I need you... like the flour needs the pan...

Come on! I can't be the only one posting on this thing! Isn't anyone else making bread like items? Even sandwiches that are interesting and different?

Adrian posted! Andi... where are you!

I wanna see your bread!

***

I was at the store the other day, and I was able to skip the entire bread aisle and not have to buy one single thing from it.

I make my own everything now. Even bagels.

Today, I'll be trying out a new stuffed breadstick.

I thought it would be cool to send the kids to school with a "sandwich" filled with saute'd veggies and herbs and spices, that is encased with a thin layer of homemade bread.

Kinda like like the Mock Pockets, but smaller and not stuffed with meat. Or maybe.

I don't know yet. Need to experiment.

***

I need a show of hands... who would like to come to a quick demo of this kind of bread making at my house?

Let me know!

Roll Call!

Bread as Gifts, cont...

1. Make baguettes or breadsticks, and give them with a jar of spagetti sauce (homemade or store bought). Put these in a basket, or even cheaper, a paper bag with a pretty bow.
(cheap neighbor gifts for christmas...esp if you make your own sauce)

2. Why not just buy inexpensive buckets or big tupperware (dollar store maybe?) and mix up a batch with recipe attached. Could even attach recipe like a sticker on the bucket...that way it's right there for them every time they mix a new batch. Nothing like making it easy for someone to get started. Most people own a stone, and an old pan for steam. Throw in a wooden spoon with it...or not!

3. If your Christian...(and so is the receiver), why not just a simple loaf with a ribbon on it...with a scripture attached from the bible about the loaves and fishes miracle. (Mathew 15:36)
(Or the Lords prayer...give us this day, our daily bread, etc) Nice for christmas.
If your not Christian, just attach a card that says "Eat Me!" (Just Kidding, Folks!)

I broke my oven!

I actually broke my oven this week.

Yep.

I was pouring water into the broiler pan I use on the lower level of my upper oven, to create the steam necessary for my bread to get good and crusty, and a drop of water got on my glass door and shattered it.

I was shocked!

I almost cried.

Thank God it wasn't a day earlier, or I would have written a sappy letter to it.

So... take heed my bread buddies...

Water and Hot oven glass do not mix.

The new glass is on it ways via UPS, to be replaced by Super Bill, to the tune of $58 bucks.

Next time, I will be much more careful.

I had done it a million times before, but this time, it just had enough.

I will also use hot water next time.

But Hey! I'll have new, pristine clean glass soon!

Yahoo!

Bread as Gift Ideas!

Bread as gift ideas... day two!

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How about a stainless steel bowl, a wooden spoon, a sack of flour, a package of yeast

and a pretty sachet of Kosher Salt, all tied up in a bow!

***

A PC stone, some cornmeal, a spatula and the Boule Recipe!

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Bread Basket, Gorgeous cotton towel, butter bell, spreader.

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Make Boule recipe, roll out dough for bread sticks, stuff bread sticks with any number of things as stuffing, and deliver them piping hot on Christmas Eve Day to a neighbor. Insta-lunch for all that last minute shopping! A one handed meal!

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YOUR TURN!

Bread as gifts

Bread... the food of life... literally.

It can be a wonderful thing and it can be the bane of one's existence.

Sensory loading splendor and guilt ridden thigh increaser at the same time.

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Remember the No Carb Diet craze? Wanna know why it was a fad?

People. Love. Bread.

Plain and Simple.

Every single culture on the planet has a chosen, "look at us, this is who we are and what we make" bread. Every. Single. One.

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So why not embrace it? Why not make some for yourself?

The Holidays are coming up.

If money is tight for you this season... whip up a few batches of the 5 Minute bread and give it to every person you know.

Go to the clearance racks or remnant aisle of your favorite craft store and buy some wonderful material or buy inexpensive tea towels.

Place the loaf in the basket or wrap it with the towel and place it in the basket and tie with a gorgeous ribbon.

Include some jam or mini jelly jars or honey or some homemade honey butter.

Too Simple! Too Delicious! Too Easy!

OR... OR...OR!!!

Whip up the dry ingredients for the dough in a nice glass or plastic bucket, and include directions on how to make it with the water, and include a wooden spoon, and voila!

Insta Bread making kit!

I'm just gettin' warmed up people...

Now its your turn to give ideas... post away!

Mock Pockets, cont...

I'm sorry this isn't a new idea...but I was so excited about how these turned out, that I had to grab my camera. Saundra, thanks for all the fun ideas. My kids (ages 2 and 5) absolutely loved these. I tried to make them a bit smaller, next time I will make them even smaller. I put deli ham and swiss cheese in them. There are so many ideas for this. How about pastrami with sauerkraut? Or roast beef with au jus dip? Yum!

