French Baguettes

Happy New Year!  Did you make a resolution this year?  I actually don't think I've ever made a resolution before but this year I did.  A couple of them.

This year I'd like to:
   1. Be a better family member (Mom, Wife, Sister, Daughter)
   2. Finish my thesis....this one might hurt a little

It is hard for me, now, as a Stay-at-Home Wife/Mother to even think about item #2 when item #1 is so important to me.  I want to work on my relationships with my family now that I have come to see how important family is; I guess having kids does that to a person.  And I also want to make the most out of my stay-at-home career.  I want my husband to be proud and find me to be an asset in the home and not just in the traditional workplace.

But.  Eventually I will go back to work and I am soooo clooose to my Master's degree.  It would be such a shame to waste all that time, money and effort.  So I'm going to start slow.  I'm dedicating a few hours a week, every week at the same time, to my thesis.  The rest of the week I'll be working here at home.  Working at being a better Mom, Wife, Sister and Daughter.

So all the best wives make homemade bread right? ;)  I've been making this french bread just about every week for a month or two now.  It is perfect for slicing up with soup, making sub sandwiches or crostinis, and my personal favorite use...toddler sandwiches.  Sliced at a slight bias (diagonal) you have the perfect sized bread slices for little hands to convey peanut butter, cheese, or hummus.  My boys love them.

Alex and Aaron eating one slice with red pepper hummus, one slice with peanut butter and some goldfish for good measure

This recipe makes two smallish baguettes (about a foot long each) which I like because you can freeze one loaf and thaw it when you need it so you always have some nice fresh bread.  This is seriously easy bread to make and fast too.  It only takes 2 hours start to finish which is super quick in homemade bread land.  I hope you love it!

French Baguettes, adapted from Judy Taubert at allrecipes.com
1 cup lukewarm water (slightly warm to the touch)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour (see substitution here)
1 egg, slightly beaten

The original recipe is written for a bread machine, which I don't use for this.  If you want to use one, click on the recipe link for the easy instructions.  This bread is so simple to do without the machine, especially if you have a stand mixer.

To start, put the lukewarm water into a small glass bowl and add the yeast and sugar.  Stir it a little to dissolve the yeast and then let it set for a few minutes (5-15) until it is foamy.

Put the flour and salt into the mixer and pour in the yeast once it is ready.  Slowly turn on the mixer (fitted with the dough hook) and mix until combined.  Once it is, turn the speed up to #2 and let the machine knead the dough for about 7 minutes.  Add more flour if needed, the dough should be nice and smooth and not very sticky when done.

Now oil a large glass bowl with vegetable oil and put the dough in, turning it to coat the dough in oil too.  Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest until it has doubled in size, only about 30 minutes.

When it has doubled, punch the dough down and then split the dough in half.  Form two 12 inch baguettes.  You can use a rolling pin or just your hands like I do.  Place the loaves on a greased sheet pan or baguette pan and then slice diagonal slashes across the tops of each loaf every few inches.  Cover the loaves and allow them to rise again for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Brush the loaves with the beaten egg and then bake them for 20 to 25 minutes.  Delicious!

My baguettes on the super cool pan I got for Christmas!

Rye Bread

The smell of bread baking in the oven has to be one of the best smells in the world.  We love homemade bread here at 4 Pears and so we almost never buy bread from the grocery store.  When I first started making bread I strictly used my bread machine.  The bread machine is a very trusty appliance.  Simple and easy to use, you just toss in the ingredients and 3 to 4 hours later you have a fairly consistent and yummy loaf of bread.

Lately, though, I've finally ventured away from the safety net of the bread machine and started making bread by hand.  Surprisingly, it hasn't been very tough at all!  Baking outside the machine gives you so much more freedom for pretty  and shapely loaves and rolls. My braided challah is delicious and beautiful.  It makes for some pretty awesome french toast.  Last week I made some pretty great wheat bread too...but my favorite bread, in general, is rye.  This recipe for rye bread is so wonderful.  It makes for perfect sandwiches, keeping wonderfully in an airtight bag for at least a week!  (and by not using the machine there is no hole in the bottom, woo hoo!)

Since Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching keep in mind that rye bread is also great to use in "stuffing" or "dressing" too...however you choose to say it.  Forget the stove top.  Rye bread, celery, onions, chicken stock and some seasonings....that "stuff" (har har) couldn't be better.

But even if you can't put down that Stove Top box, try this rye bread for leftover turkey sandwiches....you'll love it.

