French Baguettes

           Seems like with kids its hard to do anything during the day. Can you imagine trying to bake or even cook when an infant wants her bottle and the older one needs help with homework, so when the house is quite and everyone is asleep thats usually my time to bake.

The inspiration for this recipe came to me last night while I was watching a travel food blog, the star of the show just happened to be in Paris and was about to enjoy a nice hot fresh Baguette. Then it hit me 930pm at night while everyone slept...its was baking time!!!! I think my husband might think I'm crazy at times when I get out of bed to cook or bake at that times.

I love cooking and baking, its soothes me.....calms a busy day and completely relaxes me. The kitchen is one of my favorite places to be and I think that come from my parents, ever since I was a kid I was always in the kitchen. If it was chopping carrots for my mom or even helping my dad, I was there. I still learn so much from them, even now I call them up when I have a question on how to make certain dishes that they have long time mastered.



INGREDIENTS

2 Cups Bread Flour
2  1/4 Tsp Yeast
1 Cup Warm Water - Enough for a very sticky dough, I had to add about 3 tablespoons extra
2 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tablespoons Coarse Semolina - To sprinkle on baking tray to avoid sticking

Cast Iron Pan or Oven Safe Baking Dish
Ice Bath Water

METHOD

• Combine Yeast, Salt, Sugar and Water. Let Yeast activate, should take about 3 mins, I used a Rapid Yeast. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Once activated using a spoon stir in 2 cups of Bread Flour one cup at a time, you want a very sticky dough, like below

• In another bowl, grease generously. I used Pam. Once dough is combined transfer into greased bowl and using brush cover top of dough with some Pam from the sides. 

         

• Cover & let proof in a warm spot until dough is doubled, my oven has a proofing setting so it only took 30mins. 
• Once proofed turn out onto a well floured surface and divide dough, It should make 2  12"-14" long loaves. I cut mines into 4 since my cookie sheet is shorter.

• Flatten each piece to a rectangle and start to roll it onto itself 

  

• Once all is rolled out, sprinkle Semolina on sheet and lay rolls on it. Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors make slashes on tops of loaves and sprinkle a tiny bit of flour, maybe a few pinches.

 

• Cover and let proof once more for about 30mins. At this time turn on oven to 500 Degrees, It should take a while for oven to get up to 500 Degrees. On the bottom rack of oven place cast iron pan or oven safe dish to heat up also. Also place remaining rack 2nd from the top slot in oven.
• Once 30mins has passed and oven is hot, carefully open and add Ice Bath Water into Cast Iron Pan or Oven Safe Baking Dish. It will sizzle & steam up a bit so take your time pouring.

•  Insert tray with loaves on top rack and bake for 17-20 mins or until golden brown on top and crusty. 
• I let loaves cool on a wire rack on my counter before I cut and served. 

Serve & Enjoy!!!!!! 

                                       

Dirty Rice Stuffed Cabbage

              This last week has been so hectic, with around getting school supplies and being a personal chauffeur for my 9yr old & a 7 month old that is a mama's baby I haven't gotten a moment to sit and blog. I do want to keep up as much as I can so here goes tonight I made Dirty Rice (I used to love Popeye's dirty rice I thought that it would be a great stuffing for cabbage). From the comments of my family over dinner they enjoyed it very much so. 

INGREDIENTS

MEAT

1 lb Ground Beef ( I used 1/2 93% and 1/2 80% Lean)

3 Tablespoons Paprika

2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

3 Tablespoons Cajun Seasonings  

1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Cracker Pepper

4 Tablespoon for Chief brand Green Seasoning (Making homemade - Blend Garlic, Thyme, Onion, Scallions until you get a smooth paste)

• Mixed and let set the fridge while prepping other ingredients

3 Cups of Cooked Brown Rice

1/2 Chopped Onion

1 Stem of Scallion, chopped finely 

• Add oil to pot and heat on med to high, add ground beef and continually stir and break up into tiny pieces, Add onion and scallion continue to stir and cook.  

• After about 5mins of cooking meat, once browned and no longer seeing pink, stir in cooked rice 

• Once rice and ground beef is combined and cook, turn off heat and set aside. 

