Artisan bread

My aunt gave me a recipe for No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread.

I finally made it.

It is so easy! And unbelievable good.

I also found the same recipe on this blog and the writer discusses that this recipe is no-fuss. No matter what you do, you can't ruin it. I'm glad I read that. Sometimes that kind of advice helps me. Especially with dough and yeast. Those two things can be intimidating.

I made the dough yesterday, let it rise overnight, baked it today and we used it for BLT's for dinner.

Next time I'm going to use my smaller cast iron dutch oven. I'm hoping that will give it more height. Not that it really matters. It really is amazingly delicious bread.

Is it too obvious to give thanks for the bread?

the chicken or the egg

Last week, I asked the youth which came first the chicken or the egg.

We had a very interesting discussion.

Without getting into a philosophical debate, and like to just say I'm thankful for both.

We haven't had a big Sunday breakfast for quite awhile. It will likely be a few more weeks before we have the chance to enjoy one again.

This morning, our Sr. High were in charge and led our worship services. They did an amazing job. As our missions director said to me afterward, there may not be the numbers but there sure is quality [in our youth].

Bill helped with the tech side of the services and I attended the 9:15am service. Since I would be dining by myself, I decided to make the best of it.

I have half a loaf of a crusty whole grain bread. I cut off a thick slice, used a biscuit cutter and made a hole in the center and set about to making a bull's eye or an egg in a basket. I had never heard of this until Bill and I lived in Savannah and I had one at an amazing restaurant which sadly no longer exists. They called it a bull's eye, but the other name makes more sense. I have a feeling it depends on what part of the country you're in, as to the preferred name.

Of course I didn't let the center go to waste. Oh no. I spread some Nutella on the disc. Yum!

And, I don't know if it's kitchen cuisine "correct" but I added a slice of Fontina on top of my bull's eye.

It was delectable. I think I may have to make another one tomorrow!

Today, I am thankful for the egg.

the outcome

I know, I know. I promised a picture of the bread. It actually turned out better than I expected. Sometimes, I don't knead dough long enough for fear of over-working it. Having grown up without the hands-on experience of the "old world" style of baking, I am mostly self-taught. When you don't grow up making your own bread, you have to learn these things by trial and error.

I have learned the way!

Check out the challah before it goes in the oven...

and after!

 Delicious!

more on bread

I apologize to my paleo readers.

If you just read that and went, huh? Don't worry, it's not you.

I'm baking challah bread today.

Why? You ask.

Because I found a recipe for it when I was looking for a soup.

I found the soup recipe but couldn't stop thinking about the challah.

Mostly because I like saying it.

"Holla!"

That's how I say it.

With attitude.

So today, I decided to bake it.

Because I had time.

Or I thought I had time.

It's rising for the second time.

I braided it.

It looks pretty.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

stocking up on carbs

As I was getting the cream for my coffee, I realized that there is a lot of bread in the house.

I bought a loaf of olive parmesan bread last week at a bakery in Traverse City.

We have a regular loaf of wheat bread for Sunday breakfast and normal use.

Then, Bill and I decided to have reubens (thanks to our friends Jess and Jake who gave us their last jar of homemade sauerkraut). Bill likes rye, but I do not.

I read up on reubens and found a few suggestions for using pretzel bread instead.

So, I bought a loaf of rye and pretzel buns.

There are hamburger buns in the freezer as well as a loaf of Italian bread.

Do you think that's enough carbs?

Good thing neither one of us gave up bread for Lent.

The "flavor"

I could have sworn that I have written about "the bread", but I can't find it anywhere. Mom, Dad? Do you remember reading about it? Or do you just remember it?

It was Easter 2011. I made "the bread" to go with our dinner.

There was a moment of panic when the smell hit the kitchen. The bread was under the broiler and it smelled like it was burning.

I wasn't worried. It was doing exactly what it needed to be doing.

My mom said it was burning and I said, "No! That's the flavor!"

Hence, it is now known in our family as "the flavor". Not "the bread".

Since I never blogged about it (or at least can't find where I did) here's the link to that delicious recipe. Try it with your next dinner. Follow the instructions and wait. Don't get impatient like my mom. You definitely want "the flavor."

The reason why I'm telling you about the flavor bread is because PW blogged about another of her favorite breads. This post is actually older than "the bread" post. But she just reposted it and it was the first time I had seen it.

Check this out.

