The Christmas Morning Table - A Trio of Sweet Rolls!

Before the troops arrive! 

Well, it's hard to believe, but the calendar informs me that this will be my final blog prior to Christmas!! I'm sure you're all as busy as I am preparing for the holiday -- the final few gift purchases, the never-ending wrapping, the little exchanges with friends and co-workers, perhaps the ringing of the Salvation Army bells, the prepping for the traditional meals, etc., etc. Dave and I usually host Christmas eve and Christmas morning meals. Both are very simple - Christmas eve always consists of a spiral-sliced ham with homemade sandwich buns, twice-baked potatoes and strawberry pretzel salad. Christmas morning is even simpler - Fresh fruit, a trio of warm rolls, hot coffee and juice. Everyone

Eat and Open! 

comes through the door in pajamas and we NEVER sit around the table, as the kids (read "my 30-something-year-olds and younger!") are all very anxious to begin the celebration. We munch throughout our time together (see the plate of rolls and fruit beside my grand-girl!) and all too soon the kids are dispersed to their "other families". 

One thing we are sure to do prior to the devouring of the food, the fun and the fellowship is to remember the Author of this grand celebration - The Giver of The Best Gift. I believe this little quote would be a wonderful introduction to any Christmas day....

 “And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans--and all that lives and move upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused----

And to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins, He came down to earth and gave us Himself.” 

― Sigrid Undset

As you reflect on this wonderful season and make your final preparations to celebrate ,

 I wish you peace and much joy! 

I've included my sweet roll ideas for the "basic recipe" (See "My Life as a Loaf" blog entry for dough recipe). Each of them is very simple, can be prepared the night before and popped in the frig overnight, so all you have to do Christmas morning is bake and enjoy!!

  - To make rolls that will perfectly fit in a 9” round pan, make 2 adjustments  to the recipe: Use 1 cup of water and about 2 ½ cups of unbleached flour. 

 -  Also, to have freshly-baked rolls in the morning without having to get up at dawn , mix up your dough the night before and let rise. Follow the shaping instructions. Spray the top of your rolls lightly with cooking spray and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Place in the frig overnight to rise. In the morning, while you’re preheating your oven, remove the rolls from the frig and uncover. Bake and frost as directed. ENJOY!!!

Cinnamon Rolls - After the first rise, punch the dough down and roll out into a large rectangle. Spread approximately 1-2 Tablespoons of softened butter on the dough. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Roll up dough and slice into 12-14 rolls. Place in greased 9” cake pan or a 7x10” rectangular pan. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for approximately 20-30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack. Ice with a simple confectioner’s sugar icing (a combination of about 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1-2 Tbsp. milk & 1 Tbsp softened butter. (if you like maple rolls, substitute maple flavoring/extract for the vanilla in the frosting – folks love it!)

Orange Rolls – (or “Orange/Cranberry”) – While dough is initially rising, mix ¼ cup sugar with 1 tsp. fresh grated orange peel. After the first rise, punch the dough down and roll out into a large rectangle. Spread approximately 1-2 Tablespoons of softened butter on the dough. Spread the orange/sugar mixture over the butter. At this point, you may add about ¼-1/2 cup of chopped fresh or dried cranberries, if you’re going for the o-c rolls. Roll up dough and slice into 12-14 rolls. Place in greased 9” cake pan or a 7x10” rectangular pan. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for approximately 20-30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. For frosting, mix ¾ Cup confectioner sugar with 1-2 Tbsp. orange juice. Drizzle over cooled rolls.

“Sticky Rolls” – Follow cinnamon roll instructions for the dough. Grease a 9” cake pan  or a 7x10” rectangular pan. In a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup melted butter and 1 Tbsp. corn syrup. Stir in ¼ cup packed brown sugar. Stir until butter no longer separates from the brown sugar. Pour into prepared pan. Top with approximately ½-3/4 Cup chopped pecans, if desired. Cut cinnamon roll “log” into rolls and place in pan. Cover and let rise. Bake at 375 for approximately 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Remove from oven. Immediately top with a serving plate and carefully turn upside down. Remove pan and let cool.

The Christmas Morning Table - A Trio of Sweet Rolls!

