Homemade Bagels ~ Yes you can!

Homemade Bagels. 

They are infinitely better than the grocery store variety, and you can eat them warm from the oven it you want to. :)   

(The finished bagels freeze beautifully!)

Why make Bagels??

Well, if you live near a great bagel spot, you might not want to.

But since I  (happily!)   no longer live in, or near a big city . . 

I make my own.

Yes,  'bagels' are available here ~ 

but most often they are soft, fluffy, "bready" and lifeless, they hardly measure up to honest-to-goodness  real bagels.

If you've never tried making them at home, you might be surprised at how easy it is. 

Just mix up and knead the dough (you can do this by hand, use your stand mixer, or bread machine.)

Allow it the dough to rise for 45 minutes to an hour or so.

Divide the dough, and form it into balls, then into a doughnut shape ~ 

Drop them into a pot of boiling water for a few seconds,

 then place on a prepared baking sheet. 

Brush with an egg wash 

(sprinkle with toppings - optional) then bake.

About 20 to 25 minutes later . . . fresh BAGELS!  

Of all the recipes I've tried through the years, my favorite by far is one that my friend Ann at Thibault's Table shared a few years ago. 

 It is definitely my "go to" bagel recipe.

You can shape them into any size you want ~

 From very small hors d'oeuvre size, medium size, or jumbo "papa-size" bagels ~

 You'll just adjust the boiling and baking times a bit, depending upon the size you make.

If you enjoy bagels, do you have a favorite, and how do you like to eat them?

My two favs are the  "Everything" and Onion varieties.

Here's the 'Everything'. 

  

Yum!  (This time I didn't add minced, toasted onions to the sprinkle ~ 

I just used King Arthur Flour's Seed Sprinkle , on top of some good quality granulated onion, from Penzey's.

Usually I just split and toast my bagels and serve them spread with butter, cream cheese, or a flavorful "schmear".

But once in a while for a treat, it's good to indulge in a good old Lox (cured salmon)  & Cream Cheese Bagel . . . 

With a few thinly sliced red onion rings, some capers and a generous sprinkle of fresh chives.  

Freshly cracked black pepper is a great addition, too. 

If you want to give this recipe a try, I urge you to do it!  

You can't go wrong if you follow the tutorial (with great step-by-step pictures) at Thibeault's Table. 

(Click HERE to link to Ann's Tutorial at Thibeault's Table.)

Thank you Ann!  

Have a great day everyone.

xo ~m.

P.S. Thank you so much for your good thoughts, prayers and great words of support for my dog Cinnie. She has made a small improvement with medication over the past week, for which we're thankful. Her future health still remains a question. 

She goes in for another evaluation Wednesday (June 1) afternoon and we remain ever hopeful.

Thank you so very much for your kind words of support, they mean the world to us.  ((hugs))

Asparagus-Cream Cheese Rolls in Prosciutto with Vinaigrette

Note:  As of June 12, 2011

Our blog host "Blogger" by Google seems to be having ongoing problems with some of their blogging accounts 
(Once Upon a Plate included). 


This post was originally published in May, 2011 yet the post time-stamp is June 10, 2011. (?)


I apologize on behalf of 'Blogger.com' for the redundancy .


Blessings, and I hope you have a good week everyone.


~*~*~*~*~*~

We're blessed to have some of the best neighbors imaginable ~ and for Mother's Day I received a beautiful bouquet of asparagus, freshly cut from their garden, along with a Mother's Day note. 



Thank you Paul and Jane!

If you grow your own you know that it tastes infinitely better than the grocery store stuff ~ it's the delicate freshness!

For our Mother's Day Luncheon for two I wanted to make something a little special and decided Asparagus rolls wrapped in cream cheese and Prosciutto and drizzled with a fresh vinaigrette would be perfect . . . 

especially so with the addition of a little Bubbly from Italy.

If you prefer, you could substitute the Prosciutto with thinly sliced ham, turkey or roast beef from the delicatessen

Some little tulips from the garden. If you are familiar with tulips you know that generally after a few years the bulbs fade and eventually don't emerge in the spring ~ so I plant some new bulbs every fall.

These red tulips surprised me this year ~ the bulbs were planted in a basket outdoors several years ago. I suspected the bulbs were nearing the end of their cycle and didn't expect any blooms from the basket this spring. 

But instead of not appearing at all, they bloomed in miniature. I've never experienced that before!

