flowerCategory: Breads & Breakfasts

Savoury Mufins

Posted on by Pat Charles

My husband and I volunteer on Tuesdays at our local Hospice.  I cook/bake and he takes care of all the dishes…what a guy!

The residents there sometimes don’t have much appetite..but we decided to make a batch of blueberry waffles and then I made these Savoury Muffins for a breakfast treat.

These muffins could be eaten with stew, soup, alone , etc.  But always warm and with butter..lots of butter.  I think they might be good with garlic/herb whipped cream cheese.

I know you’ll enjoy these.  You might want to make a batch to have on hand for company.

So here goes!

  

Savoury Muffins

Prepare your muffin pan.  I sprayed mine for these and used a scoop large enough to fill the cavity to the top…that way you get a nice muffin top.

In  large bowl mis:

  • 3 cups of flour
  • 1 TBSP baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ( or more if you wish)
  • 1 bunch of green onions (scallions)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon
  • 1/2 small sweet pepper chopped

in a medium bowl whisk:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 TBSP oil
  • 3 TBSP melted butter
  • 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

  • In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients
  • In a medium bowl mix wet ingredients and cheese
  • Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and with a spatula GENTLY MIX….DO NOT  OVERMIX! You want nice fluffy muffin.
  • Scoop into prepared pan.

Note: I sprayed my pans and my scoop filled the muffin tins to the top

The best way to store muffins is to freeze them.  Then put one in the microwave for about 40-45 seconds on high..add butter or cream cheese…YUM!

Enjoy!

 

 

Cranberry/Walnut Rustic Brea

Posted on by Pat Charles

I’m in the mood lately to make rustic breads, so I am trying a variation of them.  They are almost all identical in amounts and times of baking but of course different ingredients.  This will be the third one on my blog.

I am just loving how easy they are to make.  You do need a cast iron dutch oven…you won’t get the wonderful crust without it.  It is worth the investment.  Love mine for many different things.

I also love being able to make my own bread and knowing there are no preservatives in it.

After it’s cooled I slice it, put wax paper or parchment paper between the slices and freeze it.  Then we can just take out what we need.  I am now baking a few to take to camp.

So here goes!!

Cranberry/Walnut Rustic Bread:

  1. 3 cups of bread flour (or all purpose if that’s what you have)
  2. 2 tsp salt
  3. 1 tsp yeast
  4. 1 cup of dried cranberries
  5. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  6. 1/4 cup of liquid honey
  7. 1-1/2 cup of lukewarm water

Directions:

  • in a large bowl put your flour, the salt and mix that well, then add the yeast and mix well together
  • mix in the cranberries and walnuts
  • measure your liquid honey in a 2 cup glass measuring cup
  • then fill to 1-3/4 mark with lukewarm water ( as warm as a baby bottle of milk)
  • Mix all together IT WILL BE A STICKY DOUGH
  • I fold it over in the bowl to incorporate all the flour
  • transfer to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap (bowl needs to be big enough for the dough to double in size)
  • place in a draft free area (I put mine in my oven) and let rise overnight for 12-15 hours.
  • now you’re ready to bake it
  • turn your dough out on a heavily floured board or countertop
  • fold over gently till not too sticky anymore
  • transfer your dough to a parchment paper.
  • Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
  • Place your cast iron pot to heat up in your oven
  • once ready place your dough with the parchment paper in the dutch oven
  • with the lid on bake for 25 minutes
  • then remove lid and bake another 15 minutes
  • let cool completely before slicing…it’s still baking!!!

Enjoy!!!

Rustic Raisin Bread

Posted on by Pat Charles

Making bread again..but this time it’s raisin bread.  Again it smells wonderful in here.  I’m loving these no knead breads…man…you prepare the dough the night before and in the morning it’s ready to go. No kneading at all!

So here goes!

Rustic Raisin Bread:

You will need a cast iron dutch oven with lid.

