French Bread

Here's a true story.  Last year my husband took our two oldest boys on a 'mancation' to hike around in Colorado.  The boys called me from the road laughing like lunatics, barely able to contain themselves, talking right over the top of each other to be the first to tell me that their dad had bought them white bread.  As if he had just bought them each a 24-pack of Mountain Dew.  Liter-size.  As if he said "let's skip the Rockies" and let them spend a day at mini golf with bumper cars and an arcade with an unlimited pile of quarters.  As if they had just broken every rule about using a fork and napkin and saying 'excuse me.'  My kids are crazy like that.  Total rebels. 

But it's true, I'm a little freakish about bread.  I never buy white bread.  Ever.

Ev-er. 

Far better than buying the whole-wheat-no-high-fructose-corn-syrup-no-artificial-colors-no-artificial-flavors-no-dye-no-nothing-bad bread is just making my own.  There is something so homey and so nurturing about making it.  And I can't imagine my kids fighting over the last piece of white bread like they fight over the last pieces of a warm loaf fresh from the oven.  They know good stuff when they have it.

It's true, making bread takes time.  It doesn't stay fresh as long.  Something about the total lack of preservatives, I guess.  Just some yeast, some flour, some water, and a little bit of salt and oil.

And of course, time for it to rise.

Roll it out, roll it up, and brush it with a simple egg white wash for color.

And walla.  A gorgeous loaf of French bread--sans WalMart.  Sans crap you can't pronounce.  

It slices like a dream, and it's super good plain, with jam, honey, or slathered in garlic butter.

Here's the end of that same story.  A few days later, on their weary journey home, whey they were tuckered out from fresh air and hiking and processed meat and white bread, they called me from the road and said "Mom, I really miss your cooking."

Take that, Wonder Bread.

French Bread
Slightly adapted from this recipe from Allrecipes 

1 pkg (2.25 tsp) yeast
1 cup very warm water
3 cups bread flour
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp sugar
3 tsp. canola oil
1 T corn meal
1 egg white, slightly beaten

Pour warm water into a glass bowl and sprinkle with sugar and yeast.  Whisk, then allow the yeast to proof for about ten minutes.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt.  When yeast has risen, whisk in the oil and pour into flour.  Beat on low speed until dough has formed.  If you have a food processor, use the dough hook and allow the machine to knead the bread for about 8 minutes.  If you don't have a food processor, roll up your sleeves and go at it for the same amount of time.  Lightly grease (with butter or canola oil) a large glass bowl.  Form the dough into a ball, place the ball into the bowl, and roll once so all sides of the dough are slightly covered.  Cover and allow to rise in a warm dry location until doubled in size, about an hour and a half.  On a lightly floured surface, press or roll dough into a 9 x 12 shape.  Roll the dough so it forms a 12 inch long log.  Slice three slits into the top.  Sprinkle the cornmeal onto a baking sheet and move the dough onto the cornmeal to prevent it from sticking to the pan.  Brush the dough with the egg white mixture.  Spray a length of saran wrap with nonstick cooking spray, and gently drape the saran wrap--sprayed side down--onto the top of the loaf to prevent it from drying out.  Allow the loaf to rise a half hour.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the bread for 30 - 35 minutes, or until golden brown.  Allow to cool until warm to the touch, then slice and enjoy!

  

Fruit Salad

If you've had young children any time in the last decade or so, you might have the same issue with this side dish that we do.  I can't utter the words "fruit salad" without someone chiming in with the Wiggles rendition....singing "yummy yummy."  Unfortunately, because a fruit salad is actually made with fruit, they'll sing "yummy yummy" but they won't say it.  My big boys won't touch the stuff.

More for me.

I love to make this fruit salad when we get together with friends because gatherings tend to have carb-heavy fare--meat on a bun, potato salad, pasta salad, chips, dips, cookies, brownies and other good stuff.  It's like bringing a dessert (which I also like to do) that you can't feel guilty about eating.  There's little in it that isn't healthy.  

Chopped apples

chopped walnuts

diced peaches

strawberries

grapes

and Craisins....they add a great texture.

Usually with a fruit salad, the healthy fruit part gets cancelled out by everything that gets globbed on top of it--bad stuff like dressing and candy pieces and whipped topping.  Not so with this.  I use nonfat Greek yogurt with honey and vanilla to sweeten it up.  Check this out.

My aunt and uncle have bees.  A-mazing stuff.

It only looks bad for you!

I could eat this for every meal.  It's a fact that after I make this fruit salad, I do eat it for every meal until it's gone.  And then I want some more.  

You know who else could eat this for every meal?

