If I Can Do It You Can too! (bread recipes)

Scroll down for recipes: Cheesy Garlic Bread, Bread Bowls (for soup), Buttery Horns

Cheesy Garlic Bread

One night I made spaghetti and meatballs but I didn't have any bread to serve with it.  So, being the resourceful little cook that I have become, (I thought of this earlier in the day...it takes quite a while from beginning to table, so you kind of have to plan for this), I decided to figure out how to make it from scratch.  I found 2 recipes online, the first for french bread and the 2nd how to turn it into garlic bread. Then, as you will figure out, I love cheese, so I added that as well.  In the end, it was the best (and probably the most fattening) garlic bread I have ever had and oh so worth the effort. (I would double it so you can have left overs).  If you don't have hours to put into dinner, then you can always use
 pre-made french bread from the bakery at your grocery store.

8 servings

For the Bread

1 pkg           active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 C              warm water (110-115 degrees F)
2 tbsp          sugar
2 tbsp          canola oil
1 1/2 tsp      salt
3-3 1/4 C     all-purpose flour
small hand full of cornmeal
1                  egg
1 tsp            cold water

To Make it Garlic Bread

1/2 C     butter (1 stick)
3 to 4     garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp     fresh parsley, minced (dried can be used, but it's not as good)
1/2 tsp    paprika

1/2  C     cheese (I use mozzarella and fresh Parmesan, but you can use whatever you like)

water needs to be between 110-115 F



lightly whisk yeast

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, whisking for a second or two (use a meat or candy thermometer to test water temp before you add to yeast...it's very important-too cool and it won't activate yeast, too hot and it will kill it, yes it is alive. If you don't have one, when you are grocery shopping, pick one up...they are only a few bucks and take the guess work out of cooking meat).  After about 5 min add the sugar, whisking lightly again and let sit for another 5-10 min.  If it starts to foam a little, then that means the yeast is good. If not, I would start over with new yeast, making sure your water temp is right. 



Here I took one beater off the mixer

•  Add the oil and salt, mixing a little to combine...then 2 C flour, a little at a time. Mix with a mixer until blended (when it starts to get really stiff, I take off one beater and mix with just one, at some point you will have to finish by hand.)  Don't try to use all the flour here, this is the trial and error part.  Add enough to make the dough form.  When its still tacky, I will go ahead and start the next step, adding flour until I get the right consistency..think fresh play dough, then start timing my actual kneading.
• Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes, adding a little flour every once in a while to keep it from getting sticky.  If you haven't ever kneaded dough, I would look up a video on it. Its kind of a rolling motion pushing down and away from you with the bottom of your palm.



kneading

dough rolled around in a greased bowl

• Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. I cover with a towel, put on the top rack of the oven (DO NOT turn the oven on!), then microwave a large bowl of water until it's very hot and put that on the rack below it.  The slight heat and moisture will help your dough rise. Punch dough down (this is just like it sounds, I literally punch the dough 2 or 3 times with my fist to deflate it); return to bowl. Cover and let rise for 30 more minutes.  *I just realized the several times I have done this recipe, I totally skipped this punching and returning to the bowl step, it turned out fine, but I will be sure to do it next time!
• Punch dough down again. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a 16-in. x 2-1/2-in. loaf with tapered ends. Sprinkle a greased baking sheet with cornmeal; place loaf on the baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes. (If you are putting it in the oven with the water, re-heat your water if you need to) 

lightly brush with egg white

• Beat egg white and cold water; brush over dough (do this very lightly, you don't want to deflate the dough). With a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes 2 in. apart across top of loaf (only like 1/4 in. or less in deep, you just want to basically score it). Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool a few minutes then remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

• Put butter, garlic and salt into a microwave safe container (I use a coffee mug) and heat until butter is melted



added butter, garlic, paprika and
parsley...the paprika came out
a little fast for me, looks like my
bread got shot!

• When bread is completely cooled (takes 30 min-1 hour), slice it lengthwise.  Place cut sides up on baking sheet (I use one that is covered with foil for easier clean-up).  Brush butter mixture on cut sides of bread.  Sprinkle on the paprika and parsley.
  Bake for 8 min. at 350, then broil for another 2 min or until golden and crispy 4-6 in away from heat. 




I used a white and medium cheddar mix
with Parmesan, but I prefer Parmesan
and mozzarella


• *This step is optional*: Take out and add cheese.  Broil again until cheese is bubbly. 
• Let cool for a few minutes, slice in into pieces and serve. (refrigerate leftovers)

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Bread Bowls (for soup)

So through my experience in figuring out the ways of yeast breads, I have dicovered that it's all basically variations of the same thing.  You have different measurments of basic ingredients to make a dough that you roll out, braid, form or cut into differnent looking breads.  The french bread recipe that was before this one is the most basic yeast bread recipe I have found, so I will probably just reuse the pictures for some of the steps....no sense in having 15 different pictures of the same thing.  I may have you reference it as well. 

