Gifts From Your Kitchen: Artisan Bread

December 16, 2010 By

I’ve mentioned the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day bread-making method before: it’s my go-to method for baking bread now and I almost always have a bowl of dough in the fridge. I love its simplicity, but also its versatility: it can be made into sandwich bread, free-form “artisan” loaves, rolls, pizza, and even pita bread. It is easy to adapt, as well, to create different flavors with different grains.

When thinking about what gifts to give my friends this year, I wanted to go a healthier route than usual, without being a Scroogy BahHumbug! Although I love making decadent and delicious Christmas treats to share, the truth is everyone gets more than enough of those this time of year. I just wanted to do something fresh and different this year for a change of pace.

After some thought, I decided to put two of my new kitchen skills - homemade jam and artisan bread - to the test and prepare them for my friends as gifts. I’ve been wanting to share both of these with you, as well, so it gives me the perfect opportunity!

You can find the Master Recipe for Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day here. I cannot take any credit whatsoever for the brilliance of this method - that goes entirely to the authors and developers! I do want to share with you my slight adaptations to the recipe just to show you how flexible it really is.

For one thing, I adjusted the ratio of whole wheat to white flour, mostly for the benefit of my DH. I like a good crusty whole wheat bread, but he prefers it a little lighter. For another, I omitted the vital wheat gluten because that’s an extra grocery item I just don’t need to buy, and because I wonder how healthy it really can be when one considers the ever-increasing occurrence of celiac disease (perhaps we are a little overloaded with gluten?). I also sometimes like to use whey, the liquid drained from yogurt, to make a small part of the liquid (about 1/4 cup or less) called for in the recipe. This increases the health factor and adds a bit of a sour-dough-like tang to the taste.

And with my slight adaptations…


Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, adapted by me to suit my style
4 cups regular all-purpose unbleached flour
3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 TBSP salt
1 1/2 TBSP yeast
4 cups water

I strongly encourage you to consult the website or buy the book for detailed instructions on the method, but for a quick summary, here’s what I do:

Place all dry ingredients in a stand mixer and stir until well combined. Make sure the mixer is locked into position, and begin adding the water as it stirs. You may need to increase the speed a bit if the mixer starts groaning and complaining. When you have a slightly sticky dough, remove it from the mixing bowl and place it in a large plastic container (and I mean large - keep in mind that the amount you have is going to double!). Place the bowl on a counter top, and cover lightly with a towel. Allow to rise for at least 2 hours or until it doubles in size and then levels slightly. Place in refrigerator, covering the container while being sure not to seal it completely, at least for the first 24 hours.

This dough will last about 2 weeks in the fridge, and will make approximately 4 loaves (I usually get more like 3 at the size I like to make).

Then, whenever you want to make some bread:


Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour, then cut off the portion you desire (I usually cut off 1/4 to 1/3). Shape it into a ball, with the ends tucked under, and place on a pizza peel or bamboo cutting board dusted with cornmeal. Allow to rest for about an hour and a half. Don’t worry if it doesn’t rise much; it’s not really supposed to, because most of the rising is done. It will inflate a bit in the oven.

About half an hour before it’s ready to bake, place a baking stone in the oven, and in the rack immediately below it, place a shallow non-glass pan. Preheat the oven to 425F.

Just before baking time, brush the surface of the dough with water, then cut slashes with a knife (in whatever direction you want!). Sprinkle with seeds or oat bran if desired. Then carefully slide the dough from the pizza peel or cutting board onto the baking stone. Pour 1 cup of water into the shallow pan and immediately close the door.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until top is golden brown and crusty and the bottom is no longer soggy. Cool at least an hour or so before attempting to slice.

TIPS:


*I generally use slightly less than 4 cups of water in the dough because otherwise it is just too wet to work with.

*You don’t have to use a pizza peel and baking stone: you can bake the bread in a regular old loaf pan if you want. I find I get the best results, though, by following their method exactly.

*I used to (and sometimes still do) take the bread out of the oven way too early. The top looks done well before the dough inside is thoroughly baked. The biggest sign of readiness is the bottom: it shouldn’t be gooey or undercooked at all. Check the bottom of the bread before removing from the oven.

*The dough really is almost impossible to handle the first day. I have found it necessary to plan ahead and mix the dough the day before I actually need to use it.

