My Bread Index

This is where I want to keep track of my favorite breads--a bread for every occasion. This list will be updated frequently, I expect.

*Rolls--the sweet kind you can just eat plain or slather with butter. Or a potato flake and butter version for even special-er occasions.
*French bread (also for bread bowls, sandwich rolls).
*Hamburger buns--I'm wondering if I need this or if I should just stick with the above recipe; I've made these once and they were pretty good for hamburgers.
*Whole Wheat No-fuss Bread--perfect for Pullman/pain-de-mie pans.
*Sweet Whole Wheat Bread--made with molasses.
*Quick side dish bread--made with baking powder, not yeast.
*Pizza dough.
*Cornbread--I keep wondering if I need a version that is more savory than this sweet cornbread, but I don't think I do. This cornbread needs no embellisments, no honey, nothing--it's really corn cake.
*Heavenly white bread--in a pain-de-mie pan (a long one that resembles store-bought bread shape), made with butter and milk.
*Artisan--no knead

What I'm still lacking, I realize, is:
1) a good Rye bread. I have a good recipe but haven't played with it enough to post it.
2) a sourdough bread.

Strawberry Shortcake Just Got Even Better

A neighbor friend introduced me to the heaven that is coconut cream mixed with strawberry shortcake, right here. You're welcome.

I don't see the cake recipe there, so here it is for 2 loaves (bread loaf pans).

Preheat to 350 degrees:
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
4 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.

Pizza Crust

I've finally found a pizza crust (and method) that I'm really happy about--it's super quick and with the perfect amount of crispness on the bottom. This recipe makes 4 large pizzas. Original recipe here.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. I use 15" pizza pans with holes.

Combine and let stand 10 minutes:
3 cups warm water
2 TB plus 1 tsp yeast
1 TB sugar

Add:
8 1/2 cups flour (I do half of it whole wheat flour)
1 TB salt
1/4 cup plus 2 TB oil (preferably olive)

Knead (for this amount, I use my mixer). Let sit 5 minutes (or cover and let it rise for a while, whichever you have time for). Divide dough into 4 parts. Roll out one part of the dough to desired thickness on the counter with a rolling pin (use extra flour or spray Pam on the counter and roller to prevent sticking). Transfer dough to pan. Beat an egg and put a small amount of the egg over the crust for an eggwash. Prick the dough with a fork before putting in the oven to prevent big air bubbles. (If you have crusts waiting for the oven, spritz them with water to prevent them drying out.)

Prebake crusts for 10 minutes. Then top as desired and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Thanksgiving 2011

Our menu:

Placesettings: pilgrim hats. We used smaller mint cookies but then they (oops) didn't have a brim!
Holiday salad with queso fresco instead of swiss or feta
Cranberry juice mixed with Sprite

Turkey
Cranberry sauce
Mashed potatoes
Gravy--yum, made with lots of cream
Rolls
Butter, room temperature
Stovetop stuffing
Corn

Pies: chocolate mousse (2), Pioneer Woman's pumpkin cream (Shannon and I prefer pumpkin cheesecake), PW's Nantucket cranberry (my favorite!), banana cream, peach (3), and pecan.
Whipped cream
Vanilla ice cream

The kids made hair bows and ornaments and stuffed owls out of felt.

Peach Pie

8-inch:

8-inch pastry--1 for top and 1 for bottom!

4 cups sliced fresh peaches

1 tsp lemon juice

2/3 cup sugar

3 TB flour

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1 TB butter

OR

9-inch:

9-inch pastry--1 for top and 1 for bottom!

5 cups sliced fresh peaches

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup sugar

¼ cup flour

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

2 TB butter

Heat oven to 425. Prepare pastry. Mix peaches and lemon juice. Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon; stir into peaches. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate; dot with butter. Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it; seal and flute. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 min of baking. Bake until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, 35 to 45 min.

Pecan Pie

9-inch crust

3 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup pecan halves or broken pecans

Heat oven to 375. Prepare pastry. Beat eggs, sugar, salt butter and syrup with hand beater. Stir in pecans. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate.

Bake until set, 40 to 50 min. Cool slightly. Serve warm or refrigerate.

Heidi’s Peanut Butter Bars

Cream together:
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 c. butter, softened (2 cubes)

Add:
2 eggs
1 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix and add to the rest:
2 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt

Last, add & mix all up:
2 c. oats

Press mixture in cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes (until golden brown). Let cool. Spread peanut butter (warmed in microwave) on it. Cool again and spread chocolate frosting on top.

Frosting:
¼ c. cocoa
2-3 c. powdered sugar
¼ c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ c. evaporated or whole milk (evap. makes it more smooth)

Tip: cut bars while still warm—much easier than afterward.