English Muffins

This is a post I've been working on for a looooong time, believe it or not!  I wanted to make sure that I had enough information to share, since English muffins aren't typically something a person has made before.  I have now made these probably a couple dozen times.  The summary of why I make these, if you don't read the whole post- they are delicious and significantly cheaper than store-bought!

The breakfast my husband has most days before work (when the rest of us are still sleeping) is an egg sandwich- with a baked egg patty, reduced-fat sausage patty from Costco, a little grated cheese, and an English muffin.  Seeing as how I make most of our other bread products, I decided to tackle English muffins, as well.  I found this recipe from Alton Brown (Mr. Good Eats) and it works very well!  I altered it very slightly.

The only equipment I needed to buy to make these was English Muffin Rings.  I tried making this recipe using other things as rings, like some suggest, but these work FAR better- and were only 8 bucks.  I have saved more than that already!  Besides that, it is helpful to have a covered electric skillet (good for maintaining even heat) and a large cookie scoop for even portioning.

Last thing- I have made variations of this, as well.  I normally make them with half wheat/half white flour, and sometimes I make them with a little extra sugar and cinnamon.  It's a pretty flexible recipe!

The equipment ready to go

The dough is so wet, it's almost more like a batter

I cook 4 muffins at a time

Finishing up cooking on the 2nd side

You can read more about these muffins on Food Network's website, here.

Price Breakdown
Yeast 5¢
Powdered Milk 36¢
Sugar 1¢
Salt <1¢
Canola Oil 3¢
All-Purpose Flour 12¢
Wheat Flour 16¢
Water- Free
TOTAL = 73¢ per batch of 8 English Muffins

Weight of one batch: 1 lb. 5 oz.
Price per ounce: 3.5¢

Comparable store-bought English muffins: $1.68 for 14 ounces = 12¢ per ounce

Price Comparison per ounce: 3.5¢ homemade vs. 12¢ store-bought = 71% SAVINGS!

English Muffins
Printable version here

2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast (1 packet)
1 1/8 tsp. granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. canola oil (or other neutral-flavored oil)
2 cups flour (I use 1 cup each all-purpose and wheat)

1. In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine and set aside to rest:

• 2 1/4 tsp. yeast
• 1/8 tsp. sugar
• 1/3 cup warm water

2. Meanwhile, combine in a large bowl and stir until dissolved:

• 1/2 cup powdered milk
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 cup hot (but not boiling) water

3. Once yeast mixture is a little bubbly, pour into milk mixture and whisk to combine. (Make sure the milk mixture isn't too hot, as yeast die at temperatures above 130º)  Add to this mixture and stir:

• 2 cups flour

4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes. (I like to turn on my oven for 1-2 minutes while I'm preparing the dough, then I let dough rest in there.)

5. Preheat griddle to 300º (when I use wheat flour, I set the heat just a little under that).  Remove plastic wrap and stir dough thoroughly.

6. Place metal rings onto griddle and coat lightly with nonstick spray. Using large (3 tbsp.) cookie scoop, place 2 scoops into each ring and cover with a lid.  Cook for 4 1/2 to 5 minutes, flip (I like to use 2 flat spatulas for this), then recover and cook 4 1/2 to 5 more minutes. (I do 4:45) Cool on a wire rack, split with fork, and serve.

Yield: 8 muffins
Storage: Store in an airtight container (or zip-top bag) at room temperature for up to 3 days.  Freeze for longer storage.
Recipe Source: Alton Brown/Food Network

Why I love it? Let's see, they're INFINITELY fresher tasting than the kind you buy in a store, there are no preservatives, you can customize them (with different types of flour, using additional seasonings like cinnamon, etc.), and like I said above- SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper! If you're still reading, I will say- these were a little frustrating to make until I got the hang of it, but after making them a few times I figured out what works best, and now I love making them!  Let me know if you have any questions!

Garlic Breadsticks

For someone who used to be "afraid" of yeast recipes, they are now one of my favorite things to make.  Nothing compares to the smell of warm yeast bread, straight out of the oven!  The taste can't compare to store bought bread, they're healthier (less sodium & preservatives), and they're cheaper!

So, it's a no-brainer to me that I would make my own breadsticks.  I had not found a breadstick recipe that I LOVE until I came across this one!  They are soft, buttery, and garlicky! I cut the original recipe in half to make the amount that my family eats in one dinner, but you could certainly adjust the recipe size to fit your needs.