The vinaigrette is a classic one ~ olive oil, good quality red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. And a sprinkle of chives from the garden.

I love the colorful layers when the bundles are cut open.

The wishes may be a little late ~ but I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day this year!

This is my entry for Tablescape Thursday and Foodie Friday.

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, it's on my recipe blog~ you'll find it HERE.

~*~*~*~*~

Table accessories:

Tablecloth ~ Williams-Sonoma

Checked Place Mats ~ DII

Glazed Terra Cotta Salad plates and Chargers ~ Lone Oak Pottery

Flatware ~ Pottery Barn

Pepper Mill ~ Peugeot

Crochet Trimmed Napkins ~ Neiman Marcus

Flower Jug/Creamer, from a mixed set ~  I.Godinger & Co.

Wine Coaster ~ Apilco 

Thank you for stopping by today!

Banana-Poppy Seed Muffins with Citrus Glaze and Tea Cozies!

I'm the first to admit that bananas aren't my favorite fruit.  


I can handle eating them when they are still quite firm and prefer them when they still have a green-tinge to them.  But once they become soft, and the peels become riddled with brown "sugar" spots (when they are at their sweetest) there is something about the texture which I don't care for.  At that point they either go into smoothies, quick breads or muffins.


With three over-ripe bananas in the fruit basket, I whipped up these muffins. The recipe varies slightly from others I've tried in that they are finished with a lovely citrus glaze while still warm. By the time the muffins cool, the glaze firms up so they are not messy or sticky to the touch.


And what goes better with fresh muffins than milk, coffee, or my favorite ~ Tea!

As delicious as the muffins are ~ the tea cozy/cosy always steals the scene.

If you've used them, you already know they are as practical as can be; cozies really do help insulate the tea pot to keep the tea steaming hot.

I have a couple of different types (quilted fabric, etc.), but these crocheted ones are my most treasured. 


I first saw one like this almost two years ago on a favored blog written by a British woman in the UK.  All of her readers were going wild over hers, and she mentioned the boutique shop where she purchased them... unfortunately, at that time the shop was not dispatching to destinations outside of the country.  *sigh*

It was time to do a little sleuth work ~  I knew they were crocheted by hand.


  
So the logical place to look? Etsy, of course !! 
I love Etsy. 


After I realized that the proper English way of spelling the name ("cosy", not 'cozy')  it didn't take long to find a wonderful vendor by the name of Andrea Lesley.  Her work is lovely, and so unique ~ I had a hunch that she must be the artist who makes these beautiful creations. I contacted her right away, and confirmed she is indeed the same artist. Happy Day!


That was well over a year ago ~ and I'm pleased to see that Andrea is still operating her shop, and her work is as delightful as ever.




I've included a link to her Etsy shop below if you are interested in placing an order.  


If you do place an order, please let Andrea know that I sent you over!

Back to the muffins ~ I really liked this recipe, it contains a little finely grated orange peel in the batter, as well as in the confectioner's sugar glaze.

I reduced the all-purpose flour by half a cup and added 1/4 cup of wheat bran, and 1/4 cup of old fashioned rolled oats just to make them a little more healthy.  (That doesn't exactly cancel out the sugar glaze though, does it?)

Among all the colors and designs Andrea offers, I could never decide upon a favorite ~ that's why I chose a few. ;) 


Nothing cheers up a gray Pacific Northwest morning like a hot pot of tea snuggled in a very cheerful tea cosy/cozy!




I reserve the one below for Christmas time, but if you decorate with reds it would be perfect any time of year.

Here's the link I promised ~ and don't forget to tell Andrea you read about her here.   :-)

Andrea Lesley Crochet Shop on Etsy.




Do YOU have a favorite Etsy shop?


Are you an Etsy VENDOR?  




I would love if you would share, please mention in the comment section.


This is my entry for Tablescape Thursday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. (click to link)




For a printable copy of the recipe for the Banana Muffins, please click HERE to go the Once Upon a Plate Recipe site.




Thanks for stopping by today!

Double Raspberry Streusel Bars and a Special Request

Berries! I love them, do you? 

I haven't met one I didn't like. But of all the berries I think my favorites are raspberries. How about you, do you have a favorite?

When I came across this recipe from a back-issue of Cooks Illustrated I wondered how it escaped my attention the first time around. It's a little different than an average berry streusel bar in that it uses both raspberry jam/preserves and fresh berries in the filling. (Frozen/thawed berries work, too.)

