Cream cheese on sour cream bread: as unhealthy and delicious as you'd expect

I've made two of these loaves now and both times forgot to take a picture of the whole thing before we started chowing down.  The first one was for my mom and reports were that it was delicious for toast and with chili and even plain.  The second one we kept at home and slathered with cream cheese.  The chives add a strong flavor but it's definitely not overpowering.  I even rounded up and used whatever remaining chives that I had, well over the 1/4 cup it called for.  The sour cream and milk seem to make this a pretty dense loaf; it did not rise hugely.  But that was really perfect for spreading on something thick or dipping.  The dough seemed pretty wet in the bread maker but since it wasn't sticking to the side of the pan, I did not add more flour and I think that was the right decision.  Toddler Girl did not seem to notice the onion-y flavor and I think she liked the chewy white-ness.  I think this would be a great to bring to someone's house or for a special dinner.

• Recipe: Sour Cream Chive Bread (Bread Machine) from food.com
• Mistakes: None
• Changes: Added extra chives, maybe a 1/2 cup total
• Rating: 10/10 Purple Chive Flowers
• Next time: Add half whole wheat flour and try on Whole Wheat setting
• Questions: Would adding more water make this less dense?  More yeast?

Crunchy-granola type bakes a batch

I was feeling a little overloaded by all the bread I had been eating, so I decided to do something a little different.

I love granola, and I love Alton Brown.  I made loads of changes to this recipe and cooked two batches in different ways. I basically just used his recipe as a framework. Here's a breakdown:

Instead of 3 cups rolled oats, I used 1-1/2 cups quick oats, 1 cup sesame seeds, and 1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup slivered almonds (didn't change that one)

Instead of 1 cup cashews, I used 1 cup pecans

Instead of 3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut, I skipped it

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (didn't change that either)

Instead of 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup, I used 1/4 cup syrup, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instead of 1/4 cup vegetable oil I used 1/4 cup peanut oil

Instead of 3/4 teaspoon salt, I used 1 teaspoon salt

Instead of 1 cup raisins, I used 1/2 cup raisins and 1/2 cup dried cherries, but only added them to half ot he batch.

On one baking sheet, I stirred often and only cooked it for about 45 minutes.  That ended up with a chewier granola that had smaller pieces.  I added the dried fruit to this batch and Toddler Girl loves it!  On the other baking sheet, I didn't touch it for 45 minutes and kicked up the heat to 300 degrees for the last 10 minutes.  I poked at it a bit before those last 10 minutes just to make sure it wasn't burning.  It didn't burn but boy, it came close!  I'm so happy with this granola.  The chewy "kid" batch tasted really sweet but the crunchy "adult" version is almost caramelized.  The only thing I would do different is to add a bit more oil to hopefully keep it in bigger chunks for the adult version, and a teeny bit less sweet.

Chewy slices of pumpernickel serve as perfect platform for sandwiches

Coffee and cocoa powder in a carbohydrate? Yes, please! It was not difficult to choose my next recipe once I found Betty Crocker's version of pumpernickel for the bread machine.  I was surprised that the dough smelled so bad and it really only improved to that rich, sour-ish scent I expect from pumpernickel toward the very end of baking.  Although some of the ingredient amounts were kind of particular (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon rye flour), this loaf came together without any problems.  After a bit of snacking, we made tuna sandwiches with melted cheddar.  I liked it but wasn't bowled over; hubby really liked it.  Toddler Girl was ambivalent.  Besides, she usually refuses 98% of what is put in front of her at dinner time.  Unless it's raisins.  We are looking forward to defrosting the rest of the loaf when it's time for another easy-sandwich-dinner night.

• Recipe: Bread Machine Pumpernickel Bread from Betty Crocker
• Mistakes: None
• Changes: None
• Rating: 4/5 Cups of Instant Coffee
• Next time: Try on dough setting and bake it in the oven
• Questions: Does pumpernickel always smell that bad to start?  Do regular pumpernickel recipes call for instant coffee and/or cocoa?

First foray into oven baking

Beauty and the Beast; or Why You Make Sure the Seam is Down

When I first got the bread machine, I was surprised that there were no recipes for Italian bread that didn't involve the oven instead of finishing in the bread machine.  My Italian and talented baker mother-in-law confirmed that you can't get the perfect Italian bread crust from the bread machine.   I really wanted some because we love the Italian Whole Grain loaf we usually get at Jewel.  So when I found a whole wheat recipe that seemed simple enough, I decided to give it a go.

I'm so glad I did and can't wait to try this one again.  I was not carefully enough about laying the bread down on top of the seam so one loaf cooked a little cock-eyed.  Nevertheless, it is exactly what we wanted!  Even better than the store-bought loaf.  Cutting off a slice for Toddler Girl to snack is so easy and keeps her calm when I'm trying to finish making dinner.

The recipe contributor suggested spraying the loaves and the inside of the oven 5 and 10 minutes into baking.  I didn't have a spray bottle but did brush them with water before putting them in.  I wonder if that would have make my crust even crustier?  I could have baked them longer, too, but my kitchen was filling with smoke.  Apparently when I made pizza last week, some cheese dripped onto the bottom.  On the agenda for the weekend: Clean the Oven!

• Recipe: Crusty Whole Wheat Italian Bread from food.com
• Mistakes: Poor placement of bread onto baking sheet (seam side down)
• Changes: Nil
• Rating: 3/3 Crunchy Buttery Bites
• Next time: Make on big loaf instead of two smaller, bake longer
• Questions: What does spraying with water do? Why did some of the cornmeal on my pan burn?

