Rosemary Bread

This is a copycat recipe for the bread at Macaroni Grill, which happens to be a favorite for this carb loving girl! I would make this and eat it every weekend, if there were no such thing as calories. Source Food Network Magazine April 2011 Ingredients: 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast 2 teaspoons sugar 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and serving 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 2 tablespoons dried rosemary 1 teaspoon fine salt 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground pepper Directions: Stir the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer). Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary, the fine salt and 3/4 cup warm water; stir with a wooden spoon (or with the dough hook if using a mixer) until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting lightly with flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Or knead with the dough hook on medium-high speed, adding a little flour if the dough sticks to the bowl, about 8 minutes.) Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until more than doubled, about 2 hours. Brush 2 baking sheets with olive oil. Generously flour a work surface; turn the dough out onto the flour and divide into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, sprinkle some flour on the dough, then fold the top and bottom portions into the middle. Fold in the sides to make a free-form square. Use a spatula to turn the dough over, then tuck the corners under to form a ball. Place seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, putting 2 balls on each baking sheet. Let stand, uncovered, until more than doubled, about 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the loaves 10 minutes; brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with the kosher salt and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon rosemary. Continue baking until golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve with olive oil seasoned with pepper.

Vermont Oatmeal Maple Honey Bread

I am forever looking for a bread recipe that I can successfully use for sandwiches, but tastes homemade as well. This one fits the bill. This is everything that I like in bread. It is soft, wheaty and semi-sweet, it's so delicious!

Source: amanda.fakeginger.com
Adapted from King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

Ingredients:

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups (18 to 20 ounces) boiling water
1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) rolled oats, plus more for top of bread
1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces) maple sugar or brown sugar (4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoons maple flavor ( I used maple syrup)
1 tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) butter
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 1/2 cups (7 3/4 ounces) whole wheat flour
4 cups (17 ounces) all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, oats, maple sugar, maple flavor, honey, butter, salt, and cinnamon. Let cool to lukewarm.

Add the yeast and flours, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead (about 10 minutes by hand, 5 to 7 minutes by machine) until the dough is smooth and satiny. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with a lightly greased plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 1 hour; it should double in bulk.

Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a loaf. Place the loaves in 2 greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch bread pans. Sprinkle with oats if desired. Cover the pans with lightly greased plastic wrap (or a proof cover) and allow the loaves to rise until they’ve crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake the loaves for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they’re golden brown and the interior registers 190F on an instant-read thermometer.

No Fuss Focaccia

I was all set to make a pizza recipe for my cast iron skillet, but I didn't realize that the particular recipe took so long to rise. I really wanted pizza, so I decided to use this recipe for focaccia and make it into a pizza. It turned out delicious! It was so soft and fluffy. I also liked the addition of herbs into the bread, yum! It also only took 1 hour to rise, which wasn't too bad for a weeknight meal!

Source:http://delish-blog.com
originally from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 oz) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp instant yeast
2 tsp onion powder
4 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions:
Spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray then drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over the bottom of the pan. ( I used cooking spray)
Place the water, olive oil, salt, flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute. The dough will be smooth, elastic and sticky.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan. With oil or water on the tip of your fingers (don’t use more flour, you want the dough to remain sticky), press the dough into the bottom of the pan, nudging to get it all the way into the corners. Cover the pan and let the dough rise for about 60 minutes, or until it is puffy.
While the dough rises, preheat oven to 375°F.
Once risen, uncover the pan and use your fingers to make dimples all over the dough (you may need a bit of oil on your fingers if the dough is too sticky). Drizzle the dough lightly with olive oil and sprinkle it with the Italian seasoning.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then turn the focaccia out of the pan (otherwise the bottom crust will get soggy). Serve warm or at room temperature. ( I took it out after 30 minutes to add pizza toppings, then I popped it back into the oven for 10 more minutes for the cheese to melt.)

Pull-Apart Sticky Buns

I usually eat cereal for breakfast all week long, so on the weekends, I like to indulge a bit! I have made sticky buns before using puff pastry, but this recipe was even easier than that! I used the method of assembling them before bed and baking them in the oven in the morning, so easy! They turned out really good. My only complaint is that the recipe states to bake for 40-45 minutes, but I think that it only needs 35 minutes tops, but my oven could be calibrated differently than the authors.

