Crusty bread

LOVE with Jeff and Zoe and I’m ready to buy all their books!
Recipe for Homemade Artisan Bread 
makes 3 loaves

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or other course salt
• 6 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• cornmeal for pizza peel (optional)

1. In a very large bowl, add your flour, yeast, and salt.

2. Pour in your water and stir until combined, just a few minutes.

3. Cover your bowl with foil or greased plastic wrap for 2-5 hours. We left it for 5 hours and it turned out just fine, yay!

4. Divide your dough into 3 loaves with a knife. Cover each loaf with flour and form it into a ball.

5. Lay onto a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or onto a pizza stone sprinkled with cornmeal. Let this dough rest for about 30 or so minutes.

6. With a sharp knife, slash the top of each loaf into 3 lines or a criss-cross pattern. This helps let out some steam in the dough. If you don’t slash your bread, the bread will most likely make it’s own tear somewhere during cooking.

7. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and add a small pan filled with 1 cup of water on a lower rack for a water bath. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

8. Place your baked bread on a baking rack to cool.

Now slice and add lots of butter or strawberry jam. Then revel in your new homemade bread baking skills, cuz’ you did it! You baked bread! Wasn’t that all too easy?! I told you! Next time, I’m going to try this with half white and half wheat flour. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Dill bread

Dill Bread

• 3 ½-4+ cups flour (I use a combination of whole wheat and unbleached)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons dill weed
• 2 Tablespoons dry minced onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 scant Tablespoon (1 package) instant active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 egg

By Hand Instructions: In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour, sugar, dill weed, minced onion, salt and yeast. Mix well. In a small saucepan (or microwave), heat milk and butter until very warm (120-130 degrees). Add warm liquid and egg to flour mixture and blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Stir in additional flour until dough forms a ball. Knead on a floured surface for 3-5 minutes, adding additional flour if necessary. Cover and let rise in a greased bowl in a warm place until doubled in size, about 50 minutes. Punch dough down and proceed with instructions for both methods.
Bread Machine Instructions: In a 2-lb bread machine, add in this order (or in the order recommended by your specific bread machine manufacturer): cubed softened butter, sugar, dill weed, onion, salt, egg, and warm milk. Add 3 ¾ cups flour and yeast. Run the short dough cycle. Check at the beep and add additional flour if needed (for some reason, I have to use more flour in the bread machine vs by hand – so I sometimes add up to ½ cup more flour). Remove dough and proceed with instructions for both methods.
Both Methods: Shape dough into a round loaf. Cover and let rise on a greased cookie sheet until doubled in size, 30-45 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until done (cover with foil if necessary to prevent overbrowning). Brush top with additional butter if desired.
Makes one large round loaf

Challah

Challah Recipe

Make your own challah, round or braided

 

Makes 4 Loaves
·        2 tablespoons dry yeast
·        2¼ cups (500 ml) lukewarm water
·        ½ cup (100g) sugar
·        4 eggs, beaten, plus 2 yolks or 1 whole egg for glazing
·        1 tablespoon salt
·        ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
·        About 9 ¼ cups (1 1/3 kg) flour
·        Poppy or sesame seeds (optional)
Dissolve the yeast in the water with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Beat well and leave 10 minutes, until it froths.
In a very large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Then add the salt, sugar, and oil and beat again. Add the frothy yeast mixture and beat well. Now add the flour gradually, and just enough to make a soft dough that holds together, mixing well, first with a large spoon, then working it in with your hands. Knead vigorously for about 15 minutes, until it is very smooth and elastic, adding flour if the dough is too sticky. Pour a little oil in the bowl and turn the dough, so that it is greased all over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place to rise for 2‑3 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down and knead again, then divide into four pieces to make 4 loaves.
To make round challah: Take 1 piece of dough, roll it between your palms, and pull it out into a long fat rope about 18 inches (46 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) thick—a little fatter at one end. Take the fatter end and put it in the middle of an oiled baking sheet, then coil the rest of the rope around it like a snail. Continue with the remaining 3 pieces.
To make braided challah with 3 strands: Divide 1 piece of the dough into 3. Roll each piece between your palms and pull into long thin ropes about 18 inches (46 cm) long and 1¼ inches (3 cm) wide. Pinch 1 end of all the strands together and plait them: bring the rope on the right over the middle one, then bring the one on the left over it and continue to the end. Pinch the ends together and tuck them under the loaf. You may find it, easier to begin plaiting in the middle of the 3 strands and plait towards the 2 ends. Continue with the remaining 3 pieces.
Place the 4 loaves on well‑oiled baking sheets, leaving plenty of room for them to expand, then leave  to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Now brush gently with the beaten egg yolks or if you want to sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds, brush first with the whole beaten egg (the seeds stick better if the white is there too). Bake in a preheated 350° F (180°C) oven for 30‑40 minutes or until the loaves are beautifully golden-brown. They are done if they sound hollow when you tap the bottoms.
Variations for Sweet Challahs:
Add ½ cup (125 ml) honey to the beaten eggs.
Add ¾ cup (100 g) raisins and knead them into the dough after it has risen and been punched down.

