Soft White Sandwich Bread Baked From Home

Soft, creamy to the crumb white sandwich bread baked from home.  It doesn't get any better than this!  From one of my favorite cookbooks, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, the original recipe is found on page 76 entitled 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread.  However, the day I made this loaf, I only had all-purpose flour on hand.  I didn't let that stop me from making a batch of dough.  My kids really chowed down on it.  This bread made perfect sandwich bread; it was easy to slice. And we lurved eating it as breakfast toast with home canned red plum jam.  I didn't make the plum jam, my neighbor did.

For your own wonderful copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois, just click on the book title and you'll be directed to Amazon.  I get about a dollar for every book I sell, and every dollar counts these days. Right?

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey (I love RoundRock Honey)
• 5 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, plus more for greasing the pan
• 6 2/3 cups all purpose flour or whole wheat flour

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast, salt, honey, and oil with the milk and water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a strong handled spoon.
3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top); approximately 2 to 3 hours.
4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is MUCH easier to handle when cold.  Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days.
5. On baking day, lightly grease a 9x4x3-inch nonstick loaf pan.  Using wet hands, scoop out a
   1 1/2 pound (cantaloupe-size) handful of dough.  This dough is pretty sticky and often it's easiest to handle it with wet hands.  Keeping your hands wet, quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the vall a quarter-turn as you go.
6. Drop the loaf into the prepared pan.  You want to fill the pan slightly more than half-full.
7. Allow the dough to rest for 1 hour and 40 minutes.  Flour the top of the loaf and slash, using the tip of a serrated bread knife.
8. Preheat the oven to 350ºF, with an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
9. Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven.  Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door.  Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.
10. Allow to cool completely before slicing in order to cut reasonable sandwich slices.

Soft White Bread Made At Home

The original recipe is Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Inspired by Chris Kimball from the book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  At the time of mixing the dough, I didn't have whole wheat flour and took a chance on using all All-Purpose Flour in the recipe.  It worked out beautifully.  The family fell in love, the kids wanted to eat peanut butter sandwiches all day long, and I fell addicted to having creamy toast for breakfast.

I'll admit that we're accustomed to Mrs. Baird's pillow soft and sweet bread.  I knew that if I wanted my family to turn to the fresh side, I would have to sweeten the transition. This recipe helped me do that.

HERE'S WHAT IT TAKES

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (or 2 packets)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 6 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the yeast, salt, honey, and butter with the lukewarm water in a 5-quart bowl, or lidded (not airtight) food container.

Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon.  Mix until there's no pockets of flour present.  Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses; approximately 2 hours.

The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it's easier to handle when cold.  Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days.

On baking day, lightly grease a 9 x 4 x 3-inch nonstick loaf pan with butter.  Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1 1/2 pound (cantaloupe-size) piece.  Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.  Form an elongated oval and place it into the prepared pan.  Allow to rest for 1 hour and 40 minutes or just 4o minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough.

Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 400ºF, with an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven.  Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door.  Bake for about 50 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.

Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

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This recipe makes WONDERFUL baguettes for snacking, too. After shaping the dough into a oval-shaped loaf.  Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal covered pizza peel for 20 minutes BEFORE heating up the oven and pizza stone.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes for baguettes.

Baking has never been easier since I started using the book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.  Click on the book title and get your copy today.  This cookbook is LOADED with awesome recipes such as Onion Rye, Deli Style Rye, Spinach Feta Bread, Fresh and Fruity Oatmeal Bread, Bran-Enriched White Bread, and my personal favorite Sticky Caramel  Rolls. 
My mouth waters just thinking about them.

Creamy Biscuits

FINALLY! I found a recipe that produces my kind of biscuit, i.e. thick, creamy, moist, can be stuffed with eggs & bacon or left floating on a plate of down home white sauce.  I baked up Kelly's Perfect Buttermilk Biscuit recipe over at Sass & Veracity, except I didn't have buttermilk on hand, so I used sour cream.  These biscuits came out beautifully and my folks were scrambling for seconds.  Thank you Kelly!