CABBAGE ROLLS

8 Whole leave of cabbage boiled for 15 mins, strained and cut down along stems

1 Can of Diced Tomatoes 

• Layout each leaf and place 2-3 tablespoons of dirty rice filling, fold ends in as you roll 

• Once rolled up, place in baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray
• After all rolls are done, pour diced tomatoes on top, sprinkle oregano and bake at 350 degrees for 45mins. 

 *Note I had remaining Dirty Rice & just enjoyed it on the side.

Stuffed Meatball Italian Herb Bread

           Similar to my braided breakfast bread, the recipe is the same. With this one I had leftover meatballs from last nights dinner and was in the mood for meatball subs yet didn't have Italian bread. My basic stuffed bread recipe starts like this.

DOUGH

2 1/4 Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast 

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

2 1/4 Cups Bread Flour 

1 Teaspoon Salt 

1 Cup Warm Water 

2 Teaspoon White Sugar
Egg Wash for brushing

FILLING
10 (Cooked) Meatballs, sliced thin
1/2 - 1 Cup Marinara Sauce
1/4 Cup of a well melting Cheese, shredded (I used Gouda)
1/4 Cup Parmesan, grated
1/4 Cup of mixed dried herbs & a few pinches of coarse seal salt & cracked pepper ( I used Parsley, Basil, Thyme & Oregano)  Mix together.

1. Mix warm water, yeast, sugar, salt & baking powder, Stir in 2 cups of bread flour, one at a time. Mix with spoon until shaggy dough forms.

2. Knead to Med-stif dough, adding 1/4 cups of flour a few sprinkles at a time if dough is still too sticky, continue kneading. 

3. Place dough in oiled dish, cover with dish towel and place in warm spot to proof for 1 hour.
4. Once dough is proofed, at least doubled in size, on a well floured surface roll dough out to an oval shape about 12x8 and place on parchment paper before adding filling.
5. Pre-heat oven 375 F.

6. Once dough is rolled out and on parchment, add sliced meatballs, sauce, parmesan down the center, leaving space on each side to cut and fold over. Layer cheese on top.

7. With pizza cutter, pastry roller or sharp knife cut 1 to 1 1/2 inch strips on each side of filling.

8. Braid and over lap each strip, crossing over, stretching, tucking and sealing underneath loaf, brush with egg wash & sprinkle with herb mixture.

10. Place parchment paper on cookie sheet ad bake 20-25 mins at 375F or until crust is golden brown and crisp. 

11. Cut into slices, serve and enjoy!!!!

Jamaican Stewed June Plum (Pommecythere, Golden Apple, Yellow Egg)

June Plum, Pommectythere, Golden Apple or Yellow Egg

This recipe was made for my husband, whom happens to be Jamaican.
Called June Plum in Jamaica, Pommectythere in Trinidad,  Keydondong in Indonesia, and Ambarelle as a common name, also  Golden Apple in Barbados and Guyana, even Cas Mango in Cameroon . The Spondias Dulcis is a tropical tree with edible fruit and fibrous pit.
It has a green skin and yellow on the inside, we (Trinis) usually make something called Chow with it, cutting it up adding hot pepper (Scotch Bonnet), salt and even Shado Beni aka Culantro, Mexican Coriander or Long Coriander.

Shado Beni 

Its used it few different way that I can recall, My grandmother & mother has shown me a few, like grating it and making into a hot salsa or sauce. For this recipe were going to make it a bit on the sweet side.

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 Tbsp White Rum
• 2 Dozen Green June Plum (washed & peeled)
• 1 lb Brown Sugar
• 2 Bay Leaves 
• 2 Teaspoon Vanilla 
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• Pinch of Salt 
• Enough water to cover Plums 
• 2 oz Ginger, crushed

METHOD

• Wash and peel June Plums 
  

• In large pot combine water and plums. Boil until water is reduced by half 

• Add sugar, bay leaves, vanilla, cinnamon stick, salt and crushed ginger. 

