Bread Machine Focus week Day 1- the Basics

Welcome to the first of what I hope will be a continuing feature of this blog- the Focus Week! A Focus Week will be just that a week set aside where I will focus on a specific topic. Sometimes it will be an appliance (like this week) sometimes an ingredient, a type of food or who knows but the recipes that week will come with my thoughts and experiences, a little (or a lot) of education and hopefully some great recipes that you can try in your own kitchen.

So while we focus on the bread machine, I first want to say I love mine! I use it a lot not just to bake bread but to make dough for everything from pizza to dinner rolls. Out of every 10 loaves of bread we eat in our house I probably make at least 9 of them. Over the course of the year about half of those loaves of bread come directly out of my bread machine. The bread machine I have currently is my second one; I did wear out the first one. This one has more bells and whistles than the last one but most of those are not necessary. If you have never used a bread machine before and are shopping for one I would recommend you start with a very basic machine. The only features you really need are the ability to make a basic loaf of bread, a dough setting (so you can make a dough to remove and make rolls or pizza and what have you) and a delay timer (so you can have bread ready later in the day) the other features are nice but really are not necessary at all. There are many nice bread machines to be had for under $100 and these are the perfect ones to start out with. Do look for a manufactures warranty of at least a year. If the manufacture won’t stick behind the product for at least a year there is probably a reason.

You might be wondering why I say buy a basic model for your first bread machine, the reason is you need to learn a few things about yourself before you spend big bucks on a lot of features. You may find that the basic machine is just exactly what you need and you will be very happy with those features. Or you might find that you really don’t use it as often as you thought you would, not a problem a basic machine will still be handy to use and will serve you for many years.

One of my favorite things to do on a busy day is set up my slow cooker with soup and my bread machine to make a special loaf of bread and I can get on with my day. It doesn’t matter if I am busy at home or out and about I know that at the end of the day dinner will be waiting for us with very little bother, a very nice feeling at the end of a long day.

If you are going to leave your bread machine on a delay setting be sure of a couple of things first. You need to choose a recipe with no fresh dairy or eggs in the recipe; those could start to spoil before the machine comes on and make you sick. There are a lot of recipes that are very safe to use on a delay setting however. Also know your bread machine, for instance with my current machine I find I need to add about 2 Tablespoons more liquid than a lot of recipes call for. I never had that problem with my old machine that is why you need to check your machine after the first 5 to 6 minutes of mixing and adjust your mixture. You may find you need to add more flour or more liquid, when you get to know your machine you can make these adjustments when you are filling the pan.

Today the recipe I am sharing is for a basic white bread. I am listing the ingredients in the order that they go into the bread pan in most bread machines. Be sure to check your owner’s manual for specifics with your machine.

Basic White Bread from the Bread Machine

1 1/8 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

3 Tablespoons butter

3 1/3 cups bread machine flour

1 Tablespoon dry milk

1 ½ teaspoons yeast

Spray the pan from your bread machine with no-stick spray and add the ingredients to the pan in the order specified in your owner’s manual.

Use the basic or white bread cycle for this loaf and choose the 1 ½ pound loaf size setting.

Stay tuned tomorrow for another great recipe and we will talk a bit about the ingredients that go into a loaf of bread and what they do.

Q & A with Mummsie

First I want to thank all of you that sent me questions; I promise I will get to all of them, so if yours isn’t on today’s column rest assured it will be here soon. In the meantime keep those questions coming.

Kate asks: I need to make a roast and don't know what cut to get.  Do I cook it in the oven or in a Dutch oven on top of the stove?

As a general rule the closer the cut of meat is from the feet/legs of the animal the less tender it will be. So for oven roasting I would recommend something like Tenderloin or Rib Roast (Rib Eye would fit here also) those cuts did much less work while the animal was still walking so they will be tender.  For braising (cooking in a small amount of liquid in the Dutch oven) a Tip Roast or Rump Roast would be my first choice.

Marta asks: I want to barbeque.  How do I know if the temperature is right for what I am grilling?

If at all possible get a grill thermometer; they are your best indicator of what is going on in your grill. If you don’t have one use the hand test, hold your hand over the grill at about cooking height, if you can hold it there for around 2 seconds, you have a hot fire (about 400 to 450 degrees). If you can hold it there for about 4 seconds you have a medium fire (about 350 to 375 degrees). If you can hold it there for 5 seconds you have a low fire (about 300 to 350 degrees) And finally if you can hold it there longer you have a very low fire. What does this mean, it does depend some on what food you are grilling as to what temperature you want most meats I find do best over a medium fire.

