Basic White Bread

This is a variation of a James Beard recipe. It's good, basic bread to learn on as it's fairly forgiving. It's soft, it's got a nice mild flavor and it rises quickly. Loaves don't last long here. ;)

Makes two loaves.

Bread!

1 package instant yeast
3 teaspoons white, granulated sugar
2 cups water
5-6 cups AP flour
2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter

1. In either a bowl or a mixer, combine water, sugar and yeast. If you are substituting active dry with the instant, allow to bloom. Otherwise, go to step two.
2. Add 4 cups flour and combine.
3. Add salt, butter and rest of flour.
4. Allow to sit for 20 minutes at room temp in bowl
5. Pour dough onto well-floured board and knead until the dough passes the windowpane test* or when the dough springs back when you push your finger in.
6. Put dough into greased bowl and brush oil on the top. Cover with plastic wrap and stick in a warm place until double in size. (I like turning on the oven for a minute, turning it off and putting the bread inside.)
7. Punch down and knead for two minutes or until all the air bubbles are gone.
8. Divide in half. Shape each half into a rectangle as wide as your loaf pans are long and roll up.
9. Put dough in two greased loaf pans, oil the top, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double.
10. Preheat oven to 375F. 
11. Brush loaves with water, slash top if desired and bake loaves until done, about 20-30 minutes.
12. Let cool for 5-10 min before removing from pans. Let cool before cutting loaves.

*Window pane test: tear off a small bit of dough and stretch it so light passes through it without tearing. Pics here.

Cinnamon Rolls

The dough can also be used as a dinner roll if you don't Cinnamon Roll it! It's a mildly altered version of this recipe.

About the room temp liquids: I think warm water at 110 hurts the yeast. Room temp water is going to be between 70-80 degrees, which is more than ample to wake up those little yeasty buggers. If you're doing this in a colder environment and your water is cold, use a slightly warm water. Or just be patient- the bread will still rise, just slower. It will even deepen the flavor if that happens, so don't worry.

Makes two pans of rolls when baked in 8-inch cake pans.

I will save the 2nd tray to make a bread pudding that's so good it might be banned in New York City.

There is an obscene amount of butter here and I'm not one bit sorry.

What Xmas Hath Brought

Cookbooks and something to cook in. :D

Now, I got the Dutch Oven last month from Terry, but as a Christmas gift. So, it's included!

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

This was a fluke recipe that came about from not wanting to toss a bunch of stale cinnamon rolls. It was one of the best food saving moves ever!

You could also use store bought premade rolls or a can of rolls that you bake, but doing it yourself is worth the effort if you have the time. It really does taste better! Either way, allow them to stale up before making this as it will improve the texture of the end product.

You want this to be pretty wet going into the oven. If the bread soaks up too much liquid, add more liquid.

Pudding:
6 cups cubed stale cinnamon rolls (one half of a batch of rolls)
2 cups milk
5 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch fresh nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice

Crumble:
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
pinch salt
pinch fresh nutmeg
pinch allspice

Sauce:
2 cups sugar
1 egg, beaten
half stick butter
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup brandy

1. combine sugar, spices and eggs in a bowl and mix until combined. Add the cubed rolls and toss to combine. Pour into baking dish.
2. With a fork or pastry cutter, combine all the ingredients for the crumble. Drop over top of unbaked pudding
3. Cook in preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes or until brown on top and bubbling.

For Sauce:

1. Melt butter in pan on low heat. Add sugar and egg. Stir to combine. Cook until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and brandy and cook for 1-2 more minutes or until alcohol is cooked off to your liking.

Unemployment and Baking: How Sourdough Saved My Life

As many have these last few years, I've found myself without a regular source of income. I'm lucky in that there is income coming into our house via my other half and I do have other means of working until something steady comes along (or I get more clients...). Which is grand until you take into account that I cannot left to my own devices for very long. I need things to do. If I get bored, things happen. Sometimes it will be watching an entire series' worth of TV shows on Netflix. Sometimes it will be a hobby. Sometimes it will be learning something new. Sometimes, things that I do are not too successful. Sometimes the level of unsuccessfulness are rather epic.

This is why we cannot have nice things.

Barley and Seitan Stirfry

Hearty and filling, you can make it a low-sodium affair by omitting the soy sauce in favor of sodium-free veggie broth.

1 Cup Cooked Barley
1 Cup Stirfry Veggie mix (I really like Marjon Stirfry Vegetables)
1/2 Cup Mushrooms
2 servings Seitan
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Regular Mayo
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1. On medium high heat,  heat the olive oil. When at temp, sautee the seitan until lightly browned. 
2. Add the mushrooms, barley and veggies, stir to combine and let sit for a minute.
3. Add the soy sauce and lemon juice and stir
4. Cook for another 5 minutes or until vegetables are cooked to your liking.
5. Remove from heat
6. Combine Mayo, ginger and Sesame oil into a sauce and add to the pan. Stir to coat
7. Serve!

Maple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

I hate breakfast. Well, not really; I hate the effort to make breakfast on workday mornings. It's bad enough I have to get dressed and shower- I'm supposed to COOK too??

I used to get sick if I ate too soon, but I actually have a morning appetite since cutting out most meat in favor of meat-free protiens and adding back in more complex carbs. So, what's a hungry, unmotivated-to-cook girl to do?

Overnight oats. Instead of boiling the oats and eating them hot, you let them soak in liquid and your seasonings overnight. They're light, tender and you exert no more effort in the morning other than cutting a bit of fruit if you want. I've experimented for a few days on this, and here's my favorite version. I use real Maple Syrup (I like Grade B- it's richer in taste and cheaper. Score.) good Cinnamon and fresh Nutmeg here. Good ingredients make a difference!

You'll need:

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk (3/4 cup if using Greek Yogurt)
1/2 plain, unsweetend yogurt
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt

1. In a regular soup or cereal bowl, combine all the ingredients.
2. Cover and chill overnight. 
3. Serve with fruit or whatever you'd like!

Stupidly easy. It takes me all of 3 minutes to get this whipped up after dinner. It's fast and very customizable. Basically, the 1/2 cup each formula of milk, yogurt and oats works the best for me. You can season and sweeten however you'd like! Just please use the dash of salt. Bland oats will destroy us all.

Barley and Tomato Salad

7 cups of cooked Pearled Barley (I cooked up one bag of Publix Pearled Barley per the directions on the side of the bag).
2 cups chopped tomatoes (you can use canned if you'd like- just get the low sodium kind)
Juice of 2 limes
Tablespoon of Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
a handful of fresh Cilantro (basically, a 1/4 cup, chopped)
1-2 cloves of chopped garlic according to taste
salt and pepper to taste

All you do is combine the ingredients, stir and then chill. The nice thing about grain salads like this is they're good warm and hot, are easy to throw together and are really good for you!

If you don't like raw garlic, lightly saute it in the olive oil before adding.