Take a Megabite

Turkey Burgers + Whole Wheat Burger Buns + Avocado Fries

I get pretty proud of myself when I make a good dinner just for me. Normally I end up eating snacks or weirdo foods instead of a real meal when I’m cooking for one.

Thank you Dana, for making me crazy about turkey burgers … ever since the tasty ones you made us post paddle boating.

Turkey Burgers
Recipe from my homegurl Dana

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey + some minced onion + some fresh cilantro, to taste
• salt + pepper
• cheese, for topping
• lots of ketchup + mustard

Directions:

1. Mix together the turkey, onion and cilantro. Add some salt and pepper. Divide into 4 patties.
2. Cook on a hot grill for 4 minutes on one side. Flip and cook for 5 more minutes. Top with cheese and let it get melty for a minute or two. Place burgers in your whole wheat burger buns and get your dinner on. Makes 4 burgers.

These little buns were easy-peasy. They rose effortlessly and were perfectly soft/firm for burgerness.

Whole Wheat Burger Buns
Recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients:

• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 1/3 cup lukewarm water
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 large egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2 t sugar
• 1 t salt
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil
• 1 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 3/4 cups (approximately) unbleached all-purpose flour
• cornmeal, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for a couple minutes, until really warm throughout, but not hot. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool to lukewarm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pour water into a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast and a pinch of sugar over the water, lightly whisk, then let stand for 5-10 minutes, or until super foamy and active.
2. Add egg to the milk; whisk well. Whisk in sugar, salt, oil and yeast mixture. Stir in whole-wheat flour. Using a heavy wooden spoon, stir vigorously by hand for about a minute.
3. Start adding all-purpose flour to the dough, about 1/3 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough is somewhat firm and no longer too sticky to handle, turn it out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, knead the dough for 7-ish minutes, using additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Add the dough and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise until double in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
4. When the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface. Gently knead for a minute. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces (about 3.8 ounces each). Form into nice rounds by tucking edges under the center pinching where they meet.
5. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with corn meal. Place the dough balls on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Coat a large sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it over the buns, sprayed side down.
6. Set the buns in a warm place to rise. After about 30 minutes, gently press down the buns, right on the plastic, to flatten them a little. Let them rise for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375º.
7. Bake the buns on the center rack until golden and crusty, about 15-20 minutes, rotating halfway through. The bottoms should sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Makes 8 burger buns.

Avocado fries have officially changed my life. In the recipe it said that the amount I made for 1 could serve 3… just saying.

They are so good. Crunchy and creamy and nutty. Pretty much the best thing ever.

Avocado Fries {serves 4-6}
Recipe from Sunset via MyRecipes.com

Ingredients:

• canola oil, for frying
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 t kosher salt + more to taste
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/4 cups panko
• 2 ripe avocados, store in the fridge to firm them up for handling

equipment -

• deep fry thermometer or candy thermometer

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200ºF. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches worth of oil until it reaches 375ºF on a deep-fry or candy thermometer.
2. Meanwhile, mix flour and 1/4 teaspoons salt in a shallow bowl. Put eggs and panko in separate shallow bowls. Dip avocado in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, then panko to coat. Set on 2 plates in a single layer.
3. Fry a quarter of avocado slices at a time until deep golden, 30-60 seconds. Transfer slices to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm in the oven while cooking remaining avocados. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Sesame Semolina Lunettas

Sesame seeds are just the bread sprinkles.
Semolina is the flour power.
Lunetta is the swirly “S” shape.

This dough was the prettiest bread dough I’ve ever met! Chances are, if you saw this dough on the street, you would roll down the window and be all daaaaaang gurl at it. I totally would.

Oh, and the end result is tasty, just like my friend Alex promised! You see, when I wasn’t sure what kind of bread to make, he told me “Sesame Semolina!” And so I made it. And it’s a dream. So, let’s toast to toast!