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick COLD butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3/4 cup sour cream or buttermilk

Heat oven to 450ºF.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Add cold butter cubes, and using your fingers tips, pinch and rub the butter through the flour until the mixture looks like small crumbs.  This doesn't take long and using the blender makes for more dishes to wash.

Add the sour cream and stir lightly with a fork just until a soft dough forms.  Knead it in the bowl with your hands about 15 times.  Do NOT overwork the dough.

Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it's about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.  You can do this with a rolling pin if you prefer, but the dough is easily managed with your hands.  Choose a biscuit cutter (or a glass, jar, or can) that is 2-3 inches in diameter and cut as many biscuits as you can from the dough.  Repeat the process with scraps until all dough is used.

For biscuits with soft sides, place them into a ungreased 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan.  The cozier the fit the better. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until medium golden brown.

Now For the Down home White Sauce (Gravy!)

• 2 tablespoons bacon drippings
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

• 3/4 to 1 cup warm milk
• salt & pepper to taste

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, warm bacon drippings then whisk in flour until smooth.  Cook flour for up to 2 minutes, whisking constantly.

Slowly whisk in warm milk, constantly whisking to eliminate lumps.  Use up to 3/4 cup milk.  Allow sauce to come to a simmer, season with salt and pepper to salt, whisking to prevent burning.  Lower heat if necessary.  If sauce is too thick, add more milk 2 tablespoons at a time until you have the consistency as you like it.  The sauce with thicken as it cools.

If you make the sauce ahead or need to keep it warm, pour it into a warm bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow the plastic wrap to touch the top of the gravy, pushing out all the air from the bowl.  This will prevent a skin from forming on the top.  Use the microwave to reheat on medium power for 30 seconds up to one minute.

The bacon shown in the picture above was made on another day.  Follow my Oven Fried Bacon recipe to have bacon on hand, ready to eat anytime you want it.

Bran Enriched White Bread Made At Home

I never thought I would see the day when I would become a devout bread maker.  It's always been too scientific for me, too labor intensive for the amount of time I have on hand, too many times that all my hard work resulted in a dense block of undesirable bread only fit for the birds.

Well NOT ANYMORE Brothers & Sisters, NOT ANYMORE!!!

My dear friend Judy@NoFearEntertaining turned me on to a bread book that has changed my attitude and opened up a new world for me.  Thanks to Judy, Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois, I am now a home-school Mom who bakes her own bread.  Now, if I only had a denim dress and a couple of goats to milk...

The name of this life changing book? Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.

Anyhoo. Following this book to make bread does take steps, but nothing like the traditional method of making it.  I got the hang of it after the first batch.  I'm into my fifth batch now and I've already developed a routine that doesn't take anymore time out of my day.  I kid you not.  I'm so serious and excited with my results that I'm searching to get a second refrigerator to have in the garage just to store a variety of bread doughs.

Let me make this clear so no one feels like this is too good to be true.  It takes five minutes to mix the ingredients together.  It takes one minute to shape the dough.  However, it takes time in between to make it all happen.  The great part is that the time happens in the frig & on the counter top.  There's no kneading or waiting for the bread to rise for hours on end.

I've learned not to expect the bread for that day, but for a couple a days from now.  That part takes patience that is well rewarded in the end.

HERE'S A DELICIOUS EXAMPLE from the bread book

Bran Enriched White Bread
Makes four 1-pound loaves.  The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (or 2 packets)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 3/4 cup wheat bran
• 5 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• cornmeal for coating surface

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast and salt with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy duty stand mixer (with dough hook).  If you're not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.
3. Allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.  Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 14 days.
5. On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on a ll four side, rotating the ball in a quarter-turn as you go.  Then form a oval-shaped loaf. Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 40 minutes.
6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450ºF, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack.  Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
7. Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour and slash parallel cuts across the loaf, using a serrated bread knife.  Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some of it off before eating.
8. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door.  Bake for about 30minutes, until deeply browned and firm.  Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time.
9. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Now for my notes:

I use a large popcorn bowl with a foil lid to store my dough in the frig.

Before I got serious with this bread making routine, I used a cookie sheet without sides as my pizza peel.  I had to use a pastry knife to ensure that the bread loaves slid off onto the hot baking stone properly.  That took pratice but it worked out fine.  A few days ago, I bought an inexpensive pizza peel ($9.99) from the Kitchen Collection store.   I can't tell you how sweet it was to flick those loaves off into the hot oven.  So sweet indeed.

