Two, or fewer

Frozen Herb Cubes

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 21:04:04 -0700

I’ve seen this idea off and on for years on blogs, and I thought it made sense. But until I actually tried it, I couldn’t really appreciate what a time saver it is.

I love fresh cilantro, and usually have a mason jar with about 1” of standing water in it that does a decent job of keeping it as long as possible in the refrigerator. But inevitably, when I finally get around to using it again - it’s always slimy and discolored. For all my good intentions, I still have to make a trip the the store to pick up that ONE item.

Cilantro (and other herbs such as parsley, etc...) are a pain to finely chop. So I decided to use my blender to do that unpleasant task. The worst part was pulling off just the leaves (without the stems attached). Once in the blender, the rest was a cinch.

I use this method for chopping large quantities of onion and other vegetables that I need in a hurry. Just use extra care not to over-pulse the blender, or you will end up with the beginnings of a green smoothie.

Once poured into a strainer and drained - it was so easy to put a spoonful of chopped cilantro in each cavity of a cheap-o ice cube tray.

Pour cold water over the top of each cube, and freeze till solid. Remove from ice cube trays and place in zip-loc bag in the freezer.

My favorite part is adding it in - without any chopping!

Directions:

Pull off leaves of cilantro (avoid using stems, if possible).

Place in blender jar.

Cover with water.

Pulse blender until cilantro is chopped to your desired size.

Pour into fine mesh strainer and allow to drain thoroughly.

Using a teaspoon, portion into ice cube trays.

Pour cold water over the top of each cube.

Place in freezer for at least 12 hours.

Pop cubes out of trays and place in labeled zip-loc bags.

To use, you can either add the entire cube into whatever you are cooking (water and all) - or place it in a strainer and run cold water over it until it thaws.

Winter Squash Soup

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:32:10 -0700

Pureed soups are perfect for the bone-chilling temperatures that are still waiting in the wings. What makes a pureed soup different than your typical cream soup? It is thickened with pulp - usually of a vegetable. This makes the flavor less starchy than soups thickened with flour or cornstarch - and that translates into fewer calories.

Last summer I planted a “mystery” squash - thinking it was a larger, odd-shaped zucchini. Turns out it was the perfect winter squash, and it makes the texture in this soup unforgettable. Butternut is not the only squash that makes a wonderful soup (see the recipe for Smooth-as-Silk Banana Squash Soup HERE)

Most recipes for Butternut Squash Soup have you peel the raw squash and cube it - which is a LOT of work. I prefer to have the oven do the work for me - eliminating the tedious peeling and cutting of a very HARD squash. The key is to bake it until barely tender, then process it immediately.

To keep the flavor interesting (all squash would be extremely bland) - just a few additional vegetables are boiled in chicken bouillon as the squash bakes.

You’ll need a good blender to make this soup as creamy as possible. Be careful not to overfill the container, which can stress the motor - as well as burn you when if can’t handle the volume. I always place a kitchen towel over the top of my blender before starting it - even though it probably wouldn’t completely guarantee your safety, but it always makes me feel better if something were to happen.

It was fun watching this come together in the blender. It took a few batches to get through all the vegetables & squash - which were then poured into a large pot to combine. A drizzle of cream mellowed the flavors, and added richness.

Recipe source: changeabletable.com

Ingredients:

1 winter squash - any variety
1/2 sweet onion, cubed
1 large carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 Tbs chicken bouillon + 2 cups water
(or two 15-oz cans chicken broth)
1/4 - 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)

Directions:

Prepare winter squash by cutting open into quarters, scraping out the seeds, and placing in a large baking pan. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 350° for at least an hour - until barely tender.

As the squash bakes - add onion, carrot, and celery to a saucepan with the bouillon and water (or chicken broth) Bring to a boil and simmer until tender.

Scoop the squash away from the rind and place in blender (in batches, as shown - don’t attempt to process it all at once)

Add vegetables & broth to squash, cover tightly, and cover lid with a kitchen towel (in case of any leaks/splatters - to protect YOU and your kitchen)

Process until silky smooth.

