Recipes

Bread Machine Old-Fashioned Sesame-Wheat Bread

Ingredients
-- 1 ¹⁄₂-Pound Loaf –
³⁄₄ cup water
³⁄₈ cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 ¹⁄₄ cups bread flour
³⁄₄ cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon gluten
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt
2 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons bread machine yeast

-- 2-Pound Loaf –
³⁄₄ cup water
³⁄₄ cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
3 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons gluten
2 teaspoons salt
2 ³⁄₄ teaspoons bread machine yeast

Instructions
1. Place all ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)

2. When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

Comments
This is another recipe I made for Christmas and it is from The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook.  This loaf was light and the combination of the of wheat flour and sesame seeds made it very hearty tasting.  

Shown here with Irish Potato Brown Bread and Old-Fashioned Potato Bread.  (Old-Fashioned Sesame-Wheat Bread is on the right.)

The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook

Bread Machine Old-Fashioned Potato Bread

Ingredients
-- 1 ¹⁄₂-Pound Loaf –
1 (8-9 ounces) potato, cut into chunks (I used smaller red skin potatoes.)
³⁄₄ cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons gluten
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt
2 ¹⁄₄ teaspoons bread machine yeast

-- 2-Pound Loaf –
1 (8-9 ounces) potato, cut into chunks (I used smaller red skin potatoes.)
1 cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 cups bread flour
1 ¹⁄₂ tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons gluten
2 teaspoons salt
2 ³⁄₄ teaspoons bread machine yeast

Instructions
1. Combine the potato and water in a small saucepan. Simmer, covered, until the potato is tender, about 10 minutes. Mash or puree the potato with its water (do not drain). Pour the potato-water mixture into a 2-cup glass measuring cup and add additional water to make 1 ¹⁄₃ cups for a 1 ¹⁄₂-pound loaf or 1 ²⁄₃ cups for the 2-pound loaf. Cool to room temperature.

2. Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions, adding the potato mixture with the liquid ingredients. Set crust on medium and program for Basic cycle; press start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)

3. When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.  

Comments
This is another recipe I made for Christmas and it is from The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook.  This loaf was great, dense, and I love that you could see bits of the red potato skin throughout the bread.    

Shown here with Irish Potato Brown Bread and Old-Fashioned Sesame-Wheat Bread.  (Old-Fashioned Potato Bread is on the left.)

The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook

Bread Machine Irish Potato Brown Bread

Ingredients
-- 1 ¹⁄₂-Pound Loaf –
1 ¹⁄₄ cups water
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
¹⁄₄ cup instant potato flakes
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons gluten
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
2 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons bread machine yeast

-- 2-Pound Loaf –
1 ²⁄₃ cups water
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons honey
2 ¹⁄₂ cups whole wheat flour
1 ¹⁄₂ cups bread flour
¹⁄₃ cup instant potato flakes
2 tablespoons gluten
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon bread machine yeast

Instructions
1. Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Whole Wheat cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)

2. When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.  

Comments
This is another recipe I made for Christmas and it is from The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook.  I can’t recommend this cookbook enough for people who have bread machines, it’s very comprehensive and I haven’t had a bad loaf yet.  

This loaf was flavorful and dense, great for sandwiches and buttered toast.  

Shown here with Old-Fashioned Potato Bread and Old-Fashioned Sesame-Wheat Bread.  (Irish Potato Brown Bread is in the middle.)

The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook

Bread Machine Brioche Bread

Ingredients
-- 1 ¹⁄₂-Pound Loaf –
¹⁄₃ cup milk
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons gluten
³⁄₄ teaspoon salt
1 ³⁄₄ bread teaspoons machine yeast
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

-- 2-Pound Loaf –
¹⁄₂ cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 ³⁄₄ cups bread flour
2 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon gluten
1 teaspoon salt
2 ¹⁄₄ teaspoons bread machine yeast
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions
1. Place the ingredients, except for the butter, in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.) The dough will be soft and sticky.

