Can I just say EW???

I was minding my own business... answering work emails... and read two words which should probably never be put together:

Spam... and... tortillas

If you come to join me for dinner, I won't make them. Ever. I promise.

Deb

And the winner is...

CINNAMON SUNRISE BREAD!

This was originally on a Gold Medal flour bag and used all white flour. It also didn't use raisins. I've adapted it!

There's two versions given here, one for the bread machine (bake it on a delayed bake timer, fresh for the breakfast and, hence, you get the name!) To my friends who are on the metric system, I don't do math well so you will need to convert it yourselves... sorry...

1 1/8 cups very warm water
2 cups whole wheat plus 1 1/2 Tbsp wheat gluten powder (see notes)
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/4 cup golden raisins (see notes)
2 Tbsp buttermilk powder
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp cinnamon (see notes)
1 1/3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp "fast rise" yeast or 2 tsp regular yeast

Directions (Bread Machine Version)

1. Put ingredients in pan in order listed.
2. Program your bread machine to finish about 20 minutes before you want to eat. This will allow the bread to cool slightly in the pan, but still be warm (and make you wake up drooling on your pillow... but I digress!)
3. Yes. It is that easy!
   

Directions (Hand-made Version)

1. Dissolve yeast in water in a large bowl; allow to "foam" slightly. Mix in buttermilk powder, sugar, spices and butter with a spoon (or mixer). If you are adding in raisins and/or pecans, stir them first into the flours, and then into the batter.
2. Slowly add flours, alternating between whole wheat and bread flours. At some point you will have to stop using a spoon and/or mixer and use
3. Grease your hands lightly and turn the dough out onto a floured board or countertop. Knead dough (pull towards you, fold over, push down, turn one-quarter turn and repeat). Add flour until dogh is no longer sticky. Dough should form a smooth, elastic ball when it is ready to "rest" and rise.
   
4. Grease a large bowl, place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap or linen towel. When doubled in size, punch down, turn and re-cover.
   
5. Allow to rise a second time, form into loaf, place in well-greased loaf pan and bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Depending on the size of your loaf pans, this may make two to three loaves.

A TASTY THIRD OPTION - DOUBLE CINNAMON ROLLS! (are you drooling yet???)
Make the dough , allow to rise once. Roll out on floured board or countertop into a large rectangle. Spread softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar over the top of the butter. Roll up dough, jelly roll style. Cut cross-wise into pinwheels. Place in greased cake pans and allow to rise. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes (time depends on the thickness of the pinwheels.)

NOTES:

• use good quality whole wheat flour! If you don't grind your own, buy a brand that has the words "hard wheat" or "winter wheat" or "red winter wheat" in the description. King Arthur Flours in the U.S. is fresh and has hard wheat in it. Pillsbury and other mass marketed ones do not (and frequently they are stale and the bread will not taste that great.) If you don't want to use the whole wheat flour, just use all bread flour and omit the wheat gluten.
  
• wheat gluten helps a dough which uses whole wheat flour rise better and avoids "homemade bread hockey puck syndrome."
• golden raisins bake better; I don't know why. If you like chewier raisins in your bread, soak the raisins in hot water until they plump up, drain well and add to dough.
  
• cinnamon - use a good quality cinnamon - if you have a canister that has been in your cupboard for a while it will not be as pungent and tasty.
• buttermilk powder is available in the baking aisle, but if you can not find it, you can use dry milk powder.
• substitutions: to replace the powdered milk and water, scald 1 1/8 cups milk, let cool and use in its place.
• I'm not giving you the calorie and fat information because it's better you don't know...

Enjoy, friends... and now, I really have to work on school stuff... sigh...

Deb

Figs and Cheese

My kids were NOT happy. Beloved Bearded Spouse and I absolutely loved them. And that is how it goes...

From the New York Times Dining and Wine section. (Though for our house tonight the title would more appropriately be "Dining with WHINES"!)

Published: September 12, 2007
Adapted from Gary Danko
Time: 10 minutes
Photo credit: pastrywhiz.com

Ingredients:

• 8 ripe figs
• 1/4 cup fresh, soft goat cheese
• 1 teaspoon mixed minced fresh thyme and rosemary, or any combination of fresh herbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 fig or grape leaves, or 8 6-inch squares of aluminum foil
• 8 rosemary-twig skewers or toothpicks
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Banyuls or balsamic vinegar.

Directions:

1. Pinch figs apart slightly from their stem ends, forming four sides surrounding a central pocket. Into this pocket, spoon a small amount of goat cheese. Sprinkle each with a tiny bit of herb mix and a pinch of salt and pepper. From the bottom up, use a leaf or sheet of foil to form a cup around each fig; skewer leaf or foil through fig so that it holds securely.

2. Grill figs, open side up, just until they brown slightly and cheese softens. Remove, sprinkle with a few drops each of soy sauce and vinegar, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

YUM!!!!! and even worth hearing the complaints.

Deb
(and yes... we made them each try one!)