Delicious Easy Bread, from The Careless Cook

 

 

For a long time now, I’ve stopped buying bread that can sit on my shelf for weeks. Ever read what grocery store bread is made of? Better be good at high school chemistry to truly understand. 

 

It struck me that the grocery bread may last as long in my belly as it does on the shelf!

 

You been to Europe?  Let me inform you. If you buy bread in Europe, you better eat it in three days before mold sets in. European bread has only three or a few more natural ingredients, with no chemicals.

 

Now, some of the nervous crowd may say, “It just make sense to have bread that lasts until your next birthday.”

 

If you are one of those, get used to the wonderful things that begin to happen to your body. Bet it’ll be wonderfully amusing. You and your doctor can share a beer and laugh about it!

 

I have a better way to enjoy life. Bake your own bread!

 

You may say, bread is just too hard to make. Takes too long and I don’t have the time. Anyway, I don’t know how, and what if I don’t like it?

 

Read a few little tips to ease your reluctance and sooth your tummy. Then get off the couch and into the kitchen:

 

1.It ain’t difficult!

 

2.Making the dough takes about ten to fiften minutes.

 

3.Lucky you, I’m going to show you how to do it.

 

4. You will like it, and so will your body and so will your friends who think you are a pro.

 

Wait a sec…..doesn’t take long? What have you been drinking?

Yes, I’ve been drinking….coffee….it’s morning!

 

Check this: Prep time, just as I mentioned. 

 

Four hours letting the dough rise….all by itself... while you do whatever wonderful things you have planned. And what if you forget and let the dough rise another hour or so, don't sweat it.

 

Baking time: 40 min

 

Ok, time to get to the details that turns you  into a quick morning  baker!

 

INCREDIENTS FOR A SESATIONAL LOAF OF BREAD

 

3 Cups of flour (I use Italian flour) and a little more for dusting.

¼ Teaspoon yeast

1 Teaspoon salt (I use fairly coarse sea salt)

1 ½ Cups hot water (about 125 -130F). I use my finger to test. If my finger doesn’t scream, the temp right good.

 

(If you wish, just as I wished, add a heaping teaspoon of dried Italian herbs. No problem if you do or don’t.)

 

 

NOW THE REALLY EASY PARTS

 

1.     Mix the ingredients in a big bowl (I used a spatula to make sure everything is totally mixed.)

2.     Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (I used a shower cap)

3.     Let the dough rest for 3 hours at room temp. (I put mine in the oven with the oven light on.  Do not turn the oven on!)

4.     After three hours, put a hand full of flour on the counter or cutting bord. Scurry the bread dough out of the bowl and on the board. Dust flour over the dough.

5.     Fold the dough together about 12 times, adding more dusting flour if you need it.

6.     Use a longer ceramic dish the length of the dough. 

Before you put the dough in, put in parchment pape.

7.     Cover the dough and let it rest on the counter for another hour.

8.     At the end of the hour, turn the oven on to 450F.  Note I put a loaf of water below.

9.     When the oven reaches 450F, put the ceramic dish with the parchment paper and dough in the oven. (The parchment will turn brown, but will not burn, but sure helps ease the baked bread out!)

10.  Bake the bread for about 35 minutes or when it is browned to your desire. (I like mine very dark brown!)

 

There you have a wonderful bread, soft on the inside, crispy crust.

 

No, it did not take you very long.  Ten minutes to get the dough going. Another five minutes to fold the dough.  The rest of the time is just letting the dough sit.

 

When you cut a slice, paint some butter if you must.  

 

If you really want to charm your friends, tell them how you worked several days with a well-known French baker! Not just fifteen minutes while you did the laundry cut the grass and watched a great movie, while you downed a luscious wine with your loved one. 

 

Fifteen minutes just isn’t nearly impressive enough.

Condensed Milk and Almonds Cookies by The Careless Cook

 

 

 

The Careless Cook’s kitchen is a wonderland of “What the hell is going on?” Most of the time He doesn’t know until he scampers in, looks at his watch and reaches for a bottle of….no wait….it’s morning. A cup of coffee is what he reaches for. Time matters. A ladies’ conclave awaits. Older ladies. Hungry and not prone to the indulgence of biding their time, neither is The Careless Cook in the ‘biding’ habit. 

 

Too long and his mind may stray to bolder endeavors. 

 

So, let’s get started, on behalf of Mr. Careless and his waiting ladies!

 

Ingredients, ummmm….think He’s got it!

 

Heat the oven to 350 deg.

 

2 sticks butter, melted

½ cup condensed milk

2 cups sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 cup of flour and a couple of tablespoons more

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup slivered almonds, or more

 

Should make about 30 cookies, more or less.

