Remember when I mentioned that I have started cooking a lot because I can’t run in my spare time? Let me just say, I am discovering a whole new world out there!
Yesterday, I decided to try my hand at baking bread. I have never baked bread before, so I was a little apprehensive about the outcome. My smoke detectors were primed and ready to go to work, just in case! 
I found a very simple recipe for whole wheat bread and went to work. Since my recipe was for two loaves, I quickly discovered that my KitchenAid mixer was about to burn out. I broke up the dough into two batches, and the process went a lot more smoothly.
I used the rapid rise yeast, because I was simply too impatient to wait for the results. After letting the bread rise, I popped it into the oven for 40 minutes, eagerly awaiting the results.
Surprisingly, it was absolutely DELICIOUS! The boys even gave it their seal of approval. I was shocked at how simple the whole process was, and I will definitely be experimenting with more recipes.
I have been trying a bunch of new recipes lately—tomorrow is Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins and homemade hummus! I have been dying to try my hand at hummus for a while. We eat so much of it in my house and there are so many different types you can make. I am going to start with roasted red pepper hummus. I will let you know how it turns out!
Yum!! Would love the recipe for the bread and hummus :). Can’t wait to hear how the hummus turns out. We plow through it pretty fast at our house too and it can get expensive…not to mention the preservatives and other “junk” that’s in it.
I found the bread recipe on the back of the rapid rise yeast packets, so I can’t remember it exactly, but I bet it’s on all of them. It is so yummy! As for the hummus, I used about two cups of garbanzo beans, one whole fire-roasted red pepper (bought one in a jar at Whole Foods), about 4-5 cloves of garlic, a little lemon juice, and a splash of olive oil. I also added some ground pepper then just blended it in the food processor. The whole family loved it, and it was MUCH cheaper than buying it! 🙂
Awesome! I love cooking, I wish I had much much much more time for it!
Me too! I love cooking if I have the time to enjoy the process, which I definitely do right now! How’s the calf doing?
It’s getting there. I’m taking 2 (if not 3) more self-induced days off of running!
Hope it feels better after the few days off! 🙂
I love homemade bread – and it’s so much easier than people think it is. The muffins sound delicious – hope they come out good!
It definitely is! The muffins were awesome! I am posting a link to the recipe tomorrow! 😉 How was the NB Half??
Ended up with a nice PR in New Bedford, but I had to fight for it – had a tough time in the second half. It’s a really nice race, though – I’d definitely do it again.
YUMMO! Nothing like fresh bread. Good idea breaking in 2. Looking forward to sharing recipe. Have a great day!