Pour into saucepan and continue until all squash, vegetables, and broth are processed.

Stir until combined.

Add 1/4 - 1/3 cup heavy cream till desired creaminess is reached.

Correct seasonings by adding salt & pepper at this point. You can even add a dash of curry if desired.

Serve with grated cheeses, croutons, and any number of garnishes.

Leftovers store well for up to a week.

Creamy Mushroom Soup in Minutes

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:59:42 -0700

I know this is starting to look like a broken (record) food blog. Bear with me - I hope I won’t have to live on soup forever. But it’s been my best friend these past 3 weeks - and I’ve learned a lot in the process.

I’ve been using a new blender so I can actually eat something (more than yogurt) - and it’s opened a big new world of things to try. If you love cream of mushroom soup from a can in your storage - this is much better, and almost as fast.

I wish I had had twice the amount of mushrooms - but my tiny 8-oz container was enough to give it great flavor & texture. Next time I’m going to try doubling the mushrooms - just for fun.

The nice thing about this is that I KNEW what all those ingredients were. And I could control what additives (or lack thereof) there were. I could have used homemade chicken broth, but opted for powdered bouillon for convenience. I must admit, that it was a little too salty - so you may want to use low-sodium broth if you’re not making your own.

I kept out a few of the whole mushrooms to add at the last minute to “pulse” so there would be a little texture. Even a slight pulse pulverized them - so take care in the last step - you can’t put them back together if you go too far.

This soup warms up beautifully, and it fills me on a cold day. Add a few croutons, or even a bit of grated or crumbled cheese just for fun.

Recipe source: changeabletable.com

ingredients:

8-oz pkg white mushrooms, rinsed & cleaned - roughly chopped
(can use up to 24 oz for more “bulk” and mushroom flavor)
2 Tbs butter (use unsalted, if you plan to use chicken bouillon cubes)
1/2 sweet onion (or leeks, if desired)
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth (your own, or canned) - OR 1/4 cup powdered bouillon and 1 quart hot water.
1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Place mushrooms and butter in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.

Stir occasionally until mushrooms lose their liquid and begin to caramelize.

Now stir in onions, continuing to stir until wilted.

Remember - for more flavor - not to take off the heat until mushrooms become very dark & rich in appearance.

Now add flour and stir until combined. Add chicken bouillon as well.

Add 1 quart chicken stock and stir until it reaches a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes until it thickens slightly and turns glossy.

When mushrooms & onions are tender, it’s time to pour them into the blender (make sure it’s large capacity - or make two batches)

To be on the safe side, you may want to cover the top of your blender with a kitchen towel - but you should be safe if you haven’t overfilled it. Two batches is always a good idea. This small amount of soup didn’t overwhelm mine.

Process till completely smooth and pour back into saucepan.

I reserve a few mushrooms/onions to pulse in a little of the reserved soup at the last minute (you DO want them to know what kind of soup this will be - right?) It will just take a few short touches of your finger to turn the reserved mushrooms into something completely unrecognizable - so use caution.

Now add the cream (or milk) and stir. Adjust seasonings, adding more cream if it’s not quite rich enough.

Heat through and serve immediately.

Leftovers store well in covered container in refrigerator for several days.

Silky Asparagus Soup

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 09:28:58 -0700

In case you can’t tell, I love all things green. Deep green is even better. I’ve made asparagus soup several times, and it always tastes great, but turns out just a little “off” shade of green. This recipe taught me that cooking asparagus on medium-low heat brings out the best flavor, and that it needs to be cooked till JUST tender enough to puree, and not any more than that.

The original recipe calls for leeks instead of onion, but I’ve never bought leeks in my life (yet) and couldn’t get to a store that day. Someday I’ll get out of my box and actually TRY leeks - I’ve resisted mainly because of cost (and I’m stuck in the past). Even with good old sweet onion, I thought the soup was excellent.

