Rosemary Bread

          I love, love, love bread. I can smell a bakery from a mile away. When I lived in Stratford, there were at least 4 bakeries that I could get fresh-baked bread from on a regular basis (and I worked at one of them!) Unfortunately, I haven't found anywhere (yet!) in Woodstock that has the same (and I don't count grocery stores....its not really fresh bread). If anyone knows of a great bakery to get fresh bread from in Woodstock, please let me know!! In the meantime, I have taken up baking bread with a little help from my dear friend Cait.
             This recipe for rosemary bread comes from Martha Stewart Living. I followed the recipe exactly, and it was very good. Mine turned out slightly dense, so next time I would let the bread rise another 1 hour.  Great bread for an Italian dinner, or for sandwiches. This recipe makes 2 medium-sized loaves. Bon Appetit!

          
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups white flour, plus a little more for dusting
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
5 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp rosemary, crushed
sea salt, for dusting

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients and knead well (50+ times). If you have a stand mixer with a bread hook, mix on low for 1 minute and then medium-high speed for 2.
2. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with saran wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour (I would increase to 2).
3. Split into 2 loaves. Cut 3 slits onto top of bread, and with lightly floured hands, work gently into desired shape.  Let rise for another 30-60 minutes. Brush with olive oil & sea salt
4. Place loaves on a bread stone and bake in a preheated oven at 400F for approximately 30 minutes. Halfway through baking, if you spray bread with water, it will have a crispy crust with a soft inside.
5. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Classic French Toast

    I love breakfast. It is my favourite meal of the day, and in addition to coffee, the only reason to get out of bed in the morning. I love nothing more than lying in bed with the sun rising, deciding what to make when I finally get up.
    This morning, however, I didn't have to decide. I had a perfect loaf of french crusty bread waiting so that I could make french toast. You see the secret to french toast has little to do with the eggs, or milk or vanilla. It has everything to do with the bread. I prefer a good homemade loaf, but a store-bought loaf of crusty bread from the bakery will work perfectly. With the french toast I had maple syrup fresh from the mennonites at the St.Jacobs, & fresh strawberries from the market. Happy eating!

          


Ingredients:
4-6 slices of thick white bread
3 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
icing sugar
fresh strawberries
maple syrup


Directions:
Combine egg, milk, vanilla & cinnamon. Dip each slice of bread & saturate well. Place on pre-heated grill (350F, or medium in a frying pan) and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove & dust with icing sugar & cinnamon. Serve with maple syrup & fresh berries.

Grandma's Lemon Loaf

I think that the best cooks in the world are grandmothers. If you ask anybody where they got their most-prized, top secret recipe for just about anything, its their grandma. So I must give full credit to the best lemon loaf in the world to the best grandma in the world - mine. Grandma Kay used to make this lemon loaf recipe for me every time I came home from university, and she would send me back with it to share with my roommates. Now, this recipe is what I make for the neighbours - it keeps them from complaining when we have guests over till 3am! Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 cup water, boiling

1 package lemon jello powder

4 eggs

1 lemon cake mix

3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup icing sugar

Directions:

1. Dissolve jello powder into boiling water and let cool (about 10 mins).

2. Mix eggs, cake mix, oil, and lemon jello/water mixture well - but don't worry if there are a few clumps here and there, they will bake out. Its best not to over mix.

3. Pour mixture into 2 loaf pans lined with wax paper (and sprayed with Pam) and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes. Loaf is done when toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean.

4. Mix lemon juice and icing sugar together well. Use toothpick and pierce tops of loaves, then pour mixture overtop of each. Take a knife and loosen wrap from loaf so lemon mixture will run down the ends and sides.

I find lemon loaf is best the next day or when completely cooled. Freezes perfectly and is a great gift to new neighbours and old friends!

Zucchini-Blueberry Loaf

When I was in Florida last month, my MIL made a delicious blueberry-zucchini loaf. One of the best loaves I have ever, ever had. I finally got her to hand over the recipe so I could make it myself, but I was sad to see the original recipe has a TON of sugar and oil. I decided to try and make it substantially healthier so that I can make it on a regular basis, and I am happy to say, success!!!

Ingredients:

3 eggs lightly beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup applesauce

3 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar (or sugar substitute)

2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1/2 cup wheat bran, or whole-wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

Grease 2 regular loaf pans

Beat eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla and sugar then fold in zucchini

Blend flour, flax seed, wheat bran, salt, baking powder, baking soda & cinnamon

Gently fold in blueberries.

Transfer to greased loaf pans - I added a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon on top as per MIL recommendation.

Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 F

Cool 20 minutes in pans then remove loaves to cool completely on wire racks.

Source: Adapted from www.allrecipes.com; and my MIL!