Rosemary bread loaves...

See that long baguette? That was dinner tonight... I split it... spread my Mama's

FAMOUS meatballs, cut into small pieces, on it, sliced some fresh, buffalo milk mozzarella cheese and topped the meatballs with it, and broiled it for 3 minutes to make...

Well, you'll have to go to www.cookeveryday.blogspot.com to see what I made.

The other two loaves are going to be made into layered Muffaletta sandwiches

for lunch tomorrow after Opening Ceremonies and Clean Up day.

Mangare!

Quick Pizza

I have some 2 day old bread. Can you believe it?

They didn't eat it all in one sitting!

I don't want it to go to waste... so I am going to make a quick pizza out of it tonight, with the ingredients above.

I'll brush the bread with olive oil and garlic, slice up the tomatoes and cheese and layer it on the bread, and voila! Margherita Pizza!

I'm adding a lovely salad and dinner will be served.

It is the perfect thing to do with bread that is past it's homemade prime.

I made a little too much at one time on Sunday Night, so now I had to get creative, so as not

to waste the lovely bread.

Look at all the holes!

Hee hee!

PUMPERNICKEL!

Well, I made the Pumpernickel bread.

There was coffee, molasses and caramel coloring I needed to add.

I didn't have any caramel coloring, and I didn't feel like burning any sugar, so I used honey

instead.

The bread, to me, didn't taste great alone, but in a sandwich? It was awesome!

For me... the strong flavors were too much alone... but somehow dissipated with sandwich fixings.

My favorite is actually peanut butter and jelly on the this bread. Smoked Turkey, tomato and pepperoncini and lettuce a very close second.

***

I will definitely make this bread again... but next time... I am going to add some dried apricots and chopped dates to the dough. I think they would be great with this bread.

In the oven

My broken and my Large Round stone in my indoor oven.

The pan below is what I put the water in for the steam.

The bread baked for another 15 minutes to get nice and brown.

Mock Pocket!

Today's impromptu lunch for the boys. We are trying to diminish our fridge and freezer supply now and this is what I came up with.

I know... it looks like road kill, and it's entrails are spilling out... but they said it was very good.

I took a small handful of dough from my bucket... flattened it out, layers some smoked turkey and low fat swiss all along the middle, and rolled it up.
Then baked it out back at 475 for 20 minutes.

Instant Hot Pocket, without all the preservatives! It was a snap to make!

I just need to make the side a little thicker next time so it doesn't look like it's bleedin'

all over the place!

Bread Buddies Unite!

OFTLOB!

GUESS WHAT THAT STANDS FOR!

Yep!

Oh! For the Love of Bread!

Yahoooo!

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Now we 5 minute breadophiles have a place to gasp, giggle and groove to our own drummer!

This is the place to feel free to get giggy about all things bread baking!

***

This day and age... EVERYONE is health conscious, carb conscious, and whole grain conscious.

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Bread is life... people!

It is what the entire world has in common!

It is what keeps the world from starvation!

Every custom, nationality, country, city and state has an

indigenous type of bread they call their own.

From Italian Foccacia, to French Baguettes, to Indian Naan, to Armenian Lavosh to Mexican Tortillas to Jewish Challah and everything in between!

Bread brings cultures together.

In the Bible, breaking bread was a spiritual thing... Jesus chose to spend his last evening

breaking bread with his disciples. They could have danced, cavorted, walked, run away,

hidden, cried, lamented... anything! And they chose a last meal! AND he made a huge deal out of the BREAD representing his BODY!

Bread is BIG in the Bible... remember the Loaves and Fishes?

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The PERFECT meal to me is

A baguette, some Sharp Provolone cheese, some fresh grapes and cherries, and

a wonderful glass (bottle, who am I kidding) of Stella Rosa wine.

The. Perfect. Meal.

Andi tells me she could live on bread and fruit forever.

My Bill, ADORES ALL FORMS OF BREAD!

***

The beauty is in baking it ourselves.

We know what goes in it.

We know what is NOT in it.

We can add all the nutrition we deem necessary... without some one else deciding for us...

AND it is so cost effective!

HAVE YOU SEEN THE PRICE OF ARTISAN LOAVES ON THE SHELVES?

yikes!

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Enjoy this blog... as much as I hope to.

Comment like crazy and post like crazy!

Buone Mangare Tutto Amici!

Eat Well all my friends!