Getting Started on Those Resolutions

A new year brings with it the inevitable resolutions. One of mine is to get back to baking my own bread. I really fell out of the habit this fall. I mostly blame my job but really, like exercising, its one of those habits that is easy to fall out of. Once you skip it, each time after that its a bit easier to skip. Frankly, with the delicious, soft bread that Barbara's recipe makes, there is no reason to buy bread ever again. Last night, I dusted off my bread bucket and made 6 loaves and I'm feeling quite good about it.

I've also resolved to live out of the freezer for as long as we can. There's a ton of stuff in there both fruits (mainly my homemade apple butter) and vegetables. There could be some very creative meals in my future as I work to balance nutrition and my freezer inventory.

Last night for dessert I made a variation on my Applesauce Pie in Oatmeal Crust. Instead of shaping the crust into a pie plate, I divided it into 6 balls and flattened these down on a greased cookie sheet. I baked them as I would the crust. Once they were cooked, I served them topped them with the applesauce mixture prepared as in the recipe. I liked this a lot better because it allowed me to use more applesauce and less sweet crust. Everyone else just thought they were yummy.