May 30, 2009

EZ Wheat or White Bread




This is the only wheat bread recipe I make anymore. I love it because you can slice it really thin. Most homemade wheat bread you have to cut think or it crumbles. I use my bread mostly to make sandwiches so this is perfect. I got this recipe on Everyday Food Storage.
I put everything in the bowl and then mix it. It turns out perfect every time. I also double the recipe so I can get two loaves. When I double it I put it 5 cups of flour and then add a tablespoon at a time until it pulls from the side of the bowl. Usually it is about 5 1/4 cups of flour.


EZ Wheat Bread recipe

1 1/4 cup warm water
1 Tblsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup honey or 1/3 cup sugar
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (or whatever combination white/wheat you like..I use 100% hard white wheat. To learn more about the different types of wheat, download my wheat handout)
1/4 cup wheat gluten
1 tsp salt
2 Tblsp nonfat non instant dry milk
1 Tblsp butter/margarine/oil
1 Tblsp vinegar
1/4 cup potato flakes (NOT potato pearls)

Mix ingredients in order listed in mixing bowl of mixer with dough hook attachment (like kitchen-aid) for 12-15 minutes. Let rise until double, 1- 1 1/2 hours. Punch down, and shape into loaf or rolls. Let rise again until double and bake 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
If you are making this recipe in a bread machine, follow your bread machine’s directions for wheat or whole grain selection and add the ingredients in the order listed for their recommendations. (only one loaf will fit in a bread maker)

EZ White Bread

1 1/8 cups warm water
1 3/4 - 2 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tblsp sugar (you can use a little more sugar if you like your dough a little sweeter)
3 cups flour
1 Tblsp vital wheat gluten (remember you don’t need as much gluten if you’re not using whole wheat flour)
1 tsp salt
2 Tblsp nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 Tblsp butter/margarine or oil
1/4 cup potato flakes
(you don’t really need vinegar for white bread, remember the dough enhancers are primarily needed for whole wheat bread)

Add the ingredients in the order listed into a mixer bowl (like a kitchen-aid) with a dough hook attachment and mix on low for 10-12 minutes. Or mix it on the dough cycle in your bread machine.
After all the mixing is complete, if the dough still seems too gooey and you are unable to handle it, add 1 Tblsp flour at a time, and mix after each addition until the dough is manageable with your hands.

Let rise 45 mins -1 hour, punch down and use to make bread, cinnamon rolls, cookie sheet pizza, rolls, or anything else you can think of! Let rise after you have made your creation and bake according to the direction of the recipe you are making.
If you are making it into bread, form into a loaf at this time, place in a loaf pan, let rise in a warm place 45 min -1 hour and bake 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
If you are making this recipe in a bread machine. Follow your bread machine’s directions and add the ingredients in the order listed in their recommendations. (only one loaf will fit in a bread maker)

Very Berry Pie



This is a very Delicious pie and so easy to make. I made this for Mothers Day. I know I am a little late posting it. I forgot to take a picture after it came out of the oven because we had to leave to go to dinner at my brothers. So here it is before the oven. The crust recipe is also amazing. They are both from my Lion House cookbook.

VERY BERRY PIE

1 bag (16 ounces, no sugar added) frozen boysenberries
1 bag (8 ounces, no sugar added) frozen blueberries
1 bag (8 ounces, no sugar added) frozen raspberries
1 ¾ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup cornstarch
Pastry for two 2-crust pies

Thaw all berries; pour berries and all juice in mixing bowl. In separate bowl, mix sugar, salt, and cornstarch; pour on top of berries. Mix well with rubber spatula. Fill crusts, and bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 2 pies.


This recipe for pie dough is so easy because you can make it in your mixer. I use 1/2 cup butter and 2/3 cup shortening instead of using margarine and lard. I never have lard on hand. It works every time. Please try this pie dough recipe, you won't be disappointed.

Lion House Pie Dough

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup lard
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk
3 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1/2 cup cold water (may need 1 tablespoon more water)

In a mixer cream together the fats. Add sugar, baking powder, salt, and dry milk. Add half the flour and mix well. Add water and remaining flour. This can all be done in the mixer. (This crust can also be made using the traditional pie crust method, by hand-cutting fat into dry ingredients.)

Roll out half of the pastry very thin. Line a pie pan. Trim pastry 1/4 inch beyond rim of pie pan. Roll out remaining pastry for top crust. Cut several slits or a fancy design near center. Fill bottom crust. Moisten the edge of the bottom crust and center top crust over filling. Open slits with knife (steam must escape during baking). Trim the top crust, letting it extend 1/2 inch over rim. To seal, press top and bottom crusts together on rim. Then fold edge of top crust under bottom crust and flute. Bake according to directions in individual recipe.

Makes one 9-inch two-crust pie. This is a very pliable, tender, easy-to-handle dough. If you are making an 8 inch pie, extra dough may be wrapped well in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for future use. Leftover pie dough makes excellent tarts.