Slow Cooker Focaccia Bread

Slow Cooker Focaccia Bread

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

I love baking bread, but sometimes it is too hot to turn the oven on, or I have to go out shopping.

IMG_5459

For the past few months, I been trying to utilize the use of my slow cooker more in my cooking and baking.

IMG_5433

I wanted to bake bread yesterday but I had to go out shopping so I used my slow cooker, and it worked, bread was delicious and full of flavor.

IMG_5461

I added fresh herbs and olive oil, it is the easiest bread I ever made!

IMG_5458

Make the dough and let it rise for 40 minutes turn on the slow cooker and off you go.

IMG_5457

Walking in to the house the smell was intoxicating, smell of fresh baked bread, herbs and olive oil filled up the house.

.2 cups hot milk

.4 cups bread flour

.2 tbsp. yeast

.1/2 tbsp. salt

.2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

.2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

.2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

.2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

.4 tbsp. olive oil divided

.1 tbsp. honey

Line the insert of the slow cooker with parchment paper, making sure the side are covered, spray with vegetable spray and set aside.

In to a stand mixer bowl with the flat beater attachment add hot milk, honey, and yeast, mix until its combined, let it stand for 5 minutes.

Turn the mixer on slow; add the flour little at a time, add salt and the mixture of herbs, let it mix for 3 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil and mix for another 3 minutes.

The dough will be sticky.

With a bench scraper, scope the dough directly in to the slow cooker insert, speared with clean hands.

Cover with the slow cooker lid, and let it rise without turning the cooker on for 45 minutes.

After the dough is rising, brush the top with the remaining olive oil, cover it with clean kitchen towel, cover with the slow cooker lid, folding the side of the towel up on to the lid.

Turn on the slow cooker to the low setting, and bake for 3 hours.

Do not lift the lid or remove the towel until the 3 hours are up so the steam won’t escape.

Remove the bread by holding the parchment paper from both sides, let it cool on cooling rack for 5 minutes, slide the parchment paper from under the bread, and let it cool completely before slicing, about 2 hours. Enjoy!

Corn Dog Muffins

Corn Dog Muffins

  • Servings: 12-24
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

The combination of corn bread and hot dogs is behind delicious, kids and adults enjoys eating them at any given time!

IMG_5269

We all enjoyed them when shopping at the mall, corn dogs and lemonade was one of the snaks my kids asked for all the time.

IMG_5303

I combined the two in muffin version and the results were amazing!

Just a hint of sweetness meets savory.

They are on the healthy side also, coconut oil replaced the butter and sugar substitutes replacing the granulated sugar.

It was the perfect combination with BBQ, yes, we started our long weekend BBQ from today, and it will continue until Monday!

Preheat oven 375

Spray two muffin pans with vegetables oil spray and set aside.

.1/2 cup all purpose flour

.2 1/2 cup buttermilk

.1/4 tsp salt

.2 tsp baking powder

.1/2 cup melted coconut oil or melted unsalted butter

.2 1/2 cups corn meal

.2 large eggs

.6 beef hot dogs cut in to 5 pieces each

.1/3 cup sugar substitutes or granulated sugar

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar set aside.

In measuring cup, stir in buttermilk and eggs, whisk until completely combined.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry and stir.

Add the melted coconut oil or butter and stir until the mixture comes together.

With ice cream scoop fill the muffin pan halfway, insert the cut up hotdogs, one in each muffin.

Bake for 25-30 minutes making sure to turn the pans halfway.

Cool on wire rack for five minutes, remove, and cool completely.

Drizzle with honey on top before serving.

The muffins could be served warm or at room temperature.

This recipe makes about 22-24 muffins, Enjoy!

Crusty Sourdough Bread

Crusty Sourdough Bread

  • Servings: 8-12
  • Difficulty: intermediate
  • Print

Today I tested a new recipe of sourdough bread. I know the carbs issue but who can resist fresh hot baked crusty bread!

IMG_4048

This bread left to rise for about 4 hours without being disturbed! In the mean time, we went to breakfast, and grocery shopping.

IMG_4046IMG_4045

After 4 hours, I gently worked the dough with a little bench flour, divided it in to two loaves, and let it rest again…

IMG_4050

Letting the dough rise for that long is what made the flavor intensify, and gave it the extra sour taste… The bread turned out amazingly delicious, crusty yet soft, and chewy!

IMG_4059

.9 cups bread flour

.2 1/2 cups bread starter (see recipe)

.1 tbsp. dry yeast

.2 1/2 hot water

.2 tbsp. sugar substitutes

.1 1/2 tbsp. salts

.1 egg whites

.1/2 tbsp. water

.1/2 tsp poppy seed

.1/2 tsp raw unsalted sunflower seed

.1/2 tsp flaxseed

.1/2 tsp black untoasted sesame seeds

.4 tbsp. corn meal

.Spray bottle with cold water

To make the Starter


.3 cups of all-purpose flour

.1 tbsp. dry yeast

.3 cups of warm water

combine all the starter ingredient and mix well in a large plastic container, cover with plastic wrap, and leave it at room temperature for 12 hours.

In to a stand mixer bowl with a flat beater attachment, add 8 and 1/2 cups of flour, salt, dough starter, yeast, and sugar. Mix for few seconds to incorporate, add water and mix for 2 minutes.

Switch the flat beater with the dough hook, let the mixer run on low speeds slowly until the dough comes together, and pulls away from the bowl.

On high-speed let the mixer runs for 5 minutes to work the dough.
Place the dough in a large bowl sprayed with nonstick spray, spray plastic wrap with the nonstick spray and cover the bowl, place a clean tea towel on top of the plastic wrap and let the dough stand in a warm corner of the kitchen for 4 hours.