Finnish Sweet Bread - "Pulla"

Jonathan with his precious wife, Megan

Tomorrow is my son's 31st birthday! Those "December

birthdays" often get swept into the tide of Christmas .....they can come and go with an "OH NO!! I totally (or at least almost)  forgot!" We have a few of them in our family - My son, my dad, my aunt and several good friends. So much celebration.....so little time! With that in mind, our solution is to turn an everyday event into a mini-party....Lunch after church, a Sunday evening visit or a weeknight dinner become times to honor and revel in the life of these special people. At our house, though the birthday celebration may be simple, one thing CANNOT be omitted ....you're thinking I'm going to say "homemade bread", right? Nope!! It's a cake from our local Dutch Haus restaurant. LOL! This is a "husband thing", though we all really do enjoy their cake. So today I'll order the cake and tomorrow we'll celebrate! Cake and family and friends - sounds like a party to me! And Jonathan would say, "Don't forget the presents!" 

Here's a recipe that will help make a meal a celebration! This sweet bread is lightly sweet, with a very tender crumb. And it's oh, so pretty! ENJOY!! 

Pulla – Finnish Sweet Bread!

Dough:

¼ Cup warm water

1 Tbsp/packet Red Star Platinum Yeast

¾ Cup milk, warmed

1/3 Cup sugar

½ Tbsp. cardamom

½ tsp. salt

1/3 Cup butter, softened

3 ½ - 4 Cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

Filling:

¼ Cup brown sugar

¼ Cup almond meal

½ tsp. cinnamon

Additional:

1 Tbsp. buttermilk (or milk) for brushing before baking

Coarse sugar

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled. Mix the filling ingrdients together and set aside.

When the dough is risen, place on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a large rectangle.  Preheat the oven to 375. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Roll up, cinnamon-roll-style, starting at a long edge. You will have a long log…..and now you’re going to have to work quickly and carefully……Cut the log in half length-wise, leaving an inch uncut. Carefully lift one strand over the other, in a sense “braiding” the bread, until you’ve reached the end. Join the ends to create a circle and press together to seal. . Quickly transfer the round loaf to a greased pan - I used a 12” round pizza pan. Brush with a little buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Cool.

                    Visit http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/ for more delicious breads 

Finnish Sweet Bread - "Pulla"

Chili Cornmeal Crescents!

My brother is coming in from Maryland for our mini-Christmas celebration on Monday. It used to be that we would have a huge "to-do".....fancy table settings, favors, gourmet meal, everyone would be all "dressed up", etc. Things "ain't what they used to be"!! Now we all opt for a casual, easy-going gathering......Goodbye, baked ham, potato casseroles and gelatin salads....Hello, sandwiches, green leafy salads and lots of desserts! Of course, the one constant is good conversation, spiced with lots of memories and laughter - the most important ingredients in a wonderful meal! 

Though I won't fuss much, I do like to serve homemade rolls for the sandwiches. I've served these crescents before as sandwich buns, they'll probably make a re-appearance on Monday's table - they offer just a little twist on the ordinary! They would make a wonderful table roll, too. 

Chili Cornmeal Crescents

1 pkg/Tbsp. Red Star Platinum yeast

¾ Cup, plus 2 Tbsp. warm water

¾ Cup cornmeal

6 Tbsp. sugar

1 small egg

1 ½ tsp. chili powder

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

2- 2 ½  Cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, adding additional flour as necessary,until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Remove dough from bucket. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12” circle. Cut the circle in 12 equal-sized wedges. Roll-up wedges from the wide end. Place on a lightly-greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned. 

Adapted from a Taste of Home recipe

Chili Cornmeal Crescents!

Lemon Coconut Sweet Buns!

It's here! In our house, we count any days after Thanksgiving as "The Christmas Season!"  It's my tradition to decorate the house on the day after Thanksgiving (I'm obviously not a "Black Friday" shopper - lol!) . My hubby manages to make his escape, whether to work or SOMEWHERE else, though he helps with the tree in the evening. I don't mind being alone for the day.....there's something sort-of sacred about spending those few hours decking the halls and contemplating all the blessings of the season while listening to Christmas carols. My rule is that all decorating can be done in a few hours - I want to enjoy every minute....not just look forward to it being DONE. That rule usually allows me enough time to bake up something special, because in the evening, we have the fam over. The grandkids help decorate the tree while the adults sip on warm cider, enjoying good conversation, laughing at the kids and half-watching a Christmas movie.

These lemon-coconut buns have received rave reviews in the past, so they might be my "treat" for this year's decorating event. I'll make the dough before my decorating begins - let it rise while I'm busy; then I'll shape it and let it rise while I'm tidying up the Christmas decor mayhem. We'll all enjoy them warm from the oven that way!

