NuM NuM

If you are like moi and always on the lookout for a tried-and-true cornbread recipe, well look no further because this one's got it all. It's perfectly sweet with a crumbly texture and stays nice and moist during baking. I have one more cornbread recipe in my files, so I'll have to do a taste comparison,- but I'll definitely be returning to this one again and again.

Since it was just Lobster and I eating the cornbread, I made a smaller amount then the recipe called for. I discovered an amazing website that converts any recipe to fit whatever baking dish you have in your kitchen - which will help reduce having to buy a bajillion different pan sizes. You simply figure out the volume of the pan you are using and divide it by the volume of the pan in the original recipe. Multiply that number with the measurement for each ingredient in the original recipe and voila: your recipe is scaled down for you. It may sound a bit daunting, but seriously, math and I have never gotten along, but this is the type of math even I can do.

Here's an example with the pan I used for this recipe. The original recipe called for an 8-inch square pan which is equal to 8 cups in volume. The pan I used was a 1.2 qt baking dish which is equal to 5.76 volume. So you take 5.76 and divide it by 8 which equals .72. Now all you have to do is multiply each ingredient by .72 and you have your new converted amount. In hindsight, I could've just cut the recipe in half and made cornbread muffins, but then how would you have learned this cool new trick :D Apply this method to any recipe you'd like to convert and you'll be excited to do math again. Good luck!

Cornbread

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen

To convert a recipe click here and here

½ cup cornmeal

1 ½ cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk

Add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny – don’t be alarmed!). Bake in an 8” square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. This doubles perfectly for a 9X13-inch pan.

Honey Butter:
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

Whip all together with an electric mixer and serve at room temperature (can be refrigerated and softened).

Recipe Source: Nate and Kylie

Note: I did not try the honey butter but read great reviews about it.

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 egg
1 1/2 cup raspberries or cranberries
3/4 cups pecans, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup demerera sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 (or 10) x 5 loaf pan (or 2 smaller loaf pans).

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in the bowl of your stand mixer. Turn on medium and add shortening until combined. Add orange juice, orange zest, and egg. Mix until well-blended. Stir in berries and nuts. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Spread demerera sugar evenly over the top.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Mini loaves should take 35-40 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly with plastic wrap or foil to keep it moist.

1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbs canola oil
3 tbs Chobani Greek fat free plain yogurt
1/2 large egg
olive oil for cooking*

In a large bowl, stir together the water, yeast and sugar and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.

Stir in the flour, salt, oil, yogurt and egg and stir, then knead until you have a soft, pliable dough. Cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled in size; about an hour.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and on a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a thin circle or oval about 1/8" thick.

Cook each naan in a nice hot skillet drizzled with oil (just a teeny tiny bit–you’re not frying it) (I used PAM spray) until blistered and cooked, flipping as necessary. (When the surface has big blisters and is golden on the bottom, flip it over and cook until golden on the other side.

I love it when you make something and you instantly know you have a "tried and true" recipe that will end your search for all others to come. This my friends, is that recipe! I knew it had potential when I saw the title "Prize Winning Banana Bread" - and that it was! I took my first bite and said, "mmm...it's good." Then after my brain actually registered what I was eating, I squealed with joy, "ooooh, that's really good!" I gave a piece to Lobster and he reaffirmed my thoughts. Since I made the bread for Lobster's grandpa, I of course had to try a piece for quality control purposes :)

This is an excellent recipe and produces a wonderfully moist bread. As an added bonus, the divine smell that exudes from the oven isn't too shabby either. I've been disappointed with other recipes in the past, but this is definitely a winner! I realize the Internet is already flooded with hundreds of banana bread recipes, but I felt this was worthy enough to share since I'm certain you'll go bananas over this banana bread - no pun intended :P


Prize Winning Banana Bread
Recipe from Group Recipes
Makes one loaf

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (I use 3 medium well-ripened bananas)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

