Auntie Chelsea's Pretzles!

So my friend Jill and I were at the mall yesterday killing some time and we found ourselves hungry.  It was like 3pm and I didn't want to totally kill supper, so I stopped by Auntie Anne's Pretzel's and picked up a little bunch of their pretzel sticks.  I got to thinking...I can make these, so when I got home I google Auntie Anne's pretzel recipe and came up with THIS RECIPE.

I have not actually tried the pretzels yet, and I didn't have the big kosher salt to sprinkle on top, but I did brush with butter and salt with regular salt!  I will update on the taste in a little bit!!

...Ok, I'm back with an update!  The pretzels were FANTASTIC and I will be making again.  I think I baked them a little too long because they were more tough on the outside than i would have liked, but the flavor was GREAT!!

Vegan Cornbread Muffins with Lentils on the side!

We pretty much have some kind of bread option at every meal and tonight it was cornbread.  I wanted to make them vegan so guess who I called...my MOM!  She is such a good cook and has become really good at substituting dairy out of recipes.  These are very nice and light in texture and I will make them again.

1 1/2 t. Ground Flax seed
1/4 C Water
1 C Soy Milk
1/3 C Vegetable Oil
1 t. Salt
1 T. Baking Powder
1 C All Purpose Flour
1 C Cornmeal

Mix the first two ingredients together at least 1 hour ahead of time so that the flax gets real slimy and can imitate an egg. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all of the dry ingredients together and when ready to bake, combine wet and dry ingredients.  Pour batter into a greased 8x8 baking pan, or spoon into a greased muffin tin.   Bake 8x8 for 25-30 min, and muffins for 15 min.

Baking bread and what's for supper.

So today I needed to make bread and was thinking what I could do for supper that I could fit into my plan for baking.  Runzas came to mind. 

Runzas are a bread pocket filled with burger, onions, and cabbage.  They are SO good, especially spread with garlic butter just before devouring.

For the dough, use my Whole Wheat Bread  recipe, and when you are at the loaf forming stage, measure 10-12 1/4 lb dough pieces for the runzas. Form the rest of the dough into loaves and you have killed 2 birds with 1 stone.  Let the dough rest and raise while you make the innards of the runzas.

 

Saute:

Sm. Onion Chopped

3 Cloves Garlic Minced

1/2 Can Vegetarian Burger

Add:

1 Sm head Cabbage chopped

2 C Water

3-4 T Cornstarch

2 T Chicken like seasoning

1 t. Salt

Stir till thickened and cabbage is softening.

So here I have rolled one of the 1/4 lb dough pieces into an 8-10 inch round and put about 2/3C of filling in the center leaving space around the edge for sealing the dough together.

I have folded the dough over and pressed around the edges with a fork.  It is very important to not get any of the filling around the edge because the moisture will prevent the dough from sticking together.

You can see in the bottom left of this picture that I got too much filling in that runza therefore it would not seal. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 min or till nicely browned.

First pan out of the oven. 

And I had to dig in right away and get that garlic butter melting. 

 And in other news, I finally had to trash my dish washing gloves because they got a hole in the finger tonight while I was doing dishes.  But not to worry, I will be getting more!!

Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Casserole

So I know this is not bread, but I wanted to post it anyway because it is SO good and SO easy!!!

Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Casserole

Saute:
2 T Margarine
Sm. Onion Chopped
Add:
3 T Flour and brown lightly
Add:
2 T Margarine
1/2 C Silken Tofu and 1/2 C Water, Blend
2 C Water
3T 'Chicken like' seasoning
4oz can Mushroom stems and pieces
1 Can Fri Chik with broth
8oz Cooked Spaghetti

Bring to a simmer and add to a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour or till thickened and bubbly.

Rosemary Garlic & Cinnamon Raisin... All in a day's work!!

As I sit here writing this post, I am met with an abundance of smells.  Rosemary, Garlic, Cinnamon, Raisin, Red Lentils and Honey Roasted Peanuts (of which I just ate a couple).  I did make everything today except the Honey Roasted Peanuts (of which I just ate a couple more). 

I know I said yesterday that I was going to make Samosa Bread and Carrot Buns today, but I forgot to do the first step last night before I went to bed.  Therefore changing my plan to the breads that I mentioned above.  A good alternative I might add.

I realized today that I needed to bake bread for a soup supper at our church tomorrow (Friday) evening, but that I also was not going to be there for it.  I decided to get the baking done today so that I would not be as rushed tomorrow since we are heading to Portland for the weekend to see my Grandparents off.

The Rosemary Garlic Bread I found in Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book Of Breads.  The Cinnamon Raisin Bread I found Here.   In both of these recipes, I used 100% white whole wheat flour instead of whatever the recipe said.  I am still waiting for the Cinnamon Raisin Bread to raise, and once it is finished, I will take pictures and post those here. 

Rosemary ready to be mixed in

Adding flour till it's the right consistency 

I cleared off the counter to make room for making bread ;)

6 1/2 lbs of Rosemary Garlic goodness 

This could be an Ad for Bosch and Silpat

Almost fully risen

My little helper

Rosemary Garlic finished

I hope you are enjoying this experience with me, because I sure am having fun!!

Our Daily Bread Again...

...I make this bread about once every week and a half, and if I'm feeling extra housewifely, I do other baking.  Tomorrow I am making Samosa Bread and Carrot Buns from TheKneadforBread for a soup supper at our church...more to come on that tomorrow.  For now enjoy the pictures and let me know if you have any questions about making bread.

Universal Bosch Mixer Vs. KitchenAid Mixer

Ok...so here goes...

I have owned a Universal Bosch since I was married over 6 years ago, and I love it, but I have always wondered what it would be like to use a KitchenAid mixer.  I talked to my mom about it last year and she said that she once bought a Kitchen Aid because it just looked so nice, and everyone (meaning, Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray) were using one.  After using it for a little while and especially for making bread, she returned it because it just didn't measure up to her Bosch.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to use a KitchenAid Mixer for making bread.  There are several things I didn't like about it.  1. I don't like how the mixer arm is right in the middle of the bowl, therefore getting in the way of whatever you want to do. ie, adding ingredients or feeling for the consistency of the dough.  2. I was using the flat beater attachment (which I think was the wrong attachment for mixing dough) and as the ingredients were being worked into a dough, it all stuck to the attachment and just rolled around the bowl instead of actually kneading it.  I must admit that I was making a 100% whole wheat bread and so the dough was heaver than with other kinds of bread, but my Bosch doesn't have a problem with kneading at all!!!  I can knead 7 lbs of Whole Wheat dough in my Bosch and it doesn't blink an eye.  I know I probably am not comparing apples to apples, but below is directly from the Pleasant Hill Grain Company website.  Makers of the Universal Bosch. http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/bosch_universal.aspx


The Bosch Mixer has More Power: For starters, the Bosch Mixer has a 700 watt motor. Our biggest competitor (the sales-volume leader) calls their strongest model the "Professional." Its motor is only 525 watts. Universal's motor is more than 1.3X stronger than their best. Power to mix better and last longer.
The Bosch Mixer has a Stronger Transmission: Even more important than the motor is the transmission, which converts motor power into work. Our mass-marketing competitors build transmissions with inexpensive spur gears. The first shortcoming of spur gears is that they break under stress. Stress is a bowl full of bread dough or a triple batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Things you need your mixer to handle. Buyers tell us frequently that they're getting a Bosch Mixer now because their other mixer, often brand new, failed.
The Bosch Mixer is More Efficient: The second major problem with spur gears is that even before they break, they transmit torque poorly. Torque is the ability to exert power at low turning speed — exactly what's required of a good mixer. The Universal's competition starts with a much smaller motor, then spends a big share of it on friction. Which is why many big mixers have surprisingly little oomph.
The Bosch Belt: Universal's transmission uses a belt drive design so strong that fewer than 1% have failed within twenty years. And that's twenty years of heavier work than most mixers ever see, because the Universal's reputation as a workhorse causes it to be purchased by a higher percentage of cooks who place high demands on their equipment. The belt drive of the Bosch Mixer also prevents motor failures from the heat that develops in the cramped gear enclosures of overhead drive machines, a major cause of "mixer meltdown" in other machines.


