We 3 gmas baked TOGETHER!

I know I tell you every week that we bake together by cyberspace and text... but this week we REALLY baked together in person, together, to celebrate Barbra's birthday in WA... not baking in TX this week. Our trip to Barb's was a surprise for her birthday...so imagine the texting back and forth about the recipe without revealing that we were on the road over 2100 miles toward her kitchen! Not easy to do when we wanted to share pictures of Fall color.

 and share with her the sights... 

But we did manage to keep our secret and Barb was very surprised to see her two "little" sisters show up at noon on Tuesday asking if she had coffee on. It was a great moment walking in and seeing her happy face!

Then the kitchen really got lit up! The first evening was Ham and Scalloped potatoes with bread Barb had been baking all day. Then the next day... more Tartine bread, 7 mini Fruitcakes and one big round one to "season" for Christmas... and a birthday celebration of kids and grandkids enjoying homemade Tacos and Fajitas, and Helen's famous Pico de Gallo! One grandson brought the birthday cake and the party was in full swing! The next day, on Barb's birthday we did our "sister's bake". 

http://oneperfectbite.blogspot.com/2009/10/barmbrack-irish-halloween-bread-blue.html Got the recipe from this site... and since we all were together ... only one variation this time.... LOL... we just made one batch since we already had LOTS of bread and great meals.

We started this bake by getting into our aprons... Made for the occasion and to be worn when we bake each week. 

 This is the bread as we put it in the oven.

This is the finished loaf... it is brushed with sugar water and then cooked for 5 more minutes.

 We were a little eager to taste this since it smelled like fruitcake bread... 

And so it is much better toasted since the center is a bit soft.

The bake went extremely well... All of the baking... all of the cooking and eating and visiting...

The time we had together was PRICELESS!

On the way home we had some interesting weather... Yellowstone National Park was snowy...

 and then after driving through the snow, we toured a Montana Flour mill...

Having driven through the snow... I question the statement "pure as the driven snow" that snow didn't look too pure!... LOL... toward the end of our journey we were rewarded with a spectacular sunrise in Kansas.and by evening we were home again safe, sound, and very glad we made the trip. What a joy to spend our sister's birthday with her and her family. ..

It is Helen's turn to decide what we are making this week... but it is really going to hard to top the "birthday bake." 

Great time with my great sisters.

Happy Baking! Diane, Helen and the Birthday girl *aka: Barbra"