*To make my Christmas gift loaves, I baked 3 small round loaves at once on a large baking stone. I cut an X shape into the top of each, just to make it pretty. One batch of dough makes 6 small round loaves of the size you see in my pictures.

To present the bread as a gift:

When it is thoroughly cooled, place in a large plastic baggie (not the zippered kind). Tape the excess plastic on the bottom where it won’t be seen.

Wrap a pretty ribbon around the bread and tie it in a bow in front.

Line a basket with a Christmas tea towel and place the bread inside. Add jam or other condiments or treats as desired.

This is a QUICK method of bread-baking, with some caveats. Hands-on time is definitely minimal: 5 minutes a day or less as the title indicates. However, there is a LOT of resting and rising time, especially if you want to make loaf bread (flatbreads do not require the resting time, which is why I’ll make a foccaccia or the like when I’m in a hurry). Plus, as I mentioned, it’s really best to make the dough the day before you need to bake it, so some planning ahead is involved.

It is super EASY, though. There is something of a learning curve, even if you’ve made bread before, and I will admit I’m still learning more about this process. But anyone can do it! I love that there is no kneading involved, which is often where many would-be bakers trip up.

What could be CHEAPer? When you omit the vital wheat gluten, the other ingredients are so basic that the cost is minimal. I even like to use more expensive flours (like white whole wheat), but it’s affordable enough that I make a batch at least twice a month, sometimes every week. And as a gift? Unbeatable!

In fact, I’ll break the entire gift down for you, so you can see how affordable it can be:

Basket (purchased used at thrift store): $0.50-$1.00
Tea Towel (purchased a package of 5 on sale and with a coupon at Hallmark for a total of about $2.50. Similar deals can likely be found at Bed Bath and Beyond): $0.50
Loaf of Bread: approximately $0.25
Jar of Jam: $2 or less
TOTAL: approximately $3.75

This is a great price to give acquaintances and people you want to acknowledge at Christmas time, but don’t have a large budget to spend on them. Teachers, party hostesses, hair stylists, mail deliverers, doctors, etc. all would love a homemade gift like this!

It is very HEALTHY, too. I’ve actually been reading in different places recently that some research suggests using half white and half whole wheat flour might be gentler on your digestive system than using strictly whole wheat. The jury’s still out on that one, but it makes me happy to hear, since that’s what I usually do! The book contains a recipe for an entirely whole wheat bread if that is what you are looking for, but I have to admit I’ve never tried it.

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Fall Fest 2010: Pumpkin Biscuits, Perfect for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snack!

September 27, 2010 By

I made this recipe last week before I had gone to the grocery store and bought my first of the season’s pie pumpkins. I couldn’t wait, though: I was in such a mood to make something - anything - with pumpkins, and I was also seriously in the mood for some of my Grandma’s biscuits. Thank goodness I had some leftover pumpkin puree in the freezer from last year’s pumpkin crop - yay for freezers! - so I didn’t have to wait even one more day.

The picture does not do these biscuits justice. To be honest, I was more in the mood to eat them than I was to photograph them, so I was in too much of a hurry to bother taking the perfect picture. Trust me, though: they’re delicious! The pumpkin and cinnamon add just a hint of fall flavor, so they go well with any meal and can be served with sweet or savory accompaniments (omit the cinnamon if you wish for more of a savory bent). I think I’m going to be making these a lot this fall, because I just ate the last one at breakfast this morning and I’m already craving another!

Grandma’s Biscuits with an Autumn Twist
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 heaping 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2-1 cup milk

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in butter, until mixture is crumbly. Mix pumpkin and 1/2 cup milk together until well blended, then gently stir into biscuit mixture. Continue adding milk until dough forms a ball. Place dough on floured surface and gently knead 10 times. Roll into 1/2″ thick rectangle and cut out biscuit shapes. Bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. (I like to bake them on a stone.)

Serve warm with butter and jam or honey. These also freeze perfectly and are easy to double, so they’re great for batch cooking and for baking ahead.

Homemade biscuits are seriously just as QUICK as using Bisquick, but much tastier and much better for you. I made these in less than half an hour (about 20-25 minutes) start to finish one morning last week.

They are pretty EASY, although I will admit that biscuit dough can be tricky. I’ve made my fair share of hockey pucks and in the process I’ve learned a few tricks that help me turn out fluffy biscuits almost every time: don’t overwork the dough (cannot be emphasized enough!); don’t overcook the biscuits; and don’t cut them out too thin.

These are CHEAP enough that my mom (who had 11 children and cooked on an extremely tight budget) made them for breakfast probably weekly. I have very fond memories of our biscuit-and-egg breakfasts!

They are also very HEALTHY, if you use the ingredients as listed. Use at least half whole wheat flour, and real butter for the healthiest finished product. The pumpkin, of course, adds some nutritional value, as does even the cinnamon. Now if you slather it with all kinds of sugary jam, that’s not my fault!

This post is linked up at Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

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And Now for Some Real Fall Flavor

September 13, 2010 By

It’s kind of a strange time of year in my area right now: it’s not officially fall yet, but the temperatures are starting to cool down, especially in the mornings and evenings. Most trees are still green, but some are beginning to shed their leaves already. Cucumbers, zucchini and tomatoes are still being harvested, but so are apples, and winter squash - and soon, pumpkins! It’s been a record-breaking hot summer, so most people are eager to leave that season behind and head straight into fall.

It is only fitting, then, that my kitchen reflects this awkward transitional season. In my last post, I documented my cucumber sandwich recipe for posterity, and today, with the leftover bread from that recipe, I made a decidedly autumnal treat: apple bread pudding. If you are a fan of Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy on FB, you may remember that last week I was able to buy some seconds apples very inexpensively at a local produce mart. I put them to good use today in some applesauce, some fruit salad for dinner, and then the bread pudding.

I also had some almond milk in the fridge, which you may think is strange, because, despite my Certain Little Someone’s allergies, he does not drink almond milk. Not yet, anyway. We’re staying away from tree nuts for a while! And trust me, both me and my DH prefer good old cow’s milk to any other available substitute, so almond milk is definitely an odd item to find in our fridge! However, when I was nursing my Certain Little Someone and still working through all his allergies, I found that almond milk was my favorite substitute for the above-mentioned beloved cow’s milk. Since then, I’ve noticed that it frequently goes on sale and there are frequently coupons available for certain brands. When I can get a box or carton of almond milk for cheaper than the cost of regular milk, I snap it up and use it in baking. It doesn’t really add a lot of almond flavor, so the only reason I do this is to save money on regular milk. When I can use something else in my baking, it really lengthens the amount of time a gallon of cow’s milk will spend in my fridge!

You may notice something else strange in the recipe - cornstarch. The reason behind that particular anomaly is that I haven’t quite finished my grocery shopping for the week yet (wow had a crazy busy weekend!) and I have absolutely no eggs in the house. I did a little googling on making a bread pudding without eggs and found that corn starch makes an acceptable substitute.

If you don’t have almond milk, but you do have eggs, don’t worry, this recipe is totally customizable. I’ll detail all the different ways you can change it up without sacrificing flavor and taste at the end of the recipe.

Autumnal Bread Pudding

5 cups bread cubes
2 medium apples, shredded
2 cups almond milk
1/4 cup honey
1 TBSP corn starch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter (optional)
additional 1/4 cup raw sugar (also optional)
Place the bread cubes and shredded apple in a 1.5qt casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients, except butter and additional sugar, and blend well until sugar and honey are dissolved into the milk. Pour over the bread and apples, and mix well until thoroughly coated. Allow to soak for about 15 minutes. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes, covered. Remove from oven and remove cover. Mix melted butter and sugar together and drizzle over the pudding. Return to oven and continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.
Substitutions and Customizable Options
-Instead of almond milk, use the same amount of any other kind of milk. If you want to go for a more pronounced almond flavor, replace the vanilla extract with almond extract.
-This recipe makes a very moist pudding, which is the way I like it. If you like your bread pudding more dry, reduce the liquid by half a cup.
-Add raisins and walnuts for extra texture, crunch and flavor.
-Omit the sugar/butter topping, and serve plain or with maple syrup.
-Use 1 egg in place of the cornstarch, which will result in a more custard-like bread pudding.
-I personally do not like the texture of cooked apples (blech!) so when I do bake with them, I shred them so I can have the flavor without the nasty texture. But if you like that nasty texture, just chop the apples instead of shredding them.
-Use pears instead of apples. If you do this, consider adding some powdered ginger or candied ginger into the recipe. Pears and ginger go great together!
This is a very QUICK weeknight dessert idea, as it all comes together in less than an hour.
It’s very EASY, too, nothing complicated or involved.
It’s also CHEAP, thanks to the main ingredient being leftover bits of bread!
It’s a very HEALTHY dessert, too, especially if you have a good whole-grain bread as the base. Combined with the fruit and spices, it makes for a very nutrient-rich dessert option that doesn’t have a great deal of sugar or other sweeteners. 

