French Bread

YIELD: 2 LOAVES

EASY HOMEMADE FRENCH BREAD

PREP TIME 10 MINUTES

 

COOK TIME 25 MINUTES

 

ADDITIONAL TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

 

TOTAL TIME 2 HOURS 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

•  2 1/4 cups warm water
•  2 tablespoons sugar
•  1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
•  3/4 tablespoon salt (see note)
•  2 tablespoons olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil
•  5 1/2 - 6 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water sugar and yeast. If using active dry yeast, let the mixture bubble and foam before proceeding (this can take 3-5 minutes). If using instant yeast, proceed with the recipe (no need to let the yeast activate).
2. Add the salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and mix. Add in 2 1/2 to 3 more cups of flour gradually. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl and form a soft ball that doesn't leave a lot of dough residue on your fingers. Knead for 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth. If the dough starts to cling to the sides of the bowl (or the center column if using a Bosch or other mixer with a center), add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until a sturdy but soft ball of dough forms.
3. Rising Method 1: Leave the dough in the mixer, cover with a lid or towel, and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Stir it down by turning on the mixer for 10 seconds or so. Repeat the "rest and stir down" cycle five more times.
4. Rising Method 2: Instead of letting the dough rest for 10 minute spurts and then stirring it down, transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel or greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly greased surface and divide in half. Pat each section into a thick rectangle, 9X13-inches or thereabouts (doesn't have to be exact). Roll the dough up starting from the long edge, pressing out any air bubbles or seams with the heel of your hand, and pinch the edge to seal. Arrange seam side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I use separate baking sheets for each loaf).
6. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let the loaves rise until noticeably puffy and nearly doubled in size, about an hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and make sure an oven rack is in the center position. With a very sharp knife or baker's lame cut several gashes at an angle on the top of each loaf (see pictures above in the post for a visual).
8. Optional: Place the baking sheet in the hot oven and immediately toss 3-4 ice cubes on the bottom of the oven (this gives a delicious, classic, French bread crispness to the crust). Close the oven door quickly.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and baked through. Remove from the oven and slather with melted butter (optional, but delicious). Repeat with the 2nd loaf (or if you have convection setting, the loaves can bake at the same time, just rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking).

NOTES

As with all yeast doughs, I never use the flour amount called for in the recipe as a hard fast rule (unless a weight measure is given and then I pull out my kitchen scale). Because humidity, temperature, altitude and a multitude of other factors can impact how much flour you need in your yeast doughs, I always judge when to quit adding flour by the texture and look and feel of the dough rather than how much flour I’ve added compared to the recipe. This tutorial on yeast may help identify how a perfectly floured dough should be.

Also, I often use half to 3/4 finely ground white whole wheat flour with good results - and sometimes I get crazy and use 100% whole wheat flour (always finely ground white wheat) but the bread is a bit more dense with 100% whole wheat flour. If using part or all whole wheat flour, add a few minutes to the kneading time to help develop the gluten (adding a couple tablespoons of gluten flour can also help the whole wheat bread bake up light and fluffy).

The original recipe called for 1 tablespoon salt; over the years I've decreased that amount just slightly.If you don't have an electric mixer, this dough can be made by hand using a large bowl and a wooden spoon the good old-fashioned way!

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Zuppa Toscana

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat

 Course Dinner

 Prep Time 20 minutes

 Cook Time 30 minutes

 Total Time 50 minutes

 Servings 8 cups

Ingredients

·         1 lb ground Italian sausage {I use mild}

·         2 cups chicken broth

·         1 quart {4 cups} water

·         2 large russet potatoes sliced into fourths, lengthwise, and then in 1/4 inch slices

·         1 medium white onion chopped

·         2 garlic cloves minced

·         Salt and pepper to taste

·         1/2 cup bacon bits {about 5-6 slices of cooked bacon}

·         2 cups fresh kale

·         1 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1.       Brown sausage in a large skillet on medium heat. Strain and rinse fat. {You don't HAVE to rinse your sausage, but you'll get a greasy orange film if you don't. There's a little more flavor to it though, so it's your preference.}

2.       Combine chicken broth and water in a large pot and stir. Add the sausage, potatoes, onion, and garlic. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

3.       Add bacon, salt, and pepper and let simmer on medium-low for another ten minutes.

4.       Turn to low heat and add kale and cream. Heat through completely and serve.

Clam Chowder

MARKET STREET GRILL CLAM CHOWDER

2 cups potatoes, diced (normally it calls for 1 cup, but we like it with lots of potatoes)
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup leeks, diced
3⁄4 cup clams, chopped (use FRESH clams and steam them yourself. DO NOT use canned clams, yuck.)
3⁄4 tablespoon FRESH ground black pepper
1 1⁄2 tablespoon salt (use KOSHER salt, not table salt)
3⁄4 tablespoon whole thyme
6 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Tabasco
3⁄4 cup sherry (we used chicken broth instead)
2 cups water
3⁄4 cup clam juice
3⁄4 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
2 quarts half and half

Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container.
Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
In a large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half and half.
Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked.
Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick.
Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough.
Remove chowder from heat.
Stir in half and half until blended.
Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally.
Serve immediately.

Italian Vegetable Soup

Italian Vegetable Soup

1 pound ground beef

1 cup diced onion

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup sliced carrots

2 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz canned tomatoes

15 oz canned tomato sauce

15 oz canned red kidney beans, undrained

2 cups water

5 tsp beef bouillon granules

1 tbl dried parsley flakes

1 tsp salt

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp sweet basil

¼ tsp black pepper

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup frozen or fresh green beans, (cut in 1 inch pieces)

½ cup small elbow macaroni

Parmesan cheese

Brown beef in large heavy kettle; drain.  Add all the ingredients except cabbage, green beans and macaroni.  Bring to boil.  Lower heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes.  Add cabbage, green beans and macaroni; bring to boil and simmer until vegetables are tender.  If you prefer a thinner soup, add additional water or broth.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese before serving.

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding Recipe

8 cups milk (I used half soy milk, and half fat free cow's)
1 cup long grain white rice
1 cup sugar

then:
1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart slow cooker. Spray the stoneware insert with cooking spray, then combine the milk, rice, and sugar. Stir well and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or high for about 4. It took longer than I expected for my rice to become bite-tender---I did low for 3 hours, then high for another 2.

When the rice is tender, mix in a large mixing bowl, the eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Scoop a 1/2 cup of the hot rice mixture into the mixing bowl and whisk. Keep adding 1/2 cup at a time of the rice and milk mixture into the egg bowl until about half of the milk and rice mixture is gone from the slow cooker. Then pour everything back into the pot. Stir well. This is called "tempering your eggs"---you have to do this step, or your eggs will scramble on you when you add them to the crock.

Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Stir well, then take the lid off of the cooker and unplug it. When the rice pudding is room temperature, you can refrigerate it. Some people like their pudding hot or warm, and some prefer it chilled----it's completely up to you.

Pasta Salad

PASTA SALAD

Ingredients

• 2 cups pasta, cooked according to package directions
• 1/4 cup low-fat vinaigrette dressing or Italian dressing
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, according to size
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1.     Place Wacky Mac in large serving bowl. Add dressing and toss gently but well. Add blue cheese, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Toss again. Set aside 5 minutes for flavors to blend.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Taco Seasoning-Homemade

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper (replace with cayenne pepper if you like things spicy)
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

SWEET AND SMOKY

• Replace paprika with smoked paprika, 1/3 of the chili powder with chipotle chili powder, and add 1 teaspoon brown sugar per 1 pound meat when you add the seasoning mix.

CHILI-LIME

• Add 1/4 cup True Lime granules.