Lemon Coconut Buns 

Dough:

1 Tbsp/pkg. Red Star Platinum Yeast

¼ cup warm water

2 ¼ Cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/3 Cup milk, warmed

3 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. butter, cut in pieces

1 egg

Filling:

3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

¼ Cup sugar

¼ Cup coconut

1 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. lemon juice

Glaze:

½ Cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. butter, softened

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated, adding a small amount of additional flour if dough is too sticky. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled. While dough is rising, stir filling ingredients together.

Roll dough into a rectangle, at least 14”x 10”. Spread filling ingredients evenly over the dough. Roll up, cinnamon-roll style, starting with long edge. Cut log into 10-12 rolls. Place in a greased 8 or 9” round pan. Let rise until dough reaches top of pan. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes, until golden. Remove from pan to cool.  Combine glaze ingredients. Brush with glaze while warm.

Visit http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/ for more delicious breads 

Lemon Coconut Sweet Buns!

Onion Buns!

Well, it's almost here......the true start of the holidays (even though the media tells us it all started before Halloween!)  My family is buzzing about who's bringing what to our Thanksgiving feast next week. There's always the "givens" - Grandma Jo and her green bean casserole (Short story here: one year as she was going up the steps to our door, Grandma missed a step and dropped the beans in a bush. After rescuing Grandma, my son quickly proceeded to the bush, fork in hand,  to rescue the beans that were dripping through the bush!); Kate and Chris bring the mashed taties; Megan bakes up a mean corn casserole; Hope brings an AMAZING dessert from the pastry shop she works at; Dave and I have our annual "Battle of the Turkeys" - I do a turkey in the oven and he does one on the grill, then everyone votes whose is best (Dave's turkey always wins!) . Of course, I'm up early enough to get rolls baked before the turkey goes in....and those rolls HAVE to be oatmeal rolls (see the recipe on this blog). However, I was at card club this week, where we always have dinner together and I always bring the bread.  I took these onion buns and the girls loved them - one friend (who adores the "Every Thanksgiving's Oatmeal Rolls) commented that she liked these as well as, or better than, the oatmeal rolls! High praise there! It would be heresy for me to change things up at our Thanksgiving table, but if you're looking for a tasty roll recipe for YOUR table, here's a good, simple one! 

Before I give you the recipe, I want to leave you with a little "thankful" prayer/song I wrote many years ago as I was contemplating my blessings: 

Thank You, Lord, for the harvest - Thank You, Lord, for the feast 

For Your love that has no measure, For Your joy that does not cease, 

For Your mercy that is boundless, For Your grace that has no end,

For the privilege and treasure of calling You our Friend! 

May your heart be filled with thanksgiving as you plan, and enjoy, your celebration! 

Onion Buns

  ½  Cup boiling water

1 envelope (1oz. pkg)  onion soup mix

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Cup warm water

1 Tbsp/packet Red Star Platinum Yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

3 ½ - 4 Cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix first three ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk to dissolve soup mix and melt butter. Let cool til warm.

Place the 1 cup of warm water and  the yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients, including the cooled onion soup mixture. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal pieces. Place in a greased 7x12” rectangular pan. Cover and let rise until they have “filled” the pan (or close to it). Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Brush tops lightly with butter. ENJOY!! 

Onion Buns!

Salted Chocolate Challah!

I was just over at my older daughter's house....we were "Christmas chatting", discussing the fun we were going to have making Christmas presents. Last year, we got together and made amazing little jars of cranberry & orange jam. Kate made some beautiful shortbread to go with the jam. This year, I've already come across several different jelly recipes that we're going to consider. And Kate wants the jelly to be accompanied by some crusty fresh bread. Sounds like an excellent plan to her bread-baking mama! 

Today's recipe would make a DELICIOUS and lovely present for anyone on a gift list - and you wouldn't need to make any jam or jelly to go with it! Just include some wonderful, creamy butter. But who needs to wait until Christmas?  I took it in to work, where it received "ooohh's & ahhhh's" from my chief bread critic there. Make someone happy soon - that includes YOU! Bake this bread!

Salted Chocolate Challah

Dough:

1 tbsp/packet Red Star Platinum Yeast

2/3 Cup warm water

1/3 Cup olive oil

¼ Cup honey

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp. salt

4 Cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

Additional:

1 Cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 egg, beaten with 2 tsp. water

Coarse sea salt, or other coarse salt

Place yeast in EZ DOH bucket. Add warm water and stir. Let sit for 1-2 minutes to activate. Add 1 cup of flour, then remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips . EZ DOH-it until dough is smooth and elastic, adding additional unbleached flour if necessary. Remove dough from bucket and “smooth”. Spray bucket lightly with cooking spray, replace dough in bucket and cover. Let rise until doubled.

