Beef Stew, Hot Rolls and Autumn

I seem to have a built-in primal desire to make beef stew when the days get short and the sun goes into hiding and the cool misty weather sets in.. Autumn.  So we got a chuck roast to cube up, carrots, celery, onions and Kristi dug some new potatoes out of her mother's garden.. I also added a new ingredient as a test, a plump sweet potato.. (winner!) and on Saturday Dayle and I worked together to cook up this aromatic meal for the family.  I even asked begged Dayle to make a pan of his honey wheat rolls.  :-)  We made enough for our family of six to have for two dinners and we polished it all off last night.

I cannot tell you how absolutely fabulous these rolls taste.  Dayle even promised Kristi to teach her to make these.  :-)  He has perfected this recipe over the years.  I'll add the recipe at the bottom.

When Dayle was mowing the pasture he brought in some of the pears from one of our trees.  Can anyone tell me what variety of pear this is?

The apples on our tree.. we don't know what kind they are either.  But the trees are likely 100 years old or so.. this is an old farm place.. the house built in 1906.

I just stepped out on the deck to snap a few photos with my zoom lens.. the above apple photo.. this Hawthorn tree on the top of the hill behind our house is loaded with berries.

Dayle mowed the pastures over the weekend so the grasses could reseed the fields.

The Chestnut tree is loaded with nuts and will begin to fall soon.

The moss on the garage/barn has fallen off in huge clumps.. I love the green of this.

We planted a pot of Chrysanthemums that we got last year at this time and a huge plant came up this year.  

The koi grew bigger this year.

The King Tut Papyrus has done so well this summer.. 6 foot tall shoots and this one has gone to seed on top, too.  I am going to try to winter this over in my studio as it has lots of windows.

My Japanese maple up behind the creek and waterfalls is starting to turn red.. it's so funny.. it turns a brilliant color and the next day it seems as if all the leaves drop at once.. :-)

Our huge Pin Oak seems to be turning color in little bunches instead of all at once..... goofy tree.

I hope you aren't tired of seeing my fall wreath.. but I find it so pretty.

I'm meeting a couple of blog friends for dinner tonight.. more on that later.  What are you up to today?  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

--------------------------

DAYLE'S HONEY WHEAT BREAD

1 pkg yeast

1 tsp sugar

½ cup warm water

1 can evaporated milk

¼ cup warm water

¼ cup melted butter

¼ cup honey

2 tsp. salt

1 ½ cup wheat flour

3 ½ cup bread flour (approx.)

1 egg, separated

1/2 cup sourdough starter (optional)

1.  In small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in ½ cup warm water.

2.  In mixer, combine milk, ¼ cup water, butter, honey, salt and wheat flour.  Add yeast mixture, egg yolk & 1/2 cup sourdough starter (optional).  

3.  Add bread flour until mixer can't mix it anymore then knead using more flour for 6-10 minutes to achieve satiny texture.

4.  Place dough in oiled bowl and let rise until doubled.

5.  Punch down and divide in two.  Roll into loaf shape, put in 2 bread pans, then brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Let rise until above pan about 1 1/2 inch.    Bake 23 minutes at 375 degrees.