Food Processor: Rosemary Raisin Bread

This bread is super light and fluffy and EASY to make!


In a liquid measuring cup:
1/2 cup warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
a pinch of sugar

• Let rise for 10 minutes

In the food processor:
1/4 a cup sugar
1/3 a cup nonfat dry milk
2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
Pulse to mix, then immediately pour yeast mixture along with 1/4 cup olive oil, and 2 large eggs through the feed tube. Process 10 seconds.
If needed: Drizzle a few tablespoons of cold water in a steady stream until the dough forms a small elastic ball and clears the side of the bowl. (Or if too wet add flour by the tablespoon) Process 30 more seconds to knead. Turn off the motor and let the dough rest for five minutes. Turn on the processor and drizzle with a few more teaspoons of water until smooth, but not sticky. Process the dough ball another 15 seconds; it will circle the bowl.


Parchment line or grease a baking sheet. Shape dough in an oval and sprinkle with 1/2 a cup of dark raisins. Fold in half and knead gently to distribute.

Shape dough in to a tight round and place in pan. Brush with olive oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled, 45 minu. to 1 hour.
Twenty minutes before baking preheat oven to 350 F. Brush the top again with olive oil and using a sharp knife (or kitchen scissors!) slash an x on the top, no more then 1/2 an inch deep. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

This is perfect for a snack, since it's just one loaf. We got about 8 slices.

Stollen with Dried Cherries and Pineapple

Wow! This was nothing like I imagined. I thought Trader Joe's Stollen was delicious, but this is even better. It remind me of a really moist giant cinnamon roll. Even though it's traditionally a Christmas bread I think it would be a great breakfast anytime.



In a bowl:
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup dried pineapple, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
Cover with boiling water and set aside to cool. I let it sit the full hour while the sponge was raising.


Sponge: 1 cup warm milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast, 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour.

Combine the milk and sugar, sprinkle with yeast and stir to dissolve. Let stand for 5 minutes then add the flour. Beat until smooth, cover with plastic and let raise 1 hour at room temp. until bubbly.


Dough: Drain the dried fruit and add to the sponge along with 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons cognac (I substituted with 2 tablespoons pureed peaches), grated zest of one lemon (or a couple teaspoons of juice), 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup of the flour. Beat until combined then add3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of butter a few pieces at a time while adding the remaining 2 1/2-3 cups of flour 1/2 a cup at a time until you have a soft dough that clears the side of the bowl.



Knead for 2-3 minutes dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking until dough is smooth and springy (I made this when the weather was really stormy and ended up adding an extra two cups of flour!). Then let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into two pieces. Roll int o a 12 by 8 inch oval about 1/2 an inch thick. Cover with two tablespoons unsalted melted butter and 1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/2 a teaspoon cinnamon. Make a crease down the center of the oval , and without stretching it fold one of the long sides over the center crease to within 3/4 an inch of the opposite side. Press the top edge lightly to seal. Repeat with the second loaf.




Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in bulk, about an hour. 20 minutes before baking turn the oven to 375 F. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until lightly browned. If the tops are browning to fast cover loosely with aluminum foil.


You can dust with powdered sugar if you want to.

Orange Cinnamon Swirl

5 Stars!
I inherited my love of cinnamon young, my Mom used it in a lot of different baked goods. Mmm, I love it!


Yeast: 1/4 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast, a pinch of sugar

Dough: 1 cup of warm milk, 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 4 T (1/2 stick) melted unsalted butter, 2 large eggs (at room temp) grated zest of two oranges, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 cups unbleached all purpose or bread flour.

Mix well, add yeast mixture then add the the remaining flour (4 1/2- 5 1/2 cups) half a cup at a time. Knead 10 minutes then place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let raise until doubled 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough, divide in half and roll each piece out in an 8 by 12 inch rectangle, brush with melted butter (1 tablespoon each loaf) then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (2/3 cup sugar mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon) leave a one inch border. Roll up on the short end, pinch the seams to seal. Place seam side down in greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. If desired dust the loaves with plain ground cinnamon. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let raise at room temp. about 45 minutes.


Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes.

Ohhh, yum! I can't wait to make French toast with this tomorrow!

Old Fashioned Prune Muffins

Very tasty 5 star muffins. I highly recommend that you let them sit for a day before eating. Don't eat to many at once though, or your stomach won't be so forgiving!



Directions:
Dry:
In a large bowl using a whisk combine 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 a teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 a teaspoon ground mace (substitutions for mace are Allspice; cinnamon; ginger; or nutmeg)

Wet:
In a medium bowl using a whisk or electric mixer, combine 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 a cup prune juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until moistened.

Fold in 12 ounces moist pitted prunes.

Spoon into muffin cups until level with the top of the pan. Top each with a walnut or pecan half. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 F.

Basic Pizza Dough and Tomato-Basil Sauce

I was really impressed with this recipe, it's very similar to the recipe I have been using for several years from Joy of Cooking. It's actually a little easier to make, which is always a winner for me!

Directions:

Yeast: Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of yeast and a pinch of sugar over 1 cup of warm water. Let set for about 15 minutes.
Dough: I used my food processor, it was perfect. You can also mix by hand or with an electric mixer.
In the food processor: 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 a teaspoon of salt. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the yeast. Start the mixer and pour the yeast through the feed tube. Mix until you have a ball, about 30 seconds.


Knead about 3 minutes on a lightly floured work surface. Add flour as needed 1 tablespoon at a time to prevent sticking. The dough should be soft, smooth, and very springy. Form into a flattened ball. Place dough in a greased deep container, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let raise 1 1/2 h0urs.

Sauce:
I used two cans of diced tomatoes (14.5 oz. each) you can also use a 28 oz can of plum tomatoes packed in puree.
Saute 2 chopped garlic cloves in 1/4 a cup of olive oil. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Let simmer another 5 minutes. Makes 3 cups. (The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days or freezer for a month.)

You can stretch the dough by hand, roll, or press out. I prefer to stretch by hand. Bake the pizza at 400 F for 15-20 minutes. Or if you have a baking stone place on the lowest rack and bake at 500 F for 10-15 minutes.

Cracked Wheat Bread

This bread is delicious, it's really moist which is a hard thing to accomplish with wheat bread. 5 stars.

Directions:

Add 3/4 cup cracked wheat or bulgar to 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Let stand one hour to soften.
In a small bowl sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons of active dry yeast and a pinch of sugar over 1/4 cup warm water (105-115 F)

In a small bowl combine 1 cup warm buttermilk, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 tablespoon honey, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces.

In a large bowl using a whisk or paddle attachment combine 1 tablespoon of salt, 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds and 2 cups of whole wheat flour.

Stir in the yeast and milk mixtures and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Strain the cracked wheat and add to the mixture. Add 2 1/2 to 3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour 1/2 a cup at a time until you have a soft dough.


Knead 7-10 minutes, then place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Let raise at room temperature until doubled. About 1 1/2 hours.
This recipe actually makes three medium free form loaves. I made two large loaves in my bread pans. After shaping brush the tops with melted butter and let raise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Then brush again with melted butter.


Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, or until brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped with your finger. Transfer immediately to a cooling rack.

Spiced Applesauce Muffins

These muffins are definately a winner. 5 stars. Very tasty, and low sugar/low salt.


In a large bowl using whisk: 1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil



In another bowl: 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon Postum, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Combine wet and dry ingredients just until moistened, about 10 strokes. Fold in 3/4 a cup raisins/nuts. I used half raisins, half pecans and chopped them both well.


Bake in a preheated oven in a greased muffin tin at 375 F for 20-25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing.