white furniture:) Very cute Rachel!

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  5. Oh what a lovely trip down memory lane Monique! My sister had your Barbie, I had the one with the black bubble do. I had saved up to buy one and she was the only one in the shop when we went. I remember I bought her in a store in Polo Park Winnipeg on one of our very infrequent visits to the city, and I bought her some clothes and a black patent leather case at the same time. I was six. (I used to have a job cleaning telephone booths in our community) so I had saved a lot of money! I had a bed for her also, plastic, but not a canopy. I would have loved the canopy bed and that beauty/dress shop, and the skating outfit. Oh and Chatty Cathy. I really wanted one of those so I tied a string around the neck of my Little Miss Eaton doll and pretended she could talk. In a way I guess she was better than Chatty Cathy because she said more stuff, lol. Oh my mind is going back this morning reading your post. Thanks for the memories! (I have the Barbie with the blond ponytail now just like yours.) Your buns don't look too bad! I have never had any luck with sour dough. No surprise there as I am not a bread baker anyways. I am not good at it! Love and hugs and have a beautiful week! Thanks for getting mine off to a sweet start! xoxo

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    1. You cracked me up at tying a string around Miss Eaton..have to look her up..I showed one of my daughters Chatty Cathy and she said..looks kinda scary mom..sure enough Google Chucky from movie:( I adored her freckles and her teeth,she had a gingham dress I think.
      Marie I remember you having that job..industrious and resourceful even back then:)
      You have a great mamory of back then..better than mine....see why I said you will laugh when you see my post?

      :)x

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    2. Great minds always thinking alike Monique! I think part of the charm of Chatty Cathy was those little chicklet teeth! And yes the freckles! Oh and I would have loved to have one of those magic milk bottles!

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  6. So enjoyed your trip down memory lane, Monique. I was such a tomboy growing up. I didn't have a Barbie, but my granddaughters must have every one made in their small lifetimes. LOL! I still have the horses and one doll from my childhood. All the kiddos play with them when they are here. Fun! Hope you have a wonderful day. blessings and hugs ~ tanna

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    1. I have met many ho have told me they were tomboys..I have no idea why some of us are..others not..I had 2 big brothers..but feel I was raised alone..they were both gone by the time I was 10 I think..
      Have a great week Tanna!!

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  7. Bet you looked just like her.
    Still do a bit if you added the sunglasses :))

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    1. No not quite..:) But it was a short lived foray into fashion:)My daughter looked at this and said:"I had forgotten the size of her waist.."

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  8. You are such a trooper with the starter! I actually didn't throw any out until I started baking with it, didn't realize I was supposed to in the beginning - LOL. I still don't throw away each and every time - maybe only every other time I feed but then I only add 1/3 cup of flour at a time. I tried the cinnamon rolls too :) I had the same experience. Felt a yeast dough is best for rolls also. Try pancakes or waffles next time. We loved those! Oh my goodness, your dolls! I wish I had one of mine. She was a big doll with knees and wrists that bend and a waist that turned. She had gorgeous dresses. What wonderful memories!

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    1. I know..to be surrounded by them fo..well like an hour!
      About 20 years ago..when I was in my forties..I went back to the house I grew up in ..well a duplex..stayed there till I was 10..at the corner was where my sister ahd that tragic accident..I went with the girl that shared the upper balcony w/ us..adjacent upper duplex..in the 50's.Can you believe I rang the doorbell..company made me braver..a youg woman andswered she and her mom owned the side I was on..she let us go in..be still my heart..I even want to go back..I won't..she was so nice..
      but what a great flow of memories came back.
      We don't know what these things will mean later..
      I am relentless..I am going to make good sourdough bread :) One day..;)I'll stop babying it for starters..(get it? )

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  9. What a blast from the past. I had forgotten that many of these toys existed, thank you for sharing so many pictures! I didn't have a Barbie, I had Sabrina from the Bewitched show. She came with a red sequin dress and broom and red sequin witch hat. I loved playing with her. Later mom bought me a Ken at a yard sale and for some reason I never made him pretend to be Darrin!! I've looked for that Samantha doll online, but OY as you say...the prices!!!!

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    1. I had to Google her!
      I loved Bewitched..Elizabeth Montgomery was so beautiful to me:)I would practice making my nose twitch..I bet everyone can do it..her mom was something else:)

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  10. I never played with dolls growing up. I had three younger sisters that I had to help take care of, so playing with dolls seemed like work, lol. I also was a tom boy and would rather climb trees etc.

