White Mountain Bread

As requested, I am posting some bread recipes, since I love to bake bread. This is my favorite white loaf bread I use to make sandwiches, etc....
I will tell you that it takes practice making bread and when to know when you have the right amount of flour. It all depends on the humidity in the air, etc... so good luck:)
I will try and be thorough in my explanations. I am writing directions for using the stand mixer, if you want to do it all by hand, I can give you some tips too.

You can also make this into 2 found loaves on a baking sheet.

When I took this pic, mine didn't rise as high as I would have liked. I rushed it a bit. Really do wait until it rises about 2 inches past the edges of pans before baking:)

3/4 c warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 T active dry yeast or one package
Pinch of sugar
1 1/2 c milk (105-115 degrees)
3 T unsalted butter, melted or veg. oil
3 T honey
1 T salt
6-6 1/4c all purpose or bread flour

Pour 1/4 c of the warm water into a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over the surface of the water. Stir gently a few times to moisten evenly. Let rest at room temp for about 10 min.

In large bowl of heavy duty mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the remaining water, milk, butter, honey, salt, and 1 cup flour. Beat hard until creamy about 1 minute (or 3 minutes by hand....have fun there). Stir in the yeast mixture. On low speed in electric mixer add the remaining flour, 1/2 c at a time, until a soft dough that just clears the sides of the bowl is formed. The dough will be slightly stiff and sticky.

Switch to dough hook and knead for 5-6 min or until dough is smooth and springy and springs back when pressed. I then transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead briefly by hand.

Place the dough in a lightly greased deep container. Turn once to coat the top so that the plastic does not stick and the surface does not form a crust. Cover completely with plastic wrap loosely. Let rise at room temp until doubled in bulk about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Do not worry or rush if the dough takes longer.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and deflate. Lightly grease bottom and sides of two 9x5 loaf pans. Without working dough any further, divide into two equal portions with a metal scraper or knife. Pat each portion of dough into a long rectangle; it does not need to be exact. Fold the dough into thirds, overlapping the 2 opposite ends in the middle. Beginning at the short edge, tightly roll up the dough jelly-roll fashion into a log that is about the same length as your pan. Pinch the ends and the long seam to seal. While placing the loaf in the pan, tuck the ends under to make a neat, snug fit. The log should be of a even thickness and fill the pans about 2/3 full. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise again until double in bulk about 2 inches over rims of pan, about 45 min.

Twenty min. before baking, preheat oven to 375. Remove plastic wrap and using a serrated knife, with a quick motion of your wrist make a long slash lengthwise down the center of the loaf, no more than 1/4 inch deep, to create a long groove that will spring open, giving the dough room for expansion. Immediately place on center rack of oven and bake 40-45 min or until the laves are golden brown in color. Transfer loaves immediately to wire cooling rack, otherwise crust will get soggy. Be sure to let the loaves rest for at least 15min, to allow excess moisture to evaporate so the center will not be doughy and to finish the baking process.

Three Cheese Garlic Bread

This one is another one of my favorites! I just love garlic bread!

2 T Mayo
2 T butter, room temp
1 garlic cloved, pressed
1 1/3 c. crumbled feta
1 1/4 c. grated parmesan
1/2 c. grated Mozzarella
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1 loaf of french bread, split lengthwise

Center rack 475. Mix first 3 ingredients in med bowl. Mix in feta, 1/2 c parm., moz. and onions. Spread on cut sides of loaf. Top with rest of parm. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake about 12 min.

I had a enough left over of the spread to top some bread another night.

Classic Garlic Bread

One of my standards.....

9 - 10 medium cloves garlic (about the size of a plump cashew nut), skins left on
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 loaf Italian bread (high-quality); about 1 pound, football-shaped), halved lengthwise
Ground black pepper

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Meanwhile, toast garlic cloves in small skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and color of cloves deepens slightly, about 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, skin and mince cloves (you should have about 3 tablespoons). Using dinner fork, mash garlic, butter, cheese, and salt in small bowl until thoroughly combined.

