Super Soft Wheat Bread

Since I got my bread machine, I have been on a quest for the perfect bread.  I LOVE the wheat bread I posted here before, but the kids have been wanting some bread that is softer, fluffier, more like the packaged bread from the store to which they had become accustomed.  Don't get me wrong, they like the other bread, but, for sandwiches, they wanted a bread that was lighter in texture.  I can understand why. That other bread is delicious, but it is dense, moist, rich ~ almost a meal on its own.  That's why it makes great breakfast toast.

Well, not long ago, I found a recipe for a soft white bread made in the bread machine.  You can find it here:  Extremely Soft White Bread  It is a wonderfully simple recipe, and yields a delightful result.  I have made two loaves, and both have been gobbled up "like candy," as one of my daughters said.  I was pleased with the result, but I really prefer wheat bread.  As a parent, I would rather give my kids wheat bread.  It just seems more like real, healthy food.  I also happen to prefer the flavour and texture of wheat bread.  So, I decided to tweak this recipe just a tiny bit, to see if I could make a soft wheat bread that would satisfy the kids and me.  I decided to use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour, and I decided to sub honey for the sugar in the original recipe, because I like a good honey wheat bread best of all.

Here's what I came up with:

1 cup hot water
2 teaspoons yeast
3 generous tablespoons honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Place hot water, yeast and honey in bread machine.  Close the lid, and let stand for 12 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, set your bread machine to the white bread setting (I used the light crust setting) and press start.  That's it.  Your work here is done.  Come back later to remove the finished loaf, slice, make sandwiches, amaze your friends and family with your soft, fluffy homemade wheat bread.  

Doesn't that look yummy?  It is!

As you can see, I really didn't make many changes.  Kudos to the originator of the recipe.  It is really a great one.  

While my bread machine was doing its thing, I made a batch of raspberry jam to go with our lovely wheat bread.  Please refer to your canning book (I use Ball's Blue Book) for complete instructions. I'm just goign to give a quick rundown.  I put 9 cups of crushed raspberries and 6 cups of organic sugar into a saucepot, and heated slowly until the sugar dissolved.  Then, I cooked it quickly to the gelling point (this took a few tries, but I eventually got it there), stirring to prevent sticking. I ladled the hot jam into clean, hot jars, leaving 1/4" headspace, wiped the rims, screwed the two-piece lids in place, lifted the jars carefully into my prepared water-bath canner and processed for 15 minutes.  Again, if you are going to do any canning, please refer to a reliable resource.  The only reason I brought it up here is that I wanted everyone to see just how relatively simple it is to make and can your own jam.  I'd say it's easy as pie, but I think it's even easier.  

Zucchini "Crab" Cakes

Tonight, I made a triple batch of these (using one green zucchini and about 1/3 of a golden zucchini ~ yeah, they're that big).  We ended up with one dozen for tonight's dinner, and about 3 dozen to put in the freezer, for a future dinner.  For the record: I fried the ones we were eating tonight in hot oil in a cast iron skillet, but the ones I plan to freeze, I baked.  I figure, that way, once they are frozen, we can heat them in an oiled skillet when we are ready to serve, and they (hopefully) won't be completely drowning in oil.  I will give directions for both cooking methods.  I hear you can just bake instead of fry, to save on fat and calories, but, to be perfectly honest, I like my crab cakes fried.

Anyway, in case there is anyone reading who doesn't know this, I grew up in Maryland.  Maryland, in case you haven't heard, "is for crabs."  (A weird but true travel and tourism slogan I recall from my childhood.)  In short, we know crab cakes.  Now, I can't eat them.  I am allergic to shellfish (idoine, actually, I am now told), besides which, I am vegetarian, so I wouldn't eat them, anyway.  Crabs are not vegetables.  I know, because I have looked one in the eye.  Nevertheless, I do not want anyone reading this to let that fact make them think these "crab cakes" will be anything but delicious.  I am not the originator of this idea.

What readers may not know about Maryland, is that it was not only home to crabs, it was home to one of the best zucchini growers and cooks I have ever known.  I mean, this guy was famous for his zuchhini.  And if he wasn't, he should have been.  He was, I am very lucky to say, my godfather, my mom's twin, Jim Gambino.  I don't know how my zucchini crab cake recipe compares to Uncle Jim's, but I hope it's maybe half as good.  That would make it pretty awesome, I think.  I hear tell that people have been served zucchini "crab" cakes without knowing they contained no actual crab, and never been the wiser.  I do not know about that, but I know that, a few years ago, when I was home for a visit, I made some at a friend's crab feast, so the kids and I could have some "crab cakes," and they flew off the table.  No, they were not enchanted.  Harry Potter and his cohorts were nowhere nearby.  I just mean to say that people liked them.  People who were eating actual crab.  So, I think that's a good review.  I decided to post these today, in honour of Uncle Jim's (and my mom's) birthday.  Happy Birthday, Mom!  I hope you have a beautiful day.  And Happy Birthday, Uncle Jim.  We sure do miss you.  But...have you seen my zucchini?  They're HUGE!!!  I think you'd appreciate them.