Get some more ideas for all those fall apples at:

 

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Artisan Bread and Pizza

June 12, 2010 By

I recently purchased a cookbook I’ve been eyeing for a while: Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, which is the sequel to Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. Jeff is a doctor and Zoe is a pastry chef, and together they worked to create a method that anyone could use to make bread at home, even with limited time constraints and little baking experience.

The basic idea is this: mix a whole batch of dough (without kneading!), let it rest/rise for a while, then store it in the fridge for 2 weeks. At any point during those 2 weeks, use a portion of the dough (most recipes make enough for 4 regular size loaves) to shape, rest, and bake a loaf of bread. The 5 minutes a day is the “active” time that you spend working with the dough and doesn’t include resting and baking time.

There’s a lot to like about this method: it’s easy, uses basic ingredients (although there are recipes for more exotic breads, like Black Sesame Pita, or Msemmen Flatbread), and really doesn’t take a lot of active time. I also love that there is always some dough in the fridge that I can use, and it’s pretty flexible, too. So far, with one batch, I made one loaf of whole wheat bread, one loaf of cinnamon bread, and …. pizza!

Most of the breads you can make with the dough require at least an hour of rising time, but when you use it for pizza, the resting time is unnecessary. That means you can take a hunk of dough out of the fridge, roll it out, pile on the toppings, bake for about 10 minutes and…. presto! Homemade artisan pizza in less than half an hour! That’s QECH!

Using the artisan bread in 5 minutes a day baking method, you should prep your dough on a pizza peel while a baking stone is preheating in the oven. When the dough and the stone are ready, you slide the dough from the peel onto the hot stone. This ensures that the pizza crust will bake up evenly and nicely browned. I don’t have a pizza peel, though, so I just prep the dough right on the un-heated baking stone and put the whole thing in a preheated oven. It might not make perfect crust… but it comes pretty close!

Of course, you can make whatever kind of pizza you want, but this is what I did:

Artisan BBQ Chicken Pizza
1 portion Master Dough recipe from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup shredded chicken
2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar and mozzarella)

Preheat the oven t0 500F or 550F, as hot as it will go. If you have a pizza peel and a pizza stone, place the pizza stone in the oven to preheat until the pizza is ready to bake.

Roll the dough out to 1/8″ thickness, either on a pizza peel or on a pizza stone. (Of course, you can bake the pizza on a regular old pizza pan, too.)

Spread the sauce evenly across the dough.

Top with chicken and cheese. If using a pizza peel, slide the pizza onto the baking stone, or place the stone (or pan) with the pizza in the oven, on the lowest rack.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until crust is browned and cheese is melted. Cool slightly, then slice and serve.

With a little preparation, this is a super QUICK method. When I made it tonight, I pulled the dough from the fridge, as well as the BBQ sauce, which was leftover from an earlier meal. The chicken came from the freezer, also leftovers from an earlier meal. All I had to do was shred the cheese, and put it all together!

Very EASY, too. Rolling out the dough was the hardest part, and that wasn’t very hard.

Pretty CHEAP, considering all the leftovers that went into the pizza! Pizza is actually a great way to use up leftover meats and veggies in a new and delicious way.

This is HEALTHY in many ways. For one, I used whole grain dough for the crust, which makes it a complex carbohydrate. I used homemade BBQ sauce - no high fructose corn syrup or chemical ingredients! Using homemade cooked chicken is healthier than pre-packaged, preserved, cooked chicken, or even canned chicken. It would have been healthier to add some vegetables (onions, peppers and tomatoes come to mind), but most vegetables that are suitable for pizza are not exactly suitable for my DH!