 

  

• Continue boiling until liquids thicken. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Add rum and place in refrigerator to cool before serving 
  
  
  
  Once cool. Serve & Enjoy!!!!!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Blueberry Muffins w. Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Topping

 I posted a picture of my Blueberry Muffins yesterday and someone requested the recipe, so here it is. I came up with this recipe and had to make it a few times to get it right due to the high altitude baking, being at somewhere between 5700ft - 6500ft above sea level gets a little tricky when cooking and baking, I've included sea level & high altitude instruction. 

Ingredients 

2 1/2 Cups of All-Purpose Flour 

1 Tbsp Flour for dusting Blueberry

*(I used frozen, dust so they don't sink to the bottom while baking)

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda 

8 Tbsp (1 Stick) Butter, Melted

1 Cup Sugar 

2 Large Eggs

1 1/2 Cup Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Milk

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tbsp Veg Oil

1 1/2 Cups Blueberries (I used frozen)

CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 Cup Course Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup White Sugar
2/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Butter
3 Teaspoons Cinnamon

For Crumb Topping:

• Combine sugars, flour, cinnamon and melted butter until course crumbs form.

For Muffin Batter:

• Pre-heat oven 375F for higher altitude & 350F for sea level.
• In small bowl place 1 tbsp flour over blueberries and mix. 
• In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda & sugar. Set aside. 
•  In another bowl mix beaten eggs, oil, lemon zest, milk, sour cream, vanilla extract & melted butter. 
• Slowly mix flour mixture into liquids 1/3's at a time. 
• Fold in dusted blueberry slowly, do not over mix. 
• Spoon into muffin cups, about 2/3 full. They will rise so do not overfill. 
• Sprinkle toppings generously over batter.
• Place in oven (High Altitude 20-25mins) (Sea Level 15-20mins)

350°F What's the Big Deal?

I was asked recently, Why I use 350°F for baking & I remembered reading an article on The Kitchn in regards to why 350°F is so special. Its an amazing site that I use all the time. Here's the link to the article, take a read!!!
What's So Special About 350ºF?

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Braided Bacon, Egg & Cheese Stuffed Bread

Seems my 7 month old mini alarm goes off somewhere around 720 A.M. every morning, Saturday, Sunday and any day, any time she wants to awake it seems the entire household has to be up. I love cooking and on Sunday mornings its always the best time since everyone is home and we can have a nice family breakfast. Not wanting the make the normal Bacon, Eggs & Cheese breakfast my mind wondered what can I make that would be different. Insert Bread Flour and we have a beautiful braided stuffed bread.

Ingredients 

DOUGH

1 pk Active Dry Yeast 

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

2 1/2 Cups Bread Flour 

1 Teaspoon Salt 

1 Cup Warm Water 

2 Teaspoon White Sugar 

FILLING

5 Eggs Scrambled w. Milk in Onion, Garlic, Cayenne, Onion Powder & Garlic Powder (I used about 2-3 pinches each of the powder & cayenne)

6-8 Slices of Bacon, Cooked & Chopped in chunky pieces
1 cup of Assorted Melting Cheese Grated or Chopped into small pieces- ( I used Cheddar, Coby Jack, White Cheddar, Parmesan, & Harvati)

Assembly

1. Mix warm water, yeast, sugar, salt & baking powder, Stir in 2 cups of bread flour, one at a time. Mix with spoon until shaggy dough forms.

2. Knead to Med-stif dough, adding 1/2 cups of flour a few sprinkles at a time if dough is still too sticky, continue kneading. 

3. Place dough in oiled dish, cover with dish towel and place in warm spot to proof for 30 mins.

4. Once dough is proofed, at least doubled in size, on a well floured surface roll dough out to about 12x15 and place on parchment paper before adding filling. 

5. Pre-heat oven 375 F.

6. Once dough is rolled out and on parchment, add eggs down the center, leaving space on each side to cut and fold over. Layer bacon on top eggs and then cheese on top bacon. 

7. With pizza cutter, pastry roller or sharp knife cut 1 to 1 1/2 inch strips on each side of filling.

8. Braid and over lap each strip, crossing over, stretching, tucking and sealing underneath loaf. 

9. Brush loaf with beaten egg and sprinkle sea salt & cracked pepper. 

10. Place parchment paper on cookie sheet ad bake 20-25 mins at 375F or until crust is golden brown and crisp. 

11. Cut into slices, serve and enjoy!!!!