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Rainy Days

March 16th, 2011

I don’t know what it is about rainy days, but they always make me want to bake, especially this time of year when rainy days feel really cold. We’re having company this weekend so I wanted to get a few things baked and ready. I spent my day yesterday baking some whole grain cinnamon raisin bread from Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads. It’s super delicious. This bread will be made into French toast and smothered in our home made maple syrup. A batch of hamburger buns also came out of the oven, I used my tried and true recipe.

I also make some tart cherry cobbler with some cherries Mr Chiots picked this past summer and we stowed away in the freezer. During the summer it can be tough to take the time to freeze fruit, but it’s so worth it when you dig your spoon into a steaming bowl of cobbler. This recipe was from the newest cookbook added to my collection titled Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More


Rainy days aren’t just spent baking, I also spend long hours working in the office to get all of my work that pays the bills done. That’s one of the benefits of working from home, I can work extra hard on rainy days so I can spend a few extra hours outside on the nice warm days, like Thursday when it’s supposed to be sunny and in the high 50’s. I also need to get my broccoli & kale seeds started (now’s the time if you’re a zone 5 gardener).

Do rainy days make you feel like baking, cooking, napping, drinking coffee, reading or something else?

19 Comments to “Rainy Days”
  1. nic@nipitinthebud on March 16, 2011 at 5:00 am

    mmm, your cobbler looks delicious – a little taste of summer on a rainy day.
    Rainy days are a good spur for tackling overdue housework and when there’s no sun streaming through the window it’s not as obvious how long it’s been since the last time!

    Reply to nic@nipitinthebud's comment

    • Susy on March 16, 2011 at 7:51 am

      Yes, that’s on my agenda today – giving everything a good cleaning!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  2. kristin @ going country on March 16, 2011 at 5:50 am

    Sleeping. Though that’s more or less a permanent desire these days . . .

    Reply to kristin @ going country's comment

  3. Ken Toney on March 16, 2011 at 6:10 am

    Baking is a must on rainy days. It rained all day here on Monday. I baked 4 loafs of whole wheat bread and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I sent some cookies and a loaf of bread with my son to daycare the next day. Today, the weather is supposed to be the same. I plan to make strawberry jam and peach jam from frozen fruit from our gardens. For lunch, I’ll make a pot of soup and try your olive oil crackers recipe.

    Reply to Ken Toney's comment

  4. Brittany P. on March 16, 2011 at 8:21 am

    On rainy days I just love the pitter patter of rain on our metal roof. My husband always chalks up a rainy day as a good day for sleeping but I don’t like to sleep during the day unless I’m sick so…I love to curl up with a good book, or even a good recipe book (I read them like novels ) and I also like to cook and bake on rainy days. I think cleaning would be last on my list but sometimes that’s just what needs to be done. Curling up and watching a good movie with my kids is a blessing on a rainy day also. :)
    Are those cast iron loaf pans??? From the picture they seem like they may be. I like it when a recipe tells me how to bake a cake or loaf in varying different pans and sizes so I can play with the outcome a little.

    Reply to Brittany P.'s comment

    • Susy on March 16, 2011 at 8:28 am

      Yes they are cast iron loaf pans, they’re from Lodge, here’s the link to them on their website: https://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefront/product1_new.asp?idProduct=4106 They bake a beautiful loaf of bread with perfect crust. I always buy cast iron made in the USA for quality purposes, the stuff from China may be using recycled melted down metal and may be contaminated.

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Brittany P. on March 16, 2011 at 12:20 pm

        A while back I made it my mission not to buy anything made in China or anywhere but the good ole USA. I think US citizens need to bring the support and money back to the USA. Not only will it help our suffering economy but the items from China as you say could contain any number of harmful substances. I’m going to get me some of those pans. :)

        to Brittany P.'s comment

  5. Michelle on March 16, 2011 at 10:58 am

    Rainy days are my absolute favorite… They make me want to stay inside and putter around the house…maybe do a little art…maybe do a little reading…or writing…or yes, maybe even a nap!

    Reply to Michelle's comment

  6. melissa on March 16, 2011 at 11:53 am

    Rainy days make me wish I were at home baking instead of stuck at work.

    Reply to melissa's comment

    • Susy on March 16, 2011 at 4:11 pm

      I’m lucky that I work from home so I can bake while I’m working :)

      Reply to Susy's comment

  7. MAYBELLINE on March 16, 2011 at 2:13 pm

    YES! I love the rain. It is so rare.
    Enjoy.

    Reply to MAYBELLINE's comment

  8. Grant on March 16, 2011 at 3:27 pm

    Do you start kale and broccoli indoors or outdoors.

    Reply to Grant's comment

    • Susy on March 16, 2011 at 4:11 pm

      Indoors. Then I move outside in a few weeks. If broccoli gets too cold or too hot they might end up with button heads, meaning they won’t size up to a decent size.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  9. Susan on March 16, 2011 at 3:30 pm

    Baking, cooking, drinking coffee, and cleaning! I love those cast iron bread pans, too. They will be on my wish list. There is nothing like the smell of baking on a rainy day — or any day!

    Reply to Susan's comment

  10. Gail on March 16, 2011 at 3:43 pm

    I love All your posts! They are so inspiring:) Would like to know how you make (recipe) your french toast using your whole grain cinnamon rasin bread.
    And I love to bake and clean on rainy days. I made honey oatmeal bread yesterday-it made for wonderful toast this morning with honey and tea:)

    Reply to Gail's comment

    • Susy on March 16, 2011 at 4:10 pm

      I’ll try to remember to take some photos when I make it this weekend. Usually just eggs & whole, with some vanilla & cinnamon. Dredge well (I like mine custardy) pan fry in butter and smother in maple syrup.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  11. Sheryl at Providence Acres Farm on March 16, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    I like baking on cool rainy days too. Love cherries in baked desserts!

    Reply to Sheryl at Providence Acres Farm's comment

  12. Christine on March 16, 2011 at 7:25 pm

    Thanks for the book reco- I still struggle with yeast. Cobbler reminds me we still have tons of fruit in the freezer from last summer. I guess I know what I’m doing this weekend!

    Reply to Christine's comment

  13. goatpod2 on March 16, 2011 at 10:41 pm

    They make me want to take a snooze!

    Amy

    Reply to goatpod2's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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