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My Husband is a Meatitarian

November 17, 2009 By

Did you ever see that commercial where the guy tells his would-be girlfriend that he’s a “meatitarian”? My husband could be that guy, except he’s already married. To me, in case you were wondering.

It was no surprise to me the other day that he started drooling when he heard a different commercial advertising pizza with five or six different kinds of meat. That’s pretty much just right up his alley!

Our dinner plans changed suddenly the other day, and I needed a quick but filling meal. I was in the mood for pizza and was reminded of my husband’s penchant for “meatitarian pizza”. I didn’t have 5 or 6 different kinds of meat in the house (not cooked ones, anyway) so I settled for a 3-meat pizza. It has 2 kinds of cheese, does that count?

Of course, there are at least a zillion different ways to make pizza, so any one recipe can be adapted to your desires and needs, but here’s the way I made it the other night. I should warn you, it has no tomato sauce because my DH cannot have it. Usually I use Ranch dressing, BBQ sauce or a white sauce, but this time I tried to recreate a garlic oil sauce we’ve had before. It goes better I think with a thin pizza, so if you go this route, either use half to three quarters of the pizza dough recipe or roll it out in a larger pan.


Meatitarian Pizza
1 recipe pizza dough (below)
1-2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP crushed garlic (I used about a teaspoon of garlic powder instead.)
dash of salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 TBSP grated zucchini or yellow summer squash
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup browned hamburger meat
1/2 cup cubed or shredded chicken
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Spread the pizza dough in a circle on a pizza stone or cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 10 minutes. Use a basting brush to evenly distribute olive oil on surface of crust. Evenly distribute garlic and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter the squash evenly and then top with cheeses and meats. Cook at for 10 minutes or so, until cheese is melted.
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Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 pkg rapid rise yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP honey
1 - 1 1/4 cups warm water

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in oil, honey and 1 cup of water. Add additional water as necessary to make a smooth, elastic dough. Let dough rest for about 10 minutes before baking. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes.

This is QUICK, especially if you have the cooked meats on hand. I had some browned beef in the freezer, as well as cooked bacon, and used a can of chicken as well. Other options would be sliced ham or crumbled sausage. The dough is quick, too, because you don’t have to worry about letting it rise.

This is EASY, even when you make your own pizza dough. Despite the use of yeast, there’s no proofing or rising involved, so it’s not in the least bit difficult. Use your food processor to shred the cheese in seconds.

It’s CHEAPer than ordering delivery, that’s for sure. It’s even cheaper than buying a pre-made crust and other pre-packaged ingredients. It’s a great way to use up leftover meats you may have taking up space in your fridge and freezer, in which case it’s even cheaper.

I tried my best to make it HEALTHY by using whole wheat and honey in the crust and adding in the squash. Most of you can add in other vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, onions, and the like. Unfortunately, I cannot do that because of my DH’s diet.

Speaking of whom, he ate half the pizza in one sitting! I told you he was a meatitarian!!

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Less is More

November 5, 2009 By

Sounds contradictory, but it’s true. Come to think of it, the same could be said about a lot of things in life. But this adage - “Less is More” - is one that holds very true for me, in a lot of different areas of life:

In conversation: oh yeah, definitely better to hold back! Less is more.

Or in home decor: gaudy and/or cluttered are totally not my thing! Less is more, at least for me.

In personal style: I like to think of myself as classic (plain Jane?). Less is more.

Oh, and let’s not forget that little thing called “Weight”. Yep, definitely, less is more.

In fact, I can only think of one instance where it doesn’t fit, and that’s chocolate. Oh, and maybe coffee, too, but I definitely have my limits there. No, on second thought, chocolate’s the only thing - at least the only tangible thing - where more is more.

I especially feel strongly that less is more when it comes to sugar: you’ve probably noticed that if you’ve read any of my blog posts. I try to limit sugar as much as possible because it’s good for my health… and my waistline! A long time ago, I found a little chart that shows the minimum amount of sugar per cup of flour you need in various baked goods. I was surprised to see on the chart that quick breads and muffins only need 1 (yes, ONE) TBSP of sugar per cup of flour. Almost every quick bread recipe I find calls for scads and scads of sugar, so I admit I was extremely skeptical about that whole idea. However, the rest of the chart has been very accurate (Except in the case of brownies - my DH doesn’t like my brownies because I have reduced the amount of sugar in them. I actually like them because they have a stronger chocolate taste… which, actually, is the exact reason why he does NOT like them!) in all my baking endeavors, so I really have no reason to mistrust it in this instance.

