The flatbreads I became devoted to in Saudi Arabia are nothing like this semolina bread that accompanies tagine in Marrakech. In her book, The Food of Morocco, Paula Wolfert describes this unique flatbread as so popular in the city that you can find it sold almost everywhere by street vendors. It has a texture that can soak up the spicy tagine juices, and a remarkable flavor that had my family begging for me to make more. It’s so good that I have seriously looked into buying semolina flour in bulk.

I have collected several of Wolfert’s books over the years, and this new one is such a treat. Her stories and insights make this more than just a cookbook; it’s a guide, a visually glorious trip through the cities, towns, and villages of Morocco. I found myself pouring over the pages and plotting to search for ingredients such as cardoon or make my own smen (a cultured and aged butter), so if you have an interest in the food of Morocco, beware the power of this book. You just might find yourself making flatbreads, harissa,  tagines, preserving lemons, and stashing an earthenware jug full of smen to age for at least a year in your pantry.

Recipe Notes

The bread is easy, once you get the hang of it. I didn’t hit a homerun the first time due to the vagaries of my oven which didn’t brown the top of the loaves when I tried baking at the very bottom of the oven, or even the second time when the boys distracted me to the point that I accidently skipped the first rise and couldn’t figure out why I was manhandling some seriously sticky dough. (Just because boys grow older doesn’t necessarily mean they are any less underfoot when I’m in the middle of a project.)

The recipe calls for making four loaves, which we find quite large, so I make 6 smaller loaves. I decided to stick with my preferred method of rising on parchment with some semolina sprinkled to keep it from sticking to the peel. That just comes from bad experiences of scraping beautifully risen dough off the peel into misshapen lumps, I know I have to get over it someday. I also prefer melted butter for brushing on the top of the bread before baking as it gives a nice golden color, then I like to dust a little semolina over it before sliding the loaves into the oven.

MARRAKECH TAGINE BREAD

Adapted from The Food of Morocco, by Paula Wolfert.

Makes 4 to 6 loaves.

Equipment

5-cup food processor
pizza peel or baking sheet
parchment (optional, see below)
baking stone

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups (420 g) semolina flour, plus extra for sprinkling
1 cup (120 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1-3/4 cups (420 ml) lukewarm water, about 105° F/41° C
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or milk)

Preparation

1. In the work bowl of the food processor, combine the semolina flour, unbleached all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Pulse until it’s all mixed together. While the machine is running, slowly pour in the warm water and olive oil, and process until it’s all mixed and you have a dough that is silky-smooth. It may feel slightly to very sticky, depending on humidity. If it’s too wet, as in runny, add another tablespoon or so of all-purpose flour and process until it’s mixed in.

2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and lightly turn it over a couple times to make the dough smooth, elastic, and satiny. Cover with a cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes.

3. Punch the dough down, turn it over, and divide into 4 or 6 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a round about 1/4-inch (0.64 cm) tall. Lay a piece of parchment (optional) on a large pizza peel or the back side of a baking sheet and sprinkle it with additional semolina and lay the rounds on it, side by side. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

4. While the dough is rising, position the oven rack on the lowest rung in the oven and place the baking stone on it. Preheat the oven to 400° F/200° C.

5. Press the center of each round with the palm of your hand to deflate it, then prick with a fork a couple times. The loaf should hold its shape. Brush each round with the melted butter. Immediately slide Immediately slide the loaves onto the hot stone and bake until the tops are golden and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a towel-lined board to cool.

More Flatbread Recipes

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Kalyn’s Kitchen – Socca (Garbanzo or Chickpea Flatbread Pancake from France)

Annie’s Eats – Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Indian Simmer – Homemade Naan with Malai Kofta

Veggie Belly – The Perfect Dosa Recipe (Rice and Lentil Crepes)

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

Pasta pie is an occasional treat that our boys always have fun making. I’d never heard of pasta pie until Michael and I started dating and he took me to the original Generous George’s in Alexandria, an institution known for its eye-popping colorful décor and filling pasta pies, which is simply a pizza pie topped with various creative pasta toppings. The Alexandria restaurant closed last year, a victim of the economy, but Michael is carrying on the tradition in our home making pasta pies with our boys. Their favorite topping is spaghetti and meatballs, but you can put any kind of pasta on top of a pasta pie. I say go for lots of vegetables, sneak some spinach in there, whatever you can get your kids to eat.

