Milk & Honey Bread

Milk & Honey Bread

Milk & Honey Bread

I just got a bread maker.  It isn't a new bread maker but it is new to me.  It is an Oster ExpressBake Bread Maker Model #5838.  Therefore, I'm learning how to use it.  The first thing I did was bake a loaf of basic white bread that came out great except it sank.  I was disappointed so I decided to stay up late (for me) and make another loaf before I went to bed.  I tried this Milk & Honey Bread recipe.  It came out perfectly except that it was a little dark.  Next time I make it, I will try it on the "light" setting.  I found out that you shouldn't use quick rise yeast when you bake bread in a bread maker.  If you do, you should use a bit less of the yeast.  I also learned that all your ingredients, and I do mean all your ingredients must be room temperature or use a cooking thermometer to make sure they are whatever temperature suggested in the recipe.  The next trick is to let the dough knead and mix in the machine for about 10 minutes, then open the lid and touch the dough.  If it is moist and firm but does not stick to your finger, it is perfect.  Otherwise, if it is too sticky add one tablespoon of flour then let it mix for a minute and check again. If it is too dry, then add a bit of water or mist the dough with water.  I used King Arthur All-Purpose Flour which worked fine but in the future I will use bread flour.


Milk & Honey Bread
Makes 1 Loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk (room temperature-let stand 20 minutes on counter)
• 3 tablespoons honey (room temperature)
• 3 tablespoon melted butter (room temperature)
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Preparation:

1. Add ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order recommended by your bread machine manufacturer.
2. Use Basic and Medium crust setting.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Real Spaghetti and Meatballs

I have to say first and foremost that I am not a big fan of Ina Garten and her Barefoot Contessa recipes.  I don't think that I have posted very many of them but I also have to say that these meatballs are "to die for."  For real.  The problem is that they get eaten so fast.  I have no idea where this batch of meatballs went but it was just gone.  I didn't follow the recipe exactly.  I used two packages of meatloaf mix at the grocery store and by that I mean the 1/3 beef, 1/3 pork, 1/3 veal ground meat mix.  I also used only fresh white bread crumbs.  I didn't use the seasoned dry bread crumbs.  I will probably use them next time but I didn't have any.  These meatballs are seriously delicious.  

Real Spaghetti and Meatballs

From Ina Garten: The Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

·         1/2 pound ground veal

·         1/2 pound ground pork

·         1 pound ground beef

·         1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)

·         1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

·         2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

·         1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

·         2 teaspoons kosher salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         1 extra-large egg, beaten

·         Vegetable oil

·         Olive oil

For the sauce:

·         1 tablespoon good olive oil

·         1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

·         1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

·         1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti

·         1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped

·         1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

·         1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

·         1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

·         Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.