My skepticism was rooted so deep that it has taken me several years to actually put it to the test. I had some bananas that fell out of their peels (long story) so I needed to cook them up into something, and the only something I was in the mood for was banana bread. The recipe I used called for 2/3 cup of sugar, which isn’t exactly scads and scads, but I still felt like it was excessive. I’ve been counting my calories and exercising regularly lately, and I didn’t want to ruin all my hard work with too much sugar!

So I finally did it! I made a quick bread using only 1 TBSP of sugar per cup of flour! Actually, I used 1 TBSP of honey and 1 TBSP of sugar, but I still stuck to the basic principle. I have to admit I was mildly disappointed with my first bite - it wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting (duh!). But as I took another bite, and another… I discovered that I was actually tasting banana bread: not sugar bread, but banana bread. The smaller amount of sugar actually allowed the flavor of the bread to shine through instead of drowning it out in sweetness. The subtle sweetness of the bananas themselves also added to the flavor. The real test came, though, when my DH ate a slice. Remember, he does not like me messing with the sugar content of brownies! In fact, he doesn’t really like me messing with the sugar content of anything: the sweeter, the better (to him, Less is definitely NOT More!). Do you know what? He said, with absolutely no prompting from me, that the banana bread was very good. And he proceeded to eat 2 big slices. He never guessed that I reduced the sugar.

Success!!

I dare you to try it. See for yourself if less really is more.

Less is More Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 or 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup plain yogurt
1 TBSP honey
1 TBSP sugar (or use 2 TBSP sugar and skip the honey)
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix together the butter, eggs, bananas, yogurt, honey and sugar until blended. The mixture will be rather lumpy; that’s OK. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then stir them into the banana mixture just until blended. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Place pan on wire rack to cool for 5 or 10 minutes, then carefully remove bread from the pan.

Wow, that was QUICK, wasn’t it? Mix the wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients, throw them together, bake it, done. The whole thing finished in an hour or less.

EASY, too. Even a beginner cook can handle a basic quick bread like this.

Yes, and CHEAP, especially when you consider you’re salvaging what would otherwise go into the trash (over-ripe bananas). And, since you’re using less sugar than you would normally, your’e saving money there, too.

Because of the reduced sugar and the use of yogurt and whole wheat flour, this banana bread recipe is HEALTHY, too. In fact, I can eat it for breakfast without a twinge in my conscience!

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Better than the Box – Flour Tortillas

September 11, 2009 By


Some people have mistakenly thought that I cook a lot from scratch because I consider myself a great cook or want to show off my amazing skills, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I am under no illusions as to my abilities in the cooking department! I cook from scratch, not because I’m good at it, but because it’s CHEAP and it’s HEALTHY. For me, it’s worth a (little) extra time and a (little) extra effort.

But the truth is that it doesn’t take that much extra time and effort to make cheap and healthy foods from scratch. I don’t have anymore time in my day than any other stay-at-home-mom. Even a working mom can prepare healthy food for her family with some short-cuts and forethought.

My point is: it’s not hard. I will demonstrate that with flour tortillas. As I mentioned in my flatbread post, I spent a good portion of my childhood making tortillas. My mom had received an authentic tortilla recipe from a Mexican friend, and it was her favorite go-to recipe for feeding large crowds. We fed large crowds a lot, or at least it seems like it, because I remember spending what seemed like hours rolling out those stinkin’ tortillas.

It wasn’t really hours I spent, though, I have realized! It took me less than an hour today to whip up a batch, so I think my memory was exaggerating things a little. So if you have about 45 minutes or less, you can make your own batch of tortillas, too. Better yet, make a double batch and freeze some for later to save even more time.

This recipe is actually half of my mom’s recipe, because, like all my mom’s recipes, it makes enough for approximately a jillion servings.