Now for the pizza dough, use whatever recipe you prefer. We have several different recipes we use, including one from Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day that we like. If you haven’t tried the Artisan Bread in Five method yet, I highly recommend it. We’ve done it for several years, and it’s truly easy, you just need a a bucket with a lid and some space in your frig. If you prefer a more traditional method, the recipe below is how we make a part whole wheat pizza dough. We use a stand mixer, but you can also do this completely by hand.

Here’s how to make the pizza dough, as demonstrated by Hockey Guy, 9 years old.

Measure the flour, yeast, and salt and add to the mixing bowl.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the honey, olive oil, and warm water. Stir well.

Knead with the dough hook until the dough comes together in a ball. Use a spatula to scrape any flour and bits off the sides of the bowl as necessary. Then shape it into a ball and let it rise in another bowl.

Roll each round of dough.

Pat it into an 8-inch pan and bake, then top with your favorite pasta.

Make sure to visit The Kids Cook Monday for more recipes to cook with your kids.

How Adults Can Help the Kids

• Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: measuring, stirring, using a rolling pin.

Safety Tips

• Make sure an adult is present at all times and supervises uses the stand mixer.
• Teach children to keep hands out of the bowl when the stand mixer is running.

PASTA PIE

Makes 4 8-inch pies.

Equipment

stand mixer with dough hook and paddle attachments
large mixing bowl
plastic wrap
4 8-inch cake pans, lightly coated with olive oil and coated with coarse cornmeal

Ingredients

2 cups (270 g) bread flour
1-1/4 cups (160 g) whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water, not more than 115° F/46° C
3 teaspoons honey
4 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

1. In the bowl of the stand mixer, whisk together the bread flour, whole wheat flour, yeast, and salt. Make a well in the middle and stir in the warm water, honey, and olive oil. Use the paddle attachment to stir the ingredients together until it’s combined, then attach the dough hook and knead until the dough on a medium low speed until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. (Note: You can also do this all by hand.)

2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and turn a couple times until it’s shaped like a ball. Spritz the large mixing bowl with olive oil and turn the ball of dough around in the bowl a couple times until it’s coated with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise until the dough doubles, about 90 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 450° F/230° C.

4. Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and roll into a round. Spritz each 8-inch cake pan with olive oil and sprinkle coarse corn meal in the bottom. Pat the pizza dough in the bottom of the pan, pressing it into the edges.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until the pizzas are golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pans immediately and cut in half or quarters, then top with your favorite pasta dish.

More Kids Cook Monday Recipes

More Creative Pizza Recipes From Around the Blogs

The Perfect Pantry – Garlic Naan Pizza with Roasted Peppers and Cheese

Closet Cooking – Thai Chicken Pizza with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Food Blogga – How to Make Easter Pizza Chena (Pizza “Gaina”)

101 Cookbooks – Japanese Pizza (Okonomiyaki)

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

Last month my parents came for a short visit just before my birthday, and when they pulled up in the driveway and got out of the car I realized they had brought me a wonderful birthday surprise: my grandmother. She looked a little confused as my mother helped her out of the car, as if she couldn’t remember that she had been here before. It’s hard to see her like this now; frail, forgetful, and to look into eyes that don’t always recognize me. But every once in a while there is a spark, and I see a glimpse of her old self, a bit of her humor and that smile and laugh I have always loved, the woman who ran around and played on swings with my children just a few short years ago.

While they were here visiting we went out for lunch, and Dad and Grandma voted for Bob Evans restaurant, a perfect choice for them. They both got to have some biscuits and gravy, and Mom ordered some cherry bread to go along with her salad, which Grandma and her sweet tooth took a real liking to. In fact, she ate it all then Mom bought a whole loaf to bring home for the boys, and Dad asked me if I could try to make some for him.

I can’t say that this is exactly like Bob Evans cherry bread, but it’s very easy to make and my boys all gave it two thumbs up and kept asking for more, plus they asked if I could make it for snack every day. It passed the kid test, so I’m ok with it.

And every time I make this bread, it will remind me of the time we all went out to lunch with Grandma and she ate all the cherry bread, and it will be a good memory.

