Sunday, February 12, 2012

Turkey Salad

Try this one for leftover turkey (or chicken).  It's really flexible!

Original

3/4 lb cooked Turkey
2 stalks celery
2 green onions (or some other onion)
1/2 red bell pepper
3 T mayo
2 T Dijon Mustard
1 T cider or rice vinegar
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1 t sugar (or skip depending on your mustard or vinegar selection)

Finely chop (or pulse in food processor) meat and vegetables.  Add remaining ingredients.  Enjoy on crackers, in sandwich, or in a wrap.  (Note that this recipe gets better with age!)

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Sandwich Bread

This is the recipe I use for sandwich bread.  Usually I knead it in my mixer and bake in my oven, but it is actually a bread machine recipe (2lb).  There is also a 1.5lb version if you want me to type it up.  If you make it in the bread machine, go by the manufacturer's directions of ingredient order, etc.  These directions cover how I make it "by hand".

Combine and allow to rest until double:
1 c. water (110*F)
2 T sugar
2 1/4 t active dry yeast

Combine in a second container:
1 egg
Enough water to equal 1/4 c (about 2T water)
2 T molasses

Combine in your mixing bowl:
3 c. bread flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 1/2 T sesame seeds
1/2 t cumin seeds (so yummy... don't skip)
2 T sunflower seeds
(Note: I sometimes measure enough for multiple batches and keep the other batches in the fridge.  They need to come to room temperature before using.)

Whisk the two wet ingredient mixtures together and then add to the dry ingredients.  Stir to combine.

Using dough hook, knead for about 10 minutes (until it passes the window pane test).

Let rise (in place, if you are lazy) for about 1 hour (sometimes a little more) until it does not bounce back when poked.

Gently punch down and divide in half.  Shape and place in 2 loaf pans and allow to rise about 45 minutes (until double in size).

Preheat oven to 450*F.  Use a serrated knife to score the top of the loaves.  Place in oven for 10 minutes.  Turn down to 350*F and allow to cook about 17 minutes more.  Loaf is done when it pulls away from the pan and/or reaches about 200*F internal temperature.

Freezes well (after cooling).