A Little Almost Frank Sinatra

 

I posted the following link to a Frank Sinatra type song that I rather enjoyed. There is nothing like a little comedy to cheer one up. Enjoy....

 

http://www.animatronics.org/strangers/strangers.htm

The Answer Regarding How A Woman's Mind Works

 

The above picture is a simple illustration of how a womans mind works. Each blue ball represents a a thought process.

A man's mind only has 2 balls.

Lucy And Ethel Or Thelma And Loueeeez

After seeing the pictures and hearing the stories regarding Cyn and Vic sneaking up to the North Pole I place a few calls and did a little investigating to answer a few questions I personally had regarding the two of them getting jobs in Santas Work shop.

Now I'm not much of a drinker but on occasion I will have a beer with my old buddy St. Nick. He was kinda shocked to hear my voice when he answered his phone for we haven't talked in years. I told him that I thought he was losing his touch regarding his back ground searches before the hiring of new employes. Seems that maybe his naughty or nice list may have been on the blink or something.

My buddy broke into tears as he told me his story. He was trudging through the snow on his way home from the main Toy Shop after having a meeting with all of the top elfs. The meeting was in regards to the new Play Station 3 or something like that and some kinda shortage. Anyways, as he was walking along he heard a comotion over by the North Pole. He heard some silly laughter and some singing and he saw this little Pixie doing a pole dance on the North Pole. He went to shoo them away but found them to be both a couple of scheming little brats. The poor guy was assaulted by a barrage of high pitched squeels as he was overcome by two little creatures. He thinks one was a Pixie and the other was a Imp. He wasn't sure because he thought they were in disguises. He claims that one of them, theImp, he thinks had pink frilly stuff poking from under her disguise.

Nick told me that the Imp and the Pixie demanded jobs from him but he had refused because they just didn't meet certain qualifications. The Pixie started sprinkeling her magic dust about so that she could take control of the situation. She and the Imp decided to black mail Santa. Nick was told that if he did not give them jobs then Mrs. Claus would be notified that her husband was attending pole dances on his way home from work.  Nick new that he had no choice but to give in.

Yes, The truth has come out. All of Blog Land needs to know the truth. At first I thought the Pixie and the Imp were like Lucy and Ethel working at the North Pole. I could only picture them stuffing candy in their little faces as it went by on the conveyor belt. But now I know that they surely are Thelma and Loueeeez.

Mac's Turkey

Lol, what a title. Rather amusing if I might say so myself.

Ok, traditionally I have said that my family celebrates The Turkey today. Yesterday after comming home from work I learned that our 20lb Turkey was still in the freezer for no one thought to take it out. So I removed it last night and hoped for the best. I am sure everybody has hoped their turkey would be thawed by Turkey Day unless they always get the fresh birds or one scraped from tha asphalt. well this morning I was up around 6 and found that the bird was still mostly frozen after doing the dreaded leaving it to sit out over night. I know, food poisoning. So I figured I'd give it a water bath for about 5 hours and that would give me plenty of time to cook it and to have the meal around 6pm. So around 11:00 I I took the bird out of it's bath and then wrasseld with getting the dang neck outta the bird. My 15 year old daughter walked into the kitchen and cracked up laughing as I held my arm up clutching the turkey neck still stuck up inside the turkey as I did my best Big Bird Imatation for her. She got more of a laugh out of the fact that I had my arm up a turkeys butt than how bad I was at Impersonating a Big Dumb Bird.

Eventually my 6'2 " 210lb self won the battle with that Turkey Neck that was frozen into a cane shape and all was well. I cleaned up the mess I made, rinsed the bird and toweled it dry. I shoved my stuffing into both ends of the creature and then I smeared some herbed butter that I made up under the skin. I bragged back around my birthday that I had recieved a Calphalon roasting pan with a rack from my wife as a gift. I finally have the chance to use it. A roast just isn't big enough for this roasting pan but the turkey was a perfect fit. I smeared some of the herbed butter over the skin of the turkey. Threw the lid on the roaster and then put the turkey into my preheated 350 degree oven. I was very impressed at the thickness of the roasting pan. It seemed as thick as a cast iron skillet.

The turkey is in the oven by 12:00. I had the chance to run outside and put a new thermostat in my wifes car because her heat wasn't working. I took care of that and noticed that the leak she had a few weeks ago back by her transmission was back. It's going to the shop. I have had enough of that blasted car.

