Pastor Ryan’s Bloomin’ Herb Bread

My first try at this bread.  It is not a beautiful as the loaf in the link below.  But it will do for a first time try.  I used thyme and chives as the herbs.  My cast iron pot is the old style so the bread baked a bit faster than if I would have had the lighter coated pot.  Very beautiful crust.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/05/the-bread-in-his-words/

Prep Time 2 Hours
Cook Time 1 Hour Servings 8 Difficulty Easy

Ingredients
20 ounces, weight Bread Flour (all Purpose Is Okay, Too) - About 4 Cups
8 ounces, fluid Water
4 ounces, fluid Melted Butter With Chopped Herbs Of Choice. We Like Chives, Rosemary Or Thyme.
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Active Or Instant Yeast (if Active, It Would Be Best To Sprinkle Yeast Over The Water To Let It Start To Work Before Mixing It In)
Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients together in the KitchenAid stand mixer with the dough hook (it can be done by hand…it just takes longer).

I mixed them together for about 10 minutes or so until I could successfully achieve a windowpane with the dough. This is where you can pull off a small chunk of the dough you’re kneading and stretch it gently to see if it is somewhat translucent. If you can do this without it tearing, it’s ready.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

After the dough starts rising, it should be kneaded for a minute or two so that the yeast can redistribute. Form it into a dome and place in a covered cast iron pan after coating it with olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt. Cut a large ‘X’ into the surface of the bread dough so it can bloom!

Bake on the center rack of your over for 30 minutes with the lid on, them remove the lid to finish it off for another 15 to 30 minutes.

Grilled garlic cheese bread... wow!

Vermont Chocolate Potato Cake

Granny Williams requested MORE desserts... and some more of those cubed fried potatoes... Here's the dessert I decided on..The recipe left one item out -- 2 teaspoons of baking powder. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tarter to the egg whites.

http://www.yankeemagazine.com/recipe/vermont-chocolate-potato-cake

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

2    teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool

2 cups granulated sugar

2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 cup freshly mashed potato

2 eggs, separated

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter used in beaten egg whites

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup milk

1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the melted unsweetened chocolate and mashed potato, and beat until smooth. Add the egg yolks along with the vanilla and almond extracts and continue beating.Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, then blend in the nuts.

In a clean, medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry, then gently fold into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for one hour or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Tags: cake, chocolate, potato

Pancakes Oatmeal Pecan Spice

3/4 Cup bread flour

1/2 Cup quick cooking oatmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar-adjust to your liking

1 egg

1 cup butter milk or regular milk with lemon juice added

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Pecans pieces to taste

Mix dry ingredients 

Whisk egg, milk and oil together add to dry ingredients.  Mix well.  Let sit while griddle heats. Stir and cook.  Enjoy. 

A great breakfast for a cool fall morning.

Focaccia

http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2011/09/how-to-make-focaccia-step-by-step/
Not knowing what flavors we would like the best, I seasoned in sections.  The whole loaf was first coated with garlic butter and sea salt, yes I left the chucks of garlic on the bread.  There was Basil, Thyme and several different kinds of graded cheeses.

Basic Focaccia Recipe
Makes 1 (13 x 9 Inch) Rectangular Pan, or 3 (10 – 12 Inch) Round Loaves
by Deborah Mele


5 Cups All-purpose Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Instant Yeast
2 – 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Plus 2 Additional Tablespoons To Oil Bowl)
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Warm Water

Measure and assemble your flour, oil, salt, yeast, and water
Add everything but the water into a large bowl and stir.
Add half the water and stir.
Continue to add water until the dough begins to come together into a shaggy ball.
Dump the dough mixture onto a lightly floured surface surface and begin to knead with the heels of your hand.
Knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and pliant.
Add a little oil (2 tablespoons) to the bottom of a large bowl and place your ball of dough inside. Roll the ball around in the oil, ensuring the sides of the bowl, and ball of dough are both lightly oiled.

Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise.
I cover mine with a kitchen towel on top of the plastic wrap and sit it on a large sunny windowsill.
Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, about an hour or an hour and a half depending on ambient temperature.

To make a large rectangular focaccia, lightly oil a 13 X 9 inch baking sheet with sides

Use your fingers to push and press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 20 or 30 minutes or until the dough dimples when pushed with your fingertip.

Use the tips of your fingers to dimple the entire top of the focaccia.
Drizzle olive oil over the top turning the pan carefully to allow the oil to roll into the indentations.

Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the top of your focaccia and then let it sit and rise for another 15 minutes while you preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool to room temperature before slicing.

