Life A.B. (After Bread)

Homemade bread is a hurdle that every home baker is eventually faced with. There are so many different authorities, techniques, questions, preferences, and problems (both real and imagined), that it can be hard to know where to start.

Luckily, popular bread making techniques are focusing on minimizing the amount of work needed for the proper processes to occur. Two good ones are the No Knead bread, and also the 5-Minute bread: each of which promise to deliver the much desired artisan style loaf. These breads are wonderful tools for the beginning bread baker. They are in essence gateway breads. Once you get a taste of how easy it is to make your own bread, you won't be able to stop.

I was really excited when my brother's best friend showed me this recipe. (My grandma couldn't believe it: a boy baking bread from scratch. Unheard of!) Although I am familiar with yeast from making my own pizza dough from scratch, I have been slow to enter into the world of home-made bread. My excuse is not wanting to put my zillion dollar le creuset in the billion degree oven with it's plastic knob (the metal replacement is in the mail as I type). That is why I was so excited when I saw this recipe: I realized that could bake the loaf on my unbreakable cast iron skillet. It works really well, and the bread tastes delicious!

Sit back, and let time and the ingredients do the work for you.

5-Minute Artisan Bread

This recipe makes enough dough to make multiple loaves. The idea is to keep it in the fridge and keep pulling from it to make fresh loaves.

3 cups luke warm water

1 1/2 Tablespoon granulated yeast

1 1/2 Tablespoon Salt (Morton's Kosher, no iodine)

6 1/2 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the ingredients in a large bowl or plastic tub (it is going to rise a lot, so it needs room to grow. I split my dough into two bowls so that it wouldn't overflow). Cover the container loosely, but make sure that it isn't sealed completely. Let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours (at this stage you want it to be a little on the warm side, to encourage the yeast, so don't put it in a cold drafty area).

After 2 hours, it can be used immediately or put in the fridge to be used as desired (it should keep for about two weeks). Either way, when you are ready to bake a loaf, break off a large piece (about the size of a grapefruit), place it on a floured cutting board and shape it with your hands. To shape it you want to cup the dough in a ball in your hands and gently pull it downwards toward the bottom of the ball, creating a smooth circular surface.

Let the dough sit for 60 to 90 minutes. Pre-heat

the oven to 450 with either a pizza stone, or a cast iron skillet on the middle shelf. Place a heat-safe container of water on a shelf below (this will create steam which will improve the crust). Score the top of the dough with a serrated knife, making 4 or 5 parallel incisions. Slide the dough onto the hot pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Let it cool completely before slicing.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert bread-maker! If you have any questions I recommend checking the 5-minute artisan bread website, they have more thorough explanations.

Chocoholic

My mom loves chocolate.  So when my parents visited this weekend, I knew I had to rise to the occasion and bake something chocolate-y.  I don't really celebrate St. Patrick's Day (I usually just make sure to wear green so that I don't get pinched), but the great deal on Guinness at my grocery store was definitely something I could get on board with.  

My decision was made: chocolate Guinness cupcakes.  

I came across this recipe a few years ago at Smittenkitchen.  Originally, it was actually an Irish Car Bomb Cupcake, complete with whisky ganache and baileys frosting.  I made the entire recipe once, but it made me feel like my heart was going to explode (in a bad way).  The plain unadorned cupcakes though?  Perfect.  They are dark and chocolate-y; rich, but not too sweet.  (Plus they are a little less controversial.  The drink may be popular, but actual car bombs are definitely not, and for good reason).   

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

1 cup Stout (such as Guinness)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup sour cream (I used plain yogurt)

Pre-Heat the oven to 350°

Melt the butter mixed with the stout in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer.  Mix in the cocoa powder and remove the mixture from the heat.  While it cools*, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together.  Separately, beat the eggs and sour cream (or yogurt) together until they are well blended.  Add the stout mixture to the egg mixture.  Once they are fully combined, add 

the flour mixture and mix them until they are completely combined.  Spoon the batter into lined cupcake tins, distributing it evenly.  Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool the cupcakes on a rack (or eat them hot out of the oven).

*You don't want the stout mixture to be really hot, or else it will curdle the eggs.

