BH&G Bread Cook Book: Parmesan Casserole Bread

I have already learned something in the first 3 weeks of 2014!

Apparently I need to knock off one of the items on my list of dating requirements:

• Born before Bush Sr. was in office
• Employed
• No roommates
• No children
• Has lived places other than Baltimore
• Tolerates cats
• Eats meat (remember, we had to add that after the vegetarian incident )

Why? In the conversations I had with potential dates so far this year, and the guys who I have gone out with, everyone—everyone–has a roommate (or two). Even the guys with grown-up jobs.

I know that people have a lot of different (and valid) reasons for having roomies, but I just don’t get it. My last roommate (non-boyfriend) was my brother back in 2003. I am going to be 35 this month and I cannot fathom worrying about who is doing the dishes and whose yogurt it is that’s been festering in the fridge. I would do anything to not be living with someone.

But let’s say that hypothetically I end up in some sort of relationship with one of the roommate guys. Well, I don’t see myself being too keen on hanging out with the bros, so obviously we’d spend  a lot of time at my place. He starts sleeping over. Staying over night a week turns to two. He leaves a jacket. And I buy him a toothbrush. Soon he’s there five nights a week. I keep Lucky Charms on hand because that’s his favorite cereal. I’ve thrown a few of his shirts into my load of laundry. And I wake up one day to the realization that now I have a roommate.

Yes, a roommate that doesn’t pay rent…because he’s already doing that somewhere else.

So, kittens, it looks like I’m gonna have to get over it the whole “no roommate” unless I want to exclude the entire dating pool in Baltimore.

At least I’ve learned this early in the year, I suppose.

Now onto the food! Today’s selection comes from the Better Homes & Gardens Bread Cook Book.

I was going over to Todd & Leah’s for dinner—I think this particular evening Leah made some sort of cream of broccoli soup with the Blender That Changed Her Life (a.k.a. Vitamix)—so I though it would be good to bring some bread as an accompaniment. And it says there right on the cover, how to delight your family with fragrant FRESH-BAKED BREADS and I did indeed want to delight.

I chose this recipe because it looked pretty simple and didn’t involve kneading. And it sounded good. Cheese bread? It’s sure to make a hit!

So after a spin in the Kitchen-Aid with the dough hook, this was the result:

Hm. I let it sit for 40 minutes, but it never rose. So I just shoved it down into the pan. And it took a long time to bake. And I don’t think it was cooked all the way through–even though I baked it for much longer than the 65 minutes in the recipe.

But at least it looked pretty (and just like the picture!). And although the texture wasn’t the best (it was really dense) it tasted good.

One last thing!

My dear friend Jamie sent this to me yesterday via Facebook:

Literally less desirable than Hitler. That is, all at once, depressing and hilarious. Much like my life.

But ya know what would make me feel better? Getting through to round 3 of DICED! so I can make a dessert featuring (your favorite ingredient and mine!) GELATIN.

So go on over to the Rantings of an Amateur Chef and vote for my fried fish dinner. It’ll take you literally less than 10 seconds to do so. Click on the button below and it will take you directly to the page. I think that voting ends Thursday (the 17th), so chop-chop! Go make me a happy girl.