Bread Issue

 

Pesto French Bread

Gets Zing from a Delicious, Aromatic Pesto Filling
A Flavorful Green Spiral in Every Slice, Every Bite
A Perfect Complement to a Plate of Homemade Spaghetti, Fettuccini, or Lasagna

 

Hollow Honey Beehive Bread
A Hollow Dome of Braided Bread Towering up to Eight Inches…
Consists of 10 Braided “Ropes” and Glazed in Honey Butter

 

Bread Issue

 

Fresh bread baking has a heady aroma, recognizable to everyone who walks into the house—or even passes by an open window.

Bread is comfort food. It fills the base of the food pyramid because it provides our basic daily need for nourishment. New government guidelines adjust the recommended amounts for age, sex, and activity level, but most people will need about five to seven servings a day.

The comforting stuff that holds life together, bread is beloved by all, even the great poets: A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou. Notice that bread ranks as the number-one item on that list of needs!

Almost all of the world’s cultures have their own basic bread, with our own European-inspired sliced bread being mirrored by the flatbreads of other places; the naan in Indian cooking, tortillas and sopapillias in Mexican cooking, and the fry bread in many Native American cultures.

Bread ranks as an easy meal maker.  Spreading a slice of bread with anything from peanut butter to tuna salad, or topping it with a slice of meat or cheese, will turn a simple piece of bread into a quick meal.

 

 

 

 

Baby Wellingtons

1 pound beef tenderloin filets, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 pound mushrooms, very finely chopped

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup Mirassou California Cabernet Sauvignon

1/2 teaspoon chopped tarragon

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 (17.3-ounce) package puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, beaten

1 (4-ounce) jar horseradish

1 cup sour cream

 

Place beef cubes in freezer 30 minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter in medium skillet. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic, and cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add wine and tarragon and cook until all excess liquid has cooked off. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat oven to 450F. Roll each puff pastry sheet into 11-inch square on lightly floured board. Cut each sheet into 9 equal squares and place equal amounts of mushroom mixture in center of each. Top with beef cubes and brush pastry edges with beaten egg. Fold in pastry to enclose and pinch edges to seal well. Place seam-side down on baking sheet and brush with beaten egg. Bake about 12 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Stir together horseradish and sour cream and serve with Wellingtons. Makes 18 appetizers

Vegetarian alternative: Substitute 18 (1 1/2-inch) baby portobello mushrooms, stems removed.

Pairing suggestion: Mirassou California Cabernet Sauvignon

Courtesy of Mirassou Winery

 

Cornmeal Chicken Muffinwiches

This handy sandwich in a muffin can be made in advance and stored in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer for up to two months. Simply pop a frozen muffinwich into a lunch bag in the morning and it will be thawed, ready to eat by noon.

Makes 6 muffins

1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix

Egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg or 2 egg whites

1/3 cup skim milk

2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken (cooked without skin)

4 green onions, sliced

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

Vegetable oil spray (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions, but use egg substitute or egg whites for eggs and skim milk for milk. Fold chicken, green onions and sage into batter.

Spray 6 muffin cups with vegetable oil or line with paper baking cups. Spoon batter into cups. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool. Serve warm or chilled.

Courtesy of American Heart Association; Reprinted with permission from The American Heart Association Quick & Easy Cookbook

 

Pesto French Bread
Makes Two Loaves

Dough:

6 to 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 envelopes Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast

2 teaspoons salt
2 cups very warm water (120° to 130°F)
2 tablespoons olive oil
cornmeal
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Pesto Filling:
1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, and salt.  Gradually add water and oil to flour mixture  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.  Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half; roll each half to 15 x 12-inch rectangle.  Spread each with Pesto Filling to within 1/2 inch of edges.  Beginning at long end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll.  Pinch seams and ends to seal.  Taper ends by gently rolling back and forth.  Place loaves, seam sides down, on

large greased baking sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal.  Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

With sharp knife, make a lengthwise cut (1/8-inch deep) on top of each loaf to within one inch of ends.  Brush with egg white mixture.  Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.  Remove from sheet; cool on wire rack.

Pesto Filling:  In small bowl, combine parsley, basil, garlic, oil, and cheese.  Stir to blend.

Serving Suggestion:  Cut bread diagonally to 1-inch slices.  Brush cut sides with olive oil.  Grill or broil in low to medium heat until golden brown, about 1 minute or less per side.

Courtesy of Fleischmann’s

 

Braided Orange Ring

5-1/2 to 6 cups  all-purpose flour
3 envelopes  Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast
2 teaspoons  salt
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3  large eggs

1-1/2 cups raisins

 

Egg Glaze:

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Orange Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

 

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, undissolved yeast, salt, and orange peel.  Heat water, milk, honey, and butter until very warm (120°F to 130°F).  Gradually add to flour mixture.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.  Add eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed.  Stir in raisins and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 3 equal pieces.  Roll each piece to 24-inch rope; braid ropes.  Place in heavily greased 10-inch tube pan, bringing ends together to seal.  Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.

Brush with Egg Glaze.  Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until done.  Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.  Drizzle with Orange Glaze.

Egg Glaze:  In a small bowl, combine egg and water.  Stir to blend.

Orange Glaze:  In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange peel.  Stir until smooth.

Courtesy of Fleischmann’s

 

Hollow Honey Beehive Bread

 

 

 

Makes One Large “Beehive”

6-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 envelopes Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1-1/4 cups water

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 eggs, large

Egg Glaze (recipe follows)

Honey Butter (recipe follows)

 

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, and salt. Heat water, honey, and butter until very warm (120 to 130^oF). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
Divide dough into 20 equal pieces; roll each piece to 20-inch ropes. Twist 2 ropes together; pinch ends to seal. Repeat with remaining ropes. Invert a 2-1/2-quart ovenproof mixing bowl onto a greased baking sheet. Heavily grease the outside of bowl. Starting at rim of bowl, wrap twists around bowl, pinching ends to join each new twist. Continue wrapping twists until entire bowl is covered. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until puffy, about 30 minutes.Brush dough with Egg Glaze. Bake at 375^oF for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Shield with foil if necessary, to prevent excessive browning. Remove from oven; let cool on bowl for 15 minutes. Crumple a large piece of foil, about 2 to 3 feet, into a loose ball with the same diameter and depth of bowl. Place ball on wire rack. Carefully remove hive from bowl; place over ball to complete cooling. Serve with Honey Butter.

 

Egg Glaze: In a small bowl, combine 1 egg, large and 1 tablespoon water. Stir until well blended.

Honey Butter: In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened; 2 tablespoons honey; and 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel. Stir until well blended.

Courtesy of Fleischmann’s

Rhodes Doughnuts

 

Rhodes Texas Rolls, or Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

Vegetable oil

Glaze and chocolate icing

Choice of toppings (nuts, coconut, candy sprinkles)

 

Poke holes in roll centers with both index fingers and stretch to form large openings. If using dinner rolls, press 2 together well and then stretch with fingers. Place doughnuts on baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Let double in size. Pour oil two inches deep into small sauce pan or electric fry pan and heat to medium. Fry doughnuts on each side (about 15 seconds) until golden. Remove with a fork and place on paper towel. Drop into glaze and coat both sides. Place on waxed paper. For chocolate doughnuts, drop into icing and coat one side. Quickly sprinkle with toppings.

 

Glaze: 1/2 cup water and 4 cups powdered sugar, mixed.

 

Chocolate icing: Bring to boil 1/2 cup butter, 6 tablespoons milk, 4 tablespoons cocoa. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3 cups powdered sugar.

Courtesy of Rhodes