Starbucks Banana Walnut Bread

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The secret to making excellent banana nut bread is the bananas must be so ripe the peeling is black.

1 3/4 cups flour (bread flour is best)
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe (this is usually 2 or 3 bananas)
1/3 cup margarine
2 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts (divided into 2 (1/2 cup) portions

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size bowl combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt), stir together to combine. In another medium size bowl combine margarine and sugar, with a mixer cream the margarine, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in mashed bananas, eggs, milk and mix well. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix until the flour is just mixed in, then add in the remaining flour and 1/2 cup walnuts, blend together until everything is mixed together. Do not overstir.

Pour batter into a greased 8x4 inch loaf pan. Then top the batter with the remaining chopped walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

While Starbucks does not make their banana bread with butter, I think this comes out more rich this way. I also like to add in a sprinkle or two of cinnamon and sugar into this, again, not in their recipe, it does add that little something extra.

Chocolate Chip Cookies--Adapted from Jacques Torres

Ingredients:

2 cups minus 2 tbsp (8 1/2 oz) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 oz) bread flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 oz) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tbsp (8oz) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks (at least 60% cacao)
Sea salt

Procedure:
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in the vanilla.  Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.  Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 (3 1/2 oz) mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheets, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes.  Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.

Eat warm, with a big napkin!

chocolate eclaire cake

Chocolate Eclair Cake!!!
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
... 1 cup flour
4 large eggs
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 large box (5.1 ounces) vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk
1 8 oz. container cool whip (you won’t use the whole container) or one batch of homemade whipped cream
chocolate syrup or homemade chocolate sauce

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a 9″X13″ glass baking pan.
Eclair Crust: In a medium saucepan, melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Mix in one egg at a time, mixing completely before adding another egg. Spread mixture into pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly. *If the sides of your pan are too greased you won’t be able to get the mixture to stay up the sides so make sure to just lightly grease.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (Mine only took 25 minutes.) You may want to check it occasionally-you don’t want to overcook the crust, it will ruin the cake! Remove from oven and let cool (don’t touch or push bubbles down).
Filling: Whip cream cheese in a medium bowl. In separate bowl make vanilla pudding. Make sure pudding is thick before mixing in with cream cheese. Slowly add pudding to cream cheese, mixing until there are no lumps. Let cool in fridge.When the crust is completely cooled, pour filling in. Top with layer of cool whip however thick you want it and serve with chocolate syrup. *If you want to make this even better use homemade whipped cream.

CINNAMON ROLL SWIRL CAKE

CINNAMON ROLL SWIRL CAKE

BATTER:
3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
... 1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping:
1 cup butter, soft to the point of almost melted*
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cinnamon

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together except for the butter.
Once mixed; slowly pour in the butter. Stir into batter.
Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.
For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Glaze:
2 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

While the cake is warm ~ drizzle the glaze over the cake. *This cake is outta this

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
3 medium bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 medium zucchini or summer squash, cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices
1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges, separated into pieces
1 package (8oz) sliced fresh mushrooms
Cooking Spray
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 package (5-6oz) chevre (goat) cheese
1 container (7oz) refrigerated basil pesto
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend (8oz)

Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 450 F. Spray 15x10x1inch pan with cooking spray. In pan, place bell peppers, zuchinni, onion and mushrooms in single layer. Spray veggies with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 15 to 20 minutes, turning veggies once, until crisp-tender.

2. Meanwhile, cook and drain noodles as directed on package, using minimum cook time. In medium bowl, crumble chevre into pesto; stir.

