Cracked Wheat Bread Recipe (bread machine dough)

This bread is great straight out of the oven or sliced with a bumpy knife (serrated). Then placed into freezer bags, in the freezer for up to a month. Good to have fresh bread slices ready to thaw or defrost. Make a simple meal complete and happy tummies.

This recipe is from Red Star yeast website.


Ingredients:

3/4 cup plus 2 T. of water
1/2 cup cracked wheat
1 T. plus 1 tsp. veggie oil
1 tsp. salt
1 T. plus 1 tsp. sweet of  choice.
2 plus 1/4 cup bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast


Bring water to boil. Place cracked wheat in a small bowl and pour water over it. Stir and let sit while preparing other ingredients. Before using, make sure the mix is warm and not hot to the touch.


Put all ingredients into the bread machine according to bread machine directions. That is dry ingredients first and then wet. Turn bread machine on to dough and start. After about five minutes, check the dough. If it looks dry, add 1 T. water at a time. The dough should be a soft tacky ball. To wet, add 1T. of flour at a time until spongy.

Pre-heat oven to 350F

Take a bread pan out and butter or veggie oil inside of bake pan. When dough is done. place into bake pan and spread a little to fit pan. Place in pre-heated oven of 350F for 45-60 minutes. When the bread is risen and golden, take out of oven and put onto the counter. take some butter or veggie oil and bush top of bread.

You can cool in pan or while hot ( if adventurous), take a knife and slide it around the pan to dislodge bread. Tip bake pan and take out of pan. Slice bead with a serrated knife for best results.

Home made is so good and much easier using the bread machine for the dough process. It tastes better and no Bromine.

Black Grape Jam Recipe

Oh so easy and better than any store purchased grape anything.
After using some of the grapes for my sons class and eating them. I noticed they were starting to get soft and looking like they were starting to shrivel. I thought about the recipes I could make, but jam was the best and easiest. I say but because I do not like grape jam or jelly.  I did until I made home made grape jam. Jelly is of only the grape juice and jam is of the whole grape, not including the seeds. Simple right? As long as you have seedless grapes.

Take some grapes and put them into a pot. fill the pot of grapes up with water. Just to the top of the grapes. heat and bring mix to a boil. Then lower the heat to medium and cook about 15-20 minutes.

If your grapes had seeds you will need to strain the boiled mix into a Steel mesh strainer that goes into a bowl. Use a utensil to push the grape liquid and skin through.

If your grapes do not have seeds take a hand blender and mix in the pot, or cool and mix in a blender.

When the grapes are blended and de-seeded, put grape pulp and liquid back into pot. If in the pot, then keep them there. Now add some sweet of choice. Brown sugar, powder sugar, granular sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup are all good choices and will give a unique flavor. Add 1/2 a cup at a time and taste as you go. Take a lemon and shred the skin on the smallest grater holes you have on your hand grater. Or use zester of choice. I do not have the exact amount because it would very to the amount of grapes used. This is where you guesstimate, tasting along the way. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

You can put these into prepared canning jars and process or let cool and poor into glass jar or jars with tight fitted lid. Store in fridge for about 2 months or in the freezer for up to a year.

I ate toast topped with organic virgin coconut oil and my home made Black Grape Jam. The jam is so mild and delicious. I am now temped to buy a grape vine.

Ciabatta Bread Croutons Recipe

Yes, these are yummy and easy to make. I make these croutons for soups. Sprinkle on soups to give them a more hearty appeal.

Pre-heat oven 350F

It is best to get these in the discounted bread area or just buy fresh. I bought a pack of 7. Cut them into small pieces. Put into a large bowl and drizzle Olive oil in. I estimate 1/4 cup of olive oil. Mix with utensil or hands.

Pout onto one or two baking sheets and spread out evenly. Place in pre-heated oven of 350F. Bake for 20 minutes. Check the croutons after 10 minutes and mix a bit. When toasty and starting to brown, pull out of oven and set aside to cool. Use right away or place in zip lock bags or over airtight seal container. store at room temperature.

You could add spices if you want, but they are very good as is. Try making croutons with other breads.

Good on salads, soups, and general snacking.

Enjoy.