  1. 3 cups flour
  2. 3/4 tsp yeast
  3. 1-1/2 tsp salt
  4. 2 TBSP of sugar
  5. 2- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  6. 3/4 cup raisins
  7. 3/4 cup water (room temperature)
  8. 3/4 cup milk (room temperature)

Directions:

  • in a bowl large enough for your bread to double in size mix flour, yeast, salt, sugar, raisins and cinnamon
  • add milk and water and mix till well blended
  • dough will be rough and a bit sticky
  • transfer dough to another bowl lightly oiled
  • cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for 15 hours
  • on a floured board turn you dough (without kneading) till you get somewhat of a ball…it will be very soft
  • place on a parchment paper large enough that it will fit in a cast iron dutch oven.  Cover with a clean cloth and let rise one hour
  • pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • place your cast iron pot with the lid in the oven for about 10 minutes to warm up
  • lift your parchment paper with the bread and place it in the dutch oven
  • bake for 35 minutes with lid on
  • remove lid and bake another 10 minutes

Enjoy!

Dutch Oven Rustic Bread

Posted on by Pat Charles

Well…this will be the easiest post I’ve ever made.  This bread was so easy to put together it’s almost “too good to be true” but it is true and delicious!

I put the dough together at 7pm..I transferred the dough to another bowl lightly oiled to make it easier to turn the dough out.   Cover and leave overnight 12 hours in all right on the counter.  I got up at 7:30am and turned my oven on to 450 with the cast iron Dutch oven and cover in the oven to heat up.

I turned my dough out on a floured surface and just formed a rough ball…NO KNEADING!  Then I transferred the dough to a parchment paper and let rise till my oven was ready.

Once the oven was ready I took my Dutch oven out and placed my dough with the parchment paper inside the pot and put the lid on it.  I baked it for 30 minutes with the lid on, then removed the lid and baked it for 15 minutes.  Absolutely perfect.  It had this wonderful rustic crust, but inside….ahhhhhh…what can I say…true bliss.  I let it rest for 15 minutes (that’s all the waiting I could take)…then sliced myself a piece and of course buttered it.  The texture is perfect!!

So here goes.

 

Dutch Oven Rustic Bread:

  1. 3 cups of bread flour
  2. 1 tsp salt ( I used kosher)
  3. 1 tsp fast acting yeast
  4. 1-1/2 cups of warm water (if it feels warm on your wrist)
  5. mix it all together with a wooden spoon till it forms a rough, shaggy  dough
  6. transfer dough to another bowl lightly oiled
  7. cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 12 hours

Instructions:

  • pre-heat your oven to 450 with Dutch Oven and lid in the oven
  • place a large piece of parchment paper on your counter
  • turn your dough onto a floured surface
  • form a rustic ball DO NOT KNEAD!
  • transfer the dough to a parchment paper
  • let sit for 30 minutes while your oven heats up
  • place your dough with parchment paper into the hot Dutch Oven
  • bake for 30 minutes with lid on
  • remove lid and bake for another 15 minutes
  • let sit on a wire rack for 15 minutes before cutting (if you can wait that long )

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pulla Coffee Bread

Posted on by Pat Charles

At camp last summer my friend Darlene made pulla….it’s a Finnish coffee bread with cardamom. I had never tasted it….but just the smell got me hooked.  Once I tasted this light coffee bread it was impossible to have only one slice….so I had two LOL.  Thanks Darlene for sharing your recipe!

Darlene used her bread machine to mix and knead the dough….she set it on dough cycle only.  I did the same and it turned out really well.  Once the dough was ready I placed in a lightly oiled bowl then covered it with a clean cloth, and let it rest for 15 minutes.

The first time I made it I didn’t realize my yeast wasn’t fresh…the expiry date was still a ways away but it didn’t work well.  My dough was a bit heavy and more dense.  Today I made sure my yeast was fresh and what a difference! My dough is light and airy…and tastes wonderful of course!  Still not as good as Darlene’s.!  Are  you like that?  Once you’ve tasted something wonderful someone has made, you still think yours is not as good!