Working on a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half. Roll one half into a long, thin rectangle and sprinkle with half of the chocolate chips. Roll the dough up tightly , lengthwise. Carefully stretch and roll the rope as far as possible (I try to get them beyond 20”) . Cut the long rope in half. Repeat with second piece of dough. You will have 4 ropes. Before forming the challah, gently stretch and roll each rope out, getting each one as long as possible. They should be of equal lengths. Now take the ropes and form the round challah. (lots of pics are available online – I used creativejewishmom’s instructions ) . Once the challah is formed, place it gently in a round 10” baking pan that has been greased or sprayed with baking spray ,or place it on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. (* see notes) Brush with beaten egg and let rise an hour. Preheat oven to 375. Brush the challah with additional egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake for 35- 40 minutes, until very brown. You may tent it with foil the last 10-15 minutes of baking to prevent over-darkening. Enjoy!!

*Note 1: At this point, I covered my creation with plastic wrap and let it do an overnight rise in the frig. I took it out of the frig 1 hour before baking, brushed it with the beaten egg, let it rise for one hour, brushed it again with the beaten egg and sprinkled with the sea salt.

Note 2: If you are placing your challah on a baking sheet, it may not hold its form quite as nicely as in a pan 

Recipe adapted from purple house café : http://purplehousecafe.com/
Visit http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/ for more delicious breads 

Salted Chocolate Challah!

Dave's Favorite Cheddar Onion Rolls!

With snowflakes dotting the chilly breezes, no one wants to be outside for too long anymore. We just "closed up" our deck last week - Boo hoo! Goodbye, picnic table, benches, flower stands, and much miscellaneous until 2015! It's time now to move the entertaining indoors, so as soon as we got things packed up outside, we invited friends inside. Last Sunday, we had a grand time with four other couples for an at-home "Dinner and a Movie". It was a pot luck with styrofoam plates and paper napkins .... Dave and I have resolved that it's not always the place settings, the elaborate

menus, the tablecloths, etc., that makes a table beautiful, but it's the people around the table that make it special. And special it was. No one went home hungry - such great food! And everyone went home inspired - such a great movie! 

I served these cheddar onion knots as sandwich buns that night, though they also make terrific dinner rolls too. This is one of  Dave's all-time favorite recipes. When EZ DOH first came out, this recipe was included as a package insert. It also won blue ribbons at two different county fairs. I promise - THEY'RE TASTY!!! 

Cheddar Onion Knots

½ Cup warm water

1 Tbsp/packet Red Star Platinum Yeast

½ Cup milk, warmed

1 ½ sugar

1 Tbsp. butter, softened

½ tsp. dried onion

1 tsp. salt

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 ½ Cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough by patting or pulling sides gently under into a ball shape and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Remove dough from bucket. Punch down and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a short rope – 8-12” long. “Tie” each rope, making a knot (In the pic, I’ve tucked the ends of the knot under the roll. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Let rise 10-20 minutes. Before placing in oven, beat one eg with a small amount of water and brush the knots with the mixture. Sprinkle with additional cheddar cheese or seeds. Bake at 375 for about 17 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy!! 

Visit: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/  for more delicious breads! 

Dave's Favorite Cheddar Onion Rolls!

Colorful Pizza Bread!

Well, October is almost over! However, I just learned a very important thing about October......It is "World Hunger Action Month". Though the month is just about over, that doesn't mean we can't still help make a difference in people's lives across the globe, because hunger doesn't know what month it is.....it just IS! For those friends who don't know, EZ DOH donates a portion of every purchase to “Please Pass the Bread”,  a world-wide feeding ministry of the World Challenge organization. Since its inception in 2009, PPtB has established 60 feeding sites in 8 countries, serving meals to more than 6,000 impoverished children. Our friends at Red Star Yeast are also working to end hunger by donating a portion of their proceeds to StopHungerNow.org. So by buying from either one of these businesses, you're also taking part in helping to put food in hungry tummies! 

Here's a DELISH recipe to bake for your family...or share with someone. Remember what a blessing it is to be able to share the abundance of our many gifts!! 

      Colorful Pizza Bread      

1 Tbsp/packet Red Star Platinum Yeast

1 ½ Cups warm water

3 1/3 +  unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

1 ½ Tbsp. sugar

2 Cups total pizza toppings (Dice all ingredients- Ingredient suggestions: pepperoni, black olives, red pepper, garlic, green pepper; mushrooms; green onions; sun-dried tomatoes; the list goes on…..)

½ Cup parmesan cheese

2 Cups shredded mozzarella

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients, except mozzarella cheese . EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Preheat oven to 425. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 10x 16” rectangle. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Roll the dough, starting with a long side, cinnamon-roll style, tightly. Seal the edge and fold the ends under the loaf. The loaf can be baked on a greased baking sheet or a “farmer’s pan” (EZ DOH carries these slightly larger loaf pans – I love the shape!). Let the loaf rise for 30 minutes, then bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden. (Keep an eye on the loaf while baking - You may want to “tent” the loaf about half-way through baking with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning) Brush the top of the loaf with butter or olive oil when it is removed from the oven.  
Visit: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/  for more delicious breads! 

Colorful Pizza Bread!

Yeasted Pumpkin Raisin Spice Bread!

For those who remember- the famous comic book beagle, Snoopy, once set out to write a novel. It began, "It was a dark and stormy night"....I'm not sure he ever got any further than that! As I sat down to write today, I was reminded of those "famous" words as I was thinking back to our family's hayride last weekend. Except, "It was a dark and stormy MORNING"! Our Plan A was to catch the first early wagon out to the pumpkin fields so our sons could get back to work ASAP. However, the weather definitely was not inviting - storm clouds hung overhead and there was a damp chill in the air. The texts flew between households as we debated whether to take the small kids out in the weather. We ended up giving it the go-ahead, as our daughter/son-in-law were in from Columbus and we could truly make it a family affair. The clouds actually broke as we loaded on to the wagon. The tractor pulled out into the fields and began to drive off to the patch.....and the rain began to fall! We laughed as we gathered the kids under the one umbrella we had thought to bring (pitiful, huh?!). When the tractor halted in the muddy patch, we hurried the kids to find their favorite pumpkins and rushed them back under the umbrellas. Once we returned to the farm market, the sun agreed to briefly shine, during which time we tailgated with donuts and fresh cider. When the rain began again, we loaded kids and pumpkins into the car and scurried home. That night we gathered for bowls of warm soup, fresh bread and pumpkin-carving fun.    

                              

This easy-to-make yeasted pumpkin bread tastes of all the fun, sweetness and spice of the fall season. Beware, though......It's hard to stop eating it!!! Soooooooo good! 

Pumpkin Raisin Bread 

          Dough:

           ¼ Cup warm water

1 packet/Tbsp. Red Star Platinum Yeast

   ¾ Cup milk, warmed to the touch

1 Cup canned pumpkin

¼ Cup honey

½ Cup raisins

4 Cups + unbleached bread flour

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. allspice

½ tsp. salt

Topping:  Just make a simple milk/confectioners sugar/butter/vanilla icing and stir a smidge of cinnamon in it! Drizzle over cake

Instructions:

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, adding enough flour to make the  dough smooth and soft and barely sticky and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket and spray the inside of the bucket with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Liberally spray a 10-cup bundt pan with cooking spray. You may also sprinkle the inside with coarse sugar, tilting to cover evenly. Tap out any excess sugar. Using spoons or spatulas, distribute the dough into the pan evenly. Once the dough is in the pan, give the pan a couple of firm taps on the countertop to “settle” the dough and to eliminate air pockets. Cover and let rise until doubled. (I put mine in the frig and let it rise there overnight- worked perfectly!)

Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes, until top is browned and the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool 5-10 minutes in the pan. Loosen edges gently and turn the pan upside down to remove the bread. I topped mine with a little confectioner’s sugar icing with a dash of cinnamon in it –PERFECT!! 
Adapted from "The Creekside Cook"
Visit: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/  for more delicious breads! 

Yeasted Pumpkin Raisin Spice Bread!

"Devil Bread" - Buttermilk Bread and Base

"Devil Bread" 

Greek Stuffed Pull-Apart

I "work" one day a week.....outside the home, that is! I do filing, answer phones, keep things organized, etc. at a local insurance agency. I've only been  there since May, but the agents and other office staff there have become good friends (could it be because I feed them every Wednesday? LOL!) Here's what I mean: The boss was flexible with my schedule when Dad was so ill and, when Dad died, I was surprised that many of the agents from the office took the time to attend calling hours. I've laughed a lot with  these folks and prayed and cried with a few, too. Even though I'm extremely part-time, they've taken me in as family. 