The biggest surprise was adding a small amount of frozen peas just before blending - it brightened up the muddy color you usually get when you cook asparagus in liquid. A touch of lemon juice brightened the flavor, and a scant 1/4 cup of cream was the finishing touch - making it smooth, silky, and just rich enough.

I could live on this - it’s that good.

Recipe source: adapted from cookscountry.com

Ingredients:

2 -1/2 pounds asparagus, stem ends trimmed
3 Tbs butter
1 small sweet onion (or two small leeks)
salt & pepper to taste
4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 Tbs grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

Break off the tips of the asparagus and place in a dutch oven with 1-1/2 Tbs of the butter over medium heat.

Saute’ for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally - just until barely tender. Set aside.

After breaking off the tough stem ends of the asparagus, chop into 1/2” pieces. Chop onion roughly.

Place chopped onion and asparagus pieces in dutch oven with the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs butter. Sprinkle with 1/2 Tbs salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened - about 10 minutes.

At this point, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are barely tender - about 5 minutes.

Remove dutch oven from heat and place in sink with a blender jar.

Ladle half the mixture into the blender, adding frozen peas & parmesan.

Puree soup in blender in two batches until smooth. Return to pan.

Stir in the cream, lemon juice, and reserved asparagus tips.

Cook gently until barely heated through - about two minutes more.

Correct seasonings and serve.

Can be refrigerated for at least two days (I’ve kept mine for a week and it’s been just as good as the day I made it)

Oatmeal Bread

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:10:12 -0600

Homestyle breads are pretty pricey in the grocery store, and it’s hard to find what I like in a bread outlet. I like to make my own mainly because I know what I’m consuming.

This recipe yields a bread that is a honey-tan color, with just enough texture to keep it interesting. It’s lightly sweet, and it blends with many flavors from sweet to savory. Foods that contain oats can spread the rise in your blood sugar over a longer period of time than foods that are highly processed.

Oats contain beta-glucan - and I’m sure you’re wondering what that IS. As the beta-glucan in the soluble fiber of oats is digested, it forms a gel. This increases the viscosity of the contents of your stomach and intestinal tract - slowing down digestion and prolonging the absorption of carbohydrates into the blood stream. This keeps your blood sugar from changing rapidly, and also helps you feel satisfied longer.

I found this recipe on kingarthurflour.com, and I’ve made changes to make it simple & quick. They describe it as a tender, high-rising bread. I’ve tried it in sandwiches, toasted it, and enjoyed it all by itself. It’s moist enough that you won’t be reaching for the butter or jam. The recipe makes one loaf - but I always make at least two at a time to make it worth my while.

Recipe adapted from: kingarthurflour.com

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached flour
1 cup rolled oats (OLD-fashioned oats, not quick)
2 Tbs butter
1-1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbs brown sugar or honey
2 tsp instant yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast
1-1/4 cups milk - scalded
3/4 cup raisins or currants (optional)

Directions:

Scald milk and add to mixing bowl.

If using active dry yeast, dissolve in about 1/4 cup warm water and allow to bubble. If using direct yeast, you can add it after the rest of the ingredients below.

Add oats, brown sugar or honey, salt, and butter. Stir until butter melts and oats are moistened. (This will cool the milk to the point it is safe to add your yeast - no waiting required)

Add 2 cups of the flour (and the instant/direct yeast - if using) - mixing on low speed until moistened. If you are using the softened active yeast - add it now also.

Mix about 5 minutes on medium speed of mixer. If kneading by hand - turn dough out onto floured surface and knead about 10 minutes.

Add raisins or currants at end of kneading - this will keep them from breaking apart in the warm dough.

You can shape your loaf immediately if desired, or place it on an oiled surface and allow it to rise till double. I like a double rise, if I have time.

Shape dough into a log, and place in a lightly greased 9” x 5” loaf pan.

Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow it to rise till it has crested 1” to 2” over the rim of the pan(s). This can take up to 1-1/2 hours - depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Test by touching the center of the bottom of each pan with a moistened finger. If it “sizzles” - the bread should be done. If it appears to be browning too quickly, you can tent with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Remove from oven and tip out of pan onto cooling rack.

Brush tops with butter. Cool slightly before attempting to slice.

Yummy Bowl & Sauce

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:33:10 -0600

This year has been a real challenge - LOTS of changes in my family, lifestyle, and how I spend my time. A few years ago I had three of my six children get married (within 9 months), and then my youngest left for a mission. INSTANT empty house, nobody at the dinner table but myself, and a total change in how I spend my time.

As always, free time disappears in a hurry - and I’m as busy as I ever was. That’s why it’s good to have something preplanned as an option for days that get away from you. This is a good choice for quick lunches or busy evenings - when you KNOW you need to have a good meal, but just don’t have the time.

I found this on yourhomebasedmom - where there are lots of great ideas for food, crafts, and fun. She praises this sauce that she discovered at Cafe Yumm in Oregon.

The unique thing about the Yummy Sauce is that it calls for nutritional yeast, almond flour, and soybeans - ALL of which I can guarantee most of you don’t have at home... (I’ve listed where I found these ingredients at the end of the recipe - look for the * ) But only you can be the judge if this is worth that kind of effort for YOU. I’m glad I tried it, I liked it (although it didn’t make my top-10 list), and I’ve decided that it’s a good recipe to change things up in my ‘eating solo’ diet.

If you’re looking for something quick to put together (after the initial steps of making the sauce and prepping the toppings) - AND you appreciate something that is good for you - this is worth the effort. Enjoy.

Recipe source: yourhomebasedmom.com

Ingredients:

White or brown rice

Sauce:
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup almonds* (for a creamier sauce, use almond flour - which I did)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast*
1/2 cup garbanzo beans*, cooked
1/4 cup soybeans*, canned and/or cooked - (NOT green edamame beans)
1/2 cup filtered water (bottled is fine)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried cilantro

Toppings: (anything goes here...)
Grated cheeses (I liked colby/jack - use your preference)
Chicken (leftover rotisserie, braised chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, breaded chicken strips, etc...)
Other meats - pork, thinly sliced beef, shrimp, fish, etc...
Shredded or chopped uncooked vegetables (carrots, broccoli slaw, green onion, chopped tomatoes, avocado, etc...)
Any vegetable can be cooked tender-crisp (broccoli, green beans, etc)
Canned vegetables (black beans, olives, etc)
Hummus (in addition to the Yummy sauce)
Fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, etc)
Chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts, etc)
Garnishes such as sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, etc...

Directions:

Sauce:

I soaked dried garbanzo & soybeans in my tiny crockpot overnight, then cooked them for an entire day until tender. You can also use canned beans (garbanzo beans are easy to find, soybeans are much harder - see note* at bottom)

Combine beans, almond flour, and oil in food processor or blender and process till smooth.

Add all other ingredients, and puree until creamy and smooth.

Cover and let refrigerate at least one hour.

Keep refrigerated between uses.

Yummy Bowl:

Start with a good layer of your favorite rice.

Dollop sauce as desired next.

Top with cheese(s).

Assemble toppings as desired.

*Notes:

Nutritional yeast was easy to find just about anywhere that has a bulk foods department. Now I need to find another way to use it in other recipes - suggestions anyone?

I opted to use almond flour (by Bobs Mill) - which I’m going to use in other recipes later. It was easy to find in most supermarkets.

It was impossible to find canned soybeans (here in the SL Valley) at any of the markets listed by myhomebasedmom.com. I had to get creative and ended up finding dried organic soybeans at Kitchen Kneads in West Jordan. They were easy to cook and very inexpensive. Since I was already cooking the soybeans - I used easy-to-find dried garbanzo beans and cooked enough that I could use them in a second batch later.