Dori asks:  Mummsie, here is a problem I always run into when I find a recipe I want to try. The recipe calls for a fresh spice or herb that I don't have on hand.

Is there a huge difference in taste when using fresh compared to the dried you buy off the grocery shelf?  If I do replace the fresh with the dried in a recipe, what is an easy way to measure the amount I need to replace?

My general rule of thumb is to start with 1/3 dry for the amount that is called for in fresh, so for every Tablespoon of fresh start with a teaspoon. Be sure to taste and adjust to your liking. As far as how much it will change the recipe there are no hard and fast answers, it depends on which herb you are talking about and how fresh your dried herbs are. For most herbs as long as you are using them in a recipe that calls for some liquid and/or cooking time it is fine to substitute dry for fresh. Some herbs do retain their flavor when dried better than others. My rule is if it is at all possible to use fresh do, but if you can’t go ahead and substitute the dry, it will still be good (as long as your dry ones aren’t too old) I do recommend having some fresh herbs on hand to add to dishes, I try to always have at least parsley, basil and cilantro on hand.

Looking for Questions

 Today's blog post is a little different, I need your help.

Okay, I have a request to make of my readers I want your questions. I have been wanting to set aside the Sunday space on this blog for answering reader questions. In order to do this I need some questions to answer. So think about those cooking and food related questions you have and send them to me. You can either post them in the comments here on the blog or send them directly to my email: inthekitchenwithmummsie@gmail.com
 
I am looking for questions relating to food, cooking, appliances, anything food and cooking related. Challenge me! I will do my best to find the answers you are looking for. 

So did you see an ingredient in a recipe and you don't know what it is? Or are you having a problem getting your dishes to turn out the way you want? Ask me! 

Lemon Chicken for now and later

One of the things I try to be consistent about is stocking my freezer. I have a huge collection of recipes that are designed for just that purpose. I do this for many reasons, one being it really isn’t convenient for us to go into the grocery store so having things on hand is a necessity and also I like to have healthy meals that are quick and easy to make. By doing part of the work before putting these dishes in the freezer it save me time. Also because I can take advantage of the lower prices offered for larger packages of meat and other items it saves me money. For instance, this morning at my grocery store they had what they were referring to as “grill packs” of chicken on a good price. These were large tray packages of chicken drumsticks and thighs. The package I purchased weighed about 4 ½ pounds and had 8 legs and 6 thighs in it. These were much cheaper per pound than the smaller packages of chicken and in fact I didn’t pay much more for this large package than I would have for a small package that would have been just enough for tonight’s dinner. There are 3 of us here most nights and tonight is no exception to that number. This package of chicken will provide 2 meals for my family one tonight and one at a later date.

This Lemon Chicken recipe is on of my favorites and as much as we love it the first night the package that goes in the freezer is even better. Something happens when the chicken freezes and then thaws in the marinade that draws the marinade deeper into the chicken so it is flavored all the way through.  Simply put all the ingredients into a ziplock freezer bag, let the one for tonight sit in the fridge for a few hours and put the rest in the freezer for other meals.

Lemon Chicken

(amounts are given on a per basis simply make as many bags as you need)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Juice of 1 lemon

About 2 pounds of chicken parts

Combine the seasonings and lemon juice in gallon size ziplock freezer bags using the above amounts of ingredients per bag. Add the chicken and seal bags being sure to get out as much air as possible. Massage the marinade around the chicken so coat. For the bag you are cooking tonight place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Label remaining bags and place in freezer.

To serve: Thaw if frozen

Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit

Arrange chicken skin side down in a baking dish that has been coated with no-stick spray. Pour any liquid in bag over chicken and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Turn chicken over and baste with juices in pan. Return to oven and bake another 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked completely through.

Seafood Pasta

This is one of those meals that came about because I really didn’t want to go the grocery store so I put together what was here. You see I live about 10 or 12 miles from the nearest grocery store and some days I just don’t really feel like going there. I do keep a lot of stuff on hand so that I can pull a meal together when I don’t have anything planned.

The ingredients in this dish are a combination of some of the staples I keep on hand always (canned seafood, bacon, pasta, half & half, wine, onions and garlic) and some things that I wanted to use up before they were past their prime (some cheese and mushrooms) the kids really liked this one so I thought I should pass it on.

Let me first say that I know some people don’t like to mix seafood and cheese but I happen to like the combination. I think this very same dish would also work really well with some chicken too.

This is obviously not a low calorie dish; don’t eat it everyday, save it for a special occasion. I think these kind of dishes can be enjoyed from time to time as long as you balance it with the rest of your diet.