3. Spray 13x9 inch (3qt) baking dish with cooking spray. In baking dish, spread 1/2 cup of pasta sauce. Top with 3 noodles; spread with half of the pesto mix and 2 cups of the veggies. Add 3 noodles; layer 3/4 cup pasta sauce, 1 cup shredded cheese blend and 2 cups veggies. Add 3 noodles; layer with remaining pesto mix and veggies. Top with remaining 3 noodles; layer with remaining 3/4 cup pasta sauce and 1 cup shredded cheese.

4. Reduce oven temp to 375 F. Bake 20-30 minutes or until hot. Let stand 10 min. before serving.,

Morning Glory Muffins

2 grated carrots
1/2 chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2c dried pineapple
1/2c plus 2tblsp flour
2/3 c whole wheat flour
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each salt and cinammon
1 c oats
1c buttermilk
2 tlbsp veg oil
1/2c light brown sugar
1 egg

400 deg oven and coat 12 muffin tins.

Toss carrots, walnuts and pineapple w/ 2 tbsp flour. 

Separate bowl combine remaining white and wheat flour, baking powder & Soda, salt, cinammon and oats.  Separate bowl whisk buttermilk, oil, sugar and egg. Add mixture to flour mix and stir in carrot mix.  Bake 20-25 min

Chinatown Chicken Simmer

2 cups uncooked rice
1 can pineapple chinks
1tblsp cornstarch
1tlsp veg oil
608 chicken thighs
2 large garlic cloves
1 med bell pepper diced
1 med diced onion
1tlbs ginger
1.5c snow peas
1/2c chicken broth
2tlbsp soy
1tlbsp hoison
1/4 tsp cinammon
2tlbs honey

prepare rice. drain pineapple (save juice). Mix 1/4c juice w/ cornstarch. Heat skillet add oil and brown chicken. add garlic, veggies and ginger. sautee. add remaining juice, broth, soy, hoison, cinammon and h9oney. Cook 5 min. Add pineapple'/cornstarch mix - allow it to thicken. serve over rice.

Chocolate Marble Cake

1.75 c flour
2tsp baking poweder
pinch salt
2.3 c plain yogurt
2tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
8tblsp butter(room temp)
3/4c sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 c cocoa powder
1tsp instant coffee
1/4c heavy cream
1/2c semisweet choc chips

325 oven, 9x5 loaf pan misted w/ spray. Whisk flou, baking powder and salt. Separately wishk yogurt, vanilla and milk.

large bowl beat butter w/ sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add half of flour mixture, then yogurt mixturem then remaining half flour mix. Remiove 1/3 of batter to meduim bowl. Pour 1/4 c boiling water in small bowl and whisk in coffee and cocoa until smooth. let cool and combine to batter in medium bowl. Alternate spoonfuls of vanilla and choc batters nin loaf pan and draw knife through to make it marbled. Bake 50 minutes. 

Place cream in microwavable cup  and heat till hot. Add choc chips. Let stand 2 min stir and drizzle over cake.

tomato soup w/ cheddar croutons

3 tbsp unsalted bytter
1 small thin sliced onion
1 clove minced garlic
2 sprigs parsley
2lb chopped fresh tomatoes
S&P
4 diagonal slices bread
1/2c cheddar

350 oven. melt butter in dutch oven and ad onion and garlic till cooked. add parley, tomatoes and1 cup water. season w/ S&P. Increase to boil, reducuce and simmer 20 min. Top bread w/ cheese and bake. Puree soup, add bread, serve.

Rainbow sprinkle fudge

4 oz softened cream cheese
3 c powdered sugar
1/4tsp salt
11oz package of white chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1tsp almond
3/4c rainbow sprinkels

beat creamcheese till fluffy and then slowly add sugar and salt. melt white choc in a bowl at 30 second intervals until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into creamcheese. Stir in extracts. Pour 1/2 c of sprinkles  in and pour mix into 9x9 pan. Sprinkle remaining sprinkles on top. Refridgerate until chilled and cut into squares to serve.