 

The chickens.  When they see this little basket, they come running.  Which is pretty funny until they get close.  And then it's terrifying.  That's why I send my children out with it.  I don't like chickens.  You know what else I don't like?

That's right.  Turkeys.  They're big and really ugly.  I'm warning my family that these birds won't last long on our farm.  Thanksgiving is just two months away.  You know what I say about that?

"Roast turkey.  Yummy, yummy...."

I like to torment them sometimes.

Fruit Salad
Dressing borrowed from this Ina Garten recipe

3 Apples, peeled and diced
2 pints of strawberries, diced
3 peaches, peeled and diced
Grapes, cut in half
1/2 cup Craisins
1 small package of diced walnuts (about a half cup)
2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt
2 T. honey
1 tsp vanilla

Amount and types of fruits are entirely optional--use what you like.  Wash and prepare fruit as noted above, adding it to a very large bowl.  In a smaller bowl, whisk yogurt, honey and vanilla until smooth and well blended.  Add to the fruit and mix well.  It is best to serve this within a few hours of when it is prepared.  Though it tastes good the next day or two after it's made, it tends to get a bit watery and doesn't look as appealing!

Homemade Rotel

It seems that Rotel has been popping up in more and more recipes on my Pinterest board.  Of course, when I want to share with you some of the ones we've liked, I draw a blank with the exception of this one.  But really, Rotel is in everything lately.  I wasn't sure how it was much different than a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies.  Until I made my own.

Oh my.  This is ever so much better than diced tomatoes and green chilies.  It's way, way better than canned Rotel.

There's no way I'd take credit for making this up.  I learned how to make it from the Canning Granny blog, and that gal's a genius.  Today I made a small batch to use up some of the final offerings of our summer garden, but I made a larger batch a few weeks ago.  Already I'm scheming extra raised beds next summer so I can fill my pantry up with jars of this....

I've found that canning tomato products really comes down to the spices you put into them and the quantity of the same staple produce used.  Like salsa, Rotel is composed of tomatoes, jalepenos, onions and peppers.  

Apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt are also added.  I think some of the difference between Rotel and salsa is in those ingredients.

Rotel tastes more stewed, more savory.  And it cannot be understated how amazing it is on tortilla chips when stirred into melted cheese.  Out of this world.  And I'm not even a chips and dip girl.

If you've got tomatoes still left on your vines, or if your co-worker is trying to get rid of his...or even if you have to make a run to the grocery store--this is worth your time!

Homemade Rotel
Taken directly from the Canning Granny blog

About a gallon of tomatoes.  (I used Romas)
2 large peppers (green, red, yellow or orange)
1 large onion (I like Vidalias)
8 jalepenos
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1.5 T canning salt
6 tsp lemon juice

Bring a large pot partially filled with water to a boil.  Add tomatoes and cook for about a minute.  Quickly drain hot water, then dump tomatoes into a bowl of ice water to 'shock' them.  Peel the skins from the tomatoes, then dice into pieces and put back into the empty stock pot.  Dice green peppers and onions and move into stock pot with tomatoes.  Dice jalepenos, removing ribs and seeds for more mild Rotel, then place into stock pot.  Add sugar, salt, and vinegar into the pot, then place on stovetop and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes.  Sterilize jars, then add one teaspoon of lemon juice in each.  Ladle hot Rotel into each of the jars, leaving about an inch of headspace at the top.  Tightly screw on lids.  Process jars by placing them in boiling water for 15 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool completely.  The lids on the jars should pop, indicating a good seal.  Store in a cool dark place like your pantry.

Serving suggestion;  In a microwave save bowl melt a small block of Velveeta cheese.  Stir in a jar of your homemade Rotel.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Enjoy!  


   
   

Honey Cornbread Muffins

Back in the day, I used to buy cornbread mix.  

There.  I got that off my conscience.  

(I might have even bought boxed cake mix.  Goodness!) 

Then I realized how simple it is to make cornbread from cornmeal and items in my pantry.  I'd love to say i invented some recipe, but honestly I just use the recipe on the back of the cornmeal container with a little modification.  I'm sharing it with you to show you how fast and easy cornbread from scratch is.  AND you can pronounce every single ingredient in it.  Check it out.  This is the ingredients list on the back of a popular cornbread mix:

INGREDIENTS: WHEAT FLOUR, DEGERMINATED YELLOW CORN MEAL, SUGAR, ANIMAL SHORTENING (CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: LARD, HYDROGENATED LARD, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED LARD), contains less than 2% of each of the following: BAKING SODA, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SALT, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID.  (Egg and milk are added to this mix by the baker).