Sprinkle the corn meal on to two cookie sheets and set aside.

Turn the dough on to floured surface, with sharp knife gently cut the dough in half to two pieces.

With floured hands Work the dough gently with fingertips, bring the dough together to a long log shape tucking in the bottom and smoothing the side, and place each loaf on the prepared cookie sheet or if you prefer use a large loaf pans.

Gently to avoid deflating the dough, smooth the dough with fingertips to the length and width you desire, cover with tea towel and let it stand for 15-20  minutes.

Preheat oven to 460 degrees, when time is up lower the heat to 455 degrees.

In a small bowl Mix all the seeds and set aside.

With a sharp razor, slash each of the loaves with three 1-inch slashes, add the water to the egg white and whisk, with a pastry brush, brush the top of one of the loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle the seeds evenly on top of it.

Brush the second loaf with some of the white wash.

Bake for 35 minutes, after the first 15 minutes, spray the bread and the cookie sheet with water and bake for another 15 minutes, do not over spray the dough, just few sprits for each loaf.

After 15 minutes spray again, bake until the time is up and the loaves are golden, and gives a hollow sound when taping the bottom of the bread.

Let the bread cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes or until it is cool enough to handle, remove and cool completely on to cooling racks before slicing.

Cut the bread to thin slices and keep in plastic zip top bags in the refrigerator or the freezer.

To save the rest of the starter keep in a large plastic container covered in the refrigerator and feed it once a week by removing a cup of the starter and add one cup of flour and one cup of water, mix and return to the refrigerator. To use again let stand at room temperature overnight.

Enjoy!

Sourdough Bread

Sourdough Bread

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Baking bread at home is one of my passions; I love the aroma that fills the house, especially sourdough bread. And I am sure there is millions of recipes out there for sourdough bread but this is the same recipe I came up with and been making it for years and years and I guarantee you, you will love it too.

IMG_3783

Bread is my weakness and I will admit to that, there is no bread that I would say no to, yes, it is bad for the hips, but I cannot resist the temptation of fresh, hot baked bread.

IMG_3788

I have been keeping a bread starter, flour, water mixed and kept in the refrigerator for as long as you feed it, and that is what makes sourdough, sourdough…

Sourdough is a labor of love since the starter takes a long time to ferment, so patience is necessary to make the bread.

IMG_3791

However, let me tell you the rewards out ways the hard work and the time, when you smell and eat the homemade, delicious, warm, and crusty bread, you would know how much it is worth the efforts.

Starter

.2-cup water divided

.2-cup all-purpose flour divided

Dough

.5 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

.1 3/4 warm water

.1/2 tbsp. salt

.1 1/4 cup dough starter

.2 tbsp. cornmeal

For the starter, mix 1 cup flour and 1 cup water in a large plastic container, and let it stand for 12 hours in a warm corner in your kitchen uncovered, after 12 hours, mix gently, discard most of the starter, keeping about 1/2 cup, add the remaining flour and water, mix well and let stand uncovered for another 12 hours.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, add all the dough ingredients except the cornmeal, run the mixer on low for about 1 minute.

Let the dough stand for 20 minutes in order for the flour to absorb the liquid.

Turn the mixer on and work the dough for about 10 minutes, cover and let it stand for about 1 hour.

Sprinkle baking sheet with the cornmeal and set aside.

Gently work the dough on floured surface and form a ball, or to any shape you like…the dough will be sticky… replace the dough on the baking sheet, cover with clean tea towel, and let it rise again for 40-55 minutes.

Preheat oven 375

With a sharp knife, make three slashes on the top of the dough.

With spraying bottle filled with water, spray the dough and bake for 45-55 minutes.

In the last 15 minutes spray the bread and the pan twice with the water to create a steam in order to have the delicious crust, and continue to bake.

Serve the bread with cheese or butter and jam, Enjoy!

Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

There is nothing could beat a fresh bread, I love it and I would be a happy camper if I just lived on bread by itself. Wrong but its sooo right…

dscf5750[1]

I love to make my own fresh crunchy garlic bread it’s as easy as opening frozen packaged bread.

DSCF5749

.1/2 stick room temperature butter

.3 garlic gloves- grated

.1/8 tsp. salt

.1 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

.1 loaf sourdough bread

.1 tbsp. fresh minced parsley

Preheat oven 375

1-Slice the bread to 1-inch thick slices and toast for 15 minutes making sure to flip the slice on the other side half way.

2-In a small bowl, add butter, parsley, salt, parmesan cheese, mix well and set aside.

3-Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler.

4- remove bread from the oven and Let it cool for few minutes.(if you skip this step the butter will melt all over the place)

5-Spread the butter mixture evenly on each slice and toast under the broiler in the middle rack for 1-2 minutes making sure not to burn it.

Serve with any spaghetti dish. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Dough

whole wheat dough

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

food pictures 010 (2)

This homemade healthy dough is perfect for Pizza or fresh homemade bread.

.3 Cups hot water

.3 Packet yeast

.3 Tbsp. Salt

.1 Tbsp. sugar

.7 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour

.2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

In a stand mixer bowl add water, yeast and sugar and let it stand for about 5 minutes or until foamy.

Attach beater attachment , add 7 cups flour and salt and mix well, add the last 1/4 cup of flour a little at a time until the dough comes together and pulls away from the bowl, remove beater attachment and replace it with the dough hook, let the mixer run one medium low speed for about 5 minutes to work the dough.

Add olive oil and coat the dough, cover and let it rest for 1-2 hours.

This recipe makes about 4-5 pizza.

It freezes well too, divide the dough in 4 or 5 portions in separate zip top bags and store in the freezer up to 3 months.