A winter Sunday routine

[BurntFingers]

We just had our first snow of the year last night. I just fired up the oven. Waiting for things to reach temperature. The outside walls registered 14 degrees F. The fire inside is going well. We should be making pizza for lunch, blank flat breads for the freezer, 12 to 16 Pane Francese breads, 6 stuffed breads and 5lb. roast loin of pork with roasted potatoes, cauliflower, and string beans for cena di domenica with all the family. What is your routine?

[BurntFingers]

Letting the oven rest before cleaning out and baking bread and roasting now. Pizza was great for lunch. We ate them as fast as they came out of the oven. Back to work.

[BurntFingers]

All the breads came fine. We put in the roasts and taking a break after cleaning up. Next step is to take out the roast pork and veggies. I need a beer. Grandchildren arrive around 4:30. Maybe I need a nap.

[nissanneill]

BurntFingers
The trouble with routines is that you either get sick of them in time or something comes along and changes them.
We have a tradition here (and had it for as long as I can remember) that the immediate family gather at the parents house for Sunday evening meal. Traditionally a roast lamb as it is my wife's favourite, but indispresed with chicken, beef and pork roasts.
Unfortunately we don't use the oven as often as I would like but let's face it, you spend the whole day preparing for it, making dough, cooking all kinds of things in it at the different temperatures, pigging out and then feeling so lithargic that all you want to do id have a Nana (or in our case a Papa) nap!

Grandchildren arrive around 4:30. Maybe I need a nap.

We have christmas planned for the traditional feasting, 23 plus grand children for a slap up sit down feast. The oven will get lit early and up to around 300˚C (usually up to 500+˚C for pizzas). let conditioned and in goes the large turkey, lamb, chicken and pork and then the veg when part way through. When almost ready to come out, in goes the traditional Christmas pudding, all very easy and laid back. Pig out at lunch and laze around enjoying the company all afternoon until some leave for other commitments and others arrive to clean up the scraps. The oven might still be hot enough to bake some bread and rolls.

Neill

[BurntFingers]

Well, the entire troop cleared the roost. The place is all cleaned up. Much of the snow around here has turned to ice or just plain evaporated. It was well worth the extra effort for a Sunday dinner. We have enough bread to last all week and some for two other families as well. I think we found a great recipe for pane francese in C. Hitz's book. Instead of making rolls we made boules using Neapolitan flour and malt. Wow! Tomorrow we take everyone in to NYC for Christmas shopping and a show. I guess the kids will have to cut school for the day. I wish we had grand kids before we had kids but that would have been impossible.

[nissanneill]

I wish we had grand kids before we had kids

I agree with you, in fact I have said on many occasions that the whole having kids and then they get married is all wrong.
I believe that the whole system should be reversed in that they should have kids, before they are our own kids. At least they would then appreciate what we went through to get them a grand start in life.
One of my employers has two almost useless and expensive sons (over 30 years of age now), but he said that it was worth having them and going through 'hell', just to get the grand kids!
I recon my kids are just or more expensive nowadays since they have their own families, homes and investment properties than if they were still living at home.
Mum spoils them and the grandkids!

Neill