BC's Blog
keeping coffee shops in business one sip at a timeArchive for February, 2012
beer battered bread
so i feel like all i’ve talked about for two weeks…or four…has been about hawaii or moving. so, here’s a post about the easiest & best smelling bread for those “kitchen challenged” as i may or may not be…but more so may:
beer batter bread
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
if you’re like me & you don’t drink beer, have a party where people who do drink it come over. then take one of their bottles. i promise it works. moving on.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. Pour in beer, stir until a stiff batter is formed. It may be necessary to mix dough with your hands. Scrape dough into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
i took this from an allrecipes.com recipe (per the caps i’m sure you knew)…but they are all alike. i like this one as i like to use whole wheat flour as it adds a bit of texture. love it. smell it. eat it. oh yes, and drown it in butter while it’s hot!
day of love
happy day of love.
i am so thankful for the amazing men in my life. i wrote each of them valentines cards – but per my m.o. they are still sitting on my coffee table. they shall get them though – about the 4th of july.
so here’s my alternative
thank you for your male influence that has so richly blessed my life…
cw – for your authentic, unashamed faith, for being my partner in crime on sunday mornings, and for our coffee times
jem – for your unconditional love for others – all the time and for your chivalry that never goes unnoticed though many times not thanked
kjv – for your realistic analytical nature, for your solid faith that is always backed up with truth, for being my adventurous friend, and for our ds mornings
tk – for your wisdom that is beyond your years, and for making my phone blow up this year with girls wanting to date you (sarcasm on the thankfulness there)
jph – for the wisdom you pour into the men in my life, for marrying one of my best friends, for the fun i’ve had harassing you, and for showing me what men of God live like
bb – for always having my back & wanting what’s best, for praying for my husband with me
rr – for being an amazing example of a man & how i’m supposed to be treated, for trying n you’re a great big brother
gd – for your insight & love that you & donna unconditionally give whether you see me cheery or in tears
ss – for being the most wonderful dad to my beautiful niece and nephews, for being a strong man for my best friend, and for your unswerving love of our God that resonates with all you come in contact with.
oh my could i list a hundred more. thank you to the men who make singleness a little bit more bearable and interesting – who love me. i can never express my love and thanks well enough. i can never tell you that too many times. i just sit in awe of this friendship God has allowed us to have. happy love day.
something big
do you ever get the feeling that something big is about to happen?? that you don’t know what it is, but you’re excited for it? that’s where i’m at. nervous. excited. hopeful.
here’s to the future – of what will be. oh, and here’s to the past – of what was:
the blind date
last night i had the wonderful (and refreshing) opportunity to have coffee with one of my best guy friends – cw. while we were sitting in our very cozy coffee house (as the tables were inches away from each other) we noticed a guy sat down at the table next to us. in walked a cute girl – probably 5 years younger or so – who introduced herself to said gentleman. cw immediately, in his oh so non-quiet yet trying to be way, said they were on a blind date. i told him i didn’t think so.
the couple then got up to get their coffee & what does cw do? oh, yes, he saves their table for them (unknowingly to them). it was a packed coffee house, but he more so wanted to ease drop on their conversation. i was cracking up.
as cw & i tried to carry on our conversation we both couldn’t help but hear what each of our new unsuspecting friends likes, dislikes, where they went to college, what classes they enjoyed best, what kind of pets they have and so on.
at one point of the evening i (being adhd at times) tipped my coffee cup so that it flung milked coffee at them. i apologized profusely & cw, being the gent, went to get it cleaned up. i thought at that point how funny blind dates are.
i mean, someone flings milked coffee at you any other day & you would look disgustingly at them & scoff. on a blind date though? you both look at the offender & say ‘ oh, it’s no problem’ then giggle as if the offender had told you a joke that you laughed so hard the milked coffee came out of you instead of being flung at you.
there’s a sweet innocence about them.
i was on a plane the other day & the gentleman (more to come on this one) i sat next to was so very kind (as we all know how much i love small planes and flying in general) asking me lots of questions. i felt like it was our first blind date. it was sweet, genuine, and a touch of innocence that you only get on blind dates.
the moral? next time you are on a blind date – whether at a coffee shop or park or at the dfw airiport – remember to speak up. the people next to you would appreciate not having to strain so they fling milked coffee your way.