4:00 rolls around and I decided to check the internal temperature of the bird. 165 degrees after 4 hours. Impressive. The roaster pan seemed to increase the speed of the cooking process. At about a 160 degrees I like to take the bird out of the oven, keep it covered and allow the residule heat to bring the bird up to about 180 for perfect doneness.

I have to get the rest of the meal done so I had better get moving. We are having just the basics, some homemade rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet taters, corn and cranberry sauce. And of course the turkey and stuffing.

The Garden Circle Blog News III

The Garden Circle Blog News III

 

This week In the Garden Circle I would have to say I have enjoyed such marvelous blogs by all of my Garden Friends. It would be hard to comment on each and every blog that was done this week for we have been such blogging fools. 

 

We have touched so many subjects. From the memories of Thanksgiving past, to so many recipes of our Thanksgiving favorites.  We have had happy blogs and sad blogs, serious blogs and a few very humorous blogs.  So many of us have posted our reasons for being thankful and some of those reasons were almost downright miracles.

 

I must say that you are all such a wonderful group of friends and I am Thankful to have shared the experience of sharing this week with each and every one of you. 

 

I have tried to wonder what a Thanksgiving Dinner would be like if the Garden Circle Friends all were ever able to come together for one. The food would surely be out of this world. That is of course, would be after we all regained our composure enough to enjoy it, after Misty set her Turkey on the table. I could only imagine all of the different sides that would be prepared from whatever one was most proud of from their gardens. The desserts would be out of this world. From all of the different types of pies and cakes. I have seen some of the recipes and they have been out of this world.

 

And one thing for sure, the entertainment at the Garden Circle Thanksgiving Dinner would surely be top notch and I am sure that us at the kiddies table will have the greatest time of all.

 

And that is my view for the  news this week. Have a good night and good day.

 

 

Thanksgiving Worst Nightmare

I mentioned that my family and I have Thanksgiving at my Inlaws. I love my Inlaws but at times I wonder what world or dimension they actually live in.

My Inlaws have kicks I call them. They will get something on their minds and then go crazy with it. Several years ago they wanted a pt bird. Now they have hundreds of birds in their home. You would think that you were in a tropical rain forest to step into their home.

About a month ago I guess thay decided to go on a Carb free diet. Can anyone tell me what one would eat for a Thanksgiving meal that wouldn't contain carbs? I know, Turkey and a few vegetables. Everything else though to my delight has carbs.  The cranberries, the mashed potatoes, the sweet potatoes. Lets not forget the bread, rolls and of course the stuffing and gravy. What's a dessert if there are no carbs?

Of course we luckily brought our carbs with us. I actually had someone at the dinner table tell me that now they can't even eat mashed potatoes anymore because when they do they feel ill. I looked at them and opened my mouth with the words, "how can you mentally make yourself sick with the thought of eating mashed potatoes? Mashed potatoes are like the number one comfort food of all time". This did not go over very well. I had just hurt the feelings of the families trained, educated mental therapist, oh my. I can hear the complaining to my wife for weeks to come.

For dessert we had our pies. My youngest daughter was very proud of her first pumpkin pies that she had made and they were excellent. The Therapist (about 38 years old) had made a carb free cheese cake using yogurt or something that looked dreadful.Every time I turned around or made eye contact I was asked if I wanted a piece of the thing. I tried a piece to be polite and I would swear that if a cheese cake could be made with saw dust I was eating it. It did have a slight taste of Spamoni though. Cheese cake usually melts in ones mouth. This cheese cake was like eating roughage that cleaned the palate as it went down. I am terrible, I know.

My family always celebrates Thanksgiving on the weekend after. It's our tradition. Now I am hoping that everyone understands why.

Missing In Action

This Thanksgiving I feel a sadness. It is the first year in my sons life that he will not be here for the holiday.

After graduating from college he decided to do a year of volunteer work for Americorp in Buffalo New York. He is spending the year working for a program that reaches out and helps the poor that aren't poor enough to qualify for help through the goverment. He puts together a case for his clients and then helps them legally get help by representing them through the program in court. He enjoys what he does and may continue doing it after his year as a volunteer is over.

