White Bread/Cinnamon Swirl Bread

So, here is another post for white bread, I know I know, the last white bread I did was really delicious. So, why would I need to go out looking for a different recipe? Well, I will tell you, I have actually had this recipe pinned for quite some time now, but for some reason I kept pinning more pins and I ended up hiding it in my never ending pinned recipes list. But, I have unearthed it! Don't you worry! :) This recipe comes from her grandma and is amazingly soft and delicious.

The other white bread from King Arthur Flour is delicious as well but in a different way. Comparing the two, the K.A. bread is more dense and not as sweet. This bread is soft and airy (exactly what white bread from the store feels like, well, maybe a little more dense than that. But you get the picture!)

Grandma's White Bread
 Yield: 2 Loaves

3 Cups    Warm water (to activate your yeast)
1/4 Cup    Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp.    Yeast
1/3 Cup    Oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 Tbsp.    Salt
8 Cups    A.P. Flour

Place yeast and sugar in the warm water to activate. Let sit for at least 10 min. until nice and bubbly.

Add the oil and the dry ingredients making sure to put the salt in last. Mix all together, you can use a mixer, but lately I have been kneading bread dough with my hands. 

Dough should look pretty smooth, spray the bowl with non stick spray and place dough inside. (Spray the plastic wrap as well)

Let dough rise until double in size (I put mine under the stove light which is why it is a strange color)

Split dough in half, now I just shaped the dough into a log for the plain white bread, but for the cinnamon swirl roll out to desired thickness (the thinner you roll out the more of a swirl you get) make sure your small ends do not exceed the pan length, in this case it is 9".

Spread with melted butter, sprinkle brown sugar (I use dark) and cinnamon. You could add raisins if you wanted as well.

*I never measure the melted butter, brown sugar, or cinnamon. I just throw it on there :) *

Now, Instead of rolling from long end to long end (top to bottom), roll small end to small end (side to side).

Place into greased 9"x5" pans. (the loaf that looks all wrinkly is the cinnamon swirl).

Place greased plastic wrap over and let rise until the bread is 1"-2" above the top of the pan.

Bake (uncovered) at 375F for 25 Min, until golden brown. Take immediately out of the pans and put onto the cooling rack.

I brush the tops of mine with butter to give it a nice shiny glaze.

Wait until cool to cut (I find that it slices easier)

Cinnamon swirl

Now if you don't roll the dough very thin you get a swirl like mine. Next time I will roll thinner!

Enjoy!

Homemade Fruit Snacks

I have been meaning to make homemade fruit snacks for awhile now, my husband and I had even found a bacon shaped ice cube tray specifically to make these. So today I gathered the ingredients (all 3 of them!) and set out to make them, and dun dun dun dah! It was super easy to make! The original recipe is here, she made hers shaped like lego men! Super cute!

Fruit Snacks
1 (3oz) Package    Any flavor Jello
2 Packets    Knox Gelatine (4 come in one box)
1/3 Cup    Water

So gather the ingredients, I used strawberry!

Place the water into a small sauce pan, then the jello and 2 packets of the gelatine. Mix together over medium heat until the gelatine dissolves, a couple minutes.

Pour into a tray or mold. (I used a silicone bacon shaped mold) If using silicone you don't have to spray with non stick spray. But...

I had a little extra, but not another mold. So, I took a 6" cake pan and lined it with foil, I then sprayed with non stick spray (just in case). Let set at room temperature for 30 Min, then take out of the mold.

*You don't have to use a mold, you can use a 6" or 8" (depending on how thick you want them) cake pan with foil and spray and pour all into the pan, when you take it out of the pan you just cut them into squares*

Enjoy!

White Sandwich Bread

I know it has been a little bit since I have last posted but I haven't forgot! I have been trying new recipes and taking pictures and it has just been a little too crazy around here to post!

I went looking for a white sandwich bread recipe, because of 2 things, 1. I am tired of having the jelly soak through the bread for pb&j, I want something with more substance and 2. Maybe it is the 5 year old in me but I like white bread over most other breads. I know, I know, it is not  exactly nutritious but you can do so much with just plain old white bread! I found this recipe on King Arthur Flour, I did not realize, but they have a TON of recipes on that website!

P.S.:They also have a whole wheat version!

Classic White Sandwich Bread
1 1/2 Cups    Lukewarm Water (if you are using instant yeast, If you are using dry active, make sure the water is the right temperature to activate your yeast)

1 heaping Tbsp.    Honey

2 1/4 tsp.    Instant Yeast (I used active dry, and used 1 Tbsp. of active dry yeast)

1 3/4 tsp.    Salt (now this is one recipe that I will say not to omit the salt if using salted butter, please add it)

2 Tbsp.    Soft Butter
4 Cups    A.P. Flour
1/2 Cup    Nonfat Dry Milk

If you are using active dry yeast, make sure the water is at the right temperature for your yeast and mix the active dry yeast into the water, let stand about 5 min, until it starts bubbling like this.

If using instant yeast, there is no need to activate it so just put it into the bowl with all of the other ingredients.

Place ingredients into the bowl, in no particular order, I did the yeast water mix first then all of the dry. 

*Do not put salt by the yeast, it will kill the yeast*

I guess I forgot to take a picture, but I stirred with a spatula, until all of the liquid was gone. I then turned the dough out onto a big cutting board and started kneading, and kneading, and kneading. For probably about 5-8 min, just until it reaches a smooth look.

Place into a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap, leave in a warm area for about 60-90 mins. Or until it reaches just about double in size. 

If it is a particularly hot day, it will not even take 60 mins. Mine was ready at about 45 mins. Just keep an eye on it. If your dough has bubbles on the top, it has been over proofed, you want it to stay smooth.

Take out of bowl and pat down gently to deflate. Roll into a log and place into a greased 9"x5" pan.

Spray plastic wrap with cooking spray so it does not stick to the top of the dough, cover and let rise for another 60-90 mins. 

Mine ended up being ready at 60 mins. The dough should be about 1 1/2" above the rim of the pan.

I'm not sure why but this picture makes it look way bigger than it was.

Place into the oven at 350F for 20 mins, If it is getting too brown at that point, tent foil over it, if it is not too brown, omit the foil, and bake for another 15-20 mins. 

A thermometer should read 195-200F when inserted into the loaf.

Take out of pan immediately and place onto cooling rack

Rub (or brush) the top of loaf with butter, this keeps the bread soft and also gives it that buttery flavor. Let cool completely before slicing.

This bread slices beautifully, I don't have an electric knife, or a cutting guide. As long as you can eyeball the slice sizes you are good to go.

Look how beautiful the crumb is! It is not flimsy like the white bread you find in the stores, and it is delicious!!!

Enjoy!

Cookie Dough Bites

I saw these little gems on a blog called bakerella. Which I am sure most of you have come across, and if you have not please go. It is an amazing blog! These were delicious and did not last very long at my house.

Cookie Dough Truffles
1/2 Cup    Butter, room temp
1/4 Cup    Sugar
1/2 Cup    Packed Brown Sugar (I used dark, bakerella used light)
2 Tbsp.    Milk
1/2 tsp.    Vanilla
1 1/4 Cup    AP Flour
1/2 tsp.    Salt (if using unsalted butter)
1/2 Cup    Mini Chocolate Chips

For Coating
either
Chocolate candy coating
Or
2 Cups    Chocolate chips
1 Tbsp    Shortening

Cut butter into chunks and put both brown and white sugars into bowl

Beat until light and fluffy, around 3 Min

Add milk and vanilla, mix until combined.

Add in flour and salt (if used) until combined.

Stir in chocolate chips with a spatula. Place into fridge (or freezer just don't forget about them) until firm enough to scoop and roll into 1" balls. Around 15-30 Min

I just estimated the size and ended up with 40 of them. Place onto a sheet pan with either wax or parchment paper. Place into freezer for at least 15 min to firm up. 

I cut cake pop sticks in half and put one in each cookie dough bite. 

For the coating either follow the directions on the back of the candy coating package or:

melt the 2 cups of chocolate chips with the 1 Tbsp of shortening until smooth, melt 30 seconds at a time and stir.

Take out of freezer and dip however you like, you can dip all the way like Bakerella, or like caramel apples like mine. You could even put into a decorating bag and drizzle it over the bites.

Place back into the fridge to firm up, keep refrigerated for up to a week

Enjoy!

Pie Crust

I went looking for a pie crust a few days ago because the one I currently use has more ingredients and is a little more time consuming. I wanted something I could just throw together when I got into the mood to make a pie, or a quiche...So I took my search to google and I found this recipe.

It is very simple, nice and flaky and delicious.

Pie Dough:
1/2 Cup    Butter (Frozen and grated)
1 1/4 Cup    AP Flour
1/4 tsp.    Salt (only if using unsalted butter)
1/4 Cup    Ice Water

I used a cheese grater and straight from the freezer butter. I grated with the bigger size.

Mix grated butter into the flour, add salt (if used) at this point.

For the ice water just fill a cup with ice add some water and wait a couple min while it gets nice and cold. Then measure out 1/4 Cup and add to the flour 1 Tbsp. at a time, I stirred the water in with a spatula and when I was finished adding the water I used my hands to incorporate all of the dry in. 

*Do not knead too much otherwise your crust will shrink in the pan while baking.*

At this point you can either wrap it in plastic wrap and place into the fridge or you can immediately roll it out if it is not too soft. 

Roll the dough out, trying to keep it circle. A trick to keep the dough from sticking to the table or wherever you are rolling it out at is...keep the dough moving. Roll out the dough a little then rotate a quarter turn keep going until you can fit an 8" or 9" pie pan.

Transfer the dough to a pie pan (I always spray my pans with cooking spray) decorate the edges however  you want. 

To pre-bake a pie crust bake at 350F until golden brown 

Enjoy!

Strawberry Bundt Cake

Let me start out by saying I love strawberries, in cakes, pastries, pudding, yogurt, smoothies, shakes, anything. So it was only natural that I start searching for a delicious strawberry cake. Now, this cake is not a strawberry cake but a plain moist cake with fresh strawberries in the batter. Now without further ado. Here is the original recipe.

Strawberry Cake
1 Cup (2 sticks)    Butter, Softened (I used salted, so I omitted the salt)
2 Cups    Sugar
3    Eggs
1 Tbsp.    Lemon Juice
Zest of 1 Lemon
2 1/2 Cups    A.P. Flour (Keep 1/4 Cup to the side)
1/2 tsp.    Baking Soda
1/2 tsp.    Salt (omit if using salted butter)
8 Oz.    Plain or Vanilla Greek Yogurt (I actually used sour cream)
12 Oz.    Fresh Strawberries, diced

Glaze
1 Cup    Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp.    Lemon Juice

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 375F, Grease and flour a Bundt Pan (10 In)

Place sugar into mixing bowl and cut butter into chunks.

Cream together, as you can see I did not fully cream together and the cake turned out beautifully.

Sift together 2 1/4 Cups of flour, baking soda and salt (if used), stir in the lemon zest.

Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then stir in 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice. Mix in the flour mixture and the yogurt (or sour cream) alternating between the two, only mixing until incorporated.

With the remaining 1/4 Cup flour, mix in with the strawberries. (I just used my hand)

Fold into batter.

Place into prepared bundt pan.

Turn the oven down to 325F, and bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 mins in the pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack.

For the Glaze.

Whisk together 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and 1 Cup powder sugar until smooth.

Wait until completely and drizzle over the top of cake.

Enjoy!