This Wednesday's bread was a layered ham and cheese pull-apart bread...I had made another pull-apart bread the day before and had such fun filling it that I wanted to do it again....only I filled it with something different! The bread dough that I used was a newly-devised recipe, too, which I fell in love with - sooooooo soft, slightly sweet and lovely to work with. Everyone in the office was thrilled to see a savory loaf for a change. It was gone by the end of the day, so that spoke to its deliciousness! One agent called it "Devil Bread".....said he just couldn't stop eating it! Here's the basic bread - now go and create your own "Devil Bread"!! 

Buttermilk Bread / Base

½ Cup warm water

1 pkg/ Tbsp. Red Star Platinum Yeast 

2/3 Cup warmed buttermilk, or 2 ½ Tbsp. buttermilk powder dissolved in 2/3 Cup warm water

1 tsp. salt

¼ Cup sugar

2 Tbsp. butter

3 + Cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

At this point, the dough may be formed into rolls (should make about 12) or a 9X 5 loaf.  I also have used this several times as a “base” for layered pull-apart bread. To use it as such, roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 15”x 9”.  Spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter on the dough, then sprinkle with your favorite ingredients….Here are some ideas:

Sweet: Cinn-sugar and raisins…..maybe some toasted nuts, too! Or maybe some chopped apples…..

Greek: I used about ½ of a frozen pkg. of spinach (thawed and well-drained); 10-15 Kalamata olives, sliced; 1/3 Cup feta cheese; ½ cup mozzarella; 1 ½ tsp. prepared minced garlic (or 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced); 1/3 Cup chopped (well-drained) roasted red peppers; Mix everything together and spread on the dough - Add what YOU like!

Ham & Cheese “Devil Bread” : Spread 2 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard on the butter. Follow with  1-2 Cups chopped cooked ham pieces; 1 Cup shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar & mozzarella- whatever I had in the frig J)

Slice the covered dough in half, lengthwise. Then cut three slices the other way, making 8 even-sized pieces. Stack the pieces atop one another- four “piles” of two. Slice each of the piles in half. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan or use a “tea loaf” pan, which measures 13x4” .Place each of the “piles” in the pan on its side, working quickly. Cover and let rise until doubled, or cover and place in the frig overnight. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.  Brush top with softened butter.

"Devil Bread" - Buttermilk Bread and Base

Almond Topped Cream Cheese Ring

We're really looking forward to the weekend ahead.....as I'm sure most everyone is! We're excited because we're welcoming "western" family back home to Ohio. My hubby's family all live "abroad" - Colorado, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arizona- so our visits with them are unfortunately few and far between. We don't get around much and they don't get back much, so our relationships with most of them are confined to emails, Facebook and old-fashioned letters and phone calls. Rare, but wonderful, are the days when we get to actually put our arms around them, laugh and reminisce with them or share a meal. 

This weekend we'll only have a couple of short hours with our Colorado sister-in-law and our Arizona niece, but we're planning on making the most of it. The fam is gathering here for a light lunch, where it's going to be more about the visiting than the "vittles" - lol! Right now, the menu will include my quiche and this easy-to-make and beautiful-to-behold coffee cake ring. The plan is for everything to be easy.....so everyone (including me!) can really just kick back and enjoy each other's company.....'cause it might be a while before we see each other again! 

                    Almond-Topped Cream Cheese Ring                 

Dough:

1 Tbsp/ pkg. Red Star Platinum yeast

1/3 Cup warm water

2 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:

3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 ½ Tbsp. all-purpose unbleached flour

1/3 Cup apricot preserves, or preserves of your choice

Topping:

1 Egg, beaten (for brushing loaf)

2-3 Tbsp. sliced almonds

Place yeast in EZ DOH bucket. Add warm water and stir. Let sit for 1-2 minutes to activate. Add 1 cup of flour, then remaining ingredients. EZ DOH-it until dough is smooth and elastic, adding additional unbleached flour if necessary. Remove dough from bucket. Spray bucket lightly with cooking spray, replace dough in bucket and cover. Let rise until doubled.

Mix cream cheese and 1 ½ Tbsp. flour while dough is rising.

 Remove dough from bucket. Spray a 9” round cake pan with cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to a 15” circle. Gently place dough in pan, fitting it to size and letting some of the dough hang over the sides. Spread the cream cheese mix over the dough in the pan. Spread preserves over cream cheese mix. Make cuts in the dough hanging over the sides, spacing them 1” apart- cut to ½” above the filling. Working 2 strips at a time, twist the overhanging dough strips together and then fold them over the filling. Cover and let rise until doubled. 

Heat oven to 375. Brush the beaten egg over the coffee cake and then sprinkle with the almonds. Bake 30 minutes, or until golden. Cool before cutting.

