Holiday Stuffing Balls

I recently asked a group of women chefs I am friends with for their best sausage ball recipe. You know, the kind with sausage, baking mix and cheese; that infamous holiday party appetizer it seems everyone makes. Welllllllll ... none of them had one ... GASP ... a few had never even heard of them, say what?

Finally one of them mentioned a "stuffing" ball recipe they made and really liked, so being intrigued now, I asked about it since I'm all about stuffing. Who doesn't like stuffing and, oh my goodness, these little round balls of stuffing are my new fav!

I like to make my own New England Bread and Sausage Stuffing, so I chose to use torn white bread instead of store-bought stuffing mix, but you can certainly use either one. Then there is the addition of mild breakfast sausage, chopped dried cranberries and shredded cheddar cheese that just puts these little stuffing ball treats over the top, believe me ... sooooooo good!

They are the PERFECT party appetizer. I've made a couple batches now as a trial run just to see how we'd like them, and my husband is addicted to them, he loves them.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1 1/2 large loaves soft white bread, torn into small pieces
-OR- 1 box stuffing mix 
1 stalk celery, finely minced
1 pound mild breakfast sausage 
1/2 -1 teaspoon ground sage or poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely minced onions
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup dried cranberries, minced
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup or slightly more, chicken bone broth or stock

Method
Brown sausage in large skillet over medium heat. Add seasonings and cook until pink is gone. Add onions and celery to skillet and continue to cook until vegetables are soft and onions are clear; drain grease and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl add cheese, cranberries, torn soft bread or stuffing mix and spoon in sausage mixture. Stir in eggs and chicken broth and make sure entire mixture is completely combined (I use my hands). Add more chicken stock if needed; mixture should hold together and not be too dry or too sticky.

Use a cookie scoop, or your hands, to scoop out mixture, and shape into balls. Place stuffing balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a preheated 375º oven for  approx. 15 minutes, or until tops begin to brown.

Makes 36-48 Stuffing Balls, depending on the size you make them.

Serve with a dipping sauce made with Cherry Port Jam,  Cranberry Jam, Cranberry Orange {Thanksgiving Jam} or your favorite jam. Simply heat it up a bit in the microwave to make it more sauce-like and dippable.

Cook's note - Stuffing balls freeze very well. When you're ready to serve, thaw and reheat in a 375º oven 5-8 minutes, or until heated through.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

German Brötchen

We enjoyed this "little bread" many times while living in Germany, and I have been on a quest ever since to try to make them.  I've tried numerous recipes, but this one I received from Ute Staack, who lives in a village north of Bavaria, is the best one I have come across.

The crust is crunchy and the dough is soft and chewy just like you want them to be. I love to eat them with lots of butter along side soft boiled eggs for breakfast, but they can be enjoyed anytime you want.

Did you know?
The crusty German yeast roll known as "Brötchen" (“little bread”) is as pleasingly moist and chewy on the inside, as it is satisfyingly firm and crunchy on the outside.

Bakers all over Germany bake them early in the morning, but also throughout the day because they are popular for lunch or dinner. The rolls are best when enjoyed within a few hours of baking, especially when topped with butter or cheese, a spread like liverwurst or  teawurst, salami, ham, or cold cuts, bratwurst, and even fish, either marinated or smoked,

Dipping pieces of Brötchen into the yolk of a soft-cooked egg is always a delight.  Sweet toppings also rank high on the popularity scale.  Try honey, fruit preserves, sugar beet syrup (Zuckerrübensirup), or a chocolate-hazelnut spread.

And a Fleischsalat (hearty meat salad) can turn a lowly roll into a satisfying meal.  And we’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention the guilty pleasure of slicing open a fresh Brötchen and sandwiching a sweet, fluffy, chocolate-covered “Schaumkuß” between the two halves.

Brötchen (brotchen, broetchen), depending on the region, may also be referred to by one or more of these names: Schnittbrötchen, Spitzbrötchen, Semmeln, Schrippen, Weggla, Weckerl, Weckle, Wecken, or Rundstücke.