I love to prepare frozen Costco chicken tenders as follows: Fill bottom of skillet with frozen tenders, then sprinkle (generously) with bouillon granules. Cover your skillet tightly with a lid, turn heat to medium high. When steam escapes, lower heat and cook for 20 minutes ONLY. Remove from heat and allow to cool. These are delicious and cooked till barely done - perfect.

Small Batch Mayonnaise

Sat, 3 Sep 2011 09:18:03 -0600

When I was studying FACS (Family & Consumer Sciences - formerly “Home Economics”) in college - my very first foods lab tackled the dreaded EMULSIFICATION exercise. Of course, this involved making mayonnaise. We all stood there in our white lab aprons watching dutifully as our instructor showed us how to slowly drizzle in the oil at just the right rate.

I passed that lab, but never had the desire to continue making my own mayonnaise because it was, well... a PAIN. I joined the ranks of consumers who opted for convenience and purchased Best Foods (or the equivalent).

Now that I’m living in my empty nest, I hesitate keeping a full bottle of mayonnaise or salad dressing in the refrigerator. Once I’ve opened it, it’s a slow death sentence for freshness. If I don’t plan to use most of the bottle within a month - I know I’ll end up throwing it out.

When I found this method of making mayonnaise with a stick (or immersion) blender - it intrigued me. Could it really be that easy? What was the trick to get it to work without painstakingly “drizzling” that oil in drop-by-drop?

After trying it, I’ve decided it’s so easy - I’m never buying mayo again. There are just a few rules/hints/tricks that go along with this method to make it fool-proof.

Recipe Source: adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients: (can be doubled to yield 2 cups (+)

1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt (more or less, to taste)
1 whole egg
1 Tbs white vinegar (or lemon juice, if desired)
1 cup oil (vegetable, canola, safflower, olive - any of these will work)

Directions:

It’s key that you use a container that tapers - from a small bottom, to a slightly wider top. You’ll find that a stick, or immersion blender often comes with such a container (as shown). This helps your blender “pull” the ingredients on the bottom towards the top, eliminating the need to drizzle the oil in at a very slow rate.

To the tapered container, add the mustard powder, salt, and vinegar.

Blend very briefly with your blender.

Add the egg and pulse briefly again.

Now add ALL the oil at once.

Turn on your blender and lift it up and down, pulling the oil into the mixture on the bottom and combining it.

After pulsing it a few times (depending on the strength of your blender) it will quickly emulsify and come together into a glossy, smooth mass. Be careful not to overblend, or it will become too stiff.

Taste and correct seasonings.

Cover and refrigerate.

Use immediately if possible, refrigerating the leftovers tightly covered.

Veggie Dipsticks

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 09:07:55 -0600

Serving buffet-style for showers or other celebrations is always a little tricky. Will you have enough? Will they like it? What do you do with leftovers when it’s over?

This is simpler than a veggie tray - in that you make just enough for who you expect to come. Granted, they may not LIKE vegetables and dip - but if you have some leftover, it’s not hard to just hand a few of these to others as they leave. I’ve never enjoyed cutting off conversation with guests in order to prepare a tray of leftovers to go home with someone.

Serving veggies and dip pre-assembled also saves time in a buffet line. No decisions to make on which items to take, no spills that inevitably happen as people serve themselves, no need to refill the vegetables that run out first.

They are also great to keep in the refrigerator for yourself (or your kids) to fight the urge to snack when that 3:00 slump hits. Individually wrap in a small sheet of plastic wrap, or they even fit in a ziploc sandwich bag (just keep them UPright, so the dip doesn’t escape)

I’ve always thought that homemade ranch dressing or dip tastes so much better - but you can’t beat the convenience of bottled dressing.

To save time, do your prep work on the veggies the night before - keeping them bagged and ready in the refrigerator to assemble just before serving. They also hold up pretty well if you assemble them the night before - just be sure to generously wrap them in plastic wrap so they stay fresh.

