Nice Barry!!!
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I decided to try my hand at bread making today, I have tried in the past but not had much success so decided to give it another go. These rolls that I produced smell great and are tasty enough but just a little too crusty. Maybe I shouldn’t have sprayed them with water before cooking them or maybe I cooked them too long? Anyway they are edible just, so I’ll maybe give it another try next week and see if I can do any better… all suggestions as to how to do better gratefully received… 
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Hi Barry 
I brush my bread rolls with olive oil after I have shaped them and before the second prove to prevent a skin forming and to give a gloss. You can use water.
Make sure your oven is really hot 210 then 200 after 5 mins allowing the initial rise. Leaving the rolls in too long to ‘get colour’ will make them too hard.
These half wholemeal and sun dried tomato rolls were brushed with olive oil…
They are soft, if I want to serve them crisp brush with water and pop them in a hot oven for a few moments
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Many thanks @Meg , I’ll take that on board for next time and maybe cook them a little less too, but I followed the recipe and gave them 25mins at 210 so they should have been ok?
@Barry Hi Barry, sorry didn’t spot this.
My rolls only take 10-15 minutes , you can tell if they are done by picking one up to check the bottom is firm and dry and just starting to colour.
If you want colour you need to brush them with something, leaving them in the oven longer to brown will just make then hard and dry.
Also make sure you don’t put the rolls too close together to allow air to circulate.
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Further to my bread rolls making failure of a couple of weeks ago, I thought that I would try making teacakes for tea, but as I was proving the mixture I decided to make it into a loaf instead, and may I say it worked out pretty well… We toasted a couple of slices each, slathered them in butter and it was delicious, a proper teatime treat…
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Yummy! That looks very mouthwatering Barry. 
If you’re asking… yes please I would love a slice! 
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I have to have more fruit but its not so healthy as people think…
I am the one that use to eat out the mincemeat jar, not just at Xmas either…made my own this year and it is brewing nicely in the Fridge…
Well Done Barry… 
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You’re right @DianneWoollie , more fruit definitely next time. The recipe said 75g but it could use double that I think…
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Thanks @Kazz , I’ve always enjoyed cooking and it’s nice to have more time to do it since I retired…
Today’s Luncheon
CREAMY SALMON PASTA
Ingredients
• 8 oz / 250g dried fettuccine
• 3 tbsp / 50g unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot
• ½ cup / 125 ml double cream
• ¾ cup / 185 ml freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano o
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Good grind of black pepper
• 6-7 oz / 180 - 200g hot smoked salmon fillet , flaked
Garnish
• Fresh parsley (optional)
• Extra Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a deep frying pan over medium high heat.
- Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes or until tender.
- Add the cream and bring to boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove the frying pan from the heat and stir through the Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper until the sauce is smooth.
- Take out 1/2 cup of pasta water Then drain the pasta in a colander.
- Transfer the pasta and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water into the frying pan with the sauce. Add salmon. Return the frying pan to the stove over medium heat. Toss very gently to coat the pasta in the sauce and allow the sauce to emulsify for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, until the sauce coats the pasta - there should be no sauce pooled at the bottom of the frying pan
- Remove from the stove and serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley, if using.
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@SilverTabby as I’m not too keen on smoked salmon I would probably use poached instead, but apart from that looks well worth a try.
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I decided to make some mince pies today as stocks were getting dangerously low…
I had a bit of pastry left over of course, which I normally use for cheese straws or jam tarts, but I thought I’d have a change today so made some mini cheese quiches…
All in all a pleasant baking session, roll on teatime…
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Mmmmm…. they look delicious, Barry!
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