Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Filling for Cinnamon Bread

• 4 tablespoons/57 grams butter, melted
• ½ cup/100 grams dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon/8 grams cinnamon
•  Cinnamon sugar, for dusting (optional)

• Other options
• Lemon ginger filling: Combine 11/2 cups candied ginger, finely chopped, with 3 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 4 lemons).
• Orange marmalade filling: Use 11/2 cups thick orange marmalade (do not use anything runny, like a jelly).
• Coconut dulce de leche filling: Combine 1 cup coconut flakes, 1 teaspoon cardamom and 3/4 cup dulce de leche or cajeta.

White Bread

I've made loaf bread off and on the last few years and was mildly disappointed at most of my end products that I stopped making bread for a while. I recently discovered this recipe which made me want to try bread making again and I'm happy to say that I was happy with how the bread turned out the two time that I tried it. I think I've finally found the recipe that's a keeper. This recipe makes two loaves so I make one plain and the other as cinnamon-and-walnut loaf.

From NYT - Melissa Clark.

This straightforward loaf is the white bread of your dreams, and its fluffy slices make for evenly browned toast. The 1/3-cup of sugar makes this mildly sweet and perfect for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but you can cut it down to 2 tablespoons if you’d rather have something more neutral in flavor. You do need some sugar, however, to feed the yeast and ensure a lofty rise. This recipe makes two loaves, one for now, and one for the freezer or to share with a lucky friend.

• 2 ¼ teaspoons/7 grams active dry yeast(1 package)
• 1 ½ cups/355 milliliters lukewarm milk
• ⅓ cup/67 grams granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon/15 grams kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons/43 grams butter, melted, more for greasing bowl and pans and for brushing the tops of the loaves
• 2 eggs
• 5 to 6 cups/625 grams to 750 grams all-purpose flour

In a large electric mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm milk. Add the remaining warm milk, the sugar, the salt, the butter and the eggs. Add 5 cups flour and mix with paddle attachment until smooth, about 2 minutes. Switch to hook attachment and knead on low speed, adding more flour if necessary until dough is stiff and slightly tacky, about 10 minutes.

1. 
   
2. Grease a large bowl with butter and turn dough out into the bowl. Flip over dough so greased side is up, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Generously butter two 9-x-5 loaf pans.
3. When dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto floured surface and knead for 3 minutes. Return to greased bowl, cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.
4. Press down dough with your hand to expel the air. Divide dough in half and place each half into a loaf pan. Brush tops of loaves with remaining melted butter.
5. Cover and let rise until dough is just above the tops of pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
6. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake bread for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped, the tops are brown and the internal temperatures are 200 degrees. Remove loaves from pans and let cool on wire racks.

Tembleque

I had leftover coconut milk after making Braised Coconut Spinach so I searched for recipes that I can use it with and discovered this dessert. I like this recipe from All-Recipes as it's not too sweet. Instead of white sugar, I used coconut sugar.

Makes 3 servings.

1 14-oz can coconut milk
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 pinch ground cinnamon

1. Stir coconut milk, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan. Spoon a few tablespoons of the coconut milk mixture into a small bowl and stir cornstarch into the mixture to dissolve; pour into the mixture in the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly; cook until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes.
2. Pour the coconut milk mixture into molds, cover each with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold and firm, 3 hours to 2 days.
3. Run a thin knife around the edges of the mold and invert onto a plate to remove putting. Garnish tops with cinnamon.

One-Pot Pasta Bolognese

Another recipe from Betty Crocker's.

I like that I can cook the pasta with the other ingredients.

This flavorful one-pot pasta is rich, meaty and filling--perfect for a fast weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy.

Ingredients

2

tablespoons olive oil

2

onions, diced (about 3 cups)

2

carrots, diced (about 1 cup)

1

teaspoon salt

1

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/4

cup canned Muir Glen™ organic tomato paste

1

can (28 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1

carton (32 oz) Progresso™ beef broth

1/2

teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2

teaspoons Italian seasoning

1

lb uncooked spaghetti

1/2

cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4

cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Directions

• 1 In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onions, carrots and salt in oil 5 to 8 minutes or until softened. Add beef; cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned.
• 2 Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes. Stir in broth, pepper flakes and Italian seasoning; heat to simmering. Break pasta in half, then thoroughly rinse under cold water. Tuck pasta into simmering liquid, covering completely. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 13 to 15 minutes or until pasta is soft and sauce is reduced slightly.
• 3 Top with Parmesan cheese and basil.

Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding

From Betty Crocker's.

I am not a big fan of bread pudding, but when I had some leftover frozen bread that I was saving to make into bread crumbs (never happened), I decided to turn them into bread pudding instead. This was the recipe I tried and it was quite good.

Looking for a classic baked dessert? Then check out this delicious bread pudding that is ready in an hour.

Ingredients

2

cups milk

1/4

cup butter or margarine

2

eggs, slightly beaten

1/2

cup sugar

1

teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg

1/4

teaspoon salt

6

cups soft bread cubes (about 6 slices bread)

1/2

cup raisins, if desired (or chocolate chips)

Whipping (heavy) cream, if desired

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 350ºF. In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until butter is melted and milk is hot.2 In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir in bread cubes and raisins. Stir in milk mixture. Pour into ungreased deep round pan.
• 3 Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. Serve warm with whipping cream.

Perfect Pilaf

From Toledo Blade.

How to make a perfect pilaf

Here are the basic steps to making a perfect pilaf:

• Rinse the rice well under running water to remove excess starch.

• Soak the rice in salted water for at least 1 hour to shorten the cooking time.

