Dunking pretzels in a baking soda solution before baking is what gives them a chewy shell, and keeps them from bulking up like bread.
Turn a favorite breakfast cereal into hearty, spiced muffins. Grated pear and tangy buttermilk keep these treats moist and flavorful. Make sure to use an organic Raisin Bran cereal.
I’ve been eating a lot of salads lately and sometimes want a bit of a crunch. I detest store-bought croutons and always make my own. Croutons add just the right crunch to both soups and salads. Often times I prefer them unseasoned because they soak up the flavors in whatever dressing I’m using. You may, however, want to toss in a tablespoon or two of your favorite fresh garden herbs or a tablespoon or two of Parmesan cheese.
Baking Powder Biscuits
You can serve these delicious biscuits with dinner or use with Strawberry Shortcake.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Sifted Unbleached Flour
2 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/3 Cup Solid Vegetable Shortening
2/3Cup Light Cream
Position your rack in the center and preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In large-size bowl, combine sifted flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Use pastry blender or 2 forks to cut in shortening until mixture looks like coarse meal. Gradually add cream adding just enough cream so that dough is soft, but not sticky. Blend in cream with pastry blender (or forks). Lightly flour clean counter or wooden board and turn dough out onto it. Knead briefly until dough is smooth. Use your hands to pat dough into a rough circle about 1/2 inch thick. Dip rim of 2 inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass in flour. Cut out biscuits. Place biscuits on a heavy ungreased baking sheet, 1 inch apart, and place in oven. Bake for 12 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before removing. Remove from baking sheet and transfer to wire racks to cool completely or serve hot. These biscuits are best eaten fresh. They can be, however, reheated and/or frozen. Makes about 16 biscuits.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Irish Soda Bread
This is one of the easiest breads to make! It’s great for Saint Patrick’s Day or anytime of the year for breakfast, dinner or teatime.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Caraway Seeds
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Currants
1 1/4 Cups Buttermilk or Sour Milk
2 Room Temperature Eggs
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan. In a large-size bowl combine flour, sugar, caraway seeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Stir in currants. In a medium-size bowl mix together buttermilk (or sour milk), eggs, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just to combine. Pour into prepared cake pan. Place in oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until done. Remember that not all ovens heat the same so check at 45 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the center (toothpick should come out clean). Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf that should provide about 10 servings. Serve with unsalted butter.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Garlic Knots
Garlic Knots are a type of garlic bread found in pizzerias around New York City, but you can make them at home. They are great to serve with dinner or as an afternoon snack.
INGREDIENTS
Dough:
1 3/4 Cup Warm Water (115 Degrees)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 1/2 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
5 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
Garlic Coating:
1/8 Cup Olive Oil
3 Teaspoons Unsalted Butter
5 Crushed Garlic Cloves
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
Extras:
Kosher Salt to Taste
Extra Olive Oil & Flour For Making Garlic Knots
In a large-size bowl combine 1/4 cup olive oil, kosher salt, sugar, and yeast. Mix to dissolve yeast. Add flour and mix to combine flour. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm spot for 1 to 3 hours until doubled in volume. Put out a large-size wooden cutting board and oil liberally. Oil a rolling pin. You will need a pizza cutter to slice dough into strips. Place a bowl of flour near you and line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Oil your hands to keep dough from sticking to them. Divide dough in two parts to make it easier to handle. Take first half of dough and slap onto the oiled board a few times to flatten it out. Using a rolling pin, spread it out into an even rectangle and slice rectangle into strips. Rotate board and sprinkle dough strips and board with flour. Roll strips back and forth to create an even rope. Tie into a knot (over, under, and through) and place on lined baking sheets. Place knots about 1 1/2 inches apart. Finish making rest of knots with second half of the dough. When each baking sheet is filled up, cover with a dry kitchen towel, and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After knots have doubled in size, remove kitchen towel and put baking sheets in oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden. While knots are baking, make garlic coating. In a small-size saucepan warm olive oil, butter, and garlic over a medium-low heat. Remove from heat and add chopped parsley. Set aside. Remove knots from oven and while still warm brush with garlic coating. Season with kosher salt to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 30 to 40 Garlic Knots.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Parmesan Pull-Apart Rolls
These rolls are very similar to brioche, but much easier to make.
