Baguettes

Honestly, I'm still working on perfecting this recipe.  The flavor and texture of the bread has been wonderful each time but it's taken me several tries to get that crispy outside.  However, I actually think I prefer it without the crunchy crust - sacrilege, I know, but it's so much easier for my toddler to eat!  I think the difference is brushing or spraying the loaf with water before cooking it, just so you know.  But no matter which way this comes out, it's always devoured in less than 24 hours.

Baguettes have always intimidated me but when my dad talked about making it at home, I had to try it, too (even though he's a much better and more experienced bread baker than I am - I grew up on some delicious homemade bread!).  I love that I can make this dough and let it sit in the fridge until I'm ready to bake it. (It actually requires an overnight rest so definitely read the directions before making this!) Actually, the dough can sit in the fridge for up to 7 days so I usually make it twice during a week so we have fresh bread for two dinners! It was amazing served with the chicken parmesan meatballs and I'm pretty sure it would be just as good on the side of a soup or a salad (like the roasted vegetable chopped chicken salad).

Overnight Baguettes
Taken from: King Arthur Flour
Makes 1-2 loaves (could easily be doubled)

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur brand)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons or 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

1. In a large mixing bowl (I used the bowl of my stand mixer), add water.  Add the dry ingredients to the water, and stir to combine. Mix until there are no dry spots; the texture of the dough should be fairly soft.
2. Knead the dough gently for a few minutes by hand (or knead for 1 or 2 minutes in a stand mixer). The dough will be very sticky . Cover the container (I used a clean kitchen towel), and let the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
3. Refrigerate overnight, or for up to 7 days.
4. To bake bread: Scoop out about half of the dough and place on a greased work surface (I use a silpat mat).  Shape the dough into a rough, slightly flattened oval.
5. Fold the dough in half lengthwise, and seal the edges with the heel of your hand. Flatten slightly, and fold lengthwise and seal again. With the seam side down, cup your fingers and gently roll the of dough into a 15" log.
6. Place the log seam-side down onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet (I use a silpat mat), or into the well of a baguette pan. Cover and allow the baguette to rise till it's very puffy, about 1 1/2 hours. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450°F.
7. Slash the baguette three or four times on the diagonal.
8. 13) Spritz the baguette heavily with warm water (I used a pastry brush to brush it with warm water), and bake until a very deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes (the internal temperature should be about 210 degrees). Remove baguette from the oven and cool on a rack.

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Grilled Garlic Flatbread

I know, I know, it's not really grilling season.   The cooler weather has hit most areas so I'm sure other people are wearing sweaters and starting to use their heat.  For the most part, we're still in shorts and have our A/C going.  This is our first year with a grill so I have a feeling we'll be able to use it all year long.

I love our homemade pita but since I can't leave well enough alone, I'm always on the lookout for new recipes to try.  This flatbread caught my eye and when I planned for a Mediterranean dinner one night, I decided to try this bread instead of my usual pita.  It might be even better than the pita! I loved it super soft (grilled for a little less time) and my husband preferred it on the crispier side (grilled a little longer).  I actually did the grilling myself (for the first time!) so you know it's easy.  My toddler ran around outside while I grilled the bread.  Come to think of it, maybe this weather isn't so bad after all!

Grilled Garlic Flatbread
Taken from: Annie's Eats
Makes 8 flatbreads

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1¼ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ¾ cup (6 oz.) water, at room temperature (plus more, if needed)
• 2 cups (8½ oz.) white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (5 7/8 oz.) bread flour or all purpose flour (I will probably do 1/2 cup bread flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour next time to try to add more whole wheat)
• 1 tbsp. nonfat dry milk (I omitted and substituted 1 extra Tbsp. olive oil instead
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• cornmeal, for dusting

1. To make the dough, combine the garlic, salt, sugar, yeast, olive oil, and water in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer.)  Stir with a fork to blend well.  Stir in the flour, semolina, dry milk and garlic powder. Knead (with the dough hook, if using a mixer), until a soft, supple dough forms.  If needed, add 1 Tbsp of water at a time if the dough does not come together (I had to add about 4 Tbsp water).
2. Form the dough into a ball, transfer to a lightly oiled medium bowl.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise until it starts to puff up, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.  Divide into 8 equal portions.  Roll each dough piece out into 7- to 8-inch rounds.  Cover 4 large squares of aluminum foil with cornmeal then lay out 2 shaped rounds on each square.    Let stand at least 30 minutes to puff up slightly.
4. Meanwhile, heat a grill to medium-high. When the dough is ready, place one square of foil (with 2 rounds) on the grill - if you can get 2 squares in a single layer, you can do that.  Let grill until golden brown and bubbled on both sides, flipping once during cooking (I did 3 minutes on the first side and then 1-3 minutes on the second side -- 1 min for softer bread and 3 min for crispier flatbread).  Repeat with the remaining dough rounds.  Slice the finished flatbreads into small wedges and serve as desired with dips, etc.

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Pretzel Rolls

I first made these pretzel rolls for Christmas Eve to go along with our seafood chowder and a salad. I had been wanting to try pretzel rolls for a while but was intimidated because I assumed they were complicated (which is funny because I've made pretzel bites before so I don't know why it seemed so different!).

And while it does require working with yeast, they really aren't that complicated.  These pretzel rolls morphed from being pretzel bread bowls for the chowder to rolls eaten alone to hamburger buns.  They are definitely deliciously versatile!  And they freeze pretty well, too.  I froze a portion of these rolls and on a super warm January day, we decided to grill burgers.  And we had these delicious pretzel rolls to make into hamburger buns!

To me, the only thing that distinguishes bread bowls from rolls or buns is the size.  If you want bread bowls, I'd suggest making them big.  For rolls or buns, I'd make them smaller.  I made about half of the batch large and the other half small so they could work for anything!