The traditional Brötchen is made primarily from wheat flour, yeast, salt, and water and is shaped into an oval.  However, more modern variations often include the addition of other flour types like rye. Sometimes milk fats, butter, or oils are added.  The shape of a roll might vary, as well, and the roll might be be covered with seeds or nuts. (Source: German Food Notes)

Recipe

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. active-dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
4 tsp. *diastatic malt powder (optional - I purchase on King Arthur Flour)
1 cup water

Method
Add flour salt, sugar, yeast and baking malt (if using) to the large bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water, and using the dough hook, mix dough and "knead" it with the dough hook several minutes, or until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn out onto floured surface and knead a few times. Place dough in floured mixing bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise 60-90 minutes.

Remove dough from bowl and shape into round rolls (you'll get about 10-12). Hold each ball under running warm water briefly, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Cover with a floured kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

Brush rolls with warm water and powder them with flour, sesame seeds or poppy seeds. Cut a slit in the top of each roll with a razor blade, bakers lame, or very sharp knife. Let rest 10 minutes uncovered.

Meanwhile, place a large roasting pan with hot water on the lowest rack of your oven positioning top rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees; water will be steaming so be careful when you open the oven door.

Spritz or sprinkle the rolls with water again, and place the baking sheet on the rack in the middle of the oven over the steaming water.

Bake 20 minutes or slightly longer adjusting for your altitude. Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack.

* Diastatic malt powder is the "secret ingredient" savvy bread bakers use to promote a strong rise, great texture, and lovely brown crust. Especially useful when flour does not have barley malt added, as is true for most whole wheat flour and many organic flours. Active enzymes in diastatic malt help yeast grow fully and efficiently throughout the fermentation period, yielding a good, strong rise and great oven-spring.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

French Toast Muffin Cups

So easy children can do this! Cook them up in minutes, eat and enjoy. They also freeze well for breakfasts on the go.

Cube up the bread, place evenly in each muffin cup and dust tops with cinnamon-sugar

Whisk together eggs and milk and pour evenly over each muffin. Top with more cinnamon-sugar.

Recipe

Ingredients
10 slices of bread, cubed
5 large farm fresh eggs
1/2 cup milk
Cinnamon-Sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spraying with cooking spray an 8-section muffin pan. Evenly distribute the cubed bread in all muffin cups. Dust with cinnamon sugar.

Whisk together eggs and milk and pour evenly over each. Top each with more cinnamon-sugar.

Bake 25 minutes or until eggs are set. Remove and serve with maple syrup.

Enjoy,
Mary

Boston Brown Bread

Did you know?
“Brown bread is as old as our country,” James Beard wrote in “American Cookery” (1972). “Everyone seems to treasure an ‘original’ recipe, handed down from the founding families.”

At the time of the American Revolution, wheat flour was a luxury. Cornmeal and rye flour were more common. So the three grains were combined in what were called “thirded” breads. A bread born of necessity 300 years ago easily could have been invented this morning by a nutritionist. It’s high in fiber and low in calories — like a giant bran muffin without all the sugar. Some recipes use brown sugar, but the more traditional ones rely on molasses for sweetening.

Boston brown bread ingredients include whole-wheat flour, cornmeal, rye flour, buttermilk, and molasses. Since few early American homes had ovens, bakers poured the bread dough — leavened with baking soda – into a cylindrical fireproof container and steamed it over an open fire. They’d been taught by Native Americans, who also showed them how to use corn as a grain for bread. Cornmeal often was called “Indian.”

In her directions for making brown bread in “American Frugal Housewife” (1828), Lydia Maria Child wrote: “Put the Indian in your bread pan, sprinkle a little salt among it, and wet it thoroughly with scalding water. … Be sure and have hot water enough; for Indian absorbs a great deal of water.”

Brown bread, known outside New England as Boston brown bread, was traditionally served with Boston baked beans. It’s also pretty good with cream cheese and jam for breakfast or afternoon tea. (source: American Food Roots)

I grew up having Boston Brown Bread with Boston Baked Beans and hot dogs on Saturday nights. Oh yes, that was living! It was always so good, and so simple. Sometimes simple foods are the best.

