Saturday, November 13, 2010

Buns, Buns & More Buns!!

I was checking out Facebook yesterday and my sweet friend Debbie from Alaska had a posting from her daughter Katie saying that they needed to make something called Balloon Buns next time Katie was home. Me being the ever interested culinary gal (particularly when the word Buns is used) that I am asked Katie what in the world were Balloon Buns. Her reply -- "an Über yummy hollow cinnamon roll filled with melty gooey marshmallow goodness!" Her reply sold me. I had to try these!! Researching on the internet, I found a few varieties, some made with canned biscuits. Others with yeast bread using a sweet dough. Many of the comments were about how incredibly sweet they were. I took note of that and decided that just a basic bread dough might still do the trick. So my son Travis & I set about the task this morning of making "Balloon Buns".

I made a 2-loaf recipe using Kamut (posted a couple days ago). We used half of the dough for 24 Balloon Buns and the other half for 4 burger buns and 6 hot dog buns. However, in my zeal for getting this recipe on the blog, I forgot about the burger and dog buns and let them burn--major bummer!! I'll still show the pics though. You'll get the idea.

We made this 2-loaf batch of dough in my Compact Bosch. I will advertise a little here and tell you that the Compact is an awesome little machine for your everyday tasks--from making a 2 loaf batch of bread to cookies or whatever else you may normally use a Kitchen Aid for. By the way, the Compact Bosch is 400 watts (next to my 300 watt Kitchen Aid) and is so light, I can pick it up with only 1 hand.

Ingredients:
1 batch of 2-loaf dough
24 large marshmallows
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup melted butter
2 muffin pans
1 extra pair of hands

So we got started by mixing the water, oil, honey, some of the flour & yeast. Then we put the cover on and let it proof for about 15 minutes until the mixture rose up and got bubbly.





Next we added more flour, some gluten & salt. We continued adding flour until the dough began to clean the sides of the bowl. We let it knead on setting 3 (for Bosch Compact, setting 2 for the Universal) for 6-8 minutes. We then covered the bowl and let is rise in the bowl for about 10 minutes, until it almost reaches the lid.



Then we divided the batch in two. One was destined to sit in an oven, forgotten so as to become my burnt burger & dog buns :-(. The other, however, was destined for greatness and would be the Über Yummy Balloon Buns!




Begin by dividing the dough into 4 sections, then each quarter into 6 sections--giving you 24 sections. Just work with 6 at a time, leaving all the rest of your dough under a bowl on the counter so it doesn't dry out.




Roll each section out.








Now would be a good time to have a second pair of hands. Roll a marshmallow in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar. Next place it on your rolled out section.





And wrap it up! Be sure and crimp the ends together as well as you can so the marshmallow-ey center doesn't leak out.






Once it's all sealed up tight, then roll the whole bun in butter and cinnamon sugar once more. Place the bun in a muffin tin (sprayed with cooking spray).





When all 24 of your buns are in the pans, place them in a warm oven to rise for 20 minutes. Then bake at 350 for about 18 minutes.






When they're done, immediately remove them from the pans onto cooling racks.

Thank you Debbie & Katie for a fun morning in the kitchen and some "Über Yummy-ness"!


**Tips for this recipe--
1) Place them upside down on the cooling racks. When baking, some of them may break open. So turn them upside down even if you don't spot a hole. That way all the yummy goodness doesn't drain out onto your counter.
2) Line your oven with some foil before baking. This way, if some of the buns open up while baking, you won't have a sugary mess all over your oven and curse little 'ole me!

And now on to the Burger & Hot Dog Buns . . .



Divide the remaining dough in half. Divide the 1st half into 4 parts. To form a nice round burger bun, bring the sides up to form a small purse.






Then smash it! You should now have a nice round bun.
Do this with a little bit of flour on the counter so it doesn't stick.







Divide the 2nd half into 6 sections. Roll each one up like a snake, keeping in mind how long your hot dogs will be--the normal size or the bigger brats size.







Place on a baking sheet to rise in a warm oven for 20 minutes. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. These will freeze great to be pulled out next time you decide to have dogs or burgers and are so much better than store bought!