My first attempt at pulla wasn’t all bad….I used it to make bread pudding…Wowzers!!! Was it good!  I added extra raisins that I softened in hot water thens drained.  Then added the milk mixture and BAM!  Keeper!!!!

Pulla Coffee Bread:

  1. 1 cup milk…warm to lukewarm
  2. 2 eggs room temperature
  3. 4 cups all purpose flour
  4. 1/2 cup sugar
  5. 1/2 tsp salt
  6. 2 heaping tsp cardamom
  7. 4 TBSP butter…almost melted
  8. 2 tsp yeast
  9. bread maker

Directions:

  • crack the two eggs into the warm milk…stir
  • prepare all the other ingredients
  • place in bread machine in order given
  • set your bread machine to the dough cycle only
  • once done mixing and kneading…place dough in lightly oiled glass bowl..cover with cloth
  • let rest for 15 minutes
  • cut dough in 2 even pieces
  • roll out each piece in 9×13 rectangle
  • cut each rectangle in 3 equal strips…about 3″ wide each strip
  • spread each strip with the butter/sugar/cinnamon  spread
  • sprinkle with softened raisins….soften in hot water for about 10 minutes then drain well
  • now press the edges together….you will have 3 chubby strips…turn seam down
  • take the ends of 3 strips and press together and tuck under
  • loosely braid the 3 strips together…pinch together the ends and tuck under
  • repeat with other piece of dough
  • place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper…cover with clean cloth
  • place in slightly warm oven to “proof” for 1 hour
  • after proofing..brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar
  • bake in a 350 oven for about 25 minutes
  • 13 minutes then turn pan then another 12 minutes
  • should be a nice golden brown
  • TRY NOT TO DIG IN RIGHT AWAY LOL!

Butter/Sugar/Cinnamon Spread:

  • mix together
  • 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 TBSP sugar, 2 TBSP brown sugar, 1 TBSP cinnamon
  • set aside for spreading on the strips

 

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Rosemary Cheddar Irish Soda Bread

Posted on by Pat Charles

You  can’t imagine how good this soda bread is!!!!! Big Sigh……licking my lips.  As you can see I got this recipe on Pinterest from Foodness Gracius…love the name!!!

I was making a small beef stew for supper and I thought this would go great with it….I WAS RIGHT!!!  I can see this bread going with so many things….endless!!! Toasted with cheese melted on it!  MMmmmmm!

I followed the recipe exactly….except…I didn’t knead it into a ball but left mine “rough”….next time I will listen! And do exactly!!!

Here is my bowl with my dry ingredients….you can see my 2 cups of buttermilk with the egg whisked into it on the left….and on the right the sliced bread still warm..

It was really easy to come together….I didn’t have fresh rosemary so I used dry…but less than what was asked for.  Dry herbs are always stronger than fresh.

Here is my bread out of the oven five minutes…..oh my…yummy goodness!!!!  It’s dark and crusty on the outside, but moist and so flavourful on the inside.

Rosemary Cheddar Irish Soda Bread

  • 4 cups unbleached flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp salt ( I used Himalayan)
  • 1/2 tsp cracked pepper
  • 3 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (I used 1 1/2 Tbsp of dried)
  • 2 cups of buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 cups of sharp cheddar cheese ( I used only 2 cups..it was plenty)

 

  1. Heat oven to 425 F.  Lightly flour two 6 inch skillets
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, pepper and rosemary
  3. Add the egg to the buttermilk and beat until well mixed
  4. Add the grated cheese to the flour mixture and lightly mix through
  5. Pour the buttermilk into the bowl and mix together using your fingers until it comes together
  6. Dump the dough out onto a flour dusted surface and knead the dough into a ball shape and divide in half
  7. Shape each half into a ball again and place each seam side down in a skillet
  8. Take a sharp serrated knife and cut and X on top of each bread
  9. Season top with course salt ( I used Fleur De Sel) and cracked pepper
  10. Bake for at east 35 minute

Note:  the bread will get very brown and crusty…it’s all good.  I baked mine close to 40 minutes

Enjoy!!