Spring, White Bread, and National Grilled Cheese Day

Since I missed mentioning it was National Grilled Cheese Day yesterday, never mind, in fact, it's actually National Grilled Cheese Month!  This comforting sandwich, that can literally be eaten anytime of day, has become one of the most ordered entrees at restaurants and diners.  I know that our grandson, Ari, asked for it to eat every restaurant we went when he was here during the holidays...and usually for lunch when we were home.

It was a gorgeous Spring day and after getting a jump start on planting my Fuschia baskets, I decided to make a loaf of bread so I could have a grilled cheese later.

The "starts" are small, but in a month or so I will have spectacular blooms that the humming birds will adore!

Of course, cheese and bread have been around since early times, but it was in the early 18th century when the 4th Earl of Sandwich came up with putting something between bread and the term "sandwich" was used.  In the 1920s, processed cheese was introduced,  but before that an open-faced version with grated cheddar cheese was the choice.  Now, with a "lesser expensive" cheese the common person/family could take advantage of this meal.  Furthermore, it is said the top slice of bread was added to make the meal more filling!

With the combinations of cheeses, breads, and accouterments that can be added (tomato, avocado, meats, etc.) this a near perfect sandwich for any occasion and should have a month devoted to it.

White Sandwich Bread
1 cup warm water (+ additional to create a smooth dough)
1/4 cup milk, warmed in the microwave about 30 seconds
1/4 cup honey
2 T (or 2 pkgs.) active dry yeast
Kosher salt
3 T Potato flour
4 1/2 to 5 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
4 T unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (+ more for bowl and loaf pan)

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, measure the water, milk, honey and salt.  Mix to combine.  While the mixer is running, sprinkle the yeast over the ingredients in the bowl.  Turn off and let set about 5 to 7 minutes until the yeast gets foamy.

Add the potato flour and 3 cups of the all-purpose flour.  Mix to combine, then, change to the bread hook.  Add the softened butter and the 1 1/2 to 2 cups of flour.  Mix on speed #2 until the dough clings to the hook, adding any additional water, one tablespoon at a time.

Turn dough out onto a flour bread board and knead 7 to 10 minutes until you have a smooth ball.

 Place 2 T butter in a bowl and microwave about 40 seconds.  Place the dough in the bowl and immediately turn it bottom-side-up.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour.  Turn dough out onto the board once again and roll to a rectangle.  Roll up long edges and pinch together to form a tight seam.  Place seam side down into the buttered loaf pan(s).
I used a Pullman loaf pan to make one large loaf, but this dough will easily make two loaves in 9"x5" pans.

Brush melted butter on top of the dough, then, cover again with plastic wrap.  Let rise another 35 to 45 minutes until doubled.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F-degrees.

Bake for 10 minutes, then, lower oven temperature to 350F-degrees and rotate pan.  Continue to bake another 25 to 30 minutes or until a thermometer reads internally 190-204F-degrees.

 Turn out onto a bread board and let cool completely. I know...this is really hard not to slice off a "hunk" of warm bread and slather it with butter;-)

Now, for the grilled cheese...I cut two slices and used two slices of American cheese.  It's what I grew up with even though the best grilled cheese I ever had was in Los Angeles two years ago made with a combination of four cheeses!

Spread butter on top and the bottom and place, either in a large saute pan or as I did, a panini maker.

Grill until that golden crust and the cheese is oozing out the sides, which was about 6 to 7 minutes on the panini maker.

I had a great day gardening and enjoying a wonderful sandwich from my childhood.  My friend, Louise said on Facebook..."a lot of restaurants offer them on the kid's menu--what about adults!"  I agree, you're never too old or too young to enjoy a grilled cheese.  Enjoy!


 

What's In a Name Cake

At first glance, I bet you're thinking this is some kind of a cranberry or dried cherry cake that I baked today...nope!  Before I let out the secret, I need to give you the background of why I came up with this.

Today would have been my dad's 92nd birthday and I wanted to bake something that would have intrigued him.  First, I will tell you in the almost 50 years my parents were married, there isn't one thing my mother made that my dad didn't eat.  In fact, I've shared before that he even ate the chili she made one afternoon for him, my brother and brother-in-law who had been cutting firewood, but mistakenly added cloves instead of chili powder to it.  Can't you just imagine how bad it must have tasted, but he ate the bowlful of chili she ladled up when the other two declined after one bite!  And, especially with dessert, everything my mother would bake, he'd say that was his favorite.  Whether it be lemon meringue pie, chocolate cake, or a simple cobbler, and watching him enjoy every bite made me think, "this is true love!"

