Today is a weather day for my love.

 It is NOT a day for working outside, let alone working 2,000 feet in the air! So for the first time since we got here to Hillsboro, North Dakota, he got to sleep in!

Last night we ran to Grand Forks to go to Walmart and stock up on some groceries. We had dinner at Texas Roadhouse (yum). I saved part of my steak for steak & eggs and Allen saved his ribeye bone for our little sweet bored puppy (she’s not a fan of winter, she’s a Floridian at heart like us!)

So I got up this morning and made bacon and steak & eggs. Then got ready to make some bread.

 I found a recipe for Potato Bread that uses real onion and a real potato so I thought I’d try it. I’ve been having an issue lately with my bread not rising enough. My first thought was the altitude but we aren’t very high. Now I’m thinking it’s the temperature. The bread maker’s room temperature and mine must be different! Considering we are trying to maintain a steady 64 degrees I’m not too surprised.

We keep alternating between using the fireplace & space heater, and using the furnace.  We are trying to balance saving propane, while also trying to keep the floor warm, as well as the huge cubby and the water compartment outside. Plus we are paying for electric here, so we don’t want to crazy run the meter up. But, we’ve already went through over $100 in propane in 2 weeks heating this huge camper we are fortunate enough to live in! We have our heated water hose plugged in and the tank heaters on, and the truck is plugged in.

Anyway, I’m warming my ingredients by the hearth! Trying to bring them up to my picky bread maker’s version of room temp, not my budget-conscious version!

 Charlie is happily busy with her new bone (which I will be sneaking away when she finally wants to go outside!) and Allen is napping in bed…

Here is the recipe for the Baked Potato Bread (From redstaryeast.com) and that Pumpernickel Rye Bread (from westbound.com) I made the other day…

Baked Potato Bread

• 1/2 milk (@ 80 degrees)
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 egg (@ room temp)
• 2 3/4 cup bread flour
• 1/3 cup baked potato, mashed (I microwaved mine)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp yeast
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced (added at the nut beep)

This makes a 1 1/2 lb loaf. Basic/White cycle. Medium crust color.

Pumpernickel Rye Bread

• 5 oz water (@ 80 degrees)
• 1 1/2 tbs molasses (I used syrup because that’s all I had on hand)
• 2 tbs butter
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1/3 cup rye flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp yeast

This makes a 1 lb loaf. White/Basic cycle. Medium crust color.

As always, if you want to browse some other bread machine recipes, you can do that here.  I’m making this to go with this Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup I’m going to try tonight.  I’ll post the recipe once I find out if it’s any good! Stay warm out there! 

**Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup recipe