Browsed by
Tag: Bread

Braided Cheddar Loaf

Braided Cheddar Loaf

Braided Cheddar Loaf

 

3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) plus 2 Tbs. warm milk (112°F/44°C)

1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast

2 Tbs. sugar

5 Tbs. (2 1/2 oz./75 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 egg, at room temperature

3 cups (12 3/4 oz./360 g) bread flour, plus more for dusting

3 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Canola oil for greasing

1 1/2 cups (6 oz./180 g) grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh herb leaves, such as thyme, oregano or basil, for garnish

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the warm milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Fit the mixer with the flat beater and add the melted butter, egg, 1 cup (4 1/4 oz./120 g) of the flour, the salt and pepper. Beat on low speed just until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium speed for 30 seconds more. Switch to the dough hook, add the remaining flour and beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and then becomes elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 7 minutes. Lightly grease a large bowl with canola oil. Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl and turn to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let stand in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch (23-by-13-cm) loaf pan with canola oil. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently punch it down to release some of the air. Roll out the dough into a 15-by-9-inch (38-by-23-cm) rectangle, with a long side facing you. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the cheddar and Parmesan, leaving a 1/2-inch (12-mm) border at the top. Tightly roll the dough away from you into a log and pinch the seam to seal. Place the log seam side down; using a serrated knife, cut the dough in half lengthwise. Cross one half over the other to form an X shape, then cross the ends and tuck them underneath, keeping the cut sides up as much as possible. Some cheese will spill out but that’s okay. Transfer the loaf to the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with any cheese that had spilled out. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand in a warm spot until the dough has risen just over the edges of the pan, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the towel and place the loaf pan on a baking sheet. Bake until the top of the bread is deep golden brown, the cheese is bubbling and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 45 to 55 minutes.  Transfer the loaf pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes, then turn the bread out onto the rack and garnish with herbs. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 6 to 8.

Everyday Bread Dough

Everyday Bread Dough

Everyday Bread Dough

1 C. warm whole milk

1 packet instant dry yeast

1 tsp. honey

2 large eggs, beaten

4 tsp. salted butter, melted

3 1/2 to 4 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the milk, yeast, honey, eggs, butter, 31/2 C. of flour, and the salt. Beat until the flour is completely incorporated, 4 to 5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add the remaining V2 C. of flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 3. At this point, the dough can be used as directed within any recipe of your choice.

7 Minute Crock Pot Bread

7 Minute Crock Pot Bread

7 Minute Crock Pot Bread

1 pkg. active dry yeast or instant yeast

1 T. honey

1 C. warm water

2 3/4 C. all-purpose white flour

1 T. white sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 T. olive oil

 

Parchment paper

3 paper towels

 

Mix together warm (not hot) water, yeast, and honey, and let sit for a minute for yeast to foam. Stir together flour, sugar, salt, and then mix with yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir together with a wooden spoon. Knead for 5 minutes, either by hand or with a stand mixer and hook attachment. Do not short cut this time. Check the dough, it should be elastic, and not stick to your hands too much, and should form a nice ball. If this does not happen, knead a little longer until it reaches this stage. Line a crock pot with parchment and place ball of dough in center. Put paper towels over the top, and put the lid, very slightly ajar over that, this will help absorb some of the moisture so the top of your bread is not mushy and wet while the bottom is crispy and hard. Cook on high for an hour and a half, or until bottom is browned (You can just lift it out with the parchment to check how brown the bottom is) Remove from crock pot, put on a baking tray, and into a preheated oven set to broil on high. Broil 2-3 minutes or until you reach the desired golden brown.

Pan Bread

Pan Bread

Pan Bread

2 C. warm water

1 T. sugar or honey

1 T. yeast

4 C. flour

2 tsp. salt

melted butter

 

In a bowl dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Let it sit for a few minutes. Stir in flour and salt. Dough will still be sticky. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until double in size. Grease a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan. Spread dough flat onto sheet with palm of hand. Put melted butter on top. (can also sprinkle Garlic Parmesan blend, herbs, or sesame seeds on top) Cover with waxed paper and let rise again. Bake 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Cut into squares.

Instant Pot Proofed, No Knead Bread

Instant Pot Proofed, No Knead Bread

Instant Pot Proofed, No Knead Bread

2 C. all-purpose flour

1 C. white whole wheat flour, or regular whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt, not regular table salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast, I use fast rise yeast

1 1/2 C. lukewarm water

 

Whisk together flours, salt, and yeast in a bowl (one that will fit on the trivet in your instant pot, 1 1 ½ qt. glass pyrex bowl). Stir in water until dough comes together in a shaggy mass. Don’t stir it too much! Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in your Instant Pot on the trivet set down inside. Set Instant Pot to the “yogurt” setting (about 3.5 hours). When the time is up, place a Dutch oven (or similar oven-proof pot) in your oven and set to 450 degrees. Turn dough out of bowl onto a well-floured surface. It will be very sticky, and you may need a spatula to scrape all of the dough from the bowl. Form dough into a ball with floured hands. Loosely cover the dough ball with plastic wrap while your oven preheats. When the oven reaches 450 degrees, carefully remove the pot from the oven, place a small piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pot, and set the dough on top of the paper. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the off the lid and bake an additional 7-15 minutes or until golden brown.

ABM Picnic Pumpernickel Bread

ABM Picnic Pumpernickel Bread

ABM Picnic Pumpernickel Bread

 

1 1/8 C. warm water

1 1/2 T. vegetable oil

1/3 C. molasses

3 T. cocoa

1 T. caraway seed (optional)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. bread flour

1 C. rye flour

1 C. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 T. vital wheat gluten (optional)

2 1/2 tsp. bread machine yeast

 

Directions In the bread machine pan, place all the ingredients in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set the Basic cycle and press Start.

