wine on the keyboard

March 2011

Faux Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread

by Kay~Kacey on 3/28/2011

I love and adore Macaroni Grill’s bread that they serve, so I went on a hunt for a copy cat recipe for the bread. Here is my  own version of Macaroni Grill -ish Rosemary Bread after experimenting for awhile.macaroni grill rosemary bread

Ingredients: (makes 2 loaves)

1 tablespoon yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour…I start with 2 1/2 and add a bit more if needed (my fav is white flour, but I’ve made it with wheat flour)

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt (I use kosher or sea salt)

2 teaspoons dried Rosemary (I use this because I always have it on hand), or 2 tablespoons fresh Rosemary

Directions:

1. Put water, yeast,  and sugar in large bowl and let the mixture to become bubbly.

bubbly yeast

2. Add in butter, salt and 2 1/2 cups of flour.
ingredients for rosemary bread

3. Add in a teaspoon of the dried Rosemary. (or a tablespoon of fresh) This is half the total amount of Rosemary for the recipe. I kind of smash the dried rosemary up a bit.

Dried Rosemary

4. I use my kitchen aide mixer and knead with the bread hook for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. I’ve also kneaded it for about 10 minutes by hand. Your choice. Add in a bit more flour if needed.

kitchen aid mixer

5. Cover bowl. You can oil bowl first if you want, but I just pull the bowl off the mixer stand, cover,  set in warm area, and let the dough rise until it’s doubled in bulk…about 1 hour, give or take.

6. Punch down the dough (love that step for some reason.) Divide the dough into two halves. Form into two round loaves. Place on greased/sprayed cookie sheet, use a baking stone, or, what I do is use a silicon baking mat on my cookie sheet.

two loaves of macaroni grill type rosemary bread

7. Use a teaspoon of dried rosemary (or tablespoon of fresh rosemary) and kind of pat the rosemary into the two loaves. Or just sprinkle it on. Whatever works for you.

8. Cover the loaves again, place in warm area, and let them rise again until doubled. About an hour, sometimes less for this stage.

9. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

10. Bake the bread for about 15 to 20 minutes until brown. (it doesn’t brown a lot) (I often bake this ahead of time, and then warm it up when we’re ready to eat by heating for another 5 minutes or so.)

11. Pull from oven and brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt.

brush with butter and sprinkle on sea salt

Dipping Sauce:

We use olive oil, Spice Island Bread Dipping spices, and Parmesan cheese. (you could use your own choice of spices like garlic, oregano, italian spices, etc.)

Rosemary bread dipping sauce

Pour the oil on a plate and add the spices and cheese.

dipping sauce for bread

FAIR WARNING: This bread should come with a warning…you just can’t. stop. eating. it. once you get started. So very yummy.

Very easy to make and incredibly tasty. Enjoy your faux Macaroni Grill -ish- Rosemary bread.

Boys will be Boys-The Roller Hockey Version

by Kay~Kacey on 3/23/2011

So, for some unknown reason I lost my mind decided it was a good idea to go see my oldest two sons play roller hockey. Now, I haven’t gone to one of their games in a long time beacause 1) they are too rough.  2) they are usually late at night. 3) they are too rough. 4) they are too rough.

roller hockey game

Okay, I brought my camera, of course. That part was fun.

roller hockey action shotI did get some great action shots.

penalty boxOh, and yes, they did both end up in the penalty box at one point or another.

roller hockey penalty box

See?? Now, as a fairly intelligent mother, why did I not invent the penalty box when the boys were here at home? How cool would that have been? “Okay, you’re in the penalty box for 2 minutes – oh! or 2 hours!!.” Yep, I should have thought of penalty boxes when they were growing up. Don’t argue. In. the. box.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. Roller hockey. I really don’t enjoy it much as they get older. It’s just so…rough.

roller hockey injury See??? Here is my almost son, Gabe. Taken down by a bad, bad boy.

As an aside, he’s my almost son, ’cause I’ve known him forever. Love him. And if you look at his cell phone I’m listed on it as Mom2. :heart:

roller hockey bench

Here they are on the bench. Where I love for them to be. It’s safe there, you know?? :love2:

As an aside, I did tell them after the game…don’t worry about the silly score on the game…worry about making sure you’re headed towards your momma and her camera any time you have the puck. THAT is what is important!!

As I left after the game, I called back to the three of them. “You’re my favorite.” All three of them answered, “I know.” :heart: :heart: :heart:

Had a Fabulous Time at the Lighting Workshop

by Kay~Kacey on 3/21/2011

Little Red Riding Hood

Learned so much at the Nichole Van Lighting Workshop. Had a great time. I finally feel like I’m getting a bit of a handle on Off Camera Flash work. We learned how to over power the sun with flashes, shot some at night, used different flashes and strobes and modifiers. Had a great time with the group of women at the workshop too. My photog friends Janet Power and Jolie Starrett were there too.

Nichole and her husband, Dave, are wonderful, genuine, fun people. She is an open book at the workshop. You can ask her anything and she’ll explain it to you…and explain it again if you don’t get it the first time. I’ll do a full review of the workshop over on my photography blog later this week, but I just wanted to say Hi, honey, I’m home!  Missed you guys. Also up this week…my fabulous recipe for Macaroni Grill bread. Stay tuned!

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