Pretzel Rolls
Taken from: A Beautiful Mess
Makes 8 large rolls or 12 smaller rolls (I did about 4 large and 6 smaller -- I'd probably do them all small next time until you are making bread bowls)

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 1/4  teaspoons active dry yeast
• 6 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 8-10 cups water
• 1/3 cup baking soda
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1-2 tablespoons coarse grain sea salt

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the 3 tablespoons butter, 2 cups hot water and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Stir to combine and also to melt the butter. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the water and allow to proof (foam/bubble up) for 5-6 minutes. 
2. With the dough hook attachment (you can also do this by hand instead of in a mixer) stir in three cups flour and two teaspoons salt. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining three cups flour. Mix until a dough ball forms. Continue kneading until dough becomes somewhat elastic like (about 4-5 minutes). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. 
3. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow to rise for one hour. If your house is a little on the chilly side (as mine is this time of year) let the dough rise in a warmed oven. Just turn the oven on low for a couple of minutes (while you prepare the dough). Then, turn it off, but keep the door closed, trapping the heat. Before you place the dough in the oven, be sure it's not too warm, you don't want to bake the dough.
4. After an hour, punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8-12 pieces and roll into small balls. Place on a greased baking sheet, cover and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
5. In a large pot heat 8-10 cups of water until just boiling. Carefully stir in 1/3 cup baking soda. Keep at a low boil and place each dough ball into the water. Cook for 45 seconds, flipping after about 20 seconds. Remove and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Once you've boiled each ball cut a small X on the top of each dough ball with a sharp knife. Brush with the two tablespoons melted butter and top with coarse grain sea salt.
6. Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes, until very brown on the outside.  
7. (If you are making bread bowls, they recommend using a sharp knife to cut an inverted pyramid out of the center of the bread. Scoop out even more of the bread if you want a little extra space for soup. 

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Cranberry Nut Bread

This is about the time of year that I start hoarding cranberries.  They only seem to be in grocery stores for November and December and then they vanish until the next year.  This makes me slightly panicky so I start buying and freezing them to use throughout the year.

This cranberry nut bread is one of my favorite ways to use them.  It's my great aunt's recipe, which makes me love it all the more.  I make this every year in November or December (it often graces our table at Thanksgiving) and we enjoy it for breakfast, snacks or dessert. I think it goes especially well with a cup of coffee or tea!

I've made a few changes to the recipe.  I've substituted some white whole wheat flour and also added in flaxseed meal.  I've reduced the sugar and added a sprinkle of raw sugar on top of the bread.  Regardless of the slight changes, it's a recipe I love and definitely one that I want my family to continue to make.

Cranberry Nut Bread
Taken from: My Great Aunt Eleanor
Makes 1 loaf

• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 2 c. flour (I use 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup white whole wheat)
• 2 Tbsp. flaxseed meal (optional)
• juice and zest of 1 orange
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts)
• 1 cup chopped cranberries
• 1 Tbsp. raw sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325. Grease a bread pan with cooking spray. 
2. Sift together salt, baking power, baking soda, sugar and flour.  Stir in flaxseed meal.
3. In a separate bowl, combine orange juice and zest, butter and 1/2 cup boiling water.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients (sometimes I need to add a bit more boiling water to mix all together).
5. Add chopped nuts and cranberries to the mixture.  Pour into greased bread pan and top with raw sugar, if desired.
6. Bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

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Light Buttermilk Biscuits

So after a few more...unique posts (but delicious, I promise!), how about some biscuits? Nice, normal biscuits.

I love biscuits (and homemade bread in general). And I also happen to love that these use less butter than a typical biscuit recipe (5 tablespoons instead of the usual 8) but still turned out flaky and soft.  They are sweeter, thanks to the addition of honey -- I might cut back on the honey a bit next time to see how they turn out.  Mine didn't rise quite as high as the original recipe touted (perhaps because of all my tweaks and substitutions) but that didn't matter - they were still delicious.

We loved these as a side at dinner, an afternoon snack, and topped with an egg for breakfast.  I might try freezing some next time but this batch certainly didn't last long in our house.

Buttermilk Biscuits
Taken from: Tracey's Culinary Adventures
Makes 12-14 biscuits

• 9 oz (about 2 cups) all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup white whole wheat)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 
• 3/4 cup cold buttermilk (I used leftover whey; you can also do a buttermilk substitute)
• 3 tablespoons honey (I will reduce to 2 tablespoons next time)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter cubes, and use a pastry cutter (or your fingertips, if you'd rather) to cut in the butter until the pieces are no bigger than peas - the mixture should resemble coarse meal. Stick the bowl in your refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the buttermilk and honey in a measuring cup. Add to the bowl with the butter/flour mixture and stir gently just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently about 3-4 times to bring it together. The dough may still be a little crumbly, that's fine. Roll the dough into a 9x5-inch rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter (using the long sides of the rectangle). Once again, roll the dough into a 9x5-inch rectangle about 1/2-inch thick, and again fold it into thirds like a letter. Roll the dough out to 3/4-inch thickness (the shape doesn't really matter). Using a 1 3/4-inch round cutter (I used a small drinking glass that was probably closer to 2 1/2 inches), cut biscuits from the dough -- don't twist the cutter, use a straight up and straight down motion.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between them. (I gathered the scraps and cut more biscuits once or twice to get as many as possible.)
5. Bake for about 11-12 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top. Remove the baking sheet and transfer the biscuits to a wire rack. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve warm. Or, if you won't be serving immediately, pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds when you are ready.

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Cinnamon-Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

  

I've been eyeing this cinnamon-sugar pull apart bread recipe for a long time but kept holding out for a special occasion. When my husband finished up a long rotation, it was not only a reason to make homemade cheese-its but also a great excuse to finally make this pull-apart bread.  It also sounded like an ideal recipe because he just so happens to love the cinnamon-sugar combination (but who doesn't?).

Part of the reason I was saving this recipe for a special occasion was because it's definitely a treat breakfast (sugar + butter + flour). Additionally, there are several steps involved in making the bread.  None are hard, but, typical of any yeast bread recipe, two separate rises are needed.  However, I loved that I could prep part of the recipe the day before, refrigerate the dough overnight, and then finish the recipe the next morning.

This bread was everything I had expected. It was incredibly soft and delicious and I think it tasted like the inside of a cinnamon roll.  The top of the bread does get a little crunchy and I loved the texture contrast.  Also, it's just fun to eat with your fingers, too.  We ate this for breakfast for 3 mornings straight (warmed slightly in the microwave). 

We've already decided this cinnamon-sugar pull-apart bread will be our new Christmas morning breakfast tradition!


