French Bread

Today was a rainy, miserable day so I decided to make bread.  I used to make bread all of the time.  The problem with that was we ate way too much bread.  Anyway, today was bread baking day.  I wanted the smell of rising yeast and baking bread to fill the house. I was not disappointed.

This recipe is easy to mix and requires few ingredients.  The time-consuming part is the rising and resting periods, but it doesn't need babysat.  You can go about your day and still end up with this crusty, chewy piece of heaven.

Here's what you'll need:
1 package yeast
1 1/4 c warm water
1 TBSP sugar
2 tsp salt
3 -3 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 TBSP corn meal
cold water
1 egg white
2 TBSP cold water

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm-- not hot-- water.  You should see bubbles rising up as the yeast begins to bloom.

Add 2 cups of the flour and beat until smooth.

Gradually add 1 1/4- 1 1/2 additional cups of flour, until the dough is easy to handle (it will pull away from the sides of the bowl).

Pour 1 TBSP of oil into a bowl. Use a napkin or paper towel to coat the whole bowl.   Set side.

Turn the dough onto a floured counter top.  Use your hands to knead the dough (push the dough away from you with one and; pull it back with the other), for 5 minutes.  Until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Don't skimp on the time here.  This kneading is what develops the gluten in the flour and gives the bread it's texture.

Shape the dough into a ball.  Put the dough in the oiled bowl, turning it to coat all sides.  Cover with a cloth and let rise, at room temp (I usually put it on top of the stove, away from drafts) until almost doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough.  Recover with the cloth.  Let rest 15 minutes.

Grease a sheet pan.  Sprinkle with 1 TBSP corn meal.  Set aside.

Divide the dough into two halves.  Roll each half into a 15x10" rectangle.

Tightly roll up each loaf.

Pinch the seam, tightly, between your fingers to seal the dough.

Place the loaves on the prepared sheet pan.  Use a sharp knife to slash the top of the loaves at 2-inch intervals.

Cover with a clean cloth.  Allow to rise, at room temp, until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375.

Place a 9x13" pan on the lowest over rack.  Add 2 cups HOT water.

Brush the tops of the loaves with cold water.  Bake 20 minutes.

Combine the egg white with the 2 TBSP of cold water, whisking well.

Remove the pan of water from the oven.  Brush the loaves with the egg mixture.  Bake and additional 20-25 minutes, until they're golden and sound hollow when you tap on them.  Cool on a wire rack.

Each loaf makes 10-12 slices.

Enjoy!

Garlic-herb Croutons

I've never been a fan of croutons.

They're crusty little shards of bread that tear my mouth apart and lack flavor.  They don't even look appealing, all dried out and flecked with parsley.

So, I decided to make my own.  They're golden brown on the outside, but still have a little "chew" on the inside.  Bursting with garlic, herbs and butter, they're a delicious treat right from the oven.  And if you are strong enough to save them for your salad, you'll never go back to those bagged ones again.

Here's what you'll need:
1 loaf day-old Italian bread
1 stick butter
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375.

Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.  Put into a large bowl and set aside.

Combine the butter, olive oil and seasonings (except cheese) in a small pot.  Cook, over low heat, until the butter is melted.  Do not boil.  Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Pour over the bread cubes.  Stir until all the bread is coated with butter and herbs.

Spread the cubes on a sheet pan; sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes (stirring once), until crispy on the outside.

Cool on the pan on a cooling rack.

Serve in a salad or soup.  Store in an airtight container up to one day, or freeze for a month.  Just reheat in a 375 oven for a few minutes before using.

Enjoy!

Roasted Garlic Paradise

On a recent trip to Florida, the hubby and I had dinner at an Italian restaurant in downtown Disney.  While we were looking over the menu, they brought out this warm, crusty bread and a bulb of roasted garlic, floating in a pool of olive oil.  We dug the cloves out with the knives and spread it on the bread.  It melted, like butter, on our tongues!  I decided I needed to make it.  This is my version.  It's so simple and it doesn't take much time, but the payoff in flavor... WHEW!

Here's what you'll need:
1-2 whole bulbs of garlic, depending on size and amount of people  (I used 2 for 3 of us)
olive oil
salt and pepper
bread, for serving

Heat oven to 400.

Use a sharp knife to cut the tops off the garlic bulbs, exposing the cloves.
Put the garlic on a large sheet of aluminum foil.  Drizzle with olive oil (about 1 TBSP each).
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Fold the foil closed, totally encasing the garlic.  Place the packet on a baking sheet.   Bake 30-45 minutes, until very soft.  The longer it cooks, the sweeter it gets. Open foil, and let set 5 minutes or so, til cool enough to handle.

Pour additional olive oil (about 1/2 cup) into a shallow bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

When the garlic cooled slightly, turn the bulb upside-down over the bowl of oil and squeeze lightly, forcing the cloves out into the oil.

To serve, use a spoon to spread a few cloves and some oil onto a slice of bread.  It also makes a great "sauce" for pasta.

Enjoy!

Mozzarella Nuggets

I'll be honest.  I started out attempting a recipe I saw on pinterest for fried mozzarella.  The recipe seemed a little too easy to be true.  And it was.  The results could be featured on "Pinterest Fails".  But I still wanted that cheesy goodness to go with my dinner, so I scoured my fridge and came up with these.

Here's what you'll need:
8 sticks of string cheese
1 tube thin-crust pizza dough
warm marinara sauce, for serving

Preheat oven to 425.

Cut each string cheese into three pieces.

Unroll the pizza crust and cut it into 24 squares.

Place on piece of cheese, diagonally, on a square of dough.

Roll the dough around the cheese until it's covered.  Then, squeeze tightly to seal the dough.  This is THE important step.  Some of mine weren't sealed, and the cheese leaked out when I baked them.  Place them on a sheet tray.

Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes, until the dough is golden brown.

Serve with the marinara, as a snack or appetizer.  I served them with pasta as the bread.

Enjoy!

Herb, Garlic and Cheese Pull-apart Bread

Nothing goes better with pasta than garlic bread.  When you make it as a pull-apart, it's easily served family style or on a buffet.  You want to use a firm bread, like sour dough, so it can stand up to all the toppings.

Here's what you'll need:
1 loaf sour dough bread
4 slices bacon, browned and crumbled
2 c Italian blend cheese
1 stick butter
2 TBSP minced garlic
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/8 tsp pepper

Heat the oven to 375.
Score the sour dough in a criss-cross pattern, being careful not to cut the whole way through the loaf.

Flex the bread a little bit, to cause space between the bread.  Sprinkle with the cheese, pushing it into the cracks.

Melt the butter in a microwave bowl.  Stir in the herbs, garlic and pepper.  Pour over the top of the bread, slowly, so it can seep into the cracks.

Wrap the loaf, tightly, in foil.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Unwrap the top of the bread and sprinkle with the bacon.  Bake 15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted.  Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!