Basic White Bread

This is our go-to sandwich/toast/crusty roll bread.  I make a double-batch every 2 or 3 weeks, depending on how much bread we're eating.  It freezes fantastically well.

I got this recipe from a James Beard cookbook.  Since we got back from New England I've been using my new loaf pan that I got at Bennington Potters in Bennington, Vermont.  (Love!)

White Bread (Makes 2-3 loaves)

7 1/2 cups of bread flour (King Arthur is great)

4 tsp. of salt

2 pkgs (or 4 1/2 tsp) of active dry yeast

4 tsp sugar

warm water

Add 4 1/2 teaspoons (or 2 pkgs) of active dry yeast to 1 cup of warm water.  Add 4 teaspoons sugar.  Stir to mix, and let sit for about 5 minutes to proof.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, measure out 7 1/2 cups of flour, add 4 tsp of salt and stir to mix.  

The yeast mixture should be bubbly and foamy by now.  Add to the flour, along with 1 1/2 cups of warm water.  Stir to combine.  Once the liquid is incorporated into the flour and things are a little clumpy, dump it onto a lightly floured bread board, marble, or countertop.  

It's going to look pretty rough at this point, but just gather it into the center and start kneading and folding. Work in a little more flour if needed. Knead about 5-7 minutes or until smooth and elastic.  When you press two fingers into the dough, it should bounce back a little.  

Place in a large, buttered bowl and turn to coat.  Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.  Punch down and turn out onto board, knead to get out the air bubbles and shape into loaves or rolls (or a combo).

Place into buttered loaf pans and let rise 40 minutes.

Glaze the tops with water, and slit the tops.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.  When you remove the bread, tap on the bottom of the loaf.  It should sound hollow.

Allow to cool completely.  I keep one loaf out, and freeze the other(s).  Enjoy!

Everyday Life : Tea and Cupcakes

I have a cup of tea everyday (two on Fridays!) and every so often I make cupcakes.  Cupcakes are happy - how can you not like a cupcake?

I find a lot of good looking recipes for cupcakes on Pinterest :

but my favorite recipe is one I've had for a while :

Real Vanilla Cupcakes :  (Makes about 24 cupcakes)

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Stir to combine.  Add butter and mix with pastry blender or electric mixer.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla.  Gradually add to dry ingredients.  Do not overbeat.
Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.  Bake for 20 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack, then frost with frosting (recipe below).

Real Vanilla Frosting :

1 cup butter
6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream butter until smooth and creamy.  Add 6 cups sugar, 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.  Mix until light and fluffy.  If necessary, add more sugar to make frosting fluffier, or add more milk for creamier frosting.

Enjoy!

A Simple Christmas : Simple Recipes

I usually like to try a few new recipes each holiday.  Sometimes it's something sweet, and sometimes something savory.  This year it seems to be sweet stuff.

I actually made a version of this last year, but I thought it was more complicated than it needed to be, so I simplified it this year, and I love them!

Photo Credit

Mock Turtles

Milk Chocolate Chips - 1 bag

Caramel candies - 1 bag

Pecan halves

Sea salt

Place paper candy cups on a cookie sheet (I made 24).    Unwrap and flatten the caramel candies with your hands (dip your fingers in water to keep them from sticking) so they are about the size of the candy cups. Melt the chocolate chips in a small saucepan on low heat, stirring frequently.  Drop melted chocolate into candy cups to form bottom layer.  Place caramels on top of chocolate and top with a pecan half.  Top with remaining chocolate and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.  Refrigerate for about 10-15 to harden chocolate.

(Mine look similiar to the ones shown above, but we had a power outage yesterday, so no pictures of mine:)

Try not to eat all of them.

Recipe : Refrigerator Pickles

I came up with this recipe last year when I made some pickles with our cucumber harvest.  My husband loves them and so do I!  I usually slice them into chips, but they could just as easily be spears.  If I have 6 cups of cucumbers, I can usually fit them into 3 wide-mouth pint jars.

Tasty Refrigerator Pickles

6 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
1 cup thinly sliced white onion
1 1/2 cups sugar (preferably organic evaporated cane)
1 1/2 cups vinegar (cider or white, preferably organic)
1/2 teaspoon real salt
1 2" piece of cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf

In each jar place:
1 clove garlic
1 allspice
2 cloves
3 peppercorns
1/4 tsp. mustard seed
1/8 tsp. turmeric
pinch of celery seed

Place the cucumbers, onion, cinnamon & bay leaf in a large bowl, set aside.  Combine vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cook and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Pour over the cucumber mixture and let cool.  Spoon the cucumbers into the jars and cover with the liquid.  Seal and place in the refrigerator for about 48 hours before serving.

Delicious!  Give them a try.

Do you have a favorite pickle recipe?