Hi there –

How’s that crazy light in the above photo?  I love it when I see images like that around the house.  It is a good reminder to be present and open to all that is lovely in the world.

What a weekend!  I am happy to say I survived the first two days of NaNoWriMo, though their server is taking a beating right now.  Every time I try to log in to upload (or is it download?), it times out on me.  So you will have to take my word for it when I tell you that I wrote 4300 words.  Not too shabby.  I don’t think I’ll be breaking any records over there – some people having written nearly a half a million (!) words in a month, but I will have a very solid foundation, maybe more, for my next book.  It feels terrific.

Now, for something completely different – Welcome to all the visitors from my friend African Kelli’s blog!  Thanks for coming.  Here’s the recipe you are looking for:

Portuguese Sweet Bread

adapted from Bernard Clayton’s Complete Book of Breads

5 1/2 – 6 cups flour

2 packages yeast

1/2 cup sugar

2 t salt

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, diluted with 1/2 cup warm water

1 t vanilla

1 t lemon juice

3 eggs, at room temperature, plus 1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup raisins

1 stick butter, at room temperature

2 T sugar

Combine three cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Make a well and add diluted milk, vanilla, and lemon.  Add eggs and gently stir until combined.  Add raisins.  Beat in butter.  Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until it can be gathered into a rough ball.  Knead until it is smooth and elastic, about ten minutes.  Place in bowl with greased fingers, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about two hours.

Punch down dough, divide in half, and allow to rest for ten minutes.  Form each half into a ball and let rise for one hour.  Brush the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees until they are golden and a skewer comes out clean and dry, about one hour.

Enjoy!