Italian granary- home baking

Hi Lovers,

Isn't the smell of fresh home made bread wafting through your house, everything? I love the smell and taste of butter on a piping hot slice mhhmmmhh.

Fresh Granary 

I baked some fresh bread this morning ...because I am a grown up and I do that now lol.

I haven't baked anything for ages but I woke up this morning super early and really wanted some fresh home made bread. So that's what I did. I whipped up a super easy granary loaf.

I am usually a bit iffy when it comes to measuring as I hate following recipes to the letter. I am a free hand cook and I love to improvise and go with what feels right but I really enjoyed the process.

I enjoyed it so much, I am on my 3rd slice and spraying toasted crumbs on my laptop in my haste to share the recipe with you.

So here it is......

Ingredients 

Serves: 8 

400ml warm water

750g granary bread flour

1½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon active baking yeast (dried)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoons of poppy seeds

Method

Prep:3 hours

1. Mix  the flour, dried yeast, poppy seeds and salt into a large bowl.
2. Once all dried ingredients are mixed make a well in the middle pour water and olive oil in. 
3.  Stir gently to form a dough. it should be well mixed and soft.
4. Lightly flour a clean cool surface and knead for 8-11 minutes until the dough is further softened and elastic.
5. place a teaspoon of olive oil into a dry clear large bowl, place the dough in and place a cover with a clean tea towel.
6. After approx an hour it will have doubled, shape into a loaf and insert into a greased loaf tin.
7. leave for another 30 minutes to rise.

Finished product - fresh granary 

Baking time: 45 minutes

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
2.  Bake at 180 degrees for 45-50 minutes until the bread is delicious looking and golden brown. 
3. Slide a knife in and it should come out clean. If done when tapped it will have a hollow sound at the base.
4. remove the loaf and let it rest for a few minutes before removing from the tin.

And there you have it. Fresh Italian granary bread!

Enjoy and don't forget to tweet me pictures if you use the recipe I would love to see!

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Baby you should try some new thangs..... French plait braid out

Hey dawls,

So I did a really cute French braid hairstyle for work and it got good reviews so I am gonna share it.

I washed my hair really late at night and couldn't be bovved to blow dry it so I conditioned, moisturised and did two French braids thinking I would get a bit of stretch then put it in a bun for work.

I woke up however and was feeling the sleekness so off I went to work.

I haven't done French braids in ages as I am terrible at doing cornrows on myself so I was rather pleased with the outcome. Practice makes perfect I guess.

 

Morning bus selfies lol

This is the braid out, I redid my plaits after seeing the definition on the first day and here is the outcome. I didn't blowdry it so there is some shrinkage but I am loving it.

 

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Keeping it simple: Grilled chicken & 4 cheese ravioli

It's bank holiday Monday, the sun is shining and I am finally feeling the vitamin D on my skin.
 I am chilaxing with my nephew in old as time pjs chowing down on some grilled chicken and 4 cheese ravioli.

This the best picnic of jam food as its simple yet effective and works hot or cold.

 My Friend Kezy made the Cheddar, goats cheese, mexicana and blue danish ravioli. After I raved about a similar ravioli I got from a deli. I believe she followed this recipe.

I used 4 Chicken breasts and sliced in a medium cut. They were seasoned with dried chives, season all, chilli, black pepper, soy sauce, paprika, lime and a dash of hoisin . Deglaze the pan for some sauce.

This is a deffo must try! 

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

simply salad: Blue cheese, gammon and pears

OK I am not sure where this recipe came from but this is the best salad ever! My mind is a beautiful place.

The last vestiges of summer have fled, it's my day off,

I have run my errands and

I'am far too lazy to cook lol. All I want to do is curl up in my onesie and alternate between X-files and Rizzoli & Isles.
I am not after a heavy meal but I need something to fill me up that is light and refreshing. Mission successfully completed.

Ingredients-

Bavaria blu cheese
1 x Donut peach
1 x Medium pear- hard
2 x hand full spinach 

 1 x Hand full wild rocket
1/2 x Gammon steak (warm or cold)
5 x Sun dried tomatoes
1/2 x Red pepper

1x Tablespoon balsamic dressing
1x Tablespoon Red wine vinegar
 1x  Quarter lemon
1x Half orange
Cayenne pepper, Dried chives and season all to taste

I love the variety of textures in here and the blend of salty and sweeter elements combined.

 Bye bye random 2 weeks of summer sun in September.

Absolutely perfect. Have a go
!

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Juice em up (day 6) - juice recipe

Hey guys this is the last of my juice em up series and I hope you have enjoyed making and trying them as much as I have. Ingredients listed below to my summer, summer, summertime juice special.

 1x carrot

1 handful raspberries

15 x red grapes

100g approx pineapple chunks

4 x large strawberries

1/2 pint water

Makes approx 3 pints once strained

Enjoy

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Juice em up (day 5)

Hi dolls, Here is another juice from my series for you to try. I wanted to inject a little spring into what seems like the longest winter ever (just went a lil sista soulja there lol). I hope you try it out.

Carrot, Apple, Melon, Pear

2 x organic carrots

3 x Granny Smith Apples

2x Conference Pears

1/2 Honey Dew Melon

1x Pint water

This mixture unstrained should make 3.5 pints of juice.

  

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Juice em up ( day 4)-Juice recipe ideas

Hey this is my 4th entry for the series. It's packed with vitamins and antioxidants. A perfect drink to keep the April showers at bay. Ingredients as follows.

apples, raspberries, strawberries and carrots

2 x apples ( whatever you like)
1 x carrot
7 x strawberries ( large)
2 handfuls of raspberries
1/2 pint of water
Serves 2.5 pints 

This mixture has been strained but that is entirely up to you and your taste.

  

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Juice em up ( day 3)- Juice recipe ideas

Hi Guys, here is the third instalment of my juice em up series and this dodgy mix is Carrot, orange and lime. It isn't the most attractive looking drink but it is really nice and gives you loads of energy especially when it starts to snow in April -_-.

Carrots, Cucumber, Orange and Lime

 

3 x Carrots 

1/2 x Cucumber

2 x squeezed oranges

1 1/2 squeezed limes

serves 3 pint glasses

Its simple and super refreshing.

P.S you can use the pulp as a mask, warm or cold. A little messy but your skin will glow!

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Juice em up (day 2)- Juice recipe ideas

Hey dolls, So this is second post for my Juice em up series and its another quick and easy one. I had a load of carrots going to waste in the fridge and I decided to juice them up with a few celery sticks. My mum and I love this mix but my bro thinks we are weirdos and steers well clear lol. Ingredients below.

Carrot, Celery, Apples

8  x Carrots

4 x Celery sticks

2 x Apples

1/2  pint of water

You can strain the bits out for a smoother taste but the pulp does have a lot of nutrients in so I alternate between smooth and pulpy.

Try it out!

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Juice em up (day 1)- Juice recipe ideas

Hey dolls, so once again London is having a dodgy cold snap and as a hater of snow and cold I hibernate like nobodies business.

To keep my immune system up an remind myself of summer I usually make myself a few homemade smoothies and juices to keep the worst of the sniffles away and just because I like them. Over the next few days I will be posting a few of my fav drinks with ingredients included if you would like to try these bad boys out.

one punnet of strawberries approx 350g

 

 I use a Russell Hobbs blender as our juicer is fiddly and I like an easy life. Simply cut the leaves off your strawberries (Asda have had some huge ones of late) chuck them into the blender and add water if needed. Et Voila this should fill 2.5 pint glasses. This is a quick and simply way to get some of your five a day and I absolutely love it.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays