Almost No-Knead Rye Bread

While Marbled Rye is a favorite, it is labor intensive. This simple-to-made Almost No-Knead Rye Bread was very good in our Reuben sandwiches. 

Almost No-Knead Rye Bread

2 cups (1o oz.) bread flour

1 cup (5.5 oz.) rye flour

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water, room temperature

6 tablespoons mild-flavored beer

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1. Mix the flours, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl.
2. Add the water, beer and the vinegar. Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture to combine ingredients, scraping up the dry flour from the bottom of the bowl.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.
4. Lay an 18x12-inch sheet of parchment paper on the counter and spray it with the vegetable oil spray.
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough 10 to 15 times. Shape the dough into a ball by pulling the edges of the dough into the middle.
6. Transfer the dough, seam side down, to the center of the oiled parchment paper and spray the surface of the dough with the vegetable oil spray. Pick up the dough by lifting the parchment paper overhang and lower it into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Let any excess parchment paper hang out over the edge of the pot. Cover the pot loosely with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.
7. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Remove the plastic wrap from the pot. Lightly flour the top of the dough and using a sharp knife or a razor blade, make one 6” long, ½” deep slit along the top of the dough.
8. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Heat the oven to 425°. Bake the bread for 30 minutes. Note: Bread is placed into a cold oven; set the timer for 30 minutes at that point —do not wait until the oven preheats.
9. Remove the lid from the pot and continue to bake the bread until the loaf is a deep brown and registers 210° on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the bread, about 20 to 30 minutes longer.
10. Using the parchment paper overhang, carefully remove the bread from the pot. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely, about 2 hours.

Creamy Apple Pie Salad

Dessert or a honey-infused side salad? Either way, this is a yummy variation of a Waldorf salad, made with a cream cheese and yogurt-based dressing. Make a family sized portion or use the dressing on just one apple for a salad for just two! 

Creamy Apple Pie Salad 

Dressing

4 oz. lower fat cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (start with less & add to taste)

Pinch ground nutmeg

Pinch kosher salt

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

Salad

About 5 or 6 apples such as Jonathon, Pink Lady, Gala, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith or a combination of varieties, skin on, cored and chopped 

1/3 cup chopped walnuts 

1/3 cup dried cranberries (raisins) or raisins

Fresh mint, chopped + leaves for garnishing

1. In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until light and fluffy; fold in the sour cream and vanilla, gently stirring by hand until smooth. Chill the dressing until you are ready to serve the salad.
2. Place the chopped apples into a large serving bowl along with half of the walnuts and cranberries. Top with the prepared cream cheese dressing, tossing to coat all the ingredients evenly. NOTE: For us, I cut up one apple at a time, added dressing and nuts to finish off a salad for just two! 
3. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts and cranberries over the top; chill the salad. Add chopped mint and then garnish with mint leaves when ready to serve. Salad is best served within 3 to 4 hours for best results. 

            

100% Whole-Wheat Honey Bread

Inspired by a bag of a bag of white whole wheat flour from Farmer Direct Mill near New Cambria, honey from Labertew Apiaries, and a recipe provided by Karen Hanson in the Summer 2022 issue of Kansas Farm Bureau’s Kansas Living magazine, I made this 100% whole wheat loaf of bread.

It had a high volume, a nutty and appealing taste. Like most whole wheat loaves, it was denser and heavier than a loaf of white bread. 

I made the loaf according to the recipe but increased the yeast to 1 (1/4 oz.) package +  added 2 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten. Since it's a concentrated wheat protein, just a tablespoon or two of vital wheat gluten improves bread’s elasticity and creates a better crumb and chewiness in the final product.

Made a few other changes including  baking the bread until it registered an internal temperature of 190 to 200° F. (on an instant-read thermometer) about 15 to 20 minutes longer than the original recipe indicated. 

By the way — White whole-wheat flour is made from hard white spring or winter wheat which has the exact same nutritional value of whole-wheat flour (made hard red wheat), but because of the variety used, has a milder flavor and paler color.

 

100% Whole-Wheat Honey Bread     Makes 1 standard (0x5-inch) loaf

1 3/4 cups warm water (105 to 115° F)

2 tablespoons honey

1 (1/4 oz.) pkg. active dry yeast (scant 1 tablespoon)

3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour; more as needed as dough is kneaded to prevent sticking

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Mix the warm water, honey and yeast in a stand-mixer bowl; let stand a few minutes until it becomes foamy.
   
2. Add half the whole wheat flour, olive oil and salt to the mixture. Mix with a spatula, wooden spoon or Danish whisk until incorporated. Let sit for one or two minutes.
   
3. Mix with a dough hook attachment on low speed, slowly adding the remaining whole wheat flour, increasing the speed to high. Mix on high until the batter is combine and not sticking to the sides of the bowl, about 7 minutes. Add additional flour as needed.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan by spraying for lining with parchment that has been sprayed.
6. Lightly flour a work surface; place dough on prepared surface and shape into a loaf. Place in prepared loaf pan.
   
7. Let shaped dough sit in a warm place until it has risen over the top of the pan, about one hour.
   
8. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° F. 
9. Bake in the preheated oven until top of the loaf sound hollow when tapped and internal temperature of the loaf registers between 190 to 200° F., anywhere between 35 to 50 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack for about an hour before slicing. 

Recipe without photos . . .

100% Whole-Wheat Honey Bread     Makes 1 standard (0x5-inch) loaf

1 3/4 cups warm water (105 to 115° F)

2 tablespoons honey

1 (1/4 oz.) pkg. active dry yeast (scant 1 tablespoon)

3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour; more as needed as dough is kneaded to prevent sticking

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Mix the warm water, honey and yeast in a stand-mixer bowl; let stand a few minutes until it becomes foamy.
2. Add half the whole wheat flour, olive oil and salt to the mixture. Mix with a spatula, wooden spoon or Danish whisk until incorporated. Let sit for one or two minutes.
3. Mix with a dough hook attachment on low speed, slowly adding the remaining whole wheat flour, increasing the speed to high. Mix on high until the batter is combine and not sticking to the sides of the bowl, about 7 minutes. Add additional flour as needed.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan by spraying for lining with parchment that has been sprayed.
6. Lightly flour a work surface; place dough on prepared surface and shape into a loaf. Place in prepared loaf pan.
7. Let shaped dough sit in a warm place until it has risen over the top of the pan, about one hour.
8. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° F. 
9. Bake in the preheated oven until top of the loaf sound hollow when tapped and internal temperature of the loaf registers between 190 to 200° F., anywhere between 35 to 50 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack for about an hour before slicing. 

Meatball Stroganoff

A tasty comfort food meal that is relatively quick-and-easy when you rely on frozen meatballs.     

         

Meatball Stroganoff   Serves 4 to 6 

2 tablespoons  butter

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

3 cups sliced button mushrooms 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 to 2 cups beef broth

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 to 1 cup sour cream depending on preference (I used 1 cup)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill

16 to 24 small, cooked meatballs 

For Serving: Cooked egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes

1. Melt the butter in a large low pan/skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft.
2. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until most of the lquid cooks off.
   
   
   
3. Sprinkle mixture with flour, stir to coat and cook 1 minute more
   
   
   
4. Add 1 1/2 cups beef broth, bring to a simmer and cook the liquid begins to thicken. Add additional broth as/if needed during the cooking process.
5. Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire, Dijon, sour cream and dill; still until evenly blended.
   
   
   
6. Add the meatballs and simmer (do not boil) with lid on for 5 to 7 minutes or until meatball are heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.  
   
   
   
7. Serve the meatball stroganoff with noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
   
   
   

Recipe without photos . . . Meatball Stroganoff   Serves 4 to 6 

2 tablespoons  butter

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

3 cups sliced button mushrooms 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 to 2 cups beef broth

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 to 1 cup sour cream depending on preference (I used 1 cup)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill

16 to 24 small, cooked meatballs 

For Serving: Cooked egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes

1. Melt the butter in a large low pan/skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft.
2. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until most of the lquid cooks off.
   
3. Sprinkle mixture with flour, stir to coat and cook 1 minute more
4. Add 1 1/2 cups beef broth, bring to a simmer and cook the liquid begins to thicken. Add additional broth as/if needed during the cooking process.
5. Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire, Dijon, sour cream and dill; still until evenly blended.
6. Add the meatballs and simmer (do not boil) with lid on for 5 to 7 minutes or until meatball are heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.  
7. Serve the meatball stroganoff with noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.

Oven Baked Breakfast Sausage Links -- no muss, no fuss!

I wanted to cook links to use in Sausage Kolaches and decided to try this method.  No splattering, no standing over the skillet—no muss, no fuss!

Oven Baked Breakfast Sausage Links

Sausage Links

Parchment Paper

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking pan with parchment 
2. Space links on parchment so they are not touching.
3. Place in the middle of the oven and bake about 20 to 30 minutes (dependent on size of sausages), turning them half way through. Internal temperature should reach 165°. 

Anna’s Lots of Lemon Squares — Cake Mix Cookies

Anna Gugler's cake-mix cookies are always a hit with Barry. First it was her Spicy Butterscotch Cookies. Now,  it's her Lots of Lemon Squares that have him begging for more!

Luckily, she willingly shared her recipe, but aware that cake mixes have shrunk in size over the years, she even provided an adjustment:

If a recipe calls for an 18.25-ounce cake mix and all you call finds is a box mix ranging in size from 15.25 – 15.5 ounces, add the following:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

 

By the way, those Lemon Squares were also a big hit at the latest Ladies Literary League meeting as well.

 

 

Anna’s Lots of Lemon Squares — Cake Mix Cookies Yield: 13 x 9-cake pan

Crust

1 (18.25 oz.) lemon cake mx

1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts (or almonds)

1/2 cup butter, melted

 

Topping

4 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 

 

Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top, optional

1. Crust — In a large bowl, combine cake mix, hazelnuts and melted butter; mixing until well blended. 
2. Press firmly into prepared pan. 
3. Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden browns.
4. Topping — In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and lemon juice until well blended.
5. Add flour, baking powder and zest. Mix well.
6. Pour over hot crust.
7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until set and light goldens.
8. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. 
9. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. 
10. Cut into squares.