Yesterday was my birthday.

I don’t want to talk about it.

I just think I’m done with birthdays. They’re kind of similar to New Year’s Eve celebrations – a lot of anticipation and glitter for just like an OK party, ya know?

To combat the birthday hype, I made some very exciting plans to go on a long walk after work, then make a big pot of pasta and top it with avocados because it’s my birthday and I am wild, and finally sit down with some sad television. Topanga and I get about two steps from the house and she does her business. I go to pick it up because I am a good citizen, and I get poop on my bare hands. K I’m done walking. I shake it off (literally) and make my pasta. I cut open not one, but two, TWO avocados to find they were both bad. What kind of a sick joke is this??? Fine, I’ll eat avocado-less pasta, boring, but fine. I watch the finale of This Is Us, have an excellent cry and am prepared for more. I get halfway through A Walk to Remember and it skips. I miss all of the good stuff. I’m forced to end my birthday watching the greatest horror movie of the 1900’s – My Best Friend’s Wedding.

I did, however, start my birthday with a homemade bagel and was reminded I keep getting more impressive with age.

Time: 2 hours (prep + cooking) | Serves: 8 bagels

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups of bread flour
• 2 tsp. of active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cup of warm water
• 1 1/2 tbsp. of sugar
• 1 tsp. of baking soda
• Salt
• Everything bagel seasoning

How to:

• Combine yeast + warm water + sugar in a bowl, let activate for 10 minutes
• Meanwhile, combine flour + a pinch of salt
• Once activated, mix your yeasty water (ew) into flour
• Knead your dough for a solid 5 minutes
• Wrap in a kitchen towel + let rise for 1 hour
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees
• Once risen, bring a pot of water to a boil + add pinch of salt + baking soda
• Cut your dough into 8 pieces
• Roll in smooth ball, pat down on flat surface, stick your finger in the middle + lift the bagel through + start to form it into a bagel shape, repeat with all 8 pieces
• Now, two at a time, drop the bagels in the boiling water
• Cook for 3 minutes, flip + cook another 3
• Remove + place on a lined baking sheet
• Top with everything seasoning
• Cook for 25-30 minutes, check + see if they are starting to get golden, might need a few more minutes
• Remove, cool + serve with desired toppings
• Build bagel tower + admire your creation + bulldoze with mouth

Followed this recipe!