HUNGRY FOR MORE THAN BREAD?

 

Daily Bread . . .

The Aroma of Distraction

“There’s nothing I can do . . . “

Counting out cups of flour.

“How can I fix this mess I’m in . . . “

Measuring the salt,

Adding sugar.

“I’ve got nothing left . . . “

Sprinkling the yeast.

“It’s hopeless . . . “

Pounding the dough.

“I’m tired of feeling so . . . “

Noticing the scent filling the room.

“When will I ever . . . “

Absently placing the luscious loaves

On the counter.

“Hmmm . . .

Maybe a small slice . . .”

A little bit of butter  . . .

“Here, have one.  I made extra.”

Smiles.

Bread for today

He has plans for tomorrow . . .

“now, where was I?”

Off track

but now thankful!

By Martha L Shaw –©2016

LET THEM EAT . . . BREAD!

 

Try breaking CAKE together on your knees!

Okay, do you swoon over the aroma of freshly . . . cake?  Not me!  Getting a little light headed right now because there is a loaf in my oven!

Ever sit around the camp fire singing “I am the cake of life?  Leavened or not, I am a happy girl!

Oops!  Time to kneed my dough!

 

 

 

 

 

BREAKING BREAD

Nothing fosters togetherness more than breaking bread . . . unless it is serving your own baked bread!  Here is a delightful and easy recipe which will score points and ANYONE can do this with 2 pantry items and a whisk!

Beer Bread

Simple Simple Simple

TWO INGREDIENTS:

1 twelve ounce can/bottle of light beer

3 cups of heart healthy Bisquick

WHAT TO  DO

Combine in bowl using a whisk,

pour into greased loaf pan,

and bake for approx 45 minutes at 375.

TRY to be patient

and let cool before serving!

Note: I brushed the top with a little melted butter, but this is not necessary!

Irish Soda Bread

Breaking freshly baked bread together just got simpler . . .

Trisha's Flying Meatballs

2 cups flour

½ TBSP baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1/8 cup sugar

2 ½ TBSPS butter

¾ cup raisins

1/2-3/4 caraway seeds

¾ cup buttermilk or soured milk

1 egg (beaten)

Blend flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar together. Cut in butter until less than size of peas. Add raisins and caraway seeds and mix.  Mix in milk and egg.

Turn out onto floured surface, and knead for one minute.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 min. It is customary to cut a cross in the unbaked bread.

***This recipe is now going down to the fifth generation in my family. Bon Appetit.

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Six Word Saturday – Ahhh!

Lazy morning . . .

cooking shows . . .

sipping coffee . . .

Baking and Breaking Bread

Acts 2:42

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

French Bread – 2 Pound Loaf

This quick to make, simple loaf is yummy, sure to please, and claims to be healthy.  The recipe has been floating about the internet for so long it is not possible to know where it originated . . . likely somebody’s grandma!

I made it in my bread machine opting for a light crust (color) and choosing the rapid setting.  If your machine doesn’t have a rapid setting, I am told the regular setting works fine.  Realize this will take much longer.  On my machine the regular (basic) setting is 3 hours compared to 1 hour on rapid.  I even sliced it while it was hot, being impatient to taste it!

Being watchful of the order in which your bread machine requires ingredients, here are all you need:

1 1/2 C warm water

4 C bread flour

1 -1/2 TSP Salt

2 -1/2 TSP Yeast

So simple and quick you’ll want to make extra to share!

Psalm 78:25

25 Human beings ate the bread of angels;
    he sent them all the food they could eat.

Six Word Saturday

Baking bread today

Breaking bread tomorrow!

*

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Who Is Your Leavening Agent?

When matter of a certain sort contains a leavening agent, it ferments . . . becomes inflamed . . . aroused to a high degree of passion . . . and what, you may be asking yourself, is calling these thoughts to mind on this gray and rainy Saturday?  Is it because I’m the one in the house who is awake?  Partly, as grumpy needed a nap.  Is the quiet getting to me?  You could say that.  Is it the bread in my oven and the other loaf on the cooling rack?  Yes, that’s part of it.  Has the hope of a rising sun brought to mind thoughts of the risen Son?  Yes, that too.  Still . . . think about it.

We’re all down sometimes.  Maybe that’s not such a dreadful thing . . . not a permanent condition . . . not a death sentence . . . but merely a step in the process and if we but rest and let the leavening work in us, oh what a change will be the result in us!  In any event, it somehow seems brighter to me just now though the rain still falls.

Oh, my house smells wonderful too with one loaf of cinnamon bread cooling nicely on the rack and another, white soda bread, finishing up in the oven.  Drop in, won’t you?  Perhaps a glass of sweet tea and a bit of bread?  Perhaps a smear of butter, pimento cheese spread, blueberry jam or strawberry preserves?

Psalm 118:24

King James Version (KJV)

24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice

and be glad in it.

Life without Jesus? Unleavened, unseasoned, and certainly not sweet

Quick White Bread – No Yeast

This is Irish Soda (white) Bread.

It is not the dark and raisin filled bread I recall from childhood. It is a basic white bread with baking soda as leavening rather than yeast. It calls for butter milk instead of white milk as the magic with the leavening is enhanced. I used a butter milk alternative this time for the first time in this recipe with good results.

This loaf can be made on a lightly greased baking sheet as a round “artisan” type loaf and cuts can be made (cross) if desired. The ingredients are few and likely things you have:

2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice added in lieu of buttermilk

sift tog first 3 ingredients, add milk and mix to form a soft dough. Pour into lightly greased loaf pan or form shape desired on baking sheet.

Bake at 375 for approx 35 minutes or until nicely browned on top.

I have read differing opinions on switching whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour. I have not tried it but would recommend using a bit less flour and depending on how the dough feels (whole wheat will be more dense as a rule) add a bit more if needed. I have seen comments on bread making which suggest splitting the flour to half all-purpose and half whole wheat, while others go with entirely whole wheat. When I have some whole wheat on hand, I’ll try it.

Nutella Cookies – 3 Ingredients!

Martha L Shaw - Poet, Writer, Author, Artist

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Nutella
1 Egg

Preheat oven to 350. Makes 24 cookies on ungreased baking sheet.

Combine 3 ingredients to form dough. It will be a dry and dense dough. I recommend using your hand (keep one clean, silly. You know the phone will ring.) This will go quicker with mixing it by hand IMPO.

Place one inch balls on cookie sheet and press/flatten a bit with a glass.

Bake for about 8 minutes.

There are different variations out in cyber space. Some call for adding 1/2 cup of sugar. I prefer them without. If you have a really really “bad” sweet tooth, go on and add the sugar. I do not believe they need it. Yummy!

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