Homemade artisan bread.

I absolutely love homemade bread!  It is my ultimate vice and pleasure.  Nothing better than hot  bread fresh from the oven in butter!  Sorry, went to my happy place for a moment.  Anyway, as usual, I read several recipes for this type of bread and made it my own.

I have been trying for years, with more failures than I care to admit, to bake the best ever loaf of bread.  I believe I have finally found a recipe that works.  I have kneaded and worked  hundreds of pounds of dough and none have tasted this fabulous.

This is by far the simplest, no effort and no stress recipe for bread you will ever find.  It does, however, take 12 to 15 hours, so you need to think ahead.  Here is what I did!  Please let me know if you try it and how it turned out.  And as always, add your own twist--Be fearless in the kitchen!  You can't discover the best thing you ever made unless you try, if you fail, oh well...learn from your mistakes and get back into the kitchen.  Your successes far out weigh your failures!  Enjoy.

3 1/2 cups organic unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups warm (about 100-110) water (can substitute milk, or if you want a sweeter, more dessert type dough, apple cider or juice, peach cider, etc.)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons active yeast (I never use the rapid rise.)

Optional:
You can add any one or more of these, depending on your taste:
1 tablespoon of:
garlic powder
onion powder
any herb you like, I have used rosemary, it is fabulous

 Add yeast and sugar to the water, mix well and let it sit until yeast blooms, about 10 to 15 minutes

While that is working, mix dry ingredients.  Add bloomed wet ingredients to dry.  Stir with wooden spoon until it just comes together--DO NOT OVER WORK.   Cover and let the dough rest until it doubles, about 1 to 1 1/2hour at room temperature.**

The dough with be very sticky and bubbly.  Put some flour on the counter.   The next several steps need to be done GENTLY.  Put the dough onto the floured area. Pat it until into a rectangle to oblong shape--do not press down on the dough as you will press all the air out off it.  Fold each side in a tri-fold and pat gently.
Put the dough back into the container and let it raise on the counter at room temperature for 12 to 15 hours. I was skeptical of this, but believe me, once the dough reaches a point, it does not rise over the bowl.
Trust me.
  
A dutch oven is best to use, but if you don't have one, you can use a cast iron pan, or foil roasting pan.  You need something with a lid or you can cover with aluminum foil.

Pre-heat oven 450 F.  Once oven is to temp, put whatever pan you are using into the over to heat for 30 minutes.

While the pan is heating, place flour on the counter and gently dump the dough onto it.  Work as before, folding dough and gently forming a round.  Let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

After pan is hot and dough has rested, remove pan from oven, use parchment paper and/or cornmeal on the bottom of the pan (I use both because I love the cornmeal on the outside of the bread). Gently place the dough in the pan--watch it - it is hot--cover and put on the bottom rack of your oven.  Bake covered 30 minutes.  Remove lid and bake another 15 minutes to brown.

Remove from pan and cool on rack.  THAT IS IT!  Give it a try it truly is easy, just takes a little time. 


 **I use a large glass or plastic bowl with a lid to mix the ingredients.    If you do not have a large covered bowl, you can cover with plastic wrap.

Farro, Kale and Tomato Salad

If you haven't tasted farro, please give it a try.  It is delicious.  I compare it to a cross between oats and pearl barely.   This salad is one of my favorites and it is so good for you beside the fact that it is a tasty dish.

Here is the recipe.

 Prepare the farro per packaging instruction.  I used 8 oz. of farro and boiled it in 3 cups of water.

While the farro is boiling, in a separate bowl combine

• 1/4c. olive oil (I used oil from Spain, it has a little more flavor than Italian and is a great combo with the farro). 
• 1.4 c. red wine vinegar (I like taste the vinegar my vinaigrette so I use equal parts with oil).
• Minced fresh onion and garlic to taste
• Salt and pepper
• fresh basil (you can use dry, but why? :))

Mix and set aside.

• Cut up two pieces of good bacon (I use Wright ALWAYS--you can omit this or substitute pancetta Heat in pan about 1 minute.  
• Add fresh kale to the pan and cook until tender (about 8 minutes--I like my kale al dente if you will, but do what you like)  

Set aside

Once the farro is done, drain any excess water and place in bowl with vinaigrette.  Add the kale and bacon and chopped heirloom tomatoes (or whatever tomatoes you like)


Mix and serve!!!  Let me know how you like it.

Zucchinni & Goat Cheese Cassarole

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Casserole

Such a great and simple main course or side dish.  Using fresh zucchini really adds to the deliciousness~ :)

This recipe makes a small square casserole that will feed 4 (or 2 depending on how hungry you are)

Here's what I used and as always these ingredients can be substituted with what you like:

2 medium zucchini
Goat cheese
Parmigiano 
Package of  baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 half of a pablano pepper, finely diced
 Whole tomatoes (I used the last a small jar I froze last year from the garden)
Fresh basil, parsley, rosemary and oregano
2 tablespoons of coconut oil (you can use olive oil or whatever you have)
Fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil


Slice the zucchini lengthwise about 1/4 inch  thick, lay flat on towel or paper bag, salt each one
Allow to sit 30 minutes or longer until moisture is drawn out of them.

In the meantime, heat pan and add oil.  Add diced onion, garlic, and pablano peppers.  Saute 5 minutes until translucent.  Slice mushrooms (I like my a little thicker) to your liking and add to pan.  Saute another 5 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste.

Add tomatoes and cook about 10 minutes, until sauce starts to thicken.

Thoroughly dry off zucchini.  Oil bottom of small square dish.  Single layer zucchini in dish.  Sprinkle small amount of goat and parm cheese over zucchini.  Add  sauce, repeat again and end with a layer of zucchini on top.

Mix breach crumbs and olive oil and sprinkle on top.  This is optional.

Bake 375 for 25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

So good.  Enjoy.  Let me know if you try it!!!

Red Quinoa Stuffed Red Peppers with Spicy/Sweet Salsa Sauce

I love quinoa and love experimenting with it.  It is so versatile and a great substitute for meat.  Try this recioe and let me know what you think.

Quinoa stuffing:

This stuffing is the same stuffing I used for the Quinoa burger, so check that out.

After stuffing is made, cut a large red pepper, or 2 small red peppers in half, clean out and add stuffing.

Sauce

2 cups salsa (I used homemade salsa I canned last year.  Use your favorite)

2 tablespoon honey ( I used raw unrefined honey)

Bring to a boil and pour over peppers.  Bake until peppers are tender, about 30-35 minutes.  So good.  Let me know if you try it.

Quinoa Burger on a bed of kale/green leaf lettuce, ground mustard vinaigrette

Quinoa is such a great product.  If you haven't tried it, you really are missing out.   Do some research and you will find that it is full of nutrients and the taste is amazing.

I was experimenting today, and made two wonderful dishes.  Here is the recipe for this one.  The other is red pepper stuffed with red quinoa and spicy salsa, but now here is the recipe for:

Quinoa Burger on a bed of kale with honey/mustard vinaigrette.

Quinoa Burger

1 cup cooked quinoa (I used red, but any variety will do)

1 small onion diced

3 small carrots diced

1 clove of garlic diced

1/2 cup mashed chic peas  (I used some  hummus I made from the other day)

1/2 cup finely chopped kale

salt, pepper, granulated garlic and onion powder

Your favorite fresh herbs, I used sweet basil, thyme, greek oregano, flat leaf parsley and flat leaf celery parsley; just add to your taste.  I used about a teaspoon of each

Mix all ingredients and form a patty.  Heat a pan and add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or whatever oil you use)

Add patty to pan and brown on both sides.

Makes about four patties depending on size

Kale Salad

1 cup finely chopped kale

1 cup finely chopped green leaf lettuce

1 large or several diced carrots

1 small onion diced

Tomato

Cucumber (I prefer regular cucumbers rather than the english, they have more meat.  Just clean out the seeds)

Blueberries

Pumpkin seeds

Mustard Vinaigrette

I used a hearty, grainy mustard about 3 tablespoons

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons oil (I used a lot less oil than is recommended, I prefer more vinegar, but you do what you do)

2 tablespoons honey or agave

salt and pepper to taste

Mix and add to  salad

Plate salad and place burger on to.  SO SO SO Good!!!!  As always, I create to my tastes, feel free to change/add whatever to this recipe.  I KNOW YOU WILL LOVE IT.  Let me know if you try it.

Homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Even if you don't care for butternut squash, you will LOVE this soup.  It is so flavorful and filling, perfect for a cold, rainy day!  An added benefit is that it is so healthy and nutritious, no butter or cream added.

Here's what I did.

Heat oven 350 F

Slice one large butternut squash in half.  In the pocket of one half put three small shallots, or one small onion quartered.  In the pocket of the other half put three or four whole garlic cloves (more or less garlic per taste~~I used four)  Drizzle olive oil over the onion and garlic, salt and pepper (I used white pepper) to taste.

Roast the squash for about 1 1/2 or until fork tender.   After squash has roasted, heat 2 cups NS (no salt) chicken broth (I keep a stock pile of chicken broth in the freezer.  Whenever we have chicken, I make broth from the bones, carrots, celery and onions and freeze it.  Perfect!)

Scoop out the squash and add to the broth, along with the roasted onions and garlic.  For seasoning I used salt and white pepper (I like the white pepper it adds a little spicy flavor that I love), winter savory, rosemary and herbs de provence, but if you don't have that,  you can use whatever herbs you prefer like basil, parsley, oregano, etc.

Cook to boiling.  Using a hand held  emulsion blender, break up all the chucks of squash, onions and garlic until it is smooth and creamy.  Serve with a dollop of goat cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt.   SO GOOD.

Let me know if you try it.  ENJOY

Quinoa Pasta with Chicken Sambal sauce

Sunday's Experiment~~Quinoa Pasta with Chicken Sambal (crushed chili paste) Sauce

I love using Sambal, crushed chili paste.  It gives a unique sweet/spiciness that goes well with just about anything.

I also love quinoa, so when I saw quinoa pasta at my favorite store, Health Plus in Sandusky I had to try it.  And I was not disappointed.  It is delicious.  Closest thing to durum pasta I have found, and believe, I have been looking.  If you don't know or have not used quinoa, do it.  It is wonderful.

I marinated thinly sliced chicken breasts for about an hour in:
2 tablespoons each olive oil and rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon Sambal or other chili paste.  Blot off marinated and brown in pan and small amount of oil olive. (I used my grill cast iron pan)


Cook the quinoa according to package~~about 6-9 minutes in rapidly boiling water.  While that is working, make your sauce.

Chicken Sambal sauce

2 cloves sliced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes (I used my own that I made from my tomato harvest, so easy to make and so much better than commercial brands)
2 tablespoons Sambal or other chili paste
cook until boil
Add cooked chicken, cubed
Right before putting in pasta, add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or half and half

Add pasta to pan and cook for another minutes, until pasta is coated with sauce.  Add some pasta water if it gets too thick.

THIS IS A DELICIOUS DISH!!! TRY IT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!