Tomato & Red Quinoa Bread

The only commentary I am going to try to make up for this recipe is, be sure to make both loafs, as this first one will not last long. Oh and don’t let the title fool you…There were 5 of us for dinner last night and we devoured 1 loaf in its entirety. (finger licking good is not just for chicken!)

Apparently we are carb loving fiends!! All is good, I am happy being one. This bread is good next morning for toast and then for lunch as an open faced sammy! It is not just about the bread and butter here.

INGREDIENTS #1

• 1/2 cup Red Quinoa
• 1 cup V8 juice

DIRECTIONS #1

Rinse quinoa in a strainer and add to pot with V8 juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Set aside with lid off to cool. You need it cool for the next step.

INGREDIENTS #2

• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 cups warm V8 juice
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tbs dried basil
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour

DIRECTIONS #2

To the bread machine, add the yeast to the warm water and stir, let sit for 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients plus the cooled quinoa and mix thoroughly.  Let run through the dough cycle and sit for 1 hour.

INGREDIENTS #3

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 to 4 cups white bread flour

DIRECTIONS #3

Add the dough that has been sitting for one hour into an oiled bowl and mix the above ingredients into the dough, start with 2 cups of flour first. Place dough on a clean surface, along with 1 more cup of flour and knead that into the bread. Continue to knead bread for about 5-10 minutes or until  smooth consistency.  Dough is relatively sticky, but if it is too sticky, add more flour 1/4 cup at a time.  Once ready, place back into the oiled bowl, cover and let sit for another 1.5 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. After the 1.5 hours punch dough down and re-cover while oven is heating up.

When oven is ready, take 2 loaf pans, buttered and divide dough in half and place in pans

INGREDIENTS #4

• 3 tbs butter, melted
• 2 tsp flax seeds

DIRECTIONS #4

Slice down the middle of the dough and drizzle half of the butter over the top of loaf. Sprinkle with half flax seeds, continue with second loaf.

Bake for about 50 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes (if you can stand it) and then repeat after me:

SLICE BUTTER SCARF, REPEAT! 

 

3-Way Whole Wheat Buns, Never buy from the store again!

I’m serious when I say you will not want to buy store made buns or rolls again. This process is not only easy, but you can make a double batch and freeze what you don’t use. They will keep for 2 months time in an airtight container. You can also use unbleached all-purpose flour in place of the whole wheat, this gives the bread a fluffier texture. 

I have always been intimidated with making bread or any type of dough that deals with yeast. I found this to be a super easy dough especially using the bread machine. Even when you go to roll out the dough, it is soft and pliable with not stickiness. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of milk
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup melted butter
4.5 cups whole wheat flour (I used whole wheat white)
1 packet, or .25 ounce instant yeast
2 Tbs granulated sugar
1.5 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. Warm milk slightly in the microwave (approx 40 seconds) and place in bread machine
2. Melt butter and place in bread machine, add water, sugar, salt, and egg.
3. Add flour and stir a little to combine
4. Turn bread machine on dough setting. *Mine has a 1 hr rise/rest period after it has mixed* If your’s doesn’t place in greased bowl and let rise for 1 hr.
5. Turn dough out onto a cutting board and cut into 12 – 16 pieces. Depending on if you are making burger buns, hot dog buns or rolls will depend on how you create the pieces.
6. After you have your desired shapes and pieces, brush with a little melted butter.
7. Top with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic powder, or Parmesan cheese
8. Then bake for 10-12 minutes. Mine all took 10 minutes from the get go. These are a dense bread due to the whole wheat, if you let them bake too far along you will have a rock.

Burger Buns

• place on a greased sheet pan, cover and let rise 20-30 minutes
• bake as above

Hot Dog Buns

• shape the 12 pieces into approximately  6″ x 4″ rectangle shapes. This can vary depending on the size of the dogs you use.
• starting at the long end facing you, roll tightly away from you
• pinch and tuck the ends
• place on a greased sheet pan, cover and let rise 20-30 minutes
• bake as above

Rolls

• cut into 16 pieces
• shape into smooth round balls
• place on to a greased sheet pan, cover and let rise 20-30 minutes
• bake as above

You might also like:

• Chocolate Chip Nutella Banana Bread (sweetheatchefs.com)
• Focaccia Bread (sweetheatchefs.com)
• Eggnog Rum Bread (sweetheatchefs.com)

Rustic Plumb Tart

RUSTIC: Having simplicity and charm that is considered typical of the countryside!

Now that is my kind of cooking. Ultimately it boils down to the fact that my chops can be different in sizes and my crust doesn’t have to be embellished cookie cut outs of the exact same things. YES, I can be rough and tough and still win with RUSTIC.

Plumbs will only be around for another month or so at the most (through October), with that being said I wanted to take advantage of their juicy flavor with a hint of sweetness. Plumbs are filled with vitamin C and are mildly sweet and super juicy by nature. When you eat a plumb think of this, they are considered a SUPER FRUIT. with the cold and flu season upon us, this is a great way to boost your immune system now to avoid, as I tell my 2 year old…THE YUCKIES!  Believe it or not they are a part of the rose family and they have over 140 varieties. 

I have a sweet tooth the size of Montana! This tart is so far from my norm that it isn’t even funny. It is barely sweet, but the taste of the hearty crust mixed with the lightly sweetened filling, leaves you wanting another bite.

CRUST

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

FILLING

• 1 1/2 pounds red plums, sliced 1″ in size and, pitted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg yolk, mixed with 1 teaspoon water (egg wash)

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt several times to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. (If needed, add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Do not over mix.
2. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface; knead once or twice. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Flour a large cutting board with piece of parchment paper. Place dough on paper. This dough will be VERY hard, let is warm up and using your knuckles, press edges of dough flat until you have worked yourself into the middle. Continue until all the dough has been pressed out and IT WILL CRACK.  Press all cracks back together and transfer dough (still on parchment) to prepared baking sheet.
4. Make the filling and bake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together plums, sugar, and flour. Mound plum mixture in center of prepared crust, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Fold border over fruit in a pleated pattern. Brush dough with egg wash.
5. Bake tart until crust is brown and filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a rack; let cool 20 minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.  **NOTE** filling may leak, this is normal and expected.

 

 

Make sure to keep the butter cold while working with it as it makes the best flaky crust. Also know if using the whole wheat flour, the crust is not as flaky as if using all white flour.

Mixture should just hold together like this to know it is ready

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Prepare filling mixture

Yes, it cracks. I did this all by hand, with no rolling-pin. I like it that way and it is more rustic that way.

It all comes back together in the end, so cracks aren’t the enemy here

Close sides around the tart ensuring the cracks are closed and pressed together. This helps prevent the filling from leaking out. Some will anyway so don’t be alarmed.

Low Fat Monkey Cups aka Banana Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1/3 c. Vegetable Oil or Coconut Oil
1/3 c. Low Fat Sour Cream
1 t. Vanilla
1 Egg
1 1/2 c. Whole Wheat Flour
1 T. Wheat Germ
1 T. Flax Seeds
1 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Salt
3/4 c. Sugar
DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl combine all wet ingredients except banana.
2. Mash bananas and set aside.
3. In medium bowl whisk together all dry ingredients.
4. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture stirring just until combined. Do not over mix ingredients.
5. Add mashed bananas at the end.  
6. Fill your muffin cups 3/4 of the way full.
7. Cook at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.