These don't really look too bad I guess Ü

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Kamut Bread

I have a new love. Only met this one about a month ago, but I've fallen hard--for Kamut!! It has an interesting history, though it probably did not come from any ancient Egyptian tomb as is rumored. If you want to read more about it and its origins, check out http://www.kamut.com/. You often hear that hard white wheat (Prairie Gold) yields a bread that looks closer to a traditional white bread. Kamut is even lighter! But don't let this pale-face fool you. It is an incredibly nutritious grain, high in protein and makes a super yummy buttery tasting bread! I highly encourage you to try this wonderful grain. I promise you'll love it!!

Try this recipe for Kamut bread. (Though you can use the same one for any whole grain bread)

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons SAF yeast
6 cups freshly ground Kamut flour
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup. vital wheat gluten
1/2 tsp vitamin C crystals

Mix water, oil, honey, yeast and enough flour in your Bosch compact mixer to form a mixture that looks like oatmeal. Let this mixture sit for about 15 minutes, until it doubles in the bowl.

Now add the salt, gluten, & vitamin C crystals. Add enough flour until dough cleans the side of the bowl. Knead for about 8 minutes. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 30 minutes. Turn dough out of bowl onto work surface and shape into 2 loaves. Place in oiled pans. Let rise for 20 minutes in a warm oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes--loaves are done at 180 degrees.

Immediate remove from pans to drying rack and let completely cool before storing in bags.

NOTE: In this particular recipe, I've included a 2nd rise. I'm finding that this more traditional 2nd rise is giving my bread a richer flavor and texture than just one.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

All Things Pumpkin!


October comes and if you're like me at all, your mind is swimming in fall hues of gold & orange, leaves falling, baskets of mums, & PUMPKINS!!

It's been hard to think Autumn really here in Houston. We got a glimpse of it in early October, then the heat returned and it seemed like maybe we should be working on our tans again. But this morning, our friendly weather girl promises temps in the 40's tonight so today I'm making Pumpkin Bread and I can't wait for it to come out of the oven!

Let me know what you think of this one--I LOVE IT!! It's loaded with good stuff like flax, oats & whole grain goodness! It's not super sweet, so if you like a sweeter loaf, just add a little sweetener of your choice. And it's denser than normal pumpkin bread--great toasted for breakfast! Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Bread

15 oz. can pumpkin
2 medium ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or Prairie Gold
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup ground flax meal
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together the pumpkin, bananas, vanilla & eggs with mixer (or in a food processor). Mix dry ingredients, then add to pumpkin mixture.

Spray two standard loaf pans with cooking spray. Transfer batter to pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted at center comes out clean. Cool before slicing.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Bread Class this Saturday!

This Saturday, October 30, we will come together and busy our hands with the task of learning how to make whole grain BREAD!!

So for those of you who are new to this fun task as well as those of you who've been doing it for awhile now and just need to do a little refining, come on over! We will cover the basics from milling to kneading and learning a fancy but easy little trick or two. Might even have a taste or two--YUMM!!

Please drop me an email if you'd like to reserve a spot. The cost is $10/person and we will meet from 11-1 pm.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

October Order

If you're not on my contact list and didn't receive my email, just wanted you to know that I will be placing another order later this week. Please drop me an email if you would like a price list.

SPECIALS!!

#1 - $1 off per 50/45# if order placed by the end of the day Sunday Oct. 24
#2 - $2 more off if you order 10 50# bags/45# pails
#3 - $3 more off if you order 15 50#/45# pails

ALSO, my supplier, L'Equip, is offering great holiday pricing on Bosch Kitchen Machines, the Nutrimill, L'Equip Stick Blender and B/R/K pressure cookers. many of these prices will go back up January 1!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Bread Class Anyone??

This summer was a crazy one! We married off our daughter Natalie to her high school sweetheart Xavier on June 19 on a beautiful, though rainy, day in Wasilla, Alaska. And yes, the wedding was still outdoors. We celebrated with good Texas barbecue and really the only people that weren't comfortable were the Texans! All of our wonderful Alaskan friends just came dressed for the event and it was beautiful!

So we were gone for the entire month of June and it feels like we've just been catching up the rest of the summer. But I think now we're starting to feel like life is returning to normal. So . . . I think I feel a bread class coming on :-).