With a buttery, crisp-tender shortbread cookie crust, double berry filling and streusel topping these little gems are irresistible. The streusel topping is made from some of the reserved shortbread dough, mixed with a little brown sugar, old-fashioned rolled oats, 2 addtional tablespoons of butter, and finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or almonds), I used almonds. 

The recipe is really easy to put together, and you can use a stand mixer or food processor ~ I opted for the food processor method and it worked out perfectly.

I'm sure it would be equally good with other berries, too. I might have to try that next time. (Yes -- by popular demand -- there  will  be a next time.) 

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, it's over on the recipe blog. Here's the LINK.

Thanks for stopping by today for a visit ~ I hope you've been having a good weekend everyone.  ~ Mari

~*~*~*~*~

P.S. May I ask for good wishes/thoughts/vibes, prayers for my big dog Cinnamon ("Cinnie")?  

My constant companion, she is lying here beside me, gravely ill right now and it's breaking my heart. We're hoping her medications will help.

More tests for her on Tuesday, when we'll learn more.  Thank you so much. ((hugs))

Greek-Style Potato Salad

Well, even if the weather isn't going to cooperate and play along with the date on the calendar it can't prevent us from enjoying spring and summery food, right?

We've been teased with a few warm days and sunny skies lately ~ but the background of drizzle and a gray cover overhead predominate.  Unusual for us at this time of year, because normally our veggie garden would have been planted by now but the earth is simply too soggy to work.

While we're waiting to plant the veggie beds, a colorful salad brightens meal time and reminds us that summer weather isn't far off, even if spring seems to have passed us by this year.

The bonus is that this is really easy to assemble and you probably have everything you need to make it in your pantry;

new potatoes, artichoke hearts, olives (I used kalamata), feta cheese, capers, red onions, flat leaf parsley and a simple vinaigrette that is whisked together in moments.  

You could also add tuna chunks, hard cooked eggs, or cooked chicken or shrimp to make it a salad meal if you wish.  Make it ahead for fullest flavor, or enjoy it right after putting it together.

Best served "cool" or at room temperature, not right out of the fridge.

 It's one of my favorites!

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, please click here to go to Once Upon a Plate ~ The Recipes.

Hope you enjoy it!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Afternoon, On the Way Home from Town

Wordless Wednesday

Asparagus-Cream Cheese Rolls in Prosciutto with Vinaigrette

We're blessed to have some of the best neighbors imaginable ~ and for Mother's Day I received a beautiful bouquet of asparagus, freshly cut from their garden, along with a Mother's Day note. 


Thank you Paul and Jane!

If you grow your own you know that it tastes infinitely better than the grocery store stuff ~ it's the delicate freshness!

For our Mother's Day Luncheon for two I wanted to make something a little special and decided Asparagus rolls wrapped in cream cheese and Prosciutto and drizzled with a fresh vinaigrette would be perfect . . . 

especially so with the addition of a little Bubbly from Italy.

If you prefer, you could substitute the Prosciutto with thinly sliced ham, turkey or roast beef from the delicatessen.

Some little tulips from the garden. If you are familiar with tulips you know that generally after a few years the bulbs fade and eventually don't emerge in the spring ~ so I plant some new bulbs every fall.

These red tulips surprised me this year ~ the bulbs were planted in a basket outdoors several years ago. I suspected the bulbs were nearing the end of their cycle and didn't expect any blooms from the basket this spring. 

But instead of not appearing at all, they bloomed in miniature. I've never experienced that before!

The vinaigrette is a classic one ~ olive oil, good quality red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. And a sprinkle of chives from the garden.

I love the colorful layers when the bundles are cut open.

The wishes may be a little late ~ but I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day this year!

This is my entry for Tablescape Thursday and Foodie Friday.

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, it's on my recipe blog~ you'll find it HERE.

~*~*~*~*~

Table accessories:

Tablecloth ~ Williams-Sonoma

Checked Place Mats ~ DII

Glazed Terra Cotta Salad plates and Chargers ~ Lone Oak Pottery

Flatware ~ Pottery Barn

Pepper Mill ~ Peugeot

Crochet Trimmed Napkins ~ Neiman Marcus

Flower Jug/Creamer, from a mixed set ~  I.Godinger & Co.

Wine Coaster ~ Apilco 

Thank you for stopping by today!