 

Putin’t It teeegather!

 

Large bowl.

 

Add the sugar and melted butter.  Mix well. (Suggestion: hand held mixer)

Add the condensed milk….oh, what the hell…just toss everything else in!

Mix it into dough. Make sure the almonds are well dispersed.

 

Use a tablespoon to scoop up portions of dough and roll into balls. 

 

Put all the balls on a baking sheet (Suggestion: put a sheet of parchment on the baking sheet.)

 

Press the balls down lightly and press a few almonds on each.  

 

Bake for 12-14 minutes, but check it along the way. Cookies will be barely browned along the edges.

 

Time for another coffee, or maybe make that an Irish.  Just a suggestion.

 

Sour Cream Pound Cake by The Careless Cook

 

Today your favorite, The Careless Cook offers a delicious, crowd-pleasing Sour Cream Pound Cake.  From the drool on your lips I knew you’d be excited! Well, at least the few subscribers to my blog are excited. Yes, they are few. But do I have tears soaking my apron and sogging my dough? Hardly. The Careless Cook smiles and sends his best to the lucky few.

 

Very nice older ladies, that I barely knew, begged for this recipe. Free Martinis will do that to the elderly. I’m happy Uber helped them find their way to their homes. I didn’t have enough beds. And besides, they were elderly.

 

No casualties.  Didn’t need a first time.

 

Have you ever made pound cakes? Most folks bake it in a Bundt pan, but not the Careless Cook! He uses a ceramic, four-sided, 9 x 12/5, pan, well-greased. But, do what you will. I do.

 

Ingredients (stand by for a cholesterol infusion)

 

2 sticks of butter (one cup) I softened the butter in the microwave

3 cups of sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

2 good splashes of vanilla extract.  

 

I make my own vanilla extract. Vanilla beans (Amazon) chopped and soaking in vodka or bourbon or what you have left from last night. Takes a month or two, but saves money and I think it tastes better. Lots of recipes on the net.

 

Putin’ it together

 

Heat the oven to 325 deg

 

Put sugar and butter in a big bowl and whip until fluffy. I used a hand held, electric mixer.

 

Toss in the eggs one or two at a time and mix well.

 

Stir in the salt, baking powder, and flour and mix, but not too long, just enough.

 

Toss in the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until you have a smooth batter.

 

Pour the batter in the greased pan and put it in the oven for about an hour, or until the top is light brown. Use the knife test to be sure.   

 

Every oven is different, so always take a peek a time or two along the way.

 

Put on icing if you must, but I don’t must. Went to a “Garden Party to be with my Old Friends”

and they not only devoured the cake, they scraped up the crumbs.

 

The first thing people think:  This take too long! No it ain’t! Takes about 30 minutes and the rest of the time the oven does the work.  Hey! The Careless Cook doesn’t use a recipe that cuts into football or drinking time!  Wait a sec. Those are both the same!

 

You’re gonna love this recipe!

Simple Lemon and Walnut Cake by the Careless Cook

 

I readily admit you haven’t heard from the Careless Cook in a while. Make that a long while. Have a bunch of excuses. No. Not correct.  Only one. Poetry.  

 

I can hear my three faithful readers gurgling as they chug some of their beer and let the rest spill down their faded, stained t-shirts, mumbling: “Stop with the chatter! And gimmie me sump-ten ta eat! And make it good stuff! I ain’t waitin’ much longer!”

 

Ok, zip up your pants and follow this recipe, drunk or sober, as if you have a choice. Get your wife to help you with the big words.

 

Time to cut to the kitchen.

 

Simply a Lemon Walnut Cake that you can start stuffing in your mouth in 45 minutes.

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup white sugar

½ cup of butter, softened (I used 30 second in a microwave oven.)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or one glug)

2 teaspoons baking powder, more of less 

¾ cup milk (I use oat milk)

1 tablespoon lemon zest – now is when your wife has to stop in

1 tablespoon lemon juice. (Maybe little more, because the Careless Cook just doesn’t care)

A good hand full of walnuts, crushed (I fold the nuts in a dishtowel and use a rolling pin to teach those nuts a lesson)

 

Very Simple Icing

 

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 heaping teaspoons powdered sugar

 

Stir well.

 

 

Getting’ it Done and Keepin’ it Simple

 

Oven to 350 deg F (175 deg C)

 

For baking, I used a well-greased 9 by 9 inch ceramic pan

 

Use a large mixing bowl and beat sugar and butter until fluffy. I used an electric hand mixer.

Then add eggs and vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Use that mixer and really get it together!

 

Add the flour and baking powder. Use that hand mixer viciously.  

