Category Archives: Bread

Garlic Bread Pizza

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Quick Post: I found this on Pinterest the other day and knew that this would be on the menu this week! We finished the whole pizza 🙂 Next time I will have to double the recipe to make sure there are leftovers. I love the texture of the crust because the butter made it slightly toasty and pleasantly crisp. I will make this again, but I will plan ahead next time to let this dough age in the fridge for a few hours to give the dried herbs and garlic powder time to meld and flavor the dough. Thanks for reading, enjoy!


Garlic Bread Pizza Crust – adapted from How Sweet Eats

  • 1 1/8 cups warm water (100-105 degrees)
  • 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed or very finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, garlic powder and dried basil, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but it still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour (you don’t need to use all if it is not needed) in to the dough, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.

Once the dough has finished rising, roll it out and finish with your favorite pizza toppings. I used pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and parmesan cheese.  Spoon the garlic butter over the edges of the dough. I baked the pizza off in a 475 degree oven for 10 minutes on top of my pizza stone.

English Muffin Bread

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Quick Post: This bread couldn’t be easier! It doesn’t require kneading, either – mix it up, dump it in the pan, rest and bake. It finished loaf is light, the interior is moist and full of holes which become super crunchy when toasted. It’s so weird that this really is similar to an English muffin with all the nooks and crannies. The butter, honey or jam fills all the holes up and makes for a really crunchy and tasty toast. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

**My Canon camera is not working right at all! (sad face) I have to take pictures with my phone until I can get a new one…**

English Muffin Toasting Bread – adapted from King Arthur Flour

  • 3 cups ap flour (I used bread flour)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon yeast
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
  • cornmeal, to sprinkle in pan
Directions –

1) Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl.

2) Combine the milk, water, and oil in a separate, microwave-safe bowl, and heat to between 120°F and 130°F. Be sure to stir the liquid well before measuring its temperature; you want an accurate reading. If you don’t have a thermometer, the liquid will feel quite hot (hotter than lukewarm), but not so hot that it would be uncomfortable as bath water.

3) Pour the hot liquid over the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl.

4) Beat at high speed for 1 minute. The dough will be very soft.

5) Lightly grease an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal

6) Scoop the soft dough into the pan, leveling it in the pan as much as possible.

7) Cover the pan, and let the dough rise till it’s just barely crowned over the rim of the pan. When you look at the rim of the pan from eye level, you should see the dough, but it shouldn’t be more than, say, 1/4″ over the rim. This will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour, if you heated the liquid to the correct temperature and your kitchen isn’t very cold. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F.

8) Remove the cover, and bake the bread for 22 to 27 minutes, till it’s golden brown and its interior temperature is 190°F.
9) Remove the bread from the oven, and after 5 minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

Banana Bread 2

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I had six bananas on the counter that were becoming more and more spotted, which meant they became more and more perfect for banana bread. My husband noticed (of course it’s food related, right?) and mentioned he’d like to eat some banana bread for breakfast in the morning. I didn’t go grocery shopping like I should have, and then it rained the rest of the day so I didn’t want to go to the store, plus the kids were with me…excuses, excuses! 😉 I told him that I would find a new recipe that didn’t require buttermilk for times such as this. (I didn’t even have lemons or white vinegar on hand to make a buttermilk substitute.)

Verdict: This banana bread is moist, light and full of banana flavor – duh, right? I like this type of recipe that doesn’t add spices that mask the flavor of the banana. I did add toasted walnuts to mine because I like the crunch and texture it gives to the finished loaf. Also, I doubled the recipe because I had so many bananas, plus the container of sour cream had the perfect amount left for it.  Mine took about 50 minutes to bake using the convention setting on my oven. Whenever the smell of what is baking becomes really noticeable is when I start to check it. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

**You know what I’m loving? Measuring in grams! What a difference – it’s so much easier and there are no fractions! Alton Brown mentioned that very perk and I was immediately intrigued. My favorite website to convert cups into ounces or grams is here, and I don’t even bother with measuring cups anymore.**