Cinnamon-Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
Taken from: Joy the Baker (she also has some pictures of how to make the recipe so feel free to click on the link)

• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup warm water (should be between 100-110 degrees F)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. To activate yeast, whisk yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl, then add the warm water. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is foamy and frothy.  
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt.  Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted.  Remove from the heat and add vanilla extract.  Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.
4. Pour the milk mixture and activated yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.  Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter.  The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together.  Keep stirring.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes.  The mixture will be sticky.  Add remaining 1/4 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, only if needed.  
5. Place the dough is a large greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  *The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning.  If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 15-30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.
6. While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling.  Set aside.  Melt 4 tablespoons of butter.  Set aside.  Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.  Set that aside too.
7. Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.  On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out.  The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long.  If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay.  Just roll it as large as the dough will go.  Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough.  Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  It might seem like a lot of sugar but it's amazing that way.
8. Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips.  Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again.  You’ll have six stacks of six squares.  Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book.  Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
9. While dough is rising, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.  The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw.  A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.
10. Remove from the oven.  The instructions say to rest for 20-30 minutes but let's be honest, I didn't do that. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board.  Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the  upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up.  Serve warm with coffee or tea.
11. I think this bread is best served the day it’s made, but it can also be wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2-3 days (we just reheated parts on low heat in the microwave and enjoyed this for breakfast for 3 days).

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Hamburger Buns

 So I'm a little too late for the whole summer barbeque party.  Actually, I only found this recipe a few days ago and was wishing that I had discovered it back in May, not September! Many of the other hamburger recipes I have found seemed very complicated and a lot of work.  So I was surprised when this King Arthur Flour recipe was a straight-forward list of ingredients and instructions AND it got excellent reviews!

These ended up making huge, lovely hamburger buns.  It made a very soft crumb and they rose beautifully.  Of course, the taste is so much better than store-bought so I'm glad to have finally found a go-to hamburger bun recipe!

However, these buns shouldn't be exclusive to hamburgers (just like I think hamburgers shouldn't be exclusive to summer).  We just used them with some black bean burgers last weekend which worked very well.  I also think these will be an excellent vehicle for pulled pork sandwiches and loads of other non-traditional burgers like barbeque cheddar chickpea burgers, lentil & walnut burgers (if you choose not to use a pita) or buffalo chicken burgers.  You can make some seriously tasty croutons out of any leftover buns, too.

If you do make 8 buns out of this, I found that that these were really big -- next time, I'll make 12 buns from this recipe.

Hamburger Buns
Taken from: King Arthur Flour (they also have a step-by-step tutorial here)
Makes 8-12 buns (or 24 slider buns)

• 3/4 to 1 cup lukewarm water*
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large egg
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup white whole wheat, 1 cup bread flour, and the rest all-purpose)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 3 tablespoons melted butter, for topping (I omitted this)
• Optional: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc for topping (I omitted this; if using, KA recommends brushing with an egg white wash instead of melted butter to help the seeds adhere.  It also says to feel free to add the extra yolk to the dough, reserving the egg white for the wash.) 

*For best results (a smooth, slightly soft dough), use the smaller amount of water in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate); and something in between the rest of the time.

1. If using rapid rise yeast, combine the yeast, sugar, and water in a large bowl and let sit for 5 minutes until frothy (if you are using instant yeast, you can skip this step).
2. Optional: I heat my oven to 170 at this point and as soon as it preheats, I turn it off.  For me, at least, this creates a warm environment for the dough to rise without being too hot and killing the yeast.
3. Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough (approximately 7 minutes on medium-low in a stand mixer or about 10 minutes by hand).
4. Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's nearly doubled in bulk.
5. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball. Place the buns on two lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets (6 per sheet), cover, and let rise for about an hour, until noticeably puffy.
6. Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter (if topping buns with seeds, brush buns with 1 egg white beaten with 1/4 cup of water instead of the butter to help the seeds adhere)
7. Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 12 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter. This will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust.
8. Cool the buns on a rack.

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Sandwich Bread

I love bread.  But it has to be really good bread.  Growing up with my dad making homemade bread, I have been pretty spoiled from the get-go.  I'm still trying to perfect the art myself with some success (and some failures) along the way.  When I found the recipe for sandwich bread written by the editors of Cook's Illustrated, I had to try it.  And, not surprisingly, it did not disappoint.

The loaf rose beautifully and made a super soft, delicious sandwich bread.  It also makes one HUGE loaf.  There's no hard crust (which I kind of missed) but it was incredibly light and fluffy on the inside.  About half the flour I used was white whole wheat flour and I couldn't taste it at all.  I'm excited to play around a little with other flour options for future loaves (spelt, whole wheat, etc) and see if I can continue to decrease the all-purpose flour used.  One secret that my dad taught me is to use vital wheat gluten (I use the Hodgson Mill brand) to breads where you substitute non-all-purpose flours (especially low-protein flours like whole wheat).  This helps to keep the bread light and airy as well as give it a nice rise -- and it certainly worked this time!  (If you're interested, here's a short article from The Kitchn on vital wheat gluten.)

I immediately had 1 (or 2) slices of this sandwich bread (isn't warm, fresh-baked bread the best?) and then it made great French toast the next morning.  And, when I'm not scarfing it down as a snack, this will definitely be used for sandwiches - I'm thinking of making croque monsieurs with it!


American Sandwich Bread
Taken from: Smells Like Home
Makes 1 loaf

• 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface (I used 2 cups of white whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose)
• Optional: if using wheat or other flours, it is recommended to add 4 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten
• 2 tsp table salt
• 1 cup milk, warm (about 110 degrees F)
• 1/3 cup water, warm (about 110 degrees F)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 package or 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

1. Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Once oven temperature reaches 200 degrees, maintain heat 10 minutes, then turn off oven heat.  I use the proof setting on my oven which maintains the heat at 85 degrees F so if your kitchen is warm enough, there is no need to use the oven for proofing – just keep the bowl in a draft-free area of the kitchen.
2. Mix 3 1/2 cups of the flour, salt and vital wheat gluten (if using) in a bowl of standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix milk, water, butter, honey, and yeast in 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Turn mixer to low and slowly add liquid. When dough comes together, remove the paddle attachment and switch to the dough hook – the dough will be very sticky at this point.  Increase speed to medium (setting number 4 on a KitchenAid mixer) and mix until dough is smooth and satiny, stopping machine two or three times to scrape dough from hook if necessary, about 10 minutes.  If, after 5 minutes the dough still sticks to the side of the bowl, add another 1/4 cup of flour to the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl.  Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface; knead to form a  smooth, round ball, about 15 seconds.
3. Place dough in very lightly oiled bowl, rubbing dough around bowl to lightly coat. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap; place in warm oven until dough doubles in size, 40 to 50 minutes.
4. Form dough into loaf by gently pressing the dough into a rectangle, 1-inch thick and no wider than 9 inches long, with the long side closest to you.  Next, starting with the long side, roll the dough firmly into a cylinder, pinching the seam with your fingers to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Turn dough seam side up and pinch it closed. Place dough in greased 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan and press gently so dough touches all four sides of pan.  Cover the pan with plastic wrap; set aside in warm spot (not in the oven) until dough almost doubles in size, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees F and adjust the racks to the center and bottom positions.  Place an empty baking pan on the bottom rack.  Bring 2 cups water to boil.
6. Remove plastic wrap from loaf pan. Place pan in oven and immediately pour heated water into empty baking pan; close oven door. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted at angle from short end just above pan rim into center of loaf reads 195 degrees F, about 30 to 50 minutes. Remove bread from pan, transfer to a wire rack, and cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.

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Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

It had been a while since I had made bread.  Actually, it has been a really long while since I had made sandwich bread (over a year, probably). That's probably because I haven't had too much success in the past with making sandwich bread.  The taste is always good but the dough doesn't seem to rise completely.  But when I saw that this recipe was an all-wheat flour bread that was supposed to have a soft crumb and didn't need a second rise (read: less time waiting), I was sold.

I threw this together after work (and before making us late we met up with a friend for dinner) and tried to carefully follow the directions about the texture of the bread.  I added flour slowly and while I think I needed all the flour listed below (the amount of flour will vary because of a variety of factors so the same might not be true for you!), the dough still had a slightly sticky texture to it (I had to flour my hands and the dough in order to move it from the bowl to the bread pans).  While I plan to keep experimenting to see what dough texture is best, this bread produced as promised - two large bread loaves that rose well and had a wonderfully soft crumb. My toast this morning and my peanut butter and honey sandwich this afternoon were a testament to it!

Bread freezes well, so I plan to freeze 1 - 1 1/2 loaves, depending on how quickly it gets consumed (my dad taught me to double bag bread in 2 freezer bags to prevent any freezer burn).

Oh, the vitamin C threw me for a bit of a loop as I 've never seen it in a bread recipe.  However, the acidic properties in the vitamin c are supposed to help the gluten develop which was a good enough explanation for me! We keep ascorbic acid in the house for when we're coming down with something so it was easy to add 500 mg of it.

PS - I've now added printable recipe pages! If you go to the end of the post, you can click on the link for a printable recipe. This is new to me, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know!

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Taken from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Makes 2-3 loaves

*The amount of flour needed in this recipe will be different (based on humidity, altitude, etc) so it is best to judge on the texture and look and feel of the dough rather than how much flour I’ve added. I did not use this resource, but Mel's tutorial on yeast may help you identify how a perfectly floured dough should be.

• 6-8+ cups wheat flour (I ran out of wheat flour so added in about a cup of white whole wheat flour and a cup of all-purpose)
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast (I used a little over a tablespoon over dry active yeast)
• 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
• 500 mg ground or crushed vitamin c or ascorbic acid (you could crush a vitamin c pill or we keep ground vitamin c around when colds strike) , crushed
• 3 1/4 cups very warm water (typically around 100-110 degrees is best)
• 1/3 cup oil (I used olive oil)
• 1/3 cup honey or sugar
• 2 teaspoons table salt

1. In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix together 2 1/2 cups of wheat flour, yeast, vital wheat gluten and vitamin c. Add the warm water and mix well. Add the oil and honey (or sugar) and mix again. Cover the bowl and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
2. Add the salt and start the mixer (or mix by hand), adding the remaining flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl to form a soft dough. You may not need to add all of the flour (although I needed almost all of it).  Judge the dough by feel not by the amount of flour you’ve used. It might be slightly sticky but should hold it’s shape. Let the dough knead for 7 minutes in the stand mixer (or 15 minutes by hand).
3. Grease bread pans. (I have large 10" loaf pans so I made 2 loaves; you could try 3 loaves if you have smaller 8" loaf pans. I'd probably recommend going with 2 loaves if you have 9" pans). Form dough into loaves and place into greased bread pans. Let rise until the bread is 2 inches above the top of the bread pan (we went out for an about 90 minutes and it was risen when I came back).
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes (Following Mel's recommendation, I let the bread rise 1 inch above the top of the pans and then put the bread in a cold oven and turn the oven on to 350 degrees and bake the bread for 32-35 minutes).
5. I let mine sit for a few minutes in the pan and then emptied onto a cooling rack.
6. Devour as soon as you want.  Cool completely before freezing.

Click here for printable recipe page

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Savory Scones

My husband introduced me to scones about four years ago.  We were in a coffee shop and he recommended a mixed berry scone.  How had I made it 20-some years without trying one before?  Of course, the natural progression (for me) is to go from buying scones to making scones.  And these blueberry scones are a.ma.zing.  Needless to say, we don't need to buy coffee shop scones anymore.

My cousin Dan recently sent a New York Times article with this recipe for savory scones which I had never heard of but of course, it sounded right up my alley.  I finally got around to making these scones and they were so good! Light and flaky with great flavor and heartiness from the spelt and whole wheat flour.  The caraway seeds and caramelized onions added a lot of flavor, too.  I altered the prep work by using the Cook's Illustrated method of folding the dough several times which adds tons of flaky layers to the scones. We served them with Canadian bacon, scrambled eggs and grapefruit. My husband made his into a scone, bacon and egg sandwich while I preferred the scone separately.

Also, these savory scones shouldn't be limited to just breakfast or brunch.  I later used them as a wonderful addition to a dinner of soup and salad.  Although the original recipe doesn't mention this, unbaked scones typically freeze very well. I have had several of these scones sitting in my freezer and they go straight from the freezer into the oven - no thawing required (just increase the cooking time by a few minutes).  I think that scones are by far the best when they're fresh baked so I'd recommend only baking what you're going to eat right away.

