Best Discovery Ever - Easy Bread

Through the recommendation of a Facebook friend, I recently stumbled across this book:

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

 

 

After reading through the intro chapter and watching the demo video on Amazon.com, I was able to try out the master recipe and I was hooked. My next step was to pick up the full book at the library. I will likely buy it eventually.

 

This book is amazing! You need a bread machine no longer. The recipe takes some time to work through the first 1 or 2 times, but after you figure it out, it's a breeze, and the bread REALLY is a fast make. No long, drawn out yeast bread procedures.

 

 Basically the concept is that you mix up a large batch of dough that is good for up to 2 weeks. Then when you want bread, you pull off a hunk of dough, let it rise for 20 minutes, pop it in the oven, and poof! You have fresh, homemade bread that tastes great!

 

The first time I made it I modified alot. I used table salt instead of Kosher salt (but adjusted for the difference in volume that comes from using fine salt vs. coarse), I also used a round metal pizza pan instead of a stone, and I used normal, bleached, all-purpose flour. It still turned out fabulous!

 

The book includes recipies for all kinds of variations to a standard loaf, some with extra herbs and flavors, some different styles of loafs, as well as info on how to partially bake and freeze loaves so that they are ready to bake for dinner when you want them.

 

As you can see from the authors' website, there are a variety of resources and helps if you want to really get elaborate in your bread making.  So... check it out! You can find alot on line as far as the basic instructions, but go ahead and get the full book from your library. If you renew it once or twice you'll have plenty of time to try out a few things to see if it's something you want to stick with. Then, if you find you like it.... great item for the Christmas list this year. :)

 

Enjoy!

Fall Treat

On my to do list this fall....

Crock Pot Applesauce! As explained here:

http://womenlivingwell.org/2012/09/homemade-crock-pot-applesauce/

Simple and supposed to be yummy! One thing the post doesn't really bring out, that I read a few other places, is that it is best to mix the kinds of apples that you use in each batch.

I'll try to let you know how it turns out, but it has solid reviews so far! :)

In other news:
Professor NO has found a more professor-like job! Hooray! :)


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Update!

I tried the recipe and it worked great. It seems pretty foolproof.

I actually left it in more like 5 hours, but that might've been necessary because of my compulsion to take the lid off and stir throughout the 4 hour cook time. I used 5 Red Delicious, 3 Gala, and 3 MacIntosh. Don't know if the variety made a difference or not, but I like the result!

Summer Recipe - Pudding pie

Ok, in the summertime, I get a craving for cool desserts, but I've never been a big ice cream addict. Don't get me wrong, take me to Cold Stone Creamery (a place with good ice cream and lots of yummy add-ins) and I will have no shortage of tempting orders to decide between. But when I think dessert, I've always been more of the cookie/brownie type. However, the warm days of summer make cool desserts a little more tempting, and I've discovered the fabulous land of pudding pie. I love it for all of the following reasons:

1.) Cheap
2.) Quick
3.) Delicious
4.) Easy to make interesting, with minimal work. (See point#2)

Now you could follow the directions on a box of instant pudding and make a pie. Or you could add just a tiny spark of creativity, and make a layered dessert! My favorite method is explained below.

Use an Oreo Pie Crust two boxes of pudding (one Cream Cheese or vanilla and one Chocolate), one container of cool whip, and milk.

Step One - Mix the cream cheese pudding first. (Simple: add required milk to mix according to box instructions, beat, then pour into crust). Add it into the pie crust, but hold out maybe half a cup of pudding. Otherwise you'll fill up the crust before you get to all of your layers! Pop unfinished pie into fridge to set a little while working on your second step.

Step Two - Repeat step one, but with the chocolate pudding. Pour it gently on top of the cream cheese pudding, holding out a portion. (if you allow the pudding to pour too forcefully, you will pour a "hole" into the previous pudding layer and lose the smooth evenness of your bottom layer.) Layering in this order allows you to use the same bowl b/c having traces of the vanilla pudding mixed into the choc won't change anything. If you do it in reverse, however, the traces of chocolate will discolor the lighter pudding, even though it will taste the same. :)

Step Three - Dollop softened cool whip onto the top of the chocolate pudding and spread evenly to cover pie. You should use around half of a tub of cool whip.

Step Four - use pudding that has been held out to make one or two individual little pudding dishes. Layer them to mimic the pie, or keep the flavors separate! I usually prefer to repeat the steps of the pie.

Step Five - (may be best to withhold this step until right before serving pie) Drizzle chocolate or caramel ice cream topping across top of pie. Or decorate with sprinkles, crumbled cookies... be creative!

When you finish, you have a pie that has pretty layers alternating dark and light from crust to topping. Whole making/combining process takes maybe 15 minutes and you're done! Total price, maybe $5. If you shop coupons and sales - much cheaper!