RECIPE

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup Cornmeal
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
¾ cup dark molasses
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup dark seedless raisins (optional)
Option -  substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup rye flour in place of the 2 cups whole wheat flour

This recipe has not changed much from the days of the Pilgrims.  Once you prepare this dish you will never again buy brown bread in a can at the grocery store.

Place all the dry ingredients in your electric mixing bowl and mix well with your machine. Add the liquid ingredients and blend well.

Grease three 16-ounce wide-mouth canning jars and place 1/3 of the batter in each. Cover each with wax paper and then aluminum foil. Tie each with a bit of string so that the foil is sealed.

Place a cake rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and place the cans on the rack. Add enough boiling water to come 1/3 up the side of the cans.

Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer the cans for about 2-½ hours. Check the water level now and then as you may need to add more water.

Remove the jars from the stockpot and allow to cool 10 minutes on a cooling rack. Remove the aluminum foil cover, run a butter knife all around the inside of the jars, invert and shake out gently onto the cooling rack.

Slice with a knife and serve hot topped with butter. Add a side of Boston Baked Beans and Hot Dogs for a complete meal.

Recipe adapted from Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American

Cook's note - the wide-mouth canning jars are simply used to bake the bread in. They can't be used to store the bread in, and are not to be considered shelf-stable; the bread must be removed from the jars and stored in your refrigerator, or wrapped and frozen.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Anadama Bread

Updated January 2020

Anadama Bread ... this has very New England roots and how it got it's name is very interesting! I grew up having this bread from time to time when my dad would make it. It brings back lots of memories for me and this is exactly the story my dad told me all those years ago ...

"This is the true story of a local fisherman whose lazy wife always gave him steamed corn meal mush and molasses for dinner. One day when he came in from fishing, he found the same corn meal mush and molasses for dinner and being very tired of it, he decided to mix it with bread flour and yeast and baked it saying, "Anna Damn Her." The bread was so delicious that his neighbors baked it calling it Anadama Bread."

It is not readily agreed exactly when or where the bread originated, except it existed before 1850 in Rockport, Massachusetts. It is thought to have come from the local fishing community, but it may have come through the Finnish community of local stone cutters.

Near the turn of the 20th century, it was baked by a man named Baker Knowlton on King Street in Rockport, Massachusetts and delivered in a horse-drawn cart to households by men in blue smocks.

A short time later I was talking to my daughter on the phone and reminded her of this bread. She replied "oh yes, I remember Granddad making this bread." 

It's very much corn meal mush and molasses meets yeast and flour, which in turn makes this amazing bread.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tbls. butter
1/2 cup molasses
1 package active dry yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon salt

Method
Place 1/2 cup water and cornmeal in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until mixture thickens; about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and molasses. Let cool to lukewarm.

In a small mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Let sit until creamy; about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled cornmeal mixture with the yeast mixture; stir until well blended. Add 2 cups of the flour and the salt; mix well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, let it do most of the work).

Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and put in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour (this can take up to 2 hours).

*Bread rising tip - turn your oven on to 400 for one (1) minute and immediately turn off (do not preheat). Place the bowl with the dough inside the warm oven to rise.

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a loaf. Place the loaf in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack 10 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan and continue to let it cool.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Classic Sourdough Bread

I really love sourdough and have had my share of sourdough starters over the years. I like to watch the starter as it develops over the course of a few days; watching it get all bubbly, swell and expand as it "does its thing." 

Sourdough Starter

One thing you have to have is TIME and PATIENCE. Sourdough takes awhile to make, but the results are so worth the time you invest.

There are many, many starter recipes out there, and for the most part they are all very similar. I chose one this time around that does use packaged yeast, which was simply a way to make it a bit easier.

It developed very quickly and the results were great. (starter recipe from Grit.com)

Sourdough Starter 
1 package dry yeast
2 cups warm water
2 cups flour

Mix ingredients in a large non-metal bowl. Pour blended ingredients into a LARGE jar or bowl with a loose fitting lid and let stand at room temperature for 36 to 48 hours. The starter will swell and bubble as it "grows" so be sure to use a large enough container as it may double or triple in size as it "grows."  (I let mine stand for 48 hours)

Afterward, starter can be stored in refrigerator until needed.

