Classic White Sandwich Bread 101

3 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tsps course Kosher salt

1 1/2 tsps highly active yeast

1 1/2 tbsps honey

2 tbsp canola oil , plus more for bowl and pan

1 1/3 cups cool 1% milk
All purpose flour as needed

Combine 2 cups bread flour with salt, yeast, honey, oil and milk in a stand mixer.  Blend until smooth with bread hook.  With the mixer on low speed, add the remaining 1 1/2 cup flour a little at a time, until the mixture becomes a sticky ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. 

Lightly flour countertop and drop dough ball floured surface.  Knead by hand for 1 minute, adding as little extra flour as possible.

Using a little more oil, grease a large bowl.  Shape the dough into a rough ball and put in bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for at least two hours (I like four).  Deflate the ball and shape dough into a ball again; let rest on lightly floured surface for 15 minutes, covered.

Using only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your countertop, flatten the dough into a rectangle using the palm of your hand.  Fold the long sides of the rectangle to the middle and pinch the seam closed with your fingertips.  Fold the ends of the loaf under. 

Using oil, grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Put dough, seam side down, into pan.  Use the back of your hand to firmly press the loaf into the pan.

Cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until the top of the dough is nearly level with the top of the pan.

Heat oven to 350 degress.  Brush the top of the loaf lightly with water, then put it in the oven.  Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it (The internal temperature is 210 degrees). 

Remove the loaf from the pan and cool on a wire rack before slicing. 

Crumble-Top Pumpkin Muffins

3 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

2/3 tbsp salt

2/3 cup butter

1/8 cup vegetable oil

1 cup dried cherries or raisins

2/3 cup quick or old-fashioned oats

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can (30 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pumpkin
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 large eggs

Streusel topping (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Grease 24 muffin cups Make baking mix by using electric mixer to mix flour, baking powder, salt, butter and vegetable oil.  Mix until well combined (3-4 minutes)

Combine baking mix, dried fruit, oats, sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon in large bowl. Combine pumpkin,  1 tbsp, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and eggs in medium bowl; mix well. Stir into oat mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Sprinkle with Streusel Topping.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire rack; cool slightly. Serve warm.

FOR STREUSEL TOPPING: Combine 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon in small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.

Lemon Rosemary Scones

cooking spray

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp lemon peel

2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1 egg white, beaten

2 tsp milk 

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon peel, rosemary, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. In a small bowl, stir together the 2/3 cup milk, the egg, and egg white. Add milk mixture all at once to flour mixture. Using a fork, stir just until moistened.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Quickly knead dough by folding and pressing gently 10 to 12 times or just until dough is smooth. Pat gently into a 9-inch circle, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into 12 wedges.Transfer scones to prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with the 2 teaspoons milk. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 174, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 155mg, Total Fat: 5g, Carbs: 28g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Protein: 4

Raspberry Peach Syrup

I used frozen berries to make this syrup because I had them on hand for smoothies. You can substitute fresh to make it better.

1/2 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
1/2 cup frozen peach slices, thawed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
Zest of one orange
Juice of one orange
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Turn heat to medium. Bring to a boil and turn down heat to medium low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve on pancakes or with french toast.

Quick and Easy Garlic Pickles

I went home for the weekend and came back with a bag full of cucumbers.  Although I love cucumbers and will simply peel and eat them whole for a snack, I had too many and thought they would go bad.  So I decided to make some pickles.

I have never made pickles so was looking for inspiration.  I found Alex Guarnaschelli's recipe but made a few modifications.  They turned out great! I hope you enjoy. 

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
8 cups water
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds kirby cucumbers, thoroughly washed and dried
2 jalapeno peppers, cut into rounds
Mix the sea salt, apple cider vinegar, and water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the brine from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Strain the brine and dump out the solids.  Arrange the cucumbers and peppers upright in a container large enough to hold the brine.  The cucumbers should be fitted tightly and should come within 1/2-inch of the top of the container.


Fill the container with the brine to the top and tap on a flat surface to remove any possible air bubbles.

Cranberry Orange Rosemary Scones

2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

5 tablespoons cold butter

3 eggs

3/4 cup cream

1 cup dried cranberries,

         (soaked in hot water and drained)

Zest of one orange
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Mix the dry ingredients together.  Cut the butter into bits and pick up a bit of the dry ingredients, rub them with the butter between your fingers and drop them again.  All the butter should be thoroughly blended into the flour mixture before you proceed. 

Beat 2 eggs with the cream in a large bowl; with a few swift strokes, combine them with the flour mixture.  Fold in the cranberries, zest and rosemary. 

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it ten times - no more.  If it is very sticky, add a little more flour, but very little; it should still stick a little to your hands. 

Press the dough into a 3/4 inch-thick rectangle and cut into 2-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter or glass.  Put the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet.  Gently reshape the leftover dough and cut again.  Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoons water and brush the top of each scone; sprinkle each with the turbinado sugar. 

Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the scones are a beautiful golden brown. 

* I eat my scones warm with butter and honey.

Cherry Chile French Bread

3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more if needed
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 cups dried cherries
2 fresno chiles, chopped

Put the flour in a food processor.  Add the salt and yeast and turn the machine one; with the machine running, pour about a cup through the feed tube.  Process until the dough forms a ball, adding a tablespoon more water at a time until it becomes smooth; if the dough begins sticking to the side of the bowl, you've added too much water, add 1/4 cup or so of flour and keep going.  You are looking for moist, slightly shaggy but well defined ball.  It should take about 30 seconds.   

Dump the lump of dough into a large bowl or simply remove the blade from the processor bowl and leave the dough in there.  Either way, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least an hour at room temperature for two hours.

Dust a little flour onto a counter or tabletop. Knead the cherries and chiles into the dough.  Shape the dough into a boule (round loaf). Let the bread rise again for 2 hours covered with a towel 

Heat the oven (with a pizza stone) to 400 F while you let the dough rise. When you are ready to bake, slash the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.  Slide it onto the pizza stone.  Turn the heat down to 375 F.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread is at least 210 F or the loaves sound hollow when tapped.

Orange-Banana Nut Muffins

4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp salt 
Juice from 1 lemon + orange juice 
    to equal 3/4 cup juice total
zest from 1 orange and 1 lemon 
1 egg
3 overripe bananas mashed 
1/2 cup chopped pecans 

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Line muffin tin with muffin cups. 

Stir together the dry ingredients.  Cut the butter into bits, then use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until there are no pieces bigger than a small pea.  

Whisk the juice, zest and egg together.  Pour in to the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to moisten.  Fold in the fruit and nuts, then spoon the batter into the muffin tin.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Cook on baking sheet for 15 minutes before removing.