Welcome to my Kitchen

Crisp fall weather brings out the urge to bake bread. Yeasty dough rising and the aroma of baking bread is comfortable and cozy to the senses. With the development of rapid-rise yeasts, bread machines and their specially formulated yeast, bread baking is not nearly the lengthy process it used to be.

Anne Baselt shared two recipes requested by folks who tasted her loaves donated to the Museum Bake Sale at Fest time. Pumpernickel is always a favorite and her recipe is easy to prepare and could be made in a bread machine.

Pumpernickel

1 1/3 cups bread flour

2/3 cup rye flour

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 tsp salt

7/8 cup water

1 Tbsp shortening or butter

2 Tbsp molasses

2 tsp caraway seeds

3 Tbsp (or more) raisins

Anne did not provide instructions other than baking temperature and time. Following is how I prepared the recipe.

In a large mixing bowl combine flours, cocoa powder, yeast and salt. Set aside.

In a small saucepan combine water, shortening and molasses. Heat over medium heat until lukewarm (110 degrees). Add caraway seed and raisins then stir into flour mixture, mixing until well combined. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a well greased 4x8 inch loaf pan and let rise until double in bulk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread in oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes until bread is browned and sounds hollow when thumped with your finger. Remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely.

Note: Anne said that she uses her bread machine to knead the dough for this recipe. You could use a bread machine to prepare and bake this recipe, substituting bread machine yeast for the active dry yeast.

Jalapeño Cheese Bread, another of the recipes requested that was shared by Anne, started out as a bread machine recipe. She only uses the bread machine for kneading.

Note: when working with hot peppers be sure to avoid touching them with bare hands. The capsaicin, that makes the pepper hot will remain on your skin for some time. If you rub your face with these hands it can get in your eyes and sting unmercifully for a long time. Wearing kitchen gloves can prevent this.

Jalapeño Cheese Bread

1/2 cup sour cream

1/8 cup water

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp chopped jalapeño peppers

Combine sour cream, water and egg in a small bowl, mixing until smooth. Set aside. Combine flour, salt, sugar, soda and yeast. Stir in cheese and jalapeños. Add liquid mixture and mix until well combined. Turn out onto floured surface and knead with gloved hands until smooth and elastic or use the dough hook on a stand mixer or use the kneading feature in a bread machine.

Form dough into a loaf and place in a well greased 4x8 inch loaf pan. Cover with a cloth or paper towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place raised loaf in oven and bake 33 minutes, until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when thumped with your finger.

Note: this recipe may be prepared entirely in a bread machine, substituting bread machine yeast for the active dry yeast.

Some folks are finding they are sensitive to, or allergic to, wheat and wheat products. Since most breads are wheat based, finding a good substitute for sandwiches difficult. Gluten, the substance in wheat that makes bread elastic and responsive to yeast in the rising process, is the culprit for those allergic to wheat, and without gluten it is very hard to make a bread that holds together and not crumble when used to prepare sandwiches.

Word came to me that Coleen Janke made the “best” gluten free bread. She graciously shared her recipe. I have not tested this recipe but Coleen is an expert cook so I trust her recipe will work well for you, the readers. This recipe can be made in a bread machine, Cycle 1 (regular) 2 hours and 45 minutes. Directions here are for mixing and rising with tradition methods.

Gluten Free

Rice Flour Bread

2 cups white or brown rice flour

2 Tbsp Potato Buds

2 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp egg replacer

1/4 cup milk powder

1/4 cup sugar, granulated or brown

1/2 cup tapioca flour

2/3 cup potato starch

2 cups water

2 eggs

3 Tbsp margarine or butter

1 tsp vinegar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Melt butter. Combine water, eggs, melted butter and vinegar.

Combine rice flour, potato buds, Xanthan gum, gelatin, salt, egg replacer, milk powder, sugar, tapiCrisp fall weather brings out the urge to bake bread. Yeasty dough rising and the aroma of baking bread is comfortable and cozy to the senses. With the development of rapid-rise yeasts, bread machines and their specially formulated yeast, bread baking is not nearly the lengthy process it used to be.

