Fresh From the Oven: Homemade Breads

I have a lot of experience with baking quick breads, but I've never tried to make homemade breads before. I was intimidated by the process and didn't think I had the skills or the time. On a grocery shopping trip, I passed the bakery and saw a loaf of cherry chocolate bread that looked so good I decided to make my own chocolate bread at home.

I found a recipe online and set out to make chocolate bread! Long story short, the bread did not turn out as desired. It didn't rise, didn't look very pretty, and was quite dense. While it wasn't a nice fluffy bread, it would have made a great base for a dessert bruschetta. I imagined toasting it and topping it with fresh strawberries and cream. But that is for another post - this is all about the bread.

After my failed attempt, I was motivated to conquer the bread baking challenge. Not too much later, one of my favorite new foodies posted an article entitled, "Yes, You Can Bake Bread" on Local in Season. Inspired by Jane's can-do attitude and seemingly easy recipe for cinnamon raisin whole wheat bread, I gathered the ingredients, got out my red KitchenAid mixer and got to work!

A key learning from my first experience was that my kitchen is not warm enough for dough to rise. To remedy this I put the oven on warm for about 10 minutes (while I kneaded the dough) and then turned it off before putting the dough inside. With the door cracked, the dough doubled in size as specified in the recipe. I think I didn't quite let the dough fully rise the second time and I left in the oven a little too long trying to get the right color. But, much better than the first try! You can get the recipe at http://localinseason.com/craft-of-cooking/77-yes-you-can-bake-bread.html. I used honey for my sweetener and regular raisins. I also used my KitchenAid mixer to do the kneading.

After my success with Jane's recipe, I felt confident and decided that I could make my own breads every weekend. The next week I found a few recipes on the King Arthur Flour website and picked two to try - honey oatmeal and a white sandwich bread. The honey oatmeal was a very hearty bread - with oats, instant mashed potato flakes, and flour. The white sandwich bread was a more traditional milk bread.

Honey Oatmeal

White Sandwich Bread

I fired up the mixer, heated up the oven, and started the 6 hour bread breaking process. Both breads rose according to plan (a small miracle) and baked to a nice golden brown. The honey oatmeal was great toasted with a little peanut butter. The sandwich bread was a little sweet for my taste, but got rave reviews from my chief food tasters - my hubby and my friend Renee.

I am glad to know that I can add breads to the list of foods that I make at home instead of buying at the store. Plus, bread baking works well with my usual Sunday homework plans. Mix the dough - study for 2 hours while it rises - punch down the dough - study for 2 hours while it rises again - bake - watch TV - and then enjoy!

I would love to hear about your bread baking adventures - both failures and success!

Photos of my breads are in the running to win a picture contest through a drool-worthy website, Refrigerator Soup. If you have a minute, please click through and vote (it's by popular vote). Leave a comment here and let me know that you voted - I'm going to pick one lucky winner and send them a freshly baked loaf of bread! Vote here!

***New Feature***

Haikus from the hubby, of When He Fends for Himself.

Out of the oven
Two pieces toasted and sliced
Crumbs are everywhere

Have You Visited Your Local Market Lately?

Visiting the Farmer's Market is one of my favorite spring, summer and early activities. Once winter rolls in, my trips to the market usually come to an end. Not this year! Thankfully there are at least two winter markets close to me in Natick and Wayland, MA. For a recap of my inaugural trip to the Natick Winter's Market, check out my write-up at www.localinseason.com. You'll even find some recipes for your winter farmer's market finds!

Two Meals - Turkey Burgers with Tomato & Spinach and Ravioli with fresh sauce

This week I stopped at the store mid-week after work to pick up some ingredients for dinner. We'd already had beef for a few dinners, so I was looking for another source of protein for dinner. I asked the hubby for suggestions, and he mentioned chicken Florentine (we had some spinach in the fridge). For some reason, I just wasn't interested in chicken for dinner. Looking at the meat case, I saw that ground turkey breast was on sale. Turkey burgers are not a regular item on our menu, but I decided to give them another try.

Knowing we had spinach in the fridge, I thought about making a Mediterranean style burger with the spinach, tomato and feta. I picked up the ingredients along with some foccacia style buns and marinated olives then headed home to get cooking.

Sticking with the Mediterranean theme, I made a quick cucumber salad with some leftover mint (from the fresh rolls), minced red onion, and a little olive oil and vinegar.

I like at least three components with dinner, so I needed one more dish on the side. I found some red lentils in my pantry while digging around and put those on the stove while making the burgers. I completely overcooked the lentils and they came out extra mushy. I mixed in some balsamic vinegar and the hubby really like them. Next time I'll try this recipe and watch the pot a little better!

For the burgers, I put a little of the topping in the burger and then topped them with the same ingredients. Turkey burgers are quick cookers - so don't forget to watch the pan while you cook. Read down past the recipe to see what I did with the leftover spinach and tomatoes.

Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
Makes 2 Burgers

Printable Recipe

1/2 pound ground turkey breast (white meat turkey)
1 teaspoon Greek seasoning (I have a blend - salt, garlic, oregano, thyme, onion)
1 tablespoon crumbled Feta cheese
1/4 cup spinach and tomato (see recipe below)

Heat a little oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl
Divide into two patties
Cook the patties for about 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through

Spinach and Tomatoes
Inspired by a post on Playing House
1 small plastic container of cherry tomatoes
3-4 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped
Salt
Olive Oil

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a small-medium skillet over medium heat
Add spinach and a little salt to the pan and cook until just wilted, set aside
Add the tomatoes and a little salt to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes (until they squish when you press on them)
Remove from the heat and set aside
Serve as a topping or side dish to the burgers.

Serve the burger on your favorite roll with the sides!

Summary for burgers and spinach/tomatoes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: Spinach/tomato: 15 minutes; Burgers: 10 minutes
Skillets, knives, cutting board, bowl, utensils

Meal 2: Ravioli with Fresh Spinach, Tomato, Basil Sauce

We had plenty of spinach and tomato left over after dinner. I turned it into a quick fresh sauce for some ravioli. We picked up the grilled asparagus and artichoke ravioli at our local winter farmer's market. I bought some local basil at our warehouse club store (they do carry local products!). I threw it all in the food processor, brought to a quick boil, then simmer.

Added to the ravioli and we had a fresh tasty meal! Remember - you can always turn your leftovers into something tasty (well, most of the time).

Summary:
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5-10 minutes
Food processor, sauce pan, pasta pot, serving utensils