Sweet Bread and Busy Days

A few weeks ago, I wrote about life as a rat race.  Truth be told, the rat race is still going on but there is a light at the end of a tunnel as the holidays near and the prospect of spending time with family grows closer.

Anyway, as I continue to ride the roller coaster of life, I've come to realize something about myself, I like to bake. This is nothing new as I have baked since childhood, but I came to realize specifically that I bake to clear my mind, especially when I have a lot to do (like this past weekend).

Now this may seem counterproductive but it actually forces me to focus more on the work on hand. Kind of like running or reading or ny other type of stress reliever. The lesson learned here is an easy one. Sometimes you need a break to get more done. Change the pace, mix it up and increase your efficiency. It may not always work but you'll eventually find a rhythm and a stress reliever that works for you.

And now to leave you all with a recipe. This one turned out really well for me this weekend.

Portuguese Sweet Bread

1 cup milk
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Warm the milk and add the sugar and the yeast. Stir and let sit for about 15 min. to proof (the yeast will foam). Add the foamy yeast mixture to the rest of the ingredients and mix by hand. The dough will be sticky. After mixing, cover and let it sit in the bowl to rise 1-2 hours. Punch down and let rise again in the bread pan for another ½ hour. Bake for about 30-35 min. at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Makes for a great writing snack. Enjoy and happy writing!

Filed under: Recipes, Toni Kelly, Writer's Life [image error]