Not-Quite-A-Jillion Flour Tortillas
1 1/2 cups regular unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, coconut oil, or non-hydrogenated shortening
1/2 cup or so hot water

Begin by mixing the dry ingredients together. I’ve found that 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour is really the most I can use and still have the texture I’m looking for, but more would certainly be healthier. Add whatever fat you are using (I usually use butter, but today I tried coconut oil and it worked very well! I think it has a texture more like shortening, so it makes it a little softer), and mix it with a fork until crumbly:


Begin adding the hot water, a little at a time, until you’ve achieved the right texture (pliable but not too soft). I have found that I can only determine how much more water I need if I mix with my hands. However, I don’t want the dough to be tough, so I wait until I think it might be enough water, then I gently mix with my hands to find out for sure. Usually at that point, I have to add just a little more water for the perfect texture:


Turn the dough out onto a flat surface and knead approximately 15 times. I don’t remember my mom doing this, at least not in this exact way, but I think it helps:


You should have a nice soft, yet firm ball of dough:


A tip I read recently was to let the dough rest for a few minutes before rolling out, which is very helpful. Cover the dough with a warm wet towel and let it sit for a few minutes. Then separate the ball of dough into two equal portions:


Divide those portions in half:


and then in half again. This is the easiest way to make sure you have evenly sized tortillas:


For each tortilla, form a nice round circle in your hand and then pat it flat:


Place it on a lightly floured surface, and dust the top with a little flour. Without flipping it over, roll the dough into a circle, as round as you can. (It helps to move the rolling pin in a clock wise motion, for example, imagine you’re rolling out to touch the one and then two and then three o’clock.) Growing up, we used to joke about the “amoeba” shapes we would make. It doesn’t really matter what shape it is, as long as it tastes good!

Fry the tortilla in a dry pan (no oil) over low heat until you see bubbles on the top:


Flip it and cook very briefly on the other side. The second side doesn’t take long at all, a few seconds really.

Your finished tortilla should look like this:


Perhaps not as QUICK as grabbing a package from the grocery store, but maybe not as time-consuming as you would have thought?

Once you get the hang of it, it’s EASY. I mean, I made these when I was ten years old, so I think you can do it!

No question: much CHEAPer than the packaged version at the store. You can’t get anymore basic than these ingredients.

It’s definitely HEALTHY when compared to the store-bought variety, which often has high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. Homemade tortillas also have more flavor and are not as tough or chewy as the store-bought kind.

I’ll show you what I did with my tortillas today. I was inspired by this recipe, which I actually followed more or less. I cooked the steak in the crockpot (what a great idea - it was nice and moist, even though it was a cheap cut of beef) with seasoned salt, freshly ground black pepper, and some broth to keep it moist. I let it cook on High for 4 hours, but it was ready a little sooner than that. You can use spicier seasonings, but I chose not to because my DH is sensitive to spicy things.

I sliced the steak into thin strips and then into pieces, grated some cheddar cheese, and crumbled some goat cheese. I also made a quick “guacamole” by mixing up some avocado, olive oil, black pepper and cilantro. I put all those ingredients close at hand so I could prep the quesadillas quickly, because they don’t take much time at all to fry up in the pan.


For each quesadilla, I buttered one side of the tortilla, and then spread some guacamole on one half of the other side. On top of the guac, I placed a spoonful of steak, cheddar cheese, and goat cheese. I sprinkled the black pepper and cilantro on and then folded the other half on top of the fillings. I placed it in the pan to heat through and melt the cheese:


I cut each quesadilla into half so it was easier to eat. You can get super creative with the fillings. Some other ideas:

*chicken
*ground beef
*sliced/chopped peppers
*tomatoes (remove the juicy/seedy part first so the moisture doesn’t soak through the tortilla)
*shredded zucchini (my DH swears I put that in everything)
*just cheese
*garlic, onion

You can serve them with different kinds of salsa, or black beans, guacamole and plain yogurt or sour cream.

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A Unique Use for those Leftover HOMEMADE Mashed Potatoes

August 11, 2009 By

My mom is the one who taught me how to cook. Once she taught me (and my sisters), she expected me (and my sisters) to continue on cooking. I can remember countless hours spent in the kitchen helping to prepare dinners, cookies, desserts, breakfasts, etc. etc. I guess if I were the mother of 11 children, I’d do the same! To be honest, I don’t regret it. In fact (although my mom may have different memories) I don’t think I ever really complained about it. There were a few things I did NOT like to do, such as chopping onions, but for the most part, I enjoyed the whole process of cooking and baking for the family.