Source: http://theyummylife.com

Ingredients:

2 pounds frozen bread dough (24 Rhodes frozen dinner rolls; or 2 1-lb loaves, partially thawed for 1/2 hour and each loaf cut into 12 even pieces) ( I only used 12 rolls)
1-1/2 cups sugar (3/4 c.)
1/8 cup cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Generously butter a 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle nuts evenly in bottom of pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Melt butter in separate bowl. Dip each roll or dough piece in butter, then in sugar mixture. Place dipped dough in pan in even rows. Mix remaining butter and sugar mixture; distribute evenly over the tops of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap that is coated with cooking spray. Let rise until doubled* and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until browned. (Cover loosely with sheet of foil in last 10-15 minutes, if browning too quickly.) Remove from oven, let cool in pan for 5 minutes and invert onto serving platter. Serve warm.

*MAKE AHEAD RISING METHODS (times may vary depending on the temperature of your house)1. Assemble the night before, leave out to rise overnight (6-8 hours), and bake first thing in the morning.2. Assemble 20-24 hours in advance, put in the fridge to partially rise. The next day, remove from fridge and allow to rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours before baking.3. Assemble 44-48 hours in advance, put in the fridge to rise. Remove from fridge and warm to room temperature for 45 minutes before baking.

No Knead Challah Bread

My mom requested that I make Baked French Toast for Christmas brunch, so instead of french bread, I decided to make challah bread, which is my favorite bread for french toast. This recipe makes a lot. You can get 3 loaves out of it or 2 large loaves. I chose to make only 2, due to time constraints and they were huge! I had to slice it just to get it in the freezer bag! This recipe appealed to me because you can make the dough in advance and leave it in the refrigerator for up 4 days before using, kind of like the dough for the Artisan Bread in 5 Days recipe, which I love. If you let the dough sit in the fridge for more than a few hours, the yeast flavor is magnified. I think I like this recipe even better than the Cook's Illustrated that I usually make!

Source: http://jengoestocollege.blogspot.com via King Arthur's Flour.

Makes 3 9" round loaves or 2 larger straight braids

Ingredients:
6 3/4 cups or 7 3/4 cups king arthur unbleached all-purpose flour*
1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tbsps instant yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
4 large eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg (any size) beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
2 to 3 tablespoons sesame seeds or poppy seeds, optional

*See step #1, below.

Topping:
sesame seeds or poppy seeds, optional

Directions:
*The flour/liquid ratio is important in this recipe. If you measure flour by sprinkling it into your measuring cup, then gently sweeping off the excess, use 7 3/4 cups. If you measure flour by dipping your cup into the canister, then sweeping off the excess, use 6 3/4 cups. Most accurate of all, and guaranteed to give you the best results, if you measure flour by weight, use 33 ounces.To make the dough: combine all of the dough ingredients, in the order written, in a very large bowl (at least 6 quarts). Stir to make a sticky dough. You can do this in a stand mixer and then transfer to a larger bowl; or simply use a big bowl and spoon (or dough whisk). Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise for 2 hours at cool room temperature; then refrigerate the dough for at least several hours, to chill it and make it easier to work with. It can be refrigerated for up to 4 days before using.when you're ready to make challah, remove the dough from the refrigerator, and scoop out one-third of the dough (about 21 ounces) if you're making three small loaves. Transfer it to a floured work surface; a silicone mat works well here. Divide the dough into three pieces, and shape each piece into a log about 24" long. Braid the logs, pinching the strands together at each end. Lightly grease an 8" x 2" round cake pan (or a baking sheet, if you're choosing not to coil your bread). It's important that the pan is at least 2" deep. If it's not use, a 9" round pan. Coil the braid into the pan. cover the pan, and allow the braid to rise for about 90 minutes, till it's quite puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the challah, and brush it with the egg/water mixture. Sprinkle with seeds, if desired. Bake the challah for 30 to 35 minutes, till it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers at least 190°F. Remove from the oven, and carefully turn out of the pan onto a rack to cool.

Jengoestocollege.blogspot.com

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

It is no secret that I love Pizza! In fact, I could eat it several times per week if my family would comply! This is a really great pizza dough, especially if you like your pizza very doughy. It is not suitable for a thin crust pizza. I am not picky on whether my dough is crispy or soft, I'm just happy to eat it! I topped this pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms and mozzarella, but I think the perfect combination for this dough would be ham and pineapple, which I love, but my husband refuses to eat it :( If you love delicious and cheap food, check out the blog that I cited as the source of this recipe. It is a fabulous blog, you won't be disappointed!