Banana Bread – adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny!
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) light butter, softened 
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup light sour cream (I used full fat)
  • 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 bananas)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
Directions – 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a stand mixer, or hand held, mix together softened butter and sugar until well combined.  Then add in eggs and mix well.  Next add in vanilla, sour cream and mashed bananas then, while the mixer is on, slowly add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix slowly until completely combined, scraping the sides and the bottom.
Meanwhile, grease your pan(s) and lightly flour so that your bread won’t stick.  If using one 9×5 loaf pan, bake bread for about one hour.

Weeknight Italian Wedding Soup

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Quick Post: This recipe couldn’t be easier! For those cold nights it’s perfectly warming and comforting. We had another blast of cold weather the past few days which was surprising since it’s recently been in the high 70s regularly. I always love taking advantage of a cool night by making it a good excuse for some comfort food and carbs in the form of these lovely breadsticks. I didn’t change a thing about these recipes and we were all happy about how they turned out. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup – adapted from Bev Cooks

  •  3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 (12 oz) package Al Fresco tomato and basil chicken meatballs
  •  1 small onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pinch crushed red
  •  1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 10 oz baby spinach
  • coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a small skillet and brown the chicken sausages on all sides, until heated through, 5 minutes total. Remove from heat.

In a deep pot, heat the remaining 2 Tbs. oil over medium-high. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Add the crushed pepper along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until the veggies start to soften, 6 minutes.

Add the wine and stock. Bring to a light boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 6 minutes.

Add the chicken sausages and spinach. Simmer for about 5 more minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Almost Famous Breadsticks – adapted from Food Network

  • 1 package yeast
  • 4 1/4 cups AP flour,plus more for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter,softened
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fine salt

For the Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter,melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch of dried oregano
Directions –

Make the dough: Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer; sprinkle in the yeast and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar, fine salt and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water; mix with the paddle attachment until a slightly sticky dough forms, 5 minutes.

Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface until very smooth and soft, 3 minutes. Roll into a 2-foot-long log; cut into 16 1 1/2-inch-long pieces. Knead each piece slightly and shape into a 7-inch-long breadstick; arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth; let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make the topping: Brush the breadsticks with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt with the garlic powder and oregano. Brush the warm breadsticks with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the flavored salt.

French Toast

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I have a great go-to recipe for french toast, but I decided to try something different to go along with the Challah bread I made. This one is an Alton Brown recipe that seemed kinda boring, but I didn’t want the custard to overshadow the homemade Challah bread. I love cinnamon in my custard and this has none, and it doesn’t even call for vanilla! I dried out the sliced pieces of Challah in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees so they would soak up even more custard. This recipe also has two separate cooking steps that is supposed to ensure crunchy outside and creamy inside texture.

Verdict: Eh…next time, I’ll go with my “recipe doctoring” instincts and add the cinnamon and vanilla – maybe even a little fresh nutmeg. The plain Challah was flat too, but when toasted the flavors were turned up a notch. I will make a richer Challah next time. No worries! I love trying out new recipes anyway 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

French Toast – adapted from Food Network

  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah bread
  • 4 tablespoons butter

Directions

In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.

Challah Bread

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I have had this recipe bookmarked for far too long. It took my sisters FB post to remind me of the Challah bread that I never got around to making. This was something I never thought I’d get the guts to make years ago – it looked so difficult to me for some reason. I found a YouTube video that demonstrates how to properly braid the Challah and that was super helpful. While baking, the top braid started to tip over, but thankfully it never fell off. Next time I make it, I’ll make sure that the base is even and maybe even a little wider so this wont happen next time. The amount of dough this makes doesn’t seem like it would be enough to make such a large-looking braid and the bread bakes up surprisingly light and airy. This is a slightly healthier version of a traditional Challah bread recipe. I didn’t mean to choose a healthier version, and I wont tell M this bit of information 😉 I decided to use  grapeseed oil instead of the recommended olive oil, which replaced all the butter in the original version. I don’t think I have ever had Challah bread before, so I have nothing to compare it to, so maybe next time I will make the butter version. This loaf is destined to be french toast,  and I wont feel bad if I add a little butter to the pieces later;) Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Challah Bread – adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 3 cups AP flour
  • 1 pkg instant yeast
  • 2 eggs and one egg yolk
  • 2 TBSP raw sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 4 TBSP grapeseed oil
  • 1 egg and 1 TSBP of water for the egg wash