 

Yield: 12 servings

Calories: 181

Fat: 2.6g

Carb: 34.8

Fiber:

LTS Bread Sticks

LTS Bread Sticks

LTS Bread Sticks

 

3 ½ C. Flour, Divided

2 T. Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

1 T. Yeast

1 1.2 C. Hot Water

Shortening for greasing pan

Toppings, optional – seeds, parmesan cheese, garlic salt, etc.

 

Add sugar, salt, and yeast to 2 cups flour and toss. Stir in 1 ½ C. hot water. Slowly add 1 ½ C. more flour. Knead 10 minutes. Allow to rise until double. Roll into rectangle, cut in 1 inch strips. Twist and place on greased baking sheet.

LTS Whole Grain Bread with Barley Flour

LTS Whole Grain Bread with Barley Flour

LTS Whole Grain Bread with Barley Flour

Good, heavy, dense bread for open face sandwiches and fancy toast.

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups barley flour

2 to 4 cups whole wheat flour, divided

1 tablespoon shortening,, melted (butter is better flavor, if it’s on hand)

In a small bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast in the warm water and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes, or until foamy. Stir in the honey and salt until incorporated. Using a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the barley flour, 2 cups of the whole wheat flour, yeast mixture, and the butter for 5 to 6 minutes on medium slow, or until all the flour is incorporated. Remove the dough from the mixer and put it on a well-floured (with whole wheat flour) work surface. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes, until the dough is elastic and smooth. Add as much whole wheat flour as necessary, but don’t incorporate more than another 2 cups here. The dough will be tacky to the touch. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel, and set in a warm spot until it doubles in size, usually about 2 to 4 hours. Punch down the dough and place it in a loaf pan (approximately 9 inches by 5 inches). Cover with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel and let the dough rise a second time, until it hits the top of the pan, usually another 1 to 2 hours. (If you do not have a loaf pan, free-form a batard-shaped loaf, put it on a sheet pan, and cover as directed.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the loaf pan on the center rack and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until the bread browns lightly. The loaf should fall easily from the pan when tapped and sound hollow when you knock on the bottom. Cool slightly before serving. PANTRY NOTE: When possible, store baked whole grain bread in a plastic bag in your fridge, where it will keep for about two weeks. If the bread turns stale, slice it thin and bake for 7 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees for a crispy homemade crostini. You can also store baked bread in a plastic bag in the freezer, where it will keep for two to three months.

Parsnip and Thyme Bread

Parsnip and Thyme Bread

Parsnip and Thyme Bread

1 tablespoon canola or sunflower oil

1 large onion, sliced

1 C. plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1/4 C. grated Parmesan, hard goat cheese, or sharp Cheddar

1 C. grated parsnip

Freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk

 

Preheat the oven to 35O°F. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion, and cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly colored. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, thyme, cheese, grated parsnip, and some pepper. Add the onion, followed by the egg and 2 tablespoons of milk, then mix to form a soft dough, adding the extra milk if needed. Don’t overwork the dough; just bring it together with a little light kneading. Shape into a round and place on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the loaf is golden and makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Let cool for a few minutes on a wire rack, then slice and serve while still warm.

Ginger Pancake Roll-Ups

Ginger Pancake Roll-Ups

Ginger Pancake Roll-Ups

 

2 C. Bisquick Biscuit Mix

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 egg

1 1/2 C. milk

Vegetable oil for brushing pan

 

1/2 C. butter, melted

1 egg, well beaten

1 C. sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

1/4 C. water

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese

 

In separate bowls, mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing well until you have a smooth batter. Heat a pancake griddle or non-stick pan, brush with vegetable oil, and add ½-cup batter, swirling to make thin. Cook on one side until bubbles are visible on the top, then flip and cook on the other side until golden. Cut each cream cheese package into 6 pieces. While the pancakes are cooking, make the lemon sauce in a medium saucepan. Starting with the butter, gradually add ingredients, one at a time, beating well over medium heat. Continue stirring constantly until mixture thickens. When the pancakes are ready, roll around cream cheese while pancake is hot. Serve roll up with warm lemon sauce.

Classic American Meatloaf

Classic American Meatloaf

Classic American Meatloaf

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking dish

1/2 cup finely chopped scallions (white and green parts)

1/4 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 cup ketchup

2 teaspoons gelatin

2 pounds ground beef chuck

1/2 pound ground pork

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Glaze:

1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

 

To make the meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions, carrot and onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, cumin, paprika, and garlic and onion powders. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool completely. Meanwhile, heat the ketchup in the microwave until just warm to the touch. Sprinkle the gelatin over the ketchup and whisk to remove clumps. Add to the cooled vegetable mixture, then add the beef, pork, eggs, and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and mix just to combine. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with oil and form the meat mixture into a loaf. To make the glaze: In a measuring cup, stir together the ketchup, Worcestershire, and mustard. Brush a little glaze on the meatloaf and bake until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, about 1 hour 15 minutes, brushing three or four times with the glaze until you’ve used it all. Let meatloaf rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Garlic Bubble Bread

Garlic Bubble Bread

Garlic Bubble Bread

1 loaf frozen white bread dough

1 egg beaten

¼ tsp. salt

¼ C. oleo (or butter), melted

1 tsp. parsley flakes

½ tsp. garlic powder or

1 T. minced garlic

 

Thaw dough and cut into walnut size pieces. Mix the oleo, egg, parsley flakes, salt and garlic. Dip pieces into this mixture and place in greased loaf pan. Cover, let rise until double. Bake @ 375º for 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. We love the fresh garlic.

Fougase Bread – Olive & Onion

Fougase Bread – Olive & Onion

Fougase Bread – Olive & Onion

POOLISH (STARTER)

1 C. King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/2 C. water

1/8 tsp. instant yeast

 

DOUGH

1/2 C. water

1 C. King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 C. King Arthur 100% White Whole Wheat Flour

2 tsp. instant yeast

1 tsp. salt

2 T. olive oil

 

FILLING

3/4 C. pitted Kalamata olives

1/2 C. golden baking onions (“french-fried” onions)

 

To make the poolish: Combine the flour, water and yeast, and set aside to rest, covered, overnight.

