Balance and Time (Cornmeal Scones)

The process of baking is a very intricate and impressive science. Random ingredients, such as butter, sugar and flour, come together to produce succulent and satisfying creations.  With the addition of unexpected ingredients, like fruit or chocolate chips, the simple mixture becomes even better. Despite the amazing results, baking is truly an intricate process based on balance and timing. No one wants a crumbly cookie with too much flour or a sugar-coma inducing cake with too much sweetener. Ingredients must be measured so that their ratios contribute to a complete, balanced product. The process of baking also requires a general understanding of time. There have been multiple times when I have walked away from a batch of cookies only to be reminded of their existence by the smell of burning butter. When working with yeast, there is an element of patience added to the recipe when one has to wait for dough to rise. So, even though baking (at least a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe) seems fairly foolproof, it requires an innate understanding of balance, patience and time to create a truly delicious masterpiece.

While thinking (stay with me here), I decided baking is a lot like creating a recipe for life. In order to create an enjoyable life, one must accept and embrace balance, patience and time.  My greatest struggles result from my inability to grasp these simple concepts.  Balance… that’s a big one. I definitely have a type A personality that gives me a very “all or nothing” attitude. My perfectionist nature often blinds me from the simple, good things in life because I am constantly trying to be the best. As my father says, “Perfection is the enemy of good.” Trying to perfect one thing in my life distracts me from so many other things, and the result is a bland cookie made completely of flour. I need to adjust my recipe. A cup of focus, a tablespoon of fun, a pinch of persistence, and a generous sprinkling of hope combine to create happiness and self-acceptance.  Probably related to my perfectionism, I have trouble understanding patience and time as well. I always seem to be a rush to get my work done. An incomplete project will plague my mind until I sit down and finish it completely. This results in horrible impatience. I have trouble living in the moment because I am always concerned with what I need to do next. When I focus on the next, I tend to miss a lot of the now. So, while the bread is rising, I need to enjoy my time. Yes, there will always be work to be done, that next step, but it doesn’t mean that other worthwhile experiences should be completely forgotten.  My recipe needs a lot of tweaking, but as I slowly begin to grasp balance and timing, I will see the fruits of my labor produce a truly “delicious” life.

This recipe was found from  Nutmeg Notebook  .  It was one of those recipes that I noticed was quick, easy, required few ingredients, and was relatively healthy. The cornmeal gave the scones an unexpected hearty texture that really added to the overall flavor. As stated in the original recipe, I would recommend serving these warm. The texture of the cornmeal and the warm, doughy inside is a delectable combination.

Cornmeal Scones

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk (I used skim)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°.
Step 1: Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and egg to cornmeal mixture; stir just until moist.
Step 2: Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Pat dough into a 7-inch circle on prepared baking sheet. Cut dough into 8 wedges, cutting into but not through dough. They can be chilled in the refrigerator at this point and baked later.
Bake at 375° for 22 minutes (check a few minutes early if using whole grain flour) or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

               

Sweet and Sour Siblinghood

Hair-pulling, tattle-tailing, privacy-disrupting, stuff-stealing. That’s what siblings do best, right? As the youngest of three children, I always felt like I was at a disadvantage. When I was very young, I was easily pushed around by my sister and brother. Naturally bigger and stronger than me, they could take whatever they wanted with little resistance.  My only retaliation tactic was to scream and cry loudly until I gained the attention and, optimally, the sympathy of my parents. I hoped for the day when I was not physically inferior to my siblings.

When I grew big enough, the disadvantages did not decrease. They just changed. I was the shadow. I was always the little sister, striving to live up to the high standards that my older siblings had left behind. I remember being amazed and overwhelmed by the things my sister and brother had achieved. My sister was accepted into an Ivy League College and, if that wasn’t enough, graduated a year early. My brother could spout facts about Biology and Genetics with impressive accuracy after merely sitting through a lecture. I was just working my way through high school, competing to match the standards of their achievements. If it wasn’t for the pressure of competition provided by my siblings, I do not think I would have graduated as valedictorian of my high school class. I wanted that one thing that gave me the opportunity to say, “Hey, look at me, look what I did all by myself!”

Turns out, I had been looking at it the wrong way. Sure, my siblings were (and still are) impressive, but I learned to take the initial intimidation I originally felt and turn it into admiration and inspiration. By adopting an open point of view, I found that there were a lot of things I could learn from my siblings. Upon entering college, it was my sister who gave me advice on how to get involved and listened to my troubles when I felt overwhelmed by my new campus life. It was my brother who asked me about the courses I was taking (since we are both studying medicine) and suggested other interesting courses that would improve my college education. Instead of competing to be on their “level,” by speaking with them, they shared their secrets with me and allowed me to feel like their equal.