Recipe Notes

The Bob Evans cherry bread has a very pronounced cherry flavor to it. If you want to mimic that, use the cherry extract as mentioned below. If you prefer a milder cherry flavor, use vanilla extract instead. The cherry liquid is optional, it just lends a little color and a little extra cherry flavor.

MARASCHINO CHERRY BREAD

Makes 1 loaf.

Equipment

large mixing bowl
medium mixing bowl
small bowl
9×5 loaf pan, greased and floured

Ingredients

2-1/2 (300 g) cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup (175 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
1/2 cup (120 ml) canola oil
1 teaspoon cherry extract
1/4 cup (60 ml) maraschino cherry liquid (optional)
16-ounce (453 g) bottle maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

Preparation

1. Place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350° F/175° C.

2. In the medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, canola oil, cherry extract, and cherry liquid (if using). In the small bowl, toss the chopped maraschino cherries with the remaining 1/2 cup flour.

3. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until all of the flour is incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Gently fold in the cherries.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and gently tap on the counter to remove any bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven until a tester comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan abut 10 minutes, then turn out to finish cooling on a wire rack. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to three days.

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Gluten-Free Goddess – Gluten-Free Carrot Bread with Chai Spices

Pinch My Salt – Orange Yogurt Bread

Vanilla Garlic – Coco-Banana Bread

Farmgirl Fare – Beyond Easy Beer Bread

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

“Mommy, you make the best bread!” Top Gun said as he happily munched on a slice of baked Boston brown bread. We made this to go with our slow cooker Boston baked beans, and the boys later enjoyed slices of it with butter as an after school snack. And like those baked beans, this bread is another easy recipe that the kids can help make, or even make on their own.

Traditional Boston brown bread is steamed in cans for a couple hours, something you may remember your mother or grandmother doing. I’ve been tempted to try it, and I hate to sound cranky, but cans aren’t what they used to be with all the modern coated linings which I would not want to put in a hot oven with my bread. So I bake in pans instead, and we’re happy with the flavor and texture, even if it’s not exactly like the method we fondly remember.

Recipe Notes

I use rye flour, but you can also use whole wheat or graham flour. Many original recipes for Boston brown bread call for melted shortening, but I use canola oil instead. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by pouring a couple tablespoons of lemon juice in a measuring cup then adding lowfat milk until you have two cups, then letting it rest on the counter for about 5 to 10 minutes until it sours.

Baked Boston Brown Bread

Adapted from Yankee Magazine.

Makes 2 loaves.

Equipment

1 large mixing bowl
1 medium mixing bowl
2 9×5 loaf pans, well greased

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (113 g) rye flour
1 cup (170 g) cornmeal
2-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup (160 g) raisins
1/3 cup (80 ml) canola oil
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk
3/4 cup (180 ml) unsulphured molasses

Preparation

1. Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350° F/175° C.

2. In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rye flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and raisins. In the medium mixing bowl, stir together the canola oil, egg, buttermilk, and molasses. Stir into the flour mixture, just enough to mix it all together completely, but do not over mix.

3. Pour into the prepared loaf pans, distributing the batter evenly. Baked in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling.

More Easy Bread Recipes

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The Perfect Pantry – Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread with Golden Raisins

Cooking on the Side – White Whole Wheat Walnut Bread

Wild Yeast – 70% Rye with Whole Wheat Bread

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Baked Whole Wheat Flatbread with Olive Oil and Za’atar

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

Breakfast is one of our favorite things about Christmas day. We sit down together later in the morning after all the presents have been unwrapped but before Michael and the boys begin work on assembling toys, and enjoy a hot breakfast of homemade cinnamon rolls, scones, pancakes, cranberry apple French toast, panettone, or waffles. These eggnog waffles are a Christmas morning favorite we savor with butter and warm maple syrup, and small glasses of eggnog on the side with a sprinkling of nutmeg. These waffles energize the boys for a full day of play, including time outside in the snow when we’re lucky enough to have some during the holidays.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

EGGNOG WAFFLES

Makes 6 or 7 Belgian waffles.

Equipment

large mixing bowl
Belgian-style waffle machine

Ingredients

3 (360 g) cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2-1/4 cups (540 ml) light eggnog (Rich eggnog may cause the batter to be too thick.)
1/4 cup (60 ml) sunflower or canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in the mixing bowl. Add the eggnog, oil, and eggs. Stir well, until all the dry ingredients are coated, but don’t over mix.

