Tag Archives: bread

Bread, Glorious Bread

Pumpkin Spice Challah

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I made this recipe a few years ago.  I had learned this wonderful baking thing called Challah.  I tried a few different challah recipes, and OH YUM!!  And they’re pretty too, and it’s just fun to say that you’re making challah (with a phlegmy ‘ch’ sound that comes from the back of your throat in more of a raspy ‘kk’ sound).  So I had a can of pumpkin, I wanted to bake something special for a friend, therefore Pumpkin Spice Challah was in order.  I planned on just making 2 loaves, one for her and one for me, BUT I dumped the whole 15oz can of pumpkin in, which is approximately 2 cups of pumpkin, and therefore I had to double everything else and make 4 loaves.  That’s okay too, because we have a neighbor on the other side of the woods behind us that all my boys have met and liked, and I haven’t met yet, so now we’ll keep 2 loaves ourselves (1 1/2 currently at 8:44 am) and share 2 loaves!  I don’t remember where I found this recipe; I couldn’t find it on the internet (trust me, I looked, cuz there’s lots to type out, so I was going to either cut and paste or send you on another internet field trip.)
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Pumpkin Spice Challah

1 env. yeast
4-5 c white flour
2/3 c warm water
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 1/2 Tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/4 c olive oil + 1 Tbs for wash
2 lg eggs beaten + 1 eggyolk for wash
1 cup pumpkin puree (half a small can!!!)

Combine yeast with 2/3 cup flour and all the water.  Whisk gently until well combined and leave in a warm spot to proof.  It should be foamy in 10-15 minutes.  Pour into a mixer bowl, add sugar, salt, oil and egg and beat until incorporated (about 1 min).  Add pumpkin and spices and mix.  Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the sides.   (At this point I dumped the dough onto a floured countertop, kneading it the rest of the way by hand.) Add 1/4 of flour at a time until dough is springy but not sticky.  Continue to knead 5-10 minutes longer.

Roll into a ball and place in a greased bowl.  Cover with plastic and let rise until doubled (1 – 1 1/2 hours).  Punch down dough, reroll , place back into re-greased bowl to rise for another hour (Oh yeah, did I remember to say this is kind of a lengthy process?)

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Cut in half, and work with half at a time.  The original recipe said to divide each half into 6 pieces, and form those pieces into long ropes and braid (always working from left, bring outer “rope” over 2, under 1, and over 2).  I divide it into 5 pieces and just did (again working from left) over, under, over, under.  You could even do a simple 3-rope braid too, but it looks fancier with more ropes.  😀  Pinch to seal both ends and tuck the pinches under just a bit.

Place parchment paper on 2 regular or 1 large cookie sheet.  Place loaves on sheets, leaving room for them to rise both up and out.

Beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tbs oil and brush gently over braids.  Top with oiled plastic wrap and let rise 40 min. to double.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Once braids have risen, brush again with egg wash, then bake for 40-45 minutes.  You will not believe how delicious your house will smell when these are cooked!!  😀

This morning I sliced some up and made French toast for my SuperHero and oldest boy before they headed off to their respective schools.  2 younger homeschoolers and I have opted for eating buttered slices of this deliciousness!!

Bread, Glorious Bread

Chocolate Harvest Bread recipe

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It’s that time of year again!!  🙂   I found this yummy recipe in Sesame Street Parents magazine in the summer of  2000 (so you know it’s good, I’ve had it a while!)

Yield: 16 muffins, 1 large loaf or 2-3 small loaves
1 med. Zucchini, washed and stems trimmed
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
¾ cup milk
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup walnut pieces (optional)
********************
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease and flour the loaf pans or line the muffin pans with cupcake liners.  Peel and grate zucchini until you have about 1 cup.  Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda.  Using a fork, toss the ingredients until they are well blended.  In a separate, smaller mixing bowl, combine the milk, butter, eggs and almond extract.  Add them to the dry ingredients and stir until blended.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Bread, Glorious Bread

Tortillas in No Time

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Every year my Mother-in-Law buys me a subscription to Taste of Home magazine for my birthday. Well the latest one had a recipe that has already become a favorite in our house! Now, as I’m posting this, I’m very aware that this probably isn’t the most traditional tortilla recipe. God blessed me with a sister-in-law who is from New Mexico and she (Gina) has got tortilla making down as an art form (see, she got me addicted to fresh tortillas!) Anyway, here’s the recipe….should these be called “Gringo Tortillas”? Who knows, I don’t care! They’re easy and tasty!

from Taste of Home magazine, June/July 2010
Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
Yield: 8 Tortillas (I always double this)

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
3 Tbsp olive oil

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 5 to 6 times (lately mines been VERY sticky so I’ve added flour until it’s a soft dough) Begin heating a large non-stick skillet (I use my 10-in. cast iron skillet) Spray lightly with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Divide flour into 8 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle. Cook tortilla for 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Keep warm.

That’s it! Pretty easy! What makes it even more fun is that I have a helper (tonight it was my 7 yo) to do the cooking while I roll out the tortillas….kind of an assembly line. They watch for a few bubbles and then flip it. By the time I have the next one rolled out, the cooking tortilla is done. Great teamwork!