Sesame Semolina Lunettas
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

bread -

• 2 1/2 cups semolina flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 packet of rapid rise yeast ( 1/4 oz)
• 1 1/3 cup lukewarm water
• pinch of sugar

topping -

• egg wash (1 egg white + 1 T cold water whisked together)
• 5 t sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Combine the semolina, flour, salt and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup whisk together the yeast, water and sugar. Set aside for a few minutes or until foamy. Pour over the flour mixture. Beat together using the paddle attachment until a loose dough forms. Switch to the dough hook and knead for about 6 minutes or until the dough is stiff and not sticking to the sides of the bowl. (If you don’t have a stand mixer, stir this stuff together with a wooden spoon and pour onto a clean surface and knead until pliable.)
2. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl turning to coat to rise for about 90 minutes, or until double in size.
3. Gently deflate the dough and divide it in half. Shape each half into an 18 inch long rope. Working with one piece of dough at a time, mark the center of the rope and coil the end to the center. Coil the other end to make an “S” shape. Repeat with other half of dough. Like below:
   
4. Place the loaves on a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet, and cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and set aside to rise for an hour, or until they are nice and puffy. Toward the end of the rise time preheat the oven to 350ºF.
5. Brush the loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Just put a sandwich on this “S”.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

I got pretty frustrated the other day. It happened when my kitchen lights decided to stop working. Next thing you know I was feeling annoyed, overheated and my forehead was crinkled. Two lamps plugged in later, I was back to normal and hung out with some rosemary and got my focaccia on.

I took the top photo inside, but the second one outside. Those make-do lamps were making everything look really weird. Kinda like that creepy shadow behind me down there and the spotlight effect up there. Scary!

So anyhow. This bread is really good. I’m torn though. Half of me wants sandwiches made of proscuitto, melted mozzarella and basil and the other half wants to top this bread with peanut butter, bananas and honey. Oh, rosemary, way to be good at being both savory and sweet.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread {makes 2 loaves}
Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes + Rather Be Baking

Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• pinch of sugar
• 1/3 cup warm water, about 100ºF
• 2 1/4 cups water, at room temperature
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil + more for topping + greasing the pans
• 3 cups bread flour
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 T salt + kosher salt for sprinkling
• 2-3 T fresh rosemary

Directions:

1. Stir the yeast and sugar into 1/3 cup warm water. Let it rest for 10 minutes, or until super frothy.
2. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil into the room temperature water. Add the frothy yeast water. Whisk in 2 cups of bread flour and the tablespoon of salt. Add the rosemary. Then, cup by cup, whisk in the rest of the flour (both bread flour and all-purpose). As the mixture goes from a batter to a thick dough, you’ll want to switch to a wooden spoon. By  the time you get to the last cup of flour, you’ll be able to knead the dough. Begin to knead it in the bowl trying to incorporate the flour stuck to the sides and bottom of the bowl. Once the bowl is clean, turn dough out onto the cupboard and knead for 8 minutes, adding flour as necessary. (Note: You can totally use your stand mixer for the dough. I sure did. Just use your paddle attachment until the last cup of flour.Then switch to the dough hook and knead on low for 8 minutes or until the sides of the bowl are clean.)
3. In a large clean bowl, pour in about a tablespoon of olive oil and using your hand or pastry brush, spread the oil out to cover the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for an hour and a half, or until just about double in size.
4. Brush the bottom of two small cookie sheets (about 15 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches in size) with olive oil. Feel free to cover with parchment paper too and brush that with additional olive oil. Divide the dough between the two pans and using your hands spread the dough out to fit, or until all of the dough is about 1/2 inch thick. Cover the breads and allow them to rest for 10 minutes. After the rest, dimple the breads with your thumb or the back of a wooden spoon. Cover again and leave to rise for 2 hours.
5. With 30 minutes to go before the rise finishes, place a couple cake pans filled with water or a large baking dish filled with water in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. The pans of water will create steam for when the bread is baking.
6. Once the dough is done rising, brush the tops with olive oil. Sprinkle kosher salt evenly over the bread from about a foot over head. (It helps it spread out evenly.)
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is evenly golden, rotating half way through. Turn out onto a wire rack withit 3-5 minutes of removing it from the oven; this will keep the bottom of the bread crispy. Cool for at least 10 minutes before eating. Then eat a sandwich for dinner.

A bit of flour jumped out of the mixer at me. How thoughtful of it to share, right?
Note to self: wear an apron now and then.

Braided Egg Bread

One cool thing about this bread is that when sliced it looks like a cloud. Another cool thing about this bread is that it’s freckled. The obviously cool thing is that it’s braided. Twice! Double decker braiding action happens. You might think it’s so pretty that you’ll take a picture of it to your hair stylist to duplicate. I wouldn’t blame you a bit.