For Baking:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coarse Sea Salt
Optional Toppings of Choice

Empanadas mendocinas (Laylita Recipes)

http://laylita.com/recipes/2008/06/11/empanadas-mendocinas/

Yield: ~20 medium or ~30 small empanadas

Easy recipe for empanadas mendocinas, traditional Argentinean baked empanadas filled with beef, onions, paprika, hot pepper powder, cumin, oregano, hard-boiled egg and olives. Adapted from From Argentina with Love

Ingredients
Dough for empanadas mendocinas – makes about 20 medium or 30 small empanadas

3 cups flour
1 egg yolk
½ cup of grasa - lard or butter or mix of both
¾ cup to 1 cup of warm milk
½ tsp salt

Beef picadillo filling

1 lb ground beef
2 white onions, diced, about 3 cups
1/2 cup lard or butter
2 tbs smoked paprika
2 tbs chili powder or any ground hot pepper
1 tbs finely chopped fresh oregano
½ tbs ground cumin
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
¼ cup sliced green olives
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, white and yolk separated and lightly whisked

Dipping sauce options:
Balsamic chimichurri sauce
Quick chimichurri sauce
Aji criollo sauce
Tree tomato hot sauce


Instructions
Empanada dough
Mix the flour and salt in a food processor, pulse until well combined.
Add the lard or butter, blend well.
Add the egg yolk and the milk in small amounts, pulse until small dough clumps start to form.
Make a couple of balls, flatten into disks and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas (use round molds or a small plate).
Use the empanada discs immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.
Beef picadillo filling and empanada assembly
Combine the ground beef, paprika, red pepper, cumin, salt and pepper in a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together and chill until ready to use.
Melt the lard in a large frying pan or sauté pan, add the onions and salt, cook until the onions are soft, about 8 minutes.
Add the meat mixture to the onions and cook on medium heat until the meat is done, stir frequently.
Let the meat mixture or picadillo cool down, and then mix in the chopped green onions and chopped oregano.
To assemble the empanadas add a spoonful of the meat mixture on the center of each empanada disc, add a slice of egg and sliced olive.

Brush the edges of the empanada discs with the egg whites, you can also use water but the egg white is a good natural “glue” that helps seal the empanada.
Fold the empanada discs and seal the edges gently with your fingers, twist and fold the edges of the empanadas with your fingers, as a final step use a fork to press down and finish sealing the empanadas.
Lightly brush the top of the empanadas with the egg yolk; this will give them a nice golden glow when they bake.
Let the empanadas rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes or until ready to bake.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F and bake for about 25 minutes.
Serve warm with chimichurri sauce or other dipping sauces.

Rotisserie Chicken, Injector Basting and Peach Cobbler

Recipes to follow..

Injection Basting Sauce

4 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons finely minced onions

3 cloves minces garlic

2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme

1/3 cup chicken broth

dash lemon juice

fresh basil

Melt butter, add onions and saute until almost clear, add garlic as soon as you start to smell garlic add fresh thyme leaves (removed from stem) and broth.  Let simmer for a few minutes releasing thyme flavor.  Remove from heat chop and add fresh basil to taste, lemon juice if desired.  When cooled puree with your "smart stick".  Fill up your flavor injector and inject small amounts under the skin of the chicken and into the thickest parts of the meat.

Place chicken in a zip lock bag or covered glass bowl and put in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.

Cook meat according to method instructions.

Peach Cobbler

1/2 cup Sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 cups sliced fresh peaches peeled

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 easpoon lemon juice

1 cup gold metal flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons shortening

1/2 cup milk

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Blend 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch in a medium saucepan.  Stir in peaches and lemon juice.  Cook, stirring  constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Pour into un greased 2 quart casserole.  Keep fruit mixture hot in the oven while preparing biscuit topping.

Measure flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, the baking powder and salt into bowl.  Add shortening and milk.  Cut through shortening 6 times; mix until dough forms a ball.  Drop dough by 6 spoonfuls onto hot fruit.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until bisuit topping is golden brown.  Serve warm and if desired, with cream.

6 servings.

Fresh Peach Pie

Pastry for 10-inch Two-crush Pie

6 Cups sliced fresh peaches
(about 11 medium)

1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/4 Cups Sugar
1/3 cup Gold Medal Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
(I added 1/8-1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg)
3 Tablespoons butter or Margarine

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare pastry.  Mix peaches and lemon juice.  Stir together sugar, flour and cinnamon; mix with peaches.  Turn into pastry lined pan; dot with butter.

 Cover with top crust which 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 last 15 minutes of baking.

Bake 8 and 9 inch pies 35-45 minutes.  10 inch pie 40-50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.