Don’t toss out the center stalks of celery - they look great added to the mix. Add other vegetables that are your favorites - peppers (all colors), zucchini spears or rounds, olives... you name it. The more colorful choices make these even more appealing.

Directions:

Vegetables that can be easily held in your hand work best. Avoid short stubby vegetables (unless you are adding them to the top of the cup, such as cherry tomatoes and olives)

If you can, leave the stems on the veggies - such as in the case of a broccoli floret or a mushroom. This serves as a ‘handle’ making it easier to grasp and dip with.

Using the smallest, shortest clear plastic cup you can find - spoon about 2-3 Tbs of dressing or dip into the bottom. (Ranch Dip & Dressing recipes are below).

Add vegetables - tallest ones first. Fill in with other vegetables that need the support of the taller ones. Garnish with the round vegetables.

Don’t forget to garnish with whatever you may have on hand - for instance, the center leaves from a celery stalk.

You can even add pretzel rods, cheese straws, or other cracker-type snacks. Just be sure to add these just barely before serving so they don’t become soggy.

Ranch Dip Recipe:

3 Tbs Ranch Dressing Mix (if purchased in a large container) OR 1 packet of Ranch Dressing Mix.
2 cups dairy sour cream

Mix together until smooth. Refrigerate for about an hour (if possible) - or serve immediately.

Ranch Dressing Recipe:

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise (NOT salad dressing)
3 Tbs Ranch Dressing Mix (if purchased in a large container) OR 1 packet of Ranch Dressing Mix

Mix together until smooth. Refrigerate for at least an hour - to allow the mixture to thicken slightly.

Classic Baguette

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 00:16:42 -0600

There’s a lot of buzz lately about artisan bread. It’s a commitment to make at home. You need a minimum of 20 hours - but most of that is rising time. This type of bread begins with a starter - which is very simple to do. Flour + yeast + water. Mix. You’re done! The hardest part is waiting the required amount of time, and being patient.

I enjoyed this bread after it had softened slightly. Fresh from the oven was a bit too crunchy for my tastes. However, dipping it in flavored olive oil at this point would have been great - very much like going to Johnny Carrino’s.

This recipe is described “as close to artisan bakery version as you’re going to find”. I looked up the term “artisan” to find that there shouldn’t be anything besides flour, water, salt, and yeast. To describe an artisan baker - he or she would be one who is trained to mix, ferment, shape, and bake a hand crafted loaf of bread. Artisan bread is not made in a factory, but one small batch at a time by very few people. It will not taste as if it was produced on an assembly line.

I loved the flavor of this bread, but since I’m typically not a forward-thinker by nature - I prefer the streamlined version in the last post (link is HERE). It’s fun to at least try your hand at this artisan-style baguette. Save it for a day when you don’t have a lot happening away from home. Although - a longer rise than you were planning on could only improve the flavor?

Recipe source: adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

Starter:
1/2 cup cool water
1/16 tsp active dry, or instant yeast
1 cup flour

Dough:
1 tsp active dry, or instant yeast
1 to 1-1/4 cups lukewarm water (use less on a humid day, more on a winter/dry day)
All of the starter (above)
3-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 to 2 tsp salt - suit your own tastes

Directions:

Make the starter by combining ingredients to make a soft dough.

Cover and let rest at room temperature for 14 hours - overnight works best.

The starter should have risen and become bubbly at this point.

Mix the yeast for the dough with the water. Let it work a bit.

Now add the flour and salt - either by hand, mixer, or bread machine. You should now have a soft, smooth dough. Knead for about 5 minutes on speed 2 of a stand mixer (or equivalent in your bread maker)

Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease both sides.

Let the dough rise for about 3 hours, deflating it after 1 hour, then again after 2 hours.

Turn out onto lightly greased countertop. Divide into three equal pieces.

Shape each piece into a rough , slightly flattened oval - cover with greased plastic wrap - letting it rest 15 minutes.