How to make it:
• Mix together butter, oil, sugars and eggs.
• Add mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla, stirring together well.
• Mix in flour, baking soda and salt, stirring until it is well blended.
• Pour into 1 greased large loaf pan or 2 smaller loaf pans (I cut the recipe in half and cooked it in a smaller loaf pan)
• Sprinkle additional brown sugar generously over top of batter, using your hand to gently pat some of it into the batter, which is purely optional!
• Bake at 325 degrees: large loaf pan for about 1 hour, smaller loaves for about 40-45 minutes.
• Allow bread to cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges, tap the pan on the counter several times to release the bread from the bottom of the pan, then invert pan over a wire rack and let the bread fall onto the rack to finish cooling completely.

Variations and Suggestions: Add any of the following – miniature chocolate chips, toffee bits, shredded coconut, chopped pecans or macadamia nuts.
• Try toasting your banana bread – spread hot toasted bread with butter and even add a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar and some slices of banana, or top with a combination of honey and peanut butter, or spread hot toasted bread with some Nutella…the possibilities are endless!
• Use slices of banana bread to make your French toast. Just dust the finished product with some powdered sugar, or a little powdered sugar glaze, or spread on some Nutella, and maple syrup is good on it, too…you’ve gotta try it!

The other day I went to Togo's and had a Turkey & Avocado sandwich. For how simple the ingredients are, the sandwich is always so tasty. I took the inspiration from that sdammie and made my own version - but extra special with homemade bread. Today I give you a recipe for no-knead ciabbatta you can easily make in the comfort of your own home. Let me tell you, this bread rocks! A light and airy open crumb with a perfectly crisp crust. Crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.

We celebrated my mom's birthday again and I served this with dinner. I was eager to try the bread so I made sandwiches for Lobster and I for lunch. The bread was the perfect vessel for the sammie and held up nicely against the numerous layers of filling I'd built. Apparently I was trying to stick everything but the kitchen sink into the sandwich.

My only complaint is I'd wish the bread had more flavor. Oh well - I guess that's what butter's for. Nonetheless an entire loaf was nearly consumed by the end of dinner. For my next attempt I'll have to focus more on the actual shaping of the dough. As you can tell they weren't the prettiest thing to look at. Overall I'd say the ciabatta was a success. I was feeling pretty proud of myself until my mom walked in the kitchen and said, "what's this ugly looking bread?" Thanks mom.


Jim Lahey No-Knead Ciabatta
Adapted from Jim Lahey
Makes 2 large loaves

* 4 cups of bread flour
* 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast or active dry yeast
* 1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
* 2 cups of warm water (think warm bath water)

1. The night before, mix the flour, yeast and salt. Slowly add the water as you bring the dough together with either your hand or a spatula. The dough will seem too wet, then seem too dry. It should end as a fairly shaggy and wet dough.
2. Cover the dough with a clean cotton cloth or a piece of plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm room for 12-18 hours (I let mine rise for 16 hours)
3. When you check the dough the next day after the allotted time has passed, it should be a bubbly wet dough.
4. Gently slide the dough out onto a silpat lined cookie sheet floured and dusted with cormeal. Split the dough into two and shape the dough into the desired shape of Ciabatta, which is a long slipper like shape. Cover the dough and let rise another 1-2 hours. It will roughly double in size.
5. Before the dough is done rising, preheat the oven to 425F. Put rack in middle of oven and another rack just below that one. Meanwhile put a large kettle of water to a boil. Put a shallow baking pan on rack below the middle rack.
6. Remove towel and sprinkle some flour on top of the dough. Open the oven door and throw some ice cubes into the bottom of oven to create a steam bath. Next pour boiling water into the pan then add bread baking sheet into middle rack and quickly close the door.
7. Cook the bread for about 35 minutes or until nicely colored, when bread is ready it will sound hollow to a gentle knock and register 201F. Let bread cook on a wire rack for one hour.