2. For each waffle, pour 3/4 cup of batter onto the hot waffle iron, spreading it around lightly to even it out a bit, then cook according to the manufacturers directions. Keep finished waffles warm in the oven at 150° F until ready to serve.

More Christmas Morning Breakfast Recipes

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Pinch My Salt – Spiked Egg Nog French Toast

Brown Eyed Baker – Eggnog Fudge

Eclectic Recipes – Panettone Eggnog Bread Pudding

FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Vegan Eggnog Cheesecakeg

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

It’s apple butter season! Ok, well, it’s apple season, and just like every year I find myself craving apple butter, apple pie, apple dumplings, apples in salads, apple cakes, apple cider, I could go on for a while. I like Empires, Honeycrisp, Cortland, and Fuji for eating out of hand, and usually bake with Granny Smith or Gala. I’ve tried a number of different apples for apple butter, and finally settled on Gala as my favorite due to it’s slight sweetness and soft texture, which easily cooks down.

I found this recipe for muffins at Eating Well and as soon as I saw they had apple butter in the ingredients this recipe went on my to do list. I first made them for a girls’ brunch, where they were a hit, and have also sent them to school for teacher breakfasts. My family loves them and I always make a double batch so we can have some for another day, and they keep pretty well because they are so moist. I make the muffins according to the recipe with only one change, I grate the apple rather than chop it because I like the texture better that way, but you can certainly chop if you prefer.

Applesauce has long been used as an ingredient in muffins, and apple butter makes so much sense because it adds flavor as well as moisture. You can use just about any kind of apple butter you like, but I recommend choosing one with plenty of spices. I also love the molasses in the muffins, which gives them a rich flavor.

APPLE BUTTER MUFFINS

Adapted from Eating Well.

Makes 12 muffins.

Equipment

small bowl
large mixing bowl
medium bowl
muffin tin, lined with muffin papers and lightly coated with cooking spray

Ingredients

1/2 cup (80 g) golden raisins
3/4 cup (96 g) whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup (90 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (70 g) oat bran or wheat bran
1 large egg
1/2 cup (120 ml) low-fat milk
1/2 cup apple butter
1/2 cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) sunflower or canola oil
3 tablespoons molasses
1 Gala apple, grated

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F/190° C. Put the raisins in the small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside for about 15 minutes.

2. In the large mixing bowl, whisk the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the bran.

3. In the medium bowl, whisk the egg, milk, apple butter, brown sugar, oil, and molasses until
blended. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Drain the raisins and add them and the grated apple to the bowl. Stir just until combined; don’t over mix. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Each cup will be full.

4. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when touched lightly, about 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

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Pinch My Salt – Sour Cream Cinnamon Streusel Muffins with Pecan Filling

My Baking Addiction – Morning Glory Muffins

FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Carrot Spice Muffins

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

When I started making quesadillas for lunch several years ago, I had no idea how much our boys would fall in love with the classic Mexican cheese sandwich. They hang around and watch as I lay a tortilla on the skillet, sprinkle the cheese, and top it with another tortilla, and they keep an eye on it and tell me when it’s ready to flip. And Builder Guy is now into burritos, filling them with everything he loves about Mexican food.

Tortillas were originally made with lard, and if you have access to good lard from a local pig farmer you could give it a try it, or render it yourself then make the tortillas for a weekend project. If not, vegetable shortening is a good substitute. And either way, you’ll have fun learning how to make your own tortillas without a bunch of additives and preservatives. And it’s easy enough that an 8-year-old can do it.

Just mix together whole wheat flour,

salt,

lard or shortening,

and warm water.

Let the dough rest, then roll it into balls,

flatten,

and cook.

How Adults Can Help the Kids

• Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: measuring, rolling the dough, pressing the tortillas.
• Make sure an adult or older child or teenager works with the food processor

Safety Tips

• Make sure an adult is present at all times.
• Young children should not handle sharp knives or work on the hot stove.

For more information on how to start cooking with your whole family, visit The Kids Cook Monday website.

WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS

Makes 8 to 10 6-inch tortillas, depending on how thick you like them.