When it's time to make a fresh batch of dough, I don't wash the dough bowl.  I will keep it covered so the bits of fermented dough do not dry out while I'm mixing.  The book ensures me that keeping the dough bits aids in the flavors of the next batch.

The last batch of dough I made, I forgot to let it sit out at room temperature to rise and fall.  I immediately stuck it in the frig.  I wasn't planning to make bread for 3 more days.  When I did go to bake, the bread turned out as beautiful as the other batches.  Shoo!

Finally, I love peppery breads and we are enjoying this recipe with 1/2 tablespoon of pepper mixed in.  I didn't have wheat bran available, so I substituted it with instant oat bran hot cereal.  The bread just ROCKS!!!

READ FROM OTHERS

Judy at No Fear Entertaining

Peter at Kalofagas.ca

Zoe Francois at ZoeBakes.com - My Bucket Collection

Bran-Craisin Muffins

As far as bran loaded muffins go, these are pretty good, especially the next day. Like a Fruity Banana Bread, the muffins become softer, more moist, the longer they sit out on the counter in a storage container.

I'm trying to mix up my breakfast regimen and try new-old classics.  I've never eaten Malt O'Meal or hot cereal products other than oatmeal.  From my local grocer, I picked up a box of oat bran hot cereal and a dollar box of grits.  Until last week, I had never eaten grits. Side note and next post, I lurv grits!  I can't believe I've been living without them all this time.  Okay, back to these here muffins.

Another product I picked up for the first time was fig flavored yogurt; I found it at the foodie mart.  I did not enjoy eat it by itself, but I immediately imagined it going into a dense breakfast bread in place of buttermilk or sour cream.  So I went to searching for muffin recipes and found just want I needed.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 1/2 cups oat bran cereal
• 1/2 cup craisins
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 3/4 cup boiling water

• 1 egg from a happy chicken
• 1 cup fig yogurt or plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup oil

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 400ºF. Grease the bottom of a 12 cup muffin pan.

In a large bowl, mix the oat bran, craisins, pecans and boiling water.  Allow to sit a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, beat together the egg, yogurt and oil.

In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining dry ingredients.

First, add the egg mixture to the moistened bran mix and stir well.  Second, add the dry ingredients and fold into the wet ingredients.  Do not overstir; allow the flour to become moist as you fold the ingredients together.

Use a 2 inch scooper to fill 12 muffin cups, divide batter evenly among the cups.  BAKE about 20 minutes, until golden brown.  IMMEDIATELY remove from pan, allow to cool on wire rack.

I love eating my work

Fruity Banana Bread

This is as close to Fruit Cake as I want to get! Fruity Banana Bread is a healthier version of the traditional Moist Banana Bread I normally bake.  Only this is loaded with plumped craisins, golden raisins, and big pecan pieces.  So moist, so GOOD!

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED

• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
• 1/3 cup water

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries rehydrated
• 1/2 cup golden raisins, rehydrated
• 1 cup old fashion oats, with a coarse flour consistency
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup pecan pieces

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 eggs

Heat oven to 325ºF degrees. Grease loaf pan with shortening, then dust with flour.

Rehydrate cranberries and raisins  together in hot water for up to 5 minutes, then DRAIN off water.  Use a one cup food processor to quickly cut oats down to a fine coarse consistency, run the processor for up to a good minute.

In a small bowl, use your potato masher to mash bananas and water together until semi-smooth, no big chunks.

Combine oat flour, flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.  VERY IMPORTANT STEP HERE: Toss in the cranberries, raisins and pecans and get them well coated.

In an electric mixer bowl, blend sugar and butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs until blended.  Reduce speed to STIR, then add mashed bananas.  Turn mixer speed to STIR and add in dry ingredients  just until moistened.

Pour bread batter into pan. Bake 50 minutes, until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Loosen sides of loaf from pan, invert pan onto a cake plate and allow to cool completely before slicing.  If you can truly resist it, wait to eat it for the NEXT DAY.  The second and third day, possibly the fourth if there's any leftover, are the BEST DAYS to eat this bread.

