My new favorite homemade bread recipe

This recipe is from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

Oatmeal Bread
Makes three 1 1/2 lb loaves

1 3/4 C lukewarm water
1 C whole milk (though regular works fine too)
1/2 C pure maple syrup
1 1/2 TBSP yeast
1 TBSP Kosher salt
1/4 C neutral-tasting oil (I use melted butter)
1/2 C oat bran
1/3 C wheat bran
1 1/2 C old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 C whole wheat flour
4 1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1. Mix the yeast and salt with the water, milk, maple syrup, and oil in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded food container.

2. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading (use spoon, food processor, hand mixer w/ dough hooks). If using hands, you may need to wet your hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.

3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses, about 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded container and use over the next 8 days.

5. On baking day, lightly grease a 9x4x3 loaf pan. Dust the surface of dough with flour and cut off a 1 1/2 lb (cantaloupe sized) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

6. Elongate the ball into an oval and place it into the prepared pan. Allow to rest and rise for 1 hour and 20 minutes (or just 40 minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).

7. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350, with an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

8. Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.

9. Allow to cool before slicing and eating.

**okay, time for my notes. The list looks long. It really isn't that bad, it just takes a lot of time to rise. I have found that sometimes my fresh dough needs even longer than 40 minutes to rise. It is very important to add the water and the boiler tray--it makes the bread AMAZINGLY yummy and crunchy on the top, and moist and wheaty-sweet, and healthy tasting on the inside. I know fresh hot bread straight out of the oven is tempting, but let it cool for a bit, otherwise the loaf doesn't set up as well. It is soo good! I wish I could make this every day!

Hearty Beef Stew-for Erin!

This recipe is from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. It was definitely more work than a typical beef stew, but it paid off!

*Note: this stew recipe has a few steps that I am going to strongly encourage following – even if it makes you roll your eyes to have to go to the work/mess of browning meat before adding it to the slow cooker. I get it, I do! But let me emphasize that there is a reason this stew has more flavor and deliciousness than any other slow cooker stew I’ve had – and I believe it is because of the few minutes you have to spend at the beginning browning up the meat, onions and quickly bringing the sauce to a simmer. Browing = flavor. Now, if you absolutely refuse to do it…don’t worry, I’ll still like you. Go ahead – throw it all in – but don’t tell me before you do or else I’ll spend the day cringing. Also, unless you can find prepackaged stew meat in large pieces, it pays to buy a whole chuck roast and cut it up yourself, plus if you look for chuck roast on sale, it will probably save you a penny or two!

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
5 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or beef broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 pound carrots, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound red potatoes, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Minute tapioca
2 cups frozen peas

DIRECTIONS:
After the meat has been cut into chunks, pat it dry with a paper towel and season all the pieces with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat until the oil is rippling and hot. Cook half of the beef until it is well browned on each side, about 4 minutes. No need to cook it all the way through – just get some great brown color all around. Toss the meat in the slow cooker and follow the same process with the second half of the meat (you may need to add another tablespoon of oil to the pan if it looks a little dry). Remove the meat to the slow cooker, trying to keep as much oil in the pan as possible.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the onions are translucent and golden, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the broth, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil and transfer it to the slow cooker, pouring it over the meat.

In a large bowl, toss the carrots, potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. On the counter, lay out a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil (use two sheets of regular foil on top of each other if you don’t have heavy-duty). Place the tossed vegetables on one side of the foil. Fold the foil over the vegetables and crimp the edges really well to form a little foil packet that will fit in the top of your slow cooker. Stir the tapioca into the slow cooker. Place the foil packet of vegetables on top of the stew, cover the slow cooker, and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 10-11 hours.

When the stew is finished cooking, carefully remove the foil packet from the top of the stew. Discard the bay leaves from the stew. Carefully open the foil packet (be careful of steam that may escape as you open it!). Return the vegetables and any juices to the slow cooker and gently mix them into the stew. Stir in the frozen peas and let them rest in the stew for 5-10 minutes, until they are heated through. Serve.

Recipe Source: adapted from Cook’s Country Dec/Jan 2011

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/01/hearty-beef-stew-slow-cooker.html