Thanks, Dan!

Savory Scones with Caraway and Caramelized Onions
From: New York Times
Makes 8 scones

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 large red onion, peeled, halved through the root and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Fine sea salt
• 130 grams (about 1 cup) rye flour (I used 3/4 cup of spelt flour and 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour)
• 130 grams (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour (I used 3/4 cup of all-purposed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup sour cream plus more for brushing (I used plain Greek yogurt)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/3 cup dried currants or chopped raisins (I omitted)
• Demerara (raw) or granulated sugar, for sprinkling
• Flaky sea salt, like fleur de sel or Maldon, for sprinkling (optional).

1. Put the stick of butter in the freezer until solid, at least 45 minutes.
2. In a large, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the caraway seeds until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the onions to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until they begin to turn dark brown and somewhat soft, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and a pinch of the fine sea salt; continue cooking until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 5 minutes longer. Cool completely.
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of the fine salt and the caraway seeds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg and honey.
5. Remove the butter from the freezer. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate about 1/4 of the butter. Gently toss it into the flour mixture. Repeat with the remaining butter, adding about 1/4 at a time.
6. Stir the wet mixture into the flour-butter mixture. Stir in the onions and currants or raisins. Stir dough until it just comes together (I had to add about 2-4 tablespoons of milk to help the mixture come together).
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into about a 12-inch square.  Fold dough into thirds like a business letter, using bench scraper or metal spatula to release dough if it sticks to countertop. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form approximate 4-inch square. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer 5 minutes.
8. Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll into approximate 12-inch square again. Fold dough again into thirds like a business letter, into 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. 
   (At this point, you can cook the scones immediately or wrap them in foil, place them in a freezer bag and then put them in the freezer for another day.)
9. Transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet, allowing 1 inch between each scone. Brush the tops of the scones with a little sour cream (optional, I omitted) and sprinkle with sugar and flaky sea salt.
10. Bake scones until the undersides are golden brown but the tops are still a bit soft, 15 to 17 minutes (see below if cooking from frozen). Cool 5-10 minutes before serving. They are best served warm. 
11. For frozen scones, place frozen scones on prepared baking sheet, brush with sour cream if desired and sprinkle with sugar and sea salt (if desire).  Baked for about 17-25 minutes.

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Sullivan St Bakery Bread

My dad actually introduced me to this recipe.  My dad has always been fantastic at baking bread, and growing up, we always had his homemade bread in the house (I still haven't been able to perfectly recreate his sandwich bread recipe).

A few months ago, when we went to my parents' place (it still feels a little weird not to call that "home"), my dad served this light, airy bread with a great crust.  And he called the "Sullivan St Bakery bread."  Well, clearly, he is more in the know about food trends than I am because I had no idea what he was talking about.  Apparently, the owner of Sullivan St Bakery made this bread that pretty much all you need is flour, water, a little salt and a dash of yeast.  It's a super simple no-knead bread although it does require a little planning ahead -- the first rise is 12 hours and the second is 2.  So when I finally got around to making it, I couldn't believe how easy it was.  I prepped the dough overnight and the next morning before church, shaped the dough and left it for the second rise.  My second rise accidentally turned out to be 5 hours but regardless, we still ended up with a crispy on the outside and chewy and airy on the inside.  I'll be making this again sometime soon!

Sullivan St Bread
Taken from: Leah Naomi, originally from Sullivan Street Bakery
Makes 1 loaf

• 3 cups (430g) flour
• 1½ cups (345g or 12oz) water
• ¼ teaspoon (1g) yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt (I used 1 1/2 tsp)
• olive oil (for coating)
• extra flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal (for dusting)
•  Special equipment: 6 to 8 quart pot with lid (Pyrex glass, dutch oven, Le Creuset cast iron, or ceramic), both pot and lid must be ovensafe for up to 500 degrees (I used a dutch oven)

1. 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).
2. 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.
3. 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.

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Cheesy Garlic Rolls

Last month we went to New York City to watch a game at Madison Square Garden and experience NYC during the Christmas season (which is really, really busy).  I, of course, had to look up good places to eat...specifically, good pizza places. We found one not far from Madison Square Garden, and, after the game, we headed there with some friends for lunch.  Even thought it was close to 3 pm, the place was packed and took at least 30 minutes to get a table.  Usually I'm not big into appetizers but we were so hungry that we jumped at the chance to order some garlic mozzarella rolls.  And they were amazing. The pizza was really good, too, but those rolls were by far the best thing we ate that weekend.  When we came home, I knew I was going to have to try to make some kind of version at home.

These garlic mozzarella rolls are my attempt to recreate those delicious rolls. Basically, they are rolled like a cinnamon roll but have a cheesy, garlicky, buttery inside. And I love the dough! It came out beautifully light and airy.  I'm also excited to try to make mini versions of these for appetizers. We've been reheating these rolls all week as an appetizer or snack and inhaling enjoying them each and every time.  I highly recommend them, especially dipped in marinara sauce!

Cheesy Garlic Rolls
Taken from: The Farm Girl Recipes
Makes 12-16 rolls

• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4  - 5 1/2 cups flour (I used 4 cups: 2 c. all-purpose and 2 c. white whole wheat)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup (1/2 a stick) butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram (I omitted)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (I use part-skim)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

1. Combine yeast, water, and sugar in large mixing bowl and allow to stand until bubbly. Add salt, vegetable oil, and egg yolk and combine. Add 3 c. flour and mix well until combined. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that barely sticks to your finger or sides of your mixing bowl. Knead, either by hand or in mixer for another 2-3 minutes. Cover and allow to rise at least 1 hour in a warm place. (For a warm place, I preheat my oven to 170 degrees while mixing the ingredients together; once the oven preheats, I turn it off. I set the bowl in the warm oven and let it rise.)
2. While dough is rising, combine butter, salt, garlic powder and dried spices. Set aside.
3. Roll your dough into a rectangle that's about 18-20 inches by 6 inches. (A hint from the original recipe was to spray the counter or silpat mat with non-stick cooking spray instead of flour because it keeps the dough very supple and soft without adding additional flour.)  Smear garlic butter over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle surface with minced garlic and then cheese.
4. Starting at the short side, roll dough up jelly roll style (like you do for cinnamon rolls).  Cut each slice into equal size pieces using a sharp knife (you could also use thread or dental floss).  Place each slice in a greased muffin tin or a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. (I used the baking dish because I got 15 rolls out of the dough.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and let muffins rise for 20-30 minutes while your oven is preheating.  
5. Bake for 18-22 minutes.  If your rolls are getting too brown on top you can cover them with a sheet of tin foil during the last few minutes of baking so the cheese doesn't burn.  Remove and eat while warm.  (To reheat, preheat the oven to 350.  Place the rolls on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil and heat for 5-7 minutes until warm to the touch.)

