March is a month of fun, birthdays, and also sad memories. Especially this week among all the Birthday Celebrations friends are saying good bye to a very special peron on the same day my Mom left this earth. For Mom and all our loved ones that have preceded us. Thank you for all you taught us and the honor of being your legacy.
I am not sure if you all have noticed my business motto is food for the heart and soul. We need to feed our soul which in my book includes making room for cultural foods, memory foods such as the cookies and cakes I mentioned in Feburary, and of course those cravings that we get from time to time. Feeding my soul and my husband's generally includes the smell of homemade yeast breads and soups or stews, it takes all day and the smells hang in the house all night. The best part is we have food to eat for weeks. I will share that I don't freeze my soups and stews. What I do freeze is the broth, and roasted meats so putting a quick soup together is easy. I don't like my potatos frozen unless produced commercially and those potatoes don't work in soup. If your soup repetiore is short, I'd like to suggest Better Homes and Gardens Specal Interest Publications. I have one on Soups and Stews from 2015, which I have never made a recipe from but do gather inspiration and a little motivation. I don't use a recipe for soup so they vary. Do be careful not to add so many ingredients that you broth gets cloudy and pasty unless it is a stew or creamed soup. 5-7 increadents tops so the flavors come through. Plus, I have to say it here! Really bone broth, who ever made broth without bones?? My grandmother Esther used to think some of the food discussions folks had were really dumb and I would agree with her here. I will stand corrected if anyone has another opinion.
This posts recipe is my basic bread.... Bread needs to rest and rise, don't speed through it
BASIC BREAD WITH VARIATIONS
2 Tbsp double acting yeast
6 cups bread flour
4 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
Tips and Directions:
This white bread is the morphing of Alice Bretag, my mother-in-law’s recipe and years of playing with bulk ingredients. Although I do use a dough hook on a heavy-duty mixer, the recipe can be made by hand. The esthetics of smelling the yeast proofing and adding that last little bit of flour to get just the right feel is what homemade bread is all about. A must have tool is a thermometer. If the first step is right success is yours!
Steps:
*Proof 2 tablespoons of double acting yeast in 2 cups of water
With a paddle on the mixer add 2.5 cups of flour and beat until smooth approximately 2 minutes. This step will help develop the gluten to hold the breads shape.
Then add the salt and oil; continue to stir until they are well mixed. The Salt adds flavor and helps the crust to brown and develop its smooth surface.
Attach the dough hook and add another 2.5 cups of flour. Add the last cup slowly until the dough is not sticky. The amount of flour will vary depending on the humidity in the room and the age of the flour. Remember that flour absorbs moisture while the container is open. I like to add the last bit of flour by hand on a floured counter or board.
Shape into a ball and allow to rise. I use a large plastic bowl with a tight fitting lid. I oil the bowl and then roll the ball so that both the top and bottom are oiled lightly. It rises quickly. Generally takes 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature of the room. You know it is ready when you insert your finger and the indent does not spring back.
Divide the dough into 2 loaves or 20-24 rolls. To get a nice smooth crust roll dough into itself. Let rise for approximately 20-30 minutes until double in size. My favorite pans are well seasoned stone
Bake loaves for 30-40 minutes and rolls for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven. Cool on a wire rack, and then wrap in plastic to preserve moisture. Eat soon. Adding dry milk solids can extend freshness a little longer.
VARIATIONS:
The proportions above will guide you through a huge variety of flavors and textures. Here are some general tips.
Liquid:
Use the whey left over from making yogurt cheese. This adds a tart taste to your loaf plus increasing the protein in the loaf
Use ¼ cup water to proof and use buttermilk, sour milk or yogurt for the rest of the liquid. You add this liquid right after proofing. If using regular milk it must be scalded (brought up to a boil) and then cooled completely.
Oil or other fat:
One can actually leave this out. It will make a very dry loaf unless you are using yogurt or buttermilk. Recently I have experimented with nut oils and cold pressed corn oil. Let you imagination be your lead. When I seek a buttery flavor I may combine real butter and olive oil.
Flour:
When adding whole grain flours use them during the kneading process. The whole grain can cut the gluten threads when they are forming and give you a denser loaf. Below are some of my proportions
Honey Cracked Wheat Bread:
Use ¼ cup honey when adding the oil and salt; 3 cups bread flour, 1.5 cups of Whole Wheat Flour, ½ cup cracked wheat berries. If it is too crunchy for your taste soak the cracked wheat for 10 minutes in ¼ cup of boiling water. You may need just a little more bread flour at the end.
Spelt Bread:
This flour is really nutty tasting and a light color of grain. Use 3 cups of Bread flour then for the kneading step 2-3 cups of ground Spelt. Use a light oil and go light on sugar.