If you want to take a few more steps to the healthy side, here's what I suggest.

• Cut the sugar back to 1/4 cup, and add an extra ripe banana to keep the sweetness the same.
• Substitute the butter for margarine, then omit the salt.
• Substitute the 2 whole eggs with 1/2 cup healthy egg substitute or 4 egg whites.

Now GO, BAKE!
then come back & tell me how it turned out for you.

Simple and Sweet Beer Bread

Sweet Beer Bread is AWESOME!!! It's SUPER EASY to make & bake and takes very little time to get it on the table.  This a dense bread that is wonderful with brothy soups or toasted with jam on top... *remembering that wonderful breakfast.*

Oh and if you have two loaf pans, go ahead and double this recipe.  This bread won't last more than two days.  It's very hard not to slice off a piece every time you walk past it, VERY HARD.  On the other hand, if you have a small family, then consider sharing the loaf with a neighbor.  Fresh baked bread is a wonderful gift to receive no matter what time of year.

HERE'S HOW SIMPLE IT IS

• 3 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• 12 ounces beer

• 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

Heat the oven to 350ºF. Coat non-stick loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients.  Pour in the beer and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened. The dough will be sticky.  Press the dough into the loaf pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Pour melted butter over the top of the loaf, then bake for another 10 minutes.  Allow to cool 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate.

Sweet Moist Banana Bread

The best banana bread I've ever made EVER!

It's so moist & flavorful on the first day, it tastes like it was baked yesterday.

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED...

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Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

My picky eating daughter asked if we could bake muffins together. We just happen to have the ingredients for these tasty little bites. They've made great snacks for us and they keep getting better with each day. My daughter has eaten more than any of us. I don't mind, they're healthy eats.

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup applesauce or oil
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup healthy egg substitute or 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven 400F degrees. Spray mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.

Stir together the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. In a separate medium bowl, stir together the remaining dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Use a small scooper (holds 1 tablespoonful) to measure out dough into mini muffin pan.

BAKE 8-10 minutes. Immediately remove from pan to cooling rack. After they've cooled completely, store in a one gallon freezer bag. I highly recommend baking them a day ahead.

Whole Wheat Pancakes My Kids Love!

This is the healthiest pancake recipe that my kids REALLY love to eat.  Believe me, I have tried other "your kids are gonna love these healthy pancakes" recipes.  They didn't.  They knew right away there was something not right and they wouldn't bite!

Now, I will admit that this recipe has literally evolved over time.  Therefore, my children didn't notice the small healthy changes I made to it.

ORIGINAL PANCAKES RECIPE

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup milk

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HEALTHY WHOLE WHEAT PANCAKES RECIPE

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup Better N'Eggs Plus
• 2 1/2 tablespoons applesauce, natural or cinnamon
• 3/4 cup 1% milk
• Real 100% Maple Syrup, there are no substitutions!

Heat up griddle on Medium heat.  Mix the dry ingredients together and add in all wet ingredients.  Beat until batter is smooth.   If you have Oven Fried Bacon on hand, this is the time to warm it up in the microwave.

By this time, the griddle should be hot enough to pour the batter.  If the griddle is too hot, simply remove it from the heat for a minute or two and turn down the burner just a bit.

Pour out enough batter to make 4 inch cakes.  When the tops become bubbly, it's time to flip'em.  The second side will cook faster than the first, so DON'T WALK AWAY, cook until golden brown.  Serve up hot with maple syrup drizzled on top and two slices of bacon on the side.  Yea, yea, yea, I know that bacon's not healthy but bacon and pancakes with are meant to be together!

KID FRIENDLY TIP
If you, too, use a recipe similar to the original one above, start the change by adding cinnamon.  Pumpkin Spice works well, too.  When your family is accustomed to it, substitute the oil for the applesauce.  They may notice, but they won't mind. Next comes the flour exchange.  Start with half all purpose and half whole wheat, then over the next few batches, gradually use all whole wheat flour.  They won't notice the egg substitution, so exchange that at any time.  They will notice the real Maple syrup and love you for changing over!