Baking day got off to a slow start this morning.  I just wasn’t feeling as motivated.  But I eventually got around to it.

I started a quick soak for the beans for dinner tonight. (Pasta Fagioli in the crock pot)

Next, I started the pizza dough for breadsticks.

[No picture.]

Then I started the waffles.  Whoops.  Out of oil.  And salt.

Pack up three kids, head to the nearest store.  On the way, noticed that the Daddy’s parking tag was still in the van (which he took to work yesterday).  Definitely can’t afford a parking ticket.  Off to the Daddy’s school to put the tag in his car and THEN to the nearest store.

By the time that not-so-quick errand was over and done with, the beans were done and it was time to start the fagioli.

And then I started waffles.

I hate making waffles.  I love waffles.  But the mess!  I hate cleaning the waffle maker.  So when I do make waffles, I make quadruple batches.

Observe:

7 cups of flour.  8 eggs.  2 cups of oil.  7 cups of milk.

That’s a 32 c. bowl, that is.  This is no minor waffle-making effort.

In between waffle batches, I prepared the breadsticks.  I rolled out the dough like a pizza, cut into breadsticks, brushed with butter, sprinkled with garlic salt, and put in a warmed oven to rise for 30 minutes.

Then I baked for about 15 minutes at 350.  I’m not sure how long exactly because 1) I just kept checking and 2) the power to my stove went out halfway through without me realizing it.  When I did realize that THAT’S why the clock was blinking 12:00, I put it back at 350 and began the baking process again.

No harm done (besides a rather crispy bottom):

I plan to store these in the freezer and pull them out a few at a time when we have pizza nights.  How you do think I should reheat them?  Broiler?  Microwave?  Oven?  At what temperature?

While the children napped, I prepared the dough for the sugar cookie cutouts they earned with their Marble Jar o’ Good Deeds.

[No picture.]

And I started a double batch of pizza sauce.  Which will be enough for four pizza nights, at least.

[No picture.]

And I discovered that I don’t read too good on the second baking day.  I put in four TABLESPOONS of sugar instead of 4 TEASPOONS.  But a twitter friend helped me out, and one peeled potato and 30 minutes later, the excess sugar had been sucked out and the sauce had been saved.

Hmm… I know some children who could use some sugar sucked out of them… You don’t suppose…?

Nah.  Too easy.

With two and a half hours left until dinner, it’s time to start the dill bread.  I didn’t take a picture of it until it was ready to rise:

With an hour left til dinner, it was time to add the noodles to the fagioli:

I’m thinking less noodles next time?  I always forget how big they get.

And then, I finish my 12 millionth waffle.  And start on my favorite part of the day:

Cleaning…

…the…

…machine.

Yuck.

But by the time the Daddy got home, the counters were sparkling and the table was full of THIS:

Starting at the far left and going clockwise, we have:

• Pasta Fagioli
• Dill bread
• Pizza sauce
• Breadsticks
• A million bajillion waffles
• Half-whole-wheat sugar cookie cutout dough.

And then we ate:

And now the counters all dirty again.

Bleh.

I’ll tackle that tomorrow.  G’night, all!