Sesame and Pumpkin Seed Bread:
I am not sure if you all have noticed my business motto is food for the heart and soul. We need to feed our soul which in my book includes making room for cultural foods, memory foods such as the cookies and cakes I mentioned in Feburary, and of course those cravings that we get from time to time. Feeding my soul and my husband's generally includes the smell of homemade yeast breads and soups or stews, it takes all day and the smells hang in the house all night. The best part is we have food to eat for weeks. I will share that I don't freeze my soups and stews. What I do freeze is the broth, and roasted meats so putting a quick soup together is easy. I don't like my potatos frozen unless produced commercially and those potatoes don't work in soup. If your soup repetiore is short, I'd like to suggest Better Homes and Gardens Specal Interest Publications. I have one on Soups and Stews from 2015, which I have never made a recipe from but do gather inspiration and a little motivation. I don't use a recipe for soup so they vary. Do be careful not to add so many ingredients that you broth gets cloudy and pasty unless it is a stew or creamed soup. 5-7 increadents tops so the flavors come through. Plus, I have to say it here! Really bone broth, who ever made broth without bones?? My grandmother Esther used to think some of the food discussions folks had were really dumb and I would agree with her here. I will stand corrected if anyone has another opinion.
This posts recipe is my basic bread.... Bread needs to rest and rise, don't speed through it
BASIC BREAD WITH VARIATIONS
2 Tbsp double acting yeast
6 cups bread flour
4 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
Tips and Directions:
This white bread is the morphing of Alice Bretag, my mother-in-law’s recipe and years of playing with bulk ingredients. Although I do use a dough hook on a heavy-duty mixer, the recipe can be made by hand. The esthetics of smelling the yeast proofing and adding that last little bit of flour to get just the right feel is what homemade bread is all about. A must have tool is a thermometer. If the first step is right success is yours!
Steps:
*Proof 2 tablespoons of double acting yeast in 2 cups of water
With a paddle on the mixer add 2.5 cups of flour and beat until smooth approximately 2 minutes. This step will help develop the gluten to hold the breads shape.
Then add the salt and oil; continue to stir until they are well mixed. The Salt adds flavor and helps the crust to brown and develop its smooth surface.
Attach the dough hook and add another 2.5 cups of flour. Add the last cup slowly until the dough is not sticky. The amount of flour will vary depending on the humidity in the room and the age of the flour. Remember that flour absorbs moisture while the container is open. I like to add the last bit of flour by hand on a floured counter or board.
Shape into a ball and allow to rise. I use a large plastic bowl with a tight fitting lid. I oil the bowl and then roll the ball so that both the top and bottom are oiled lightly. It rises quickly. Generally takes 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature of the room. You know it is ready when you insert your finger and the indent does not spring back.
Divide the dough into 2 loaves or 20-24 rolls. To get a nice smooth crust roll dough into itself. Let rise for approximately 20-30 minutes until double in size. My favorite pans are well seasoned stone
Bake loaves for 30-40 minutes and rolls for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven. Cool on a wire rack, and then wrap in plastic to preserve moisture. Eat soon. Adding dry milk solids can extend freshness a little longer.
VARIATIONS:
The proportions above will guide you through a huge variety of flavors and textures. Here are some general tips.
Liquid:
Use the whey left over from making yogurt cheese. This adds a tart taste to your loaf plus increasing the protein in the loaf
Use ¼ cup water to proof and use buttermilk, sour milk or yogurt for the rest of the liquid. You add this liquid right after proofing. If using regular milk it must be scalded (brought up to a boil) and then cooled completely.
Oil or other fat:
One can actually leave this out. It will make a very dry loaf unless you are using yogurt or buttermilk. Recently I have experimented with nut oils and cold pressed corn oil. Let you imagination be your lead. When I seek a buttery flavor I may combine real butter and olive oil.
Flour:
When adding whole grain flours use them during the kneading process. The whole grain can cut the gluten threads when they are forming and give you a denser loaf. Below are some of my proportions
Honey Cracked Wheat Bread:
Use ¼ cup honey when adding the oil and salt; 3 cups bread flour, 1.5 cups of Whole Wheat Flour, ½ cup cracked wheat berries. If it is too crunchy for your taste soak the cracked wheat for 10 minutes in ¼ cup of boiling water. You may need just a little more bread flour at the end.
Spelt Bread:
This flour is really nutty tasting and a light color of grain. Use 3 cups of Bread flour then for the kneading step 2-3 cups of ground Spelt. Use a light oil and go light on sugar.
Sesame and Pumpkin Seed Bread:
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