It's hard as a parent to not have a child home for the holidays. I say child but a man. My son had worked with me durring the summer months for the past 4 years when not in school. I miss him and hope to see him soon.

 

The KitchenAid

I have written several blogs with recipes calling for the use of a Kitchen Aid. I have recieved comments from a few asking what one is so I have posted a picture of one.

Kitchem Aids have been around since the late 50's if I am not wrong. They are very dependable and durable. You can mix doughs, with a dough hook, mix batters with the paddle and whisk beautiful egg whites with the whisk attachment. I also have several attachments for my Kitchen Aid. I have a meat grinder and sausage makerand a pasta maker which I think is a piece of garbage. There are countless attachments a person could get for this machine.

I recieved my Kitchen Aid about 8 years ago for a Christmas present. At the time they were about 179.00.

I make alot of bread doughs and pizza doughs. My wife and daughters love it for cookie doughs and cake and brownie mixies.

For my bread doughs and pasta doughs I always do the final kneading by hand. Traditionally I do this just to make it my dough.

Entry for November 22, 2006

Ok, I'm probably going to gross everybody out with this recipe but thats ok. Several years ago while making a turkey sandwich, I put the turkey on the bread, then the stuffing and all of a sudden I thought, hmmm, self, Why not make a stuffing bread? What is stuffing? So I started with the expieriments and I developed this bread. It's great for turkey or chicken sandwiches. I'm crazy, I know. Try it if you dare and you may be suprised.

 

Turkey Sandwich Bread

(Mac’s Stuffing Bread)

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup of warm chicken stock

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 packet of quick rising yeast

3 cups of unbleached flour

1 teaspoon of salt

½ cup of each- diced onion, celery and carrot

1/8 teaspoon of pepper

¼ teaspoon of poultry seasoning

 

Directions

 

In a Kitchen Aid bowl combine all of the dry ingredients. With the speed low add the chicken stock and the melted butter. As the dough comes together, add the vegetables. Allow the machine to knead the dough for about 5 minutes on speed 2.  Shape the dough into a loaf shape or make a log and put it into a loaf pan. If using a loaf shape place it onto a cookie sheet.

Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size. (About 1-½ hours).  Place into a preheated 400-degree oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow the bread to cool for about ½ hour before slicing.

 

 

 

"Grandma's Apron"

 "Grandma's Apron"

 

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress

underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

 

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.



From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks,

and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.



When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.



And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.



Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.



Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.



From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.



In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the

trees.



When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.



When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron,

and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.



It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace

that "old-time apron" that served so many purposes. 







REMEMBER:



Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.



Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

 

Pregnant Turkey

My wife recieved a funny e-mail today and told me a story that I have to share with everybody because it is so funny.

A mother was visiting her daughter for Thanksgiving. Her daughter put a stuffed turkey into the oven and then had to run to the store for her mother needed something.. The mother having a sense of humor removed the turkey from the oven. She removed the stuffing and then placed a Cornish Game Hen into the Turkey and then packed the stuffing back in also. She placed the Turkey back into the oven. I am sure that this surely must have taken some careful planning, lol.

The time for the meal finally arrived and everyone was at the dinner table and the carving of the Turkey finally commenced. Eventually the Tiny bird inside the big bird was discovered. Geesh, a pregnant Turkey the mother explains to the daughter. The daughter is flabergasted and all upset.

Everyone carried on for some time regarding the pregnant Turkey. The daughter was in tears thinking her Thanksgiving meal had been ruined. The mother finally fessed up to her joke. You would think that would be the end of it after the laughter receded. BUT, it took several hours to convince the daughter that Turkeys lay eggs.

Hasenpfeffer (Rabbit Stew)

HASENPFEFFER (Rabbit Stew)

Surely Not Road Kill

 

• 8 or 10 pieces of dressed rabbit
  
• Flour
  
• 1/4 cup fat (such as bacon fat)
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
  
• 1/2 tsp. allspice or cloves
  
• 2 medium-sized sliced onions
  
• 2 heads garlic, smashed and minced
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 1/2 cup vinegar
  
• 1  12 oz. can diced tomatoes
  
• 1 small can tomato puree
  
• Fresh mushrooms, sliced, optional

Roll pieces of meat in flour and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fry in fat until a golden brown. Place in a baking pan or casserole dish and add sliced onion, seasoning, vinegar, diced tomatoes, and tomato puree (add mushrooms if desired). Let simmer or bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Serves 8-10.



