Been Busy Baking Bread...

I enjoy baking and this winter I have been on a busy baker. I have made many different types of bread but never artisan bread...when I saw the pictures and recipe on High Heels and Pearls' blog...I just had to give it a whirl. The recipe makes four 1-pound loaves and you have up to 14 days to make all four once you make the initial recipe. I chose to make all four at one time and give three to friends. I also made a flaxseed bread (see recipe below), and almond brittle and meatloaf while the bread was rising.

Flaxseed Bread

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast

1 3/4 cup warm water

3 Tablespoons honey or 1/8 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon oil (safflower or olive)

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

3 cups fresh ground whole wheat flour

1 cup flaxseed meal (2/3 cup whole seed flax...note you must grind the flaxseed if you don't purchase it already ground)

1) Grease bread pan

2) Dissolve yeast in water and set aside until bubbly (~5 minutes)

3) Mix in honey or sugar, oil and salt

4) Mix in half of the flour and flaxseed

5) Add the remaining flour and flaxseed a half cup at a time

6) Knead for 10 minutes

7) Place in bread pan and cover, place in warm area and let rise until double

8) Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes

9) Allow to cool 10 minnutes in pan and then remove and place on wire rack

Holiday Carmels...

My friends Kate and Kathy came by to make and wrap carmels. For years my sister-in-law Julie would make carmels during the holidays and give them to friends and family. They were so good I decided to start an annual tradition three years ago of making and giving them to friends and co-workers. During an after Christmas sale in January I bought some decorative 'take-out' style containers and small bags to use for packaging this year's carmels. And picked up cheap holiday tins at garage sales.

Carmels
One lb butter
16 oz white Karo syrup
Two lbs brown sugar
Two cans condensed sweetened milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps vanilla
1 candy thermometer
120-150 wrappers or wax paper
Buttered cookie sheet or jelly roll pan

Combine all ingredients above except vanilla in large sauce pan and hook candy thermometer on the side of the pan so tip is in the ingredients but isn't touching the bottom of the pan. Cook on medium heat and stir constantly (~40 minutes) until temperature reaches 245 degrees Fahrenheit. Once temperature is reached remove from heat and mix in vanilla and pour into buttered cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Allow carmels to set up at least 8 hours or until set. Cut into one inch squares and wrap.

I love the picture on the tin...probably because she is wearing blue.

Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah...

If you remember Dinah Shore then you are probably as old as me. Spending the day in the kitchen made me think of the lyrics Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah. Someone's in the kitchen, I know. Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah. Strumming on the old banjo.

The kitchen was my domain today. Four loaves of pumpkin bread - I have the best recipe in the world, one apple pie, one banana cream pie - for the kids, and two pumpkin pies and some homemade dog treats. Did something different this year...stole this idea from my 'happy hour' neighbors...made one of the pumpkin pies without the crust and with non-fat carnation milk. This was done for several reasons...to reduce fat for those who are watching their weight and for those that don't like crust. Put a little whipped cream on it and you won't even miss the crust. Happy Tday!

Pumpkin Bread (makes 2 loaves)
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin

3 cup flour
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg,
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

-Mix together eggs, oil and sugar, then mix in pumpkin. Sift together dry ingredients.
-Slowly add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture.
-Spray two loaf pans with Pam.
-Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes (mine actually comes out around the 1 hour mark). Use a toothpick to test several areas in the middle of the bread – if toothpick comes out clean bread is done.
-Cool in pan on rack.