Readera

I've enjoyed doing more baking at having time and end the day with a clean kitchen while unemployed. Today I made some buns for sandwiches & tried a new recipe for summer squash bread, which was tasty. I used brown sugar instead of white sugar that the recipe called for and I left out the golden raisins since I don't have any. I also cut the recipe in half since I only have 1 loaf pan. 

This is the bun recipe - https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/beautiful-burger-buns-recipe. 
This is the summer squash bread recipe which was original recommended by ysabetwordsmith . https://www.food.com/recipe/ella-bella-s-healthy-summer-squash-bread-435894

I have also been doing more crafting. I got some nice fiber as a birthday present & I've finished hand spinning the first of two 4 oz packages. I figured out a better way to predraft the fiber so the second half of the singles are much more regular. I'm still a beginner spinner so I'm happy with the improvement. I haven't started on the next package but I'm looking forward to it.

I also finished a shawl that I was working on for quite a while. I still have to block it when I can find the space/time to do so. I'm trying to decide what to make next. I'm thinking about making some slippers for myself or some knit fidgets. I'm wanting to try out some small things that I can sell without taking a long time to produce. 

I've also been listening to a lot of audiobooks from my library. I use Libby & cards from two libraries which is great. I just picked up the Mistress of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. I had to return it to the library & wait to get it back after putting a hold on it. So I'm in the middle of the book & have about 60% of it left. I'm hoping that I can finish it before having to return it again. The other day I finished The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik which is the last book in the series. I enjoyed it but the book was a bit dark for my taste atm. I realized I enjoyed darker fiction a lot more when I was younger & didn't have a job & adult life to worry about. I've also recently been enjoying some romance books by Ruby Dixon specifically the Ice Planet Barbarian series and the Aspect & Anchor series. They are what I would call spicy fluff. They both have fish out of water & culture clash as part of them which is fun. I really like the people reading the Ice Planet series. It is read by Mason Lloyd & Hollie Jackson in alternating POVs which is how the books are written. The books follow different characters in the series like many romance novel series do & they do a great job of making the character's have different voices through the series. 

Today I baked bread! It is cooling in the kitchen now & it smells delicious! 

I used a recipe from Alex of French Guy Cooking with a few alterations.

I used half whole wheat & half AP flour. I also let the dough rest & autolyse before I kneaded it.  I also made 2 smaller loaves of bread out of half of the dough & I froze the rest of the dough for later. There is only 2 people in my house, so we don't go though bread that fast. 

I tried a new cookie recipe this weekend. Inspired by the Cheer up cookies from "When Circumstances Are at Their Worst" by Ysabetwordsmith. 
 The OG recipe is Granola Chocolate chip Cookies.  Instead of homemade granola I used store bought granola cereal with dried strawberries, raspberries & blackberries. I used double the sunflower kernals instead of adding almonds, since my partner doesn't like Almonds. I used semi sweet bakers chocolate instead of chips.  I made about 12 cookies and then I made cookie bars with the rest of the dough. 

The cookies & bars are more dark & bitter then I expected from a chocolate chip cookie. Next time, I think I will try a different granola, maybe homemade & use more & lighter chocolate. J & I both like the bars better then the cookies. They are soo good with a cup of tea or milk.