Monday, January 27, 2014

around here....cold and baking

The winds were howling last night and all I could think about was our 55 year old Ash tree.  My fingers were crossed that no large branches had broken off.  This morning a few were hanging but nothing major.  Schools are all closed yet again as the temperature could go as low as negative 35 degrees with the wind chill.  We are generally in two modes here...snow or bitter cold.


The menu this week is soup, chili and homemade bread.  My new go to bread recipe is from Honey and Jam.  It's a no knead bread which makes it easy.  The recipe calls for a lower pan in the oven with water to help create steam which in turn forms a really nice brown crust.


After bread making homemade concoctions were made with water, flower, yeast, garlic powder, and dried basil.  Let me tell you, the smell was intense but the fun was fierce!


And the baking cupboard is just about finished.  Glasses were moved and sorted and now all of our tools and ingredients are in one spot.   


I found some great removable contact paper that I lined the back of the cupboard with


magnetic strips for recipes and lists


drawers beneath are filled with cake, muffin, and loaf pans


boxes at the top are filled with birthday baking supplies and holiday baking supplies




It's nice to have a bit of organization so that we know what we have and where things are!
I hope that your week is off to a great start and that wherever you are you're staying warm!!!  




57 comments:

  1. This organization is lovely, but I'd be careful of those glass jars that might not be air tight! We have problems with flour moths around here sometimes...

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  2. Look at those cupboards so neat. That weather looks quite something. We have not had a snow day here yet it has been really wet and mild instead this winter. I love the back of your cupboards what a great way to spruce them up. Stay warm sweetie. Jo x

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  3. What a beautiful tree. I love old trees...I feel that we can learn a lot from them.

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  4. The beans look so cute helping you. I have not made homemade bread for sometime. When I was in junior high school I passed a huge bakery every morning and you could always smell them making the bread, nothing like the aroma of fresh baked bread.

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  5. Well now I feel a wee-bit guilty for complaining about our light frost here in central Florida. :-) Love the organization ~ and the bread looks delicious! What great little helpers you had.

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  6. Great way of organizing everything! Home-made bread is the best! Especially in the summer with a bowl of Greek salad, mmm the olive oil and the bread complement each other perfectly!

    Stay warm! Tomorrow is going to bring a new cold wave.

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  7. Okay now I wish my kitchen looked like your kitchen! The black and white is awesome. I love having a baking cupboard but my cookie cutters are still in a drawer across the kitchen from it. I think what you did looks so nice and it really elevates the importance of baking in your kitchen.

    I do not envy your weather. Hang in there.

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  8. I love your baking cupboard - some good ideas there to borrow! The beans look so happy concocting their herbal brews - I see a few chemistry majors there or perhaps some herbalists! I'll bet the house smelled heavenly with the baking bread despite the terrible weather. So glad that your tree survived. Hoping the weather breaks for you soon. Keep safe and warm. Hugs xo Karen

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  9. What a lovely looking baking cupboard my friend! Any chance you'll be sharing a list of your essential supplies? I'm working on building my supplies up, any tips would be gratefully received! I hope you continue to stay warm and have fun with your beans! x

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  10. Ooh, everything looks yummy! This kind of weather is the only time I feel inspired to cook. (I actually made chili last night!) I was worried about my trees last night, too. That wind was ferocious. And one of my trees is so huge it would crush the house if it fell, so I'm always extra paranoid. Glad you escaped without much damage. Is it time for spring yet???? ;)

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  11. OH my gosh so neat and tidy and what super fun with the beans! I sure hope you are keeping warm my friend... Least you have some new books to leaf through and feel warm with!! I am so glad they arrived to you safe and sound!

    No knead bread? Am I dreaming? Off to that link.. Hazel x

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  12. Beautiful baking cupboard - our new pantry makes me very happy. Mr A-P lined the shelves with fake marble contact paper. Farble?

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  13. Oh, all of those beautifully organised cupboards, they are utterly blissful. It sounds scarily cold with you, I hope things warm up soon. It does sound lovely indoors though, what with the bread and the wonderful cupboards. And that weather is a good excuse to stay there.

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  14. You are so organized.