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    1. Aww..I can see why..you wre looking after 3 dolls..big responsibility!
      I had no one..maybe..that's whay they were so dear to me..make believe :)

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  11. What a fun magical post Monique!
    I was a "Barbie" gal too...I had 2 old Aunts, who used to make me clothes for my Barbies...and I mean CLOTHES!! Knitted and sewn...even a tiny fur stole, for her evening dress!! Such fun.
    Don't know anything about your baking...I will not comment on that one. I am sure everything you bake is delicious.
    Enjoy the rest of your Monday...
    cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. I have knitted Barbie clothes..but from my daughters..so well knitted..I will show you..
      Do you have anything still for miss V?
      Enjoy the next few weeks❤️

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    2. I had saved my girls Cabbage Patch Dolls...and a few of her Mom's stuffed toys...nothing of mine...only the Royal Doulton bridesmaid.
      I will!! 2 more sleeps, and we hit the road!!

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    3. I have 2 of the Cabbage Patches from my girls tomorrow!
      When is your bday?

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    4. Feb 11...when is yours??????

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  12. What a fun post! So many memories for me. My sister and I never got along as kids, except when we played with our barbies. Before we had plastic beds we made furniture out of shoe boxes and scraps of fabric for bedspreads. Such fun. Thanks for the walk down memory lane and the great laugh about plastic people - haha!

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    1. Oh I did that too..with the shoe boxes..and I would make partitions in some..THANK YOU for those memories Tricia!

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    2. I just remembered..I cut out windows and doors and made curtains somehow..Kleenex?

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  13. Ah, Barbie. I had that little furry jacket. Didn't it go with a pink satin strapless formal? I still have mine though her hair is long gone and the clothes and case gone too. I made my own furniture out of books and things at home -- The furniture stuff was just beginning to come in as I was letting it go. But creative, to be sure! And the buns look delish!

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    1. Could you do a post with her?
      I would love that..I bet you have a photo...
      The nuns were blah..let Rick keep doing what he is doing👍

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  14. Hi Monique, your rolls look delicious, my starter fizzled out not exactly sure what I did wrong, but I will start over. Never did have a chatty Cathy or a Barbie growing up but my daughter did. I sure had fun playing with her Barbie and her of course;)

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    1. So sweet..

      But..not one doll?

      Maybe try the Black Hills starter?

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  15. Your rolls look very tasty, Monique! I haven't used a starter in a long time. I had just started high school when Barbie came out, and I remember when my niece desperately wanted one. We were amazed with it and all the clothes, the car and on and on. I had a Ginger doll way back when and received a new outfit in the mail every month for a year. I loved December, with her white fur coat! This proves I must be older than dirt!

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    1. Hi !

      I just made your oatmeal peanut butter cookies♥

      Lucas is just arriving but thank you and I will talk about them..I talk too much!

      Ginger:)

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  16. That was a fun post...I didn't have a Barbie. I had Ginger and I loved her. Mom's rationale for not buying me a Barbie was that I had Ginger. :-( Ginger didn't have Barbie's curves...but, she had a wedding dress, a nurse outfit and a fancy nightgown and a few other things but nothing as cool as Barbie had! My case was plastic with one opening. When I removed Ginger there was a little pull tag that opened the back of the case and that is where her clothes were.

    I played with sourdough starters a number of years ago. I wasn't impressed. Guess I wasn't too good at it...

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    1. Ginger..seems she was popular..and I did not know her..wonder if she ever made it Canada?
      You must remember the pull tag vividly:)

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  17. Wonderful post, Monique! I learned to sew on my mother's pedal Singer sewing machine making Barbie clothes. Wonderful memories!

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    1. I loved trying to make her some clothes..my mom had a pedal too..until she got a newer one..
      I would use anything..you should have seen poor Barbie:)

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  18. Wow!! lovely pictures of old barbie dolls.. :)

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  19. Bonjour chère Nana,
    A mon tour je vous souhaite une très joyeuse Saint-Valentin !...
    Un pain qui me semble bien savoureux... Ma fille Daphné a tellement joué avec ses poupées Barbie !! contrairement à mon autre fille Fauve.
    Une belle rétrospective photographique !

    Gros bisous

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  20. Oh my gosh!
    I had Barbie. A couple as a matter of fact.
    A blond Barbie with a ponytail and a dark haired Barbie with short hair.
    I also had Ken. And Midge. And a doll called Tressa.
    My aunt made clothes for my Barbie. Loads of clothes.
    Whatever happened to my Barbie's and all of their accessories I wonder?
    I should have taken better care of them.
    diane @ thoughts&shots

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  21. Encore un point commun ! Les Barbies, sont toute mon enfance ... Je n'ai pas connu les premières mais celles des années 70 étaient assez rigolotes aussi !
    Des bises en te souhaitant une bonne fin de journée
    À très vite
    Hélène

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