Bread Machine Babka

My daughter finally cleaned her room!
OMG

It's not perfect, but she can find her clothing and she won't die in an avalanche if there is an emergency.

In the process of cleaning, she found (unearthed?) a mound of giftcards.
Oh so much money in gift cards.

We spent a rare day off shopping!
The girl child, my aunt, and myself were shopping fools!
Hubby's jaw dropped when he saw them all come in.
At least she's a bargain shopper, whew!

It was so nice to spend the day with her.
Our schedules are so varied,I am lucky if I see her for more than 20 minutes a day.
(not exaggerating)
I miss my little friend, and love so much to spend time with her.

These moments don't happen near enough!









Ingredients:

⅔ Cup Milk

2 Eggs (beaten)

½ Cup Sugar

¼ Tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Orange zest

¼ Cup Mashed potato

3 Tbsp Butter

2 ¾ Cups Bread flour

2 Tsp Yeast

¾ Cup Golden raisins

Directions:

1. Combine milk, eggs, sugar, salt, zest, mashed potato, and butter

2. Heat on stove just until butter melts

3. Add heated ingredients, flour, and yeast to bread machine

4. Use light sweet setting

5. Add raisins at beep (second knead)

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Adapted from: Recipe Link

Quiche Lorraine Scones

Gah!
That was a nail-biting game for the Patriots.
I really wasn't sure they were going to pull it off!

There were only 4 of us in the room watching the game, and I could hear each of our hearts thumping.
Or...it could have just been mine multiplied.

OMG
We are off to the big game!

Feb 4th I will be in a house with 30 friends and family.
I have the feeling we would manage to set blood pressure records.
(do we remember last year, holy schnikes!)

Ingredients:

2 Cups + 1 Tsp flour (divided)

1 Tbsp baking powder

Pinch Cayenne powder

Dash Nutmeg

1 Tsp Salt

8 Tbsp Butter (cold, diced)

½ Cup Half and Half

2 Eggs

4 oz Swiss cheese

3 Green onions (thinly sliced)

7 Strips bacon (cooked and crumbled)

Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tsp water)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

3. Prepare bacon, onion, and cheese

4. Toss those ingredients with 1 Tsp flour, set aside

5. Combine flour, baking powder, cayenne, nutmeg, and salt

6. Cut in the butter

7. Lightly beat eggs with half and half

8. Add eggs to the flour mixture

9. Add the bacon mixture

10. Knead on a well floured surface for less than a minute

11. Pat dough out to ¾ to 1 inch thickness

12. Cut dough with biscuit cutter or cut into triangles

13. Place scones onto prepared baking sheets

14. Brush tops of scones with egg wash

15. Bake about 20 minutes, or until golden brown

Print

Forgot the salt. Sigh.

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Adapted from: Brown Eyed Baker

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

This is not my story. It was shared with me by an old friend who lives in a different state.

He is a photographer by trade, and was covering a dinner service at a local food pantry. Along with this dinner was a raffle where prizes were being given out.

The big prize that day was a bicycle. As the winning number was read, he watched an 11 year old girl's face just light up with joy.
But, she wasn't one of the needy there eating dinner, she was a volunteer.

He was having an internal battle with himself.
He was angry and upset that the volunteers were included in the raffle. He felt injustice that someone who has enough, got something extra as they were surrounded by those who have nothing.

He described her elation as she headed towards the podium as "clutching her golden ticket while walking into the Wonka factory".

Then he realized what was really going on.

This 11 year old child, who indeed was not hurting for the necessities in life, also had her head and heart in the right place.
She walked to the podium and spoke to the announcer.
Next thing that was said was that the original winner had declined the bicycle.

Other people commented that maybe she just didn't like the look, size, or style of the bike. My friend and I have decided we just believe that she is a good soul and did what she felt was right.

So proud of this child that I have never met.
Her parents have done a wonderful job. She is an asset to the world around her.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Vegetable oil

3 Eggs

1 ½ Tsp Vanilla extract

1 Tsp Lemon extract

2 Tbsp Poppy Seeds

3 Cups All purpose flour

1 ½ Tsp Baking powder

1 ½ Tsp Salt

1 ½ Cups Milk

Icing:

2 Tbsp Lemon juice

¾ Cup Confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans

3. Combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon extract in a large bowl

4. Stir in poppy seeds

5. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt

6. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to sugar mixture, mixing well between each addition

7. Divide batter evenly between each pan

8. Bake loaves for 45 minutes

9. Mix icing and drizzle over warm loaves

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Outback Steakhouse Honey Wheat Bushman Bread (Bread Machine)

I know some people have strong, negative feelings about chain restaurants. That's O.K. everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Me, I happen to not mind some of them. One of my family's favorite go-to restaurants is the Outback.
We are suckers for a Bloomin Onion, (ranch on the side please!) and hubby LOVES their massive 22 oz whatever it is steak.

One perk to going is the bread they give you before every meal. It's always warm, crusty, and delicious. We need to be careful though, one could easily eat enough of just the bread that there is no room when the actual meal comes!

I spied this recipe on CD Kitchen and adapted it with some of the ideas in the comments.
All in all, this was yummy. I served it with honey butter to try to further replicate the in-restaurant flavor.

The bread isn't as dark as the original, I think I need to play with the food coloring amounts, but it's easy and tastes pretty similar.

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cup warm water

2 Tbsp butter (softened)

½ Cup honey

2 ½ Cups bread flour

2 ½ Cups wheat flour

1 Tbsp cocoa

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tsp instant coffee

1 Tsp salt

2 ¼ Tsp yeast

1 Tbsp molasses

¼ Cup dry milk

3 Tbsp cornmeal (for dusting)

1 ¼ tsp Red food coloring

1 Tsp Yellow food coloring

1 Tsp Blue food coloring

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients (except cornmeal) in bread machine and process on dough setting.

2. Let dough rise 1 hour

3. Punch down and divide into 8 portions

4. Form each portion into tubular loaves

5. Sprinkle entire surface of loaves with cornmeal

6. Place on cookie sheet, cover, and let rise for 1 hour

7. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

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Rosemary and Olive Oil Crock Pot Bread

A bunch of us hens sit around at lunch chit chatting about normal "girlie" stuff. One topic that seems to keep coming up is how some of those around me do not use their crock pot often.

As someone who uses their crock pot up to 3 times a week, you can imagine how vocal I am about the many, many uses for a crock pot.

I mentioned being able to make bread and one co-worker's eyes got huge.
Seriously huge, like a Disney character huge.
"You can make bread...in a crock pot???!!!"

Why yes, yes you can!
I wanted to surprise her the next day at work. A quick Google search came up with this recipe, and I already had everything on hand. Score!

I got this made, let it cool, cut it up and brought it into work.
An email went out to my lunch group telling them all about what goodies awaited them that morning.

Felt pretty popular as my cubicle was the most visited desk all day.
Everyone thought it was delicious and could not believe when I told them how easy it was!

Ingredients:

3 ½ Cups all purpose flour

1 Packet dry active yeast

1 ¼ Cups warm water

¼ Cup rosemary

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tsp sugar

1 Tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. In large bowl, mix together water, yeast, and sugar.

2. Let yeast mixture sit for 10 minutes (bubbly)

3. Stir in half the salt (½ Tsp), half of the rosemary, olive oil, and flour

4. Mix until fully combined

5. Lightly grease a large bowl and place dough in it

6. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave dough in a warm area.

7. Let rise for 1 hour

8. Remove dough from bowl and roll into a bowl on a lightly floured surface

9. Let sit for an additional 20 minutes

10. Set crock pot to high

11. Line crock pot with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch handle on each end

12. Place dough in crock pot and sprinkle with remaining salt and rosemary

13. Drape paper towels over the top of the crock pot and place lid (to catch the condensation)

14. Cook bread for 2 hours and remove from crock pot

15. Optional: Broil loaf for 3-5 minutes to brown crust

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Three Cheese and Beer Quick Bread

Cheese?
Beer?
Bread?
SOLD!

Hubby plays "old man volleyball". Every week, pre-game, all the men folk gather round the picnic table to eat and drink and talk manly things.
This has been going on for 20+ years, and as cute as I think it is...it means I need to make an extra something during the week for him to bring.

As we are a small family, two loaves are a bit much. Normally I would freeze some, but I recently did a bunch of freezer cooking...and had no room to spare.

Lightbulb flashes!

I cut up an entire loaf and sent it to volleyball with my grown man-child.
From what I understand, it was a HIT!

There was none left when he came home.
So very glad I kept some for us!

Ingredients:

6 ½ Cups all purpose flour

2 Tbsp baking powder

1 Tsp salt

2 Tsp dry mustard

1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs

1 ½ Cups sour cream

2 Cups beer (room temperature)

½ Cup tomato juice

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 Eggs (beaten)

6 oz Shredded gruyere cheese

1 Cup parmesan cheese

6 oz Shredded white cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Grease two loaf pans

3. In large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, dried mustard, and Italian herbs

4. Remove ½ cup gruyere and ¼ cup parmesan, set aside

5. Add remaining cheeses to flour mixture. Mix with fingers so all cheese is coated.

6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the beer, sour cream, tomato juice, eggs, and worcestershire

7. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed.

8. Divide batter between the two pans.

9. Sprinkle top of each loaf with reserved cheese

10. Bake for 50-55 minutes

Print

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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Banana Bread

Mr. Sir, our fat cat, has always been abnormally smart.
Seriously, more than just biased cat mom...he does things that are just amazing to convey his wants/needs.

His biggest pain in the butt? He can open doors!!!
He made it out the front door once, luckily a neighbor noticed him.

He WILL NOT leave the linen closet alone. That is where food and treats are kept.
He will open the door and then chew through the bags.
Seriously, tons of fresh food waiting in the kitchen for him, he wants the BAG.

Hubby had to go get a hook and eye latch so that the door stays shut.
He watches us very carefully as we open and close it.

I would NOT be surprised if he freaking learned how to climb up to it and unlatch it.

Ingredients:

3 or 4 Ripe bananas (mashed)

⅓ Cup melted butter

1 Cup sugar

1 Egg (beaten)

1 Tsp vanilla

1 Tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 ½ Cup all purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Mix butter into mashed banana

3. Mix in sugar, egg, and vanilla

4. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in

5. Add the flour a bit at a time, mix well

6. Pour into a prepared loaf pan

7. Bake 1 hour

Print

Yeah, that unattractive black blob on the right? Those would be my previously frozen, defrosting bananas. mmm.

Adapted from: Simply Recipes


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Cranberry and Walnut Rolls

When I first saw this recipe on the Brown Eyed Baker site, I thought to myself "this would be the perfect treat to make and send to my mother!"

She is a walnut junkie....and being a native New Englander, she is all about some cranberry!

Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans?

My dough looked awful odd...but I kept trucking along.

Not sure what went wrong and where...but I think I might rename these "Cranberry Walnut FLATS".

They taste alright, there is just no "roll" action going on.

Ingredients:

1 Cup coarsely chopped walnuts

3 ½ Cup bread flour

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 ½ Tsp quick rising dry yeast

1 ½ Tsp salt

1 ½ Cup whole milk

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Egg

1 Cup dried cranberries

Nonstick cooking spray

1 Egg (beaten for glaze)

Raw sugar

Directions:

1. Stir the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until toasted

2. Mix 3 ½ cups bread flour with the brown sugar, yeast, and salt.

3. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until thermometer reads 95 degrees

4. Add oil to milk and remove from heat

5. Add milk mixture and one egg to the flour.

6. Mix on low speed until a wet, coarse ball forms

7. Add nuts and cranberries

8. Mix dough until elastic and tacky, add TBSP of flour as needed.

9. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for about 2 minutes

10. Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape dough into a ball and place in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours.

11. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

12. Transfer the dough to an unfloured surface, divide into 12 equal pieces.

13. Shape each piece into a smooth round ball. Transfer balls to prepared baking sheet.

14. Spray rolls with non stick spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature about 1 ½ hours.

15. Brush rolls with egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.

16. Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 425

17. Place rolls in oven, reduce temperature to 400 and bake for 7 minutes

18. Rotate baking sheet and cook for 7-8 more minutes

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