Alternative Recipe

HASENPFEFFER (Rabbit) STEW

Cook rabbit pieces in 1-2 cups of water in closed Dutch oven until meat can easily be deboned. Save broth to add to stew. Debone meat and chop into pieces. Fry meat pieces in fat (such as bacon fat) until golden brown. Drain pieces and add to other ingredients and broth (as listed above) in a crock-pot. Cook for 4-5 hours.

Pies Pies Pies

I love pie. I am addicted to pie. I am a pie aholic.  If someone gives me a slice of pie I will be their friend, lol.

I look foward to Thanksgiving just for the chance to eat pie. Usually most times of the year I only have the chance of eating 1 type of pie at a time but for Thanksgiving it's Pies Galore. Apple pies, Pumpkin Pies, Mincemeat Pie, Cherry pie, Custard pie, Blueberry pie and And my favorite Harvest pie which has a combination of almost all seasonal fruits.

I make a pretty good pie as far as the fillings are considered and my crust is nice and flaky but I am the first to admit that I make the mostest ugliest looking pies a person could lay an eye on. Oh, I've tried all the tricks like cold dough, and rolling it onto a rolling pin and using a glass type cold surface, using waxed paper, saran wrap and also that give it up and just use a frozen or premade crust. I leave the premade crust to my wife. I like my ugly pies. From the way they  disappear it seems that someone else seems to like them too.  I never mastered the finger fluting design on a pie crust. I just figure that if I am lucky enough to get the top crust over the pie in one piece it's a reason to celebrate and do the dance of a football player that just scored a touch down. 

So this Thanksgiving I am on a quest for pies. If I see a pie, I will eat it. If there is cool whip present I will eat that too. If of course a cheese cake or two manage to get in my way I will eat them too because If there is anything I love more than a pie it is cheese cake.  I will make a few Harvest pies, apple pies, pumpkin pies and mincemeat pies and share them, but will be on the look out for any pies out there beause the world can never have enough pie.

 

 

 

Memories of Thanksgiving

Ok Vic, I read your blog and started recalling memories of my own regarding the Thanksgivings I remember as a child.

I grew up as a young child living with my Grandparents in a small backwoods little town in UpState New York. It was a small farming community and it seemed that in some way everyone was related. Our small town had one little store in it. It was a cross between a grocery store and a hardware store. By groceries I mean the store sold the essentials like flour, salt sugar ect. The store was maybe the size many peoples living rooms, by todays standards.

As a farming community the towns people pretty well raised whatever food they ate. If it wasn't raised then it was hunted. That is what I remember about Thanksgiving as a child. All of the men,My Grandfather and Uncles would all go hunting the day before Thanksgiving. Whatever they managed to get was used for the Thanksgiving meal. My Grandmother was such a fantastic cook. I learned so much from her as a child. Lol, she also taught me how to fish.  No fancy rods and reals, stick and string was our method.

No matter the bounty, Pheasant, duck, goose, wild turkey. A  goat from over by Jim's, My Grandfathers and Uncles alway came home with something. I still recall vague memories of the use of wax or something to aid in the removal of the feathers my Grandmother and I would pluck.  I blogged before regarding growing potatoes so thats a given that we always had an abundance of mashed potatoes. Real minced meat pies made with Venison was a specialty of my Grandmothers. I would love to have one of those pies today. Pumpkin Bread and pumpkin pie. If we didn't have pumpkin then we had zuchinni. The way my Grandmother baked no one coud tell the difference between the 2. I could because the Zuchinni pie and bread wasn't orange but thats just because I was smarter. That's what my Grandma would tell me anyway.

What made Thanksgiving really mean something though was for everyone to be together.I wasn't with my family at that age due to some certain circumstances that weren't right in a childs life but looking back I am grateful and thankful to this day that I had my Grandparents and the great memories that I will cherish forever.

(Special note-I have never eaten goat and no goats were harmed durring these recollections)

 

The Garden Circle Blog News

The Garden Circle Blog News

 

The first topic in the news is a definite comment on Judy’s postings for the week. I loved her posting on Senility. From there she goes to the gym on some torture device that is called an Abductor machine and tortures herself to extreme pain and needs medications to survive the pain she put herself through. I think the Senility will have her back torturing herself on the Abductor cater within the next week.