Seriously, I can't believe anyone uses partially hydrogenated anything anymore!  Don't they know that stuff's bad for you!?  Compare that to this:

Ingredients: all-purpose flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder, salt, skim milk, honey, canola oil, egg.  

 I know, right?  

Pretty darn unprocessed.  Pretty pronouncable.

Super simple to make.  Way better than a box.

While I generally bake our cornbread in an 8 x 8 pan and cut it into 9 thick wedges, sometimes I just want to let my family know how much I love them.

(The circle pan doesn't represent anything.  Except that I only have two heart pans, and a lot of cornbread mix.)

:-)

 In no time flat, you've got this.

Could they be even better?  

Yes, with a little more honey on the top.  

You can totally do that.  No box required.

Honey Cornbread Muffins
Adapted from the Quaker Yellow Corn Meal container

1.25 all-purpose flour (though I used whole grain flour for these)
3/4 cup corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I prefer canola)
1 egg

Preheat your oven to 400 and spray an 8 x 8 pan or muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.  In a large bowl, whisk all dry ingredients together.  In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until well combined.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Pour batter into the prepared pan or tins.
For an 8 x 8 pan = bake for 20 - 25 minutes
For mini muffins = bake 11 - 12 minutes
Serve warm, with butter and honey.  Enjoy!


 

Olive Bread

It seems like lately everyone has gone crazy for salted caramel.  We're on a salty kick here, too.  Salty bread, that is.  That probably sounds weird, but it's so good.  And really when you think of it, certainly no weirder than a salty sweet.   

I'm not sure why I got it in my head that we should make a bread with olives--I'd never seen one, or eaten one--and didn't know such a thing existed.  God bless Google and Pinterest, many others have also had this epiphany and have developed great recipes so I didn't have to flounder.  This one comes by way of the Chef MiMi Blog, but I'm also going to get around to this one and this one.  

While this recipe isn't hard, it does take a big commitment of time because it calls for several different rises.  Maybe you could cut corners, but since I'm a rule follower, so far I've just stuck with the script.

First thing you wait for--the yeast to proof.  That takes about ten minutes.

Then the liquids combine with a bit of flour, and you wait for it to rise the first time--about 45 minutes.

More flour gets added, and you wait for the dough to rise again--another 45 or more minutes.

 

Then go in the chopped olives (I like kalamata), and finally you can work and shape the dough.  The dough is pretty wet, and it takes a while to knead a bit more flour into it to get rid of some of the stickiness. 

  Then, of course, bake time.  Only 30 minutes, though.

Chef Mimi instructs that the bread should cool for at least an hour, but that's where my patience ends.  I let it cool about 15 minutes, and then I start slicing.  It's soooooo good!  Definitely salty from the olives.  It goes perfectly with salads, grilled meat, and pasta.  Or in the middle of the day, all by itself.  

I challenge you to make this bread, and some salted caramel, and see which one you have a harder time resisting!

 

Olive Bread

by way of Chef Mimi's Blog

1/2 cup warm/hot water (she suggests 115 degrees)
2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup milk (I used 2%)
3 T olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
2.5 cups flour, divided (I used unbleached all-purpose)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chopped olives (I love kalamata)

Sprinkle the yeast, then the sugar, over the half-cup of warm/hot water and let sit for a few minutes.  Then whisk the mixture, and wait for it to almost double in size.  Once it has doubled, combine the yeast mixture with the milk, olive oil, oregano, and one cup of all-purpose flour.  Cover the dish and place it somewhere warm until it has doubled in size--about 45 minutes.  Since it's summer here, I like to put my dough inside my vehicle in our garage (where the dogs and cats can't get it).  It's really warm in there, and doesn't take up my oven space.

After that first rise, mix in a cup of the whole wheat flour.  Cover and allow the dough to rise again, another 45-60 minutes until it has almost doubled.  When that's done, preheat your oven to 400.  Add the roughly chopped olives to the dough and the final cup of all-purpose flour.  I sprinkle a half-cup of additional flour on my countertop and scrape the dough out of the bowl to knead that last addition of flour and olives.  It's super sticky, so be warned.  Once the flour is incorporated and the dough loses some of its stickiness, shape into a rough circle on a pan.  

Bake the bread for about 30 minutes.  Chef Mimi recommends you wait for an hour after the bread has finished baking to allow it to cool before you slice it.  In the multiple times I've made this olive bread, I've not managed that hour wait.  But see if you have more willpower than me.  When you're ready, slice the bread in quarters, and slice each wedge into pieces for serving.  Enjoy!