TV Free Week – Day One

No big lectures about the evils of television from MsPicky – whew!  I don’t watch much, but what I do watch, I like, and around these parts we do not mess with Survivor Night.  I could go without it, and have. I grew up in a TV-free home, but reminiscing about the “good ol’ days” makes Mr. Picky twitchy.  We have struck a balance over the years. 

We try to be conscious and moderate in our television viewing here at ChezPicky.  When this week rolls around every year, we make a good-faith effort to remind ourselves that we have other choices and life does not revolve around the t.v. schedule.   We know that we are more physically active when the t.v. is off.  If the t.v. is off, we cannot eat in front of it.  If the weather is bad, and/or a kid gets sick, all bets are off.  We do try….and trying counts in my book.

Day One went well. The weather cooperated and we hiked to a park to look at baby ducklings.  SonofPicky had track practice, so we all went along for the ride.  Pickygirl learned how to do the long jump. We tried a new bread recipe.    

Here’s the bread recipe we tried.  PickyGirl liked it so much, she even ate the crusts! I have typed the recipe as written, with my comments at the end.

Oatmeal Millet Bread   (posted by Julie DiBiase on fatfree.com. February 1994)

1 TB yeast ( or 1 package)

2 cups thick rolled oats

1/3 cup millet

8 cups stone-ground whole wheat flour

1/4 c. blackstrap molasses

1/2 c. dark honey

boiling water

sea salt

In one bowl, combine oats, 2 cups boiling water, sea salt and sweeteners.  Mix and set aside until it cools to just over room temperature ( should be kind of brown and pasty).  In a pan, combine millet and 1/2 cup water; bring to boil and remove from heat, cover and let it return to just above room temperature.

Proof yeast. Add grains.  Add enough of the flour so that the dough leaves the bowl.  Transfer to  a dry surface. Incorporate the rest of the flour by hand.  Let dough sit for 5 minutes.  Knead. Transfer bowl and let rise until doubled.  Punch it down, shape it into loaves and let it rise again.  Bake at 375-400 for about 40-50 minutes.

This bread is quit dense, but very yummy.

My comments:  This recipe was a little fussy at the beginning, but the grains cooked and cooled quickly.  I added them to the yeast while still warm to assist in the activation.  I have a Kitchenaid mixer with a bread hook, so I didn’t bother with the hand kneading.  For the first rising, I used Grandma Rosie’s trick of leaving the dough in the Kitchenaid bowl and turning the bowl over onto a cutting board.  Our dough took about an hour to double, then another hour to double in the loaf pans.  We baked at 400 for 40 minutes.