Weekends!

This weekend Landon and I spent a lot of time with friends!  We had dinner at a neighbors house on Friday and spent most of Saturday at a friends house for a summer BBQ.  Saturday was beautiful and sunny, just the weather you would expect for a summer BBQ!  Here are some pictures!

Me and Landon!

A little summer lovin'

Water fight!!!

Viv and Me!

French Bread

I decided I would try my hand at baking bread this weekend.  I've made bread in the past, and it usually turns out pretty well.  I love the crunchy outside and the soft inside.  Fresh hot bread is delicious!  (My husband agrees!)

Here is the recipe that I followed!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/french-bread/detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2. On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
3. Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.
4. Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.
5. With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack. 

Here are my loafs of bread!!!

My husband and I have devoured half of the first loaf, and I have wrapped the second loaf up and put it in the freezer.  I am hoping to use it to make fresh bruschetta with the tomatoes and basil from my garden!  YUM!

Weekend in the ATL

My best friend lives in Atlanta.  She has been there for the past two years getting her MPH at Emory.  I have been so consumed with my own life over the past two years that I haven't had a chance to go visit.  She has been accepted into Medical School and is headed to Chicago in July.  I made the decision that it was now or never.  I needed to get down to Atlanta to visit her. 

I arrived at about 9 on Friday night.  We immediately went back to her house and got ready to go out.  We had a late evening at a local bar/dance club.  It was a great time, but I was ready for bed as soon as my flight landed, so I probably wasn't the best company.  After I got some sleep, I was in a much better mood for the weekend.  Saturday we ended up "Shooting the Hooch", which is basically Atlanta speak for Tubing down the Chattahoochee river.  It was a blast!!!  The temperature outside was close to 95, but the water temperature was 52.  It was crazy cold!  Here is our group!

Friday evening we all went out to a nice dance club in Buckhead (a nicer part of Atlanta) called Havana.  Here is a group photo of most of the girls!  (I'm the fourth girl in line) 

Sunday we spent the day visiting the Coke museum and eating real Atlanta food.  We had Fried Chicken and all the sides for dinner at Mary Mac's Tea Room!  It was delicious!  I would highly recommend it!

Here are some favorites from the day!

All in all it was a really great weekend! 

Garden Update!

So my garden is in full swing!  My tomatoes have slowly started to recover from the extreme rain, we are continuing to eat the strawberries, and my beans are out of control!  The weather has switched gears and we are under a heat advisory until Midnight tonight.  The temperature has been around 95 for the past 24-48 hours.  The good news is, it looks like we'll be getting some rain in the next two days!

Here is how the garden looked about two weeks ago:

Garden 1: onions, peppers, basil, beans

Garden 2: strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes

My beans have germinated!

Now the gardens look completely different!

Garden 1: Onions, Peppers, Basil, Beans

Garden 2: Strawberries, Lettuce, Tomatoes

Here are a few close ups of the way things are looking...

YUM! Cherry Tomatoes!

Delicious Leaf Lettuce!

Beautiful Strawberries!

The Beans are out of control!!!

I'm excited to start harvesting!!!!!