The Maxwell Moment: Tips for Sliced Bread and Wet Watches

This week we delve into the archives for another pair of tips for your kitchen. Spreading butter on sliced bread can lead to torn slices and tears of frustration. Prevent that tsouris by buttering the slice before you cut it!

Your watch is a delicate piece of machinery, even if it is just a cheapo dollar store purchase. Keep it running well by taking it off while doing the dishes and hanging it on a cup hook you install in a handy spot by the sink!

Simple Summer Savory Satisfaction - Chive Butter

I spent last weekend in the Catskills with friends and made dinner for them on Saturday night. One of the things I made was this simple chive butter recipe.

It's such a delicious treat for a summer lunch or dinner and it's super easy to make.

You'll need:

1 stick of salted butter
Fresh chives
1 tsp lemon juice

Begin by setting the butter out in a medium sized mixing bowl to soften. Cut it up into smaller pieces to hasten the process. Once it's softened up nicely, cut the chives into the bowl.

I find it easier to use a pair of scissors for cutting chives. Then add the lemon juice (if you don't like things quite as tart you can use half a teaspoon) and mix everything together with a fork. Once it's all well combined, remove the butter to a sheet of wax paper.

Using the paper, work the lump of butter back into a stick form. It can be square or round. I chose to make a square stick. The process is a little obscene, but I'm sure some of you will enjoy that. If you're timid, you can put the butter in small ramekins. Put the butter back in the fridge to firm up. Serve with a hearty sour dough bread.

This can also be done with other herbs, and you can substitute cream cheese for butter. I love recipes like this. They add so much to a meal, but are so quick and easy to make. Enjoy!

#17 Butter Fingers

Hello people, time for another episode! This week it's all about keeping your rubber gloves from getting holey, (just put cotton balls in the finger tips), and making sure your butter doesn't burn (add a drop of olive oil to the pan). Be sure and watch!

Next week we'll resume featuring longer episodes, though I'm still on hiatus so you won't see new intro and wrap up segments, I'm afraid. You'll have to wait until fall for that. 

Until next time!

#13 Still More Kitchen Capers

Hello people! Brini here with some more ideas for a commodious kitchen. This week I have tips for avoiding torn slices of bread (butter the end of the loaf before slicing) and keeping your watch dry while doing the dishes (hang it on a cup hook placed conveniently by the sink).

02-08 Glorious Gastronomic Gifts

It's all about bread today. On the show I'm making a delicious Italian bread and tasty herbed butter to go with it. These can be combined as a delightful gift from you kitchen. 

For the bread you'll need: 

1 package active dry yeast

1 ½ tsp sugar

½ cup warm water

1/3 cup hot water

3 Tbs. butter

1 tsp salt

3 cups flour 

Start by combining the yeast, sugar and warm water in a bowl and stirring until smooth. Then combine the hot water with the butter and stir until melted, then add the salt. Put the butter mixture in with the yeast mixture and begin adding your flour. Add it by degrees until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. You're then ready for kneading. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for about 10 minutes or until the dough responds to your touch by springing back when you poke it. Now we baked ours in a tubular pan which required us to flatten out the dough and then roll it into a log. You can repeat that technique and then bake it on a cookie sheet or bake it in a loaf pan. Either way you'll want the dough to rise in a warm draft free place until it's doubled in size - about 1 ½  to 2 hours. Bake it in 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for an additional 35 minutes. Remove bread to a rack to cool. 

For the butter you'll need: 

One stick of butter, softened

Juice of one lemon

Two tablespoons of chopped chives 

Place all ingredients in a bowl and combine well with a fork. Remove to a sheet of wax paper and form into a log. Twist the ends of the wax paper and place in the fridge to firm up.  

These recipes are just delicious together and, as I said above, make a lovely gift when combined in a basket. 

Be sure and include a card with the recipe, the recipient will undoubtedly want some more!