Happy, Happy......Everything!

Hello again, happy new year, happy fresh starts, happy resolutions, happy life!  May 2011 be a year filled with great things for all of us!

I went off the map while I hurriedly completed my afghans and Salt's hat before the dreaded day (the 25th!).  I managed to sew the final stitch on both afghans on Christmas Eve (that night was a bit fuzzy because Wino was making fudge and creme brule flavored with Grand Marnier --very yummy btw!-- and I decided to have a nip [or two, or three] and didn't realize that stuff is 80 proof!  It knocked me out of my socks -- literally, I was wandering around barefoot mid winter!)  I then wrapped everything up, and was satisfied, but exhausted.

Wino and I "exchanged" gifts several months ago when we purchased cooking classes in SF for February.  We agreed that we wouldn't get any more gifts for one another... but I can never trust that stinker and he ended up getting me something HUGE!  First I thought he had just bought me my latest Sheldon book and the bread book I've been pining after for a year or so (I was very happy to get those, but playfully slapped him anyway).  But as everyone was winding down opening their gifts, he suddenly disappears (I totally thought he was going to the bathroom!) and he reappears with a huge box wrapped in a huge blue bag.

Immediately I knew what he had done!  The jerk went out and bought me the Kitchen Aid stand mixer that I have always wanted!  I was angry with him for spending that much money, but so thrilled I could barely contain myself.  I started crying and ripping at the bag anxious to see if it was even the color I wanted (Imperial Black!!!), and it was!

SO, this Saturday night (after a crazy new years eve celebration) at 10:30pm I whipped up my first loaf of this fabulous bread from my new book (I mixed the dough on Friday morning before we headed out to our party).  After I pulled it out of the oven I crashed on the couch and Wino woke me up around midnight so we could slice it and try it.  We were both blown away.  How could something so simple to make, taste SO good!?  Needless to say the bread was a huge hit at our New Years party #3 yesterday, I only got one slice out of the two loaves I made!

I will have more adventures in bread later this week when we bake up some more bread to make panini's!