I have a feeling that this will be replacing "the bread" in our house. I will be trying this soon.

And, if you read through the recipe, don't fret. I read several of the comments and one urges everyone to use kalamata olives instead of the canned. I will definitely be using the kalamata.

And I promise to post Christmas pictures on here soon. I haven't forgotten.

food kick

I'm on a roll so I'll stick with the food topic.

I made a creamy tomato soup that I discovered yesterday when I linked the recipe for the focaccia. I will not link it tonight because I am tired and if I go back to the King Arthur flour website I might find yet another recipe. And while I generally get excited for that kind of thing, tonight I really just want to go to bed.

The tomato soup was simple and, while I don't recommend tasting it before it's finished, the end product is delicious.

Trust me. It was really good with the rest of the focaccia bread.

The next dish is meatloaf and sweet potato fries with a caramelized onion topping. I'll let you know on Thursday how it turns out.

croutons!

Really, who doesn't love croutons?

I know I do.

Awhile ago I started making my own.

It is so simple it's ridiculous.

First, start with a loaf of crusty bread. Our store sells a loaf for $1.79 or, if I'm near the bakery, I stop in there and buy whatever they have (this time it was French bread).

Second, and this is the key to good croutons, you want the bread to sit on your counter for two or three days (which is very difficult when the bread is aromatic and every time you walk by it you get a whiff of that delicious smell).

Third, slice the bread and then dice it into whatever size croutons your heart desires.

My heart desires bigger chunks.

You can even go crazy and pull it apart with your bare hands. I like the civilized approach using a knife.

Fourth, drizzle the bread with olive oil. Sometime I add a little salt and pepper just to give it some flavor. But you can just use the oil (especially if you buy a loaf of bread with garlic or rosemary baked into it).

Fifth, put the chunks of break onto a baking sheet and place in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Bake for ten minutes.

Or longer if you have a full tray of croutons like I do.

Or if you like them super crunchy.

Sometimes I have to put them in the toaster oven to crisp them up right before adding them to a salad.

Sixth, and last, enjoy!

Okay, six steps may sound like a lot. But it's really not. Especially when you control the flavor. Does this make it easier; take your loaf of bread and cut or tear into pieces. Place on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven for ten minutes.

There you go. Three easy steps. Homemade croutons. Go forth and eat salads!

mini Italian subs

Sandwiches.

They're Joey's favorite food (from "Friends" in case anyone reading this didn't watch the show).

It's National Sandwich Week May 16th-22nd. I blogged about it last year. I made a different sandwich for each day. (I think. I don't remember. You can fact check me. I was going to fact check myself until I realized how convoluted this new setup is.)

I'm planning to do that again this year (make a different sandwich each day, not fact check myself).

Without meaning to; today I found a new sandwich that will be on my list to make again.

It's called a mini Italian sub. It used the fresh focaccia bread (actually they were rolls, if you can call a 7" diameter hunk of bread a "roll" which you can because it could literally roll) that I picked up at the bakery yesterday. I fried up some bacon. Then I made egg crepes.

I had never made an egg crepe before. It was a lot like an omelette, but not. It called for two tablespoons of heavy cream to be scrambled in the bowl with the eggs (three eggs, in case you're interested in trying this). I poured a quarter of the egg mixture into a medium-hot, buttered, non-stick skillet; gave it a swirl to coat the bottom of the pan, and then covered it with a lid for 1 min. 30 seconds. When I took off the lid I don't know what I expected. What I found was a poufy egg crepe. That's the best way for me to describe it. It was thin, light, and fluffy.

I set it aside and made two more.

I cut open the rolls and toasted them (on the frying pan, not in the toaster oven; I only wanted one side to be toasted, not both sides), then spread pesto on both halves. On went the egg crepe, sliced turkey, provolone, bacon and the top of the roll. I cut them into quarters.

It was a really good sandwich. I can't wait to have them again. 

Holla'

DO NOT SCRATCH & SNIFF YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN!

It's just a photo.

Remember the other day when I mentioned the Bakery?

Well I stopped by today to pick up the loaf of Challah we need for the Christmas Breakfast casserole.

It was fresh out of their oven.

It smells heavenly.

My car smells heavenly.

But whenever I order Challah, I have to raise my arms and say, "Holla'!"

It is good enough to deserve it. No. I don't know the history of Challah. I could look it up, but I'm going to go clean and take my walk. Maybe I'll look it up later.