Source: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/Total Recipe cost: $1.51 Makes: one very large (16") pizza or two medium pizzas. Prep time: 15 min. Rise time: 45 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 1.5 hrs.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup
whole wheat flour
1.5 - 2 cups
all purpose flour (divided)
1 cup
water
2 Tbsp
honey
2 tsp
yeast
3 Tbsp
olive oil
1.5 tsp
salt

Directions:
STEP 1: In a small bowl, stir together the water (warm), honey and yeast. Let it sit 3-5 minutes or until very frothy on top.STEP 2: Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture. Next, stir one cup of whole wheat flour into the wet ingredients until evenly mixed. Stir in the all purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until you can no longer stir it with a spoon.STEP 3: Turn the ball of dough out onto a floured surface and continue to add in and knead the all purpose flour until the ball of dough is stretchy and soft but not sticky (about 3-5 minutes). The total amount of flour needed will depend on how much moisture is already in your flour but it should be between 1-2 cups of all purpose flour.STEP 4: Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray and place the ball of dough inside. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.STEP 5: To shape the dough, remove it from the bowl it was rising in and place it on a floured surface. Press the dough down into a large circle. This should be fairly easy since it was pretty circular in shape as it rose. Next, pick the dough up with your hands and transfer it to a pizza pan (coated in non-stick spray or sprinkled with corn meal). Press the dough out even further until it reaches the edges of the pan. Alternatively, you can pick the dough up and stretch it with your fists (this can take practice).STEP 6: Top the pizza then bake in a fully preheated, 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Parker House Rolls

I love big fluffy rolls, so when I was browsing my November issue of Food Network Magazine, I found these delicious billowy, soft rolls! I made them in advance, fully intending to take them for Thanksgiving dinner, but I forgot them. I did, however bake them up in addition to some soup the other night. They were delicious! My only complaint is that they came out huge! I will make them smaller next time for dinner rolls, but these large babies will make fabulous sandwiches for that leftover turkey!

Source: Food Network Magazine/Alex Garnaschelli

Ingredients:
1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus softened butter for brushing
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling


Directions:

Bloom the yeast.
Measure out 1/2 cup warm water and check the temperature: It should be between 110 degrees F and 120 degrees F (comfortable bathwater temperature). Sprinkle the yeast into a large bowl, add the warm water and whisk in the sugar. Let sit 1 minute (it should bubble and froth slightly), then gently stir in 1 cup flour. Set aside near the stove while you prepare the dough.

Make the dough.
Mix the melted butter and milk in a mixer with the hook attachment on low speed. Add the eggs and mix until blended. Scrape in the yeast mixture and mix until incorporated. Add 6 1/2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon salt; mix until the dough forms a ball, 2 to 3 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky.
Let it rise.
Brush a large bowl with softened butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place, 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes. The dough should double in volume.
Shape the dough.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust a clean flat surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Flour your hands; gently press the dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (don't use a rolling pin).
Cut the dough.
With the short side in front of you, cut the dough in half lengthwise with a floured knife. Then slice crosswise into 12 strips.

Shape the dough.
One at a time, fold each strip of dough unevenly in half so the top part slightly overlaps the bottom half, then tuck the overhang underneath. Place the rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet in 3 tightly packed rows. (If making in advance, wrap the baking sheet tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 weeks.)

Bake the rolls.
Bake until the rolls are bursting at the seams and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. (If frozen, bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees F, then 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.) Remove from the oven and brush with softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Quick Cinnamon Biscuits

I love cinnamon rolls, but I do not like to wait for them. This is a really easy and good recipe. Not as good as real cinnamon rolls, but pretty decent if you want something comparable and quick. The only thing that I would change is to add less cinnamon. I never thought that I would say that, but the cinnamon flavor was too strong almost bitter.

