Whole-Wheat Sandwich Bread

Even though I adore the convenience of store bought loaves and artisan bakery breads, once in a great while I enjoy making bread at home. It connects me to my food, serves as a catharsis for what ails me and I love the way our home takes on that bakery sweet scent when I make it myself.

It takes some time, but if you are up for a hearty, homemade, whole-wheat bread, this may be just what you’re looking for.

Here is the recipe I tested. You can also find it online or in the April 2011 issue of Cook’s Illustrated – there you can get even more great tips for baking this seriously good sandwich bread.

From Cook's Illustrated.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Makes two 9- by 5-inch loaves

Note: You can hand-knead the dough, but we’ve found it’s easy to add too much flour during the kneading stage, resulting in a somewhat tougher loaf. Leftover bread can be wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 3 days; wrap with an additional layer of aluminum foil and the bread can be frozen for up to one month.

Biga
2 cups (11 ounces) bread flour
1 cup (8 ounces) warm water (100-110 degrees)
1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid rise yeast

Soaker
3 cups (16 ½ ounces) whole wheat flour, plus extra for kneading
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 cup (16 ounces) whole milk

Dough
6 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons table salt
2 tablespoons instant or rapid rise yeast
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Bread flour for work surface

1. For the Biga: Combine bread flour, water, and yeast in large bowl and stir with wooden spoon until uniform mass forms and no dry flour remains, about 1 minute. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature (70 degrees) overnight (at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours).

2. For the Soaker: Combine whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and milk in large bowl and stir with wooden spoon until shaggy mass forms, about 1 minute. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Return soaker to bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours).

3. For the Dough: Tear soaker apart into 1-inch pieces and place in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add biga, honey, salt, yeast, butter, and oil. Mix on low speed until cohesive mass starts to form, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter and knead for 1 minute. Shape dough into ball and place in lightly greased container. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for 45 minutes.

4. Gently press down on center of dough to deflate. Holding edge of dough with fingertips, fold partially risen dough over itself by gently lifting and folding edge of dough toward middle. Turn bowl 90 degrees; fold again. Turn bowl and fold dough six more times (total of eight turns). Cover and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.

5. Adjust oven racks to middle and lowest position, place baking stone on middle rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer dough to well-floured counter and divide into two pieces. Working with one ball of dough at a time, pat each into 8- by 17-inch rectangle. With short side facing you, roll dough towards yourself into firm cylinder, keeping roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go. Turn loaf seam-side up and pinch it closed. Place loaf seam-side down in prepared loaf pan, pressing gently into corners. Repeat with second ball of dough. Cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes (top of loaves should rise about 1 inch over lip of pan).

6. Place empty loaf pan on bottom rack and bring 2 cups water to boil. Using single-edge razor blade or sharp serrated knife, make one ¼-inch deep slash lengthwise down center of loaf. Pour boiling water into empty loaf pan in oven and set loaves onto baking stone. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until internal temperature registers 205 on instant-read thermometer, 40 to 50 minutes, rotating loaves 180 degrees and side to side halfway through baking.

7. Transfer pans to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Remove loaves from pan, return to rack, and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Slice and serve.

Potato Galette – Simply Delicious

If you’re looking for a way to make a skillet full of potatoes – crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, try this.

I cleared some counter space and got my food processor working (the recipe calls for a mandoline slicer or the food processor attachment). Using the processor’s slicing blade made it easy to get a consistent thickness on each slice. Another benefit of this recipe is that it calls for arranging only the bottom, which becomes the top, layer in the pan. The rest go in on top of that neatly arranged first layer any way you want – just so they are evenly thick.

Enough about the process. Make it, taste it and you’ll see. It’s a yummy potato treat – crunchy and brown crust with a soft buttery inside. Delicious!

Here is the recipe I tested and a link to the published one. You can also find it in the Cook’s Illustrated April 2011 issue. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. And, if you don’t have a nonstick pan try using nonstick spray in the pan to help it release more easily.

Potato Galette
Serves 6 to 8

Note: In order for the potato cake to hold together it is important to
slice the potatoes no thicker than 1/8-inch thick and make sure the slices are
dried well before assembling. Use a mandoline slicer or the slicing attachment
of a food processor to slice the potatoes uniformly thin.

2 ½ pounds (5 to 6 large) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/8-inch
thick
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves (optional)

1. Arrange rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place
potatoes in large bowl and fill with cold water. Using hands, swirl to remove
excess starch, then drain in colander. Spread potatoes onto kitchen towels
and thoroughly dry.

2. Whisk 4 tablespoons butter, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and rosemary (if
using) together in large bowl. Add dried potatoes and toss until thoroughly
coated. Place remaining tablespoon butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet and swirl
to coat. Place one potato slice in center of skillet then overlap slices in circle
around center slice, followed by outer circle of overlapping slices. Transfer
remaining sliced potatoes on top of first layer arranging so they form even
thickness.

3. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook until sizzling and potatoes
around edge of skillet start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Spray 12-
inch square of foil with non-stick cooking spray. Place foil, sprayed side-down,
on top of potatoes. Place 9-inch cake pan on top of foil and fill with 2 cups of
pie weights. Firmly press down on cake pan to compact potatoes. Transfer
skillet to oven and bake for 20 minutes.

4. Remove cake pan and foil from skillet. Continue to cook until potatoes are
tender when paring knife is inserted in center, about 20 to 25 minutes. Return
skillet to medium-high heat and cook, gently shaking pan, until galette
releases from sides of pan, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Off heat, place cutting board over skillet. With hands protected by oven
mitts or pot-holders, with one hand hold cutting board in place, carefully invert
skillet and cutting board together. Remove skillet. Using serrated knife, gently
cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Simplifying Potato Galette

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/article.asp?docid=27525

Our March Madness

It’s already April, but March is worth mentioning. Specifically, Our March Madness. We were blessed with a new baby - cute little cheeks, round-the-clock feedings, diapers and all. Now the free time we might have had was gone, but for a very good reason. Baby, toddler, work and house all taking our time and energy, left us with barely enough to potty and fuel up on coffee in order to keep going.

Now that we are a few weeks into the new routine (chaos), I’ll begin blogging again. Be sure to check in again for more recipes, articles and anecdotes. Happy weekend.

Doing The First Novel Hustle: 'The Oracle Of Stamboul'

“I told myself that I would rather be a person who tried to write a novel and failed than be someone who abandoned their novel.”

-              - Michael David Lukas

That quote really hit me as I’ve started, stopped, and started novels not knowing where the journey would lead. It gets hard slogging through the highs and low and even locking some works away until plot or character ‘issues’ can be resolved. Yet, I still write. I thought this advice about pressing on might help fellow writers, and anyone else struggling to achieve their goals.

Here’s a link to the NPR article about this author who kept at it until he published his first novel.

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/01/133965740/doing-the-first-novel-hustle-the-oracle-of-stamboul

Clooney Sightings and Midwest Movies

At last, there's something hot going on in the Midwest. The weather is creeping above freezing and we're seeing stars. 


Just the other day my mom called and told me there was a George Clooney sighting near Race St. in Cincy. And now, I'm reading that he is shooting scenes at Xavier with Ryan Gosling and scouting locations at the University of Michigan. 


Wow! If I weren't so close to labor, I'd be heading out to watch or sign up as an extra. Hey, maybe I'll check it out anyway. 


If you're interested, more details can be found online


http://www.wlwt.com/r/26876145/detail.html
http://michiganacting.com/acting/auditions-casting-calls/ides-of-march-extras-casting-detroit

Where is the Love?

Is anyone else tired of all Valentine’s Day bashing? After watching a recent Glee episode, it occurred to me that more people should speak up in favor of Valentine's Day.

If you’re one of the people who just don’t get it. Listen up.

Many of us understand what it’s like to be single, lonely or dumped. Some of us even know what it’s like to have these things happen on Valentine’s Day. Others may be cynical. But, is it really necessary to trash a holiday that’s fun for kids while you’re stocking up on candy kisses and conversation hearts? If I’m in the holiday aisle with my kid and you see me, feel free to continue berating said holiday to your cell-buddy a few aisles over so my child doesn’t have to hear it!

Come on, is it really so awful to have a day dedicated to love and the many ways people can express it?

Most of us pro-Valentine folks just want to have a little fun. It shouldn’t bother you that we enjoy exchanging valentines amongst ourselves. Maybe our kids give us a reason to plaster doilies and sparkles all over a billion pieces of paper or we just enjoy the mid-winter candy fix. But, if it’s so bad, don’t buy the cards or candy, don’t bother with it at all. Leave the fun stuff to the kids, lovers and romantics.

Sure, you're entitled to your opinion that Valentine’s Day was made up by greeting card or candy companies. My opinion is different. It’s wonderful that my daughter beams while making cookies shaped like smoochie lip kisses and sending valentines; can we just have our day?

Sometimes it can suck to be stuck without something to do when you feel pressured. Let me help take the pressure off – treat it like any other day! Do what you like, stay in, stay crabby, or do nothing. It’s not like it’s a national holiday or anyone is required to celebrate. If you don’t like it, don’t bother celebrating.

It is like most of life, it is what you make of it. This year, it would be nice to hear a little more love. I mean, don’t we have enough hate going around these days? You don’t have to embrace it; just let those of us who look forward to it enjoy it. I’ll cuddle my family and share all the frilly cards and candies I can, while I can. You can have your V-Day slam fest, just don’t do it in front of the kids, please.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

18 Heart-shaped Foods for Valentine's Day (Babble) - So Cute!

I had to link you up with Babble on these adorable and delicious looking foods. So, if you're trying to come up with some fun or creative V-day treats, check these out. Enjoy!