Seafood Pasta

1 lb spaghetti (or other pasta)

2 slices of bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms

2/3 cup white wine

4 cloves garlic, grated or minced finely

4 oz can minced clams, drained reserving the liquid

2 cups half & half

1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese (mozzarella and parmesan)

¼ grated parmesan cheese

6 oz can crabmeat

Bring a large pan of water to a boil to cook your pasta, adding the pasta as soon as it comes to a boil.

Meanwhile cook the bacon in a large skillet, rendering the fat. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and add the onions and mushrooms to the bacon fat to cook. When the veggies are softened add the wine scraping the bottom of the pan to remove the flavorful bits from the bottom. When the wine comes to a simmer add the garlic and cook until everything is tender. Add the liquid from the clams and bring back to a simmer

Lower the heat and add the half & half along with the cheeses heat to melt the cheese and bring the mixture up to temperature. Add the clams and crab to the mixture stir gently to combine.

As soon as the pasta is cooked add it to the cream mixture and mix to combine.

Serve immediately.

Abby’s Pork Roast

I got this recipe from my good friend Abby a few years back (I don't know where she got it) and although it has an official name at our house we just call it “Abby’s Pork Roast” if I give it another name my kids just look at me blankly. I think this is supposed to be a slow cooker version on the Kalua Pork that they cook in Hawaii but since I have never been there I am not sure how close it comes. All I can tell you is this is fantastic!

You do have to plan ahead for this one, it cooks for a very long time (20 to 24 hours) but it is so worth it in the end. The ingredient list is so short and no I didn’t forget anything, there really are just 3 ingredients.

The original recipe called for Hawaiian Sea Salt but I couldn’t locate that locally so I use Himalayan Pink Salt and it works wonderfully. I have used regular kosher salt and it is okay but I don’t recommend it (too salty and just missing something), look for a nice red or pink salt for this it is worth the effort. I buy my pink salt at Cost Plus World Market so if you have one near by be sure to check out their spice/ seasoning aisle lots of fun stuff there and the prices are usually really good.

For the pork roast for this you want something that will hold up to the long cooking time, think the type of cut you would use for a pot roast. I have even used bone-in country style ribs a few times and they worked out wonderfully too. The important thing here in my opinion is to use a roast with the bone in. The bone provides so much flavor that you really do need it there.

Abby’s Pork Roast

1 (6 pound) pork butt roast (or whatever size will fit snuggly in your slow cooker)

1 1/2 tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt or Himalayan Pink Salt

1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring 

I have changed up the method a bit from what Abby originally told me so here is 

how I do it.

Put the roast in the slow cooker sprinkle with the salt and the liquid smoke. Cover and 

cook on low for 20 to 24 hours. The roast will create its own juices over the cooking 

time. If in the morning when I get up and check on the roast I find that the top of 

the meat is not under the liquid I turn the meat (it will fall apart) over and push it 

as much as 

possible under the liquid. 

This roast is going to completely fall apart and that is the idea. 

The next day this will make the best pork sandwiches, just heat the leftover meat up 

put into a bun, cheese is optional but does taste wonderful. 

My Creamy Potato Salad

I was in the mood for potato salad this week so I decided to dust off my favorite recipe for Creamy Potato Salad and share it with you. I have to say this is such an easy going recipe; I change it up depending on what is in the refrigerator that day. So here is what went in the bowl today.

I love the addition of the pickle juice to the mayonnaise mixture and have been doing that for many years (we won’t go into how many years here, but it has been decades) it really gives a nice mellow flavor.

Like I said earlier I change this out all the time so don’t worry if you don’t have some of the extra ingredients or don’t like them feel free to substitute what you have and love. As long as the basics: the potatoes, mayonnaise and amount of veggies remain about the same you really can’t go wrong. If you don’t like dill use your favorite herb in its place (tarragon is fantastic by the way) Use whatever pickles you have on hand, they all taste great in here. So feel free to play with this one and enjoy!

Creamy Potato Salad

2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes (or red potatoes) cut into bite size pieces

1 ½ cups mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons pickle juice (right from the jar of pickles)

1 Tablespoon mustard (I prefer a brown mustard or grainy mustard)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon dry dill weed

½ cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)

¼ cup diced pickles (whatever is in the fridge) I used Bread & Butter pickles today)

¼ finely chopped onion

¼ cup sliced black olives

¼ chopped celery

4 hard cooked eggs, chopped

Combine the mayonnaise, pickle juice, mustard, salt, pepper and dill weed in a large bowl. Add in the carrots, pickles, onion, olives, and celery stir to combine well. Be sure to taste at this point and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Carefully fold in the potatoes and eggs just until they are coated with the dressing mixture. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.