No-Knead Artisan Bread

Inspired by my friend Denise Vivaldo, co-host of the podcast Women Beyond a Certain Age, in the mist of this involuntary confinement, I decided to tackle the one thing that I never managed to fully grasp in culinary school…the art of making bread!!

A few days ago, Mark Bittman of the NYT, featured a recipe by Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC for no-knead artisan bread. After watching the video, I thought: “I can do this!” (Although, between you and me, I really didn’t think I could.) But after being housebound for several days, I was willing to try anything to regain some sense of normalcy…if such a thing truly exists anymore. And, I just happen to have a ceramic bread baker that I purchased over 15 years ago, and have been desperately wanting to use.

The verdict…I am pleased enough that I will continue to work on nailing this technique!!  The recipe is easy to follow, and you will not be disappointed with the result! You can’t mess this up—it is good the first time around!!  And it will improve with practice…

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread?te=1&nl=cooking&emc=edit_ck_20200320&campaign_id=58&instance_id=16905&segment_id=22428&user_id=816c2888bf5ecba6df021eed600d1ea0&regi_id=8151981120200320

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Friends - and strangers - are always giving me new recipes to try and post.  The most recent, from a friend in Atlanta,  was a recipe for sweet potato pancakes.  Sounded yummy, so I thought I would try it, as I am always looking for  something to liven up weekend breakfasts.  But the bigger story to this recipe was the almond vanilla milk used in the pancakes.  I must admit that was a first for me.  After further research I discovered that almond milk is made by blending (what else) ground almonds and water and then it is flavored with vanilla, chocolate or sweeteners.  Since it does not contain any animal products,  it is a suitable alternative for vegetarians and vegans.

The texture of the pancakes was a surprise.  They were denser than I expected - almost creamy - but the taste was incredible. I usually add sugar to my pancakes batter; but no need to with this recipe. The sweet potatoes handle that job beautifully. And the sliced bananas and toasted pecans make this a hit.  Throw in a few slices of bacon and you are in breakfast heaven!  Thanks for sharing Kyrus.

Sweet Potato Pancakes Recipe
(Makes 8 medium pancakes)
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large sweet potato, baked
1 cup almond vanilla milk*
2 eggs
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
canola oil or pan spray
sliced bananas, for garnish
toasted pecans, for garnish
maple syrup

Preparation
In two separate bowls, mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon) and wet ingredients (sweet potato, milk, eggs and butter). Combine dry and wet ingredients and mix until blended - do not over mix.  Let batter rest for 15 minutes.
Preheat griddle to 325 degrees and spray with oil. Spoon batter onto griddle and cook; flipping only once.
Garnish with bananas and pecan, and serve with .
* If you don't have almond vanilla milk, substitute with regular milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Kyrus Frames, RBM of Atlanta

Olive Bread Baked in a Cloche

I bought this "cloche" during a weak moment in my favorite kitchen store.  And like all the gadgets I buy it kept getting pushed farther back on the shelf, until I eventually forgot about it.  While cleaning out my cabinets last week I rediscovered it and concluded it was time to either use it or give it away - to make room for more new gadgets.   
The cloche (also called a cooking bell) is a natural clay baking dish with a dome cover, used to bake bread, that simulates a hearth oven.  It fits perfectly in your home oven and eliminates the need to spritz your bread while baking.  The result is consistently chewy, crusty bread.  
My first attempt at using the cloche was making olive bread. It lived up to its reputation and has elevated its status in my kitchen!

Olive Bread Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons olive oil, for frying
6 cups white bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12 ounces lukewarm water, 1-1/2 cups
1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil, or 5 T. olive oil and no honey
2 tablespoons honey
1 cups kalamata olives, pitted, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons oregano, fresh, chopped
cornmeal, for dusting


Preparation
Fry the onion in the olive oil until soft. Remove from pan and put aside till later.
Sift the flour and salt into the large mixing bowl of an electric mixer.   Stir the  instant yeast into the flour. Make a well and  add the water and the olive oil.
Attach bowl to mixer, and attach dough hook.  Mix on speed 2 for two minutes.  Add onion, olives and herbs, and mix until dough is smooth and forms a ball, approximately 4 minutes longer.  Place in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10-20 minutes.
Sprinkle the bottom of the cloche with cornmeal and place the ball of dough in the center. Cover with the lid and let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in size, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Slash the top of the loaf with a razor blade or sharp knife.  Place cloche with lid in the preheated oven.  Bake for 40 minutes or until the loaf is golden and sound hollow when tapped.  The cloche should be removed for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
Cool on a wire rack.   Serve while still warm, if desired.

The (not so) Secret Life of Bees....and Honey-Molasses Bread

When I recently discovered that one of my neighbors is a beekeeper, my first reaction was to run get the EpiPen.  But Laura Linn, owner of Star Bee Honey, was only too happy to give me a quick insight into the art of beekeeping.  What started out as a hobby has turned into a business, with Laura nurturing tens of thousands of bees in six hives. While totally fascinating - and let's not overlook the bravery involved - being the foodie that I am, I was more interested in the final results of her labor. The honey!!
With my complimentary jar, I made red chile honey, using cayenne peppers from my vegetable garden. Laura shares her bread machine recipe for honey-molasses bread.  (You bread-baking aficionados will know how to convert this for oven-baking.) And, when she is not busy as a bee, she finds time to enjoy the honey in yogurt as a veggie dip, or mixed with peanut butter for dipping pretzels and also making honey butter. Thanks Laura!

Honey-Molasses Bread Recipe (one loaf):
1 cup water
5 tablespoons molasses
2-2/3 tablespoons honey
1-1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/3 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oats
3-1/3 cup bread flour
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast


Contact Laura at: Star Bee Honey, 803.663.1052

A queen bee with her drones

One of the six hives

Bees, bees and mo' bees....at work!

My red chile honey