Work with one piece of dough at a time - folding dough in half lengthwise, then sealing the edges with the heel of your hand. Flatten slightly, and fold and seal again.

With the seam side down, gently roll the dough into a 15” log. Place seam-side down onto lightly greased baking sheet or baguette pan.

Cover again and allow to rise until very puffy - about 1-1/2 hours.

Preheat your oven to 450°.

Use a very sharp knife to make three vertical slashes in each baguette. Spritz heavily with warm water if you want a crackly crust.

Bake until they are a deep golden brown - about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.

If you want the ULTIMATE crispy baguette - turn off the oven, cracking it open about 2”, and allow the baguettes to cool in the oven.

Baguette - Streamlined

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:44:02 -0600

There’s nothing like fresh baked baguette with any meal. My family loves it. Anyone has the ingredients in their kitchen. The only difference (in my humble un-Italian opinion) - is time. There is a difference in flavor the longer the yeast works - but not enough that it’s worth it to me to pay attention to it for over 20 hours.

My next post will be the “classic” baguette. It would be a great bread to play with when I’m stuck in the house during a blizzard this winter.

I found (another) fun kitchen gadget recently that makes baguette-baking even more of a breeze. Some people like shopping at the mall. MY dream shopping trip is going to a specialty cooking store such as William’s Sonoma or Spoons ‘n Spice. Another fun place is at Kitchen Kneads in Logan, Utah. I could spend most of the day slowwwwllllly making my way up each aisle, picking up and examining every gadget there.

That’s where I found the Chicago Metallic Perforated Baguette Pan shown below (non-stick makes it even better) It makes a huge difference in how baguette bread turns out. It bakes evenly on all sides, and I love the little dotted pattern it makes on the underside of the bread - no flat, overbaked bottom edge.

If you don’t have one of these pans, you can still make a great baguette - so don’t let that stop you. (See my earlier post HERE - which makes a more “bread-like” baguette) I’ve made this baguette several times, and recently tried making it in my food processor on the dough setting - which is so EASY and fast. I’ve included instructions for a stand mixer/breadmaking machine - as well as the food processor version below.

Recipe source: adapted from a version on allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups warm water
3-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 Tbs sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
2-1/2 tsp active dry yeast
egg yolk - mixed with 1 Tbs water (optional - for egg wash, if desired)

Directions:

If using a bread machine or stand mixer:

Dissolve yeast in warm water & sugar until it begins to bubble.

Add 3 cups of the flour and salt, beginning to mix until well combined.

Add remaining flour a little at a time, until it begins to pull away from sides of the mixing bowl. Don’t over-flour, but make sure you add enough that the dough is easy to handle.

Place dough in a greased bowl, flipping to coat both sides.

Cover with towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk (about 30 minutes, depending on the temperature in your kitchen)

Punch down dough. I found that I didn’t need to flour the work surface, since the dough was coated lightly with oil, but add a little more oil (or flour) if needed to keep the dough from sticking.

Divide into three equal pieces. Roll each into an 8” x 12” rectangle, pressing out any bubbles. You may want the dough to rest about 15 minutes so it won’t “fight” you in the next step.

Beginning at 12” side, roll up, pounding out any air bubbles as you go.

Roll gently back and forth to taper ends.

If you have a perforated baguette pan, use it - lightly greasing if necessary. If not, lightly grease a large baking sheet. Place loaves 3” apart.

Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash down center of each. (The first time I made these, I waited till the dough had risen to make the slashes - this was a mistake, as it deflated the dough...)

Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes until doubled in bulk.

If you want to have a glossy (chewy) finish on your bread - brush with a mixture of 1 beaten egg yolk and 1 Tbs water.

Preheat oven 375°.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in preheated oven, or until golden brown.

If you prefer your bread crisp and chewy, don’t store completely sealed.

Makes three loaves.

Classic Baguette is pictured below - you’ll notice the texture is more loose and open (because of long rising method) The recipe will be posted next...