Dinner With Friends

Yesterday, Zoe and I made a busy day. We invited Randy, Sandy, Robert and Isaac over for dinner and decided on lasagne and homemade bread. Then I thought, for dessert, we should have cookies. And, since I took the malt extract out of the refrigerator on Saturday, I had to make beer (our first since Amy became pregnant).

We started off by steeping the grains, then making the cookies. Then we mixed up the bread dough in the Kitchenaid. Then, downstairs we went to cook the beer. It is a German style lager with Willamette hops (we will see how that goes). As far as cooking the wort, all went well.

Here's the recipe:

7lbs. light malt extract
1lb. Munich malt, 11L
1/2lb Caramel malt, 135L
1/2lb Carafoam malt, 2.3L
4 oz Cascade hops, 6%, put into the wort from the first sparge.
Bavarian Lager Yeast, Wyeast #2206

Zoe had a little lie-down and so did I, after lunch. Then we put together the tomato sauce for the lasagne. Then we shoveled off the driveway and the sidewalk. My back has been hurting since Christmas, and you would think that shoveling snow would make it worse, but it doesn't. All the while that I shoveled, my back felt fine. Later, I had a consult with Amy about it and we determined that probably I had hurt my ribs on that side...while sleeping in different beds over the break! How old am I that I injure myself while sleeping?

After shoveling, we put the bread in the oven and it turned out really quite well. Then we put together the lasagne, then got the table ready for dinner. We had a great time with Randy and Sandy. Zoe, Isaac, and Robert played well together. For some reason, Zoe felt that the need to do a lot of whispering. It was kind of strange, but not too. She also led Isaac and Robert around by the hand much of the night. All the kids were quite cute.

Braided Bread (adapted from The Complete book of Breads by Bernard Clayton Jr.)

Mix together in large bowl:
3c. whole wheat flour
2c. white flour
1/4c. wheat germ
2T. sugar
2t. salt
1/3c. dry milk

Form a well in the center and add:
1 1/4c. warm water.

Pour in one packet of yeast and let re-hydrate for 5-10 minutes.

Stir together and add:
2 slightly beaten eggs, room temperature
1 stick (1/2c) butter, room temperature
1/2c spent grains (homebrewing option)

knead; add water or flour until dough is the right consistency.

rise, then cut into six equal parts.

roll three parts into snakes 14-16 inches long.
braid three snakes, starting in middle and working first to one end, then the other.

place on cookie sheet, or perforated French loaf pans.

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minute on cookie sheets or 20-25 on French loaf pans

Makes two loaves.

Cheers!