Honey Oatmeal Bread

Simply amazing.  Makes the store bought stuff taste like Styrofoam.  For extra credit, when you knead the dough, do it mindfully.  Think about the person you are making the bread for and knead into it good thoughts, love, and peace.  I know, it sounds corny, but it makes the bread taste better.

Honey Oatmeal

3 cups hot water

2 1/4 cup regular rolled oats

3 tablespoons of honey

1 1/2 tablespoons oil

3/4 cup warm water

1 tablespoon yeast

1 tablespoon salt

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

6 1/2 cups unbleached flour (plus more for kneading)

Pour hot water over the oats, honey, and oil.  Allow to stand until it returns to room temperature.  Proof the yeast in the 3/4 cup warm water.  The water should not be hot on the wrist when tested.  If the yeast is good, foam will begin to form.  This will take a few minutes.  Add the whole wheat flour to the oat mixture and stir.  If you are using a standing electric mixer attach the dough hook and place the oats and flour in the bowl.  Turn the mixer on low or stir by hand for 50 strokes or so.  Mix the salt and flour together and begin to add 1 cupful at a time.  This is much easier in a mixer, but not impossible by hand.  It will get progressively harder.  Once all of the flour is incorporated, flour your hands and turn the dough out on to a floured work surface.  This is the fun part.  Begin to knead the dough by lifting up one side, folding it toward you, and using the palms of your hands push it down.  Turn it a 1/4 and repeat. and repeat. and repeat.  Add flour to the table and your hands as often as necessary to avoid sticking.  Put some muscle into it, use both hands!  Knead the dough for 10-12 minutes.  You will notice that it becomes very elastic and springy.  that's good.  It should be just ever so slightly sticky when you are done.  Shape it into a ball a place it in a large bowl that has been sprayed with a cooking spray.  Cover with a damp cloth and put it in a warm corner of your kitchen to rise.  Over the next 60 minutes it should double in size.  No touchy!

Once doubled in size, punch it down.  No really, drive your fist right into the center of it.  This will help release the gases that the yeast released.  Turn the dough out onto a flour surface and cut it into 3 equal pieces.  Shape the pieces into a ball and place into 3 separate sprayed bowls.  Cover with a damp cloth and let rise again until doubled in size.  once more - No touchy!

OK after about 45 more minutes the individual doughs should be ready to go.  If you have loaf pans (you can use metal or pyrex), spray them.  If not, you can make loose rolls.  Place the dough on a floured surface (am i repeating myself).  flatten it out a bit into a rough rectangle with the smaller side toward you.  Roll the dough up, pulling slightly as you go until you have a nice tight roll.  pinch the seam and place the roll seam side down in the loaf pan.  To make a free form loaf (also called a batard, no really), follow the same procedure above, but roll it a bit tighter and make sure to pinch the seam well.  Place the loaf on a greased sheet pan.  Let the dough rise one final time in the pans.  they won't double in size, but should just peek out over the top of the pan.  this will take about 15-20 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 and bake loaves for 45-60 minutes until crust is golden and your house smells like heaven.  remove from pans and cool on a rack.  Trust me.  It is worth the effort.

Kaboom! Not the budget, but the menu

So this week got a little off track, not with the budget, but with the menu.

Carolynn and Katherine decided to head out to montauk for tuesday and wednesday so I didn't need to cook.  Woo Hoo! save money!  So I didn't cook dinner.  I did decide to bake though.  At eight o'clock at night, I decided to bake bread.  Honey Oatmeal.  I love to bake bread, it is almost a sensual experience.  You can knead a lot of love into a loaf of bread.  The thing is that you shouldn't start at eight at night!  I'm going to revisit the menu next week.  Tonight I worked late and the girls got a take out meal.  I came home and had a baked potato with some veggies on top.  Tasty for me.  I'm going to post the bread recipe, because it came out SO GOOD!  If you have a rainy saturday with nothing to do.  Bake bread.

Asian Vegetable Burger Wraps

These are totally yummy. Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you away.  It goes together really fast.  The original recipe calls for ground pork, I liked the ingredients so much I made my own vegetarian concoction to replace the meat and it came out awesome.  As a bonus, serve them in the leaves of bibb lettuce instead of on burger buns.  Make extra and store in the fridge.

2 tablespoons of peanut oil

Zest of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves minced

4 oz chopped shiitake mushroom caps

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 cup TVP (texturized vegetable protein)

3/4 cup hot water

1.5 cups chopped vegetable sausage (the breakfast kind)

1 egg

1 cup panko

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

OR 1 3/4 pound ground pork

2 tablespoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided

3/4 teaspoon cracked pepper

1/2 hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger (grated works fine)

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (like sriracha)

1 head bibb lettuce

1 cup matchstick sized carrots

1 cup matchstick sized red bell pepper

1/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add lemon zest and garlic saute for 2 minutes, add mushrooms and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.  Saute for about 4-6 minutes or until shrooms are tender.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

** for veggie option: In large bowl mix TVP and hot water to re-hydrate for 2 minutes. mix in 1 tablespoon sesame oil cracked pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir.  Add in chopped vegetable sausage, 1 cup panko, 1 tablespoon black sesame seed and 1 egg.  Mix to incorporate everything.  Fold in cooled mushroom mixture.  Mixture should be moist and moldable.  Add a bit more panko if it is too moist.

** for pork option: mix ground pork with 1 tablespoon sesame oil, cracked pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Fold in mushroom mixture.

Using a large spoon shape into about patties about 2.5 inches in diameter.  Place on a cooking sheet.

Whisk together hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, chili sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a small bowl for sauce.

Either grill or pan fry patties until cooked through (2-3 minutes per side).  Use ample cooking spray on grill and pan to avoid sticking.  Place lettuce, carrots, peppers, cilantro, and sauce on the table and wrap the burgers in the lettuce.  Dress with carrots, peppers, cilantro and sauce to taste.