 

Dixie has been a Booger Picking Nut this week. I loved the picture Dixie. I agree that it was a whole lot classier than Mahvin sitting on the toilet.  I also enjoyed seeing The “Wild Ass” side of Dixie.  I thought Dixie was having a good time this week and then all of a sudden the mood shifted with the Turkey Day Blues. I have felt that way for almost 30 years Dixie. I live 10 miles from the in-laws and about 300 miles from my family. Guess where I have to spend every holiday?

 

 

I am sure I will get all the ladies mad at me over the Lip Postings this week. I think I would rather see feet. And I’m not a foot pervert either, lol.  I am just not a fan of big lips and never liked lipstick. Seems that for some reason whenever I see lips I get the image of the Winks Lips on MSN Messenger.

 

 

Buffy has posted that her Footings are poured and her foundation is on the way. I had to laugh when I saw the picture of the cat with its fur do. It reminded me of what I see in the morning when I first wake up.

I had to rush back in with an update. Right after I posted the evening edition it seems that Buffy posted a slide show with her completed foundatin. Wow, that was fast Buffy.

 

Well, I guess if any guys out there want to pretend to be photographers and get those ladies to let them take their pictures, Teddy has the proper paper work for you to use. Just visit his blog, copy and paste and you can look like a real professional. 

 

I loved Angie’s picture of an American Soldier asleep in a chair holding a little orphaned baby whose family were killed by insurgents. You’re right Angie, you don’t see many pictures like that or hear the stories behind them.

 

 

I got a kick when I visited Cyn’s page and saw that, yup, Wikipedia’s definition of a Pixie sure does describe Cyn to a “T”. I will have to start leaving out a bowl of milk for her visits.

 

Seems Jim was hit with a repeat tag this week. He came out firing both barrels with his answers for the questions. Seems like there is a new expression for “Flame On” now. I also see that Jim picked up a new female goat this week. I hope that he isn’t quarreling with the puppy. I can’t wait for the future pictures.

 

Vero posted 2 blogs this week concerning a football team and planes. I saw the second one regarding a plane crashing with 75 people aboard, including the football team. How sad. What a tragedy to hit a community and a state.

I had 5 of my best friends wiped out in a car crash as a teenager. They were drinking and driving.  My town was very small and the 5 boys were the ones that I grew up with. Hearing of an entire football team being killed in a plane crash revives those memories.

 

I was reading Vic’s blog and admiring her story of being a child and I came to the part of the lumpy gravy and I cracked up laughing. I remember my 3 older sisters decided many years ago to have a Thanksgiving meal.  None of them ever learned to cook. Well, my wife of about 1 year and I were invited. I remember the panic as my sisters reached the point in the meal preparations of which of them was going to make the gravy. Yes, panic struck. My wife, God bless her sole instead of volunteering to make the gravy, let my sisters know that I should make it. I could not believe that growing up in a family that survived on gravy, I had 3 sisters that didn’t have a clue.  I am sure that even now, my sisters take full advantage of the “Turkey In A Bag”.

 

I was missing in action for a few days this week. When I logged into 360 and entered my page I started itching my shins. I just couldn’t figure out what was bugging me till I noticed the fleas hopping about. Talk about an infestation. I got out the sprays and the flea traps and I’m hoping that they work. I scattered the Borax and ran the vacuum. I never had to deal with Royal Fleas before. If they don’t clear out I’m just going to turn off the heat and freeze them out.

Well, that's the News For Now. Good day and good night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soft Pretzels and Bagels

Mac’s Bagels and Soft Pretzel Recipes

 

 

 

Growing up I never had a bagel. I never even heard of one. As a young adult when I had my first one, I do believe a frozen Lenders bagel that was toasted in the toaster served with butter I thoroughly enjoyed it and was hooked instantly. (The same with Chinese food but that’s another story)

Moving to New Jersey I have found that bagels are a way of life here. We have bagel joints all over the place. The breakfast sandwich here usually comes on a bagel. When Dunkin Donuts started making bagels the door opened for so many varieties of bagels. The Everything Bagel seemed to have been invented around that time.

