Baguette Butterflies
Can I give you a little encouragement today?
That’s all this post is.
Well, encouragement and a massive tease for the next recipe that’s coming at you.
The message, though, aside from “come back in a day or two for a really, really delicious recipe” is to never doubt your ability to get what you want through creativity.
Especially when it comes to feeding your kids (or other loved ones) healthy food.
You know how I’ve been on that ”make everything from scratch” kick? It’s still going strong. I haven’t bought a cookie, cracker, carton of ice cream or loaf of bread for my family in about three weeks. I assure you, getting them to eat the homemade ice cream isn’t an issue. And the bread hasn’t been either.
Until today, when Lulu asked for a bagel and cream cheese for lunch.
We don’t have bagels.
I was tempted to carve my super soft whole wheat sandwich bread into a circle with a whole in it. But then I got a better idea, using the homemade sourdough baguette we nearly demolished at dinner Saturday night (spoiler alert).
There are two additional loaves of this in my oven right now and I assure you, it’s so good and so easy and will make you feel like a hero.
But it’s no bagel.
You know what’s better to a four year-old than a big hunk of dough with a hole in the middle?
A butterfly with a pickle in the middle of it.
I grabbed my Lunch Punch and made two wings with a slice of baguette for each, saving the extra to toast up for croutons for our salad tonight.
Or, more likely, for me to eat while making our salad tonight. One of the two.
Then I smeared each “wing” with some cream cheese.
I added a pickle for a body (naturally), some carrot antennae and a few blueberry spots.
Lunch was served.
But how it would go over was anyone’s guess.
I win.
If you want to get ready for that sourdough starter and bread recipe, go get yourself some whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached organic flour (whatever flour you want to use for your sourdough) and a can of pineapple rings or chunks.
Don’t bother picking me up any bagels while you’re there. We’re good.
That first picture of Lulu’s face is the most adorable thing ever!!
Thanks. It made my day, that’s for sure!
And it just made my day – love it!
aaaaaaaw, that is SO SWEET!!
I also used to love cookie cutter cut out cheese pieces (did that just make sense?!). Basically everything in a cute shape makes food taste even better.
Agreed!
Ohhhhh! I can’t wait for the recipe! I’ve been a bread baking kick lately and have been in search of a great sourdough. Bring it on! I’m ready!!!
It took me several batches to get it right, but I’ve got a great starter and loaf recipe!
Oh my freaking goodness. Homemade sourdough bread??? That must be heavenly!
PS that butterfly lunch is just too cute!
It. Is. Awesome.
So creative! Looking forward to the bread recipe…I have pineapple and whole wheat flour in My kitchen right now as it turns out!
Perfect! The starter takes a few days…but it’s totally worth it!
Got my flour and pineapple rings already.
Sweet!
What a great mommy you are! Your girls are so lucky.
Thanks, Marcy. I try my darnedest!
Oh my gosh, that lunch is adorable, and the picture of Lulu is priceless!! I’m so excited about the sourdough recipe – I have one that I use which is very tasty, but also very time-consuming. I’m intrigued by the pineapple!
It takes four or five days for the starter, but it’s minimal maintenance and the loaf is super simple!
Food with flair! Love it. Her face, too funny!
so lovely!
and her smile is all you wish for!
That expression would have made my entire week! I’ve been wanting to make my own sour dough for way too long. Maybe your recipe will be just the kick in the pants I need.
I hope so! It’s SOOO worth it!
Love that look on her face! I don’t know if I have ever been that excited to eat lunch before, but I need to expand my choices because I need that kind of joy in my life.
You just need to cut your food into shapes!
Too cute! These things make me wish I taught preschool instead of high school. Love the look on your girl’s face!
We need awesome high school teachers like you too!
the picture of your daughter’s face as she sees the butterflies for the first time… there are no words. you are an amazing mom and your girls are lucky!
Aww, thanks, Kristin. If only there was a picture there to capture my face when I discover the girls shredded coffee filters all over the living room this morning.
I think she is the only other person alive that loves pickles like I do. I would have gone nuts for that lunch too! Too cute! It’s kind of funny how much fun you start to have making everything from scratch once you just start playing in the kitchen. I LOVE baking bread now that I’m not afraid of it. Even the flops have a great use in something else. This was really a cute idea!
I can’t wait to share this sourdough starter. I have so much of it and I can’t wait to use it in muffins, pancakes, etc.!
Ohhhhh! I Super love making homemade bread. In fact I made homemade cinnamon raisin bread today and made some in muffin tins so I could take them to my elderly neighbor who recently went to a nursing home. He’ll be tickled when I deliver it during a visit tomorrow.
Can’t wait for your recipe!!! LOVE sourdough bread!