Variation: A vanilla cookie crust also works nice. You lose some of your layered contrast, but the taste is still yummy! I do prefer either cookie crust over a graham cracker crust for this particular dessert.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

So today I want to share another recipe I recently picked up from my mom. She didn't make it while we were growing up, but I wish she had! It is called Pumpkin Dump Cake. I would describe it as something like pumpkin pie cobbler. :-) I've never been a big fan of pumpkin pie, but this, I like. I want to incorporate it into our Thanksgiving tradition to replace said pie, but the Professor is too big of a fan of the pie. I can't eradicate it completely. HOWEVER, he is also a very big fan of this cake and I think he's going to be willing to let us rotate back and forth from year to year. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Happy baking!

Ingredients
1 large can (appx. 29 oz) of Pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) of Evaporated milk
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups of Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 yellow Cake mix
3/4 cup melted Butter or Margarine

Steps
Lightly grease 9 x 13 pan
Preheat oven to 350*
Combine all ingredients except cake mix and butter. Pour into pan.
Sprinkle cake mix lightly onto mixture. (The mixture can be thin, so if you plop too much at once it could very well sink in.)
Drizzle butter all over the top (also do this carefully, for the same reason as the last step.) The butter will mostly cover the top of the cake.
Bake at 350* for 60 min or until done.
Allow to cool enough for the pumpkin mixture to set.

Is good to serve both warm or cool. Tastes good with cool whip on top. Enjoy!

Cake Mix Doctor - Stacy's Chocolate Chip Cake

Sorry for the posting break. I was knocked out with a cold for several days and then the Thanksgiving celebrations got a little busy. My presence might be scarce for the rest of the Christmas season as well. We will see. But for today....

I want to share with you a super duper yummy recipe. I got a terrific cook book from a friend called The Cake Mix Doctor. When you open it, there are pages in the front with pictures of ALL the delicious recipes and looking through those is enough to inspire a week-long baking spree. :) I have not normally been much of a fan of cake, but the kinds this book turns out are terrific because they are embellished with all kinds of good ingredients. :)


Today's recipe is Stacy's Chocolate Chip Cake.

It doesn't look all that impressive in it's picture, and it wouldn't have been my first choice to make, but it was the only one I had all the ingredients for one day. WOW, I was surprised at the incredible outcome. Made it twice and it is delicious! It's not super sweet, so it almost reminds you of a muffin, but yummier. Everyone who's had it so far loved it and usually needed a second slice. :) So here it is. Enjoy!

Serves: 16

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes

Baking Time: 58 - 60 Minutes for a Tube Pan; 50-52 Minutes for 8 in. loaves

(I've actually made mine in a bundt pan, following the tube pan guidelines. Worked fine.)

Items Needed:

Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan

Flour for dusting the pan

1 bar (4 oz.) German Chocolate -I've used all kinds of chocolate

1 pkg .(18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix

1 pkg. (3.4  oz) vanilla instant pudding mix

1 cup whole milk -I've used 2%

1 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean, or sunflower.

4 large eggs

1 pkg. (6 oz; 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips. -I follow this guideline casually. More chocolate is always better. :)

Steps:

1. Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly mist a 10-inch tube pan (or three 8-in. loaf pans) with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.

2. Break the chocolate bar into four pieces. Grate the bar using a food processor or hand grater until the bar is finely grated. (If you are using a food processor, insert the steel blade and drop the chocolate pieces into the processor one at a time.) Set the grated chocolate aside. -I also grated a regular Hershey's almond bar once. Another time I just used already shaved chocolate that is for super good hot-chocolate. It worked great and was easy. I've seen it particularly in the check-out aisles at places like Marshalls HomeGoods or TJMaxx.

3. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.

Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.

-Stop the machine, fold in the grated chocolate, and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

-Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping sides as needed.

-Fold in the chocolate chips. The batter should look well blended and the chocolate chips should be evenly distributed.

-Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan (or divide equally among the loaf pans) smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

4. Bake the cake at 325* until it is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 58-60 min. for tube pan (50-52 min. for loaf pans). Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool 20 min. for a tube pan (5 min. for a loaf pan).

-Run a long sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack, then invert it again onto another rack so that it is right side up. (I just do whatever is pretty)

-Allow cake to cool completely, 30 min. more, then serve. (Cool loaves out of the pans on their sides.) I have followed these directions, and the cake is usually still warm. It makes it a little crumblier when you're cutting it, but the taste is LOTS better. I actually recommend warming it up just touch -maybe 7 seconds for a slice- any time you are going to eat it. The warmth brings out the flavor alot better.

Store the cake covered in aluminum foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 1 wk. (I've also used a plastic cake holder with a snap-on lid and it worked great, cake stayed moist.) Or freeze it, wrapped in foil for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight on the counter before serving.