When you need the starter, take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before you use it. Stir starter before using it so that ingredients are blended together.

Every time you use some of the starter, you must replenish it. For example, if you use 2 cups starter, you must mix in 1 cup flour and 1 cup warm water. Then let it stand at room temperature for a few hours until it bubbles. It then can be stored in the refrigerator until it is needed again.

Sourdough Bread after 1st rise

A Few Hints about Sourdough Starter
If it separates with water forming on top and dough on bottom, stir well to make a smooth batter again.

Never use your entire starter. Leave 1 cup starter to make a new batch.

Cover sourdough container loosely, when out of refrigerator. Inside of refrigerator, you can add a lid because it is dormant in cold temperatures.

Sourdough can be kept in the refrigerator when not needed, but it takes at least a few hours at room temperature to start working again.

Sourdough reacts best at room temperature.

If your sourdough starter turns pink or red, shows signs of mold growth or smells putrid, throw it out and make a fresh batch of sourdough starter.

Make sure to share with friends so they can start their own sourdough baking.

Sourdough Bread after 2nd rise

Classic Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

1 cup ( 8 ounces) sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) lukewarm water

5 to 6 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

cornmeal to sprinkle on pans

Method

Pour the cup of starter into a large mixing bowl. Add the warm water and about 3 cups of flour. Beat vigorously. Cover this sponge with plastic wrap and put it aside to work. This period can be very flexible, but allow at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. A longer period (at a lower temperature) will result in a more sour flavor.

Loaf shaped

After the dough has bubbled and expanded, remove the plastic wrap. Blend in the salt, sugar, and remaining 2 cups of flour. Mix until the dough comes together, then knead, using your hands, an electric mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add only enough extra flour to keep the dough from sticking. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into an oval loaf, and place on a lightly greased, cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet. * see option below for Onion Rolls or Mini-Loaves.

All baked

Cover, and let rise until doubled (this can take up to 2 hours). 

Place a pan full of hot water on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat to 450°F. Remove the cover, slash the tops, and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, and cool on rack.

* Option - Add 1/4 cup dried minced onion to the dough.  Shape into 2 mini-loaves and 9 small onion rolls. After rising, brush tops with an egg wash (1 egg and 1 tbls. cold water whisked). Sprinkle tops with more dried minced onion and bake as per the above directions.

Yield: 2 mini-loaves and 9 rolls - OR - 4 mini-loaves - OR - 18-20 rolls

Onion Rolls

Mini-Loaves

As the sourdough develops the bread becomes more full of nooks and crannies

Cooks note - the longer you have the sourdough starter, the more developed the flavor becomes. The bread becomes more full of nooks and crannies making for an extremely tasty finished product. You many need to add additional yeast over time to reactivate. I only add 1/2 tsp yeast if this becomes necessary.

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

Enjoy,

Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Quick bread! Easy and QUICK to make with just a few ingredients. No mixer required! Great for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee, or easily could be a dessert as well.

My family has always loved this bread. They can't wait for me to bake it, and when my kids were little, they'd come running when they smelled it. I'll admit, the smell is hard to resist; you want it to hurry up and finish baking so you can cut some and enjoy it.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread is awesome to make for Christmas morning; sticky, sweet and delicious. It's perfect for enjoying sitting around the tree opening presents. One of my favorite memories, and I hope it'll be one of yours as well.

RECIPE
Ingredients
For the swirl:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the bread:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/flour/spray the bottom and sides of a 9″ x 5″ x 3″ loaf pan.

To make the swirl, combine 1/3 cup of sugar, pecans, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Combine 1 cup of sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat egg. Then, stir in milk and oil. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the egg mixture. Stir just until mixed. Do not over-mix.

