Artisan Bread

 I've been baking a lot during this shelter in place from the pandemic.  This Artisan Bread was one that my beloved hubby enjoyed.  It's such an easy recipe and it makes four loaves that you can bake when needed, and the dough keeps in the fridge for two weeks. I shared the recipe for this bread when I first started blogging, but I thought I'd share it again. How about some homemade raspberry jam with your slice of bread?

 My sweet late mom always had me drink tea from this pretty teacup when I went to her house. Isn't it beautiful?  It's a Rosina teacup # 5005.  I love the pretty flowers covering it.  

Doesn't the teacup look pretty on my beautifully embroidered  luncheon cloth that my friend, Joy, gifted me?  

 These two little sweethearts came to spend the night!  On their way over to my house, Harper told her Dad, my youngest son, that she wanted to stay for two nights.  Kevin must've said that they'd have to check with me, and Harper said, "Oh Nana will let us because we are her two little angels".  That Harper knows me well, doesn't she?!

 

My son, Mike, and I walked them to an open park, and the girls set up a tea party right on the side walk.  They found lots of painted rocks that were hidden by the neighborhood  people. I said "hi" to one little boy that was riding his bike and he said, "I can't play because of the coronavirus". 

Yield: 4 loaves

Author: Made in Kitty's Kitchen, recipe is adapted from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day

Artisan Bread

This is such an easy bread and the dough keep in the fridge for two weeks. I hope you try it! You can even use the dough to make pizzas.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough
• Cornmeal

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into the lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).
2.  Bake at this point or refrigerate the rest of the dough, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece . Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on parchment paper that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Allow to rest for 40 minutes. Keep the rest of the dough in a covered container that is not airtight, in the fridge.
3. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler pan on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
4.  Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone by using a rimless cookie sheet (who needs a pizza peel??) parchment paper & all. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.
5. Yield: 4 1-lb. loaves.

Created using The Recipes Generator

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Meal Plan Monday

Cinnamon Rolls

 Hello friends!  I've baked us some homemade cinnamon rolls to share with you.  i love baking, and baking while quarantined is especially rewarding, because I like to keep busy.  I've been wanting to try this recipe from King Arthur Flour and had even ordered their special dry milk and potato flour, and had planned to make them for my book study group of ladies at my church, but now we are having it through Zoom.  My teacups were in a set of five that my youngest son and DIL gave me several years ago.  The one on the right is English Chintz and the one on the left is Spring Meadow, both by Royal Albert.  My friends, Pat and Bobby brought me the beautiful bouquet of flowers as a gift for making masks for them.  Wasn't that so nice? 

I broke shelter in place on the night before Easter, as my one son and I were invited to go to my youngest son, and Dil's, and to be  with Harper and Hayden.  They have been working from home and the little ones haven't been anywhere.  It was so fun to be with them! 

 These yummy cinnamon rolls are light as a feather!  I shared this batch with my neighbors, and then made a second batch to share with family. 

Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

Author: Made in Kitty's Kitchen;  recipe is from King Arthur Flour

Cinnamon Rolls

I would encourage you to bake some cinnamon rolls to make your home smell wonderful and to share with others.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups   Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
• 1/4 cup potato flour or 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes
• 3 tablespoons  sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (I used 3/4 teaspoon because I used salted butter)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used salted butter)
• 7/8 to 1 1/8 cups  lukewarm water* (I needed all the water)
• *Use the lesser amount in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate), and somewhere in between the rest of the year, or if your house is climate controlled.
• Filling
• 1/4 cup  granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons milk, to brush on dough
• Glaze
• 1 1/4 cups (confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 to 5 tablespoons (57g to 71g) heavy cream or 2 to 3 tablespoons (28g to 43g) milk, enough to make a soft, spreadable icing

Instructions:

How to cook Cinnamon Rolls

1. To make the dough: Combine the flour, dry milk, potato flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and lesser amount of water then mix and knead everything together—by hand, mixer or bread machine set on the dough cycle—to form a smooth, elastic dough, adding more water if necessary. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take 7 to 10 minutes at second speed, and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. In a bread machine (or by hand), it should form a smooth ball.
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, until it's nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours. Rising may take longer, especially if you've kneaded by hand or if your kitchen is cool. Give it enough time to become quite puffy.
3. While the dough is rising, lightly grease a 9 x 13" pan, or 2 - 8" round pans. 
4. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16"x12" rectangle. It's a nice, soft dough, and pats out easily.
5. combine the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
6. To assemble the rolls: Brush the dough lightly with milk. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, covering the entire surface
7. Roll the dough into a log the long way; it'll stretch to about 20" long as you roll. Using a bench knife or a serrated knife, cut the log into 12 slices.
8. Space 12 rolls into the prepared pan(s).  Cover the pan(s) and let the rolls rise until they're noticeably puffy, about 1 to 2 hours; they should spread out and start to crowd one another.
9. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
10. Bake the rolls until they're brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20 minutes.
11. Remove the rolls from the oven and place the pans on a rack. Wait 5 minutes, then transfer the rolls from the pans to a rack.
12. To make the glaze: When you're ready to serve the rolls, combine the sugar, vanilla, and enough cream or milk to make a spreadable glaze.
13. Spread the glaze on top of the warm rolls and serve immediately.
14. Alternatively, cool the unglazed rolls and wrap them to enjoy later.  Reheat the rolls in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes before frosting. 