To make the dough: Add the 1/2 C. water and flours to the poolish, mix until combined, cover the bowl, and allow the mixture to rest for 20 minutes. Add the yeast, salt and olive oil, and knead the dough until it’s fairly smooth but not necessarily elastic, about 3 minutes by machine, or 5 minutes by hand. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, for 1 1/2 hours, gently deflating it and turning it over after 45 minutes. Knead in the olives and onions; this will be a messy process, but just stick with it (literally!), and it’ll get done. Shape the dough into a 12″ x 6″ oval, place it on a lightly greased baking sheet, and allow it to rise for about 30 minutes. Cut three deep diagonal slashes, all the way through the dough, in the center of the loaf, and pull it apart to form a ladder shape. Allow it to rise for another 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the fougasse for 20 minutes, or until it’s starting to brown. Remove from the oven, and cool on a wire rack. Store, well-wrapped, at room temperature for 3 days, or freeze for up to a month.

Breads in Español

Breads in Español

I can’t translate all the colorings and flavorings, but aren’t they pretty?

I see mushroom, a carrot and ?something, basil, chili pepper, spinach and something, chocolate and coffee and I think beet root.

Breakfast Stuffed Bread Sandwiches

Breakfast Stuffed Bread Sandwiches

Breakfast Stuffed Bread Sandwiches

 

1 baguette (15 inches long)

5 large eggs

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

3 tablespoons whole milk

1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 slices thinly sliced prosciutto (2 ounces)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice 1/4 inch off the top of the bread, and hollow out bottom, discarding the crumb (soft interior) of the loaf. Cut top into 1-inch pieces and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, zest, milk, parsley, and Parmesan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup bread pieces. Place hollowed-out bread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place prosciutto slices along inside of bread to cover. Slowly pour egg mixture to the brim. Bake until eggs are puffed up and cooked through, 30 to 33 minutes. Slice into 2-inch pieces. Serve immediately.

Fougasse (Provençal Bread with Olive and Herbs)

Fougasse (Provençal Bread with Olive and Herbs)

Fougasse (Provençal Bread with Olive and Herbs)

1 tsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

4 1⁄2 cups flour

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing loaves

1 tsp. kosher salt

Cornmeal, for dusting

1⁄2 cup minced kalamata olives

1⁄4 cup minced green olives

2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

2 tbsp. minced fresh thyme

1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

 

In a large bowl, stir together yeast, sugar, and 1 1⁄3 cups water heated to 115°; let sit until foamy, 10 minutes. Stir in flour, oil, and salt and mix until a dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6 minutes. Cover with a damp towel; let sit until doubled in size, 1 1⁄2 hours.

Heat oven to 500°. Divide dough into 5 equal pieces. Working with one dough piece at a time, roll into a rough 8″ x 5″ triangle. Transfer rectangle to a cornmeal-dusted, parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut three lengthwise parallel slashes in middle of dough and one small slash below and parallel to middle large slash. Spread slashes apart with your fingers. Cover with a damp towel; let rest until puffed, about 30 minutes. Combine olives and herbs in a bowl. Lightly brush each dough piece with oil; sprinkle with olive mixture and season with salt and pepper. Bake, one at a time, until golden brown, about 15 minutes each.

Roasted Garlic & Rosemary No Knead Garlic Bread

Roasted Garlic & Rosemary No Knead Garlic Bread

Roasted Garlic & Rosemary No Knead Garlic Bread

1 head garlic, roasted

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups room temperature water

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

 

To roast the garlic, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the top off the head of a garlic bulb to expose the cloves, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the exposed garlic cloves. Wrap in tinfoil and roast for 45 minutes, then remove from oven and cool until the soft garlic can be squeezed out of the papery skin.

 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, yeast, rosemary, and roasted garlic. Add the water and stir to combine, just until it starts to come together in a very shaggy dough. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter at room temperature for 12-18 hours.

 

When you are ready to bake the bread, place a dutch oven, pizza stone, or other oven-safe pan in the oven to preheat and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

 

Working on a clean, well-floured surface, turn the dough out onto the counter or table and shape into a ball using floured hands. The dough will be very sticky. Drop the ball of dough into the preheated dutch oven or other baking dish, cover with lid or an oven-safe bowl, and bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and crusty on top. Remove bread from the dutch oven to cool completely before slicing.

 

Recipe Notes

I have switched it up and used bread flour in place of all-purpose flour with good results, or some combination of the two, if you prefer bread flour for making bread. Preheating the dutch oven prevents the bread from sticking to the bottom, but if you are concerned, you can slide the ball of dough onto a piece of parchment paper before placing in the dutch oven.

 

Try adding 1 to 1 1/2 cups of mix-ins in the following combinations in place of the roasted garlic & rosemary for a totally different and delicious bread!

 

Cranberry Pecan

Hazelnuts & Dried Cherries

Cheddar Jalapeno

Cranberry, Orange Zest, & Sliced Almonds

Raisin Walnut Cinnamon

Pumpkin, Sunflower, & Poppy Seeds

Sun-dried Tomato with chopped Basil

Lemon zest, Thyme, & Asiago

Pepperoni & Mozzarella

Dark Chocolate, Dried Cherry, Pecan

 

Or leave out any mix-ins for a perfectly wonderful plain loaf that will go with any soup, salad or dinner!