Feed your Accountant

I think that it's easy for us civilians to forget that accountants are people.  They have hope, dreams, and feelings, just like the rest of us.  And, just like the rest of us, they work really hard.  Especially this time of year.  

My big brother is an accountant.  This time of year he starts working 6 - 7 days a week.  His girlfriend, also an accountant, has been working 12 hour days.  With hours like those, and deadlines like April 15th, I think that a little bit of compassion and a bunch of baked goods are in order.

That said, I really like making biscotti.  It is equally good for breakfast, afternoon, and dessert.  Plus, it keeps really well.  I have been eyeing this recipe for a while, and am glad to finally have an excuse to make it.  Almond extract!  Yum!  

Just a little something to munch on while they crunch those numbers.

Nonna's Biscotti 

From Gourmet

1 cup sugar 

1 stick unsalted butter (melted)

3 Tablespoons brandy*

2 teaspoons almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup almonds (toasted and chopped)

3 eggs 

2 3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix together the sugar, melted butter, brandy, & extracts.  Stir in the eggs and the almonds.  

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until until just combined.  Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.  

Pre-head the oven to 350

Once it is chilled, divide the dough in 1/2.  Form two loaves, and place them on a baking sheet (I put a sheet of parchment paper underneath).  Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven.  Transfer to a rack, and cool for 15 minutes.  Slice the loaves into 3/4 inch slices with a serrated knife.  Arrange the biscotti back on the baking sheet (just pull up and toss the parchment paper), cut side down.  Bake for another 20-25 minutes**, until golden.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.  

*I don't have brandy, so I left it out.  It wasn't a disaster (they were a little on the mild side).

 

**Mine got pretty toasty on just one side, next time I would try to bake them for 10-12 minutes, then flip them over and cook them for another 5-8 more minutes.  (That's how I have done it in previous recipes.)

Pasta for Spring

For my daily lunch I want to eat something that is healthy, economical, homemade, easy (both to make and clean-up), and tasty.  This dish is all of those things.  A bowl of chopped up not-fancy vegetables, some onions and garlic, a splash of olive oil and a couple of handfuls of pasta.  That's it.  Plus I only use one pan to cook everything.  

These are tough times.  It's as important for us to get our vegetables, as it is to stretch and pinch our pennies.  This is not just a good tasting meal but, I hope, it is also a prudent use of ingredients.  A couple of carrots, part of a head of broccoli, a little bit of pasta.  I didn't use up all of anything, so there can be carrot sticks left over to snack on, broccoli left over for a frittata, quiche, or omelet (obviously, I am hung up on an egg-broccoli combination, but you get the idea).  

I got something like this at a restaurant a while ago, and recreated what I liked.  This is what I think it should be: light, bright and simple.  It is really flexible, don't stress out if you want to make some changes.  I would bet that you have bigger things to worry about.  

Pasta for Spring

Broccoli (I used a couple of cups)

Carrots (I used a cup or two)

*You can add/substitute any vegetables of your choice (zucchini is good)

Red onion (I used about 1/3, you could substitute white/yellow onion or shallots)

Garlic (I used 2 cloves, sliced)

Pasta (I used 1 cup of dry penne)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan (optional)

Boil your pasta water and cook your pasta.  Meanwhile, chop your veggies into bite sized chunks.  Drain the pasta when it is al dente, put it aside in the bowl that you intend you eat from.  Drizzle a little bit of olive oil in the bottom of the (now empty & dry) pan used for the pasta.  Brown your onions and garlic for a couple of minutes with some salt and pepper, then add the vegetables and cook until they are done to your liking (I like everything a little bit underdone).  Mix in the pasta, put everything back into your bowl, and you are done.   

Crunchy Kale

I really did not like kale growing up.  My parents steamed it plain, and it was always limp and bitter.  Also, due to their dedication to organic produce, I sometimes found bugs in it (although my mom would never believe me).  

Now that I am cooking my own food, going to farmers markets, and wishing I had a big enough budget for organic produce, I am actually finding myself buying too much kale because I like it so much.  I want to eat it, but sometimes I can't fit it in to a meal soon enough, and I end up having to throw it away, rotten, smelly, and wasted.  So, when I came across a recipe on bread-and-honey, for Kale Chips, I took note.  It sounded a little crazy, and possibly too earnest & health-food-y.  Like those icky substitute chips that you can get from Whole Foods, that taste like sandpaper garnished with sawdust.  

