Happy New Year!

     I'm not the biggest New Year's fan.  I don't like the feeling of the pressure of having to have "the best" time in order to get the new year off to a good start.  It's not that I don't like going out- it's just that I don't like the cold, the pressure, and staying out really late just because I feel like I have to.   This year, it was a huge relief to take the pressure off of myself by choosing to stay in and relax.  I said yes to hot chocolate with cinnamon, cayenne, and marshmallows, being comfortable in pajamas, and yes to a super-long  long distance conversation with my best friend about our highs and lows of the year, best purchases, and hopes for the new year.  I got to see the ball drop and relax safe and sound with some MSNBC yearly highlights.  It was great to get up feeling ready to start the year instead of exhausted and poorer.

     So, I felt like I really sent off 2012 on a good note.  Today, I welcomed the new year by baking my first real loaf of bread ever.

     Thanks to The Comfort of Cooking blog for this recipe (http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2010/06/cinnamon-raisin-bread.html).

Here is my experience baking my first real loaf of bread.

The bad part- I took a walk, then eagerly peeked at the dough left to rise with a warm, damp cloth.  It looked like it hadn't changed in size at all.  Luckily, I Googled "how to make dough rise if it won't" and learned the tip that you can turn the oven on warm and let it warm up, turn off the oven, and then place the dough in there so that it is warm enough to rise.  After another 45 minutes, the dough had gotten much bigger.

Yes, I really made that!

Happy New Year and best wishes for a sweet, simple, and happy 2013!