"Kitchen Confusion" (and John's home-made light bread)

Ever have one of those days, when you're struggling with the age old issue of "Who's the boss of the kitchen?" We do. All the time.

Here, in my house, it's really more like an asylum (or a zoo) on the best of days, but today, John was about to make his famous light and fluffy and super yummy home-made light bread. I don't know why he asked me this today, but he did: "This is my non-fat dried milk, right?" as he shook a tall plastic container. You see, the large box of non-fat dried milk was nearly empty, and I hate empty (or near-empty) containers in my way, so I poured what was left into a canister (that I set aside), and then I threw the box away.

Now, in my opinion, that's all commonplace ordinary sound kitchen practice: throw out the old stuff, and confirm any unlabeled food items, so it's a good thing that he asked, otherwise, there could have been a mess. Granted, when you look at flour, sugar, or corn meal, it's obvious, but, other things, it can be a little harder to tell.

Here's the funny part. He went to my sugar glider pantry (all of those ingredients are human-grade, by the way), and he shook the "canister" that he thought his non-fat dried milk was in. I looked at him, and I said, "No, that is Gerber Rice Cereal, and, come to think of it, it needs to be thrown out." Now, I don't deliberately keep outdated food in my cabinets on purpose, but I'd switched glider diets, last February, and I simply forgot about that "canister" - until today!

I told John his non-fat dried milk was in a CANISTER (I use the nice stainless steel ones), and I reminded him that the container he was holding was a "plastic container" - not a canister (not the way I see it). We argued about it, and finally, losing my patience, I told him to just mix it up and take a taste, and he did! He got a mouthful of stale Gerber Rice Cereal, that he was SURE was non-fat dried milk.

The kicker? He's been using the stuff in the plastic container to make light bread for God knows how long - and he makes a GOOD loaf of light bread!

So, in a pinch, don't ask me why, but stale Gerber Rice Cereal makes a decent substitute for non-fat dried milk. Yuck (or yum!) as the case may be.

PS: George and Grover, I hope you weren't drinking coffee when you read this! Have a GREAT DAY (and I know you will)! Ask John to share his bread recipe today.

*giggles*

Love you, babe!