One recipe, my mom (and me and my sisters) made a lot was Potato Crescent Rolls. I still remember the first time we tasted them at a good friend’s house, and my mom got the recipe right away. From that point on, it became a staple at our house, and my mom included it in the cookbook she gave to each of us kids as we flew the nest.

But once I left home, I rarely made Crescent Rolls, mainly because I’m lazy, and they’re a lot of work. Memories of baking them at home involve a lot of time and effort, kneading, letting the dough rise, punching it down, letting it rise again, etc. etc. Same reason I almost never make my mom’s famous Sticky Buns, delicious as they are. (And the same reason my blog involves quick & easy recipes.) Yes, the more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that I’m pretty much just lazy.

But I’m OK with that, because nowadays there are machines to help you out with that. So you can still get stuff done but be lazy, too! That’s what I love about the bread machine. I can make homemade bread without all the effort - it’s wonderful.

So I had some leftover mashed potatoes that I made for my recent post, and since I hate to throw food away, I wanted to use it up in something. I was reminded of my mom’s crescent rolls and found a recipe online that helped me convert it to a bread machine recipe.

The crescent rolls I ended up making are actually quite different from both my mom’s and the recipe I found online at Taste of Home. For one thing, my mom’s recipe made approximately a zillion, but mine only made 24. (still too many for 2 people, good thing I have a freezer!) For another, neither recipe called for whole wheat flour, but you know I can’t make a baked good with just white flour!! I used a mix of whole wheat flour, white flour and bread flour, so that flavor was not sacrificed for healthiness. To make it a little cheaper, I cut out the milk and used just water (which is what my mom’s recipe calls for anyway). Also, I got a little creative with the one pan of rolls, which you will see in a little bit.

Couch Potato Crescent Rolls
3/4 cup warm water
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup warmed leftover mashed potatoes
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Layer the ingredients in that order in your bread machine pan and select the Dough cycle. One hint for bread-machine baking: never put the salt and yeast together. I almost gave up on bread-machine baking until I read that little tip in a book called “Bread Machine Magic” and all of a sudden I fell in love with the bread machine. Now I always separate the salt and the yeast by the flour.

When your dough is done, approximately an hour and a half or so later, it is ready to be made into crescent rolls (isn’t that wonderful? no kneading, extra risings, etc etc. so simple). Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, and roll them out into a 12″ circle. Melt about 1/4 cup of butter and spread about a fourth of that onto the dough with a pastry brush.


Use a pizza cutter to divide the dough into 12 equal wedges (more in a minute on that white stuff you see in the picture)
Beginning at the wide edge, roll each wedge up, and bend the ends inward to form the crescent shape and place them on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with another fourth of the melted butter. Cover and let them rise for about 25 - 30 minutes.

Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Repeat with the second portion of dough.

Now about the white stuff. The cool thing about these crescent rolls is that before rolling them up, you can do a million fun things with them. My mom would often stuff chunks of hot dog into them and make “pigs in a blanket” (Don’t try that at home.). We also experimented on occasion with various herbs and spices; Italian ones work really well.

So I made one “normal” batch and one creative batch. On the creative batch, I sprinkled some crumbled goat cheese and some dried basil. I wish, I wish, I wish I had had some fresh basil, but alas, I did not. That would have been soooo yummy. So if you try this, make sure you plan ahead and have fresh basil! It was very yummy as it was, but it would have been yummier with the good fresh stuff.

When you compare it to the original recipe, this one is QUICK. If I made it the old-fashioned way, it would be a day-long process, but this way only takes a couple hours of your time.

Using the bread machine makes it so EASY. I love that I don’t have to knead dough anymore. For some reason, I always hated that part, even with the Kitchen Aid mixer kneading attachment.

Using up those leftover mashed potatoes makes it a CHEAP recipe. Also, it makes 24 rolls, so unless you have 24 people in your family (hey, it happens), you can eat some now and freeze some for later. Food in the freezer is a very frugal concept.

It’s very HEALTHY, as far as dinner rolls go, especially with the whole wheat. The addition of goat cheese adds an extra element of health, as goat products are considered to be more easily digested and therefore more usable by our bodies.

So if you haven’t made mashed potatoes yet, go forth and make mashed potatoes (real ones!) so you can make these yummy crescent rolls. And enjoy!

Find more healthy bread recipes at:

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