**UPDATE: The trick to shaping a ciabatta is to use lots of dough when flouring the board to shape the ciabattas on and then using lots of flour when shaping as well. I did not use a lot of flour and therefore got an ugly dough.

I have been making this Pumpkin Bread for years and it is always a hit! Since the biggest eating holiday of the year is coming up, this would make a great addition to your table. I like to serve it when guests first arrive so they have something to munch on before the main event. What better way to begin a day full of eating then with a perfectly moist slice of pumpkin bread. Don't forget it's healthy too - good for the heart and tummy :)


Pumpkin Bread
Recipe from Cooking Light
2 loaves
1 slice = 198 calories

Ingredients

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 15 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

These garlic knots were the perfect accompaniment to the lasagna I made the other night. Warm and fresh out of the oven, soft in the middle, every bite is full of garlicky goodness. If you thought the garlic bread at Olive Garden was good, these will knock your socks off! They were surprisingly easy to make and highly addicting.


Buttery Garlic Knots
Recipe adapted from Repressed Pastry Chef & King Arthur Flour blog & here
Makes 16 knots

Dough
3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup milk (I used 2% milk)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast (Rapid Rise Highly Active Yeast)
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water (warm up water for 8 seconds in microwave)

For the filling/topping...
4 large cloves garlic
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Pizza Seasoning or Italian seasoning, to sprinkle on top of the knots

INSTRUCTIONS
To make dough—
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the dry ingredients together then add the olive oil, milk and water. Using the paddle attachment or dough hook, mix and knead to form a smooth, elastic dough, adding additional water or flour (I added about 10 more tbs of flour) as needed. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow it to rise for about 1 hour, until it’s doubled in bulk. (I heated a cup of water for 45 seconds in the microwave then put my bowl with the dough inside and closed the door to speed up the process. It doubled its size within 40 minutes)

In a small skillet, melt 2 T butter with 2 T extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the sea salt and mix well. Divide the butter mixture into two bowls. Add rosemary to one of the bowls and use it as the "filling" to glaze over the dough before you knot them. Use the other butter bowl as the glaze when the knots are done baking. Remember to scoop from the bottom of the bowl so the garlic pieces are on top of the knots along with the butter. Finish with a sprinkling of pizza seasoning.

Shape the dough into a rectangle 16" long and 8" wide and flatten dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Divide the dough into 3/4 to 1 inch intervals using a pizza cutter or sharp knife and then divide dough evenly in half vertically. Take each piece and taking the palm of your hand flatten dough to about a 1/4 inch in thickness and spread rosemary butter over dough. Fold dough in half lengthwise and press edges together (taking top part and folding it over bottom half like you would a sheet of paper) then roll into a rope about 10 inches long like this website. If dough is sticking to board or is too wet then add a sprinkling of more flour so it will be easier to work with. Tie each rope into a knot, tucking the loose ends into the center. Place the knots on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and let rise for 45 minutes to about an hour, until very puffy looking. (After tying the dough into knots I put them in the fridge over night. An hour before I was ready to serve I removed them from the fridge so they could come to room temperature and then put them in the oven. They did not puff up but stayed the same size)

Before the end of the last rise, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the knots for about 14-18 minutes, until golden. You do not want them to get too crisp since they should stay soft in the middle. Remove from oven and brush with remaining garlic butter mixture and sprinkle tops with pizza seasoning. Serve rest of sauce as dip.

I guess I'm a little late jumping on the No-Knead Bread band wagon, but better late then never I say. I've always been a bit intimated working with dough, but after making this loaf, I can't wait to make my next one - bring it on!!