So sweet of you, Tonda. You are one of the good ones.
The look on her face is probably the single cutest thing I have ever seen. And I subscribe to The Daily Squee. That’s saying a lot.
P.S. I’m cooking my way through your book. My PR-born, meat-loving husband approves. My favorite things so far are the banana bread and the oatmeal squares. He likes the jambalaya. Weirdo.
Fantastic! Thank you, Vaz. I must look into this Daily Squee.
Freaking cuuute!
GENIUS!!!!
Can’t wait to SEE YOU!!!! <3
Ditto! Have we confirmed the day/plans?
Such a cute idea!!
The excitement on her face is priceless and maybe the cutest thing ever!
Good work!
She is ADORABLE! It’s amazing what little things make them so happy.
Hahahhahha – love Lu’s face!!
MOST PRECIOUS ADORABLE PICTURE EVER! Omg…that smile just made my day! Such genuine joy! LOVE IT!
OMG this is TOO CUTE! I made a banana smiley face for St Paddy’s Day on Saturday with a chocolate drizzle for teeth but this trumps that. TOO adorable! And I love the pickle center
Those are adorable!! And I just LOVE the look on Lulu’s face!
This is SO CUTE! I’m going to have to remember all these fun tricks to get my future kids to love their veggies.
You are so stinkin’ creative! And Lulu’s expression is priceless!
That is so cute! I need to make that for my little sister!
how you caught THAT VERY MOMENT is magical. mother of the year. what a precious, delightful treat for your girl. awww, i’m completely melted. xo! (p.s., your creativity is inspiring–i hope i can come up with such fun things for my kiddos. and i suppose i have your blog to rely on if i can’t. ::wink::)
Is there another alternative to the pineapple? I’m allergic…
I think there is some sort of acid in the pineapple that kills the “bad” bugs while fermenting the dough. But you could also try buying your own sourdough starter online and then you wouldn’t have to “grow” your own.
Oh my goodness…her face was priceless. What a great way to start my morning.
Oooh I’m excited! Canned pineapple is on my shopping list now:) love love the butterfly baguette- what a great mummy you are! Lulu’s expression is priceless:)
Oh my goodness, the look on her face is priceless! What a great shot, and such a clever idea and awesome alternative to a bagel! I’ve been meaning to attempt to make my own bread at home and think I’ll give your super soft whole grain sandwich bread a shot this week!
I LOVE sourdough bread! I don’t know why but I thought it was difficult to make at home! Would you recommend buying a bread maker if you want to start making most of your own bread?
Not necessarily. I think it really is helpful with my sandwich bread recipe, but for the upcoming sourdough one, I don’t use my breadmaker at all!
I’m a new reader feeding a PICKY 1 yr old, and some kind soul on the Internet directed me to your blog. I’m digging these bread recipes. I’ve always baked our bread, but fell off the horse a year ago when I had the baby. I’m sloooowly working back to all-from-scratch. I can’t wait to try your WW soaker bread. AND, I can’t wait to see you bake some real bagels and write them up. I’ve never done WW bagels but can assure you that white flour ones are easy, and bound to be less full of salt and scary stuff than any store-bought.
I’ll put bagels on my todo list! I have several friends who used to be into the soaking/fermenting train and they say I’ve given them a nudge back in that direction–which I think is great! Now maybe they’ll go in on a kombucha scoby with me
oh too cute! I love that priceless reaction!
Can’t wait for the recipe. So impressed on the homemade stretch!!! Does that mean you are hard at work on ideas for book number 3?
I honestly have no idea if there’ll be a book #3 or what that would even entail! We are definitely eating a lot different these days…a lot more traditionally prepared foods (soaked grains, homemade breads, etc.). I don’t know if there is a market for this kind of cooking anymore. We are all so busy and it seems few want to take the time to do these things.
I’m hoping for cookbook #3. I love #1. : ). And I hope that the pendulum is swinging back toward home prep and eating vs what we’ve got now. Cooking and baking are definitely an art, and time consuming. But the great things in life require time, eh?
Here is a bagel recipe we’ve made before. They turned out to be DELISH and they freeze well, too. We did make a mistake on batch #2….we didn’t move on to the next step right away after letting the dough rise. They ended up flat. No cookie cutter would’ve saved that hot mess.
Can’t wait to try your starter. Still need to make your fermented sandwich bread. Thanks for the recipes.
and here is the link, actually…oops.http://gazingin.com/2011/10/28/my-mothers-kitchen-water-bagels/
Thanks, Kelly! I am glad you are into the home prep stuff too. It’s therapeutic for me and for our tummies!
This is so cute! Do you think my professors would think I’m crazy if I pulled out a butterfly sandwich for lunch? It might be the pick-me-up I need some days. And super excited for more homemade bread! Pineapple chunks? Crazy!