Adapted from The Moosewood Collective’s “Moosewood Restaurant New Classics”
Yield: 9 biscuits ( I was able to get 12)

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg ( I omitted)

Biscuit Dough:
2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Icing:
6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
4 to 6 teaspoons milk or heavy cream

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. For the Filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. For the Dough: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups cream, and stir until the dough forms a ball, about 1 minute. With your hands, fold the dough over a few times in the bowl, until the dough is smooth.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour your hands, and pat the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle, about 9 X 13 inches. Brush the surface of the dough with the remaining tablespoon of cream. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar topping.
5. Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a cylinder. Slice into 9 equal rounds. Place the rounds, cut side down, into an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish or a pie plate. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly browned.
6. For the Icing: While the biscuits bake, mix together the confectioners’ sugar and milk or cream until smooth. When you remove the biscuits from the oven, immediately drizzle them with icing. Serve warm.

Bolillos

Bolillos are a Mexican bread shaped like footballs. We usually use them for sandwiches. I prefer them over french bread because they are individual. This recipe turned out well. The only downside was that they were time consuming because I had a difficult time shaping them! I think that in the future, I will just purchase them from the store because here in the southwest, they are abundantly available.

Source: http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of warm water
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup of canola oil

Cornmeal Method:

Mix together one cup of flour, yeast and warm water. Add one more cup of flour, sugar, salt and oil and stir until ingredients are combined but dough is still wet and shaggy. Let dough rest for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of flour on a clean surface and knead dough until it shapes into a ball, about 10 minutes.Place into a greased bowl, cover and let it rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
After dough has risen, divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Take each piece and flatten it into a circle. Take one side, and fold it in half into the center. Take the opposite side and do the same. Roll folded dough with your hands until it’s spindle shaped, wider in the middle and tapered at the ends.
Place shaped rolls on a greased or parchment-paper lined cookie sheet that’s sprinkled with a bit of cornmeal, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about an hour.Twenty minutes before baking, heat oven to 425 degrees. Five minutes before baking, place an oven-safe pan filled with water on the bottom of the oven.
Mix 1/2 cup of warm water with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and brush on each roll. Then, with a sharp knife, razor or lame, make a slash lengthwise through each roll.Place rolls on bottom rack of oven (be careful when opening oven as steam might come out) and cook for 15 minutes or until the bolillos are light brown in color and make a hollow sound when you thump them.These keep for a couple of days, though they if they get too soft. just reheat in the oven to firm them up. They also freeze well.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Every time I have ripe bananas I make banana bread. I usually make Paula Deen's recipe because it is so moist and flavorful, but this time I decided to go outside of the box and try something new. I saw this recipe in my newest edition of Cooking Light Magazine.
What caught my attention was the addition of peanut butter, which is one of my favorite things! Sadly, the bread didn't have much of a peanut butter flavor at all, but it was still moist and delicious. I would make it again especially since it didn't have any oil and very little butter. The recipe also has a glaze that you can make for the top, but I omitted it. I like my banana bread to be more like bread than dessert.
Also, it took longer to cook than what the recipe indicates. I cooked it for about 15minutes extra, but I checked it several times in between to make sure that it didn't burn.


Source: Cooking Light Magazine October 2010
Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients:

Bread:

1.5 c. mashed ripe bananas
1/3 c plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 c granualated sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1.5 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c ground flaxseed
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 tbsp chopped dry-roasted peanuts (I omitted)
Cooking spray

Glaze:

1/3 c powdered sugar
1 tbsp low-fat milk
1 tbsp creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add sugars and beat until blended.
3. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Add flour to banana mixture; beat until just blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9x5" loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 1 hr and 5 minutes pr until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool completely.
4. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk and peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

Basic Pizza Dough

When I make pizza, I usually use whole wheat dough, but this time I wanted to make a pizza that I didn't think would taste as well with whole wheat and I wanted a recipe that made more than one pizza so I could freeze half for later use. I found the recipe for this one on Annie's Eats, which is my favorite food blog ever. Like every recipe on Annie's blog, this did not dissapoint.

Source: http://www.annies-eats.com/

Ingredients:
½ cup warm water (about 110°)
1 envelope (2 ¼ tsp.) instant yeast
1 ¼ cups water, at room temperature
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups (22 oz.) bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 ½ tsp. salt
olive oil or non-stick cooking spray for greasing the bowl

Directions:
Measure the warm water into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand until the yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add the room temperature water and oil and stir to combine.

