Let Us Bake Bread Together…

fika (fee-ka) Swedish
a moment to slow down and appreciate the good things in life.

Hello, sweet friends…

Today is a perfect autumn day. While taking this photo it felt like I was the main character in some vintage like story…

with a cat named Anastasia who sits peering out from an upstairs window…

Having grown up in sunny Southern California and really not being use to Autumn…

I still get quite excited when I see the leaves changing colors. It’s the perfect backdrop for a cozy home …nothing beats it…

well, on second thought I’m thinking the smell of freshly baked bread that you have made yourself smothered covered with some butter that melts on the warm loaf…Okay now that’s the kind of cozy I’m talking about!

👩‍🍳

What’s Cooking…

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of yeast

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 cup of warm water

mix it all and let it rise…

10 cups of flour

1/2 cup of white sugar

1 tablespoon of salt

three more cups of water

1/2 cup of oil

mix all the ingredients with a wooden spoon and let it stand for about 10 minutes

Knead for about five minutes
let it rise for one hour

Grease 4 pans
separate the dough in four parts.

Shape for each pan

butter the top let the dough rise 30 minutes

Now perhaps…

I’ve inspired you to really enjoy cozy at home…

This minestrone soup really is the best and it’s so warm, comforting, and smells amazing simmering on the stove. 

HOW TO MAKE MINESTRONE SOUP

You will want to first chop all your vegetables. White onion, celery, carrots, and the zucchini. Be sure that you cut them in all the same size. Aim for the size of the kidney bean or smaller. 

Heat olive oil and butter in a large stockpot or soup pot. Add the chopped veggies and let cook until softened. 

Add a can of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, vegetable broth, and some spices. Bring it to a low boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. 

Add some small shell pasta and a handful of fresh spinach. Cook some more until pasta is done and serve!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 white onion, finely chopped

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup peeled, chopped zucchini (about 1 zucchini)

½ teaspoon salt

1 can (28 oz) petite diced tomatoes undrained

1 can (15 oz) kidney beans (I also used cannellini) drained & rinsed

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

3 cans (14.75 oz each) vegetable broth

1 tablespoon dried basil

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 cup spinach leaves (about 2 small handfuls)

1 ½ cups small shell pasta

Instructions

Melt butter and olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let cook for 8-10 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the diced tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, basil, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir together and let come to a low boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.

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Add spinach and dried pasta shells. Let cook until pasta is done. About 10 minutes, depending on what size pasta you use.