Blueberry Muffins

Blueberries were on sale for $1.99 a pint... so of course... I buy a ton of them. But looking at the pile of blueberries, there was no way I was going to munch my way through all of them. Time to make blueberry muffins. (Cooks Illustrated Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping).

Irish Soda Bread

Rating: 4 of 5


Notes: I did as suggested and baked in a cast iron pot.


Ingredients:
     3 cups bleached all-purpose flour , plus more for work surface
     1 cup cake flour
     2 tablespoons granulated sugar
     1 1/2teaspoons baking soda
     1 1/2teaspoons cream of tartar
     1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
     3 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 tablespoons softened + 1 tablespoon melted)
     1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions:
      1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk flours, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl. Work softened butter into dry ingredients with fork or fingertips until texture resembles coarse crumbs.
      2. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork just until dough begins to come together. Turn out onto flour-coated work surface; knead until dough just becomes cohesive and bumpy, 12 to 14 turns. (Do not knead until dough is smooth, or bread will be tough.)
      3. Pat dough into a round about 6 inches in diameter and 2 inches high; place on greased or parchment-lined baking sheet or in cast-iron pot, if using. Place the loaf on a cookie sheet and cut a cross shape into the top.
      4. Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into center of loaf comes out clean or internal temperature reaches 180 degrees, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter; cool to room temperature, 30 to 40 minutes.

Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 package rapid-rise yeast
1  large egg , beaten lightly
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose bread flour , plus extra for work surface and dusting rolls
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 8 pieces and softened

Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Once oven reaches 200 degrees, maintain oven temperature 10 minutes, then turn off oven heat.

2. Microwave milk and sugar in microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl at full power until warm (about 95 degrees). (Alternatively, heat milk and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until warm; remove from heat.) Whisk to dissolve sugar. Sprinkle yeast over surface of liquid, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 10 minutes to soften yeast. Whisk egg into milk mixture, dissolving yeast.

3. Combine flour and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on lowest speed to blend, about 15 seconds. With mixer running, add milk mixture in steady stream; mix on low speed until flour is just moistened, about 1 minute. With mixer running, add butter one piece at a time; increase speed to medium and beat until combined and dough is scrappy, about 2 minutes. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead dough until smooth but still sticky, about 4 minutes. Scrape dough out onto work surface. Knead by hand until very smooth and soft but no longer sticky, about 1 minute; do not add more flour. Transfer dough to large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven until dough doubles in bulk, about 45 minutes.

4. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down dough, replace plastic wrap, and let dough rest 5 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface and follow illustrations 1 through 8 (below) to shape and cut into triangles. Transfer rolls to baking sheets, then cover each with clean kitchen towels and let rise until almost doubled in bulk, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove towels and (without pressing on the rolls) wrap baking sheets tightly with greased plastic wrap. Freeze rolls until solid, about 6 hours; transfer to large zipper-lock bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

5. When ready to bake rolls, adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 375 degrees. Place frozen rolls on 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets; let stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating baking sheets front to back and switching positions from top to bottom halfway through baking time. Transfer rolls immediately to wire rack; cool 5 minutes and serve.

French Bread

 Ingredients:

•      6 cups all-purpose flour
•      2 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
•      1 1/2 teaspoons salt
•      2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
•      1 tablespoon cornmeal (optional)
•      1 egg white
•      1 tablespoon water

Directions:

   1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
   2. On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
   3. Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.
   4. Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.
   5. With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack.

Naan

Ingredients:
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten    2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:
1.    In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
2.    Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3.    During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
4.    At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

Crescent Rolls

Rating: 5 of 5

Ingredients:
•    2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
•    3/4 cup warm water
•    1/2 cup white sugar
•    1 teaspoon salt
•    2 eggs
•    1/2 cup shortening
•    4 cups all-purpose flour
•    1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions:
1.    Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2.    Stir in sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in remaining flour until smooth. Scrape dough from side of bowl. Knead dough, then cover it and let rise in a warm place until double (about 1-1/2 hours).
3.    Punch down dough. Divide in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle. Spread with butter. Cut into 10 to 15 wedge. Roll up the wedges starting with the wide end. Place rolls with point under on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until double (about 1 hour).
4.    Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 12-15 minute or until golden brown. Brush tops with butter when they come out.

Herb Dinner Rolls

Rating: 5 of 5


Tip: These rolls are extra delicious if you spread them with cream cheese.

Ingredients:

•     1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
•     1 tablespoon white sugar
•     1 cup warm wate
•     1 cup milk, room temperature
•     2 eggs
•     2 teaspoons salt
•     2 tablespoons butter, softened
•     1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
•     1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
•     6 cups bread flour
•     1 egg white
•     2 tablespoons water

Directions:
   1. In a small mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup warm water. Let stand until creamy; about 10 minutes.
   2. In a large bowl, stir together the yeast mixture with milk, eggs, salt, butter, parsley, chives, and 4 cups flour. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough has pulled together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and put in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
   3. Grease two 9x13 inch baking pans. Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 24 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball, and place into the prepared pans. Cover the rolls with a warm, damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
   4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg white with 2 tablespoons of water; brush egg wash over tops of rolls.
   5. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Amish White Bread

Rating: 5 of 5


Tip: This bread is generally very sweet. I like to bake it in tandem with a spicier soup. While my fiancé and I are waiting for our soup to cool down, we dunk this bread in the soup and nom it until the soup is cool.

Ingredients:

•     2 cups warm water
•     2/3 cup white sugar
•     1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
•     1 1/2 teaspoons salt
•     1/4 cup vegetable oil
•     6 cups bread flour

Directions:
   1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
   2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
   3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
   4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.