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Briefly combine the dry ingredients at low speed. Slowly add the liquid ingredients and continue to mix at low speed until a cohesive mass forms. Stop the mixer and replace the paddle with the dough hook. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Press the dough to deflate it.

To bake, place a pizza stone in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 500° for at least 30 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Form both pieces of dough into smooth, round balls and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough relax for at least 10 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.

Working with one piece of dough and keeping the other covered, shape the dough and transfer to a pizza peel or round of parchment dusted with semolina or cornmeal. Top as desired. Slide the dough onto the pizza stone. Bake until the crust edges brown and cheese is golden brown in spots, about 8 to 12 minutes. Repeat with remaining ball of dough or freeze for later use.

Source: adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, originally from Baking Illustrated by the Editors of Cook’s Illustrated Magazine

Honey-Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

Yield: One (1) 9×5-inch loaf

Mix Time: 20 minutes | Total Rise Time: 2½ hours | Bake Time: 45 minutes

1¼ cups (10 ounces) boiling water
1 cup (3½ ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ cup (3 ounces) honey
1-2/3 cups (7 ounces) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (1 ounce) nonfat dry milk
2 teaspoons instant yeast

1. Place the boiling water, oats, butter, salt and honey into a medium bowl, stir, and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.



2. Mix the remaining dough ingredients with the oat mixture, and knead – by hand, mixer or bread machine – until you’ve made a soft, smooth dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 1 hour; the dough should be doubled in bulk.



3. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Gently deflate the dough – it’ll be sticky, so oil your hands – and shape it into a 9-inch log. Place it in the prepared pan. Cover it gently with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow it to rise until it has crowned 1½ inches over the rim of the pan, about 1 to 1½ hours. Near the end of the bread’s rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.



4. Uncover and bake the bread for about 45 minutes, tenting it with foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The bread is done when it’s golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 190 degrees F. Remove it from the oven, and after a minute or so turn it out onto a rack. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with additional oats. Cool the bread completely before cutting it.

(Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking)

Source: browneyedbaker.com

Pretzel Bread

I have seen a few blogs posting about this bread, which is reminiscent of a soft pretzel minus the shape. This is a really great bread and would have been better had I used bread flour like the recipe states, instead of all purpose flour. The bread flour would have made for a much softer crumb. I also should have used more salt on top, but oh well live and learn, right?

Source: http://twobites.wordpress.com

2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 c water (110-120 degrees F)
2 tbsp room temperature milk
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 - 3 c bread flour

4 quarts water
1/2 c baking soda

Kosher salt to taste
2 tbsp melted butter

Directions:

Add yeast, water, milk, brown sugar and 3 tbsp melted butter into a large bowl, whisking until all ingredients are combined. Let rest for 10 minutes for yeast to activate. Mix in kosher salt. Start by adding 2 cups of flour to the bowl, combining it with the other ingredients. Add more flour as needed, reserving just a bit for the dough mat later.

The dough should form a slightly tacky, but firm ball. Oil a large bowl, place the dough ball in the bowl, turning to coat with oil and cover with a damp towel for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, knead the dough by hand or by using the dough hook of a stand mixer for at least 5-10 minutes until the dough is elastic and satiny. Place dough back into the oiled bowl and recover with damp towel. Let rise for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F an bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, slowly add the baking soda.

Remove the dough from the bowl and gently degas it. Form two separate bowls of dough, forming them into any shape you want, but round is the simplest. Drop one of the smaller balls into the baking soda bath for no longer than 30 seconds, turning once to guarantee both sides covered. Drain the excess water from the dough and place it onto an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the second ball of dough.

Sprinkle the kosher salt over the bread to your specific tastes, and make sure to use a knife to cut a slit on the top of the bread so that the steam can escape and the bread can expand.

Cook the bread for 22 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once.

Once removed from the oven, immediately brush the bread with the melted butter to guarantee a soft crust.

Zucchini-Orange Bread

This makes a pretty good breakfast bread, however I don't think that I would make it again. The batter is very thick and hard to spread. It wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, but it is a fairly good light recipe.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2009

Ingredients:
3 c all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c egg substitute
1/3 c canola oil
1 tbsp grated orange rind
1 tbsp orange juice ( I used the juice of 1 whole orange)
2 c shredded zucchini ( 1 large)
1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts
Cooking Spray

Glaze: ( I omitted)
1/2 c powdered sugar
2 tbs fresh orange juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2 . In a large bowl, combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Stir with a whisk and make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine granulated sugar and the next 4 ingredients. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in zucchini and walnuts. Divide batter between 2- 8x4" loaf pans and coat with cooking spray. ( I used 1 -9x5" loaf pan) The batter will be very thick. Bake at 35o for 50 minutes. (I cooked it for 6o-65 minutes, but kept my eye on it after 50 minutes) The bread is done when a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to finish cooling.