2. Spread cut sides of loaf evenly with garlic butter mixture; season to taste with pepper. Transfer loaf halves, buttered side up, onto baking sheet; bake, reversing position of baking sheet in oven from front to back halfway through baking time, until surface of bread is golden brown and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut each half into 2-inch slices; serve immediately.

Apple Ricotta Brunch Biscuits

Loved these...took them to MOPS one time.


1/2 c. sugar
1 c ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 c sliced almonds
1/2 t cinnamon
1 can Grands! biscuits
1 small apple, peeled, cut into 8 wedges (1/2 inch thick)

Heat oven 375. Spray 8 jumbo muffin cups or 8 (6oz) custard cups with cooking spray. In small bowl, combine sugar, cheese and egg; beat at high speed for 1 minute.

In small bowl, combine almonds and cinnamon; mix well. Separate dough into 8 cups. Place 1 wedge of apple in each, spoon 2 rounded Tbsp. of cheese mixture over each apple; sprinkle with almond mixture.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 min or until biscuits are deep golden brown and apples are crisp-tender. Remove biscuits from muffin cups; cool 15 min. Serve warm. Store in fridge.

Bacon Cheese Pull Aparts

Great breakfast of brunch bread.

Makes: 8 servings

8 eggs
3 T milk
2 cans Pillsbury Grands
1/2 lb bacon or sausage precooked
2 c. cheddar cheese
1/4 c onion

350. Beat egg and milk. Cut each biscuit in fourths. Gently stir biscuits into egg. Fold meat, cheese, and onions. Spoon into greased 9x13 dish. Bake 23-28 min.

Almost No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread

Awesome and not much work. Comes out terrific everytime...even when you forget the honey (did that). :)

Source: Cooks Illustrated

An enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid yields best results, but the recipe also works in a regular cast-iron Dutch oven or heavy stockpot. Use a mild-flavored lager, such as Budweiser (mild non-alcoholic lager also works). The bread is best eaten the day it is baked but can be wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in a cool, dry place for up to 2 days.Makes 1 large round loaf
2cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus additional for dusting work surface
1cup whole wheat flour (5 ounces)
1/4teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2teaspoons table salt
2tablespoons honey
3/4cup plus 2 tablespoons water (7 ounces), at room temperature
1/4cup plus 2 tablespoons mild-flavored lager (3 ounces)
1tablespoon white vinegar

1. Whisk flours, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Stir honey into water, then add water, beer, and vinegar to the dry ingredients. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours. 2. Lay 12- by 18-inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.3. About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place 6- to 8-quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Flour Tortillas

So, you might not jump at the chance to make this recipe, unless you love to cook, like me. But they really are THE best tortillas ever. So much better than the store bought ones, which now taste like cardboard thanks to this recipe.


Source: Fine Cooking 6/2006

Serves: 8
2 c. flour
1 t table salt
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 c cold shortening, cut into small pieces
2/3 c warm water

Mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Add shortening with pastry blender until coarse meal size. Stir in 2/3 c warm water with fork until shaggy dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and soft, 3-4 min. Dough will not be sticky. Portion into eight equal pieces (2oz) and cover loosely with plastic and let rest on counter 30 min and up to 2 hours. Heat large dry cast iron skillet until hot. Roll one out at a time on floured surface until so thin that you can vaguely see through it. Peel off couter and lay on skillet and cook until bubble and puffs and browns in spots, 45-60 seconds. Flip and cook another 45-60 seconds. Repeat with remaining dough, stacking and covering each tortilla as it’s cooked.

Grilled Garlic Bread

Love this one!

Source: Ladies Home Journal 6/2006

1/2 c olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter
2 T minced garlic
2/3 c fresh parsley or 4 T of dried
1 large round loaf of sour dough cut into 1/2 inch slices horizontally

Preheat grill and lightly oil rack. Combine oil, butter, and garlic in small saucepan. Heat over med heat about 3 min. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of slices with garlic mixture and sprinkle with salt. Gril til golden brown about 3 min. Serve warm.