Directions –

Place all ingredients in the bowl of your standing mixer. Mix with the paddle attachment until combined, then switch to the dough hook. Knead for 5 to 7 minutes or until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let proof until doubled in size – about an hour. Gently punch down the dough, cover and let it rise for another 45 minutes.

Cut off 1/3 of the dough (my digital scale takes all the guess work out, but if you’re more daring, you can eye-ball it). Divide the remaining dough into three equal pieces then roll out into 16 inch long strips. Braid.

Take the remaining ball of dough and divide it into three equal pieces and make a second braid. Set the smaller braid on top of the larger braid and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let it proof for 30 minutes and preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash and bake it for 30 minutes or until dark brown. Cool completely on a wire rack – at least 2 hours. Enjoy!

Banana Bread, Revisited!

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This one is hands down, M’s most requested bread. I have been making it for some time now, but there is just way too much sugar and butter for my liking. He hasn’t noticed that I have cut the sugar in half the last two times I have made it! Score for me 🙂 This time  I used less butter and sugar, more bananas and went with the addition of toasted walnuts. These were all really great modifications and I’m glad I wrote them down, because from now on, this is how he’ll get his banana bread! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Banana Bread – heavily adapted from Crust and Crumb

  • 8 ounces flour (1 3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 TBSP baking powder
  • 1  tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 TBSP butter, room temp
  • 8 ounces sugar (6 ounces brown, 2 ounces white)
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 11-12 ounces very ripe banana (about three medium), mashed
  • 3/4 cup lightly toasted, coarsely chopped walnuts
Directions –

1. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

2. Using a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy – about 2 minutes.

3. Mix in eggs one at a time, incorporating each egg before adding the next. Mix in vanilla and continue beating for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

4. Mix in 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then 1/3 of the buttermilk, then 1/3 of the mashed bananas. Continue in this manner until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. Stir in walnuts.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease one 9×5 loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until baked through. The safest way of knowing if it is finished is to test them with a probe thermometer. The internal temperature should be 180 – 185 degrees.

6. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out on a rack to cool for at least one hour before slicing.

Honey Oat Bread

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I love bread! This one is a little sweet, buttery, moist and delicious. It makes perfect toast because all that buttery, sweet, oaty-ness is turned up. The recipe is for a pullman pan, but offers the conversion for a large, 9×5 loaf pan. It just takes longer to bake, about 40 minutes. Be sure to check its temperature before de-panning. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Honey Oat Bread – adapted from King Arthur Flour

  • 3 cups AP flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 cup to 1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water*
  • *Use the smaller amount in the summer, or in a humid climate; the larger in winter, or in a drier climate.

1) Combine all of the ingredients, and mix until cohesive. Cover the bowl, and let the dough rest for 20 minutes, to give the oats a chance to absorb some of the liquid. Then knead — by hand, stand mixer, or bread machine — to make a smooth, soft, elastic dough.

2) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, or in an 8-cup measure (so you can track its progress as it rises), and let it rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until it’s risen noticeably. It won’t necessarily double in bulk.

3) Gently deflate the dough, and shape it to fit into a 9×5 loaf pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until the loaf crests over the pan by one inch. Preheat your oven to 350 during the last 15 to 20 minutes of the rise time.

4) Remove the plastic and place in the center of the oven, bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers at least 190 degrees F.

7) Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack. Run a stick of butter over the top, if desired; this will yield a soft, buttery crust. Cool completely before cutting; wrap airtight and store for several days at room temperature.

Yield: 1 standard loaf.

Parker House Rolls

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Quick Post: These are soft, buttery and perfect accompaniment to any soup. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Parker House Rolls – adapted from King Arthur Flour
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 cup potato flour or 3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 1/2 to 4 tablespoons butter, melted; for brushing on rolls

1) In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients (except the 3 tablespoons melted butter at the end), mixing to form a shaggy dough. Note: to speed the rising process, whisk together the milk and egg, and heat gently just enough to remove the refrigerator chill; then add to the remaining ingredients.

2) Knead the dough, by hand (10 minutes) or by machine (7 to 8 minutes) until it’s smooth.

3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or 8-cup measure (so you can track its rising progress). Allow it to rise for 90 minutes; it’ll become quite puffy, though it probably won’t double in bulk. Note that the dough takes quite awhile to get going; after 1 hour, it may seem like it’s barely expanded at all. But during the last half hour, it rises more quickly.

4) Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface. Divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, roll or pat the dough into an 8″ x 12″ rectangle.

5) Brush the dough all over with a light coating of the melted butter. You’ll have melted butter left over; save it to brush on top of the baked rolls.

6) Cut the dough in half lengthwise, to make two 4″ x 12″ rectangles. Working with one rectangle at a time, fold it lengthwise to about 1/2″ of the other edge, so the bottom edge sticks out about 1/2″ beyond the top edge. You’ll now have a rectangle that’s about 2 1/4″ x 12″. Repeat with the other piece of dough.

7) Cut each of the rectangles crosswise into four 3″ pieces, making a total of 8 rolls, each about 2 1/4″ x 3″. Place the rolls, smooth side up, in a lightly greased 9″ x 13″ pan. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough, making 16 rolls in all. You’ll arrange 4 rows of 4 in the pan, with the longer side of the rolls going down the longer side of the pan. Gently flatten the rolls to pretty much cover the bottom of the pan.

8) Cover the pan, and let the rolls rise for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until they’re puffy but definitely not doubled. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

9) Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re golden brown and feel set.

10) Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter. Pull them apart to serve.

Finally: Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

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“Finally” because I saw this recipe on Tastespotting back in March! 🙂 December is a great excuse to make all the decadent goodies that don’t really need a “special” occasion to be made. I have eaten way too many cookies this month – too many carbs, period! Top that off with no gym time this month…this is why it’s so popular to have that “lose weight” New Year resolution!  😉

While this was baking, it smelled wonderful as you may imagine! Who doesn’t love the warm yeast bread/cinnamon smell? It looks like it wants to climb out of the pan…(and into my belly) while it’s baking. It’s not as pretty as it was before the proofing, but looks don’t matter all that much because it tastes so amazing! Be sure to let it cool for at least 20 minutes (your patience will be rewarded, and your mouth will thank you). I used a piece of buttered parchment paper to make for easier removal of the loaf. This 9×5 pan is notoriously sticky and I’m looking forward to buying a couple of new USA Pans in this size to replace my old, junky ones. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread – adapted from Annie’s Eats via  Joy the Baker

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 ounces unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1/4 cup water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

In a large mixing bowl (I used just the bowl of my stand mixer) whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted.  Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract.  Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.  Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter.  The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together.  Keep stirring.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes.  The mixture will be sticky.  That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large,  greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  *The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning.  If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling.  Set aside.  Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned.  Set aside.  Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch  loaf pan.  Set that aside too.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.  On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out.  The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long.  If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay.  Just roll it as large as the dough will go.  Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough.  Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  It might seem like a lot of sugar.  Seriously?  Just go for it.

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips.  Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again.  You’ll have six stacks of six squares.  Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book.  Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.  The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw.  A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.   Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto  a clean board.