 

Also in this area we have the famous Philly Soft Pretzels.  I love these pretzels. The reason that I mention these pretzels will become clear soon enough.

 

I have searched and searched for a decent bagel recipe and it seemed that they are out there a dime a dozen but are in most cases recipes that were developed to throw a person off the track concerning making a good homemade bagel.  It worked well at throwing me off for I did give up. I seemed to accept the fact that if I wanted a good bagel then I would have to just by them.

 

Several years ago I came across a recipe for making Homemade Soft Pretzels.  These pretzels became a favorite snack for my family. There is nothing like a hot fresh soft pretzel dipped in a nice brown mustard.  Soft pretzels are a Comfort Food to the extreme. 

 

Through a logical assumption I came to a conclusion that pretzels and bagels were related. Some of the old bagel recipes that I had used were similar to making the Pretzels with only one variation.  So one day I put myself to the task of attempting to make some homemade bagels with the theories that I developed making the pretzels and with my first attempt I had 100% success. 

 

 

Soft Pretzels

 

Ingredients

 

Dough

1 cup of luke warm water

1 packet of yeast

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

3 cups of unbleached flour

 

Boiling Solution

4 cups of water in a wide pan

4 teaspoons of baking soda

 

Topping

1 egg and a tablespoon of water for an egg wash

½ cup of course salt

 

Directions

 

Prepare the dough as you would bread dough and knead it very well for at least 4 minutes. Allow the dough to rise and double in size.  Gently deflate the dough and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.  Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Allow the balls to rest for 10 minutes. Place the water and baking soda into a wide pan and bring to a boil. Roll each ball of dough into a rope about 12 to 15 inches long and shape into a pretzel shape pinching the 2 ends together. Let the pretzel shapes rest while the water solution comes to a boil. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place 2 pretzels gently into the boiling water. Boil for exactly 1 minute and then gently turn the 2 pretzels over and boil the second side for exactly 1 minute longer. The 1-minute is a must or the pretzels will get to tough. After the pretzels are finished boiling place them gently onto a sheet pan. Repeat this process until all of the bagels have been boiled.

After the boiled pretzels have cooled slightly brush them to coat the tops with the egg wash. Sprinkle the tops of the pretzels with the course salt to your liking. Place the pretzels in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or to a nice golden brown color.  Remove the pretzels from the oven and try to allow them to cool enough so as not to burn the inside of your mouth. After you taste these pretzels you will find that doing this is the biggest challenge to making these pretzels.

 

 

Mac’s Bagels

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup of warm water

1 packet of yeast

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

3 cups of unbleached flour

 

Boiling Solution

4 cups of water in a wide pan

1 tablespoon of salt

 

Toppings

1 egg with a teaspoon of water for an egg wash

Fresh garlic minced, onion minced, salt to taste and a pinch of sugar.

Course salt

 

Directions

 

Prepare the dough as you would bread dough and knead it very well. Let the dough rise for bout 3 hours or until doubled in size. Gently deflate the dough. I like big bagels so after deflating the dough I only divide it into quarters.  Let the dough rest for 10 minutes and then roll into balls. Flatten each ball slightly and poke finger through the canter of each and make a hole. Allow the bagel shapes to rest for 10 minutes while bringing the water and salt solution to a boil and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place one bagel into the boiling water and boil for exactly 1 minute. Gently turn and allow the second side to boil for exactly one minute more. Remove the bagel from the boiling water and place on a baking sheet. Repeat this process with the remaining bagels. After the bagels have cooled slightly brush them with the egg wash and apply the toppings that you would like to use. I have suggested the garlic and onion and the course salt but you can apply whatever you want or leave plain. Bake the bagels for 20 to 25 minutes or until a nice golden brown.

 

For bagels that have a flavor, Onion, Cinnamon Raisin, Blueberry, Cranberry or other filling you would like, Gently knead the filling into the dough after deflating it and then allow the dough to rest for a few minutes.

 

 

 

These bagels have such a wonderful texture. You will get a nice crispy exterior. No commercial made or frozen bagel will match the quality. I am sure that if you love homemade bread you will truly enjoy these bagels.  The Old World state of mind will hit you s you enjoy the taste, texture and quality of these bagels.

 

Just a special note.  If you would like to make a sweet bagel using a fruit in the dough do not use salt in the water bath. Use about a quarter cup of sugar instead. 

