Simple White Breadmaker Bread

Easy Bread-maker Bread

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour 

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. dry quick acting yeast

1 Tbsp. salt

1-2 Tbsp. salt free seasoning of choice (or minced fresh garlic)

3 Tbsp. butter cut into slices

1 1/3 cu warm water

Directions:

Put in the Bread Maker in this order, and set to "Basic" cook setting and start.  Serve warm, with butter.

Pretzel Rolls (not for the faint of heart - this recipe is a lot of work)

Pretzels Rolls

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups luke warm water
5 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 3/4 - 6 cups of flour (dough should be only slightly sticky)
1/2 cup baking soda
Egg wash (1 egg plus 1 Tbsp cold water, beaten)
Coarse Sea Salt

Optional:  Dessert Option - Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels - also need 1 cup sugar + 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1.  In a large mixing bowl mix sugar and water.  Add the yeast and stir to combine.  Let sit about 5 minutes.

2.  Add flour and oil and mix until a ball forms.  Knead for 3-5 minutes on a lightly floured surface.  Grease a medium bowl with cooking spray.  Place dough in greased bowl and cover with a clean dishtowel or saran wrap.  Place bowl in a warm place for 45 minutes to rise (I put mine on the stove top especially when the oven is on, a sunny windowsill also works well).

3.  Cut dough into approximately 50 rolls and shape into balls.  Line 3 baking sheets with parchment and grease the parchment with butter.  Place the balls evenly on the baking sheets leaving room to rise again.  Let rise about 30 minutes in a warm spot covered with clean dish towels.  While the dough is rising again, Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

4.  Fill a large deep skillet (at least 3 inches deep) or a large pot with water about 2 1/2 inches deep and add the baking soda.  Bring to a boil.  Drop manageable number of balls into the water and turn after 15 seconds.  Do not leave in the water longer than 20-30 seconds total or dough will get a baking soda taste.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place back on the baking sheets evenly.

5.  Bake pretzels buns at 450 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until medium brown.  Delicious warm with butter or mustard, or as a bun for sliders or a chicken patty.

Dessert Trick:

Well pretzels are baking melt 1 stick of butter.  In a small bowl mix 1 cup sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon.  When the pretzels are baked, let cool 2-5 minutes so warm to touch, but won't burn your fingers.  Drop in melted butter to coat.  Roll in cinnamon sugar.  Amazing Dessert, best served immediately (warm)!

Garlic Parmesan Skillet Bread

Skillet Bread

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp. dry active yeast
4 1/3 cups flour + more for working dough
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
Splash of extra virgin olive oil or an extra 1 Tbsp. melted butter

*You need a cast iron oven proof skillet for this recipe.  I use a Le Creuset cast iron oblong skillet with grated bottom like this one:



Le Crueset Grill Skillet Oblong

In large bowl.  Mix the yeast and lukewarm water until incorporated.  Add the salt and stir.  Add the flour, Parmesan and garlic and stir until incorporated.  Cover with saran wrap and make sure the seal is air tight.  Let sit for 45 minutes to 1 hour near warm oven if possible.  Do no store near cold drafts.

In the meantime, melt the butter in your cast iron oven-safe skillet on medium heat and spread butter throughout grates all along the bottom.  Use more butter if necessary.  Turn off heat and let cool on stove top.

Once the dough has risen 45 minutes to an hour in the bowl (and after your grill pan has cooled), add some flour to the top of your dough.  Slowly pull dough from sides of bowl and coat with flour to make less sticky.  Place the ball of dough in the skillet and pull slightly to spread out in the skillet.  Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for an additional 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

After the dough has risen a second time, slash an x into the top with a sharp knife and pour a little extra virgin olive oil on top or extra melted butter.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until bread is a nice light brown color.  Best served warm right out of the oven.

Great with dishes that have a hearty sauce such as Beef Bolognese.

Also great with olive oil.

If you make ahead, put back in the oven at 350 degrees for ten minutes before serving.

Chocolate Chip Banana Crumb Loaf

Ingredients:

Batter:

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp. lemon juice

2 large or 3 medium-small overripe bananas, mashed

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup chocolate chips (recommend dark chocolate to contrast with the sweetness of the banana)

Optional:  ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar (or powder sugar or sugar)

1/2 cup flour

4 + 1 Tbsp. melted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In the oven in your loaf pan melt your 4+1 Tbsp. Butter.  Once melted remove from the oven, turn pan slightly to coat sides and bottom with melted butter.  Pour about 4 Tbsp. of the melted butter in a medium bowl to make your crumb topping later.  About 1 Tbsp. of melted butter will remain in the loaf pan to coat sides.  Put loaf pan aside to cool.

In a mix master, cream butter.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add in egg and vanilla until combined, scrapping the sides to make sure mixture is well-incorporated. Mix in milk, lemon juice and bananas until just combined.  Mixture will look curdled, this is normal.