Surprise ending devastates entire family

After my last loaf bread was full of health and fiber, I had a hankering for something sweeter.  While I intend to mostly bake basic whole wheat breads to have around the house, I wanted to get some practice with other types, too.  You know, for science.  I also wanted to try out some of the other settings on my Sunbeam bread maker.  In flipping through their manual, I found an ExpressBake loaf that would satisfy my sweet tooth.  Knowing I had both oatmeal and dates in the pantry (Toddler Girl loves dried fruit!), I had to try this Oatmeal Date bread.  After I learned first hand that the Sunbeam recipes call for way too much yeast, I used a lot less without too much hesitation.  My very first loaf of bread called for the same amount of flour and one packet (2-1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast so I used that as my guide.  For some reason (maybe because of the oatmeal?), it specified fast-rising or bread machine yeast, so I did use that.

This recipe was about as good as bread can get.  It could easily be served for dessert with honey butter or even just plain.  The best part is that there is no sugar added, but the dates add plenty of sweetness. Toddler Girl had no problem stuffing this one down, especially after I drizzled smushed-up blueberries on top.

Here's where this story takes a turn.  I have a dog with a sweet tooth that's even worse than mine.  The bread was wrapped in foil, toward the back of the counter.  After leaving for an errand in the afternoon, I came home to foil on the floor in the kitchen and a Very Guilty Dog under the dining table.  He. Ate. Almost. A. Whole. Pound. Of. Bread.  My very delicious Oatmeal Date bread that I was so excited to share with my husband when he came home.  Fury! Outrage! Yelling!  Even more fury when I found him slinking around with another hunk of bread that he had hidden behind the couch.  And another next to the desk.  And ANOTHER next to the bar.  I almost un-adopted him.  But how could I blame him?  The bread was really, really good.

What's really sad is that this story has an almost-funny addition.  I decided to make another loaf before hubby made it home and Toddler Girl was even patient enough to play in the sink while I hurried to get it done.  Hurried so much I started the bread machine without attaching the kneading blade.  More Fury!  I carefully scooped out the yeast, then the not-so-dry flour & oatmeal, and stuck it in.  Then dumped everything sort of carefully back in.  The 2nd loaf was not nearly as good, of course.

• Recipe: ExpressBake® 2-lb. Setting Recipe from Sunbeam's manual on page 34
• Mistakes: None
• Changes: Used 2-1/4 teaspoons of yeast instead of 2 tablespoons
• Rating: 5/5 Juicy Blueberries
• Next time: Keep it in the pantry, not on the counter

Rest In Peace, Oatmeal Date Bread from/in Heaven

Breadmaker besotted with healthy whole grain bread

I'm going to try to stay professional here and not babble too much.  This is my new favorite bread, ever.  It will become a permanent part of our household bread rotation.  The sunflower seeds gave it such a nutty flavor and there is fiber a-plenty.  It smelled like heaven while it was baking.  It was still fluffy, even with all the whole grain.  Amazing!!  Even Toddler Girl enjoyed it!

• Recipe: Flax and Sunflower Seed Bread from allrecipes
• Mistakes: The sunflower seeds I used were salted and slightly stale - all I had!
• Changes: Topped off the 1/2 cup of flax seeds with flax meal (about 1-1/2 tablespoons)
• Rating: 48/48 Grams of Whole Grains (that's not the actual content in this bread!)
• Next time: Will use fresh, unsalted sunflower seeds! Otherwise I LOVED this recipe as-is.

Novice breadmaker's idiocy astounds family members

Sometimes when things are going really well, you get a little cocky and think you know what's what.  Well, I know nothing!  I wanted to try a zucchini quick bread in the bread machine because I make it all the time for Toddler Girl, to sneak in some vegetables.  I had some trouble finding a recipe that was just like I wanted: without chocolate chips and with whole wheat but designed for the bread machine.  I should have realized my cheese had moved and chosen another recipe.  But like a silly beginner bread maker, I decided to just try to make my usual recipe in the bread machine.  It calls for two loaves, which should have been a big red flag for me.  Now I know: do not use recipes in the bread machine that are not designed for the bread machine.  Or at least know what you're doing before you "just try" something.  The inside was barely cooked (not safe with eggs) but the outside did taste as it usually does.  One unexpected surprise:  After I cut off the cooked parts, I layed the uncooked pieces in the toaster oven to bake again...they ended up like delicious crispy zucchini cookies.  I might try that with the batter in the oven some time!

• Recipe: Mom's Zucchini Bread from allrecipes
• Mistakes: My choice in recipe - although it's a delicious recipe when baked in loaf pans in the oven
• Changes: Use all whole wheat flour although it doesn't really matter anyway
• Rating: 0/2 Unused Loaf Pans
• Next time: Whole Wheat Zucchini Herb Bread from food.com

Round two for raisin bread is a win

After my first loaf of raisin bread was a success, I was excited to bring one for my Dear Mother's birthday.  I used the same recipe as last time and even remembered to soak the raisins for half an hour or so.  I also actually added them at the "add-in" beep and I think they were slightly less smashed, as far as I could tell from the outside.  This time I skipped the whole wheat flour and used all white flour as called for.  Using a medium crust only seemed to make the bottom half darker instead of the crispy top I was looking for.  Not the most beautiful look but I've definitely seen uglier loaves.  Unfortunately, I never heard if the bread was edible (I forgot to ask) but no news of food poison, either!.  Happy Birthday!

• Recipe: Cinnamon Raisin Bread for the Bread Machine on food.com
• Mistakes: Leaving the bread in the car on a freezing night before presenting it as a gift :S
• Changes: Butter for margarine, an extra teaspoon of cinnamon
• Rating: Will Advise ASAP
• Next time: One of the reviews suggested Brown sugar, mmmm...