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Homemade Pitas

At last, at last - a pita recipe that finally puffs! My dad has been making homemade pita for a while and so I decided to try baking with him one day.  While his batches came out beautifully shaped and puffed, mine always were these ugly, pathetic looking shapes.  Ever since my attempts with my dad, I've tried several times to find a recipe that worked.  I even attempted more complicated ones that included steps like spritzing the dough with water right before the pitas went in the oven.  And while the flavor was always good, none of the pitas actually puffed for me.

However, when I got my tortilla press and had so much success with homemade tortillas, I decided to try pitas once more.  And finally...delicious, delicious success that rivaled my dad's pitas!  Thanks to the tortilla press, the pitas were perfectly round and they puffed beautifully. (My guess is that the press helped me handle the dough less which led to puffier pitas but who knows?)  And I just loved that the recipe was just a standard yeast-based recipe (the dough rises once for 60-90 minutes and then the pita dough balls rest for 10 minutes before shaping and baking) -- no more water spritzing for me!


Whole Wheat Pitas
Taken from: King Arthur Flour
Makes 8 pitas (would be easy to double this recipe and freeze any extras)

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose or bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (100-110 degrees)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• plain or herb/spice infused olive oil, to brush on finished pitas (optional; I omitted)

1. Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water in the bowl of your stand mixer and stir with a wooden spoon.  Wait 5 minutes for yeast to proof.
2. Combine the rest of the pita ingredients (except the oil for brushing) in the bowl.  Mix and knead for 6-10 minutes (I used my stand mixer although you could need by hand) to make a soft, smooth dough. Add more water, if necessary.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or large measuring cup, cover with a clean towel, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it's just about doubled in bulk. Towards the end of the rising time, start to preheat your oven to 450°F, with a pizza stone (if you have one) on the bottom shelf. 
4. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, cover them, and let them rest for 10 minutes. (My second time making them, I didn't have time to cook them right away so I popped them in the refrigerator for several hours before starting with step 4).
5. Working with two pieces of dough at a time, roll each into a 6" circle (or use a tortilla press). If you roll the dough about 7" wide, it'll shrink back to about 6". 
6. Carefully flop the dough onto the hot pizza stone. If you're not using a pizza stone, put it on an ungreased baking sheet, and put the baking sheet on your oven's bottom rack. 
7. Bake for 4 minutes. The pitas should rise enthusiastically. If they're on a stone, they'll probably puff up like balloons; if they're on a baking sheet, they'll still expand; just not as vigorously. 
8. Turn the pitas over, and bake for an additional 60 seconds. 
9. Remove them from the oven, and brush with your favorite olive oil, if desired (I omitted the oil). Wrap lightly in a cotton towel, to keep them soft. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. 

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Parker House Rolls

After seeing this recipe in the November Everyday Food, I somehow couldn't resist trying it right away. Parker house rolls seem like they make their way to many a Thanksgiving table but quite honestly, I don't think they ever made it to ours (or it could also be that I was too focused on the stuffing).

So instead of Thanksgiving, I decided to whip up half a batch on a Monday night.  I was concerned when the first rise didn't seem to double but apparently, I had nothing to worry about.  These were so light and fluffy.  We each immediately ate 2 fresh from the oven -- I just couldn't stop at one.  They were definitely the best fresh or warmed.  My husband also enjoyed them as mini brisket sandwiches for dinner the next night, too.  They seem like they would make excellent buns for any kind of sliders as well.  And I thought they were delicious with just butter and/or honey.

The one thing that might a be little difficult is that the recipe only provides instructions for a stand mixer.  However, I would think the rolls would still do well if you mixed the ingredients and then kneaded by hand until smooth (I almost always use a stand mixer because I'm lazy but my guess is that kneading by hand would take 10+ minutes).

Everyday Food also gives instructions on how to do some of the steps ahead of time, how to freeze the unbaked rolls and how to warm already baked rolls, making your Thanksgiving (or Monday night) a little easier!

Parker House Rolls
Taken from: Everyday Food, Nov 2011
Makes 24 rolls (I halved this recipe and baked in a 8x8 dish)

•  4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 white whole wheat and 1/2 all purpose)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1 1/2 cups milk, room temperature (Everyday Food suggests whole milk but I used skim with a dash of cream)
• Optional: 4 tablespoons of melted butter (I omitted)

1. Can be done the day before: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all ingredients except the melted butter.  With dough hook, mix on low until mixture just comes together. Increase to medium-high; beat until butter is incorporated and dough is soft, about 6-10 minutes.
2. Lightly coat a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray or oil.  Form dough into a ball, place in bowl, and cover with a damp clean dish towel.  Set aside in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour (or refrigerate overnight; bring to room temperature before baking). 
3. Lightly coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Turn dough onto a work surface and loosely cover with a damp towel so it doesn't dry out.  With a sharp knife or bench scraper, divide dough into 24 pieces, roll into smooth balls (about 2 inches each), and arrange in pan, 1/2 inch apart.  (Dough can be frozen at this point for up to 3 months).
4. To freeze: Place dough balls in a parchment-lined baking pan;  cover with plastic, store in freezer bag and freeze.  To bake, let rise in the baking plan in a warm place, covered with a damp towel, until rolls just touch, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, then follow step 6.
5. Cover with towel and let rise until rolls begin to touch, about 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350.  Brush rolls with 2 tablespoons of melted butter (optional); bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
7. Right before serving, brush with 2 more tablespoons of melted butter, sprinkle with salt (I omitted both the butter and the extra salt) and serve warm.
8. Store cooled rolls, wrapped in plastic, up to 2 days. 
9. To reheat: Reheat in a 350 oven for 10 minutes.  Then add the 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle of salt, if desired.