Whose interested? If you would like to attend a 2-hour class where we learn together the art of whole grain bread making from milling to baking, please email me (ljgreenstreet@gmail.com) and let me know. Also let me know what timing works best for you and I will try to tailor classes to fit all of our schedules. Is morning, afternoon or evening best? Weekends or weekdays? Just let me know!

Fall Order Time!

It's Fall Order time everyone!! I would like to get an order placed by the end of next week, so I'm opening up the pre-order process. If you don't have my most recent price list, please email me (ljgreenstreet@gmail.com) and I will send you one. I won't be placing another large order for another 6 months, so now's the time to stock up on your whole grain needs! I will be keeping some stock on hand, but only 45# buckets, so if you prefer the less-expensive 50# bags, you will need to order those now.

On my new price list, you will notice that Wheat Montana is now offering an organic option on most of their grains. Even if you're not an organic enthusist, you will find Wheat Montana products to be superior whether they are organic or not. All of their non-organic products are certified chemical and pesticide free and always have been. So you can be assured you have a great product either way.

If you don't yet own a Bosch or Nutrimill, Kitchen Resource has lowered the prices on these great products and I have passed along those savings to my customers. If you don't know much about either of those products, please give me a call. I'd love to sing their praises to you! Kitchen Resources has also added back into their product line a coffee/seed grinder that is a really good one. It's great to have an extra one on hand so you don't have to use the same one for grinding coffee beans and your flax!

At the end of this month, I will be traveling to the Kitchen Resource convention to check out what's new in their product line and just learn for myself more about what they already have that I need to be more educated on myself. For instance, Kitchen Resource has a wonderful pressure cooking system. They come in all sizes--small to large. And they're not like the pressure cookers of old--the big heavy ones. They are light and there is much you can do with them in preparing quick healthy meals for your family. I am able to order them now . . . I just don't know much about them, so hopefully I'll learn something I can pass on to you. If you are interested in the BRK pressure cooking system, you can check out the Kitchen Resource website . . . www. kitchenresource.com.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Delivery Day!

Grains are being delivered tomorrow morning! I will be available tomorrow afternoon after 4:00 for anyone who wants to pick up tomorrow. Please contact me to let me know when you will be coming by so I can make sure and be here. It would be great if all orders could be picked up by the end of the weekend.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Won't Be Long Now!

The delivery date of our grains given to me was Feb. 22. However, they also say it will probably be a couple weeks before that, so stay on the alert! I know some of you are running low and will want yours right away.

And for those of you who are just finding me, don't worry! I ordered plenty extra of the main grains. If you know you will want something, however, don't just wait until pickup. Let me know and I will put your name on it so you can be sure you get your grain.

Just wanted to let you know as well that when I placed the order, I found that grain prices had gone up since I made my price list. If you already placed an order, I am honoring the prices first given to you. But if you want to add to your order, you will be charged the new prices on the added items. Just didn't want you to be surprised. For most grains, the price change was not much, maybe only 50 cents. But for some, for instance, spelt, the change is a little more like $10. But this is the way of the grain market . . . prices will fluctuate! If you need a new price list before hand, just let me know and I will send it your way.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Made these on Saturday morning with blueberries . . . so very good!

2 c. whole wheat flour (Prairie Gold)
2 T honey
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 c. canola oil
1 T baking powder
1 tsp. salt
add water to thin if needed

Be creative! Add nuts, chopped apples, whatever you like.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Variations for Basic Whole Wheat Bread

I owned a very small little bakery for a short while during our time in Alaska, our specialty being Whole Wheat Bread, of course. We came up with a few specialty recipes I'll share with you. Just throw in a few extras to the Basic Recipe. All of these are ingredients are per 1 loaf, so keep that in mind if you make the large batches like I do. Also, for some reason, specialty breads really need to cook to a higher temp than the basic recipe. I don't know the science on why this is, but it's just dough-y if you cook it to 160-180 like I mentioned in the basic recipe. These aren't done until about 190 degrees.