 

Add the nuts and do the same.

 

Then add the milk and do more damage. 

 

Drop it all in the 9 by 9 inch baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Top should be lightly brown, but still give it the knife test.

 

Make the icing and paint it on.  The first coating it will glisten. When it’s not so glistening, paint on some more and then some more of the same until all the icing is used. 

 

 

 

 

French Breakfast Puffs By the Careless Cook

 The Careless Cook is back.  I know it gets ho-hum to read about another bout with muffins, but this batch is worth your while. Even the name sounds tasty and European and glamorous: French Breakfast Puffs!  Ah, yes. French cafes, the softness of misunderstood language, spoken at a reasonable level.  Civil Conversations. Slim men and women, no matter the age, who could be fashion models.

Have you been to France lately, or Germany, or the UK, or Europe in general?  You may have noticed, unlike Americans, the Europeans do not dress in rags or slosh down food and coffee in disreputable grab-and-go second class slop shops. And which of those joints use ceramic cups instead of classless paper cup trash?

 No, and no again, those in more civilized countries sit, well-dressed, in sidewalk cafes that make you want to leisurely sip a coffee and come back every morning for fresh pastry, served by professional waiters and waitresses.  By the way, you may quickly surmise I do not use the word waitstaff. Have a little pride in your sex, for goodness sakes!

Ok, lovers of civility, let's put some easily made, wonderful French Breakfast Puffs on your table at home!

Set you oven to 350ºF or 180ºC

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter at room temp.....I used my microwave

1 cup milk at room temp....once again...microwave in my kitchen!

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Topping

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Puttin' It Together

Grease muffin cups with butter, or do as I do and use Teflon muffin trays, with paper muffin cups inserted.

Get a sizable bowl and toss in all the dry ingredients (not the topping ingredients!!! for goodness sakes!) use a fork or whisk to stir.

In a larger bowl, use an electric beater to whip butter and sugar together.  Blend in the eggs.

Now beat in milk and the flour mixture, some of each at a time, until all are well blended.

Put a 2/3 cup of dough into each muffin tin or paper cup and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.  The edges should be brown, or you can use a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.

Allow the baked muffins to cool.

Time to mix the sugar and cinnamon for the toping.

Now paint the muffins tops with the melted butter and dip the tops of the muffins in the sugar mixture.

Voilà! You'll be tossing your paper cups and plates before you know it!

You may even begin to use cloth napkins, just like civilized people!

Sunshine Muffins by The Careless Cook

 

I admit this is not totally my recipe. Well, it kinda is.  This is one of those bakery stories that can have many endings.  As you will see, there is room to customize, add, subtract, and make these extraordinarily delicious muffins your very own.  That’s what The Careless Cook did! What the heck, it’s your kitchen and you’re in charge! 

 

Maybe you’re the cook who likes a quick time in the kitchen, ending with breaking open the Procecco and basking in glory, surrounded by appreciative guests begging for more, which may even include your spouse! Well, maybe. Well,  I'm here for you my close, gastronomic friend! Quick. Easy. Delicious.

 

Ok, time to chill the Prosecco and press the button on the oven that says 350ºF or 180ºC. Baking time is 25 minutes in my oven. Yours may be different.

 

Sunshine Muffins by The Careless Cook

 

Ingredients

 

This recipe makes 24 muffins, but feel free to half it.

Grease two muffin pans or one if you’re making half the recipe.

 

2 ½ cups flour (I used unbleached, all purpose flour)

2 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

1 heaping cup chopped nuts (or more). I used walnuts, but others use pecans

10 oz frozen mango, chopped.  I chopped them while frozen and let them thaw. Here’s where you can steer your own course with any fruit that delights you, such as apples and berries

½ heaping cup golden raisins, or other raisins if you wish

1 heaping cup unsweetened shredded coconut

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil (I used Canola)

3 tablesppons vanilla extract

 

Puttin’ It Together

 

In a big bowl, mix all the dry ingredients, including the nuts and raisins and coconut, then mix in the mango.  I used my hands for mixing the dry ingredients.  Yes mama, I did wash my hands several times. Yes, I could have used gloves. Yes, let’s get on with the recipe.

 

In a separate bowl, mix well the eggs, oil, and vanilla

 

Add the liquids to the dry incredients and mix well.  Make sure to mix in ALL the flour. Flour tends to hide at the bottom of a big bowl! I used a Danish Dough Whisk. Works well and doesn’t mash things up.

 

 

I used a heaping tablespoon to fill the muffin cups about ¾ full, but a little more or less will do the job.

 

25 minutes later you will be the toast of the hungry neighbors! Recharge those Prosecco flutes and wait for the smiles!