    I am trying to avoid flour, but those breads look so good.

    Hope it warms up for you soon. The weather reporters are telling us that winter is over, but it never arrived.

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  15. I LOVE your baking area, Nicole. It is just perfect. What fun you will have using that long term. Looks like the kiddos are having fun....let the clean-up begin! xo Diana

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  16. I'm glad that your tree is alright Nicole, it is horrid when the weather is so bad isn't it, very worrying for elderly trees. Your baking pantry is beautiful, so well organised and so prettily done. I love all your different canisters for the different things! It looks as though lots of fun was had by all with the baking session and with some great looking results too!! Hope that the weather takes a turn for the better very soon!! xx

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  17. how strange I just got an error message from blogger and it ate my blog LOL
    I have been thinking about you all in this bitter cold. we had 50 mile an hour winds last night-pretty wild. The Beans look like they are having loads of fun! stay warm

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  18. Yummy I can smell that bread from.over here
    Stay warm and cosy lovely friend xxxx

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  19. SO organized - you know I should hate you, right?!!! How adorable, letting the Beans have free rein with the spices and water - how else are they gonna' learn?! Looks like a GREAT snow day at Nicole's house...stay warm, my friend! XOXO

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  20. The madness of this crazy cold winter really needs to stop. Nothing quite warms the house like freshly baked bread though and your little helpers sure look like they had fun. It's always nice to get sorted out especially in the kitchen. You stay warm now Nicole!

    Rowena @ rolala loves

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  21. What a great organized cupboard. Much easier to work with things where you can find them. And I love the idea of baking bread. I need to get back to it. I actually used to bake bread EVERY Thursday. Haven't done it in ages now. Must try again. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  22. The first thing that caught my attention was the snow.. how deep is it? WOW! The bread looks so yummy I can almost smell it from the pics and your discription...Your baking cupboard looks wonderful... everything you need all tucked neatly away... stay safe and stay warm... Blessings!

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  23. Hi Nicole. Gosh, your weather is extreme! Hard to imagine, sitting here in my 30 degree summer. You look cosy, warm and organised inside though! Xx

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  24. Nice baking corner! I've never made yeast bread. Can you believe it? With as much bread as I go through, it's sort of ridiculous that I've never attempted it. I'm gonna go check out the recipe 'cause yours is looking beyond amazing. I just sliced up a store-bought baguette to go with dinner and it pales in comparison. Hope the soup and chili keeps ya warm!

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  25. What a wonderful baking area!!! It looks like your kids are enjoying their time in the kitchen. I love it! It is wonderful to get them involved in all your baking and cooking creativity. I hope they all got to lick the bowl! :)

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  26. There is nothing better than a cozy house with the smell of homemade bread in the oven....I must try this soon! Sorry to hear you are right in the middle of all that crazy cold weather. We are having our second go around of snow mix with ice tomorrow and Wednesday and I am not looking forward to it....not used to it being "that" cold.
    Stay warm...Hugs, Shari

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  27. Your kitchen is looking great! I love that contact paper. I'm so glad your ash tree was okay, I would have been worried too. Stay warm and have a wonderful week!

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  28. I am admiring your organizational skills! Everything looks so neat and in its proper place.... I think I have to borrow some of your clever ideas! Love the removable contact paper at the back of the cabinet and the clear glass canisters......looks so pretty! Looks like your kids are having tons of fun and enjoying their day off from school. No school for us tomorrow due to extreme cold and wind chill and this is the second time in two weeks! Winter has been crazy this year that's for sure! Stay warm and safe! Hugs, Poppy

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  29. I love your baking area! I especially like the clear jars so you can see what is in them. And the contact paper on the back of the cupboard is awesome!! So fun! That weather is crazy, I am glad your tree survived. I hope you are staying warm with those cute little beans Nicole!

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  30. WOW all that snow!! we are still struggling here with the rain in the UK snow is so much more pretty :) Your bread looks delicious and your cupboards so clean and tidy. Hope you stay warm. Laney x

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  31. Love your baking area! I really need to get my pantry organized.

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  32. That bread looks very good. I love fresh bread when it is warm and crusty.