Jalapeno Cheddar -- my two daughters' absolute favorite of all the specialty breads!
1/2 cup chopped jalapenos (from a jar)
6 oz. cubed cheddar
2 cloves pressed garlic

Rosemary Olive
2 cloves pressed garlic
1/2 c. chopped kalamata olives
1 T rosemary

Roasted Corn & Pepperjack
In 1 tsp. olive oil, saute 3/4 c. frozen corn until it begins to brown
6 oz. cubed pepperjack cheese
2 cloves pressed garlic
1/2 tsp. cumin

Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta
3/4 c. chopped sun-dried tomato
4 oz. feta cheese
2 cloves pressed garlic

Garlic-Herb -- this is a great one just for dinner rolls!
1 T oregano
1 T basil
1/2 T rosemary
3-4 cloves pressed garlic
Brush with olive oil after baking

Cranberry Orange
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. chopped pecans
zest of about a 1/3 of an orange
1/3 of an orange, chopped

Apple Walnut
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 granny smith apple, chopped

Blueberry Cream Cheese -- this one is really like dessert, or a good breakfast slice!
1st, mix 3 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 tsp. almond extract, and 1 T honey together.

Next, add 3 oz. dried blueberries to dough, then roll out into a big circle, about 15 inches in diameter. Spread cream cheese mixture in center of circle, leaving a rim of about 4 inches. Fold this dough rim up and cinch together tightly. Flip over and bake. So incredibly good!!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Basic Whole Wheat Bread

10 cups Prairie Gold wheat berries (ground makes about 14-15 cups flour)
6 cups moderately hot water (about 110 degrees-very hot tap water)
2/3 cups oil
2/3 cups honey
3 T SAF yeast
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
1/8 tsp. vitamin C crystals
2 T salt

Pour water, oil, honey, enough freshly milled flour for the mixture to look like oatmeal (6 cups or so), and yeast into Bosch mixer. Mix well & let sponge (sit) for about 15 minutes while the yeast dissolves & gets active.

Add 2 tablespoons salt and gluten. Begin to add more flour a little at a time until you see it begin to clean the sides of the bowl and the dough is tacky to touch. As it mixes, the dough will stiffen, so don’t add too much flour. (You can add water if you have too much flour) Let your Bosch run on speed 2 for about 6 minutes. With just a little bit of oil on your fingers, test a ball of dough to see if it stretches without immediately tearing. When it will thin out upon pulling like this, the gluten is developed and it's ready. Preheat your oven to it's lowest setting (about 200 degrees) for about 5 minutes then turn off your oven. Divide your dough into 6 loaves and place into prepared pans.

Let the bread rise in the warm oven for 20 minutes, then pull out and heat your oven to 350 degrees. Carefully move loaves back into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. I like to use a thermometer to determine done-ness. Bread is done at 180 degrees.

(If you have a convection oven, you don't need to remove the loaves after the 20 minute rise--just turn your oven on to 350 and leave them in the oven)

Immediately invert loaves onto cooling racks and leave until they are completely cool. Place in bags. Enjoy the first slice right away, then store some loaves in the freezer. This bread keeps well for a couple weeks frozen. NEVER put your bread in the fridge!! It dries it out quickly doing this. Just keep it out on your counter in its bag for all to enjoy!

**You will have flour left over. Keep in the freezer to retain freshness and use for pancakes sometime later in the week! Or use for your next batch of bread, but be sure and warm it to room temp before adding into your dough.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Orders due January 16th!! & Bread Classes

I will be calling in my order for grains on Monday, January 18. So it would be great to have your orders by Saturday. If you're needing a price list, please let me know via email. You can reach me at ljgreenstreet@gmail.com.

Also, Bread Classes are coming! Watch the blog for more information.

The Beginning . . .

In beginning this new business venture, the only name our family could come up with was Yummy Bread. Of course, on baking days for many years in our home, you would never hear someone say "Mom's making that great whole grain bread she makes today". No, instead you would hear "Hey! Mom's making her yummy bread today!" So it seemed appropriate that we simply call ourselves Yummy Bread, because that is, in fact, what it is!

So, if you are like me and enjoy making Yummy Bread, hopefully you will find a few things you need by referring to this blog. I've got a few recipes to share and I'd love to hear of any you have that you'd like to post. And if you need any grain, please let me know . . . ordering day is coming up soon!