English Muffin Bread

This bread is for my dad. Literally. I made it for him for his birthday earlier in December. You see my dad loves English muffins. So I decided to make him this delicious bread that is very reminiscent of that crackly perfectly toast-able muffin. Instead of individual muffins, it is a slice-able bread. Which makes it SO EASY to make. Easiest yeast bread I've ever made. Truth.

All you do is throw the ingredients into a bowl and mix. Let it rise. Separate into two loaves. Let them rise. Bake. No kneading necessary. This is so easy that I have made it three times in the past few months. The first time I was just trying it out for myself. Second time was for my dad's birthday present. Third time was when I was home visiting the family for Christmas.

Besides being easy, it is delicious. So perfect. My family was begging me to make it again after we demolished Dad's birthday loaf in two days. Hence the third time. This is your gateway recipe to yeast breads if you have never made them. You won't regret it. I promise.

English Muffin Bread (adapted from Foodie with Family)
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup warm water
1 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp + 1 1/4 tsp yeast
1 tbsp kosher salt
5 3/4 all-purpose or bread flour*
Cooking spray
Cornmeal
Melted butter (about 1-2 tbsp)

Directions:
Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl (the bowl of your stand mixer works well). Let the yeast bloom for about 2 minutes. Stir in the salt and flour. Mix until just combined. It should be very sticky and lumpy still. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and drape over the bowl. Let the dough rise in a warm area until very puffy and about double in size.

Spray two bread pans with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cornmeal and shake to cover all of the surfaces of the pan. The dough will be very sticky so spray your hands with the cooking spray. Then, lightly punch down the dough, separate two pieces, and place them in the prepared pans. Each pan should be filled about halfway. Cover loosely with cooking spray covered plastic wrap and let rise about 30-60 minutes until they puff over the top of the pans.

Preheat oven to 350 F while the dough is rising. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pans and brush with melted butter. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and brush with the rest of the melted butter. Turn the loaves out on a wire rack to cool.

Serve toasted with butter or jelly or whatever you desire. Or make it into a delicious grilled cheese.

Makes 2 loaves.

Note: If you don't want to eat both loaves right away, give the second one to a friend. Or wrap it completely in plastic wrap followed by foil and place in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge.

*I have used all all-purpose flour or a 50/50 mix of bread and all-purpose. Use whatever you have in your pantry.

Pretzel Hot Dog Buns

Another bites the dust. And another one gone and another one gone. Another one bites the dust.

Check another one off that bucket list.

I made hot dog buns!

And to make them even yummier, I made pretzel hot dog buns! Holy moly you gotta get on this as soon as possible. Before summer is done and the barbecue is packed up. On second thought, these may be your excuse for hot dogs any time of the year. Or they'd make one hell of a hoagie today, tomorrow and every day from now on.

Pretzel Hot Dog Buns (adapted from Jeff Mauro on Food Network)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
1.5 tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp garlic olive oil (or 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 garlic clove minced)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup bread flour
1/4 cup baking soda
kosher salt

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the milk, water, sugar and honey in a microwave safe measuring cup. Microwave for about 45 seconds until it reaches 105 F. Pour into the bowl of stand mixer and sprinkle with yeast. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until bubbly.

Add the oil and flour to the mixer. Mix on medium speed about 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out on floured surface and split into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball and place on your baking sheet. Cover with a clean towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Roll each ball into a 7-inch log. Place back on the baking sheet. Cover again and let rest another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the baking soda. Add two buns at a time and boil for 30 seconds on each side. Repeat with the other two buns. Place them back on the baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with kosher salt. Cut slits across the top of the breat.

Bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Once cooled, slice down side and serve with hot dogs topped with mustard and pickles (or whatever you prefer).

Makes 4 hot dog buns.

Sunflower Seed Loaf

Science Sunday Post # 2

Food Molecule #2

CARBOHYDRATES.

Probably some of the most beloved food molecules that are a specialty of plants, they make up delicious warm from the oven bread, sugary cookies and cupcakes, fruit, potatoes, and so much more. Carbohydrates sometimes have a bad rap because of things like the Atkins diet. However, they give flavor, bulk and texture to our food. They are made of up simple sugars such as glucose, galactose, and fructose.

Depending on how these simple monosaccharides are combined in polymers known as oligosaccharides different structures and properties result. For example, alpha-linked monosaccharides make up starch that is a large component of potatoes, rice, wheat and corn; most people have no trouble digesting these foods and will get a lot of energy from these foods. On the other hand, beta-linkages of monosaccharides make up cellulose and fiber which we cannot digest. These foods, including fruits, vegetables and bran, are important for our diet because as the cellulose passes through our digestive system, it absorbs water and becomes bulk of mass that helps to clean out our intestines.

To celebrate carbohydrates, I'm sharing with you a recipe for sunflower seed bread. It is great toasted and topped with peanut butter or as a sandwich with your favorite toppings. Mmm. I do love my carbohydrates :)

Sunflower Seed Loaf (adapted from King Arthur's Flour Whole Grain Baking)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup rye flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the sunflower and sesame seeds on the pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they begin to brown.

Mix together all the ingredients. Either knead by hand or stand mixer until it is a soft and smooth dough. Place in a bowl, cover with a towel and allow to rise until puffy 1-2 hours.

Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Gently deflate the dough and press into a 9 X 4 inch rectangle. Roll hot dog style so you have a 9 inch log. Place in prepared pan and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Allow to rise at RT for another 1-2 hours until puffy.

Preheat oven to 350 F, again (because you probably should leave it on for the 4 hours of rising!).

Uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Tent with foil and then bake for another 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly and then remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Wheat Potato Bread

I've gotten into this habit of making breads on the weekends. This is certainly not a bad habit. It's actually a great habit. My house smells of baking bread and I get to enjoy fresh from the oven, soft and chewy bread on a weekly basis. Apparently this week is extra bread-y because this is my second yeast recipe (see baguettes); I didn't actually make them in the same weekend. Just getting to posting them both now...

ANYWHO... One of my goals after starting my postdoc was to experiment with yeast a little more (outside of lab, I'm not working with yeast in lab). I would say that is a goal that I've been sticking with... it keeps me away from campus at least one day a week and experimenting in the kitchen.

I wanted to make potato bread because for some reason, completely forgotten to me now, I bought one of those boxes of instant potato flakes. I know it was for some recipe because I think instant potatoes by themselves taste like wet cardboard, but somehow they got shoved to the back of my pantry and I didn't end up making my planned dish (whatever it was). In trying to find new things to do with this box o' flakes, I came across this potato bread recipe that used either leftover mashed potatoes or instant potatoes. Obvi I went with the instant ones. I decided to sub in some whole wheat flour for some of the all purpose.

The potato bread was good and worked for sandwiches and toast, however it doesn't quite have the feel of normal sandwich bread. It is a little more dense and flaky bordering on a quick bread. But I still enjoyed it.

I can't wait to experiment more with yeast. Come along on the journey with me :)

Wheat Potato Bread (adapted from The Frugal Girl)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup mashed potatoes (rehydrated instant flakes as described on box, or leftovers)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 - 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Directions:
Combine the warm water and yeast in a bowl and let sit for a few minutes until foamy. Stir in the potatoes, sugar, oil and salt. Stir in the whole wheat flour and enough of the all purpose flour to make a sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 7-8 minutes, adding more all purpose flour as needed, until the dough is smooth.

Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel and allow to rise 1 hour. Punch down the dough and roll out into a large rectangle about 8 inch by