Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I've never made bread from scratch before, minus the bread maker when I was young. Cooking Light had an issue a few months back highlighting many different variations of bread that made me promise I was going to try to make it soon. I couldn't find the issue today, but I decided to try to make this one because it is versatile...went great with the potato leek soup I made for dinner and I'm certain it will make a great turkey sandwich for work tomorrow!

Ingredients:

1/2 t sugar
1 package dry yeast
2 t warm water

2 cups 1% milk
3 T canola oil
3 T honey
1 t salt

3 c all purpose flour
3 c whole wheat flour

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine yeast, water, and sugar. Let stand 15 minutes until it looks like this:
Meanwhile, combine milk, honey, salt, and canola oil in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until warmed and honey fully dissolves in liquid mixture. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Add yeast.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and stir with a whisk. Add the liquid and stir until a sticky dough forms. Pour dough onto a large surface covered in 2 T all purpose flour. Knead until dough is no longer sticky. Add up to 2 more T flour if necessary.

Pour into a large bowl coated in cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand 20-25 minutes until dough rises and if you gently press your finger into the dough, the indentation will stay. Punch down the dough, cover and let sit an additional 15 minutes.


In bowl, slice dough down the center with a knife. Remove half and place on flour covered surface. Cover the remaining half so it does not dry out. Roll dough into a 7 x 14 rectangle. Roll dough into a roll, eliminating bubbles in the dough as necessary. Place seam side down into a metal loaf pan (I used 8x4) coated in canola oil. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover and let sit 30 minutes. Dough will double in size.

Place dough into a 400 degree oven. Cook for 10 minutes and turn down heat to 325. Cook an additional 35 minutes. Slide a knife around the loaf to remove from pan. Place on a towel lined cooling rack. Can be served immediately.

Fresh Braised Greens and Lentils over Toast

I have been sick for a few days now and I decided I needed some fresh air tonight so I walked down to SLO's Farmer's Market. (For all the people who know what a gem this is- you're jealous right now). Tonight I found a lady who had these amazing baskets of fresh greens for salads, stir fry, you name it. I ended up getting a mix of them that consisted of chard, kale, pea shoots, broccoli rabe, etc. and created this for dinner. BTW- I got all this below for less than $11!


















Ingredients
splash olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 red onion, diced
2 handfuls fresh greens
1/2 cup dried lentils
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 t balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup diced stewed tomatoes
1/2 t whole seed mustard
1/4 cup dry red wine
salt and pepper to taste

fancy bread cut into slices
Parmesan for sprinkling


















Directions
Add olive oil through greens to a hot pan and sautee. Add lentils through wine and let cook covered until lentils set up, about 30 minutes or longer.

Meanwhile, slice bread and place in oven at 400 degrees to toast.

Serve lentils over toast and sprinkle with cheese.

I purchased my bread from House of Bread. It was Basil Parmesan Bread which had a swirl of cheese and herbs inside. I discovered tonight that they have "day olds" on sale for $2.50 which is still much cheaper and more value than much of anything you can get at the grocery store. Tonight we definitely "ate local." This amount was just enough to feed two people along with a little salad and wine. Tonight I recommend Bishop's Peak Rock Solid Red.