Crunchy kale chips, what does that really mean?  You will just have to trust me that they are good and jump in.  Just rip up some kale (no tough stalks please), rinse the dirt off, dry the water off, mix it with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the leaves, spread it on a baking sheet, sprinkle on some sea salt, toss it in the oven, and wait for about 10 minutes.  I can't really describe the results.  Crisp, crunchy, light, salty, and addictive.  I think that the simplicity and goodness of all of the ingredients keeps them from seeming like they are trying to be something else (like, say, potato chips).  These can stand their own, they are easy, tasty, and made of good things.  

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale (or more!)

Splash of olive oil (just enough to coat the leaves)

Sprinkle of coarse sea-salt (not too much, keep in mind that the leaves shrink a little when they bake, so don't over-salt to begin with)

Pre-heat the oven to 350º

Rip the kale leaves off of the stalk, breaking them into bite sized pieces.  Rinse the leaves off well, making sure to get off all the dirt (and bugs!).  Pat or shake the leaves dry, then pour a little olive oil in, tossing them together until all the leaves are lightly coated.  Spread the leaves onto a baking sheet in one layer.  Sprinkle with a little salt (err on the conservative side, you can always add more).  Bake them for about 10 minutes, keeping an eye on them to make sure that they don't burn.  

A Rainy Day

Comfort food comes in many shapes, flavors, and caloric intensities.  This recipe is one of my favorites: warm, satisfying and full of carbohydrates.  If you have a nice stash of bread-crumbs already on hand (the ones that you were saving for a rainy day, perhaps?) this recipe is a really low stress way to eat your other stresses away.  If you need comfort food it is always a bonus if the process of making it is simple and to the point.  All you need are some rosy red cherry tomatoes, a handful of parmesan, a couple of garlic cloves, and your pre-made home-made bread- crumbs and you are ready to go.  

I discovered this recipe at Smittenkitchen.  It is very forgiving - it changes a little bit every time I make it.  It has never been bad, and almost always tastes better then the last time.  

Baked Tomato Sauce

Cherry Tomatoes (small or large carton, depending on how much you want)

1/2 cup (+/-) bread-crumbs

1/3 cup (+/-) parmesan

2 garlic cloves (crushed or chopped finely)

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil (as necessary)

Fresh Basil (not necessary, but a good addition)

Pasta of your choice (I prefer a small pasta, like penne, fusilli, or even little elbows)

Pre-head the oven to 450°

Slice the tomatoes in 1/2 and spread them in a large baking dish, cut side up, and douse with olive oil.

Mix the bread crumbs with the parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper.  Stir in a little olive oil, just enough to coat everything.  Spread the bread-crumb mixture over the tomatoes and pop it in the oven for 20-30 minutes.  The crumbs should be crispy, the cheese melty, and the tomatoes perfectly roasted.  While the tomatoes are baking, put your pasta water on and cook your pasta.  When everything is done cooking, drain the noodles, mix in the tomatoes, rip up some basil and sprinkle it on top (or not).  

Not So Crumby After All

Homemade bread-crumbs.

This is not so much a recipe as a life choice.  At a certain point in your cooking life you will inevitably come across a recipe that calls for bread-crumbs.  At this point you will either buy a box of pre-made bread-crumbs or you will make some.  This is a small thing, but it really does make a difference.  It's so easy, and if you play your cards right, it can actually be a form of recycling, stretching out an old stale bread loaf's life and making it delicious again.  

I used to make bread crumbs fresh, the day of their intended use.  However, this is totally unnecessary, because they keep very well.  Just make a batch, seal it up, and keep it for a rainy day.

Bread Crumbs

Leftover Bread (the quality/type of bread you use will obviously determine the quality & flavor of the end product)

Whiz up your bread in the food processor or blender.  You want small, uniform crumbs.  

Spread your crumbs onto a baking sheet, and bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden.  

Let them cool, and pack them into an airtight container.   

Add them to recipes as called for and enjoy their superior deliciousness, and your resourceful thriftiness.