So, to put it succinctly, I love my siblings, not for the impressive things they’ve done, but for the simple conversations we have had, the exciting things we have seen and done together, and the moments of shared weakness that have made us stronger. Yes, we went through the treacherous years of pinching and yelling, and the countless battles over privacy and property (and sometimes, these still occur), but having two siblings is truly a blessing I count every day.

This Easter, I received a pretty awesome honor. Since my sister was unable to make it back for the holiday dinner, she gave me the recipe of her famous Easter Sweet Bread. Basically, this is the bread made at every major holiday dinner (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.) and I can’t remember a time when my sister wasn’t the one making it. I would come into the kitchen and smell the warm scent of saffron and milk, the smell of the beginning stages of the bread, and know it was time to make a holiday dinner. I have to admit, I was a little nervous about the undertaking. Don’t get me wrong, I love baking bread and I do it often, but this is not just bread, this is THE bread. I must have read the recipe 20 times, constantly checking and rechecking times and measurements. There were some minor frightening moments, but it turned out OK in the end.

I probably should have used a larger bowl for the rising bread (oops!)

I chose to braid the bread in the traditional Easter style. We didn't color eggs this year so it's lacking a little color.

I sent these pictures to my sister right after I took the bread out of the oven, hoping to gain her approval. Her response, "It's never looked so amazing!!!" Definitely a boost of confidence!

                                                               Easter Sweet Bread

Ingredients:

skim milk                                                        3/4 c.

saffron                                                            generous pinch

sugar, granulated                                          1/2 c.

salt                                                                  1 tsp.

butter                                                             1/2 c.

active dry yeast                                             2 packages

warm water                                                   1/3 c. 

eggs                                                                3

bread or all-purpose flour                           5.5 – 6.5 c.

Directions:

1. Combine saffron, sugar, salt, and butter in sauce pan.  Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves.  Add milk and combine. Cool mixture to lukewarm.

2. Warm bowl with warm water, then dissolve yeast in measured warm water. (105 - 115 degrees F)

3. In mixer, combine milk mixture, yeast and eggs with 5 cups of flour.

4. Add remaining flour as necessary.  Knead for 6 minutes until the dough is very smooth to the touch.

5. Place in a bowl greased with peanut oil and allow to rise for about 1 hour. (Should double in size)

6. Punch and shape dough into greased pans. Allow to rise again.

*Use the oil from the bowl to grease the pans.

*To Shape:

For individual buns: Grab a decent sized ball of dough—about 2 inches in diameter.  Stretch and twist the dough, and then tie into a knot.

For pull-a-parts: Grab a slightly smaller ball of dough—about 1.5 inches in diameter. Smooth out the ball by making a circle with your pointer finger and thumb (like making the "OK" sign) and push the ball through this circle till it has a smooth, round surface. Arrange in pan with a little space in between each ball.  (Should make 2 pans of pull-a-parts)

For Easter Braid: Divide dough into two balls.  With one of the balls, divide into 3 equal pieces and roll out so each piece measures about 1.5 feet with slightly tapered ends.  Pinch ends together and braid, pinching other ends together to finish.  Arrange into pan.  You can put Easter eggs into the braid as well, but it'll remain a little doughy around the eggs. 

7.  Brush generously with melted butter or benacol.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until tops are golden.

Spring Cleaning

On my walk to church this morning, a warm breeze touched my skin. It carried with it the scent of fresh flower blooms, awakened after a rainy Saturday. Gently, it rustled the nearby leaves, evoking a soft whisper from the leaves in response.  It was a new breeze, a fresh sign, the first indicator of Spring.

I LOVE spring.  Though New Year’s Day is often referred to as a time for newness, it is caught in the middle of the doldrums of winter. Spring, on the other hand, is truly new with its bright skies, green leaves and chirping baby birds. It is a time to shed the cold dreariness and embrace the rejuvenating light.

Now, I know spring technically began about two weeks ago, but, in my mind, that doesn’t really count. I was still bogged down by winter, stuck in my room studying for midterms. Now that the second round of midterms is over, I can start looking ahead. I can enjoy the lovely month of April and begin planning for summer.

Now is the time for spring cleaning. I’m washing away the negativity, the dread, and the ruts and replacing them with excitement, ingenuity and freshness.

I hope my new attitude and the blooming spring will truly bring good things into my life!