Raisin Rosemary Bread

Raisin Rosemary Bread

Raisin Rosemary Bread

2 C. tepid water + more as needed

1 T. honey

just over 1 lb. (3-4 C.) bread flour + more as needed

1 T. salt

scant 2 T. instant yeast

~⅓ c. fresh rosemary leaves

~9 oz. (~1½ c.) raisins

 

Add the ingredients in the order listed from water through yeast to the pan of your bread machine and select dough cycle. Adjust water and/or flour as needed until your dough is neither sticky nor dry…it should be just “tacky”. Add raisins and rosemary to pan just once everything is mixed correctly and just as it starts to knead the ingredients together. Let cycle run (and rise). Turn dough out onto a floured counter and knead for a few minutes by hand. Form into either a free-form round or long loaf and place on a baking sheet that has been dusted with flour. Alternately, oil a loaf pan really well, form dough into a cylinder and place in pan. Cover lightly with a greased film of plastic or a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, ~45 minutes – 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350° F during last 15 or 20 minutes of rise time. Score the length of the bread with a sharp knife, stick a sprig of rosemary in (if you wish) and slide into preheated oven. Depending on how you formed your loaf, bake for anywhere from 25-50 minutes, until golden and crisp. It seems to take longer to bake if it is in a loaf pan. If I had to recommend a shape, I’d go with a free form or banneton-formed loaf (it has a tendency of sticking to the pan if baked in one). Try as a grilled cheese sandwich, or with a ploughman’s lunch.

Sweet and Spicy Pepitas

Sweet and Spicy Pepitas

Sweet and Spicy Pepitas

 

1 cup shelled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

4 garlic cloves, smashed and broken into seed size pieces or smaller

½ tsp. New Mexico red chile powder

½ tsp. chipotle powder

¼ tsp. salt

2 tsp. sugar

Juice from ½ lime

 

Toast the pepitas in a hot, dry skillet over medium heat. Shake or stir until they begin to swell and pop. Add the garlic and continue to stir until seeds have a nice toasted color. Be careful not to let the seeds nor the garlic burn. Remove from heat. Add the chile powder and salt and stir to coat the seeds. Continue stirring for about 15 seconds, but no more. The powders will burn in the hot pan if you leave them in too long. Transfer to a bowl and add the sugar. Stir. Add the lime juice and toss to coat. Spread on a cookie sheet or transfer to a large bowl. Let sit for about 4 hours until dry or overnight, stirring about every 30 minutes for the first couple of hours. Once the seeds are dry, transfer to an airtight container.

 

Delicious as a snack, or use as a topping:

 

Tacos / Taco Salad

Citrus Salad

Steamed vegetables

Potato and pasta salads

Pureed soups such as pumpkin or butternut squash

African Stews

Mole

Basic Breadsticks

Basic Breadsticks

Basic Breadsticks

1 package active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm (110 degrees) water
2 1/4 cups bread flour, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
1/3 cup cold water
1 egg white
Sesame or poppy seeds

Dissolve yeast in warm water. In processor bowl with blade in place, combine 2 cups flour, sugar and salt. Process 10 seconds. Remove lid; add yeast and oil. With processor running, pour cold water through feed tube. Add additional flour if necessary so dough forms a ball. Process 30 seconds. Divide dough into 16 equal portions; roll each into pencil-like rope, 8 inches long. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheet. Brush with oil. Cover; let proof (to let yeast dough rise) 20 minutes. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with seeds. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes.

Yield: 16
Calories: 76
Fat: 1.8g
Fiber: .6g

English Muffin Toasting Loaf

English Muffin Toasting Loaf

3 C. King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. instant yeast
1 C. milk
1/4 C. water
2 tsp. vegetable oil or olive oil
cornmeal, to sprinkle in pan

Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl. Combine the milk, water, and oil in a separate, microwave-safe bowl, and heat to between 120°F and 130°F. Be sure to stir the liquid well before measuring its temperature; you want an accurate reading. If you don’t have a thermometer, the liquid will feel quite hot (hotter than lukewarm), but not so hot that it would be uncomfortable as bath water. Pour the hot liquid over the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Beat at high speed for 1 minute. The dough will be very soft. Lightly grease an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal. Scoop the soft dough into the pan, leveling it in the pan as much as possible. Cover the pan, and let the dough rise till it’s just barely crowned over the rim of the pan. When you look at the rim of the pan from eye level, you should see the dough, but it shouldn’t be more than, say, 1/4″ over the rim. This will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour, if you heated the liquid to the correct temperature and your kitchen isn’t very cold. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the cover, and bake the bread for 22 to 27 minutes, till it’s golden brown and its interior temperature is 190°F. Remove the bread from the oven, and after 5 minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

Fluffy Buttered Rosemary Braids

Fluffy Buttered Rosemary Braids

1/4 C. warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 package (2.25 tsp) instant yeast
1 3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 3/4 C. bread flour
2 tsp. salt
6 large eggs, lightly beaten + 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
1 1/2 sticks (12 T.) unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into 6 pieces, plus 2 tsp. melted for brushing
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for five minutes until foamy. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours and salt. Add eggs and flour mixture to yeast and combine roughly with a wooden spoon. Place the bowl on the mixer and fit with the dough hook, and knead on medium-high speed until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. This will take about five minutes. Beat in the butter one piece at a time until fully incorporated and the dough is sticky but firm. If the dough is too sticky you can add a little more flour a tsp. at a time until it’s no longer sticky (tacky is okay). Keep in mind adding more flour makes bread denser. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the warmest spot in your kitchen to rise. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and chill the dough for at least two hours, or overnight. Line two large baking sheets with parchment or a silpat. Once the dough has chilled, divide it into six equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 16-inch-long rope. Braid the ropes on the prepared sheet trays. Press the ends to seal. Set aside and allow to rise for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the braids with egg wash and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. While the bread is baking add the chopped rosemary leaves to the 2 tsp. melted butter. After the bread has baked for 20 minutes, remove from oven and brush with rosemary butter. Return to oven and bake for another 8 minutes. Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Kindred’s Milk Bread