Pour half of the batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon mixture. Repeat. With a wide rubber scraper or spatula, swirl mixtures together with a down and up circular motion.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until done. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Then, cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 1 large loaf or 2 small 5.75" x 3" loaves

Cook's Note - bread freezes very well

Also seen on Meal Plan Monday

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Best Soft Bread

Homemade Bread!  Does anything smell better baking? Is there anything better then fresh baked bread hot out of the oven slathered in butter or jam?  Ummmm ... not!  It is all so good, so I was really happy to discover this recipe via my friend, Mary, at Bunny's Warm Oven.

I've since made it many, many times, and my only change to her recipe was to add half organic hard white wheat flour. It is still very soft and delicious every time I make it. We use it for sandwiches, toasted with butter and jam, French toast and more. And it freezes well ... what could be better than that?

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 1/2 cup hot water
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup oil (your choice)
1 1/2 tbls. yeast
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups hard white wheat flour*
*Or use all-purpose flour if desired

Method
Mix water, honey, and oil together. Whisk in 3/4 cup flour and yeast. Using a stand mixer, add 2-3 cup flour and mix until blended, add remaining flour 1 cup at a time (total amount of flour is 5-7 cups not counting the 3/4 cup you added in the beginning) and mix 5-7 minutes allowing the mixer to do the kneading for you. The dough should be very soft and not too stiff.

Turn out onto a floured board and knead a few minutes more until you have a smooth dough ball. Lightly grease mixing bowl and add dough turning once to coat; cover with plastic wrap and raise dough 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size. (*Tip - turn oven on to 400 for 1 minute, turn oven off and place bowl in oven).

Punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured board. Divide dough in half and shape each into loaves; roll the dough out into a rectangle removing air bubbles then roll up tightly, pinch ends and place seam side down in lightly greased bread pans. Let rise in warm place 30 minutes (repeat oven tip above).

Remove from the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees and bake loaves 30 minutes. Bread should sound hollow when done.

Remove loaves from bread pans and let cool on a cooling rack. Brush tops of loaves with butter if desired. For best storage, only slice what you'll use each time and store the loaves well wrapped.

This bread also freezes well.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Italian Supermarket Bread

Bread baking is one of my "things!"  I've always loved it, from when I was a young girl.  I can remember playing and playing with bread dough recipes, and since I've been married I've made all kinds of bread, from sourdough to special breads at the holidays.  Nowadays, if our grown daughter is home for the holidays, I always have to make "Christmas Tree Bread," one of her childhood favorites, and then there's always Caramel-Nut Sticky Buns, Cinnamon Rolls and more.  While I love the sweet breads too, my tastes go much more to the savory loaves of Sourdough French Bread or Crusty Hearth Bread. To me there's nothing better than the smell of bread baking in the kitchen! (recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour)

Ingredients

4 cups organic, unbleached all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur Flour)

1/4 cup dried potato flakes

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp yeast (I used SAF Red Instant Yeast from King Arthur Flour)

1/3 cups lukewarm water

3 tbls. olive oil

Sesame seeds (optional)
1 egg white mixed with 1 tbls. water (to brush on top of loaves)

Method

In a large bowl, stir together all of the dough ingredients until it all comes together. 

Knead the dough for 5 to 8 minutes, until it's smooth and supple, adding more water or flour as needed. 

Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 1 hour, or until it's doubled in bulk. 

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface and divide it into two pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth 16" log. Place the logs into the two sections of a baguette pan, cover, and let the loaves rise until very puffy, about 1 hour. 

Brush the loaves with the egg wash, then sprinkle heavily with sesame seeds (optional). 

Slash the loaves diagonally, making 3 slashes in each, and immediately put them in the oven. 

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown. 

For the crispiest crust, turn off the oven, prop the door open, and allow the bread to cool in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from oven, remove loaves from baguette pan and cool on cooling rack.

Enjoy,
Mary

Hearth Bread

This recipe, also known as "The Easiest Loaf of Bread You'll Ever Bake," appears on the back of some of the King Arthur Flour bags. Recipe from King Arthur Flour.

Recipe
Ingredients

1 tablespoon (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups warm water (not over 110°F)
5 1/2 to 6 cups All-Purpose Flour*
cornmeal
boiling water
* For a heartier, healthier bread use Organic Hard Red or White Wheat Flour. Wheat flour is more "thirsty" than all-purpose flour, so add 4 cups flour to begin with, adding 1/2 cup more flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Organic Hard Red Wheat Flour

To mix: Mix together the first four ingredients. Let this stand until the yeast, sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the flour to the liquid and mix thoroughly until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface to knead. (I used my dough hook and my Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer to do most of the work mixing on a low setting).

Knead It: Fold the far edge of the dough back over on itself towards you. Press into the dough with the heels of your hands and push away. After each push, rotate the dough 90°. Repeat this process in a rhythmic, rocking motion for 5 minutes, sprinkling only enough flour on your kneading surface to prevent sticking. Let the dough rest while you scrape out and grease the mixing bowl. Knead the dough again for 2 to 3 minutes.

Let It Rise: Return the dough to the bowl and turn it over once to grease the top. Cover with a damp towel and keep warm until the dough doubles in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours. (I let mine rise 1 1/2 hours)

Shape it: Punch down the dough with your fist and briefly knead out any air bubbles. Cut the dough in half and shape into two Italian or French-style loaves (or make into round loaves). Place the loaves on a cookie sheet generously sprinkled with cornmeal. Let the loaves rest for 5 minutes.

Bake it: Lightly slash the tops of the loaves 3 or more times diagonally and brush them with cold water. Place on rack in a cold oven with a roasting pan full of boiling water on the oven bottom. Bake at 400°F for 35 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and sounds hollow to the touch. 

For a lighter, crustier bread, let your shaped loaves rise for 30-45 minutes. Preheat the oven and roasting pan with water to 500°F for 15 minutes. Brush the loaves with cold water, place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 400°F and bake for 10-15 more minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool and devour! (This is my preferred baking method).

Cook's note - recipe is easily cut in half to make one loaf. Bread freezes well.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Soft Half Whole Wheat Bread

A slightly sweet, soft, healthy half-whole-wheat bread. Delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
 

Method:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir.
2. Add flours and yeast, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 60-90 minutes.
3. Punch dough down; let rest 10 minutes. Form into a loaf, place in greased loaf pan and cover.  Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top of the loaf to prevent too much darkening.
5. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth. Slice and enjoy while still warm!  Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight bag or frozen until needed.

Yield:

1 loaf

Enjoy,
Mary

Simple Italian Bread

I'm always on the look-out for a good Italian bread. This recipe is so versatile, it can be Italian Bread, Focaccia or Pizza Dough.  Imagine that, three variations, one dough ... plus it's simple! Simple ingredients, simple to make, easy stuff!   You can butter, garlic and add Italian herbs and more to the the dough before rolling up and shaping into loaf ... I love it and love what you can do with it! Wonderful served with any pasta dish or a bowl of my Cheesy Potato or Veggie Beef Soup!

 Dough before baking


Ingredients
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)

2 to 3 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Combine yeast, sugar, and 1 cup warm water in bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer; let stand 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour, oil, and salt to bowl, and beat at low speed, using dough hook attachment, 1 minute. Gradually add additional flour (1 cup) until dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl and pull together. (Note: The dough will take on a "shaggy" appearance as the flour is being added. When enough flour has been added, the dough will look soft and smooth, not wet and sticky or overly dry with a rough surface.)

Increase speed to medium, and beat 5 minutes. Cover bowl of dough with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down, and let stand 10 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; shape dough into a 12-inch loaf (flatten dough with hands to 12" rectangle. Roll up from long end and shape into loaf). Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cut 3 (1/4-inch deep) slits across top of dough with a sharp paring knife. (The slits release interior steam and prevent the loaf from blowing apart at the side.)  Brush with egg white wash for crustier crust, if desired (whisk 1 egg white with 1 tbls water).

Bake at 400° for 16 minutes (approx) or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

 

 Bread all done!


Herbed Focaccia: Proceed with recipe as directed, shaping dough into a ball instead of a loaf. Roll dough into an 11- x 14-inch rectangle on a lightly greased baking sheet. Press handle of a wooden spoon into dough to make indentations at 1-inch intervals. Drizzle dough evenly with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning. Bake at 475° for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pizza Crust: Proceed with recipe as directed, shaping dough into a ball instead of a loaf. Roll dough into an 11- x 14-inch rectangle on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, or spread with pesto or pizza sauce, and sprinkle with desired toppings. Bake at 475° for 20 to 25 minutes.

Yorkshire Pudding

Light, puffy, airy "bread" traditionally served with a Prime Rib Roast and Beef Gravy!  Yumm!

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups milk
4 eggs

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together until blended, but do not over beat.

Pour batter into hot roasting pan (13 x 9-inch) containing 2 tbls. drippings from roasted Prime Rib. If you don't have beef roast drippings, spray pan with cooking spray and add 2 tbls. melted butter. 

Bake 425 for 35-40 minutes or until puffed up and browned.

Serve hot, and smothered in gravy. 

Enjoy,
Mary

Light and Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Love this recipe for biscuits!  I've tried many, and this is my #1 go-to recipe!  Original recipe from America's Test Kitchen.

Ingredients

If you don’t have buttermilk, there is no need to run to the store. Make a substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1¼ cups milk. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1¼ cups buttermilk

 

Method

1. CHILL FAT: Cut butter and shortening into ½-inch pieces and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

2. MIX DOUGH: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in food processor until combined. Add chilled butter and shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. KNEAD DOUGH: Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Stir in buttermilk until combined. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly, 8 to 10 times, to form smooth, cohesive ball. Roll dough into 9-inch circle, about ¾ inch thick.

4. CUT BISCUITS: Using 2½-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out rounds and arrange upside down on prepared baking sheet. Gather remaining dough and pat gently into ¾-inch-thick circle. Cut rounds from dough and transfer to baking sheet.

5. BAKE BISCUITS: Bake until biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate pan and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.

 

To make ahead: Cut rounds can be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, for 1 day. To finish, heat oven to 450 degrees and proceed with step 5.

Enjoy,
Mary

 

Caramel-Nut Sticky Buns

Updated January 2020

Easy to make, yummy to eat, sweet and sticky caramel nut sticky buns! These are my husband's all-time favorite, so every fall and winter I make several batches for him to enjoy.

You can make the topping with honey or maple syrup for a bit different taste. They never last long around here, but it is important to store them in an air-tight container.

I sometimes bake them in one 13 x 9-inch Pyrex pan and invert them into another since they have lids. Otherwise, I have an old Tupperware container I keep them in.

Fresh baked breads have no preservatives, so they are best enjoyed within a few days, otherwise they will begin to get stale.

RECIPE
Ingredients
For the Dough:
1 package or 2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbls ground cinnamon

For the Topping:
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup slightly melted butter
2 tbls. honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Method
For the Dough:
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Pour in yeast mixture. Switch to the dough hook and mix in remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is easy to handle.

Knead dough in your mixer with the dough hook, or by hand on lightly floured surface, for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in a well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2-2 hours. 

*Dough rising tip - turn on your oven to 400 for one (1) minute only (do not preheat), immediately turn oven off and place dough inside warm oven to rise.

Once doubled in size, punch down dough. Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle.

For the Filling and Baking:
Combine melted butter, cinnamon and brown sugar, spreading all over dough. Beginning at the longest (15 inch) side, roll up dough and pinch edges together to seal. Cut into 12 slices.

Coat a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix topping together and spread over pan. Place rolls on top, cut side down in 4 rows of 3 rolls each. 

Cover and let rise in oven again (see note above for using oven to raise dough) for 45-60 minutes. Bake 375, 20-30 minutes (check after 20 minutes); immediately invert into container and scrape remaining caramel mixture on top if any remains in the pan! Serve warm!

Cook's note - these sticky buns freeze well. Flash freeze individually on a rimmed baking sheet. Once frozen, wrap each one in plastic wrap and place in zip top bags. Seal and store in your freezer.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.