Now, I posted a recipe from which I work in the comments in my previous post, but I decided they needed a post of their own.  I also decided I should probably try to post exactly what I do, instead of the recipe on which I based what I do.  So, here ya go:

2 1/2 c. grated zucchini (I do not peel it)

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp. melted butter (I use Earth Balance)

1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning (or to taste ~ I add a little more)

1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

1 1/2 c. fine dry bread crumbs, seasoned with oregano, thyme, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, salt & pepper (sorry, I wish I knew how much of these to tell you to use.  You can use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, if you prefer, but I cannot, unless I can find dairy-free ones)

1 sm. onion, chopped fine, or about 1 tsp. onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. sweet red pepper, chopped very fine

1 tbsp. mayonnaise 

2 TBS chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Mix all ingredients well.  If mixture seems too wet, add a few more breadcrumbs, but it should be a loose mixture (not too dense).  

Place more breadcrumbs on a plate, and season as above.  If desired, add a little nutritional yeast.  Again, if you prefer, use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs.  

With damp hands, gather lumps of dough into roughly golf-ball-sized...well...balls.  Sorta.  Like I said, it's a loose mixture.  Gently dredge each ball in the breadcrumbs, then fry* in hot oil for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Drain on paper towels.  Serve as you would crabcakes ~ with tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.  You can make crabcake sandwiches with them (they're about the right size to fit on one of those little Hawaiian rolls, or a soft dinner roll).

Part of that seems unclear, so let me walk you through it:
1. Pick up a lump of the mixture and kinda form it into a ball.
2. Dredge the ball in breadcrumbs; flatten slightly.
3. Place on a plate or tray.
4. When you have all of your little patties formed, fry them in batches in hot oil.
5. Drain on a plate or tray lined with paper towels.
6. Eat.

* If you prefer to bake them (for whatever reason), form your cakes as above, then place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.  Bake in a very hot (500 degrees fahrenheit) oven for 5-7 minutes on each side (until lightly browned).

Now, unfortunately, we gobbled up the fried ones before I managed to take a picture.  I say, "unfortunately," not because I regret eating them, but because I think they look more appetizing than the baked ones.  I took a picture of the baked ones, so I will post that.  

Zucchini "Crab"-Stuffed Zucchini

Yes, I realize the title of this recipe is quite awkward.  You can come up with a better name, if you prefer.  No matter what you decide to call this, you should eat it.  Super yummy, and a nice presentation, too.

As you may have heard, my garden is completely out of control this year.  I don't know what I did (just my usual organic vegetable food), but I cannot keep my zucchini plants from prolifically producing the largest zucchini I have ever seen.  We have eaten several, traded others for other yummy things (oranges, lemons, and I hear there are some apples coming our way), made one into brownies (yes, brownies), canned 7 quarts of zucchini & tomatoes...and they still just keep coming.

At this time, after using 1 1/2 large zucchini for tonight's dinner, I still have 4 sitting around waiting to be used, and more growing in the garden.  Sometimes, if I listen carefully, I think I hear a faint, "Feed me, Seymour!" from the general direction of the garden.

Because we are eating TONS of zucchini, I am looking for new and interesting ways to prepare it.  I know we like zucchini "crab cakes" (just replace the crab in your favourite recipe with shredded zucchini ~ yum!), and I plan to make and freeze a bunch of those, but I had one giant zucchini just begging to be stuffed.  Usually, I would do an Italian-inspired stuffed zucchini, but, tonight, I wanted to try something different.

After zipping around on the internet, I decided to combine what I knew from making zucchini crab cakes, inspiration from Crab Imperial recipes I had perused, and my previous zucchini-stuffing experience.  Here's what I did:

1 very large zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out and discarded

Old Bay Seasoning

Smoked paprika

2 cups shredded zucchini, firmly packed

1/2 c. mayonnaise (or vegennaise) 

1 TBS lemon juice

1 tsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1/8 tsp. cayennne pepper

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2-1 tsp. wet mustard

1/2 c. panko (or other breadcrumbs)

1-2 TBS melted margarine

2 eggs, beaten (or equivalent egg-replacer)

Heat oven to 400℉.  Grease a 9x13" pan with olive oil.  Place halved zucchini, cut side up, in prepared pan.  Sprinkle lightly with Old Bay Seasoning and smoked paprika.  

In a bowl, mix all other ingredients, except eggs.  Taste, and adjust seasonings.  Gently fold in eggs.  

Spoon mixture into prepared zucchini "shells," cover pan with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until shell is looking kind of cooked, and filling is set.  Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more, or until lightly golden brown.

Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving.  

And here's how beautifully it turned out: 

For the record, it tastes even better than it looks.  Oh, my goodness.  So, so good.  I could eat this all night!

