Cinnamon-Walnut Sweet Bread

This is like a much healthier version of monkey bread! Very yummy. It works well for breakfast if you want to send the kids into the kitchen and buy yourself a few extra minutes...

First, you need 4 ounces of dried cherries.

Cover them with boiling water and let stand until they are at room temperature. You won't actually use them for several hours.

In a liquid measuring cup, or large mug: 3/4 a cup warm water, sprinkle over the top 1 tablespoon active dry yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let sit about 10 minutes.

Take a lemon and grate off the peel, then juice it. I have never had success with the "zest" side of the grater, so I usually use the smallest grating..

In a large bowl: 1 cup of unbleached all purpose flour, the lemon zest, 1/3 a cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Continue by adding the lemon juice, 1 large egg, and 1 cup of plain yogurt, along with the yeast mixture.

Take 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter (room temp, or you can also stick it in the microwave 8-10 seconds to soften it. It you do this watch it carefully so it doesn't melt!!) Cut it into pieces and add several at a time to the mixture, mixing well.

Don't worry if the butter doesn't completely dissolve while you are mixing...

Then add the remaining 4 cups of flour 1/2 a cup at a time. Mix well with each addition. I usually switch from a whisk to a wooden spoon after 2-3 cups have been added.

Knead about 1 minute, until dough is soft and springy. Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic.

Let raise 1- 1 1/2 hours. Or until doubled.

When the dough is ready melt 1 stick of unsalted butter and set aside.

In a bowl mix together 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon and 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) of finely chopped walnuts.

Pour the water off the cherries and pat dry with a paper towel. I chopped mine.

If you have kids let them peek through the 10 inch tube pan before greasing it well.  (he he)

Gently deflate the dough, then grab enough to make a ball the size of an egg. Dip in butter, then in cinnamon mixture.

Place in the pan.

Continue until you have a nice full layer (about half the dough) then sprinkle all the cherries. Then cover with another layer of balls. Drizzle any leftover butter over the top, as well as sprinkle any remaining walnuts.

Cover with plastic and let raise 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature. I ended up only raising mine an  hour because I had a fairly warm kitchen from making dinner.

Preheat oven to 375 F. If you are using a tube pan with a removable bottom place on a cookie sheet and/or cover the bottom with foil. Bake 40-45 minutes for the tube pan. OR you can also use two regular 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 pans. They would bake about 30-35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit about two minutes, but no longer. Then dump out. Serve warm, or at room temp. I warmed them one at a time in the microwave, about 10 seconds on day two.

Blue Cornmeal Pancakes

I like these because they are super filling and wholesome. The only downside was having rather heavy pancakes because of using medium grind blue cornmeal (I couldn't find the fine-grind). But they still tasted great, and I since have found some fine grind I will definitely be making these again.

In a large bowl: 1 1/2 cups fine-grind blue cornmeal, and 3/4 a cup unbleached all purpose flour.

Then add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/4 a teaspoon of salt.

Mix the wet ingredients: 2 large eggs, 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, and 1/4 a cup of corn oil (I used canola). Then add the wet ingredients and do about a 12 second whisk.

Cook just like regular pancakes.

Mmmm. Here are the pancake toppings our family likes:
Butter and Syrup (Various kinds)
Peanut Butter
Nutella
Applesauce
Strawberry Jam
B grade Maple Syrup
Our own homemade Hickory Bark Syrup

Pita Revisited!

 First of all, I am going to share the link from take two of my pita experience. The directions here were excellent.

http://www.joepastry.com/category/bread/pita-bread/

This is what I learned:
Refridgerate the dough overnight!!!

Options for storage:
Make just a few at a time, keeping the dough in the fridge. (Be sure to warm up the dough for 30 minutes at room temperature before preparing them for baking)

Make them all, but keep in the freezer. They are easy to defrost.

I admit, I am pretty embarrassed that I published my first attempt, but I hope it makes all you want to master this fun bread!

All these tips will work for the Country Style Whole Wheat Pita!

 I made the mistake of hand shaping my first try. BAD, Caralee, BAD! Use a rolling pin and roll as thin as you can!

I cooked these directly on the pizza stone on the bottom oven rack! It only takes 2-3 minutes each side, oven 500 F. I cooked them two at a time. If you have a larger baking stone you can do more.

 Roll them all out at once, let them sit for 10 minutes, then right before placing them in the oven stretch them out just a little bit so they are super thin. They should be 6-8 inches in diameter.

 So awesome. Oh and make sure you don't let them sit out for to long, otherwise they dry out and you have a giant cracker that just breaks when you try to add fillings to it...yeah, I made this mistake...

Country-Style Whole-Wheat Pita

The first thing I think of when describing these is FUN! I just love different methods of delivery for all sorts of foods.
Now on a slightly different note: I did not exactly have what you would call success with this recipe, they didn't bubble up really at all. I cut them in half, cut out some of the bread and still filled them, and they were delicious!

But I think I can chalk up this failure to having no experience making this type of bread, and I am DETERMINED to figure it out. So I am sharing the recipe for those of you who know all the secrets. And as for me, well I will do "Pita Revisited" when I figure out all those secrets! Hopefully in the next few months. leave a comment if you have tips/advise for me!

Start with 1/2 a cup of warm water (105-115 F), to which you sprinkle over the top 1 packet (or 1 tablespoon) active dry yeast and a pinch of sugar (or drizzle of honey).