Mini meatballs

8oz mushrooms finely chopped
1/2 chopped finely chopped onion
2 tlbs EVOO
1 egg
1/2c whole wheat bread crumbs
1lb ground turkey
1tsp garlic poweder
1/4tsp salt
 & opnions in 1 tlbsp evoo unil tender. Remove. In a owl mis egg and stir in  bread, turkey, garlic, salt. Stir in mushrooms. make into mini balls and cook in hot olive oil (remaining 1 tlbsp)

Kids Toffee

28 squares honey graham crackers
1 c light brown sugar
1 c butter
1 12ox pack of choc chips
1 c mini candy of your choosing

350 oven. Line pan with foil. Spreadh crackers out. Combine sugar and butter in saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and remove. Pour over crackers and bake 10 min. Pour choc over all the crackers. As it melts - spread it. then sprinkle with candy, cool and break apart.

Crispy Flounder and Roasted Tomatoes

2 tlbsp capers
1 tlbs evoo
1 pint cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper
fresh basil (1/4 c) and parsley (1 tlbsp), and thyme (2 tlbsp)
1 cup panko
4 6oz flounder fillets

400 degree oven. compine capers, oil and tomatoes  in skillet - toss to coat and add S&P. Bake for 20 min at 400 and top w/ basil.

Combine panko, parsley and thyme in dish. Coat fillets w/ cooking spray and sprinkle S&P. Dredge in panko anmd cook 3 min eachi side.

No bake strawberry pie

25 chocolate wafers
3 oz finely chopped bittersweet choc
2 tsp canola oil
cooking spray
6oz low fat cream cheese
1/3 c powdered sugar
3/4tsp vanilla
2 cup whipped topping
2 tlbsp strawberry jam
1 tlbs Chambord
1 tsp lemon juice
1 lb halved strawberries

Put wafers in a food processor and make fine. Put chocolate in a bowl and melt. add chocolate adn oil into processor until compined. Press in a 9 in pie plate coated w/ spray. Freeze 15 min to set.  Place cream cheese, sugar and vanilla into a boiwl and beat. Fold in whipped topping. Spread into pie crust. Microwave fruit spread and  add chambord and lemon juice. Stir with whisp. add berrys and toss and spread in pie. Chill and serve.

Blueberry Muffins

2 eggs
1.5 c sugar
1/3 c Melted butter
1/2 milk
3 c flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 C Blueberries

Oven 400. Whisk eggs and sugar until fluffy, add melted butter , flour and baking poweder alternately with milk. Add blueberries and pour into muffintins. Bake 12-15 min.

Kooky Kale w Onion Dip

8 oz fresh/dry Kale
3 Tbs EVOO
3/4 tsp salt
1 c Chopped Onion
1/2 Plain FF Greek Yogurt
1/3 c Light Sour Cream
1tsp onion powder
1.4 tso peppper
3 Tbs FF Milk

Oven 300, tear kale into pieces and toss w. 2 TBS EVOO and salt. Bake 10 min, turn & bake another 15-20 until crispy. Place 1 Tbs EVOO in skillet add onions. Remove and cool. Medium bowl mix yogurt, sour cream, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir in onions & milk. Serve w/ Chips.

McCormick Sugar & Spice Cookies

2 1/3 c Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 C Sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
Colorful Cookie glaze (found at mccormick.com)

Mix flour, BS, Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Salt. Separate bowl beat sugar and butter until fluffy, add egg and vanilla, gradually beat in dry mix. Refridgerate 2 hrs.
Roll out 1/8in thick and cut shapes - 375 8-10 min

Crock Pot Asian Glazed Chicken

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

3 T. low-sodium soy sauce

3 T.fresh lemon juice

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. grated fresh ginger

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (breasts for a lighter version but won't be as moist)

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This Crock Pot Asian Glazed Chicken is full of flavor and yet so easy to prepare. I serve it with rice and sometimes saute stir-fry veggies for a side dish. (peppers, onions) The sauce is really yummy and pairs well with veggies as well.

1. Mix together the sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice,Worcestershire sauce, ginger, and crushed red pepper in the crock pot.
2. Add the chicken and mix well.
3. Cover and crock on low for 4-5 hours or until cooked through.
4. Remove chicken from crock and set aside.
5. Pour the liquid from the crock into a large skillet and boil until slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. (I usually taste and doctor the sauce a tad while boiling – my husband likes it a bit sweeter!)
6. Serve the chicken with rice and top with the sauce from the skillet. Sprinkle with sesame seeds