Made some homemade mac & cheese on the side for the cheese-eaters, and some broccoli slaw for the slaw-eaters.  

Holy cow.  I am still wallowing in zucchini-eating bliss.

Red Beet Eggs

I love beets.  I love pickled beets.  In fact, I love just about any pickled vegetable.  The one non-vegetable thing I can think of that I like, however, are Red Beet Eggs.

"What ARE red beet eggs?" you might be asking yourself right now.

I'll tell you.  They are delicious.

Oh, but that's not a very clear answer, is it.

Well, I believe they are a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe (My dad's from McSherrystown, PA, which is near Hanover, PA); and, basically, they are hardboiled eggs that have been soaked in a jar of pickled beets for a few days.  Somebody can correct me if I am wrong about their origin.  I know my mom's family called the "Pickled Eggs," and my dad's called them "Red Beet Eggs."

Do they sound delicious?  Doesn't matter.  They are.  They are also beautiful, and quite a conversation piece when brought to gatherings not frequented by those who grew up eating them.  But, mostly, they are delicious.

Did I mention how delicious they are?

They are also super-easy to make.

Now, if you want, you can cook your own beets, but I am a busy L.A. mom, so I usually don't.  Here's what I do.

Empty 2 cans of beets into a large, clean jar.

Add:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
about 8 whole cloves
3-4 thick slices of onion (or some onion powder)
a good sprinkle of allspice
1-2 bay leaves
salt & pepper, if desired

Mix it up until the sugar dissolves.

Add:
1 dozen hardboiled eggs (peeled and cooled)

Gently mix it, using your spoon to make sure all of the eggs are dunked down in to the liquid.

Cover your jar tightly and put it in the fridge.  Leave for at least 48 hours.  During that time, you can take out the jar and make sure the eggs are still down under the liquid, so they are getting nice and pickled.

I am not sure how long these keep in the fridge, because Hallie and I tend to eat them up pretty quickly.
I found my latest batch was PERFECT on day 4.

There you have it!  Red beet eggs.

Yum!

Way Better Pumpkin Muffins

How are they way better?  Um...they have more good-for-you stuff in them.  That means they have less bad-for-you stuff in them.  Oh, yeah, and they taste WAY.  BETTER.

I decided today to venture into the realm of one-armed baking.  Kaia has not been eating much, so I wanted to make pumpkin muffins (one of her favourites), so she would, you know, eat.  I also wanted to pack in as much nutritional value as possible, since she isn't eating as much as she should.

So, I pulled out my old standby pumpkin muffin recipe, and looked over adjustments I had made in the past.  I decided I could do even better.  Use organic flours, sub almond meal for more of the flour than I had before, further reduce the sugar, use almond milk instead of water, use organic, unrefined coconut oil and organic applesauce in place of the whopping 1 cup of vegetable oil called for in the original recipe...

Here's what I came up with.  (Oh, and BTW, I just took the first batch out of the oven and ate one.  They are so tender, sweet, moist and delicious that I had to post this right away.)

INGREDIENTS

    * 1 (15 ounce) can organic pumpkin puree

    * 4 eggs

    * 1/2 cup organic, unrefined coconut oil

    * 1/2 cup organic, unsweetened applesauce

    * 2/3 cup plain almond milk

    * 2 cups organic sugar

    * 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

    * 1 1/4 cups organic whole wheat flour

    * 1 cup organic all-purpose flour

    * 1 cup almond meal

    * 2 teaspoons baking soda

    * 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

    * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    * 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    * 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

    * 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tin with paper liners, or grease and flour them.

   2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, applesauce, almond milk, vanilla and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, almond meal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

   3. Bake for about 30 minutes in the preheated oven. 

Now, eat them.  Give them to your loved ones and let them eat them.  Just do it.  Trust me.  (And I don't even usually like muffins.)

BTW:  This makes 24 muffins.  Just for the heck of it, I went and calculated the nutritional information, just FYI.

Nutrition Facts User Entered Recipe   24 Servings Amount Per Serving   Calories 192.3   Total Fat 8.1 g       Saturated Fat 4.5 g       Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g       Monounsaturated Fat 2.1 g   Cholesterol 31.0 mg   Sodium 220.5 mg   Potassium 102.6 mg   Total Carbohydrate 28.4 g       Dietary Fiber 2.2 g       Sugars 18.0 g   Protein 3.7 g   Vitamin A 56.5 %   Vitamin B-12 1.3 %   Vitamin B-6 1.6 %   Vitamin C 1.5 %   Vitamin D 2.4 %   Vitamin E 9.0 %   Calcium 3.2 %   Copper 3.9 %   Folate 2.0 %   Iron 4.7 %   Magnesium 4.7 %   Manganese 11.1 %   Niacin 2.7 %   Pantothenic Acid     0.9 %   Phosphorus     4.8 %   Riboflavin 5.7 %   Selenium 0.5 %   Thiamin 2.8 %   Zinc 2.1 % *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.