Battle Of The Internet Addiction

I will be taking a few days off from the internet. To battle my addiction I will be a cooking fool. I spent the day yesterday making a couple hundred Perogies. My daughters both take a hand in the filling, and forming amd the cooking of these tasty potato, cheese and ham filled delights. The are a great addition to so many meals and can be prepared so many ways. We enjoy the sauted in butter with onions until golden brown and crispy the best.

This morning I made up the dough and just finished the baking of some homeade bagels. Garlic and onions for half of them and salted like pretzels forthe rest. Some of us are gonna have ours with sausage gravy in a bit for breakfast.

I'll check in on the blogs durring the week to full fill my duties on the Gardening Circle News though. I noticed this morning that some are surely going to town with the postings.

Have a great week everybody.

 

 

 

The Garden Circle Blog News

 

What a nice week in Blob Land this week. It started off kind of wacky with Cyn and Vic playing games with a Guinea hen mistaken for a Turkey.  Vic must have been awful hungry for she threw that whole bird on the barbeque getting ready to cook it up and the next thing you know, we have a flaming bird squawking around Blog Land with Vic chasing it and Cyn shooing it. I never heard what happened to that poor bird but am thinking that maybe Misty the Snow Queen and her crystal ball and astrological readings may have a few fresh bones for future fortune telling.

 

Mrs. Vero had a garden party this week. All kinds of tasty foods and desserts were had by all that attended. The only male that had his presence made public seemed to be in a comma. It has been reported that he was a bachelor. Well it would seem that a bachelor in a room full of women would have better things to do than fall asleep. That group of garden ladies had better get a garden ladies electrifying cattle prod for individuals like that or they will never get him married off.

 

The Day following The Garden party Vero had uninvited Blog Circle guest wanting to have a party of their own. And a great party it was too. We had ham sandwiches until Vero ran out of ham. She then thawed some leftover Turkey (may have been that Guinea Hen) from last Thanksgiving to keep the partiers happy. Apple cake, Doritos, and all the Pepsi products one could drink was on hand. Vero provided tours of her estate but never got around to showing anyone where the bathroom was. Theresa found a canister of sugar in the kitchen and the next thing you know she was doing the Hula to Huey Lewis. 

How did that song go? " And they called it puppy loooove" Lol, Jim. We even have pictures.

 

Judy took her Blog to the Final Frontier this week.  How appropriate for a 360 Blog. “To search out strange new places”. “To go where no Blog has gone before”.  It was great to see another Star Trek fan out there.

 

Sue Blogged that she started her Christmas shopping. She even added a new lens for her camera to her Christmas list so everyone should keep that in mind. I think everyone should post what they would like for Christmas this year and after Christmas we can review our notes.  We will see how good Santa Claus thought we all were.

 

Theresa’s Blog had that ugly alligator eyeball eyeing me most of the week.  I learned that alligator even taste like pork. That’s funny. Maybe that’s what put me in the Wiener schnitzel mood.  And that’s Wiener, not Weiner. Wiener has a “V” sound for the “W”. lol.

 

Cyn had to buy a new Camera this week. Buying a new camera sucks.  You get use to a camera. You have a nice editing program to work with and you know all the bells and whistles,  then you lose it or it breaks.

Getting a new camera means starting all over again from scratch. New programs, new bells and whistles.

Cyn’s Blog about folks on the Internet was great. I have seen so much in the gardening room with the games that people play with who they are. I have one that Cyn didn’t list. People that die. Fake death notices, fake eulogies, all the ladies crying and poems being posted in honor of the dearly departed. Besides the sick bastards that prey on children I think the people that fake their own death have a serious mental disorder. I don’t know what it is that makes some people do what they do.

 

That brings me to Vic’s Blog. I was glad to see her get around to posting one. Vic Blogged about ratings for people. She went into detail and gave herself a rating.  I need to say this. I have never been one to use a rating system for anyone. People in my opinion either have my respect or don’t and I only expect that of other towards myself.  So to all my 360 friends, you all provide me with laughs, sadness, good times, and silliness. I have fun, love the jokes, the education and the craziness. I have a great time and enjoy the camaraderie. I have respect for each of you for that reason.  I hope that my respect for you will mean more than some silly number.

I visited Shandies Blog and found out she has been enjoying a beautiful firework display. I am glad that she posted a picture.

