Entire Whole Wheat Almond Bread

I really want to create a whole wheat bread recipes that is amazing and fortified with good yummy things because (as previously discussed) I like wholesomeness. Its sort of like how I would always choose the lead actor from Glee over Johnny Deep-- I just can't help it. It's how I was raised. So, this week I tried a new super easy bread recipe and then modified it a little because, well, that's what I do.


2 c. hot milk
1/3 c. tamarind sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 package dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
2 eggs
1 tbs. almond extract
1/3 c. almonds
5 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 cup flax-seeds, milled

Heat the milk and sugar in a sauce pot until hot. Transfer to a large bowl, add salt, and let cool until lukewarm. At the same time, mix the yeast with the water and let double in bulk. (I add a little sugar to my yeast to help it grow). Mix in 2 eggs beaten and the almond extract.


Finally add the chopped almonds, flour and flaxseed. Stir, cover and let double in bulk.

Remove from the bowl, punch down and put into two small greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise again to not quite double in bulk.


Preheat over to 375 and bake bread for approximately 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the bread comes out clean. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

Enjoy a slice warm and then save the rest for sandwiches during the week. Yum!

Pumpkin Muffin Tops

These technically are not muffin tops - but that is what they taste like. They feel like total breakfast food, not cookies at all.

Preheat oven to 325F. Yesterday I pulled a blond move and turned the timer on, but not the oven. Then I couldn't figure out why my cookies were not baking.

Anyways, sift together and set aside:

2 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt

Beat together using a mixer:

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

Once combined and smooth add:

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup pumpkin puree

Then add the four mixture into the wet mixture and combine until smooth. Then I placed it into a piping bag and piped out round cookies about 2 inches wide.

Bake for 15 min, let cool.

Kris - the only reason I am letting you get away with the butternut squash on our blog is because you have the word "baked" in the title. LOL.

Baked Butternut Squash

Technically, this recipe has no place on this blog BUT it is even more technically a baked item and thus by default....... Okay, okay, I'm trying here. Its just I never bake sweet things really because Ash is just so much better at it then me. Well Ash is better at everything sweet and super girly and artful. I'm the heartier, New England one.... Anyway, my contribution...

1 acorn squash
4 c. wild rice
1/4 c. cranberries
1/4 c. almonds
1/4 c. mushrooms
1/4 c. onions
2 heads garlic
olive oil
1 tbs. cumin
1 tbs curry

Cut acorn squash in half. Place in a 375 degree oven upside down on a cookie sheet for 40-50 minutes until you can easily stick a fork through the flesh. In small sauce pan on the stove, make the rice. (You can substitute microwave rice if you want! I recommend using a wild rice with chicken seasoning). While rice and squash are cooking. Saute mushrooms, onions and garlic in a small frying pan over medium heat. Once almost cooked, add the cranberries and spices. Remove from heat mix with rice. Remove squash from oven, stuff with the rice and vegetable mixture. Serve hot.

This recipe is also easy to make ahead of time and heat up in the microwave! Makes 2 servings as an entree or 4 servings if using as a side dish.

Enjoy!

Cumin-Curry Biscuits

This weekend, I taught my adorable 23 year roommate TJ how to make soup. We made a delicious Cream of Aspargus soup which I complimented with these cumin-curry biscuits. "Oddly", he had never made either.

As I sent him to the store to fetch vegetable broth ("What is that?" He asked...), I mixed together the necessary ingredients for the biscuits.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup flax seeds
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. curry
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. hot pepper flakes
4 tbsp. baking powder
6 tbsp. buttter
1/2 cup milk


Directions: Heat oven to 425. Mix together the first nine ingredients in a medium size bowl. Cut in the butter with two knifes until the dough begins to resemble a course meal. (Cutting in the butter is done exactly how it sounds. Simply hold the two knifes as if you are cutting it and then proceed to cut like you would with a fork and a knife. Should take no more than 3 minutes). Add the milk all at once. Mix until the mixture begins to form a ball.

Spread flour on a smooth clean surface. Roll out the dough mixture until 1/2 inch thick. Using a glass or a cookie cutter, cut round biscuits from dough. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 14 minutes. Remove, cool and serve!

TJ brought them to our upstairs neighbor's dinner party. The verdict-- biscuits were almost as good as the soup. Together they were a "rock star item". ;)

Whole Wheat (whole grain!) bread

So, I find myself devoid of a boyfriend. Finally only working one real job and in need of a hobby. As such, I'm posting again on this blog because 1.) I love Ashleigh 2.) I love baking 3.) I hate boredom!

So, this really easy, really healthy bread is amazing. My directions:

1 packet yeast
1 1/3 c. lukewarm water
1 tbs. vegetable oil
3 tbs. almond oil
2 tablespoons organic raw sugar
3 c. King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 c. flaxseed meal

- Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix and then knead until dough is smooth .


Let rise in a warm dry place until double in bulk. (I like to cover with a warm damp towel).



- Shape the dough into a bread pan. Cover with towel or plastic wrap and let rise until it comes 1" over the top of the pan. (I'm impatient and couldn't wait this long.. Mine was double in bulk.).

- Remove plastic wrap and bake until the bread is double in cooked through. Approximately 35 minutes at 350. You know its finished when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

I ate mine with pumpkin butter because its fall and its amazing...

Sea Salted Caramels

There is one word to describe this treat - DELICIOUS!!!

I cannot stop eating them - which rarely happens. Normally I like to just give all my baking away but not this time. These are so simple and yet so decadent and impressive. Here is the recipe so you too can impress your friends:


1/2 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1.5 tsp sea salt


Melt the condensed milk, butter, brown sugar and honey together in a heavy bottomed skillet. Bring to a boil and stir constantly for 5 minutes (the texture and colour of the caramel will change). After boiling for 5 min remove from heat and stir constantly for another minute or so. Then pour into a greased 9x5 cake pan - let caramel cool and harden.

To finish, melt the 50% cocoa dark chocolate and pour over the caramel (once cool) then sprinkle with the sea salt.

To die for!

Peach Cake

As I sat in my apartment last night watching the food network I realized I bought WAY too many peaches on the weekend. Like I bought one of those containers with 3lbs of peaches in them. I like peaches - but I can only eat like 1 a day. Needless to say I had a lot of peaches to use up before they got attacked by fruit flies. I wasn't in the mood to make a pie - so I decided to make a cake. I have never eaten a peach cake. I am sure such a thing exists but it is not something I have experienced or baked before. It turned out pretty well I must say - I did a variation on about 3 fruit cake recipes I have seen...

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 peaches - peeled and mashed
splash of milk
1 cup flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp salt
3 peeled peaches cut into slices (for on-top of cake)

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add in the egg and beat until blended. Add in the mashed peaches. Pour in half of the flour mixture, add a splash of milk, add the remaining flour mixture - mix until blended. Pour into a greased 9" pan. Arrange the peach slices on top of the batter and bake in the oven for 25 min @ 350.

Meanwhile, cut together with a fork:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 0.5 tsp cinnamon
-0.25 tsp nutmeg

After 25 minutes open the oven and crumble the sugar/butter mixture over your cake. Let bake for another 8 minutes until cake is firm to the touch and topping has distributed over the cake.

I think this would taste really good served warm - it was late at night so I let it cool and brought it into work. It's yummy!