I decided to make chilli one night due to the colder weather.  I wanted to do some kind of homemade bread to go with it.  I saw a commercial for a restaurant advertising soup in bread bowls and that was that. I found a simple recipe on-line and they were delicious...and a life saver.  The chili I made (also a new recipe) was extremely spicy...my husband and I were fine, but the rest of the family was a different story.   The warm fresh bread help to extinguish some of the heat.  I think any kind of thick soup would be great in these...and make a pretty presentation.  I bet you could do an artichoke spinach dip in one , then cut up the rest of the bread, toast it and serve with the dip. I may try this over the holidays and let you know how it turns out.
 Makes 8 single Serving Bowls

 2 pkg     active dry yeast (1/4 oz each)

1 C         warm water (110-115 degrees F)

1 C         warm milk  (110-115 degrees F)

1/2 C      shortening

1/2          sugar

2             eggs

2 tsp        salt

6-6 1/2 C all-purpose flour

small handful cornmeal

water temp must be between
110-115 degrees F

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. (I always add a tbsp of the sugar too, let it set for about 5-10 min to see if the water and yeast starts to foam, that means the yeast is good)

I add a tbsp of the sugar to my
yeast and water

•  Add the milk, shortening, sugar, eggs, salt and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth.  Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough. (I am a little more detailed in all this in the previous recipe if you want to reference it). 
• Turn onto a floured surface;  knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. (I still time myself for a reference, this is something that with practice, you will just know how it's supposed to feel...if your dough needs more flour, or more kneading, ect.)

dough after kneaded

• Place in a greased bowl turning over once to grease the top...this keeps your bread from drying out.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.  I put mine on the top wrack of the oven (NOT turned on) with a bowl of almost boiling water on the rack below it, the heat and humidity helps activate the yeast and rise better.

• Punch dough down.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide into 8 pieces.  I stretch out into about a 12 in roll, cut in half, then half the halves and so on until I have the number of pieces I need.  Shape each piece into a ball.  Grease 2 baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal.  Place 4 balls 3 in apart on each prepared pan.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. (I don't have an official wire rack, I take a rack from the oven that isn't being used and prop it up with 2 bowls...you don't have to spend a lot of money on equipment to make recipes work : )

• To turn these balls of bread into bowls, cut a thin slice off the top of the bread.  Hollow it out with a fork, leaving 1/4-1/2 in walls.  (discard removed bread or save for something else...I put mine out flat on a baking sheet, sprayed with olive oil cooking spray and toasted in the broiler,...it was great on top of the chili)

cut a thin slice off the top

hollow out with a fork

• Fill with soup, chili or dip.

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Buttery Horns

These were my maiden yeast bread voyage.  I was so absolutely proud of them the first time I pulled them out of the oven (which they weren't exactly perfect).   I didn't research techniques or anything, just found this recipe in a magazine and followed the instructions.  Since then, I have had a bit more experience and have done research, so they come out every time.  Don't be fooled (as I was from the picture), these do not taste or have the texture of a croissant.  They are more like a dinner roll in a pretty shape.  They only keep for about a day, so plan on using them quick.  I take left overs from the night before and make them into peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the boys, cinnamon toast (I just slice them lengthwise, slather on some butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then broil until crispy, or garlic bread.  This is another very basic bread recipe that can be done in any shape.  If you wanted just plain square or round dinner rolls, you could roll out into 2 rectangles instead of circles and cut into squares instead of triangles, (making the dough a lot thicker of course.....read the whole recipe then refer back here and it will make a lot more sense) and just don't roll up.

Makes 16 rolls

1 tbsp   active dry yeast
1 tsp + 1/3 C sugar
1/2 C   warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1/2 C   butter, softened
1/2       warm milk (110-115 degrees F)
1           egg
4 C       all-purpose flour

Water and milk temp must be
between 110-115 degrees F



adding sugar to the water and yeast

•  In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm water.  Wait about 5-10 minutes to see if water and yeast start to foam. If it does, that means the yeast is good. If it doesn't, I would start over making sure your water is the right temp.

• Add the butter, milk, egg, salt, remaining sugar and 2 C flour.  Mix well.  Add enough flour to form a soft dough.  ( If using a hand mixer, I take off one beater when the dough starts to get thick.)

• Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic about 6-8 min adding flour whenever it gets sticky.

knead the dough for 6-8 min.

Dough after kneaded

• Place in a greased bowl, turning over one to coat the top (this keeps the dough from drying out).  Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.  I put mine on the top rack of the oven (NOT turned on) and an almost boiling bowl of water on the bottom rack below it. the heat and humidity help to active the yeast and rise better.

• Punch dough down.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface.  Cut in half. Roll out one half into a 12 in circle. (I use a pizza pan for a guide) Cut circle (I use a pizza cutter) into 8 triangles, just like you would a pizza....hungry for pizza yet?

•  Roll up triangle from the wide end and place point side down 2 in apart on greased baking sheets.  Curve ends to form crescents.

tightly roll triangles



rolls before rise

• Cover with a towel and let rise until double, about 30 min. (Preheat oven to 350 in the last 15 min or so).




rolls after rise

• Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks.
• While still hot, I will take a stick of butter, peel about 2 in of wrapper off, them butter the tops of each one.