I packed up one of these for Gigi, so we’ll see how they withstand the lunchbox “cool test.”
Love Lulu’s face. Made me smile this morning
OMG her face is PRICELESS!! You’re a genius Mama Pea – I’m sure you could get kids to eat anything because you’d make it look so cute! Like you, I’ve been on a homemade-everything kick lately and haven’t bought a loaf of bread, crackers, or cookies in ages. That Michael Pollan is one very influential man!!!
No kidding, right? I think a lot of commercial bakeries could probably sue him…if what he was saying wasn’t true, that is.
Golly day that’s an adorable reaction! Your kids have the cutie patootie gene in spades.
Awww, her expression is precious! What a sweet girl – and a sweet mom!
(slapping forehead) WHY did I give away my bread machine?!! WHY?????
You’ll be happy to know that this one doesn’t require a bread machine! (though a stand mixer helps me significantly)
Oh my gosh! Her expression is the best. She looks like she won a trip to Disney, ha!
Her expression is so priceless. Just goes to show it’s the little things that matter!
This post made me smile, so cute! The butterflies and lulu’s sweet little face!!!
AHHH! That face!!
Can’t wait for the next installment…and please do fill us in on all your made from scratch replacements!
Really? Okay…be careful what you ask for.
I absolutely must make butterfly sandwiches. That’s the cutest thing ever. I’ve made your bread two weekends in a row, and it feels great to be able to pass up the bread aisle at the grocery. Can’t wait for the upcoming recipe!
It kind of makes you a little cocky, huh? I’m so excited to share!
cute! my boys love butterflies made from pb&j triangles and natural cheetos.
and so do i.
that homemade bread would really take it to the next level, though. i haven’t home-baked bread since before my kids were born, but perhaps you’ve inspired me…
perhaps.
Okay- can’t wait for the recipe now.
YOU tease you. 
Love the butterfly!!!! I need to find one of those cool cut-outs! Happy Tuesday mama!!!
Totally cool! So creative! That look on Lulu’s face is a million!
Could I stay with you so I could have such fun meals?? Lol!
Looking forward to your next book. Hope this is in it too?
That is such a cute idea! I want to do this for the kids I nanny for!
way.too.cute! both the butterfly and your daughter!
I can’t wait to do this one day. For my future kids, or myself, whoever.
fun we love butterflies. I made really cute butterfly cupcakes for my daughters (known as giggle girl) 6th birthday
http://bakingwithgigglegirl.blogspot.com/2012/03/flutter-of-butterflies-happy-birthday.html
Super cute!
And, wow, Lulu looks so much like Gigi in that first photo and like her dad in the second one. You all are definitely related!
I love the look on Lulu’s face…you know you have a winner when they are that excited
Oh my goshhhh that FACE. I need a butterfly lunch punch and a little girl who understands how cool they are.
oh my gosh i lost it with that second to last photo. lost it. she’s the best.
Can’t wait for the sourdough recipe! I tried to make some about a year ago and went through a whole bag of flour in trials. I eventually bought some starter on Etsy. I tried to make this (http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/1983) three times then gave up after it was heavy as a brick all three times.
I just finished writing the post…it’ll be up soon! I’m glad you are excited because I am too!!!
I love your daughter’s reaction! So precious. Love the idea. At first I thought those were olives instead of blueberries and was iffy about the combo. Good thing they weren’t!
Aww, that butterfly sandwich looks amazing! If you *do* want home-made bagels, they’re really quite simple, though you have to start them the night before, and they’re delicious. I used Peter Reinhart’s recipe, blogged about here: http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/bronx-worthy-bagels/ and here: http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2011/03/peter-reinharts-bagels.html . And speaking of pickles, are you going to do home-made pickles?
Thank you, Ada! I kind of have to do homemade pickles, right? To go with my bagels, of course.
How do you get all these candid shots? Or are your girls turning out to be amazing little actresses? I can just imagine, “take two!”
That Lu really cracks me up – she has that sneaky/cute look about her. She is going to give you a run for your money when she’s a teenager. I have a son just like that (the youngest in the house – but 13 now) and somehow he is the boss of all of us. BE CAREFUL! They make you laugh, but somehow make you do things that, afterward, you can’t believe you were tricked into.
Lulu’s cutey cute expression just made my morning! Thank you Lulu!
That picture of Lulu’s face = priceless. Congrats on your victory!
When I was little my mom used to make alligator or turtle sandwiches for me – alligator being cream cheese with pickles cut in half (they’re lumpy, just like alligators!) and turtle being green olives cut in half with the pimento sticking out like a turtle head. My favourite things.
That sounds adorable!