Serving Size: 1 slice Cal; 145 Fat;5.1 Fiber; 0.7

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

I love the bread at The Macaroni Grill, but we don't go there very often because it is kind of pricey and we are trying to save money in this economy. I was looking for a recipe that is similar to that one when I saw this one. It was a really very good substitute and it would also make a fabulous pizza.

Source: http://ourbestbites.com

1 c warm (105-115 degrees F) water
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp white sugar
1tsp kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 tbsp butter, divided
2 tbsp crushed dried rosemary
2 1/4 - 2 1/2 c all purpose flour

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast and sugar. Allow to stand for 10 minutes or until bubbly. While the yeast is getting bubbly, combine 2 cups of the flour, salt and 1 tbsp. rosemary.

Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture along with 1 tbsp melted butter. Mix well. ( I put it in my stand mixer with the dough hook attached). Slowly add the remaining flour to make a very soft, wet dough. Try to resist the urge to add too much flour as it will make the bread tough. You probably won't use the entire extra 1/2 c of flour. I only used about 1/4 cup.

Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.

Lightly flour work surface and transfer dough to it. Divide in half. Shape each half into a found loaf and place on a greased cookie sheet or on a pizza stone. Cover and allow to rise another 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and mix with remaining tablespoon of rosemary. Brush on the loaves and sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt.

Bale for 15-20 minutes or until very light golden brown. Serve immediately.

Cinnamon Pan Dulce

I love Mexican sweet bread, so when I saw this recipe on Baking and Books, I knew that I had to try it. These were really good, a little labor intensive, but good nonetheless. They were best eaten fresh. If I ever made them again, I would use them in a family brunch or a party.

Source:http://bakingandbooks.com

For the buns:
1/4 c warm water
2.5 tsp rapid rise instant yeast
2/3 c warm whole milk
4 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 tsp salt
2/3 c sugar
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp and cut into small pieces

For the topping:

3/4 c unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 c confectioners sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp and cut into small pieces
1 large egg
2 tbsp whole milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

For the buns:
In a large metal bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the warm water, yeast , milk, eggs, vanilla, salt and sugar. Add 1 c flour and beat until smooth. Add another cup of flour and mix well, then add the butter and mix until incorporated. Add two more cups of flour, half a cup at a time, mixing between additions. This will bring you to four cups pf flour already used in the dough. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes. It will be very sticky.

Generously, dust your work surface and hands with flour, then turn the dough out. Knead the dough by hand for 4 to 5 minutes. Make sure to continuously dust the dough with flour 1 tbsp at a time to prevent it from sticking to the work surface or your hands. Don't overdo it with the flour. Use just enough to prevent sticking. You will probably use 1/2 to 1 cup of flour during the kneading process.

Once the dough is soft, slightly sticky and springs back when you press your thumb into it, shape it into a ball and place it in a large, lightly grease bowl, turning to coat once. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm area for 1 hour.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With a knife, cut the dough in half, then cut the half in two. You should have four piecesd of dough. Cut each piece in four sections, then roll each section into a smooth ball. Place the balls onto your baking sheet , gently press down and space them at least three inches apart.

With a sharp knife, cut three slits on top of each ball of dough. Cover each tray with placstic wrap, lightly spraying with cooking spray beore putting the oiled side down onto the dough. Allow to rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the Topping:
In a large bowl, make the topping by combining the flour, confestioners sugar, butter , egg, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. With two metal spoons, place 1 tablespoon of topping on each bun and spread it around with the back of the spoon.

Allow the buns to rise for another 1/2 hour, then bake for 18-24 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on a rack, then serve warm or at room temperature. The buns will keep for about 2 days in an airtight container.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

I saw this on a blog that I frequent and knew that I just had to have it! It was really good, but a little dissapointing. I was expecting much more of a peanut butter flavor, but it was a really creamy and soft bread. I think that if I made it again I would add peanut butter into the batter as well as the streusal topping.

