Whole Wheat Sourdough Tortillas

March 23, 2022 by

These tortillas surpassed all my expectations by a REALLY long shot. I love when that happens!

I’ve been tweaking the recipe around for awhile and a few things I’ve found is adding vital wheat gluten really helps make the dough more elastic and you’ll be able to roll out thinner.

You can use active or inactive sourdough starter but using active will make the dough slightly easier to work with and more fluffy.

Using hot water helps the dough come together easier and I also like the texture olive oil gives the dough as well. You could substitute butter as well, just cut down on the salt if you’re using salted butter.

These tortillas are very soft and pliable, great for wraps or burritos. I even made a big batch and used them for freezer burritos and they reheated wonderfully.

Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Sourdough, Whole Grain

Sourdough Yogurt Flatbread

April 16, 2021 by

5 ingredients (including the salt) combine to make the most soft and tender flatbreads. I use these to serve with shawarma or hummus, for wraps and in place of tortillas. They come together so quickly and easily and are easy enough that young kids can help make them as well.
I purposefully feed my starter extra so I have can make a big batch of these.

One trick for rolling these out, don’t flour your board. Instead use a spray bottle to spray a little water or olive oil on your counter occasionally to keep the dough from sticking.
When using flour to roll out the dry flour will burn faster when you cook the flatbread and working extra flour in dough can make it dryer and less tender.
Cooking in a dry iron skillet is my favorite method but a griddle or other skillet would work as well.

You’ll know it’s time to flip when you get some bubble action!

These keep well in a ziplock bag at room temperature or in the freezer for longer storage. Just keep in mind if you brush them with a little melted butter and sprinkle with salt or cinnamon and sugar you WILL need to make an extra batch.

Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Sourdough Tagged With: ,

Irish Soda Bread with Cheddar, Chives, and Black Pepper

March 15, 2021 by

Sometimes simple is good. And sometimes you want something else. Enter this beauty. About this time of year my chives have popped up (if you don’t have chives in your garden they are worth the space! I keep a large pot on our patio with some other perennial herbs and am constantly snipping them all spring and summer!) I love the combination of chives, black pepper, and cheddar cheese. Especially the cheddar cheese my husband smokes. A good sharp cheese or Kerrygold Irish cheddar would be amazing too.

No one would guess how quick and easy this loaf is!

Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Irish

Easy Irish Soda Bread

March 15, 2021 by

Sometimes simple is better. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Irish Soda Bread made with oats. But a couple years ago I wanted to make a more simple version to teach my 4-H kids. This is what I came up with and everyone always loves it. It’s easy enough for kids to make and only has 4 ingredients, all pantry staples.
Once I took a loaf to some friends and they wanted to know what kind of fancy artisan bread it was.

I make this loaf when I want to serve hot bread with dinner but don’t have time to make a yeasted loaf too.

Mix dry ingredients, add milk to a well in the center.

I like using a Danish dough whisk. A wooden spoon works too.
Just don’t overwork the dough. You just need it to come together.

A bench scraper helps too when it comes to shaping.

Irish folklore says to cut a deep X in the dough to let the fairies out so that the bread won’t be jinxed by evil spirits… or maybe it’s just to allow the heat to penetrate the loaf while it’s baking….

Perfection! No one would guess how quick and easy that was!

Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Irish

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

June 22, 2020 by

I love my old banana bread recipe. But I wanted to give it a healthy boost. It took some tweaking but this one is a keeper!
I replaced some of the sugar with applesauce. I tried making it with no sugar and played around with honey and applesauce but the texture and flavor just isn’t right. And I wanted it to actually be eaten as well, so I settled with reducing the sugar in the end. Adding yogurt helps make a more tender loaf as well. Plus with the added yogurt and applesauce I could reduce the butter by half.
The other change is using whole grain flour. You could use regular whole wheat flour and even though I grind my own white whole wheat flour when making quick breads or any non yeasted recipes using a whole wheat pastry flour is your best choice. It is still whole grain but has a finer grind and is lower in gluten (which you don’t need for quick breads, pancakes, etc.) I keep a few bags in my freezer at all times.
I added some spices which you could leave out if desired but I really liked the addition.
All in all, this has replaced my old recipe to be a new favorite! And if your kids are bored right now banana bread is a great beginner recipe to teach them how to cook!

Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Whole Grain Tagged With: , , ,

Sourdough Naan

April 21, 2020 by

When you think of sourdough usually what comes to mind is a crusty round loaf, right? But sourdough lends well to so many other things.
This is pretty much the only way I make naan now and it’s our absolute favorite. The tang from the yogurt really plays well with the sourdough flavor. The longer you let the dough rest in the refrigerator the more flavor it will have. All though honestly, even with just an overnight rest you’ll be rewarded with some pretty amazing sourdough flavor.
While they do require some time and thinking ahead that’s also a benefit.
The dough comes together quickly and when you’re ready to make them they’ll be ready and waiting for quick cook.

Baking them on a baking steel is my favorite, I mean c’mon. LOOK AT THOSE BUBBLES!

A cast iron pan will work too. You won’t get as big of bubbles but no one will notice that as they are begging for seconds. If you use a higher heat on a cast iron pan you will get more bubbles forming but you’ll have to watch a little closer because they’ll also burn faster.

I promise I’ll share a recipe soon for a sourdough loaf bread. But a flatbread is such a great way to dive in and they taste like they were so much more difficult than they are!

Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Sourdough Tagged With: , ,

GOUGERES

January 20, 2020 by

Gougeres are the savory version of choux pastry. They are as fun to say as they are to eat!
If you haven’t made choux before, read this post before making them. They are basically made the same, just with some savory additions.

They can be served plain (all though.. nothing is “plain” about a gougere!) or you can fill them with savory fillings, like chicken salad for a tea party, or with a charcuterie board…

GOUGERES

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt (I like using fine sea salt)
1 cup water
1 cup flour
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated cheese (I like smoked cheddar or gruyere)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Bring the butter, salt, and water to boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir frequently and keep a close eye. You want the butter to melt and you also don’t want the water to boil long as you don’t want to let the water evaporate.
With pan still on the heat stir in the flour and beat with a wooden spoon to completely incorporate the flour.
Keep stirring vigorously until the dough sticks to itself and pulls away from the sides of the pan (kind of like when bread dough clings to itself when beaten with a dough hook).
Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool for a few minutes. You can break the dough up to help it cool faster as well.
Add the eggs, a couple tablespoons at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Dough should take almost if not all the eggs and be glossy and very smooth when ready and will hold it’s shape when piped or scooped. Fold in pepper and cheese.
Pipe or scoop onto silicone or parchment lined baking trays. (I used approximately 1 Tablespoon choux per gougere.)
Wet your finger to smooth down any tips before baking.
Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Don’t open the oven until the end of the cooking time to keep their shape.
When golden and crisp, remove from oven and pierce with a paring knife to allow the steam to escape. (I usually do this in the side where it won’t be visible.)

Filed Under: Appetizers / Dips / Snacks, Bread, Quick & Muffins Tagged With: , , ,

Soft Buttery Rolls

November 8, 2017 by

I love making whole grain breads and typically when I make bread that’s the route I go anymore.  But for holidays I always make a soft white roll.
If you aren’t experienced with bread making this is a great recipe to start with.  White bread is much easier to make than whole grain as well.
These are super soft, buttery, and you can use the dough to make all manner of shapes.  Sometimes it’s fun to do a variety of shapes for a holiday meal as well.  There are so many you can do, but these are a few easy ones to get you started!  My daughters love to help make the bread and it’s a fun thing to get the kids helping with.  Don’t worry how perfect they look, they will still taste good!
While these are super easy, they are also some of the best rolls you’ll ever have!

SOFT BUTTERY ROLLS

2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons active dry yeast (or 2 packages)
5-6 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup instant powdered milk (2 T non-instant)
1 egg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (plus extra for brushing)

In a small bowl add the sugar and yeast to the warm water.  Gently mix and leave to bloom for 5-10 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl if mixing by hand) measure in 3 cups of the flour, the salt, and milk powder.
Whisk to combine well.
Add the egg and melted butter to the bloomed yeast mixture.  Pour into the flour and mix until well combined.
Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough starts to pull together.
Lightly flour your counter and scrape dough out.  Knead for several minutes.  Add flour as needed but don’t be tempted to over flour.
The dough should be slightly sticky.
Place in a greased container and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise for 45 to 60 minutes.
Dough is done rising when it is double in size and when you poke it with a finger it doesn’t bounce back.

For rolls:
Divide dough into 24 for smaller rolls, or 12 for large rolls.
Form each section into a roll by pulling the dough and tucking on the bottom to make a smooth top.