Created using The Recipes Generator

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Meal Plan Monday

Strawberry Cream Pie

 How about we cut into this luscious Strawberry Cream Pie?  I have never made this pie, but it comes from my Better Homes and Gardens Desserts Cookbook, 6th printing 1967.  I have been sewing so much during this quarantine time, but I really LOVE baking, and decided to check through some of my old cookbooks that I have collected over the years. Would you like to use my snack set that my friend, Linda, gave me, or would you like to use my Roy Kirkham Strawberry Fields teacup?

 I was asked to make 40 masks for nurses who wear the cloth masks over their N-95 masks to make the N95's last longer.  I did all these in one day and didn't think I'd ever want to see another mask again.  The best part, however, was a friend cut all of these and even basted in the elastic, and brought them to me.  That was a gift!

To add some joy to my life,  I wanted to make hooded towels for Harper and Hayden.  Harper chose the bunny design and Hayden wanted the monkey.  The designs are Animal Peekers 5  from Designs by Juju. I've been making hooded towels for over 40 years, but this video shows how to make a self-lined one, which is wonderful!  You can see it here.  

Yield: 6-8

Author: Made in Kitty's Kitchen, recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Dessert Cookbook

Strawberry Cream Pie

If you have the time to make this, it is well worth it!

Ingredients:

• 1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• GLAZE:
• 1/2 cup crushed strawberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 cups fresh strawberries, halved
• Whipped cream, optional

Instructions:

How to cook Strawberry Cream Pie

1. Cover bottom of pie shell with nuts if desired; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir a small amount into egg; return all to the saucepan. Cook and stir until almost bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 1-2 minutes more (do not boil). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature. Whip cream; fold into filling. Pour into pie shell. Chill for at least 2 hours.
3. About 2 hours before serving, prepare glaze. Combine crushed strawberries and water in a large saucepan; cook for 2 minutes; sieve. Combine sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir into the berries. Cook until thick and clear, stirring constantly. Cool for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, arrange berry halves over filling; pour glaze evenly over berries. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

Created using The Recipes Generator

I am sharing with these lovely parties:

Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Meal Plan Monday

Carrot Bunny Cakes

 I'm taking a break from making Covid-19 masks, and enjoying a bunny cakelet and a cup of tea.  Would you like to join me?  I have several bunnies that you can enjoy.  You may wonder why I have a fire going in Texas, in April. Well, it's because it's been so chilly!!

 This pretty teacup always reminds me of Spring and of Lauren from My Wonderfully Made Blog who gifted it to me, from Stephanie's teacup exchange awhile back.

 My daughter sculpted these carrots when she was in middle school.  Don't they looks real??!!  Aren't they beautiful?  I think she should've been a sculptor! 

 Here are some more bunnies hopping on the plate ready for us to catch and eat!

 These are some of the masks that I made for the staff of a memory care facility, that my friend Patty requested.   I'm so thankful that I keep my scraps of fabric, and they brought back many memories of things that I made, and who they were for.   I  used  a pattern from Craft Passion.  Elastic is getting so scarce, but I guess there are other alternatives that you can find. Another of my friend's suggested to use flannel for the lining to keep it soft against the face. 

My friend, Patty, was so grateful that I made the masks, and surprised me with a bag of gifts that she left on my porch.  In it was a Palm Cross, a book that she loved, a candle, and a homemade loaf of her chocolate-y chocolate chip zucchini bread.  Wasn't that so kind of her?  There are so many thoughtful people in this world.

Stay well and stay safe, and God Bless You!

Yield: 8-10 bunnies, or you could make cupcakes

Author: Made in Kitty's Kitchen, recipe is from Nordic Ware

Carrot Bunny Cakelets

My youngest son and daughter-in-law gave me a gift card to Sur La Table for my birthday, and the bunny cakelet pan was one of the items I purchased.

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots
• 1/3 c vegetable oil
• 1/4 c unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 c sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
• Frosting:
• 1/4 cup softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

How to cook Carrot Bunny Cakelets

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare your pan by greasing and flouring or by using a baking spray containing flour.
3. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, and toss with shredded carrots to combine and coat.
4. Combine oil, butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in bowl; beat until combined thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
5. Add wet mixture to flour mixture; stir by hand until combined. Stir in walnuts, if using. Pour into pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5-10 minutes before removing cakes.
6. For frosting, combine cream cheese and butter and microwave until very soft and melted, 10-20 seconds. Stir to combine. Add in vanilla and powdered sugar, stirring until smooth and combined. Use milk to thin the glaze to a desired consistency for coating the cakes. Coat each cake.  I decided to pipe the frosting on the tails of the bunny, and left the frosting thick.   Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving.
7. Bakes 8-10 bunny cakelets or one large Bundt cake.

Created using The Recipes Generator

I am sharing with these lovely parties:

Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Meal Plan Monday