(I’m thinking this might be delicious with fresh blueberries sprinkled over the cream cheese mix……..got to try it!)
 Adapted from Betty Crocker’s “Best Bread Machine Recipes”  
Visit: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/  for more delicious breads! 

Almond Topped Cream Cheese Ring

Multigrain Buns!

I love a good excuse to bake. I love my friends. So when I host card

club, you can bet there's lots of baking going on. When I was invited to join "Card Club" about twenty-five-plus years ago, I hesitated, as I  felt it sounded somehow "old-lady-ish" - a bunch of women sitting around card tables, whispering about the neighbors from behind their cards. Fortunately, it turned out to be nothing like that.....It's turned out to be just plain fun. We laugh. We talk about our families. We eat. And we play a little cards. (I get teased, as I've never been able to properly shuffle cards from day one....and I don't care to take the time to learn!) The faces around the table have changed over the years, but the quality of the friendships made around those tables have not....Wonderful, "solid" women - all with different life experiences, but all with open hearts. We all joke that it's not about our card-playing abilities (thank heaven!)....the whole evening is "a social thing".....just being together. 

I made these tasty buns last time I hosted "club", along with several other types of buns. These were the star. They're beautiful and their nutty taste just helps make the sandwich. 

              Multi-Grain Buns              

Dough:

1 Tbsp/ pkg. Red Star Platinum yeast

1 ½ Cups warm water

2 ¾ Cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ Cup whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat)

½ Cup old-fashioned oats

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds

2 Tbsp. sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 small egg

1 ½ Tbsp. butter, softened

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. caraway seeds

¼ tsp. white vinegar

For topping:

1 egg yolk, beaten  

2 Tbsp. cold water

Extra old-fashioned oats

Place yeast in EZ DOH bucket. Add warm water and stir. Let sit for 1-2 minutes to activate. Add 1 cup of flour, then remaining ingredients . EZ DOH-it until dough is smooth and elastic, adding additional unbleached flour if necessary. Remove dough from bucket. Spray bucket lightly with cooking spray, replace dough in bucket and cover. Let rise until doubled.

 Remove dough from bucket. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 10-12 pieces, depending on the size of bun you would like. Shape each piece into a round ball, then roll each ball into a 4” circle. Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Combine the egg yolk and water and stir well. Lightly brush over each bun, then sprinkle with the extra oats. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. 

Visit: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/  for more delicious breads! 

Multigrain Buns!

Kanelbullar! Swedish Cinnamon/Cardamom Rolls

I always take some baked goods in to the office I work at on Wednesdays. I usually take in a recipe I have never tried before and this Wednesday was no different. The staff is used to my baking adventures, so I can depend on them to give me honest feedback. However, this week I walked in and there were only two other people in the office....and shortly thereafter, one salesman left, so there was just another girl and myself....and all these rolls. She had one and raved, so I had one and instantly fell in love with this recipe. She had another...then I went in and hid two away on a plate to take home to my step-mom and her nurse....she went in and quietly wrapped up two to take home to her hubby.....I went in and took one more for my trip home......By this time, more of the salesmen had come in from their golf outing....and there weren't many rolls left - tee hee! 

These really are delightful - Not too sweet, and with a melt-in-your-mouth dough. Plus, they are oh-so pretty, which makes me love them even more. 

Kanelbullar

(or Swedish Cinnamon/Cardamom Rolls)

Dough:

¼ Cup warm water

1 Tbsp. Red Star Platinum yeast

¾ Cup warm milk

2 ½ -3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ Cup sugar

1 tsp. ground cardamom

½ tsp. salt

1/3 Cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

Filling:

½ Cup sliced almonds, ground in a food processor (or use almond meal)

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 ½ tsp.  ground cardamom

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

Topping:

1 egg, beaten

Pearl or crystal sugar for sprinkling

(Process pics for roll formation are below, tho' they're not great pics - LOL!) 

Pour water into EZ DOH bucket and stir in yeast. Let sit 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup of flour, then remaining ingredients.  EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until a smooth dough has been produced (you may need that additional ½ cup flour to avoid a very sticky dough). Remove dough from bucket. Spray interior of bucket with cooking spray and place dough back in the bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.  