The secret ingredient is Beets, but more specifically a raw, grated beet that I incorporated into a spiced cake with roasted walnuts and hazelnuts, and some bittersweet chocolate chips for good measure.  Don't turn up your noses until you try this combination; I guarantee you'll love it.

Spiced Beet and Nut Cake
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup + 2T granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup peeled, grated raw beets (about 1 large or 2 small)
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cardamon
1 3/4 +2 T King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 cup milk
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
2/3 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

4T jam, warmed 

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Spray 2  9"x5" loaf pans or a 10-cup ring cake mold with a non-stick baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the oil and sugar together.  Add the eggs and whisk until a light lemony color, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the spices and stir to combine.  

Use plastic gloves to peel and grate the beets, then, add them to the batter.

 Add the dry ingredients and milk and stir to combine, using a spatula--don't over mix.  Add the roasted nuts and chocolate chips.  Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven 30 to 35 minutes for ring mold, 40 to 45 minutes for loaves or until a wooden skew poked in the center comes out clean.

I did the "double dish" trick on the ring mold--after the cake cools for 5 to 7 minutes, place a plate on top and turn out the cake, then place the serving plate on the bottom and flip it so the top of the cake is right side up again.

Jam Glaze:
4 T jam ( I used a Strawberry/Peach, but Apricot, Peach, even a Raspberry would work--your choice!)
Heat jam in a small sauce pan.  Use a pastry brush and coat the top of the cake with the glaze.

The glaze adds that glistening that makes this cake look like the special occasion dessert I wanted it to be. 

"Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love,

the things you are,

the things you never want to lose."

 Days like today are hard, but keeping these memories dear in your heart certainly helps. Enjoy!

    

Lemon Muffins with Blueberry Compote

One of my favorite pairings is lemon and blueberry; their flavors are just meant for one another and this morning I decided to bake a muffin that would showcase this.  However, instead of just adding blueberries to a lemon muffin, I made a blueberry compote from last year's harvest.  It was my last bag in the freezer and had just the right amount left in it, although these muffins would be just as perfect with fresh blueberries when in season.

My grandfather planted blueberry bushes in the 70s that we enjoyed long after he passed, but until then, whenever my mother baked something with blueberries, the choice was the wild huckleberries that grew along our long driveway.  They're in the same family as blueberries (and cranberries) and are one of the three indigenous fruits to America.  Because they have to be hand-picked, farmers have never cultivated these, but rather chose to do the larger blueberries for commercial use.  It was, however, a great chore for us to do when we knew the reward would be pies, cobblers, jam, or muffins as a result of our labor!

Lemon Muffins with Blueberry Compote
For the Compote:
1 1/2 - 1 2/3 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar

In a small sauce pan, heat on low/medium the blueberries and sugar until the berries have burst, stirring occasionally.  (This took about 10 minutes with frozen berries.) Remove and allow the berry compote to cool.

Preheat oven to 400F-degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with (tulip) paper cups.

For the Muffins:
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar ( I use a superfine that "dissolves faster")

1/2 cup vegetable oil (not Canola!)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

2 1/4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cups Lemon Bits (optional, but really boosts the flavor)

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat eggs until mixed thoroughly on medium speed.  Turn mixer to low and gradually add the sugar.  Add the oil, vanilla, lemon zest and juice and beat together to combine.

Remove bowl from the stand and using a spatula or a mixing whisk, add the dry ingredients and the sour cream.  The reason not to mix these ingredients on the stand is to ensure you won't "over mix".  Stir in the Lemon Bits, if using.

Place a generous tablespoon full of batter in the bottom of the paper liner.  
Add about a tablespoon of blueberry compote and then top with about 2 tablespoons more of batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (on Convection) or until the muffins are a golden brown.

The aroma was wonderful and seeing the compote bubbling from the cracks made my mouth water.  I found these cute candied lemon slices on the King Arthur catalogue website and decided to do a simple glaze to secure each one on top.

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. light Karo syrup

For many of us this period of Lent (from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday) has been a season of
penance, prayer, and self-denial and is culminated by rejoicing at Easter.  These muffins would be a wonderful addition to your brunch menu or just as a pre-snack before the egg hunt begins.  However, whatever your beliefs may be, Happy Spring to All~Enjoy! 

It's like having blueberry jam on your muffin!