Source: http://themilkmanswife.wordpress.com


Topping:
§ 1/2 cup all purpose flour
§ 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
§ 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
§ 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Batter:
§ 1/2 cup butter, softened
§ 1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
§ 1 1/4 cups sugar
§ 2 eggs
§ 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
§ 1 tsp. vanilla extract
§ 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
§ 1 1/2 tsps. baking powder
§ 1/2 tsp. baking soda
§ 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
§ 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, stir the flour, brown sugar, peanut butter and cinnamon until crumbly, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture until just moinstened.

3. Divide half of the batter between two greased 8×4 inch loaf pans; sprinkle with half of the topping. Top with chocolate chips. Reapeat layers of batter and topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks

Easy Rolls

I was looking for a dinner roll to accompany the Confederate Bean Soup recipe. I didn't have time to make yeast rolls and my family didn't want cornbread so I went looking for a recipe for easy rolls and I found one. The title explains it all. These are the easiest rolls that I have ever made. At first I was skeptical because the recipe calls for mayonnaise, but they turned out so good. Luckily, the recipe didn't yield a bunch of rolls because I would have eaten every last one.

Source: Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics

1 c self-rising flour
1/2 c milk
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp mayonnaise

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the flour and milk. Add the sugar and the mayonnaise. Pour into slightly greased muffin tins and bake for 12-15 minutes.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs. It turned out really well. The recipe yields 2 loaves so I made one of them into whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread. Of coarse, the raisin bread turned out better than the regular loaf, but the regular bread will make great sandwiches.

Source: http://vintagevictuals.blogspot.com/
From the The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons salt
5-6 cups 100% whole wheat flour (recommended: King Arthur)

Directions:

First, make the "sponge." In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast and the warm water and stir until the yeast dissolves. Next, stir in the oil, the honey, the molasses, and the salt. Gradually stir in about 2 1/2 cups of the flour. The dough will be wet and soupy, but a bit spongy. Cover with plastic wrap, and let the sponge ferment for 1 hour.Next, stir down the sponge, breaking all the bubbles up with a wooden spoon.

Using an electric mixer, beat the sponge for 10 minutes, gradually adding about 2 more cups of the flour. The dough should become very thick and tacky, and it should begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. The dough will be heavier than regular white-floured doughs. Knead for at least 8-10 minutes, adding flour as needed to prevent stickiness. It should feel smooth and elastic.

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place the kneaded dough into the bowl, turning it to coat the dough on all sides with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for at least 1 1/2 hours in a warm, draft-free place. The dough will double in size.

Meanwhile, grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans. When dough has risen, punch it down gently. Divide the dough in half and shape each into loaves. Place them into the prepared pans. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise again for about 45 minutes, until doubled in bulk.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake the loaves for 40 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. When loaves have cooled completely, then you can slice them up and
enjoy!

For the Raisin Bread:
Follow the recipe exactly until you get ready to place them into the prepared pans for the third rise. Roll out the second portion of dough on a hard surface sprinked with flour. Melt 2 tbsp butter in the microwave and brush on top of the dough. Sprinke the dough with brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins, depending on your preference. Then tightly roll up the dough beginning with the side closest to you. Then let it rise for 45 minuted before baking.

Amish White Bread

I am fascinated with the Amish. I really love the simple way that they do things. Some part of me wishes that I could live so plainly, but I wouldn't know where to begin. So for now I will stick to making some Amish recipes. This bread is so good. It is so soft with just a touch of sweetness. I think that I will make it again and again. It would be great made into a raisin swirl bread. I think that I will do that next time I make it. This recipe makes 2 large loaves of bread.

Source:mommyskitchen
Ingredients:
2 c warm water (110 degrees)
1/3 - 2/3 c white sugar (I used 1/3 cup)
1.5 tbsp dry active yeast
1.5 tbsp salt
1/4 c vegetable oil
6 c bread flour (I wouldn't substitute this because I think that bread flour makes this so soft)

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in the yeast. Allow to proof until the yeast resembles a creamy foam. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in the flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until the dough has risen 1 inch above the pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*If making cinnamon swirl bread, just spread some melted butter on top of the dough and sprinkle with a generous amount of cinnamon and sugar and then roll up the dough.