Everyday Bread 2

This is the bread I’ve been making lately. We’ve been wolfing it down so fast I have to make a batch about every week.

If you don’t have whey, just use water. I really prefer the whey, though. I think it helps the bread to stay soft longer.

Everyday Bread

4 cups whey (scalded and cooled to 115F) or warm water

1/3 cup Sucanat (or brown sugar)

1/2 cup instant potato flakes

2 1/2 T active dry yeast

1/2 cup peanut oil

1 T salt

3/8 cup gluten

6 cups whole wheat bread flour

2-3 cups hi-gluten white flour

In a large bowl, stir together the whey, sugar, potato flakes, and yeast. Let sit 5 minutes. Add the oil, salt, gluten, and whole wheat flour. Beat vigorously. Stir in enough of the white flour to make a knead-able dough. Knead at least 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth. Place back into the bowl (I don’t bother greasing it). Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour. Scrape the dough out onto the counter and divide it into 3 (for large loaves) or 4 (for smaller loaves). Shape the loaves, place into your bread pans, cover, and let rise again until doubled. I like to slash the loaves just before baking but it’s not necessary. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until nicely browned and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. Remove from pans immediately and cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 3 – 4 loaves

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5-Minute Bread

Bread so easy it takes 5 minutes. I love this bread.

The original recipe has been all over the world wide web for a few years now. I first saw it on my cousin’s blog. I’ve made it several times since then and really should have blogged about it sooner!

Of course the original version is all white flour. I’m sure I’d love it but have not yet been able to bring myself to make it. I have a strange fear of making 100% white bread. I think I’ve only done it 2 or 3 times (with other recipes). At any rate, you can use whatever combination of white and whole grain flours that you like. I’ve used up to half whole wheat with fine results. This particular batch is just 1/3. If you use all white flour, you can skip the gluten. I added that because of the whole wheat flour.

This bread looks like a perfect artisan loaf. Feels like it, too…really crusty on the exterior and soft on the inside. It is absolutely fabulous buttered and dipped in soup. It makes quite a tasty breakfast pizza crust. Tonight we had it as our bread with sloppy joes. A bit difficult to eat but so tasty.

5-Minute Bread

Adapted from Mama JJ

3 cups warm water

1 1/2 T active dry yeast

2 T wheat gluten

1 T salt

2 cups whole wheat bread flour

4 3/8 cups white bread flour

In a large bowl, combine the water and yeast. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Dough will be sticky but that’s okay. Cover with a shower cap and let rise until about doubled (an hour). Scrape dough down, re-cover, and place in the fridge.

When ready to bake bread, remove a hunk of the dough, shape it, and lay it on a well-cornmealed bread board or cookie sheet with no sides. And I mean WELL covered in cornmeal. We don’t want any sticking going on. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with flour, give it a few deep slashes with a serrated knife, and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.

About 25 minutes before it’s finished rising, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. When bread is ready, gently slide it onto the hot stone, pour a few tablespoons of water onto the bottom of the oven, and quickly shut the door. Repeat this two more times in the first 5 minutes of baking. Then leave the door shut for the next 45 – 50 minutes or until the loaf is a lovely brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Allow loaf to cool at least 30 minutes before slicing, though I prefer it to be completely cooled. When hot, the insides are too soggy to cut.

Repeat as often as needed to use up the batch of dough. They say it keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. I’ve never had it last more than 5 or 6 days as we always eat it up too quickly.

Yield: 2 or 3 nice sized loaves.

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Quick Pizza Dough

I discovered this recipe via my soon-to-be cousin-in-law on Pinterest. It seemed too good to be true. Pizza dough in 5 minutes? I had to try it.

It’s two ingredients: self-rising flour and Greek yogurt. I don’t keep self-rising flour on hand so I turned it into a 6-ingredient recipe. Of course. I always make things more difficult.

But really, it’s still very simple.

Don’t expect a traditional flavor and texture from this dough. It’s more like a biscuit dough. But I’m okay with that, especially if I want pizza in half an hour rather than 3 hours. And actually, we enjoyed it so I might just use this recipe even at times when I DO have 3 hours to prepare dough!

Quick Pizza Dough

Adapted from here

1/2 cup sprouted whole wheat pastry flour*

1/2 cup sprouted whole wheat bread flour

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 – 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Combine the dry ingredients. Stir in enough yogurt to make a nice dough. It might be a little sticky but that’s okay. Knead dough for a few minutes on a floured surface. It should be a smooth dough.