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Homemade Flour Tortillas

I'm not one for many fancy kitchen gadgets cluttering my kitchen.  I do love my stand mixer and rice cooker but I'll pass on the quesadilla makers and crepe pans.  In fact, my husband forced me to buy real muffins pans because I was just washing and reusing an aluminum one that was about $3 at the grocery store. But the one kitchen gadget that I requested for my birthday was a tortilla press.

This might seem like it's a slightly off-the-wall, unnecessary request but last year, I made homemade tortillas. And I found out I am awful AND painfully slow at rolling out tortillas.  The dough is easy to make but it takes me f.o.r.e.v.e.r to roll out and produce somewhat thin, awkward, amoeba-shaped tortillas. (Homemade pita turned out exactly the same way, too.)

So just when I had declared my tortilla experiment a flop, we tasted them.  And, not surprisingly, they have so much more flavor than the store-bought kind.  No comparison.  And all it took was four (pronounceable) ingredients.

So a year later, I was still thinking about those homemade tortillas and requested the tortilla press to make my life easier. My generous parents got me this little cast-iron tortilla press and I tested it out this week.  The ingredients are probably in your kitchen -- flour, oil, water, salt -- and the dough is a snap to mix together.  There's two 20-minute rest periods for the dough but it was easy to walk away and do other things.  And with a tortilla press? So much easier and faster to roll out the dough with much better looking results (a worthy $20 investment, if you ask me)!  And considering how much we like Mexican, I can say this tortilla press will be put to good use in this house.

No one sponsored this post.  I'm just that bad at rolling out dough to require a tortilla press.

Homemade Flour Tortillas
Taken from: Handle the Heat
Makes 10-12 taco-sized tortillas and 5-6 burrito-sized (I will probably double this recipe next time because they're so easy to store in the freezer)

• 2 cups of flour (I recommend using white whole wheat or spelt flour; I used one cup of each)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp. canola oil
• 2/3 cup warm water (use 1/2 cup warm water if using spelt flour)

1. Combine the flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl or food processor and mix together. Add the oil and mix into the flour thoroughly. Mix in the warm water (with the machine running, if using food processor). You'll want a dough that's soft. Once the dough is mixed, let sit, covered, for 20 minutes. 
2. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead it a couple of times, and pat into an even disk. Cut the dough into 10-12 pieces, and roll each piece into a ball. Cover the balls with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let them rest for 20 minutes. If you have a tortilla press, use it to flatten each ball. If you're rolling the tortillas by hand, take one of the balls and flatten into a small disk. Using a floured rolling pin on a lightly floured work surface, roll the tortillas into a very thin, flat round about 6-8 inches in diameter. 
3. Heat a heavy, ungreased griddle over medium-high heat. Toss a tortilla onto the griddle and let it heat on one side for about 1 minute, until it begins to brown in spots, then use tongs to lift and flip the tortilla to bake it on other side, about 1 minute. While the first tortilla is baking, roll the second one out. Transfer the baked tortilla to a plate and toss the next tortilla onto griddle. Repeat until all tortillas are rolled and baked. 
4. You may stack the tortillas and cover them with a towel to keep them soft and warm until you're ready to use. You may also refrigerate tortillas for up to 1 week or freeze tortillas in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

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Irish (No-Rise) Brown Bread

There's pretty much nothing better in the world than fresh baked bread.  Growing up, my dad made almost all of our bread and I remember my sisters and me devouring half a loaf before it even had time to cool! Taking after my dad, lately I've been making almost all of our bread at home (except I haven't been able to master the French baguette...yet!).  Each bread recipe does take quite a bit of time to make, albeit inactive time, so I love having a no-rise bread recipe up my sleeve that's hardly any time from start to oven.

I found this Irish brown bread recipe months ago and made it for St. Patrick's Day.  Since it was so good, I didn't want to confine it to just once a year.  So right before dinner last week, I whipped up the ingredients and threw the bread into the oven.  While we ate dinner, our bread baked and afterwards, we were able to have fresh bread and honey for dessert.

This recipe doesn't call for any yeast proofing, rising time OR kneading (really, it couldn't get much easier!).  Obviously, it doesn't have the same fluffy crumb as yeast breads but I really enjoyed how hearty it was.  It's best when you use denser flours, like whole wheat, spelt, oat flour, wheat germ, etc, which also just so happen to be better for you.

Irish Brown Bread
Taken from: Brown Eyed Baker
Makes 1 loaf

• 1 cup + 1½ teaspoons whole wheat flour (spelt flour could probably be used here)
• ½ cup + 1½ teaspoons wheat bran, oat bran or wheat germ, or a combination (I was out of oat bran so I ground rolled oats in a food processor to make oat flour)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 1¼ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon molasses (I don't have molasses so I used dark brown sugar but I bet honey would work as well!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and put it on the center oven rack.
2. Whisk together the whole wheat flour and oat bran/wheat germ/etc in a large bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the wheat flour mixture and whisk to combine.
4. Add the butter pieces and rub them into small pieces with the flour mixture using your fingers, until as small as possible.
5. Stir in the buttermilk and molasses until the dough is uniformly damp. Turn out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead gently, until the dough forms a smooth ball.
6. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice a cross deeply into the top of the bread, about 1-inch deep. Place the loaf on the hot baking sheet.
7. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaf is firm on top and when you tap the bottom, feels hollow.
8. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for before serving.

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Soft Yogurt Sandwich Rolls

Right before I started my new job, I realized I had only a few more chances to make bread during the weekday.  So on a whim, I decided to search for a roll recipe for dinner that night.  I stumbled on these rolls and they were full of ingredients we both like and already had on hand.   They looked like they would make delicious dinner rolls and sure enough, they did.  Wow, they were good.  We ate them plain, smeared with butter, or covered in raw honey for dessert.  We also toasted them in the morning and added almond butter on top for breakfast.

However, I realized that not only did they make great dinner and breakfast rolls, but they would be perfect for hamburgers.  They were light but still had enough substance to hold a burger.  I threw the last 6 rolls into the freezer and waited to use them with our buffalo chicken burgers.