 

Easter Egg Nests...and April's Give-Away

I'm packing up Easter Basket boxes today for the Grands!  My mother always made homemade treats this time of year and I carry on the tradition, coming up with a few new ones she couldn't have imagined!

However, today, I also wanted to focus on Spring and the "rebirth" of the season; not only in the beautiful flowers and trees that are popping out, but in the wildlife.  I love listening to the geese honking on our lake and the birds chirping in the woods behind us.  Then, there's the deer with her fawns frolicking through our yard.  The apron I made for this month's give-away represents all of that...Nature in full bloom.

A close up of this beautiful pattern

The treats I made are my version of macaroons--not to be confused with the French macaron, these are made with coconut with an extra crunch of crushed pretzel sticks to simulate the "twigs" in a nest.  The eggs are my favorite Cadbury eggs with a candy shell.  I think they will be a nice addition to the other treats Ari and Maddie will enjoy.

Easter Egg Nests
1 14 oz. pkg sweetened coconut
1 14oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated)
1/3 cup + 1 T All Whites (from pasteurized egg whites only)

3/4 cup crushed pretzels
1 T Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate bits 
1 pkg Cadbury Mini Eggs

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the coconut and crushed pretzels with your hands to combine.

Using a spatula, fold in the can of sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.  Beat the eggs whites on medium speed of a hand mixer to a soft peak.  Add to the mixture and fold in again.

 Use a large 1/4-cup scoop and pack down using the spatula.

Place the mounds on the baking sheet.  With the back of a spoon, press down in the center to create the nest.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake another 7-8 minutes until golden brown.

Add about 5 or 6 bittersweet pieces immediately to the warm cookies.  As they become soft and melted, place 3 mini eggs in the center of the nest.

I packaged these treats in an 4 x 6-inch self-sealed bag I bought at the packaging store then, add a sticker that I stamped a bird nest on.

I thought the cracking of the eggs from the warmth of the cookies was a nice touch--as if to show new life unfolding. 

Happy Easter and Passover to everyone.  Remember, when you comment on posts during this month, your name is place in a jar.  I will draw the winner of Spring's Rebirth Apron at the end of the month.  Enjoy!

 

Congratulations!

I would have posted this yesterday, but I didn't want to confuse anyone with the day--April Fools. So congratulations to Meggie!  Your name was chosen for the March Give-Away apron.  Contact me with your mailing address and this "Riddle" apron will be sent asap:-D

Thank you all for your lovely comments.  April's apron will be up shortly and another month of delicious recipes and memories.  Enjoy!

Ari's Oatmeal~Peanut Butter Cookies

I remember walking down the path from my grandparent's house, where the bus let us off, to our house and hoping my mother had baked.  More often than not, my hopes were fulfilled.  I've always felt, there's nothing like a home-baked cookie for an after school snack; with a glass of cold milk I'd get to talk about my day with Mom before getting to my homework.

That's the memory that popped into my head when I was deciding on a cookie to send Ari.  When we skype, he's always asking me, "Mimi, what are you baking?" and the next words out of his mouth are, "Will you send me some?"  He and his dad are in Cleveland for a few weeks, so shipping fresh baked goods did not present a problem like it does for packages going to Madrid:-D

I picked up a package of mini Reece's pieces, at the grocery store, and knew Ari would get a kick out of the addition. When I was in Kentucky and picked him up after school, we'd go to Panera and he'd choose one of the cookies with the mini M & M's in it.  I loved watching him, maneuvering to get the most candy out of each bite and thought, these were be just as intriguing.

Ari's Oatmeal~Peanut Butter Cookies
3/4 cup (12 T) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup peanut butter (Smooth or Crunchy...I used crunchy)
1 T Vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
3 cups Old-fashioned Oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 pkg. (10 oz) Reese's Mini Baking Chips

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, and sugars until fluffy.  Add the Vanilla and peanut butter and beat again.  Scrape down sides.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.  Add the dry ingredients and mix on medium just until combined.  Stir in the package of baking chips.
Use a  1/4-cup scoop, drop dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, allowing 2 inches between for spreading.
Bake 6 minutes, then, rotate pan and bake another 6 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

 These cookies are crunchy and wholesome with the oatmeal and peanut butter--combining two of my favorite cookies into one!  I packaged them up in these great bags I get from Specialty Packaging.

 I can't wait to Skype with Ari and hear the delight over home baked cookies from Mimi--Enjoy!