I'm pretty selective when it comes to bread - often times I'll remember restaurants based on the bread they serve. I was hoping the recipe would produce an airy-like ciabatta, but the end result was a lot more dense. However, the texture and flavor were spot on so I didn't mind it's denseness. Don't know if that's a word, but I'm new to this country :) The crust had a nice crunch to it and the flavor was similar to a sourdough - it really did taste like something you'd get from the market. While the bread was baking, it perfumed the house with smells you would only get from a bakery. I equate the smell to the sensation you feel when walking into a Subway sandwich shop - I guess that's a bit ghetto - so just imagine the smell of fresh bread exuding from a cute french bakery. If you've never attempted to make your own bread from scratch, I highly recommend it. It's not as intimidating as you'd imagine and if I can do it, yoooou can dooooo it!


Cooks Illustrated Almost No-Knead Bread
Adapted from the recipe originally published in the January 2008 issue of Cooks Illustrated

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (15 ounces)**, plus additional for dusting work surface
1/4 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water (7 ounces), at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mild-flavored lager (3 ounces) (I used Heineken)
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Add water, beer, and vinegar. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours.

Lay 12- by 18-inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. (I thought kneading it would make it more dense so after removing it from the skillet, I proceeded with the next step) Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours. (Mine took one hour)

About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lower third part of oven, place 6- to 8-quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. (I removed mine at 207 because the top was browning too much) Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, 2 hours.

**I actually weighed my flour on a scale

*I changed the recipe a bit. I put my dough in the fridge after eight hours. By then it had risen pretty well and there was little holes across the top. I then left it in the fridge for another 36 hours and cooked it the following day. I read this develops the flavors of the bread more and mine was very tasty. For the second rise, I gently removed the bread from the bowl and shaped it into a ball. I read if you punch down the dough or knead it too much it will produce a dense bread. I guess it really didn't matter since my bread came out dense anyway. I then only let the bread rise for an additional hour instead of the two stated in the recipe b/c after I gave my dough the finger :) the impressions stayed for a few seconds so I knew it was ready. Happy baking!

Did you know it's officially zucchini season? I've noticed the super markets are overwhelmed with them lately since I practically ran into the bin and one of the little guys nearly jumped into my cart. Soooooo...when life gives you zucchini - make some zucchini bread. I've been making this one for years and it's a fool proof recipe for a moist bread with the perfect amount of sweetness. Every time I serve this it always receives high reviews and no one can tell it's a "healthy" version - I guess till now. Give this one a try if you're tryin' to figure out what to do with all those leftover zucchs.


Zucchini Bread
2 loaves, 28 servings
1 serving = 131 calories
Recipe from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place zucchini on several layers of paper towels, and cover with additional paper towel. Let stand 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Set aside.
3. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through baking powder) in a large bowl, and stir well; make a well in center of mixture. Combine zucchini, applesauce, egg substitute, oil, and vanilla; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide batter evenly between 2 (71/2 x 3-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.

This is one of my all-time FAVORITE chocolate desserts. It's so simple to make and not that bad for you - unless you eat it with three scoops of vanilla ice cream like me.

It's so nice having your own individual serving of dessert - that way you don't have to share :) This recipe makes two serving and is only 319 calories each. Soooo good and decadent, you'll make this dessert over and over again. Nummmmm!


Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding
Adapted from here

Try not to chop the chocolate too finely so you'll have good-sized chunks to bite into. Hawaiian bread pudding is a soft, sweet bread found in the bakery section of most grocery stores. Leftovers are good for ham and Swiss sandwiches.

1 3/4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed Hawaiian sweet bread
2/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon Kahlúa (coffee-flavored liqueur), optional
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 350°.
Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until toasted. Remove bread from oven; decrease oven temperature to 325°.
Combine milk and next 5 ingredients (milk through egg) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add bread, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Divide half of bread mixture evenly between 2 (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray;sprinkle evenly with half of chocolate. Divide remaining bread mixture between ramekins; top with remaining chocolate.
Place ramekins in an 8-inch square baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325° for 35 minutes or until set. Serve each pudding warm with 1 tablespoon whipped topping.

**I eat this with vanilla ice cream

Using the higher amount of sugar will produce a moister and, of course, sweeter bread.
Adapted from Beard on Bread by James Beard.