Anne Baselt shared two recipes requested by folks who tasted her loaves donated to the Museum Bake Sale at Fest time. Pumpernickel is always a favorite and her recipe is easy to prepare and could be made in a bread machine.

Pumpernickel

1 1/3 cups bread flour

2/3 cup rye flour

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 tsp salt

7/8 cup water

1 Tbsp shortening or butter

2 Tbsp molasses

2 tsp caraway seeds

3 Tbsp (or more) raisins

Anne did not provide instructions other than baking temperature and time. Following is how I prepared the recipe.

In a large mixing bowl combine flours, cocoa powder, yeast and salt. Set aside.

In a small saucepan combine water, shortening and molasses. Heat over medium heat until lukewarm (110 degrees). Add caraway seed and raisins then stir into flour mixture, mixing until well combined. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a well greased 4x8 inch loaf pan and let rise until double in bulk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread in oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes until bread is browned and sounds hollow when thumped with your finger. Remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely.

Note: Anne said that she uses her bread machine to knead the dough for this recipe. You could use a bread machine to prepare and bake this recipe, substituting bread machine yeast for the active dry yeast.

Jalapeño Cheese Bread, another of the recipes requested that was shared by Anne, started out as a bread machine recipe. She only uses the bread machine for kneading.

Note: when working with hot peppers be sure to avoid touching them with bare hands. The capsaicin, that makes the pepper hot will remain on your skin for some time. If you rub your face with these hands it can get in your eyes and sting unmercifully for a long time. Wearing kitchen gloves can prevent this.

Jalapeño Cheese Bread

1/2 cup sour cream

1/8 cup water

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp chopped jalapeño peppers

Combine sour cream, water and egg in a small bowl, mixing until smooth. Set aside. Combine flour, salt, sugar, soda and yeast. Stir in cheese and jalapeños. Add liquid mixture and mix until well combined. Turn out onto floured surface and knead with gloved hands until smooth and elastic or use the dough hook on a stand mixer or use the kneading feature in a bread machine.

Form dough into a loaf and place in a well greased 4x8 inch loaf pan. Cover with a cloth or paper towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place raised loaf in oven and bake 33 minutes, until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when thumped with your finger.

Note: this recipe may be prepared entirely in a bread machine, substituting bread machine yeast for the active dry yeast.

Some folks are finding they are sensitive to, or allergic to, wheat and wheat products. Since most breads are wheat based, finding a good substitute for sandwiches difficult. Gluten, the substance in wheat that makes bread elastic and responsive to yeast in the rising process, is the culprit for those allergic to wheat, and without gluten it is very hard to make a bread that holds together and not crumble when used to prepare sandwiches.

Word came to me that Coleen Janke made the “best” gluten free bread. She graciously shared her recipe. I have not tested this recipe but Coleen is an expert cook so I trust her recipe will work well for you, the readers. This recipe can be made in a bread machine, Cycle 1 (regular) 2 hours and 45 minutes. Directions here are for mixing and rising with tradition methods.

Gluten Free

Rice Flour Bread

2 cups white or brown rice flour

2 Tbsp Potato Buds

2 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp egg replacer

1/4 cup milk powder

1/4 cup sugar, granulated or brown

1/2 cup tapioca flour

2/3 cup potato starch

2 cups water

2 eggs

3 Tbsp margarine or butter

1 tsp vinegar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Melt butter. Combine water, eggs, melted butter and vinegar.

Combine rice flour, potato buds, Xanthan gum, gelatin, salt, egg replacer, milk powder, sugar, tapioca flour and potato starch in a large mixing bowl. Stir in liquid mixture along with yeast. Mix well, adding enough water if needed to make dough pliable.

Place dough in a well greased loaf pan and let rise one hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake bread for 15 minutes. Cover top with foil. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake 45 minutes longer. Slice when cool.

Gluten free foods should be kept refrigerated to prevent spoilage

Do you have special diet recipes that have turned out well? Many people have food allergies or sensitivities and would benefit from your expertise.

Share your favorite specialty recipes, fall favorites and preparing for the holidays recipes, by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa WA 99159, email to therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in The Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office.