So, see how you braid it? Start in the middle and take the left over the middle then the right over those. Next thing you know: BRAID!

I think sprinkling bread with poppy seeds is really fun. It’s like decorating cupcakes. If anyone needs a professional poppy seed sprinkler, I’m your girl.

Braided Egg Bread {makes 1 loaf}
Recipe from the Taste of Home cookbook

Ingredients:

bread -

• 3 1/4 to 3 3/4 all-purpose flour
• 1 T sugar
• 1 package (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
• 3/4 t salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 T oil
• 2 eggs

topping -

• 1 egg
• 1 t water
• poppy seeds

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat water and oil to 120º-130º. Add to the dry ingredients along with the eggs. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough.
2. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 6-8 minutes). Or knead in your stand mixer using your dough hook. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Set a third of the dough aside. Divide remaining dough into three pieces. Shape each into a 13-inch rope. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under.
4. Divide reserved dough into three equal pieces; shape each into a 14-inch rope. Braid ropes. Center 14-inch braid on top of the shorter braid. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
5. Beat egg and water; brush over dough. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake at 375º for 15 minutes. Tent with foil and continue baking 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

Last time I made this I didn’t really center the little braid. It ended up all silly-looking. So this time I was pleasantly surprised. Braided bread. It’s where it’s at.

Lemon Drenched Lemon Cakes

I know that I’m not very good at washing dishes. I know that I always want crêpes for dinner. I know that I don’t like construction people making a racket at 7:00am. And I REALLY know that Mondays are better with cake.

This cake is zesty and bright. Basically this cake will punch you in the face with dreamy and fresh lemony flavors.

You might want to split a piece with your total BFF. You might want to keep the whole thing for yourself.

So, you should probably make this today, because your Monday will be way more tasty.

Lemon Drenched Lemon Cakes
Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan via Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

cakes -

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 t baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 2 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 plump, moist vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved, or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 2/3 cups heavy cream
• zest of two lemons, finely grated
• 1 stick + 7 T (15 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

syrup -

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• juice of two lemons

Directions:

1. Make the cakes! Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Butter two loaf pans, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Even if they are nonstick, it’s still good to grease them, just to be sure! Place the pans on a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl, working with your fingers, rub them together until the sugar is moist and smells fabulously lemony. It will be magical. Add the vanilla bean seeds and work them into the sugar. If you’re using vanilla extract, add it later after you’ve added the eggs.
4. Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in the extract (if using), then whisk in the cream. Continuing with the whisk, or switching to a large rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions; the batter will be smooth and thick. Finish by folding in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions. Pour the batter into the pans, smoothing with a rubber spatula.
5. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. As soon as the cake goes into the oven, make the syrup. After about 30 minutes in the oven, check the cakes for color – if they are browning too quickly, tent them with foil.
6. Make the syrup! Stir the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts and it’s no longer grainy when stirred. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour syrup into a heatproof bowl and let cool.
7. When the cakes test done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them and turning them right side up on the rack. Place the rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper and using a thin skewer, cake tester or thin-bladed sharp knife poke holes all over the cakes. Brush the cakes all over with the syrup, working slowly so that the cakes sop it up. Leave the drenched cakes on the rack to cool to room temperature.

Just drenching the lemon cakes with lemon syrup.

Light Brioche Burger Buns

So what if I napped while these were on the rise. So what if when they were done, I drizzled one with honey and ate it as my fake dinner. So what?

So what if I can’t wait to make mini these for mini burgers; mini burgers are the cupcake of burgers, really.

Basically these are the dreamiest burger buns ever. You should probably make them right now and make burgers for dinner.

Despite my big oven, I still haven’t upgraded my teeny baking sheets. So I used one little baking sheet plus one heart cake pan. Works for me.

Light Brioche Burger Buns {makes 8, 4-5 inch burger buns}
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen + Comme Ca restaurant in L.A., via the New York Times

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water + 1 T water for egg wash
• 3 T milk
• 1 package (2 t) active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 T sugar
• 2 large eggs, divided
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 2 1/2 T unsalted butter, softened
• sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. In a glass measuring cup, combine 1 cup water and milk. Microwave for 10 seconds spurts until warm, about 30 seconds total. Whisk in the yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, beat one egg and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Pour in the yeast mixture and beaten egg and stir until a soft dough forms. Scrape dough onto a clean, well-floured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on the counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be somewhat sticky, but keep in mind that the more flour you knead in, the tougher the buns will get. Try to leave them stickier than your average bread dough.
3. Shape dough into a ball. Place in a medium bowl sprayed with cooking spray, turning once to coat. Top with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
4. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper. Divide dough into 8 equal parts (4-ish ounces a piece). Gently roll each into a ball and arrange 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap lightly coated in nonstick spray and let buns rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.
5. Set a large shallow pan of water on the oven floor. Preheat oven to 400° with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with 1 T water and brush some on top of buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if ya’ feel like it. Bake, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Here they are! A family of 8.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Pita bread is a good reason to have an oven light. It goes from sad dough rounds to bubbling miracles in just 2 minutes!

I might’ve topped one of these pitas like a pizza and placed it in the broiler for about 5 minutes and ate it for dinner. I just love pizza. Did you know that?

Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Adapted from Annies Eats + Confections of a Foodie Bride + originally from Gourmet ’03

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 1/4 t) rapid rise yeast
• 1 T honey
• 1 1/4 cups warm water, divided
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, divided
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 t salt
• cornmeal, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. In a teeny sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup water and honey until honey’s dissolved and mixture is warm (105°-115°). In a medium bowl using an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the honey and water mixture and mix in 1/4 cup bread flour and 1/4 cup whole wheat flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled in bulk and bubbly, about 45 minutes.
2. Remove plastic wrap and return bowl to mixer stand or using some muscle and a wooden spoon mix in the remaining 3/4 cup of warm water, 1 1/4 cups bread flour, 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, olive oil and salt. Knead by hand or using your stand mixer with the dough hook for 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and let rise for an hour or until double in size.
3. Once the dough has risen, transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Flatten one at a time and stretch or roll into a 7 inch circle. Transfer rounds to a clean work surface sprinkled with corn meal. Once all the rounds have been shaped, loosely cover with clean kitchen towels. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until slightly puffy.
4. Place the oven rack in the middle position. Line with foil to avoid the dough being wiggly like mine. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
5. Transfer 4 pitas, 1 at a time, onto the baking surface. Bake 2 minutes. Gently flip the pitas over using tongs and bake 1 minute more. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining pitas. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Look! Pita bread stacked like pancakes! … now I want pancakes.

Cheddar Bread

This weekend was full of tough choices. Which cupcake should I have: strawberry cheesecake or bumpy cake? Which kind of coffee should I buy? Should I try to curl my hair? Hefeweizen or Custom Blonde? Should I have cheese on my bread or in my bread?

Ok. I tried both cupcakes. I got some local coffee roasted and stuff in a place Jake vacationed once. I tried to curl my hair. I felt fancy like Lauren Conrad. I went with a Hefeweizen. It tasted like juice and ice cream at the same time. And, duh, I made my bread with cheese in it.

This bread is light and cheesy and tasty. What else is there? It’s so good that Elliot couldn’t contain himself stole a piece off the table when I was in the other room. Who does he think he is?

Cheddar Bread
Recipe adapted from Cafe Muse as printed in Hour Detroit magazine July 2007

Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• a pinch of sugar
• 2 cups warm milk
• 1 T honey
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 t salt
• 4 1/2 – 5 cups bread flour
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in milk. Add pinch of sugar. Allow to sit a few minutes for the yeast to get working. Add honey, oil and salt. Stir until mixed.
2. In a separate bowl mix together 4 1/2 cups of flour and cheese. Add flour and cheese mixture to milk mixture. Start combining with a rubber spatula. Stir as much as you can. (If too sticky add remaining flour.) Pour onto a floured surface and knead until soft but not sticky. Knead until pliable.
3. Spray a medium bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and flip to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until it doubles in size (about an hour and a half). Punch down and divide between two greased bread pans. Cover and return to a warm place until double in size.
4. Bake for 40-50 minutes in a 350 degree F oven. Bread is done when the loaves sound hollow when tapped.

Keepin’ it real, chedda’ bread style.

Pinwheel Bread

I love Tegan and Sara. I love that I can tell which one’s Tegan and which one’s Sara, now. (Sara’s the teenier one, duh.) I love that I have too many sprinkles to fit in my cupboard. I love that spring is happening so I can walk Elliot in the morning.

And I love the swirl that happens when you slice this bread.

I love that this recipe makes three loaves of bread. Even though it meant I had to bake two at a time since I only have two bread pans.

This bread was pretty impressive in my lunch when I was a kid. It totally made my sandwiches fancy. I always looked forward to it when my mom made it.

The bake time for this bread is tricky. The original recipe says that it should bake for 35 minutes, but this bread needs at least 10 minutes more than that. Otherwise there’s a chance the center could be doughy, and that would just be a shame. So make sure to bake this for at least 45 minutes covering with foil after the first 20 minutes.

Pinwheel Bread {My favorite bread ever.}
Recipe from my mom + adapted from Red Mill flour

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 T salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 8 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan heat milk, sugar, salt and butter until warm, not hot. Add to yeast mixture. Whisk in 4 cups of all purpose flour until no lumps remain. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until double in size, about an hour. It’ll look crazy and alive like below.
   
2. Stir the batter down and pour half into another bowl (about 4 cups). To this half of the batter, add remaining all purpose flour and stir as much as possible to make a moderately  stiff dough. Pour onto a floured surface and knead until pliable. Place in a greased bowl, flipping to coat and cover with plastic wrap. To the remaining half of the batter, stir in the molasses until mixed evenly. Add enough of the whole wheat flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Pour onto a floured surface and knead until pliable. Place in a greased bowl flipping to coat and cover with plastic wrap. Set both aside to rise until double in size, about an hour.
3. Punch both doughs down and divide into thirds. On a barely floured surface  roll out each portion of dough into a roughly  12 by 8 inch rectangle. Place one dark portion of dough atop one light portion. Roll up tightly into a loaf, beginning on the short side. Place loaf in a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan (or whatever bread pan you have), seam side down. Repeat with remaining portions to make 3 loaves. Cover and let rise for about an hour or until almost double.
   
4. Bake in a 375°F oven for 45-55 minutes, covering with foil after 20 minutes. The top will be nice and dark. Tap the top and when it sounds hollow throughout the whole loaf, it’s done. Remove from pans and cool thoroughly on wire racks. Brush tops with melted butter.

Make a whimsical sandwich, already.

Mini Baguettes

I like Saturdays to be my bread baking day.

I try to put off lunch until bread comes out of the oven. Then I simply slice the warm bread (too soon) and butter one slice and spoon strawberry jam on the other … and there you go. Lunch. Carb-style. Get carby with it, already.

I made these mini baguettes with a sandwich in mind. A hip sandwich that would like nothing more than making my weekday lunch worth eating. Picture it. A mini baguette layered with mozzarella, fresh basil, tomatoes and proscuitto. I think it sounds like a dream. What do YOU think?

Mini Baguettes
Recipe adapted from The Thrifty Gourmet

Ingredients

• 1 t active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water, divided
• 1 t sugar
• 4 cups bread flour
• 2 t salt

Directions:

1. In a small bowl whisk the yeast and sugar into 1/2 cup warm water. Set aside for about 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
2. Meanwhile, mix the flour and salt in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon. Pour the yeast water into the flour mixture and stir until incorporated. Gradually add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water until you obtain a dough ball that detaches from the the edges of the bowl when stirred. The dough will be a little bit sticky. (If the dough is too sticky add a small handful of flour, and if it’s too dry add more warm water a tablespoon at a time, or until it reaches desired consistency.) Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes or until smooth. Spray a medium bowl with cooking spray and transfer the dough to the bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature to rise until double in size, about 1-2 hours.
   
3. After the dough has doubled in size transfer to a floured surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Gently stretch each piece and roll to form a log. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes. Starting with the first log you shaped, elongate each baguette by rolling it back and forth until it reaches the desired length.
4. Place the mini baguettes on a lightly floured baking sheet. Make 2 diagonal slashes across each loaf with a sharp knife and lightly dust with flour. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise for 40-60 minutes or until the baguettes are plump
5. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place an empty cake pan in the bottom rack. Just before placing the bread in the oven pour 2 cups of warm water into the cake pan. This will create steam in the oven where the baguettes are baking and make sure they are crusty and light. Bake for 10 minute (rotating half way through). The bread will be golden and fabulous.

Oh Elliot. I can’t share one of these with you! I just can’t.