• Cook the rice like pasta, in plenty of boiling salted water, until it is almost done.

• Spoon the rice into a pan with whatever flavorings you want, mounding it slightly. This gives the grains room to expand.

Sprinkle over more water, and fat if you wish, cover tightly and cook over the lowest possible heat for at least 35 minutes.

Remove from heat, take off the lid, cover pan with a tea towel, put lid back on tightly and let stand for 10 minutes before serving to let the rice firm and reduce moisture.

Muceddere (Rice Pilaf with Chickpeas, Lentils, and Browned Onions)

1 cup basmati rice

4 tablespoons plus 1  1/4teaspoons salt, or to taste

1/4 cup lentils (preferably green)

1/4 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1  1/2 cups sliced onion (about 1 medium onion)

2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cup canned chickpeas

1 cup peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes (about 6 small)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Turkish red pepper or smoked paprika

1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Cook's note: This can be a side dish or, if served with yogurt, a vegetarian main dish.

Place the rice in a strainer and rinse under the faucet, shaking to stir frequently. Transfer to a bowl and add enough lukewarm water to cover. Stir in 2 tablespoons salt and set aside to soak for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours.

Add the lentils to 1 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until they are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add 2 more tablespoons of salt, then add the rice and orzo and boil gently for 3-4 minutes, until almost cooked. Check by trying a grain: It should still have a bit of bite to it. Drain, rinse and set aside to drain.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sugar, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, or to taste. Cover the saucepan and cook gently until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover the pan, increase the heat to high and stir in the lemon juice. Cook, stirring, until the onions are browned, 4-5 minutes. Do not let the onions scorch.

Add the rice, lentils, orzo, and chickpeas to the saucepan and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, lentils, cumin, red pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle over 2 tablespoons of water. Cover the pan with a tight lid and cook on the lowest possible heat for 35 minutes (a heat diffuser helps).

Turn off the heat, wrap the lid in a tea towel, cover the pan and set aside for 10 minutes. Use a fork to stir in the cilantro and serve.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Source:  Adapted from Özcan Ozan’s The Sultan’s Kitchen.

Each of 6 servings: 308 calories; 7 grams protein; 47 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 4 grams sugar; 1,128 mg sodium.

Read more at http://www.toledoblade.com/Food/2012/11/27/Back-to-the-basics-of-rice-Cookbook-writer-Yotam-Ottolenghi-points-the-way-to-perfect-pilaf.html#Ox0fQjA0CAsHsEI6.99

Cacio e Pepe (Salt and Pepper) Oatmeal

From Beverly Hills Farmgirl.

Makes 4 (1-cup) servings

4 cups water
Kosher salt
1 cup organic steelcut oats (here’s my favorite brand)
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated Manchego, Parmesan or your favorite cheese
Handful of walnut pieces, toasted
Optional: truffle oil, walnut oil, flaxseed oil

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the water, a pinch of salt and oats to a simmer. Lower the heat and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the water is absorbed and the oats are soft and creamy, about 10-15 minutes.

2. Spoon the cooked oatmeal into serving bowls. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Shave the cheese over the top and sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle a little oil over the bowls if desired.

Persian Saffron Brown Rice

From Beverly Hills Farmgirl.

Serves 8 as a side dish

2 cups brown basmati rice
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, Earth Balance or unsalted butter
A large pinch (about 1 teaspoon) saffron threads, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water

1. In a large bowl, cover the rice with plenty of lukewarm water and swish around with your hands. Allow to soak for 1 – 3 hours, the longer the better (this process removes residual grit and starch, allowing the rice to give off a delightful perfume that unwashed rice does not have).

2. Drain the rice into a colander; bring a medium heavy pot (with a tight-fitting lid) of water and the salt to a boil (as if you were cooking pasta). Boil the rice uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the rice is al dente. Drain the rice once again into the colander. Pour the oil into the bottom of the pot, stir in about a cup of par-cooked rice, a tablespoon of the saffron water and 1/2 cup of water, and spread it out flat with the back of the spoon. Now pour back the rest of the rice into the pot without stirring. Place a kitchen towel on top and cover with the lid. Allow to steam over a very low flame until fluffy, 40-50 minutes (be very careful the bottom is not burning). Check the rice and add water if needed to continue cooking until fluffy and dry. Remove from the heat to a damp surface (this will help free the crust from the bottom of the pot). Sprinkle the remaining saffron water on top and cover again. Allow the pot to cool for 10 minutes.

Here are some ways to customize your Persian Saffron Brown Rice. Serve them on the side or mixed in:

— Sautéed onions, cooked lentils, currants, cinnamon and cumin, pine nuts
— Sautéed onions, dates, cardamom, pistachios
— Fresh mint, marinated artichokes hearts, cooked peas and lemon zest
— Chopped scallions and assorted fresh herbs
— Sautéed julienned carrots, dried apricot bits, dates, pistachios, orange zest, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon (Jeweled Rice)
— Fresh fava or lima beans sautéed with scallions, fresh dill and garlic
— Moroccan Tofu Stew
— Tofu Tikka Masala
— Spinach Paneer
— Green beans sautéed with garlic, tomatoes and lime zest, topped with roasted cashews
— Fresh (or canned in water) pitted tart cherries with their juice (reduced to a syrup), slivered almonds, cinnamon
— Sautéed onions and zucchini, tofu, garlic, lemon zest
— Sautéed onions and spinach, chick peas, yellow raisins, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, pine nuts
— Pomegranate seeds, toasted walnuts, roasted butternut squash, pomegranate molasses