While the dough rises, prepare the filling by placing the almonds and the sugar in a food processor and blend thoroughly (the original recipe describes this as resulting in almond paste. I didn’t really find that to be true, though I kept blending and blending J . ) Combine this, along with the other filling ingredients, in a bowl and mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Remove the dough from the bucket and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out into a large rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough and fold dough into thirds, lengthwise. Lift one-third of the rectangle towards the center of the dough, then lift the final third over that, aligning the edges of the dough. Cut into 12 strips. Cut each strip down the middle, stopping about 1 inch from the top . Twist “legs” and join ends to make a bun. Place in a paper baking cups that have been sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes, till golden.

Adapted from a recipe at www.turntablekitchen.com
Visit: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/  for more delicious breads! 

Kanelbullar! Swedish Cinnamon/Cardamom Rolls

Almond Streusel Rolls!

The morning temperatures here in Ohio tell me it's time for a "wake 'em up and wow 'em" sweet roll.....I don't know anyone who minds turning on the oven when it's forty-five degrees outside!  And it's so much fun to hear the "oooo's & ahhhh's" when family or friends are treated to extra special rolls like these. This recipe is definitely "extra special".......just a little different from your basic cinnamon roll. One thing I really love about this recipe is the streusel - it dresses things up a bit, adding to the "wow" factor (though the taste alone could wow anyone!) 

Just a couple of notes before you dive into making this: 1.) Be sure to buy almond paste, not almond filling - they are definitely two different animals! Almond paste can be a little pricey, but it's fun to splurge on specialty baking products once in a while. 2.) The rolls can be made in the evening - just cover the "just-rolled-out/just-filled-and-cut" rolls with plastic wrap before rising and place them in the fridge overnight. In the AM, remove them from the fridge 1/2 hour before baking and sprinkle them with the streusel. Then just proceed to bake and enjoy!! And trust me, you WILL enjoy! 

  Almond Streusel Rolls  

       

Dough:

1 pkg/Tbsp. Red Star Platinum yeast

¼ Cup  + 2 Tbsp. warm water

2 ½ -3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

¼ Cup  + 2 Tbsp. warm milk

¼ Cup sugar

1 egg

½ tsp. salt

Filling:

¼ Cup almond paste

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

¼ Cup brown sugar

1/8 tsp. almond extract

Streusel topping:

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. butter

Icing:

¾ Cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. milk

1/8 tsp. almond extract

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

In a mixing bowl, beat filling ingredients together. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a 12” square. Spread filling over the dough. Roll up, jelly-roll style and seal seams. Cut into 6-8 large rolls or 12 smaller rolls. Place in a greased 9” round or square baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over the rolls. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until golden.  Carefully turn out rolls onto a wire rack to cool. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over rolls.

Visit: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/  for more delicious breads! 

Almond Streusel Rolls!

Just Plain Bread

Today my 5-year old grand-daughter had surgery. After my daughter and son-in law had walked through difficult months of tests, blood work, medication, lots of prayers and tears and what seemed like hundreds of doctor visits, they were unspeakably grateful to have Corinne's problem finally diagnosed as something relatively "simple" to correct with out-patient surgery. Still, there's something heart-stopping about a 5-year old undergoing anesthesia and everything else that comes with such hospital visits. Corinne's sister, Cana, was probably more scared than Corinne over all of this, so my hubby and I kept her this morning rather than her worrying at the hospital. We took a walk, we did crafts, we visited great grandma and....we made bread! Just plain bread. Nuthin' fancy. In fact, we were so busy doing other things, we let it over-rise a bit. Even though it was a little homely when we took it out of the oven, it sure was good!! Light, airy, tasty. We all enjoyed big,warm, buttered slices for lunch. And then, before we knew it, Corinne and her parents were at the door. Cana shouted for joy and greeted Corinne with a big hug....and a slice of bread! 

It's the simple things that make life special....Love, faith, family....and a little homemade bread! 

       Just Plain Bread          

½ cup warm water

1 Tbsp/ 1 packet Red Star Platinum yeast

3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup milk

1 teaspoon salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

In EZ DOH bucket, combine undissolved yeast and warm water. Stir to dissolve and let rest for one minute. Add one cup of flour, then remaining ingredients. EZ DOH-it until smooth and elastic, usually 2-3 minutes. Remove dough from bucket. Spray inside lightly with cooking spray. Return dough to bucket. Cover and let rest till double.

Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray (or two small loaf pans). Remove dough from bucket (Divide in two, if making the smaller loaves). Roll out to a small rectangle, then roll up tightly, starting with a long edge. Pinch seam, tuck ends under the loaf and place in loaf pan. Cover lightly and let rise till bread is above the top of the pan. Preheat oven to 375. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on size of loaf. The loaf should sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Brush top with butter while warm. Slice and enjoy!

Just Plain Bread