Universal Bosch


Kitchen Aid Mixer


If you have a Kitchen Aid, certainly continue to use it and be sure you have the right attachments for the job, but if you are looking into buying a mixer, I would have to say to go for the Bosch. 

The price of a top of the line Kitchen Aid is $499.99  (575 Watts) http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/product/KL26M8XOB/

The price of the Universal Bosch Plus (which is a step above what I have at 700 W) is $499.98 (800 Watts)http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/Bosch_Universal_Plus_Mixer_MUM6N10UC.aspx

You decide, and happy mixing.

What do Dough and the Super Bowl have in common...

...They are both more fun while with friends!!

We're headed to some friends house for the Super Bowl and we're also going to make bread!!  The day couldn't be any better than that.  I'll post pictures later


Oops...forgot to take pictures!  Oh well, there's always next time!!

Baking for the weekend...I thought...

So I was doing some baking for the weekend, and then got an invitation to supper with a request for bread!  Guess I'll have to make more tomorrow!!!  The following recipes are from 'Healthy Bread in 5 Minuets A Day'...if you don't have their book, you NEED to get it!!  And if you don't want their book, check our their website and find a couple recipes!! http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/  Please enjoy my pictures, and think about making some of your own!!

Raisin, Craisin, Walnut Bread just starting to raise

Fully risen and ready for shaping

Roughly shaped into rounds

Garlic Rosemary Focaccia and Plain Bread on the rise

Fully Risen

Fully Baked

Can't wait to try this bread...but I'm going to have to wait till supper!!

Our Daily Bread

So the first thing I did when I got up this morning, after starting some hot cereal for my boys, was go out to the (freezing cold) garage and grind some flour.  Therefore starting my bread baking process.  I added Blackstrap Molasses to my bread this time, hence the darker color, and also sunflower and pumpkin seeds.  The following pictures are of the process minus the raised bread...because I forgot about it and had to turn the oven on right away...forgetting to take a picture of the fully risen bread!!

Looks good enough to eat huh...so make some for yourself!!!

100% Whole Wheat Bread
5 C Warm Water
2 T Active Dry Yeast
1/3 C Honey
1/2 C Oil
1/4 C Molasses (optional)

Mix the above wet ingredients together and set aside while you measure out the below dry ingredients into your mixer.

*Reserve 3C of the 10C Hard Red Winter Wheat for later addition.

2 C Oats
1 C Vital Wheat Gluten
2 T Salt

1/2 C Pumpkin Seeds (optional)
1/2 C Sunflower Seeds (optional)
1 C Hard White Wheat Flour
10 C Hard Red Winter Wheat Flour

Add wet ingredients into the mixer with the dry ingredients, (minus the 3C of Flour that you reserved), and mix till all ingredients are incorporated.  Add the additional *3C as needed to make a nice dough.  Knead in mixer for 7-10 Min.  Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into desired loaves.  Let raise till doubled and bake at 350 for 20-30 min, or till nicely browned.

For a smaller handmade batch, just half the recipe or 1/3 it!!

Happy Baking... 

Can't seem to get started...

So I have been itching to start baking aging...I go in spurts, but can't quite seem to get there.  I HAVE to make sandwich bread tomorrow, because we are running dangerously low.  My grandparents are here this week and we have been organizing and cleaning, therefore haven't found a lot of time to cook or bake!  I am still thinking about starting some 'no knead' bread tonight, but would need to grind some wheat into flour...and that sounds like more work than I am in the mood for at this hour. 

Grandma is sitting near with her cup of Throat Coat tea, and mine is cooling on the table in the kitchen...we both have been fighting sore throats this week.  Anyway...I hope to have a bread post soon, even if it is my regular old sandwich bread. (which I really am in love with because I can finally make it 100% WHOLE WHEAT without it being dense and dry.)  So stay tuned and we'll see what happens.