Divide ball into two. Roll out into 12 inch circles on a floured surface, top with sauce, cheese, and toppings. Slide onto a preheated pizza stone in a preheated 475 degree oven. Bake until cheese is just starting to brown and crust is browned a bit on the bottom, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and slice and serve.

Yield: 2 12-inch pizzas

*Don’t have sprouted flours? Use unsprouted whole wheat flours. Don’t have whole wheat flours? Use all-purpose!

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Stuffed French Toast, Strawberry Sauce, and Weekly Menu for 12-24-12

Well, I did so much baking last week that I don’t have much in the way of kitchen duty for the beginning of this week at least. I love  family get-togethers! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Monday: Christmas with my family…I’m providing assorted desserts

Tuesday: Christmas with Brad’s family…I’m providing cupcakes and mashed potatoes

Wednesday: Sauteed Chicken Breast, Peanuty Noodles, Green Beans

Thursday: Beef Veggie Soup

Friday: Burrito Bake, Green Beans

Saturday: Venison Steaks, Stuffed Potato Skins, Broccoli

Sunday: Negotiable

And now, a delicious breakfast recipe, in case you don’t yet have any ideas for Christmas morning!

I made this yesterday morning for breakfast. I figured we’d be eating pretty heavy on Christmas day so we’ll have something light first thing that morning.

This is not a light dish. I typically eat about 3 pieces of French toast but I can only eat one of these “sandwiches”. The cream cheese really fills you up. We love it, though. With good homemade fruit sauces, it really is quite delectable.

The strawberry sauce recipe I have here is my very, very favorite. Seriously. It makes a great topping for pancake, waffles, French toast, and desserts as well. It’s especially tasty on angel food cake.

Stuffed French Toast

bread (we prefer the cheap bought stuff for French toast!)

cream cheese, softened

fruit sauce/pie filling of your choice

eggs

milk

toppings of choice

First make your egg/milk mixture. I  usually do about equal volumes of eggs and milk. I don’t know if that’s proper for French toast but it’s how I do it.

Then, spread one side of each piece of bread with cream cheese and put a dollop of fruit filling in the center of one piece. Spread it out and then lay another piece of bread on top, cream cheese side down this time.

Dip the “sandwiches” in the egg mixture. Make sure both sides are coated in egg. Fry in butter on a medium-hot skillet until golden brown. Top with maple syrup, more fruit, yogurt, pudding, etc.

Strawberry Sauce

adapted from my mom’s recipe…which actually comes from my grandma, I think

1 quart canned strawberries*

3 T sugar

3 – 4 T clear gel

pinch salt

1 quart sliced frozen strawberries, partially thawed

Drain the canned berries really well. (I then feed the berries to the chickens since they don’t have much flavor any more). In a sauce pan, combine the strawberry juice, sugar, clear gel, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook a minute or so to make sure it’s thickened. Pour this thick juice over the frozen strawberries. Chill. Eat. Mmmm.

*I use 1/2 cup sugar in each quart of strawberries I can. I also put 2 T in each quart that I freeze. If you are using unsweetened berries, you might want to adjust the sugar accordingly.

Yield: 5 to 6 cups sauce

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Savory Bread Pudding

This one’s for my friend Roni. I mentioned it in my last weekly menu post and she was quick to request the recipe!

This recipe hails from Taste of Home. I was recently gifted a subscription and I got my first magazine over the weekend. So of course I leafed through it and chose several recipes to try this week.

I originally planned to skip the sausage called for but then I found some browned venison in the refrigerator that needed used. So I threw that in. I think it’d be delicious without it, though. The herbs and tomatoes really flavor this dish. I also used whole milk instead of heavy cream because I never have cream around…I always make it into butter!

Savory Bread Pudding

Really adapted from a current Taste of Home recipe

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 pint canned tomatoes, well drained (save the juice for soup!)

1 cup browned venison

1/2 cup chopped onion, sauteed in a bit of oil or butter

1 1/2 t dried basil

1/2 t oregano

1/2 t granulated garlic

1 T Sucanat or brown sugar

2 cups bread cubes

3 eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

pinch salt

1/4 t pepper

2 T Parmesan cheese

Combine the cheddar cheese, tomatoes, meat, onions, herbs, sugar, and bread cubes. Put into a greased 8-inch baking dish. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over the bread mixture. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until set in the middle. Let sit 5 or 10 minutes before cutting in squares and serving.

Serves: 4-6

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