BREAD ON MONDAY - Our New Bread Box

 

I hope you aren't disappointed that this week's Bread on Monday post isn't a bread recipe. I found this wonderful bread box this weekend at the flea market. First, I absolutely fell in love with it and was trying to decide whether or not to pinch out the money for it ($5) when money needs to go so many other places, but then I heard a bit of the story behind it and I had to give this beautiful treasure a home in our kitchen.

You can tell just by looking at the wood (and other materials) used that this bread box is VERY old, yet it has been taken very good care of. It has a tiny little ding here and there, and the inset is slightly warped, but still in far better shape than you would expect. And although most items you find at the flea market you have no idea where they came from (but often wish you did, or wish they could talk), I purchased this from a vendor that had gotten it straight from its owner.

The owner is a 98-year old woman that is devotedly taking care of her older and ailing husband! That is definitely an amazing kind of love, and one that I admire. She is also taking care of their beloved, long-time pet .... a blind dog. But sadly, she is planning on having the little dog put to sleep because it can't see where it is going and has become a tripping hazard for her. Although they love the dog very much, she fears that if she trips and falls over the dog, she might get hurt and not be able to care for her husband. I can understand it, but that is SO SAD! And I can't imagine having to make a decision like that. That dog would be a great companion and comfort for her right now. But I also can't imagine how difficult it must be, at 98, to care for both. I can't tell you how much I admire this woman, and I haven't even met her in person.

Back to the bread box .... once upon a time, they used it a LOT. Taking a moment to imagine all the wonderful homemade breads she must have lovingly placed in it over the years makes for a great mental image that makes me smile. Even at nearly 100 (and her husband is probably is at least that or more), they are obviously still deeply in love. I can envision her, in years past, lovingly standing over the kitchen table, flour and other ingredients everywhere, as she eagerly works, with a warm and caring smile on her face, to bake wonderful breads that she is sure will please her husband. I can then picture him coming in from a hard day in the field, opening up the bread box, and taking out a still warm biscuit, donut, or hunk of yeast bread, beaming ear to ear because his wife loves him so much that she worked hard in a hot kitchen to make such a wonderful treat for him, then eagerly gobbling it up! What a beautiful picture this bread box, and the little story behind it, conjures up, and I have no doubt but that it was that way.

But because the woman loves her husband so much, she is now sadly letting go of, and giving away all of their treasured things that they no longer use much. She is doing this to make their home much easier to move about in. I understand this, it makes since in a very loving way, but it is still very sad. As people age, they should not have to give up the things they cherish, the things that gave them pleasure throughout their long life. So even though we had gotten a smaller, handmade bread box just a few weeks ago, I decided that this one definitely had to find a home in our kitchen, too. You may think this sounds weird, but when I hold this box, or run my hand across it, I can literally feel the love coming from it. The kind of love this couple has is a rarity these days, and I truly admire them. Although I have no doubt that it will, I hope that when I am 98, mine and Dave's love will be that unconditional and strong as well. And although I know that ingredients used have greatly changed over the years since this woman began cooking for her husband, I look forward to proudly carrying on this woman's tradition and baking many, many wonderful breads to fill it with and have ready for Dave when he comes in famished from a hard day of work. Even those ingredients, we are striving to go back to the older, healthier style of. (Well, just don't try and take my instant yeast away from me though).

I will display this wonderful bread box PROUDLY in our kitchen, and hope that even a little bit of their rare and admiral love that comes with it, rubs off into, and gives our home a little blessing.

BREAD ON MONDAY - Special Occasions Pancakes

Oh, my.... we have had such a busy couple of weeks that we have neglected to get anything posted on here since last Monday! This past week, I have been working on a bread recipe that had been brewing in my mind, and I was hoping to post it here today, but it is still coming out too heavy. It is very tasty, and Dave has been a sport and enjoyed eating the 'flops' (poor chickens, lol), but I want to get the kinks out of the recipe before I post the it here. So since I don't have a new bread recipe ready for this week, I am going to post a recipe for the other thing in the bread family that I have been enjoying this week . . . . PANCAKES. For some reason, I just really got into a pancake mood this week.

I have two good pancake recipes that I have developed and used over the years. One is my very tasty, yet very economical recipe (remember, I raised 6 kids), and the other is my even lighter and tastier, 'for special occasions' recipe. It is the latter recipe that I will share with you today.

