Friday, December 27, 2013

Artisan Bread

Baking the Perfect Loaf of Bread at Home



Formula and Process created by Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan St Bakery



Formula: 



3 cups (430g) flour
1½ cups (345g or 12oz) water
¼ teaspoon (1g) yeast
1¼ teaspoon (8g) salt
olive oil (for coating)
extra flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal (for dusting)

Equipment: 



Two medium mixing bowls
6 to 8 quart pot with lid (Pyrex glass, Le Creuset cast iron, or ceramic)
Wooden Spoon or spatula (optional)
Plastic wrap
Two or three cotton dish towels (not terrycloth)

Process: 

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add water and incorporate by hand or with a wooden spoon or spatula for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lightly coat the inside of a second medium bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest 12 hours at room temperature (approx. 65-72°F).
Remove the dough from the bowl and fold once or twice. Let the dough rest 15 minutes in the bowl or on the work surface. Next, shape the dough into ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal; place the dough seam side down on the towel and dust with flour. Cover the dough with a cotton towel and let rise 1-2 hours at room temperature, until more than doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 450-500°F. Place the pot in the oven at least 30 minutes prior to baking to preheat. Once the dough has more than doubled in volume, remove the pot from the oven and place the dough in the pot seam side up. Cover with the lid and bake 30 minutes Then remove the lid and bake 15-30 minutes uncovered, until the loaf is nicely browned.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Gingersnap Cookies

Gingersnaps
recipe from (Laurie Swim)

cream:

2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup shortening
1 cup molasses
2 eggs

add:

4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cloves
2 teaspoons ginger
4 teaspoons baking soda

Form into small balls & roll in 1/4 cup sugar (2 teaspoons of cinnamon may be added). Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

French Bread

French Bread (from heart and soul cook book)

If you use rapid-rise yeast, you can add this bread to any meal with only a two-hour head start.

2 Tbsp. rapid rise yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
2 1/2 cups warm water
7-9 cups flour
1 egg white, beaten

In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, sugar and salt. Stir in warm water to dissolve. Add 6 cups of the flour. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on high until well blended. Add as much of the remaining flour as needed to make a smooth and elastic dough, kneading about 5 minutes. I add about 1/4 cup of flour at a time. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double (about 45-60 minutes). Punch down dough and knead lightly. Shape into two long rolls and place each roll on a greased cookie sheet. Cut shallow slits at 1" intervals along top of bread. Brush with egg white and let rise again until double in size (about 20-30 minutes). bake 15 minutes in a preheated 425 oven. Reduce oven to 350 and continue baking 15 minutes. Cool slightly before cutting to serve.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Gourmet Sweet Potato Classic (the one Paul likes)



Gourmet Sweet Potato Classic

5 sweet potatoes

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

½ cup butter, softened

3 tablespoons flour

¾ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Bake sweet potatoes 35 min. in the preheated oven, or until they begin to soften. Cool slightly, peel and mash. In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, salt, ¼ cup butter, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sugar and heavy cream. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine ¼ cup butter, flour, brown sugar and chopped pecans. Mix with a pastry blender or your fingers to the consistency of course meal. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until topping is crisp and lightly browned

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Easy Muffins

from all recipes.com best ever muffins is the name of them. I don't think they are the best ever but they are good and so easy!!

2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk and oil. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Mix quickly and lightly with a for until moistened, but do not beat. The batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into paper lined muffin pan cups. (I like to sprinkle sugar on top.)

variations: add blueberries, raisins, chopped dates...what ever.

bake for 25 min, or until golden.

Keli's mission farewell salad

This recipe was given to me by Dottie Jones who got it from Robbie's mother in law.
We served it at Kohl and Elizabeth's wedding luncheon.

Salad

6-8 boneless chicken breasts
bottle of Kikkoman roasted garlic marinade
2 pkgs. spring mix salad
2 pkgs. romaine salad
1-2 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
1-2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup slivered almonds, roasted (or candied..yum)
1 can olives (we don't add these)
3-4 red apples, peeled &cut into bite sized pieces
Crasins, as many as you like

Dressing
1 cup sugar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup red onions, chopped

Marinate chicken breasts in bottle of Kikkoman for 8 hours or overnight. Also the night before, place dressing ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Place in glass bottle and put in fridge overnight. BBQ chicken, cool & cut into bite-size pieces. Assemble all salad ingredients in very large bowl. Add dressing and toss.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

One Hour wheat Bread

One Hour Wheat Bread
makes 2 (8x4 inch) loaves

3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup gluten flour, sifted
1 1/4 Tablespoon instant yeast (or quick rising, I like SAF instant yeast)
2 1/2 cup very warm water
1 Tablespoon salt
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
1 1/4 Tablespoon bottled lemon juice
2-2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Mix together first three ingredients in mixer with a dough hook. add water all at once and mix for 1 minute; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. add salt, oil, honey and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup. Beat for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl. This makes a very soft dough.

Preheat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off. Turn dough onto oiled counter top; divide, shape into loaves, place in oiled bread pans. Let rise in warm oven for 10-15 minutes, or until dough reaches top of pan. Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. remove from pans and cool on racks.