Light Rye Bread, adapted from "George" at Simply Recipes
(for 1 loaf!)
1 package of active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/4 cups of warm water  (just warm from the tap is fine)
1/3 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups bread flour (follow the link for a substitution if you don't have bread flour)
1 cup rye flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1/8 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon caraway seeds

In a large glass measuring cup add the yeast and molasses to the warm water and stir them together.  Pour the  mixture into the metal bowl of your mixer.  (I don't actually use the mixer in this recipe but I do use the bowl.) Mix in the caraway seeds, salt, oil and cocoa powder.  It will look kind of lumpy at this point but don't worry about that.

Using a wooden spoon, mix in a cup of the bread flour, then mix in the rye flour. Now, mix in one more cup of bread flour.  At this point it will be getting pretty hard to mix.  Put the remaining 1/2 cup of bread flour out onto the clean counter and turn the dough out of the bowl onto the counter.  Knead the rest of the flour into the dough. Knead it for about 5 minutes or so.  The dough will feel smooth and be elastic when it is done.

Coat a large glass bowl with some more vegetable oil and rub place the rounded ball of dough into the bowl.  Coat the dough with a bit of oil too.  Cover the bowl and allow it to double in size.  That should take about and hour and a half.

Once doubled, punch the dough down and knead it again, just a time or two.  Form it into an oval shape and place it in an oiled loaf pan.  Cover it, and again let it rise.  This time you only want it to rise until the dough just begins to peak over the edge of the pan.  It will take about 45 minutes. 

Bake the loaf in a 350 F oven for around 30 minutes.  Tap on the loaf after 30 minutes...if it is done it will sound hollow!  Turn it out of the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.  Enjoy!!

Pretzel Rolls

Oh pretzel rolls.  I just love them.  Odd because I rarely eat a pretzel....hmm, well maybe that isn't true...darn Auntie Anne's!

Alex and I have made homemade pretzels before, it is fun and pretty easy but these pretzel rolls were even easier. Most of the work is done by the mixer.  You do have to poach them, but it is a simple process and the outcome is quite delicious.  We ate our rolls with currywurst and sauerkraut, then had a couple left over for some sandwiches the next day.  Even the kids got in on the action and absolutely loved them.  Carbs + Babies = True Love.

Pretzel Rolls, adapted from Guy Fieri
1 tablespoon dry active yeast
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup baking soda

To get the rolls going put 1 cup of warm water (about 110 degrees) in the bowl of your mixer.  Put the yeast in and then give it five minutes or so to "bloom".   Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and once the five minutes are up, turn the mixer on low (using the dough hook!) and add the dry ingredients.  Once they are incorporated turn the speed up to medium and let it go for about 8 minutes.  Check it after about 5, if the dough seems too wet or dry adjust as necessary.  The dough should be elastic and smooth, not too sticky but definitely not dry either.

Once you are done kneading, form the dough into a ball and put it into a glass bowl that has been rubbed with vegetable oil.   Cover the bowl with a towel and set it aside to rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead it a few times.  Now divide it in half, then divide each half into three.  You should have six equal sizes balls.  Line a baking sheet with some aluminum foil then spray it with some cooking spray.  Put the balls on the tray and lightly draw two diagonal cuts across each one with a knife.  Cover them with a towel and let them rise again for about 15 more minutes  (or doubled in size again).

While the dough is rising again, preheat the oven to 425 F and bring 8 cups of water to boil.  

Once the dough is ready add the baking soda to the water, give it a stir and let the foam die down a little.  Then put in two rolls at a time.  Poach them for about 2 minutes per side then remove them from the water and put them back on the baking tray and sprinkle each with some kosher salt.

Bake the poached rolls for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Make sure to eat one hot!  Wow these are good.

Challah

I've never been very good at making French Toast.  It always came out too eggy tasting...or maybe not eggy enough.  It was always just mediocre and nothing to write home about.  And then I discovered this:

Challah.  A rich bread, eggy and dense, somewhat sweet and very delicious. Perfect for making french toast.

Although I was a bit afraid of making bread without the aid of my trusty bread machine, when I saw this recipe a while back on a blog I follow, think liz, I decided to go for it.  It came out perfectly the first time, and every time since.  It truly is an easy bread to make as long as you are sticking around the house for a few hours.  It may be easy, but it isn't quick.  Luckily it really is worth the time.