Special Occasions Pancakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (I use aluminum free)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (I use Zulka)
• 1/4 tsp. (scant) salt (I use unrefined)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• your favorite oil or fat for frying

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; set aside.

In a smaller bowl, lightly whisk together milk, egg and oil.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until all is moistened.

Cook pancakes on a heated, lightly oiled skillet or griddle until covered with bubbles. 

Flip pancakes over and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown. DO NOT 'smash' pancakes with turner, as it will toughen them.

Serve hot with your favorite pancake topping.  Makes about 6 average sized pancakes. 

BREAD ON MONDAY - Using a Bread Machine

   So many people purchase a Bread Machine with great excitement and anticipation of many, delicious, homemade breads to come, only to be discouraged and disappointed when their first loaf or two doesn't turn out. They then usually give up, pack it away, and eventually give that bread machine they had had such high hopes for away or put it in a garage sale.  But . . . . . . DON'T GIVE UP!!!

There is such a variety of variables that goes into making bread, even in a bread machine.

First of all, every bread machine, from one brand to another, can be a little (or a lot) different. For even a BASIC loaf of bread, there could be a 10 to 20 minute baking variance from one brand of machine to another. The mixing times and the rise times may also greatly vary, too. As a result, recipes will need to be adjusted accordingly. For example, if you are using a recipe that was created for one machine, but the machine you are using has a shorter rise time, then you would need to add a sprinkle more yeast than the recipe calls for to account for the shortened rise time.

Even with identical brands and identical models of Bread Machines, there can be some differences. When the machines are manufactured, they try to produce them as identical as possible, but they ARE manufactured by humans and slight differences are a given. Even though the timers may be set the same, there could still be slight variations in the speed of mixing/kneading and/or in the temperature of the machine (rising temp and/or cooking temp). It may take a few loaves of bread to get the 'feel' of your machine before you turn out that perfect loaf. I have had some bread machines where the first loaf, and every loaf thereafter, turned out perfectly. But then I have also had bread machines that got very frustrating when it took 6 or 7 loaves to turn out a loaf that was 'acceptable' and a couple more to finally get it right. (chickens sure were happy, though). But once I got the 'feel' of that darned machine, it was smooth sailing.

Then there are the CRUST settings on the bread machines. One machine's DARK setting might be much darker than another's. One bread machine set to medium may be equivalent to another bread machine set on dark. One bread machine set on light might be absolutely perfect for you, while another one set to light might be way too light for you.

Your ingredients make a HUGE difference, too.  The moisture content of your ingredients not only will vary from brand to brand, but can also greatly vary from one shipment to another, or even change while it is setting in your cabinet (it can dry out or absorb moisture, depending on your weather, climate and  humidity levels in the air).  Thicker liquids (such as juices and pulp) used in your recipe may also have a great variance as to the amount of moisture in them, along with egg size. A larger egg will add more moisture than a smaller egg, and even a tablespoon of moisture can make a huge difference. I absolutely cannot express how much difference the moisture content of your ingredients can affect the outcome of your finished loaf of bread! This is a variable that is usually completely beyond your control, but completely within your control to be able to make necessary adjustments for a great finished product. Most bread still comes out pretty tasty, regardless of the resulting texture.

Because there can be so many variables to a great loaf of bread in a bread machine, recipes ARE NOT set in stone. Don't be afraid to play around with them and adjust them to what you like! Each time you make a loaf of bread, check your dough after it has mixed for a bit. Check it's appearance and give it a poke to see how it 'feels' (very carefully so as not to get your fingers in the paddle - DO NOT let kids do this!) Make sharp mental notes of this and, after a time, you will know exactly what your dough for a great loaf of bread is suppose to look and feel like so that you can make adjustments as necessary.

Make adjustments? Yes, you can make adjustments, even after all ingredients are in and it has begun mixing. On most bread machines, there is a 'bell' (okay, mine beeps) that goes off part way into the cycle to let you know it is time to add other ingredients, such as nuts, raisins, and any other things that you didn't want beat to death during the entire mixing process. All the way up to and including when this little bell goes off, you can add/adjust your ingredients. After you have learned what to watch for, if you think your dough is too dry, you can add a sprinkle more water (or liquid ingredient used). But be careful! A little bit of moisture will go a looooong way! The same holds true for your flour (dry ingredients). If your dough is looking to soft, or sticky, you can, during this same time frame, add a bit more flour (or dry ingredient). But once again, a little goes a long way. And even if it looks a bit sticky at this point, it will usually smooth out a bit after it mixes a little longer.

It really isn't complicated, though. It's just that, when you purchase a bread machine, you also need to add into your initial costs a big round of ingredients for testing purposes, understand that that is part of the process for beginning to learn to use a bread machine, and don't worry about a few lost loaves. Now, I said that, at times, I had some pretty happy chickens, but I wasn't always allowed to give those 'failed' loaves to the chickens. You see, even though I sometimes got (and still do when I get a new machine) frustrated because those first few loaves weren't coming out right, my family and friends around me WOULD NOT let me toss them out!!! They said that they were still MUCH BETTER than the store bought stuff and gobbled it all up, thoroughly enjoying it!!!


Don't be afraid of your machine, take notes each time you use it for awhile (and keep them handy for future use), and by all means, don't be afraid to experiment. Don't be too hard on yourself. And don't be afraid to deviate from, or play around with, your bread recipes. It's just bread. Regardless of how it turns out, your home is still going to be filled with the scrumptious aroma of baking bread, and that alone is worth the try! Even if the end result isn't what you were trying to achieve, chances are, it is still going to be pretty darned good bread!  Stay tuned for future Bread Machine Tips.

SEASONED GREEN BEANS

 Years ago, when I worked in a grade school cafeteria, the green beans we were instructed to make were TERRIBLE! Upon seeing so many of them thrown in the trash, my co-worker, C, and I decided that we would create our own green bean recipe that the kids would like.

C and I compared how we each cooked green beans for our families, then combined our recipes together to create a Seasoned Green Bean recipe that the kids at school not only liked, but came back for seconds on! Not even the juice off of the was dumped.

After I eventually left for a different job, I continued to cook the C & A Green Beans for my own little brood at home..... they would have them no other way. And I still cook them this way for even just me. Here is our recipe:

Seasoned Green Beans

•  9 slices (thin) bacon
• 3/4 c. chopped onions (1 medium)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 (14.5-oz) cans cut or French Style green beans
• 1/4 rounded tsp black pepper (or to taste - optional)
• 3/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic (can also use garlic powder)
• 1 T. butter
• potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (optional)

 In a large cooking pot, fry bacon until nearly crisp.

 Remove bacon, crumble and set aside. Add onions and garlic to bacon grease and saute just until onions are tender.

Add green beans, pepper, salt, granulated garlic (or powdered), butter,  and crumbled bacon.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about one hour.

If desired, add in large, raw potato chunks during the last 20 minutes of cooking; continue cooking until potatoes are tender.

Serve as a side dish with your favorite entree, or on its own with a side of Fried Cornbread. Even finicky green bean eaters will come back for more! 

Note: this is definitely a dish where any of your ingredient amounts can vary to your own taste without harming the recipe.

For my own personal tastes, I use much more fresh garlic. 

This recipe can also be easily adapted for use with Fresh Green Beans.

Bread On Monday - Blueberry Muffins

It has been a very hectic week. The flea market where I have my little shop at had it's HUGE annual Spring Fling sale this weekend. I am happy to say that it was a great success! I did not; however, get any baking done, although I have been dreaming all week of baking some fresh, hot, blueberry muffins. Since I am still just dreaming of them and haven't gotten to bake them yet, I thought I would at least share my recipe with you in case your are craving them, too, and have an hour or so free to get a batch made. Here is the recipe I came up with over the years, a recipe that has become my family's favorite!

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• melted butter, optional
• cinnamon, optional
• extra granulated sugar, optional

In medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Set aside.  Beat together egg, oil and milk.  Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  Fold in blueberries.  Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full with batter.  Bake in a pre-heated 400°F oven about 20 minutes or until lightly brown on top, but still moist.  Serve as is or, while warm, brush tops with melted butter and roll in granulated sugar.

Actually, our FAVORITE way is to stir a spoonful of cinnamon into half a cup to a cup of granulated sugar (amount of cinnamon is up to the personal taste), then roll the buttered muffin tops around in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.Oh, and if you like LOADS of blueberries in your muffins, it works just fine to add extras into the batter. This recipe also doubles well. I have even gotten lazy and baked it in a regular cake pan (as a quick bread) with great results.

I am determined to get some baked this week. When I do, I will post a pic of them with this recipe. I hope you enjoy!