Enjoy!! We’re having beef fajitas on fresh tortillas tonight!!

Bread, Glorious Bread

Alicia Bread

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Just so you know, this isn’t named after My Girlie (hers is spelled differently), but for a friend who claims this is the ONLY bread she can make. I LOVE this recipe and use it often, especially when I’m short on time. This is also what I used to make those sandwich squares (rolled the dough out to 1/2 inch thick, cut into big squares and bake)

3 cups flour
1 Tbs yeast
1 tsp salt
3 Tbs sugar (I only use 1 1/2 Tbs)
1 Tbs gluten (I also add 1 Tbs dough enhancer)
1 Tbs oil
1 1/4 cup hot water

Throw all of the dry ingredients in your mixer and then pour in the oil and water. Mix for about 3-5 minutes. Let sit 10 min. Shape it and let it rise for 30 min. Bake at 350 degrees (15-18 min for sandwich squares or 20-30 min for loaf)

Bread, Glorious Bread

Linda’s Brown Bread

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another favorite bread recipe. This one if for your bread machine (although I have made it in my mixer, too) Very tasty (unfortunately there are some in this family who prefer boring white bread….course that means all the more yumminess for me!!

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oats
Mix these together and let sit for about 5 minutes in your bread machine pan.
After 5 min., add the following:
2 Tbs oil
1 Cup warm water
1/4 c. molasses
3 1/4 cup flour (or 2 1/4 white and 1 c wheat)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs yeast
1 Tbs gluten
1 Tbs dough enhancer
optional 1/2 cup raisins

If baking in oven, bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.
Oh yum! Now I’m wanting this!!!!

Bread, Glorious Bread

Mashed Potato Bread

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I found this recipe online, but now can’t find it to give it it’s proper credit.  Sorry!!!

1 medium potato

2 1/2 c boiling water

1/4 c. warm milk

2 pkg yeast

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs sugar

5-6 c flour

2 tsp salt

Wash, scrub, and boil potato (leave skins on, you can get the vitamins from the skin too!)  Once potato is cooked, reserve potato water, and remove skins from potato (now you can discard the skin).  Mash up the potato and let it cool slightly.  In large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm milk, stir to dissolve.  Mix cooled potato and butter and then add it to the bowl, along with 2 cups of the reserved potato water.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well (will be a tad sticky).  Knead 10 min (thank you, Lord, for my KitchenAid mixer!!)Transfer to an oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil.  Cover with oiled plastic wrap.  Let rise until doubled.  Punch down, cut dough in half, shape into 2 balls and let it rest for 10 min.  Press each ball down and shape into loaf pans.  Let rise until dough is above sides of pan.  Slash tops.  Bake at 375 for about 50 min (tap bottom to listen for hollow sound).  If it’s not quite done, you can finish cooking it on a flat stone.

Bread, Glorious Bread

Sourdough Bread

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I LOVE this sourdough bread recipe because you don’t need a starter, you use plain yogurt instead!!!  Got if from Food.com

“Sourdough bread without using a starter. The yogurt does it. It makes a very tasty loaf of bread. One of our favorites.” By Barb Gertz on March 10, 2003

    • 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
    • 2/3 cup water
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
    • 3 1/4 cups bread flour
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 3 teaspoons dry yeast or 2 3/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast
  1. Do not use delay bake option with this recipe.
  2. Bake on regular bread cycle.
  3. Have water between 70 and 80 degrees.
  4. Add all ingredients in order listed.
  5. Make a hole in flour for yeast, don’t let yeast touch water.
Bread, Glorious Bread

WHO Bread

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WHO stands for wheat, honey and oat. I got this recipe from Soulemama’s blog. It’s delicious! You make it in your bread machine and it can be done on delayed bake so that you have fresh hot bread for breakfast in the morning. Yesterday I substituted unsweetened granola for the rolled oats, put it on ‘dough’ in my bread machine and finished baking it in the oven. OH so yummy!!

1 1/4 c water
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs butter
1 tsp salt
3 c flour (2 white, 1 wheat)
1/2 c rolled oats (I’m tellin’ ya, you gotta try unsweetened granola with raisins, almonds, and sunflower seeds)
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) yeast

If you want to bake this in the oven, bake it at 350 degrees for 20-30 min or until it makes a nice thumping sound when you tap it.

Mo-o-om! I'm hungry!!

Chocolate Harvest Bread

2 Comments

It’s that time of year again!! 🙂 I’ve pulled 4 zukes off of just one of my plants in the last couple of days and that got me remembering this yummy recipe I found in Sesame Street Parents magazine in the summer of 2000 (so you know it’s good, I’ve had it a while!)

Yield: 16 muffins, 1 large loaf or 2-3 small loaves

1 med. Zucchini, washed and stems trimmed

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

¾ cup milk

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp almond extract

1 cup walnut pieces (optional)

********************

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour the loaf pans or line the muffin pans with cupcake liners. Peel and grate zucchini until you have about 1 cup. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Using a fork, toss the ingredients until they are well blended. In a separate, smaller mixing bowl, combine the milk, butter, eggs and almond extract. Add them to the dry ingredients and stir until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.