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and let rise until double in size, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Bake for about 15 minutes (add extra time as needed depending on size of rolls.) Brush with melted butter right when you take out of the oven.
For pan rolls:
Form rolls, place rolls about 1/4 inch apart in a 9 by 13 pan.  Rise and bake as above.
For Flowers and Pumpkins:
Shape rolls.  After the rise use sharp kitchen scissors to snip 5 times around the edges, cutting all the way through. Bake as usual.

Add a pretzel stick or rod “stem” after baking for pumpkins.

For Bow Knots:
Divide into 24 sections (or 12 for large knots)
Roll into a rope and tie a knot.  Place on greased baking sheets and let rise and bake as usual.

For Rosettes:
Follow directions for bow knots, but make an open knot with a hole.

Tuck one end underneath and up into the hole.  Tuck the other through the hole from the top side to the bottom.
Raise 25-30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

For Crescent Rolls:
Divide dough into 4 equal sections.  Roll each section into a 12 inch circle.  Brush with melted butter and cut into 12 pieces.

Starting from wide end roll up and place on greased baking sheet, with the small end tucked underneath.
Raise 25-30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
(If you want large crescents, divide dough into 2 instead of 4 and roll out to an 18 inch circle.  Cut and rise and bake as usual, adding a few minutes to the bake time).

For Turkey Rolls:
Make crescent rolls as directed, but instead of rolling up place in greased mini muffin tins with ends on top of pan.
Use scissors to snip 3-4 times to make tail feathers.  Raise and bake as usual.

Gobble gobble!

Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Holiday Recipes

Birthday Scones

October 30, 2015 by

Birthday Scones

If ever there was a food that summed up my 8 year old I think this would be it.  Sweet, fun, and lots of colorful sprinkles! 😀 She made these for a baking contest at our county fair this August and won first place!  These are really a sweet biscuit and definitely something kids can make.  My Biscuits 101 post can be found here for more tips and tricks if you haven’t made biscuits before or need help getting them to turn out better.

BIRTHDAY SCONES

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup sprinkles
¼ cup mini chocolate chips
¼ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup milk (more if needed)
1 egg

For egg wash:
1 egg
1 T cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a medium bowl.
Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until smaller than the size of peas.
Stir in the sprinkles and chocolate chips.
Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl and mix with the milk.
Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the milk.
Stir with a fork just until combined.  Add an extra 1-2 T of milk if needed to bring dough together.
Pat dough on a lightly floured surface until about ½ inch thick.  Cut with a 2- 2 ½ inch fluted circle cutter.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing circles so they are about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart.
Combine the egg and cream for the egg wash, and brush tops of scones.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Tea time

Lime Poppy Seed Scones

September 16, 2015 by

Lime Poppy Seed Scones

Sooo, I haven’t posted in awhile…. I was having some technical difficulties here.  Turns out I just needed to do updates.  I am so lost with technology.  I am in my mid 30’s and have NEVER sent a text.  I don’t even know how to check my messages on my cell phone.  No joke.  But you know what I can do? Bake scones 🙂 These won me first place in the King Arthur Flour Baking Contest at our county fair last month.  Funny thing is, I entered the exact same scones in another scone contest at same fair.. and they didn’t even place. 🙂  I love them, with their bright citrus flavor and crunchy poppy seeds.  I adapted them from my other version here.  They are perfect with a cup of herbal tea.

LIME POPPY SEED SCONES (2nd version)
Lime juice powder adds a great citrus punch, but if you don’t have any handy (I have to order it online), just double the amount of lime zest.

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
1 ½ tsp lime juice powder, optional
½ cup unsalted butter
zest from 1 lime
2 tsp poppy seeds
1 T lime juice
1 egg
1/2 cup cream (extra if needed) 

For egg wash:
1 egg
1 T cream
2 tsp sanding sugar

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and lime juice powder together in a medium bowl.
Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until resembles the size of peas.
Stir in the zest and poppy seeds.
Combine the lime juice, egg, and cream in a small bowl or measuring cup, then make a well in the flour mixture and pour in.
Stir with a fork just until combined.
If needed, add additional cream, 1 T at a time.  Gently knead to bring dough together.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and pat to ½ inch thickness.
Cut using a biscuit cutter (I like a 2 ¼ inch fluted circle).
Place on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them 1/8 to ¼ inch apart.
Combine the egg and cream for the egg wash, and brush tops of the scones.
Sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 450 for about 10- 12 minutes or until golden brown.



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Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Tea time