Equipment

food processor
medium mixing bowl
plastic wrap
tortilla press
wax paper
cast iron griddle
warm platter + tea towel, or a tortilla warmer lined with wax paper

Ingredients

2 cups (256 g) white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (51 g) lard or vegetable shortening
2/3 cup (160 ml) warm water

Preparation

1. In the bowl of the food processor, mix together the flour and salt. Cut the lard or shortening into small pieces and add to the flour. Pulse about 10 times, until it is well distributed throughout the flour. Add the warm water and pulse again about 10 more times, until the dough comes together.

2. Turn out into the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to rest for about 2 hours to allow the flour to fully absorb the liquid and soften.

3. Turn out the dough onto a floured board and knead for about 1 minute. Divide dough into 8 or 10 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.

4. Warm the griddle over medium heat. Use the tortilla press (or the bottom of a cast iron skillet) to press each dough ball into a tortilla between 2 pieces of wax paper. When the griddle is good and hot, place one tortilla on the griddle, and wait until you see it start to bubble and the bottom start to brown, about 20 seconds. Turn it over and cook for about 15 seconds more. Place the warm tortillas on the platter and cover with a tea towel or place in a tortilla warmer. Continue with the rest of the dough.

5. Tortillas will keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days, or you can freeze them for up to 2 months.

More Kids Cook Monday Recipes

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

For years Michael has been telling me about the Easter bread his mother made, and for years I’ve been trying to obtain the recipe. I finally succeeded in getting two recipes: one from his mother, a scan of a page taken from an unknown cook book over 50 years ago; and the other from his brother Chip which originally came from Uncle Tom. His mother began making braided bread for Christmas and Easter during the first year they were married, a departure from her family’s Easter babka. She didn’t have her mother’s babka recipe, so she started her own family tradition. For several months there were email discussions back and forth on which recipe was better than the other and why, and I wanted to make sure I honored this family favorite.

I thought about using dried cherries instead of raisins, and Michael was fine with that. Then I had to figure out the glaze recipe, which was not on the original scanned page, and after racking Michael’s brain on ingredients and thickness, we called his mom again. Her glaze is actually more like a buttercream frosting, and I just made a simple milk and sugar glaze, but thick enough to hold the colorful jelly beans. I must admit I felt a little intimidated about taking on this family tradition, but thankfully Michael liked the bread I made and the boys love the jelly beans on top.

So a new tradition is born for our family.

Recipe Notes

The dough is flavored with mace and lemon zest and studded with almonds and cherries or raisins, and at Christmas you can flavor it with orange zest and nutmeg and add dried cranberries. It’s a versatile sweet dough that you can use for many different shapes. You can decorated with the glaze and some jelly beans or mini malted Easter eggs, or you can skip them if you prefer.

(Print this recipe)

BRAIDED EASTER BREAD

Adapted from a recipe from Ann Meyers.

Total Preparation Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

Makes 2 large loaves.

Equipment

stand mixer with paddle attachment and dough hook
large mixing bowl, lightly greased
2 baking sheets lined with parchment

Ingredients

7 cups (840 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (88 g) granulated sugar
4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons/113 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups (360 ml) warm milk
1/2 cup (120 ml) warm water
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon mace
1 cup (120 g) dried cherries or raisins
1 cup (112 g) chopped almonds
1 egg + 2 teaspoons cold water

GLAZE

2-1/2 cups (200 g) confectioners sugar, sifted
4 to 5 tablespoons lowfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

OPTIONAL DECORATIONS

jelly beans
mini malted eggs

Preparation

1. In the bowl of the stand mixer, mix 4 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, then add the softened butter and the eggs and mix until the butter is evenly distributed. Add the warm milk and water and continue mixing until it resembles a slurry. Switch to the dough hook and add the lemon zest, mace, cherries, almonds, and another cup of flour, mixing until the flour is fully incorporated. Continue adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl. Knead with the dough hook until it is smooth and elastic, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Transfer the dough to the greased mixing bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 90 minutes. Punch down the dough and let it rise again until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.

3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 equal pieces. Set one piece aside, then divide the other into 4 equal pieces. Roll 3 of the pieces into 14-inch strands. Place them side-by-side on one of the parchment-lined baking sheets, then gently braid them, tucking the ends under. Divide the remaining piece into 3 equal pieces and braid them, then place the braid on top of the larger braid. Make another double braid with the remaining dough.