2. About 10 minutes into the cycle (set a kitchen timer), open the lid while the machine is running. Add a piece or two of the butter, allowing it to be incorporated before adding more pieces. It will take a full minute or two to add all the butter. Close the lid.

3. When the baking cycle ends, open the lid and let the bread sit in the pan for 15 minutes. Gently remove the loaf from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.  

Comments
My mom asked me to bring along some “yummy bread” when I visited for Christmas.  I turned to my trusty copy of The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook and looked through it while keeping in mind the ingredients I had on hand, since a trip to the store was out of the question with all of the snow we got here!  This recipe is one of the four I chose to make and it rocked.  The bread almost reminded me of eating a croissant and worked quite well for breakfast toast.  It is a very buttery bread and I’m not entirely sure how well it would work for a sandwich, but for just straight eating it was phenomenal.  It’s very light and airy as well.

The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook

Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms, Risotto Style

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
16 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
¹⁄₂ pound short pasta like gemelli or penne
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¹⁄₂ cup white wine
3-4 cups chicken broth
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
¹⁄₂ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

Instructions
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add shallot, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms soften and begin to brown on edges, about 10 minutes. Set timer for 10 minutes.  Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, then wine. Stir until liquid evaporates.  

2. Ladle stock into skillet ¹⁄₂ to 1 cup at a time, stirring after each addition and every minute or so. When liquid is just about evaporated, add more. Keep heat at medium-high and stir frequently.

3. 10 minutes after adding the pasta to the skillet add the chicken.  Continue stirring until the chicken is cooked through and the pasta is cooked to your desired doneness, adding more broth if necessary.  (I used 3 cups of broth total.)  

4. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.  Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary, and serve.   

Comments
This recipe came to me from a dear childhood friend.  He found it in the [NY Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/dining/021mrex.html&OQ=_rQ3D3&OP=c239410Q2FUQ7EQ23JUQ5BjrKBjjQ60PUPmm(U9PUmPUQ5Ba8a8nUmP&OQ=_rQ3D1&OP=6d11bb68Q2FQ3D6cyQ3Dx3gQ7B433AQ26Q3DQ26qqhQ3DGQ26Q3DqQ26Q3DxeQ51eQ51oQ3DqQ26GP4caQ3BmAPf(Q2BrpQ224rQ27bQ27(Q2B-pgQ26Q27htGqrQ26Q7C1rQ5EQ5CrQ26Q27Q3C1rjuQ2A4Q20uQ2AQ2Arwq-1-PPQ251h-1P-1rjuYKYKQ511P-hfurQ26Q27l!rQ26Q5ErwqfO).  I love trying recipes that friends send me so I was happy to be able to fit this into the meal plan so soon.  It’s an easy one-skillet meal that doesn’t require much preparation, the flavors are great, and we all loved it.

Internet - NY Times

Devilish Potatoes

Ingredients
¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
6 red potatoes, thinly sliced (Around 2 pounds, I believe.)
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 tablespoon butter
Red pepper flakes, to taste (The more you use, the more “devilish” it will be!)
Salt, to taste

Instructions
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat.  Add sliced potatoes and cook until browned and tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.  

2. Add garlic, parsley, butter and red pepper.  Stir well, turn off heat, and cover for 5 minutes.  Add salt to taste and serve.  

Comments
This recipe came to me a few years ago from a friend.  It’s extremely simple to bring together and only requires minimal prep work.  It’s easy to scale for more or fewer people and leftovers turn into fantastic hashbrowns to serve with tomorrow’s breakfast.  

Shown here with Filet Mignon with Wine and Mustard Sauce.

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Filet Mignon with Wine and Mustard Sauce

Ingredients
4 (4 ounces each) filet mignon steaks, about 1-inch thick and trimmed
Cooking spray
¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
¹⁄₄ teaspoon black pepper
¹⁄₂ cup red wine
3 tablespoons shallot, chopped
¹⁄₂ cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Instructions
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Add steak to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steaks from pan; cover and keep warm.