In a large bowl: 2 cups of warm water, 3 cups of whole-wheat pastry flour, 1/4 a cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon of salt.
Mix well, then add the yeast mixture, as well as 3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour, 1/2 a cup at a time. Mix well with each addition.
Feel free to change up the amounts of each flour if you want to. I didn't have pastry flour so I used two cups of regular whole wheat, put it in the food processor for several minutes to make it a little more fine, then added 4 cups of the white.
I used the dough hooks on my hand mixer, but you can use a stand mixer if you have one. Or you can mix by hand.
When the dough leaves the side of the bowl scrape it onto a floured work surface and knead about 5 minutes. You want a firm, but soft, dough. It kinda feels like a sweet roll dough.

Then place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic. Let raise 1- 1 1/2 hours. Or until doubled.

 Preheat the oven to 475 F with a baking stone set on the lowest rack.
Gently deflate the dough and divide in half.

Place one of the halves back in the bowl and cover with plastic while you work with the other.

Divide into 8 balls, then let rest while you divide the second half. You want to handle it as little as possible (similar to tortilla dough) so the gluten doesn't fully awaken and make it difficult to flatten each ball.

You can use a rolling pin, or flatten with your hands. Which is what I opted to do. You want them about 1/4 an inch thick. Sit them on a floured dish towel. Don't stack.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place 8 circles at a time.
Place the pan on the baking stone and bake 10-12 minutes. Then do the same with the second 8.

Cool completely. I let mine sit overnight to have them completely cold.

Fill with anything that sounds good!

Dried Apricot-Pecan Bread

SO good! Remember to bake this in advance, it needs to sit overnight minimum. It can sit up to 5 days before serving.

 Take 1 1/2 cups dried apricot halves and chop coarsely, you can also do a couple of pulses in a food processor.

 Place apricots and pecans in a bowl and add 1 cup of boiling water along with 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 cup of sugar. Stir until butter dissolves.

 In another bowl mix together: 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt. Add to the pecan mixture and mix well.
Then add 2 large eggs, 1/2 a cup of whole wheat flour,  and 1/2 a cup of orange juice. Mix until moistened, but don't over stir.

 You can use either two 7 1/2-by-31/2 inch loaf pans, or a 10 inch bundt pan. Grease and flour, then after pouring in the batter let it rest about 15 minutes.

 Heat oven to 350 F. For the bundt pan I baked for 45 minutes.

 Refrigerate overnight (or 7-8 hours) before cutting.

Mmmmm.

Black Russian Rye Bread

I came to realize making this recipe, that I am not a "eat a slice of rye" type of girl. It must have something on it that isn't just melted butter.

I was really excited to make it, I got it all baked, cut a slice, and well...kinda choked it down. It's got a pretty intense flavor to it...

Well the next day, as I'm trying to figure out what to do with all this bread (I have never been able to bring myself to throw anything out) my husband suggested I gather the items for a delicious Reuben sandwich. WOW, it was SOOO good! It was perfect with this bread!!!

This is how I make my Reuben, take 3-4 slices of corned beef (or pastrami) put it in the microwave for 1 minute with a couple spoonfuls of sauerkraut, drizzle some thousand island dressing, and top with a slice of swiss cheese. Meanwhile, toast your rye bread, then when the sandwich comes out of the microwave place the gooey deliciousness on the toast. It was amazing!

And now for the bread...

Start the yeast: 1/2 a cup of warm water, sprinkle over the top 2 tablespoons (2 packets) of active dry yeast and a pinch of sugar.

In a saucepan: 2 cups of water,  1/2 a cup molasses, 1/4 a cup apple cider vinegar, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, and one ounce unsweetened chocolate (If you don't have the bar you can convert baking cocoa). Heat to 105-115 F. The butter and chocolate will melt. Set aside.

In a large bowl: Mix 1/2 a cup whole wheat flour, 3 cups medium rye, and 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour.
You can play around with this combination, if you want a more mild flavor decrease the rye. I had dark rye flour so I reduced it to 2 cups and added 4 cups of unbleached all purpose...

In another bowl:  2 cups mixed flours, 1 cup wheat bran, 2 tablespoons caraway seeds, 1/2 a teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (You can also use Pero or Cafix to replace the coffee), then 1 tablespoon minced shallot.

Add the yeast and chocolate mixtures, then beat until smooth. About 3 minutes. Add the remaining mixed flour, half a cup at a time, until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. I saved a little of the mixed flour to use during kneading.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead 2-3 minutes, until dough is springy. If you need extra flour just add a tablespoon at a time. Let raise in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap for 1 1/2-2 hours.

In a small bowl mix 1/4 a cup yellow cornmeal, 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour and 1 teaspoon caraway seeds. I sprinkled my cookie sheet with the mixture and rolled the two free form loaves in it. Cover again with plastic wrap and let raise about 45 minutes to an hour.

Twenty minutes before baking heat oven to 350 F. If you want a shiny crust prepare cornstarch glaze; 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 a cup of water whisked on the stovetop  until boiling, reduce heat and cook until clear. Spread over the top of the bread.

Using a serrated knife or kitchen scissors cut an x about 1/4 an inch deep. (We did one x, then the other in honor of the superbowl!)
Bake for 30 minutes, pull out and reheat the glaze and do another layer, then bake another 15-20 minutes, until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.