Kindred’s Milk Bread

Makes 6 rolls, two 9- by 5-inch loaves, or 12 split-top buns

5 1/3 C. bread flour, divided, plus more for surface (Kindred uses King Arthur)
1 C. heavy cream
1/3 C. mild honey (such as wildflower or alfalfa)
3 T. nonfat dry milk powder (such as Alba)
2 T. active dry yeast (from about 3 envelopes)
2 T. kosher salt
3 large eggs, divided
4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Flaky sea salt (optional, but shouldn’t be)

Cook 1/3 C. flour and 1 C. water in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a thick paste forms (almost like a roux but looser), about 5 minutes. Add cream and honey and cook, whisking to blend, until honey dissolves. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and add milk powder, yeast, kosher salt, 2 eggs, and 5 remaining C. flour. Knead on medium speed until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Add butter, a piece at a time, fully incorporating into dough before adding the next piece, until dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 4 minutes. Coat a large bowl with nonstick spray and transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. If making rolls, lightly coat a 6-C. jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide into 6 pieces. Divide each piece into 4 smaller pieces (you should have 24 total). They don’t need to be exact; just eyeball it. Place 4 pieces of dough side-by-side in each muffin C..
 If making loaves, lightly coat two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans with nonstick spray. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide into 12 pieces. Nestle pieces side-by-side to create 2 rows down length of each pan.
 If making split-top buns, lightly coat two 9- by 13-inch baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape each into a 4-inch long log. Place 6 logs in a row down length of each dish. Let shaped dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (dough should be just puffing over top of pan), about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375° F. Beat remaining egg with 1 tsp.. water in a small bowl to blend. Brush top of dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until bread is deep golden brown, starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, and is baked through, 25 to 35 minutes for rolls, 50 to 60 minutes for loaf, or 30 to 40 minutes for buns. If making buns, slice each bun down the middle deep enough to create a split-top. Let milk bread cool slightly in pan on a wire rack before turning out; let cool completely.

Roasted Garlic Bread

Roasted Garlic Bread

4 C. bread flour (or 2 C. bread flour and 2 C. whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp. instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 C. room-temperature water
2 whole heads of garlic
1 T. olive oil (for roasting garlic)
Pinch of salt (for roasting garlic)
Cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting loaf

To roast garlic, slice the very top of the head off, revealing all the individual cloves. Then wrap each head in foil and drizzle in a tiny bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Wrap these little packages up and bake them at 350 degrees until the garlic is really fragrant and tender, about 30 minutes. If you want to test them, you should be able to easily slide a knife into a clove with almost no resistance. Let the roasted heads of garlic cool for a few minutes and then you can squish out each clove of garlic from the papery stuff. For bread dough, combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the roasted garlic and mix it in with your finger tips to make sure it’s evenly distributed. Add water and stir until blended; dough will be really wet and saggy. It’ll smell like roasted garlic though which is a good thing and you should be able to see tiny pieces of garlic in the dough. Cover this with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 14-18 hours. When its surface is dotted with bubbles, the dough is ready. At this point you need to form the loaf. Basically, just lightly flour a counter and pour the dough onto the surface. Gently fold it over itself a few times and then form it into a rectangular loaf. Sprinkle a clean towel with a good layer of cornmeal or semolina flour and lay the loaf on the towel, seam side down. Dust with additional corn meal or semolina. Cover this with another clean towel (or just fold the towel over onto the loaf). Let it rise again for about 2 hours. Dough should have more than doubled in size. At least a half hour before dough is ready, preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Put a 5- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Put the lid on the pot and cook it for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and cook the loaf for another 15-20 minutes until the loaf is a deep dark brown. Remove the bread from the pot and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing into it.

Drop Biscuits

Drop Biscuits

Sour-Cream-Drop-Biscuits-22 C. Flour
3 T. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Powder
¼ tsp. Baking Soda
1 ½ C. Heavy Cream
Butter, for Serving

Preheat oven to 400 with rack in center position. Line sheet pan with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda in bowl to remove any lumps. Pour in the cream and stir with rubber spatula until a sticky, shaggy dough comes together. Use large spoon or 2 inch ice cream scoop to drop the dough onto the prepared sheet pan in 12 even lumps, about 2 T. per scoop. Bake, rotating halfway through cooking, until biscuits are nicely golden brown, 18-20 minutes.

Nana’s Spicy Cheese “Biscuits”

Nana’s Spicy Cheese “Biscuits”

These biscuits are more like flaky, tender crackers. They’re thin and buttery, sharp with cheese and spicy from a generous helping of Tabasco. They go particularly well with carrot potato or Moroccan-spiced tomato soup. Nana’s original recipe calls for two pounds of butter, twelve cups of cheese, 10 teaspoons of Tabasco and six cups of flour — she was always ready to feed multiple armies, it seems. I’ve quartered her original recipe to make everything slightly more manageable, but feel free to follow her lead and double or quadruple the amounts. If you’re, like, really hungry for cheese biscuits.

nana

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 cups shredded sharp cheese (I used half sharp cheddar and half Parmesan)
2 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, blitz the butter and the cheese together, until well mixed and creamy. Add Tabasco and pulse to combine. Add the flour and pulse until well blended. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and, with floured hands, divide it into logs, roughly 1 inch in diameter and 1 to 1 1/2 feet long (you should get 2-4 logs of dough). Wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator, about 1 hour (or in the freezer for 30 mins). (Note: unbaked dough logs can be stored, tightly wrapped, in the freezer for up to 3 months before slicing and baking.) Once the dough has firmed, Slice the logs in 1/2-inch increments with a sharp knife, to make 1/2-inch thick rounds of dough. Place the biscuits on prepared baking sheets, and bake for 30-45 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling at the edges. Cool biscuits on baking sheets, then store in tightly sealed containers. Baked biscuits freeze well – thaw uncovered at room temperature. Makes roughly 60 cheese biscuits.

Hasselback Chile Garlic Cheese Bread

Hasselback Chile Garlic Cheese Bread

hasselbackgarlicbread-560wm1 cup Warm Water
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 envelope Active Dry Yeast (2¼ Teaspoons) (minus ½ tsp for high altitude)
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Bread Flour
Olive Oil, For Greasing Surfaces
⅓ pounds Sharp White Cheddar, or whatever cheese you prefer
1 cup diced mild green chiles
½ cup melted butter
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
¼ tsp ground cumin

In a large bowl, stir water, honey and yeast together. Let yeast proof 5 minutes. Once you know yeast is active, stir in salt and the flour ¼ cup at a time. If using a stand mixer, use a maximum speed of 2 or ‘stir’. When the dough starts pulling away from the sides and the bowl seems to be fairly clean, set a timer for 5 minutes and walk away. Let the machine knead the dough. After 5 minutes, dough should be smooth and tacky but when touched shouldn’t leave any dough on your fingers. Grease the bowl and the dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size. If at high altitude, it should take about a half hour to double. Punch down dough and cut in half. Form into two long baguettes the length of the cookie sheet. Twist or braid the dough if you wish. Cover with plastic wrap and rise 30 minutes. Start to preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place dough close to the oven where it’s nice and warm. Once oven is preheated, remove plastic wrap, from the dough reduce oven to 350F, put the bread into the oven and bake 20 minutes. In the meantime, slice the cheese into thin slices and melt the butter. Stir the pressed garlic and cumin into the butter. Pull loaves of bread out of the oven after 20 minutes and brush with the melted garlic butter. Bake another 5-7 minutes or until bread begins to turn a golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes. Cut 1-inch slices ¾′s of the the way through the loaves. Brush garlic butter in between each slice and fill with a slice of cheese and about a tablespoon of chiles. I like to take 2 thin slices of cheese, sandwich green chiles between them, and then insert the cheese between two bread slices. Bake another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately.

Collection of French Bread Spreads

Collection of French Bread Spreads

Collection of French Bread Spreads

pickToBUn

Cheese & Olive French Bread Spread

8 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 (3 1/2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 (16 ounce) French bread, sliced in 1 inch slices

Combine butter and mayonnaise and stir until well combined; stir in the grated cheeses, chives, black olives, garlic salt and pepper. Spread one side of each slice of bread thickly with butter mixture; lay the slices spread side up on a cookie sheet and slide under the broiler until the edges are brown, watching carefully to as not to burn the bread. Serve warm.
Italian Bread Spread

½ cup softened butter
1 teaspoon Italian dressing
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Hot Pepper Spread

½ cup softened butter
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
dash pepper
dash salt
Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

Ingredients
1/2 cup softened Butter
2 Tbsp. finely chopped, drained sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
1 shallot or small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ C. Parmesan + 1 clove Pressed Garlic + 3 T. EVOO

1 T. thinly sliced Garlic + ½ C. chopped Tomato + 2 T. EVOO + salt

¼ C. chopped Tarragon, Rosemary, Chives or Parsley + ¼ C. Parmesan + 3 T. EVOO

½ C. shredded Sharp Cheddar + 4.5oz. diced Green Chiles

Diced Plum Tomatoes + Mozzarella Cheese + Oregano + Basil + EVOO

Clean No-Knead Roasted Garlic and Aged Cheddar Crusty Bread

Clean No-Knead Roasted Garlic and Aged Cheddar Crusty Bread

20120404_no_kneat_bread_006

3 cups stone ground whole wheat bread flour (you can use all-purpose but it won’t be clean)
1/4 cup gluten flour (available at the bulk store) (this is optional but your bread will not rise as well without it)
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups water (tap cold, not ice cold)
10 cloves roasted garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups grated aged cheddar cheese

Using a large bowl, add flours, salt and yeast and stir with a whisk until well combined. If adding flavors, add them now to the dry ingredients and mix well, making sure the garlic pieces are broken up and spread throughout the flour. Add water, and using a spoonula or wooden spoon, mix well so that the flour is wet. It will look like a wet lump. Cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap and a tea towel, stick in the back corner of the counter and leave it alone for 12-18 hours. In the morning, the dough should have doubled in size. Heavily flour your countertop and pour the dough out. Shape it into a rough ball (you will need to flour your hands as well). Lay the plastic wrap over the dough ball and let rest. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Once it gets to temperature, put a large (6 quart) dutch oven (enamelled cast iron pot), either round or oval, with a lid, into the oven and heat it for 30 minutes. Take the pot out (remember it is HOT!), spray with a little olive oil spray and drop dough into the pot. Put the pot back into the oven and cook, covered for 30 minutes. Take off the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from pot and cool on a rack.

Rosemary Focaccia

Rosemary Focaccia

3/4 cup, plus 1 T. unbleached all-purpose flourfocacciafinal
1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 C. room temperature or warm water
4 tsp. olive oil
1 scant T. fresh rosemary needles
1 large garlic clove, coarsely chopped
flaky sea salt
black pepper

Mix the dough: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and sugar. Then whisk in the salt (this keeps the yeast from coming into direct contact with the salt, which would kill it). Make a well in the center and pour in the water. Using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, gradually stir the flour into the water until all the flour is moistened and a dough just begins to form, about 20 seconds. It should come away from the bowl but still stick to it a little, and be a little rough looking, not silky smooth. Do not overmix, as this will cause the dough to become stickier. Let the dough rise: Pour the oil into a small bowl or 2-C. measuring cup. With oiled fingers or an oiled spatula, place the dough in the bowl or C. and turn it over to coat on all sides with the oil. Cover it tightly and allow it to sit at room temperature for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F 30 minutes before baking: Have an oven shelf at the lowest level and place baking stone or heavy baking sheet on it before preheating. Shape the focaccia and let it rise: With oiled fingers, lift the dough out of the bowl or cup. Holding the dough in one hand, pour a little of the oil left in the bowl or C. onto a baking sheet and spread it all over the sheet with your fingers. Set the dough on top and press it down with your fingers to deflate it gently. Shape it into a smooth round by tucking under the edges. If there are any holes, knead very lightly until smooth. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, covered, to relax it. Using your fingertips, press the dough from the center to the outer edge to stretch it into a rectangle about 9 inches by 6 inches and 1/4 inch high. If the dough resists, cover it with plastic wrap and continue pressing on it with your fingers. Brush the top of the dough with any oil remaining in the bowl or measuring C. and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 20-30 minutes more, or until light and spongy looking. Bake the focaccia: Using your fingertips, press deep dimples at 1-inch intervals all over the dough. Sprinkle it with the rosemary, salt, and pepper. Place baking sheet with the focaccia on the preheated hot stone or hot baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, slide a pancake turner underneath the dough to loosen it, and slip it directly onto the stone or heavy baking sheet (this means you will be removing the oiled baking sheet upon which the focaccia spent the first 5 minutes baking). Continue baking for another 5 minutes or until the top begins to brown around the edges.

Tootsie Rolls

Tootsie Rolls

1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons shortening
4 teaspoons cocoa
2 Tablespoons evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl, combine sugar, shortening and cocoa. Mix well, and pour into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until temperature reaches 275 degrees (you will need a candy thermometer). Allow to cool for about ten minutes; add the evaporated milk and vanilla. Use an electric mixer to beat until very thick. Scrape candy onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and allow to cool. When cool, mold pieces into desired size and shape.

Onion Pull Apart Rolls

Onion Pull Apart Rolls

2bf99d5da9bac485c4532236c918a518e Tablespoons water
1/2 cup dehydrated onion or dried minced onion
3 cups bread flour
2 1/3 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup whole milk plus 1 to 2 Tablespoons if needed
3/4 cup softened butter, divided

Combine water and dehydrated onion; allow onions to soak for 20 minutes or until moistened. Combine bread flour, salt, granulated sugar, and the instant yeast in an electric mixer with dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Add milk, and 1/4 cup of butter. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes until all ingredients are moistened. Add half of the onions and 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk if needed. Increase speed to medium-low and mix until dough forms. Cover bowl with a dry towel dusted with flour and allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 12 by 9 inch rectangle, and spread the softened butter over one half of the dough. Fold dough in half and gently roll the dough back to a 12 by 9 inch rectangle, being careful not to squish the butter out. Fold the dough in thirds toward the center and roll the dough back to a 12 by 9 inch rectangle. Place dough on a paper-lined plastic tray and refrigerate for 90 minutes. Place dough back on floured surface and fold in half in the opposite direction as before. Roll back into a 12 by 9 inch rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds toward the center and roll back into a 12 by 9 inch rectangle. Place dough back on paper-lined tray, cover, and return to the refrigerator for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 F; grease a metal 12-muffin pan. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut into thirds lengthwise. Cut each strip into fourths. Curl each piece of dough into a circle and place in greased pan so that the layered edges are facing up. Sprinkle the remaining onion over the rolls. Place the pans in a warm moist area for 20 to 30 minutes; dough will rise slightly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until goldenbrown. Serve warm with butter.

German Soft Pretzel Sticks

German Soft Pretzel Sticks

43daf9d93c99322275584dc2afd50bb1½ cup light brown sugar
2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees)
5½ teaspoons active dry yeast
¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
5¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
¾ cup baking soda
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
1 Tablespoon of butter (for buttering parchment)

In a large bowl of stand mixer, combine the brown sugar and 2 cups of warm water until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vegetable oil and 3 cups of the flour. Knead in the remaining 2¾ cups of flour; the dough will be slightly sticky. Knead until smooth and silky, about 3 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, knead in up to ¼ cup more flour. Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450°. Line 3 large cookie sheets with parchment paper and butter the paper. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough lightly, flatten it out and cut it into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 7-8 inch stick about ½ inch thick. Transfer the sticks to the prepared cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between them. Let stand uncovered until puffed, about 25 minutes. Heat up 1 cup of hot water on burner. Keep hot until needed. (Or heat in microwave.) In a large, deep skillet, stir the baking soda into 2 quarts of water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Using 2 slotted spoons, carefully transfer 6 pretzel sticks at a time to the simmering water for a total of 30 seconds. Turning once after 15 seconds. Add about 1 cup of hot water before cooking the second batch of pretzels. Transfer the pretzel sticks to paper towels to drain, then return them to the cookie sheets, spacing them evenly. Add another cup of hot water before second batch. Brush the pretzel sticks with the egg wash and sprinkle with salt. Bake until deeply browned, about 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Koulouri (Sesame Bread Rings)

Koulouri (Sesame Bread Rings)

069a8216f75f1af16b94dcb4e972b0f71 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
6 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ Cup olive oil

Flour paste

3 teaspoons bread flour
3 tablespoons water
1 cup sesame seeds

Crumble the fresh yeast or sprinkle the dried into a bowl. Add the sugar, 10½ ounces lukewarm water and a handful of flour. Whisk to smooth any lumps. Leave until it starts to activate and bubble, about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the flour, the salt and oil and mix with a wooden spoon until a loose dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 7 to 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and spongy. Wipe out the bowl with an oiled paper towel and put the dough in. Cover with plastic wrap, then a dish cloth, and leave in a warm spot for about 2 hours, until puffed and doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 400° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. For the flour paste, mix the flour and water in a bowl until smooth. Knead the dough briefly, then divide it into equal parts. Roll, stretch and coax each piece into a thin rope about 16 inches long (Make the first 6 and while baking, prepare the next batch). Brush each rope lightly with the paste, and sprinkle sesame seeds all over, then roll through the seeds that have dropped on your work surface so that they’re covered all over. Turn each rope on itself, forming a ring, pressing the ends together to seal. Place on the baking sheets and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Sesame seeds that have fallen onto the trays can be used elsewhere.