2. Add wine and shallots to pan. Cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in broth; cook until reduced to ¹⁄₃ cup (about 2 to 3 minute). Remove from heat; stir in mustard. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.  

Comments
I’m always looking for new ways to prepare filet mignon.  Our butcher has amazing sales on the cut so we tend to stock up on it and always have steaks in the freezer.  I found this recipe in the 2009 Cooking Light Annual and was pretty pleased with the results.  The Dijon adds a great flavor to the pan sauce and compliments the filet quite nicely.  

Five minutes per side works well if you like filet in the rare to medium-rare range and are working with 1-inch thick steaks.  

Shown here with Devilish Potatoes.

Cooking Light 2009

Arancini di Riso

Ingredients
Vegetable oil for deep frying
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups Risotto, cooled
¹⁄₂ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
1 ¹⁄₂ cups Italian-style bread crumbs
2 ounces mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into ¹⁄₂-inch cubes
Salt, to taste

Instructions
1. Pour enough oil in a heavy large saucepan (or Dutch oven) to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350*F.

2. Stir the eggs, Risotto, Parmesan, and ¹⁄₂ cup of the bread crumbs in a large bowl to combine. (It’s easiest to do this with clean hands.)  Place the remaining bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Using about 2 tablespoons of the risotto mixture for each, form the risotto mixture into 1 ³⁄₄-inch-diameter balls. Insert 1 cube of mozzarella into the center of each ball. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs to coat. (I used my favorite #30 disher for this.)

3. Working in batches, add the rice balls to the hot oil and cook until brown and heated through, turning them as necessary, about 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the rice balls to paper towels to drain. Season with salt. Let rest 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Comments
I love risotto and I was so thrilled when I first saw this recipe made by Giada De Laurentiis.  It’s a great way to use up leftover risotto!  I love these things, with that ball of melty cheese in the middle, and the slightly crispy coating.  You can serve them with marinara for dipping if you’d like, or just eat them plain.  It will work with any variety of risotto you’ve got and is easily doubled or even tripled.

Internet - Giada De Laurentiis

Angel Hair Pasta Patties

Ingredients
1 pound angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup ricotta cheese (I use part skim.)
¹⁄₂ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
1 teaspoon black pepper
2-4 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients except oil in a large bowl.  

2. Heat oil over medium high in a large skillet.  Using ¹⁄₂ cup of pasta mixture at a time, form patties or mounds and place into skillet.  Press down gently with spatula.  Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown.  

3. Serve with the toppings of your choice.  

Comments
I found this in one of those grocery store checkout magazines about 15 years ago.  I first made these with my mom and the recipe has traveled with me ever since.  You can serve them with just about any pasta appropriate topping,

Shown here with a meaty version of Roasted Tomato Sauce #2.

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Oven Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients
1 pound broccoli, cut into bite size pieces (Stem included where it’s not dried out.)  
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¹⁄₂ teaspoon kosher salt
¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¹⁄₃ cup panko bread crumbs
¹⁄₄ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated (Cheddar will also work.)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425*F.

2. Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Spread the panko into a rimmed baking sheet and place into the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove the panko from the oven and add to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine. Return the mixture to the baking sheet, place in the oven and roast just until the broccoli is tender, 8 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven, toss in the cheese and serve immediately.

Comments
This recipe is from Alton Brown and it made me a believer in the goodness of roasted broccoli.  I’ve been a believer in broccoli my whole life, but this is the first recipe I ever tried that called for roasting it and, wow, it’s something awesome.  

The only problem I have with this recipe is that I find the cheese and panko doesn’t adhere very well to the broccoli, so I have to sort of smoosh the florets into the coating as I eat them.  I’m not sure how to rectify this.  Next time I’ll try using grated parmesan instead of shredded in hopes that the smaller bits might work better.  

Shown here with Grilled Tilapia with Smoked Paprika and Parmesan Polenta.

Internet - Alton Brown