best bread

I could eat a sandwich for every meal for the rest of my life.  It seems as if I would never tire of them.  Oven roasted turkey breast, pepper jack cheese, tomato, lettuce/spinach, peppers, oil vinegar, salt and pepper, mmmmmm. A few of you chimed in over the weekend and said that you use a bread machine too so I thought I would post our favorite bread recipe.  It came to me via a former student (and friend) and I have been making it 2x/week.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

3 T molasses (I use honey- maple syrup works too)

1 C boiling water (for my machine I add 3 extra tablespoons to this, you'll have to experiment)

1.5 T butter

*Gently sprinkle the following ingredients over the top of the liquids (in the order listed)

1 1/4 C whole wheat bread flour

1 3/4 C white bread flour (you could try adjusting this ratio so that you have more whole wheat four and less white flour, but I haven't been very successful with that so far.)

3/4 C old fashioned oats

1.5 tsp salt

1 T sugar

1 T vital wheat gluten

2 T powdered milk

2 T ground flax seeds

*Make a shallow well in the center of the flour mixture and add:

2 t active dry yeast (for bread machines)

*I usually select the rapid whole wheat cycle. This makes a 1.5 lb loaf. We have found it to be very yummy! I would love to try your favorite bread recipes if you are so inclined to share them :)

By the way thank you for all the "handmade" encouragement yesterday.  I should like to exchange gifts with you next time!

friday night = pizza night

We have started a little tradition around here.  For the last few months most Friday nights are "pizza nights".  Homemade pizza nights.

It is easier than you might think. During the summer months we grill them on the barbecue- yummmm.  I use my bread maker to mix and knead the dough.  The cycle takes 1 hour and 20 minutes and makes two crusts. I just dump in the ingredients and wait for the beep that tells me it is done. I know that bread makers have kind of gone out of fashion these days.  They are plentiful at thrift and second hand stores for less than $10- but I love mine and use it a lot. Here is the recipe that I use for the crust:

1 cup + 2 TBS water

2 T olive oil

1.5 cups of whole wheat bread flour (regular whole wheat flour works too)

1.5 cups of white bread flour

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp (approx) Italian seasoning

2 T grated Parmesan cheese

2.5 tsp yeast (for bread machines)

Place ingredients in the machine in the order listed.  Use the dough cycle which will knead and allow for rising. Remove dough and divide in two.  Roll each section out according to the thickness that you prefer and top with favorite toppings.  Bake 400 degrees for 15-20 min. ** Bread machines vary and you may have to adjust the water and flour measurements.

I just use the ready made sauce in the jar (how "un-Martha" I know) and our favorite toppings include canadian bacon and pineapple for the kids and tomatoes, artichokes, fresh basil and mozzarella for the adults.  Recently, we invested in a pizza stone- although I don't really notice any major improvements in the taste of the crust.  The round pizza baking sheets work fine too. 

The girls really look forward to pizza night and are starting to get creative with it.  Tonight Hannah asked me if there was any way that we could incorporate shrimp on to her side of the "kid" pizza.  I told her I would have to think about that one.

Cheers to Fridays and preparing/eating wholesome homemade meals together!

downsizing

I have a habit of cramming warmish eggo waffles slathered with peanut butter in my mouth while packing lunches, ironing uniforms, and french braiding hair in the morning.  It always ends with me feeling rushed and less than satisfied. Lately I have been trying to take more time eating.  The more I can make an event out of a meal...the more I remember eating it (and this prevents me from wanting to eat again in 5 min).

My Tante tells me that European women do not eat "fat free foods". Nor do they diet.  They just eat smaller portions- sitting down.  So this morning I played make believe.  I was pretending to be French, eating real french toast.  I cut out a hole in my sourdough bread and fried my egg in the middle.  I used butter.  Real butter.  I sat and ate in a small cafe downtown next to a fresh flower market at my dining room table. Then I had coffee.  I love the lattes that my local coffee shop makes.  I buy their coffee and make my own at home most mornings.  For some reason I just couldn't replicate the taste.  I finally asked them their secret.  Are you ready?  Here it is:

Yep, full fat milk.  Great.  I began wondering, "why do I settle for less taste just so I can have more?"  Doesn't it seem to make more sense to prepare foods the way you really like them and just eat less?  I am going for quality over quantity these days.

So, I had to downsize my cup.  The white one looks more French anyways don't you think?  I use a stove top espresso maker but I saw this the other day and think that it would be nice to eliminate the extra step of warming and foaming my milk separately.  Consider that a huge hint Valentine :).

Wanna play pretend with me? Be sure to visualize quaint European settings while eating. Here is the recipe for the puffed oven pancake that we ate this weekend:

2 TBS butter

3 eggs

1/2 C. flour

1/2 C. milk (feel free to use whole milk :)

1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place butter in deep dish pie pan and melt in the oven.  Meanwhile beat eggs until fluffy.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. (I think I mixed too much, our pancake was a tad tough).  Pour batter into warmed pan and bake for 20 minutes or so.  Top with your favorite jam and powdered sugar.  And...if you are really feeling European add fresh whipped cream.  Enjoy!!