Faux-Reos

These are yummy.

And yes, a glass of milk is required for their consumption.

Homemade Bagels

Forget grocery store bagels because they don't taste that great, and definitely forget speciality store bagels because they're too pricey! Making your own bagels is surprisingly easy and the taste and texture are wonderful!

I've been trying to make all of my own bread products since I moved to Colorado. At times, it has proven difficult for me because baking in higher altitudes can be tricky. Add the boiling component of bagels, and I was pretty darn intimidated. I decided to go with the simplest recipe possible, which meant I was using white bread flour, not whole wheat flour (I've had issues in the past).

I'd love to do a step-by-step, like PW but I just don't have time time to chronicle recipes (I actually started this blog Saturday morning and had to put off finishing it because I was busy *EDIT* Although now that I have posted the blog, it says that it's Saturday at 9:53am... believe me, it's Sunday evening). I used my favorite baking handbook's recipe which can also be found here.

I think they took me three hours from start to finish. I had ordered online the one ingredient I hadn't heard of previously, so if you ever decide to make these be sure to get/search for this ingredient ahead of time.

Here is my final product.

Uggh, I couldn't get the above picture to turn (I still haven't figured out my Mac)

They were exactly like bagels should be (although maybe not as pretty)... they had shiny, chewy crusts and soft middles. As for the taste? I had three out of the 8 and J ate 5. I made them Thursday and they were gone by Saturday morning. These were true winners. I think I will make them again soon!

Mmmmm FOOD!

1. Are you a vegetarian? Vegan?
No

2. What's your favorite food?
I don’t have a favorite, but I have a lot of foods that I really like, mainly sweets and some ethnic food

3. White bread or whole wheat?
Multi-Grain!

4. What's for breakfast?
Anything, and a lot of it

5. You're making a Dagwood sandwich. What's in it?
Lots of cold cuts, a slice of cheese, lettuce galore, and a few pickle slices... sprinkle with oil and vinegar and some pepper

6. What's on your pizza?
Sausage and mushroom

7. Coffee, tea, milk, or soda?
Tea with milk

8. Dark, milk, or white chocolate?
Milk or white

9. Teetotal, beer, wine, or hard liquor?
Beer or hard cider

10. Does cilantro taste like citrus, or like soap?
I taste the citrus

11. Is chorizo the greatest thing ever or is it totally disgusting?
Sausage! Yum!

12. Do you use garlic like a vegetable or like a spice?
Well, I don’t eat it whole, but I cook with it a lot (not the powdered version)

13. Onions: raw, cooked, or not at all?
Don’t care

14. Does broccoli taste sweet or bitter?
Neither, but I like it

15. How do you feel about fish?
I feel good about fish, and fish oil

16. How about sushi?
Yum!

17. Fave ethnic cuisine?
Thai

18. What's your favorite fruit?
Peaches, with blueberries in a close second

19. Cheese - thumbs up or thumbs down?
Thumbs enthusiastically up

20. Finally, favorite dessert?
Too many to name

Which do you prefer? (my choices in italics)

01. CHEESE or CHOCOLATE?
02. BLUEBERRIES or STRAWBERRIES?
03. COFFEE or TEA?
04. CORN MUFFIN or ENGLISH MUFFIN?
05. PANCAKES or FRENCH TOAST?
06. YOGURT or CREAM CHEESE?
07. RICE or PASTA?
08. CAKE or PIE?
09. GROUND BEEF or GROUND TURKEY?
10. HOT DOGS or HAMBURGERS?
11. JELLY or MARMALADE? Preserves…
12. AMERICAN CHEESE or SWISS CHEESE?
13. DIET SODA or NO SODA?
14. LEMONADE or ICED TEA?
15. CHERRIES or GRAPES?
16. CHOCOLATE QUIK or STRAWBERRY QUIK? Neither
17. WAFFLES or PANCAKES?
18. WHITE BREAD or WHOLE-GRAIN/WHEAT BREAD?
19. PEAS or CARROTS?
20. PUDDING or FRUIT-FLAVORED GELATIN?
21. COLD CEREAL or HOT CEREAL?
22. KETCHUP or MUSTARD?
23. MUSTARD or MAYONNAISE?
24. MAYONNAISE or KETCHUP?
25. BLACK OLIVES or GREEN OLIVES?
26. ONION or GARLIC?
27. PLAIN BARBECUE or BARBECUE WITH SAUCE?
28. SCRAMBLED EGGS or FRIED EGGS?
29. EGGS or EGG REPLACEMENTS?
30. MEAT or VEGETABLES?
31. CHINESE TAKE-OUT or PIZZA?
32. SUSHI or DELI SANDWICH?
33. WHITE CLAM CHOWDER or RED CLAM CHOWDER?
34. KEY LIME PIE or LEMON MERANGUE PIE? BOTH
35. PIE & ICE CREAM or CAKE & ICE CREAM?
36. WHIPPED CREAM or CAKE FROSTING?
37. HONEY or MAPLE SYRUP?