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  33. It is so lovely to be organised and with your weather, the perfect time to sort things out. I can smell the bread from here and to have this with chilli is just the right thing for cold, chilly weather. Keep safe and warm my friend. xx

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  34. It looks like you are making the best of the frigid weather. Your homemade bread looks fabulous and so delicious! Enjoy and stay warm!

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  35. What a wonderful little baking station Nicole! We are getting ready to get a bunch of snow dropped on us and I plan to cook and organize! ;)

    Nancy

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  36. Yum! I love baking! I had cookies with dinner. I love your organized cupboard. Cold cold here, too. I need to give that bread recipe a try. I haven't made bread in ages.

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  37. That bread looks so delicious. I love snow days for baking and puttering about the cozy house. But 35 below sound scary! Are you in Minnesota? In any case, keep warm!

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  38. Oh my it dose sound so very cold, we are at 35c today. That's what I have been doing today also the kitchen and bathroom are looking much better, I'm starting on the spare room tomorrow.

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  39. Great baking cupboard! I just got mine sort of arranged at the new house. Love seeing the beans helping mom in the kitchen!! Hasn't this weather just been brutal! Gosh do you think spring will ever make it here? Stay warm and safe!!!

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  40. I organized the cabinet above the oven with baking supplies. Got to organize the tools next I guess.

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  41. Your cabinet looks great! I know you'll enjoy baking more now that it's organized so nicely! I loved the photo of your kids baking! I could just hear all the conversations, etc.!!!! I've giving the bread recipe a try today with our veggie soup. You had me a 'No Knead!" Stay warm and toasty!

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  42. Love that new baking cupboard ... so fresh & bright with the pretty backing paper. Great job! Here we don't close schools when it gets too cold. Even when the windchill brought it down to -30C schools were still open. The kids just don't go outside, and they all go directly into the school in the morning rather than play outside. Now didn't you sprinkle any of that amazing concoction of your kids' on the bread loaves?! They look like they're having such fun :D Wendy x

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  43. Oh Howling wind is cool, but yes very scary too, especially with a big tree in the yard! Glad you are all safe and sound. I am sorry for your cold, it was 70 degrees here in vegas yesterday, sunny and warm. I will try the bread recipe, I love to make the rosemary bread from romanos macaroni grill, it makes the house smell amazing too! Stay warm my friend!

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  44. Love how you organized everything! Having a baking cabinet is a fabulous idea! And that bread looks so yummy. I hope it warmed your tummies and made you forget about how cold it is out there!

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  45. I'm insured! Now I want to make that bread, line the backs of my cabinets and get a magnetic strip pronto!

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  46. Hi Nicole.

    Sorry that you are having cold weather there but lovely that you can be indoors baking bread and pots of hot soup. Looks cozy and fun with all your little cooks. Also your kitchen looks so organized and neat to see.
    happy rest of the week and stay warm
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  47. I love the way you have organized. Are those glass jars air tight?

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    1. They are!!! Which makes them great for my sugars!!

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  48. You are so organized Nicole!! Your baking cupboard looks fantastic...and puts mine to shame.

    There's nothing quite like hot soup and homemade bread on a cold cold winter's day, i reckon. Stay warm, my friend!

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  49. I'm so coming to your house for that bread! Looks amazing
    x

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  50. Very nice! It's always such a great feeling to tackle an organizational "challenge". And how nice you can make bread, I tried it a few times and it came out terrible :( maybe I'll try just once more. Stay warm!!!!!

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  51. Baking kiddies is awesome - and who can by-pass a delicious homebaked loaf of bread! noms!

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  52. Stay warm! I am so going to try that bread on Wednesday. We will be stuck home with a snow storm. :) Thanks for sharing.

    Angela @ Number Fifty-Three

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  53. That bread looks so yum! Your organisation puts me to shame!! Great idea for the contact paper, and it looks so pretty too. xx Maria

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  54. Love, love and organised kitchen! Well done lady your cupboards are splendid. Stay warm! xo

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  55. That bread looks so good! I really like your little baking center Nicole! Having everything within reach makes the task so much easier. Looks as though you have lots of help too!
    Val

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