As predicted, they were some of my favorite hamburger rolls yet!  Since I had made such small rolls (I made 18), they came together perfectly as rolls for sliders.  If you plan to make them for regular-sized hamburgers or sandwiches, I'd suggest making about 10-12.  If you want them as dinner rolls or sliders, go for 18-20.  Either way, you won't be disappointed!

Soft Yogurt Sandwich Rolls
Taken from: A Hint of Honey
Makes 10-20 rolls

• 3 1/2-4 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 1 cup warm water (110-112 F)
• 1 cup plain yogurt (low fat is fine, so is Greek)
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, the active dry yeast, the honey and the warm water. Stir well and let sit for 10 minutes, until slightly foamy. Stir in yogurt, oil, salt and 2 cups of the remaining flour. Gradually stir in more flour until you have a soft dough that sticks together pulls away from the sides of the bowl (This can all be done in a stand mixer with the dough-hook attached as well).
2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding additional flour if necessary to prevent sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. (I preheat my oven to 170 and then turn it off.  After a few minutes, I put the bowl in the warm oven.)
3. Turn risen dough out of bowl and onto a lightly floured surface. Gently deflate, pressing into a rectangle. Divide dough into 10-20 even pieces. Shape each piece into a round roll. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or coated with cooking spray. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for 25 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for about 20 minutes (depending on size), until rolls are golden on the top and the bottom. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or in the freezer.

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Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Oh my goodness.  This bread was absolutely delicious.  And made our home smell heavenly.  I stumbled across this recipe and realized it was a great dish to make because my sister was coming to visit.  Who doesn't like cinnamon swirl bread with a dab of homemade almond butter? (Or regular butter.  Or just plain.)  It was a pretty standard bread recipe in terms of difficulty - the only additional step is to spread a butter-cinnamon-sugar mixture on top and roll the dough like you would a cinnamon roll.  It's what gives it that perfect swirl inside.

Everything about the bread turned out well.  It was light with a great crumb, despite the fact that I used white whole wheat flour for half the amount of flour needed - I never would have guessed that the whole wheat flour is there. We each had to sneak a piece fresh from the oven and then had it every morning for breakfast (all three days that it lasted).


Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Taken from: Eat Live Run
Makes 1 loaf (but could easily be doubled)

• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 (1/4th oz) package yeast (equivalent to 2 1/4 tsp of yeast)
• 2 tsp + 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp + 3 Tbsp softened butter
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (I used 1 1/2 cups of white whole wheat flour instead)
• 2 cups all purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose instead)
• 1 Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• Optional: 1 egg + 2 Tbsp warm water (I omitted)

1. Combine the warm milk, water, yeast and 2 tsp sugar in a measuring cup and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy. The temperature of the milk/water should be about 100 degrees…about the same temperature as a warm bubble bath but not too hot.
2. While the yeast is resting, combine the flours, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tbsp softened butter, salt and 1 tbsp cinnamon in a large bowl. If you’re using a kitchen aid, use a paddle attachment and start to mix on slow. Then, drizzle in the yest mixture while the machine is running. Increase speed to high and mix for about 6-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If you’re working by hand, simply add the yest mixture to the dry ingredients and knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth.
3. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place dough ball in bowl. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 1.5 hours in a warm spot.
4. While the dough is rising, mix together the remaining 3 Tbsp butter with the extra 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl until smooth. After the dough has risen to double its size, roll out with a rolling pin on a floured surface to a long rectangle. Smear the butter mixture all over the top and roll up tightly.
5. Place dough in a greased loaf pan, cover with cloth and let rise for another hour in a warm spot.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using, whisk together the egg and warm water then brush all over loaf. Bake 30-40 minutes. Let cool and slice.

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Homemade Naan

Oh my goodness. I thought I did everything wrong with this naan recipe.  I almost gave up but decided to make just one naan to see if it was worth eating.  And it was.  In fact, we didn't want to stop eating it.  Even though my dough didn't rise (so I assumed it would be flat and dense), the naan ended up being light and having wonderful air bubbles in the bread.

The naan is easy to put together, although it needs to rise (well, my didn't rise so it really just rested) for 2 hours before cooking it.  It doesn't take long to cook -- about 30 seconds per side -- but in my cast iron skillet, I could only cook one at a time.  I wanted to eat it hot, so I enlisted the help of my husband to butter each naan after I finished cooking it. We had a bit of an assembly line and were able to enjoy it with some homemade baingan bharta (an Indian eggplant dish) and green peas for dinner.  Fresh off the stove with melted butter and minced garlic, it was delicious.  But it also made great leftovers the next day!

Homemade Naan
Taken from: Tasty Kitchen
Makes 8 loaves

• 2 cups all purpose flour or wheat flour (I used 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all purpose)
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cups warm milk
• ½ cup plain yogurt (I used nonfat)
• ½ tablespoon oil (I used canola)
• Additional herbs or seasonings for naan, optional (I used melted butter and minced garlic although the recipe suggests others such as butter naan, cumin naan or cilantro naan)

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together and make a well of flour. Mix milk and yogurt together and pour half of it into the well and slowly combine it together.
2. Continue adding liquid slowly and combining it all together slowly until a soft dough is made (you made not need all of the milk-yogurt mixture). The dough should be soft enough for you to be able to dig your finger into it without applying any pressure. If dough sticks to your hand too much, then use little bit of oil on your hands and then punch into the dough.  Cover with a damp cloth and let it sit in a warm place for at least 2 hours (mine didn't actually rise).
3. After a few hours, dust your working board, take out the dough and knead it for about 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 smaller balls.
4. Dust the board again and flatten each balls so it is thin and elongated.
5. Now sprinkle one side of the bread with your desired flavor (I used about 4 cloves of minced garlic).
6. Brush the other side with water.
7. Heat a thick-bottomed skillet or a wok or any heavy-bottomed pan with a lid (I used my cast iron skillet which was perfect). Once it is nicely hot, place the naan wet side down (it will stick) and cover it with a lid.
8. Let it cook for about 30 seconds or until you see bubbles on it. Now flip to the other side of the naan and continue to cook, uncovered, for 30 more seconds (if you have a direct flame on your burner, you could also hold the second side over the flame with tongs until you see some charred brown spots). Continue with all of the dough until you have 8 naans (I had to do mine one at a time).
9. Brush with melted butter and serve.

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