4. Cover both braids with tea towels and allow to rise until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.

5. Place the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, allow plenty of room for the breads to rise. Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

6. Brush the braids with the egg and water mixture, then place in the preheated oven. After 20 minutes, move the bottom baking sheet to the top and the top baking sheet to the bottom. Continue baking until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on wire racks.

7. GLAZE: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. The glaze should be slightly thickened, not runny. Drizzle it over the cooled bread, then place a few jelly beans (optional) in the crevices of the bread, tucking them into the glaze to hold in place.

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Food Blogga – Traditional Italian Easter Rice Pie

Baking Bites – Easter Egg Shortbread Cookies

From Argentina With Love – Rosca de Pascua, Easter Bread Ring

Culinary Concoctions by Peabody – Milk Chocolate Marshmallow Peep Ice Cream

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

The final weekend of Mardi Gras is approaching, which means Pancake Day (aka Pancake Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday) is next week. In our home one would think that it’s Pancake Day just about every Sunday morning since that’s our weekly ritual, though these pancakes were born on a snowy weekday morning this winter when the boys were trapped at home and schools were closed. The morning was much more relaxed than our usual rush to get everyone fed, dressed, and off to school on time. The boys played while I took my time making breakfast, then they eagerly asked for syrup and apple butter to top their plate of pancakes.

The boys liked these so much that they asked for them every morning of that week we were snowed in. Thankfully we had heat to keep us warm with all that snow and ice piled up, and there were plenty of pancakes to go around.

(Print this recipe)

WHOLE WHEAT, OATMEAL, AND BANANA PANCAKES

Makes 4 to 5 servings.
Time: about 30 minutes

Equipment

food processor
medium mixing bowl
small mixing bowl
griddle or skillet

Ingredients

1 cup (80 g) uncooked whole oats
1 cup (128 g) white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup (90 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (28 g) packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 very ripe banana, mashed

SERVE WITH
maple syrup
apple butter
fried apples

Preparation

1. Process the rolled oats in a food processor until the texture resembles coarse flour. In the medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

2. In the small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Stir in the mashed banana. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.

3. Warm a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Ladle the batter onto the hot griddle and cook until bubbles form and the edges turn dry, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side. Keep warm on a covered plate while cooking the rest. Repeat with remaining batter.

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Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

We’ve had quite a few snow and ice days recently, more than we thought we would have this year. I guess after the unusually powerful snow storms we had last year we thought the next few winters would be milder, more like the average winters for this area. But there is still snow on the ground and just a couple days of sunshine sprinkled here and there, and with being cooped up we’ve been baking more than usual. Not that that’s a bad thing, and the boys appreciate having fresh muffins and scones for breakfast.

These whole wheat ricotta muffins \stick to the ribs and keep the boys going in the mornings, and they love the flavor and smell of the orange zest with the dried cranberries. After zesting the orange, I rub it into the sugar with my fingers and let it sit for a few minutes before mixing with the butter, which gives the sugar a distinct orange flavor that permeates the muffins. You can also use orange sugar leftover from storing candied orange peels for more fabulous orange flavor.

Whole wheat muffin batter tend to be stickier than muffins made from all-purpose flour, and coating the muffin papers with nonstick spray helps them to peel off easier without the muffin sticking. The texture is best on the first day, but if you have some leftover muffins you can warm them up a bit the next morning and they’ll be fine.

WHOLE WHEAT CRANBERRY ORANGE RICOTTA MUFFINS

Makes 12 muffins.

Equipment

muffin tin, lined with paper liners coated with nonstick spray
small mixing bowl
medium mixing bowl
stand mixer with paddle attachment, or hand mixer and large bowl

Ingredients

1 cup (175 g) granulated sugar plus more as needed for sprinkling
1 orange, zested and juiced
2 cups (256 g) white whole wheat flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (248 g)  whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/2 cup (80 g) dried cranberries

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F/175° C.

2. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar with the orange zest, using your fingers to rub the zest in. Set aside and allow the orange to infuse the sugar for about 15 minutes. You can also do this the day before to really let the flavor soak in.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the stand mixer, beat the infused sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta until it’s thoroughly mixed, then add the eggs and orange juice, mixing until thoroughly combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir by hand just until blended (the batter will be thick and fluffy), but don’t over mix or the muffins will become tough. Gently fold in the cranberries.

4. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a little sugar over the muffins. Bake until the muffins just become pale golden on top, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.