Well, I probably shouldn't do this, but I've started another Blog. Like I don't already spend too much time at the MacBook. As some of you might have guessed, I like to cook and I love to eat. So I thought I'd share my recipes, humble as they may be and a look at "What's for Dinner at Our House." The plan is to be discovered by the Food Network for my cooking show, which hubby has titled: "Cranky Franky's in the Kitchen".
Am I ready for critics? Probably not. I know my instructions are not always clear or precise. Let me know if something doesn't make sense. Anyhow, if you're interested, check out "Dinner's Ready"
COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Give Us Our Daily Bread

[This is a duplicate post from ReluctantRebel]

One thing about not being able to sleep past 2 AM is that I get to make dough.

Rather than lay in bed and contemplate the ceiling or try to rub my sore back (Am I too old to be shoveling snow?) I finally got up, got dressed and went to my office - the kitchen.

Leon had mentioned cinnamon rolls...actually a co-worker of his was asking, so I woke up thinking about cinnamon rolls.

One not so good thing about not having a "recipe" is that when something comes out exceptionally well, you have no way of replicating it exactly.

My cinnamon rolls this morning were quite exceptional. I think I used a teaspoon of yeast in 1/2 cup water and 1/3 cup sugar; let that set for a few minutes, added a teaspoon of salt and a cup of gently warmed milk (2%) a half stick to 2/3 stick of butter, softened and enough flour (?) to make a soft dough. Beat it up, kneaded it gently and let it rise for an hour.

Then I formed the rolls by making a "rope" about 6-8 inches long, dipped each in melted butter and dredged them in cinnamon sugar, formed a spiral and placed them on a baking sheet and into a 375 degree oven for 20+ minutes.

After they cooled just a bit I frosted them with a thick confectioner sugar/water/orange extract mix.

Exceptional!



Then it was on to the bread. Actually I started the bread dough while the cinnamon rolls were rising.

I will say I am getting better every time I make bread. This morning I used 3 1/2 large coffee mugs of water, 2 teaspoons of yeast, a little sugar, salt and I mixed in a cup of whole wheat pastry flour with the King Arthur all purpose.

Those bread snobs who weigh everything: the water, the yeast, the flour. And they calculate the percentages of water to flour to yeast and salt. I have a kitchen scale but I think I would break it if I weighed my ingredients.

Besides, I've watched old Italian women on YouTube make bread in a large trough which probably holds twenty-five pounds of flour.

I think they take turns making bread for the entire neighborhood in one huge wood-fired oven that is prepared ahead and heated to probably over 900 degrees. It holds maybe 30 or more loaves of bread.

I don't have a wood-fired oven, but I heat mine to 475 degrees and place a large roasting pan with about 1/2 inch of water on the bottom of the oven and allow that to heat to steam point.

I brush my loaves with water and sprinkle on sesame seeds (cuz I like the flavor they impart) before taking them to the oven. The bread is done in 20 to 25 minutes.

Exceptional! If I do say so.

Insomnia bread. I beats tossing and turning.