Buffy is Blogging about the start of construction on her new home. It will be fun to view the pictures of the progress. I’m going just sit back and watch the pictures for a change. This will be the first for me because the only construction photos I ever see are the ones I take from my own sites. It will be interesting to watch as pictures of a project from another part of the country are posted.

I want to thank Angie for her Blog Regarding the "Love Of Thanksgiving" all children should grow up and have those loving family memories.

 

Dixie posted a Blog this week and I think it’s all part of her 10 step program regarding Internet Addiction Anonymous. I think Dixie is on her way to recovery and once she is cured she will guide the rest of us to a much more fulfilling Internet addiction. 

Before I call it a night can someone please tell Mahvin to close that bathroom door. 

Good day and good night 

And This Week In Blog Land News

Yes, I haven't forgotten that my duties here in Blog Land is to provide the Blog Land news here in the Garden Circle. Hmmm, The blog Land Garden Circle News. Ok...

Well the week was off to a great start with the addition Of Teddybear to the group. A big welcome to you Teddybear and I am sure everyone is greatful that you enjoyed all the cakes provided for your enjoyment. Wow, everyone that posted a cake recipe, most excellent. I am sure we all gained a virtual 10 lbs enjoying the postings.

It seems that Halloween went well for everyone. No bad news came across the blog pages regarding any tragic Trick or Treating events. The best news of the evening was to hear that Putrid has retreated.

I see that many of the circle have found interest in the slideshow blogs. It sure does add a little something to make blogging more interesting. It seems that when ever I wanna play "Peek-A-Boo" now, all I have to do is watch Vero's slide show, lol.

Now for a more serious matter in the news. It seems that Misty has taken the role of the Snow Queen and has taken to suprise assaults of bombardments with virtual snow balls. All of blog land is getting a warning of whats to come as the chill of winter starts setting in.

It seems that everyone is already starting to get themselves into the holiday spirits. Many blogs are already showing Thanksgiving and Christmas themes.  Time is moving way to fast. I haven't even eaten all of my kids Halloween candy yet and I am already thinking about holiday goodies.Mainly the pies.

Ok, lets get this going some. JD and Cyn, seems like a wonderful match. I wonder what Cyn means by the things she is learning to get use to? JD, learn to put that toilet seat down. Oh yeah, stop wearing Cyn's cloths. Those green leotards aren't sold in the mens section at Walmart. I placed a call to Elvis and he confirmed this.

Vero, that grand daughter of yours is a good sport posing for those pictures you took of her. Seems that she may grow up to be a "Nut" too.

Dixie, you have to come up with a 10 step program for those addicted to Blog Land. Oh, thats right, for it to work one has to log into blog land. I guess thats what 360 is all about. We all just keep going in circles but always end up where we started from.

Vic didn't remember to do a Halloweenie blog. What's up with that? Seems that the little monster only had one thing on her mind and we all know what that was. Candy, candy, candy. It seemed that she was even slow at that cause if everyone had noticed, Dixie and JD were scarfing up all they could before Vic could make her rounds on Trick Or Treat night.

It seems that we have Royalty in Blog Land now with Gloggy being Lord Gloggy now. It seems that when ever someone shook their head at me and said "Lord" at me when I was a kid, it wasn't a good thing. It seems to me that as Lord Gloggy, a few changes may have to be met. A Coat of arms may need to be designed in the graghic department. The Shield Of Gloggy.

Have a good weekend everybody.

 

Mac Is Back

Yup, I am back. Sorry old Putrid has been hanging out these past few days but due to some unfortunate circumstance it seems our network was down. The only computer that was working in our house was my wifes and I assure you that no one will take up any of her computer time.

I haven't been doing the computer thing for as long as the majority of you have but I'll tell you what. I actually started going through the addiction effects of not being able to get online the first evening that I couldn't log on. I sat here staring at my screen wanting to smack that wise ass Yahoo Smiley Face as it would brighten up and smile at me and then go dark. I am beginning to hate that sucker. It would do that to me every time I had tried to download the newest version of yahoo messenger too. Needless to say I still use the old 7.0 version that I had to download from old versions just so that I can get into messenger.

Any ways, I am back online and am going blog hopping. I am glad that everyone saved me a few gummy worms.