Slowly add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and chocolate chips stirring only until just combined. Pour into cooled loaf pan.

Make the crumb topping by combining the sugar, flour and melted butter. Crumble the mixture over the batter evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until done.

Or make 2 smaller loafs and bake for 30-40 minutes or until done (toothpick comes out clean).

Also great as muffins (bake about 18-24 minutes) or 3-4 mini loaves (bake 20-25 minutes).

Easily doubled for giving as gifts.

Alternative Recipe:
Amazing Cinnamon Banana Crumb Loaf

Amazing Cinnamon Banana Crumb Loaf

Ingredients:

Batter:

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp. lemon juice

2 large or 3 medium-small overripe bananas, mashed

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

Optional:  ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar (or powder sugar or sugar)

1/2 cup flour

4 + 1 Tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In the oven in your loaf pan melt your 4+1 Tbsp. Butter.  Once melted remove from the oven, turn pan slightly to coat sides and bottom with melted butter.  Pour about 4 Tbsp. of the melted butter in a medium bowl to make your crumb topping later.  About 1 Tbsp. of melted butter will remain in the loaf pan to coat sides.  Put loaf pan aside to cool.

In a mix master, cream butter.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add in egg and vanilla until combined, scrapping the sides to make sure mixture is well-incorporated. Mix in milk, lemon juice and bananas until just combined.  Mixture will look curdled, this is normal.

Slowly add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon stirring only until just combined. Pour into cooled loaf pan.

Make the crumb topping by combining the sugar, flour, cinnamon and melted butter. Crumble the mixture over the batter evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until done.

Or make 2 smaller loafs and bake for 30-40 minutes or until done (toothpick comes out clean).


Also great as muffins (bake about 18-24 minutes) or 3-4 mini loaves (bake 20-25 minutes).

Easily doubled for giving as gifts!

Alternative Recipe:
Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips to the batter for Chocolate Chip Banana Crumb Loaf

Best Cornbread ever

This cornbread is delicious! As an added bonus, you do all your mixing and baking in the same 13 by 9 inch pan, so less mess to clean up.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs beatebn
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups corn meal
2 cups flour
1 cup sour sour cream
1 can of corn drained
1 can of green chiles (optional)
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.  In a 13 by 9 inch baking dish melt butter in oven.  When, just melted remove from oven.  Stir in sugar until blended.  Add eggs and blend well.  Add buttermilk and baking soda at the same time, stir until well blended.  Add salt, corn meal, flour, sour cream, corn (drained), green chiles (if desired), and cheese (if desired).  Mix until well blended.  Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.

Cheesy Bread with Hearty Beef Tomato Sauce for a Cold and Stormy Spring Night

So for a lack of specific ingredients, I made these two dishes up this week; and they taste amazing together!  This is seriously one of my new favorites.  I actually made the Cheesy Bread as a side at a dinner party and it is delicious by itself (it is basically a savory bread pudding or a savory french toast casserole).  However, it is amazing when covered with the Hearty Beef Tomato Sauce.  I highly recommend you try this on a cool spring day, before its Summer and it is too hot to cook anything in the oven.

I love to buy the day old Hearty Italian Loaves from Market Street Wine Shop in downtown Charlottesvillle.  They are always on sale and still taste amazing!

Cheesy Bread:

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. of butter
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1 (15 oz.) container of part-skim ricotta (or you can use 1 brick low fat cream cheese cut into cubes
2 cups shredded Pizza Cheese (*optional for cheese lovers))
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large french loaf, Garlic Parmesan Skillet Bread or loaf of your choice cut into cubes (can be older bread) or
1 tomato diced (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put the butter in a 13X9 inch baking dish.  Bake the butter in the oven until melted.  Make sure the butter evenly covers the bottom of the dish, place aside.

Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl; add the milk, 1/2 of the ricotta, cheese if desired, salt and pepper; mix to combine.  Pour the butter from the baking dish into the egg mixture and stir to combine; leave a layer of butter in the bottom of the baking dish.  Add the bread to the egg mixture and mix to combine covering all the bread cubes.  Pour half of the bread mixture into the 13X9 baking dish and spread evenly.  Add about 1 tsp. sized drops of ricotta randomly over top, using half of the remaining ricotta.  Cover with remaining bread mixture.  Add about 1 tsp. sized drops of ricotta randomly over top, using remaining Ricotta.  Spread diced tomato evenly on top if desired. Bake covered at 350 degrees for40 minutes.  Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes at 400 degrees or until set and lightly browned on edges.

Cheesy Bread before going into the Oven:

Cheesy Bread after being baked:

While the cheesy bread is baking make:

Hearty Beef Tomato Sauce

or...

Hearty Sausage Tomato Sauce