Sliced Grilled Steak on Blue Cheese Biscuits with Watercress, Sour Cream, and Sliced Tomatoes

Sliced Grilled Steak on Blue Cheese Biscuits with Watercress, Sour Cream, and Sliced Tomatoes

5522ddfb8c932_image3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 T. grill seasoning
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
3 T. extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 lb. flank steak
1 8oz pkg. buttermilk biscuit mix
1/2 C. blue cheese crumbles
1 vine-ripe tomato
1 small bunch of watercress, trimmed and cleaned
4 T. sour cream

Preheat oven to 450. Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat. Mix together the garlic, grill seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the EVOO. Pour into 9×13 glass dish or sealable plastic bag. Add the flank steak and coat evenly in marinade. Let stand 10 minutes. While the steak is marinating, prepare the biscuits. Place the mix in a bowl, add the blue cheese crumbles, and mix with a fork to distribute. Add water, according to the package directions. Once combined, dump the biscuit mix out onto a cutting board. Using your fingertips, press out the mix into a 1″ thick square. Divide the square with a knife into 4 squares. Arrange the biscuits on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake 12-15 minutes, or until the biscuits are cooked through and the bottoms are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. Grill the flank steak 6-7 minutes on each side or to your preferred doneness. Remove the flank steak from the grill and let the juices redistribute before slicing. Thinly slice the tomato and coarsely chop the watercress; reserve. To serve, thinly slice the rested meat on an angle, cutting against the grain. Split each of the four biscuits in half. Arrange a slice or two of tomato on the bottom of each biscuit. Season with salt and pepper. Top the tomatoes with some of the sliced steak. Top that with a dollop of sour cream and a little of the chopped watercress. Set the biscuit top in place or slightly to the side.

Corned Beef Pretzel Sliders

Corned Beef Pretzel Sliders

sliders4 pretzel slider buns, recipe here
2 cups shredded or sliced corned beef
2-3 slices Swiss cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine mayo, ketchup, and mustard in a small bowl and mix well. Slice slider buns open and spread both sides with sauce. Layer on corned beef. Top with Swiss cheese, covering beef (1 slice will be too big for 1 slider, so cut in half or fourths to get just enough to cover the corned beef). Place assembled sandwiches in a baking dish with sides (a square Pyrex pan or even a cake pan will work well) and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove and serve!

My Mom’s English Muffin Bread

My Mom’s English Muffin Bread

embread5 1/2 cups warm water
3 packages RAPID RISE yeast
2 Tablespoons salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
11 cups flour (I used bread flour, but my Mom always used All-Purpose)

Mix altogether, then spoon into (4) well-greased loaf pans. Let rise in pans until dough reaches the top of the pans, and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. (My oven runs a little hot so I ended up cooking mine for a total of 35 minutes. Just keep an eye on it. You’re looking for golden brown.) 10 minutes before done, brush with melted butter. Makes 4 loaves. Bread will be moist at first. Allow to COOL COMPLETELY before cutting. Makes terrific toast.

Manakeesh

Manakeesh

Israeli_zaatar_manakeesh1 T. active dry yeast (or 1/2 oz. compressed yeast) — (1 envelope)
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 C. lukewarm water
3 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
6 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 T. zaatar

Proof the yeast in a few tablespoons of the warm water, with the sugar mixed in. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture and remaining water and knead until you have a firm dough. Transfer to a floured work surface and continue to knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic. During this time, knead in 1 tablespoon olive oil into the dough – this will make it softer. Wash and dry the mixing bowl and grease with a little oil. Add the dough and roll around in the bowl until well oiled. Cover with a clean cloth and leave in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough and knead for a few minutes. Divide into 10 portions and roll each between your palms until smooth and round. Flour a work surface. Flatten each round with a rolling pin until it is circular, even, and about 1/4 inch thick. Cover and leave in a warm place to rise for 20 more minutes. Preheat the oven to 450F. Put 2 large oiled baking sheets in the oven to heat. Brush the tops of the rounds with a little of the olive oil. Mix the remaining oil with the zaatar and spread the mixture over the surface of each round. Slide the bread onto the hot baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks to cool.

Janna’s French Bread

Janna’s French Bread

DSC_00013 1/2 cups Bread Flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. olive oil
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 package of active-dry yeast
1 T. sugar

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and oil. In a large measuring cup, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Set it aside to get foamy and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well. (You can also do this in your stand mixer.) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board. Knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes, until smooth. Return the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375. Punch down the dough and shape into loaves (however many you’re making. We prefer 1 big one). Place on a baking sheet and bake 25-30 minutes, until beautifully browned on top and sounds hollow when tapped. Let rest about 5-10 minutes before slicing and devouring.

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Rolls

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Rolls

unnamed1 tablespoon canola oil
1¼ pounds ground chicken
1 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 (4-oz) can chopped mild green chilies
1 (1-oz) package salt free taco seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons reduced fat sour cream
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
16 (9×14) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1 cup low-sodium mild green salsa

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray two baking sheets with nonstick spray. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion, chilies, taco seasoning and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until the chicken is browned and any liquid has completely evaporated, about 8 minutes. Remove chicken mixture from heat. Stir in cheese, sour cream, cilantro and scallions, mixing with a fork until well blended. Place one sheet of phyllo with the short side facing you on a work surface. (Cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap to keep from drying out.) Lightly spray the phyllo sheet with nonstick spray, then fold it in half lengthwise. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the bottom end of the phyllo. Roll up jelly-roll fashion. Place the roll, seam-side down, on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the roll with nonstick spray. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets, filling and cooking spray to make a total of 16 rolls. Bake until the filling is hot and the rolls are lightly golden, 20-25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, and then cut each roll in half. Serve with the salsa.