Bread and Butter

I don't normally eat bread or refined carbs.  But life's too short to completely cut out things we enjoy, so on Christmas and Thanksgiving, (okay, and my birthday) I'll give a little on the "rules".

Today we're headed across the street to spend Thanksgiving with our neighbors.  Our kids are scattered all over--the nearest one is a twelve hour drive--and the inlaws are in Arizona, so often the holidays find us "just we two".  For my part of the cooking, I am baking bread.  Ironic that I don't normally eat it, because it's one thing I make really well.

So a loaf of sourdough and a loaf of multi-grain, with special butters to go with.  I learned both the bread making and the herbed butters when playing in the SCA (y'know, those silly people who play like they live in medieval times).  I make Scarborough Butter and Spiced Honey Butter--both are super easy.

For each, you want to really soften however much butter you want to make (it freezes, so make plenty).  Then you decide which one (or both?) you want to make.  It's always good to make these several days ahead of serving, to let the flavors develop.

For the Scarborough Butter, add--you guessed it--sage, rosemary, and thyme.  The parsley goes on the plate as a garnish.  Use an herb grinder to grind the dried herbs into powder...I don't measure, I just put "oh, 'bout that much" into the grinder.  If you like strongly seasoned stuff, use a lot.  You can always add more butter if it's too strong.  Salt it too, if you like.  Blend well, then pour into muffin tins.  Refrigerate, then when you're ready to serve it, you can sit the muffin tin into a bath of warm water for a minute and they'll pop right out.  They look nice on pretty china saucers.

The Spiced Honey Butter wants pumpkin pie spices--allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a little ginger.  Same seasoning rule applies here: you can always add more butter.  Mix in honey to the melted butter--I do measure this: about 1/4 cup per three sticks of butter.  Stir it all together, and put this in muffin tins too.

Hope your day is full of fun and laughter and good memories, whether there are few or many of you gathered together.  There's a lot to be thankful for.