Challah Bread, adapted from Joan Nathan via think liz
3/4 tablespoon of active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp plus 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

In the bowl of your mixer, stir your yeast and sugar into 3/4 cup of lukewarm water.  Using the whisk attachment whisk in the oil, 2 eggs (one at a time), and the rest of the sugar and salt.  Switch the whisk attachment out for the dough hook and gradually add the flour mixing at a medium-low speed until the dough comes together.  Turn the speed up to medium to "knead" the dough until it is smooth.

Put the dough into a large glass bowl that has been lightly rubbed with oil and cover it with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise in a warm area for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.  Once doubled, punch the dough down, recover it, and then allow it to rise once again for about 30 minutes.

After the time is up turn the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 3 equal balls.  Roll each ball out to about  12 inches long.  Pinch the tops of the strands together and then braid them.  When you get to the ends, tuck them under the loaf.

Put the braided dough onto an oiled baking sheet and brush the top with the remaining beaten egg.   Let the dough rise on the sheet for one more hour.  After the rise, brush the dough with the egg once more before putting it into an oven preheated to 375 F.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Enjoy your french toast! :)

Double Apple Oat Bran Muffins

My little men get a snack every day around 2pm after their second nap.  I don't want to serve four meals a day (or clean up after four meals!) but a snack is necessary or the hungry monsters get out of control.  We used to just have the third bottle at 2:00, but now that they have cut down so much on their formula intake a real snack of sorts is in order.  Most days we do fruit and crackers (low sodium Ritz are a favorite), or cheese and dry cereal.  Those sorts of things.  But these muffins are now in the rotation and the kids really love them.

These muffins use oat bran, natural applesauce, whole wheat flour, real apples....and they actually taste good. Amazing huh?  They aren't grainy or dry and they are super fast to make. According to the recipe a regular sized muffin has only 174 calories!  I used whole milk rather than fat-free milk but still..that's a healthy snack for anyone in the house. They are definitely a favorite around here right now and I imagine they will be for awhile.

Double Apple Bran Muffins, adapted from Cooking Light, May 2006
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups oat bran  (look for this in the bulk foods section)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 apple, diced (I used a Gala apple but any kind will do)

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Cream the butter and sugar in mixer or with a blender.  Beat in the egg and egg white.  Add the other wet ingredients and mix to combine.  In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredient (everything except the apple).  Pour the wet into the dry and stir to combine.  Fold in the apples.  Spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper cups.  Fill the cups almost to the top, these don't rise very high.  I used a mini-muffin pan and made 24 little muffins.  This recipe would also make 12 regular size muffins.  Bake 15 mins for mini-muffins or about 18 minutes for the regular sized muffins.  The muffins should be golden brown and spring back when the center is touched lightly.  Baked goods like these are great to freeze too.  They thaw beautifully in the refrigerator, so make a bunch!

Enjoying a muffin

Aaron, loves them too.  Isn't his hair awesome?  You should see the back, he's rockin' the baby mullet for sure.  Luckily for him, his first haircut is tomorrow!

Banana Zucchini Bread

After the kids had eaten sweet potato pancakes for a week straight I decided we might want to add another breakfast item to our finger food arsenal.  I had seen this bread on another blog and it sounded perfect.  Veggies and fruit, all in one!

This was a super easy and super quick recipe.  I had it whipped up and in the oven in the last 15 minutes before the end of nap time.   (You may want to allow yourself a little more time if you don't want to leave your kitchen looking like a cyclone hit it)  To cut down on some of the prep work I grated my zucchini in the food processor, scooped it out, changed the blade, and then used the processor to mash up the bananas.

The bread came out great!  Cooked through (not mushy) but still moist.  The kids had some bite size pieces this morning with scrambled eggs.  Kids, dogs (oops), and Parents all loved it.

Banana Zucchini Bread adapted from a great blog I've recently started following, Confections of A Foodie Bride

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 c. grated zucchini
3 Tbsp melted butter, more for greasing pan
3 Tbsp Canola oil
1/4 c. buttermilk

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat your oven to 350 F and grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.  As I said above, I grated my zucchini first with my food processor.  Measure one cup and put that into the mixer or a large bowl.  Remove any remaining zucchini from processor, changed the blade, and pulse the bananas until mushy. (If you don't want to use the processor, a regular grater will work, and just mash those bananas up with a fork) Put the bananas into the mixer along with the melted butter, oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.  Using the paddle attachment mix on low until blended.   Next add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Pour into your greased pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.  A knife inserted into the middle should come out with just a bit of crumbs attached.  Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning it out.  Finish cooling the loaf on a wire rack.  Enjoy!!