INGREDIENTS
2 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2/3 Cup Warm Milk (105 to 115 degrees) Divided
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour Plus 2 Tablespoons For Sprinkling
1 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan (Grate On Microplane Rasp Grater)
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Large Eggs
5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (Cut Into Tablespoon Pieces & Softened)
1 Tablespoons Water
In a large-size bowl stir together yeast, sugar, and 1/2 cup warm milk. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy. In a medium-size bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, grated cheese, and kosher salt. Mix flour mixture into yeast mixture along with the remaining 1/2 cup warm milk. Beat, with an electric mixer, at a low speed. Turn the mixer speed to medium and beat in 2 eggs – one at a time. Beat for 3 minutes until a soft dough forms. Beat in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time for 2 minutes until dough is elastic. Scrape dough into center. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let dough rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until it has doubled in size. Punch down dough (do not knead) and turn out onto a floured surface. Cut into 12 pieces and roll each into a ball by cupping your hand and pushing dough against work surface as you roll. Arrange rolls 1 inch apart in a buttered baking pan with a lip. Cover with a kitchen towel and let dough rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until dough fills pan. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together remaining egg with water and brush on roll tops. Place in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Loosen edges from pan with a knife and invert onto a rack, then flip and cool. Rolls can be frozen for 1 month. Thaw, then reheat on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Makes 1 dozen rolls.
Boston Brown Bread
It’s so easy to make your own Boston Brown Bread that you can forget about buying those canned ones on the grocery store shelves. I used golden raisins for this recipe, but you can use any kind of raisins or dried fruit that you like best.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Golden Raisins
1 Cup Boiling Water
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Wheat Flour
1 Cup Cornmeal
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Cups Buttermilk
1 Cup Molasses
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place raisins in a small-size bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 20 minutes. In a large-size bowl combine the flours, baking soda, kosher salt and brown sugar. Mix well. Drain raisins. In a medium-size bowl combine buttermilk and molasses. Stir in raisins. Add molasses mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until combined. Pour into a parchment paper lined loaf pan. Place into oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Remove from loaf pan and transfer to serving platter. Makes 1 loaf
Note: You can also make this Boston Brown Bread into muffins.
Grissini
While in Rome I had the best grissini (breadsticks). While grissini is typical of Turin they were on every restaurant table that I visited. They really aren’t too difficult to make and are so much better than buying those packaged ones from the supermarket. You can make them plain or sprinkle them with kosher salt, sesame seeds or any herbs you may like.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour (Plus More As Needed)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
3/4 Cup Warm Water (Not Hot Water)
Semolina Flour
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. In a large-size bowl combine flour, olive oil, kosher salt and yeast mixture. Knead for at least 30 minutes. Divide dough into 12 pieces and let rest for 5 minutes. Form pieces into oblong rolls. Set them out on a damp surface, flatten them by hand, and let them rise for 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle a baking sheet with semolina flour. Cut dough into strips and set them out on the semolina. By hand, draw each out to at least 12 inches in length. Place in oven and bake for about 10 minutes until crisp and golden. If you are going to sprinkle them with your favorite salt, sesame seeds or herbs do this right before baking. Remove from oven and let cool. Makes about 2 dozen depending on the size you make your grissini.
Cherry Scones
My Cherry Scones will make your kitchen smell of summer. Make sure to eat these scones warm and with a good butter. Using cream instead of shortening makes the scones extra-tender and flaky.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/3 Cup Butter (Cut Up)
2 Beaten Eggs
3/4 Cup Whipping Cream
1 Cup Dried Cherries
1/4 Cup Milk (For Brushing Tops)
1/4 Cups Sugar (For Sprinkling Tops)
Preheat your oven to 400º F. In a small size bowl add the dried cherries and enough boiling water over the cherries to cover. Let stand for 5 minutes. In a large size bowl combine the flour, sugar, kosher salt and baking powder. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour and set aside. In a medium size bowl combine the eggs and whipping cream. Drain the cherries. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture all at once. Add the cherries. Use a fork to stir just until moistened. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough by folding and pressing it until the dough is almost smooth (about 10 times). Divide the dough in half and roll out each dough half into a circle. Cut each circle into six wedges. Place the dough wedges 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush the wedges with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Remove and transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm. Makes about 12 scones.
