Fresh Garlic Bread

Fall is FINALLY upon us! There's nothing better than that crisp chill in the air and when pumpkin and apple flavors start cropping up in everything from coffee to baked goods. Another thing about fall that I absolutely love is all the transition to grilling practically everything I eat during the summer to finding a way to eat soup and other savory comfort fall foods as much as possible. There's nothing better than a delicious bowl of hot soup and a good old fashioned grilled cheese sandwich on a wonderful fall afternoon. 

This post is not focused on soup, but it IS focused on savory bread that will accompany any bowl of soup perfectly. This recipe for Homemade Garlic Bread is definitely a staple in my house. Jake and I use it for pretty much any sort of sandwich we make (it's great with peppercorn turkey breast or grilled chicken), or slathered up with butter as toast. Our favorite use of this bread is - are you ready for it? - grilled cheese. This toasted garlic bread + melted cheese + butter = perfection. 

The recipe here is catered to those using a breadmaker (like me!).

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup water, 90 degrees* 
• 2 Tbs butter or margarine
• 3 1/3 cups bread flour
• 2 Tbs dry milk
• 1 Tbs dried parsley flakes**
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1 1/4 salt
• 1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp active dry yeast

How to:

• Add water to the bread pan first, then the dry ingredients. Make sure the dry ingredients are leveled to ensure you achieve the proper consistency in your baked bread.
• Quarter the butter or margarine and add it to the corners of the bread pan.
• Make an impression in the center of the dry ingredients in the bread pan and add the yeast.
• Bake according to your bread machine's specifications.

*My recipe (and most recipes utilizing a bread maker) recommend using water at 80 degrees. After fooling around with this recipe, I have found that water at a temperature of 90 degrees works best.

**I have also substituted half of the dried parsley in this recipe with Italian seasoning and was pleased with the results.

If you are looking for a good soup recipe to pair this bread with, I suggest taking a look at my recipe for Chunky Vegetable Soup or (my personal fave) Chicken Noodle Soup. I'd love to hear how you use this bread, so let me know!

Enjoy!

Cheesy Chewy Pizza Bread

If there's one thing Jake loves, it's pizza. That man eats pizza more than anyone I know. WAY more than anyone I know. He's been going to the same pizza place his whole life, because Maria's Carryout makes (in his words) the best cheese pizza. I've tried to get him to order pizza with different toppings - pepperoni, sausage, pineapple - anything. But nope, Jake insists on his perfect pizza, with a precise cheese to sauce to crust ratio. In his defense, Maria's really does have phenomenal pizza. I just don't want to it pizza nearly as frequently as Jake does.

So what to do? I know Jake loves pizza, but I don't want to spend cash on it every week. I can't keep eating that many greasy calories (although the ingredients in a slice of pizza do span quite a few food groups...) when I have to fit into a wedding dress in a few months. Because let's face it - who can only eat 1 piece of pizza? Not me.

I came across this recipe a couple years ago. It's sort of a mix between regular pizza and a deep dish pizza (although I've never been to Chicago and have not tasted authentic deep dish). Jake likes this pizza version enough, that sometimes it's a suitable alternative to his beloved cheese pizza from Maria's. I take that as a huge compliment. 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup beer (regular or non-alcoholic)
• 1/2 cup tomato pasta sauce
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• toppings (if desired)
• chopped fresh basil (if desired)

How to:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. 
• Stir in beer (I use a fork to mix) until flour is just moistened. 
• Spread dough into pan.
• Spread sauce on dough.
• Sprinkle with cheese and toppings.
• Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
• Top with basil.
• Cut and serve.

Substitutions:

• You can substitute the beer in this recipe with any fizzy beverage. I used orange soda once when I was in a pinch, and it still came out yummy! I wouldn't recommend a stout or other dark or heavy beer, unless you really want the flavor of the beer to come through in the flavor of the "crust."
• Although I haven't tried it, I imagine this recipe would be excellent with whole wheat flour in place of all-purpose flour.

Aside from this dish being a less greasy version of regular pizza, it's super fast and easy to make. It's usually one of those dishes I prepare after working a 10 hour day, when I come home practically dying of hunger (like today!). It's ready in no time and is always a satisfying dish! 

This recipe is found in Party Food: 100 Recipes for the Way You Really Cook (Betty Crocker)

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Banana Bread

We've all been there - you buy a whole bunch of bananas, and you don't get around to eating all of them before they turn that gross brown color. A few years ago, a friend clued me in that you can freeze bananas you aren't going to eat before they spoil, rather than throwing them in the garbage, and you can then use them later. So, I started freezing all my almost spoiled bananas, and wouldn't you know, now I have a freezer full of them (slight exaggeration). 

Well, I figured the best thing to make with very ripe bananas is banana bread. I actually thawed 4 of my frozen bananas and used them in this recipe. I love the way this bread turned out. It's perfectly moist, and the chopped walnuts give this bread excellent texture.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (I used 4 bananas)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

How to:

• Arrange oven rack in a lower position so the top of your bread will be positioned in the center of your oven.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease the bottoms of two small loaf pans, or 1 large loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar.
• Stir in eggs until well blended. 
• Add bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until just moistened. 
• Fold in nuts, if desired.
• Pour into pans.
• Bake for about 1 hour (small loaf pans), or for about 1 hour, 15 minutes (large loaf pan), or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center. 
• Cool 10 minutes.
• Transfer loaves to wire rack and allow to cool completely (about 2 hours) before slicing.

I must say, I've tried my fair share of banana bread recipes, and this is one of my favorites. I think the buttermilk in this recipe sets this one above others I've tried. I hope you all like the end product as much as I did!