Recipe Source: Adapted from allrecipes.com 

Garlic Breadsticks
Printable version here

In a small bowl, combine and let rest for 15 minutes:

• 1 tsp. instant yeast
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. warm water

Meanwhile, combine the following in the bowl of a stand mixer:

• 2 1/4 cups flour (I normally use half wheat flour & half all-purpose flour)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp. butter, softened

 Add the yeast mixture to the bowl (the yeast should be dissolved and puffy).  Knead on speed 2 for 5 minutes.  Remove bowl from mixer, cover with a towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Remove dough from bowl and place on a nonstick mat or a lightly floured surface.  Divide into 8 portions, and roll each portion into a stick shape (mine were 8" long).  Alternately, roll into a rectangle and slice into 1" thick portions using a pizza cutter.  Place on a greased baking sheet (I grease it with some of the butter that I have out for the recipe).  Cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.  Let rise for 1 hour.

Towards the end of the rising time, turn on the oven to 375º.  Also, combine in a small bowl and microwave until melted:

• 1 1/2 tbsp. butter
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Brush on the risen breadsticks.  Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.  Brush remaining butter mixture over the breadsticks, then sprinkle with kosher (or regular) salt.

Yield: 8 breadsticks
Recipe Time: 2 hours (or just under)

Why I love it? It is a soft, flavorful, easy to make breadstick! The texture is great, they browned nicely, and really we just all loved them!

Simple Yeast Rolls

These were the first homemade rolls I ever made.  I forget where I got the recipe, but it seemed easy enough- no kneading, and no special equipment.  Just this intimidating ingredient called... yeast!

Yeast is not hard to use, you just have to remember a few things about it.  There are two different kinds- regular (called active dry yeast) and instant, a.k.a. rapid rise.  I always use the rapid rise kind; it's less finicky.  It can be added directly to the rest of the ingredients, whereas regular/active dry yeast must first be "proofed" by adding it to warm water and letting it sit for a few minutes.  This is the kind I normally buy (it's a 1 pound package):

 The other thing to remember about yeast is that since it is an actual living organism, it will die if added to liquid that is too hot.  You want the liquid warm enough to help activate the yeast (if the water is cold, the dough will rise very slowly) but not too hot- around 120-130º is ideal.  If you don't have a thermometer, that temperature feels very warm but not hot.

Now I bake with yeast all the time.  I make bread, breadsticks, pizza dough, cinnamon rolls, artisan-type bread, you name it!  If you have any yeast questions, just ask!  I'm pretty comfortable working with it.

After stirring the dough, it's a sticky mess, but that's okay!  Just cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.










 

Cutting the dough into 12 pieces

  

The dough has been rolled into balls; now they are sitting on the parchment, ready for the 2nd rise

 

Simple Yeast Rolls
Printable version here

2/3 cup water
3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 small package instant yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1 egg, beaten
2 cups flour (such as 1 c. each white & wheat)

1. In a medium mixing bowl, microwave water until it boils.  Add butter, sugar, and salt, and whisk to combine.  When butter has melted and mixture has cooled slightly (to around 120º), add yeast and egg; stir. 

2. Add flour to mixture and stir until combined.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap.  Let rise in a warm place* (or on countertop) for 30 minutes.  Roll out dough in a circle on a floured surface.  Cut into 12 wedges, and roll into balls.  (If dough is too sticky to handle, sprinkle a little more flour on it.) Place on a greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet.  Spray a piece of plastic wrap with nonstick spray and loosely cover the dough with it.  Let rise another 30 minutes.  While rising, preheat oven to 400º.

3. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  If desired, rub butter over the top of baked rolls.

* One way to make a warm rising spot is to turn on your oven for 1-2 minutes, then turn it off.  Let the dough rise in here.

Note- it takes about 1 hour 40 minutes to make these, start to finish.

Why I love it? It is a good way to practice working with yeast- it doesn't require the kneading that most yeast recipes require.  The ingredients are simple, and I like that there are no preservatives or any other strange ingredients in it.  We like having these with dinner, and the next day they're still good for things like making little sandwiches. 

Cranberry Oat Bread

This bread has turned into one of my family's favorites!  It's healthy (low sugar, low fat, and whole grain)- but it doesn't taste healthy, know what I mean?  It's flavorful, hearty, and moist.  We love it with dried cranberries and pecans, but you could certainly swap those out for other ingredients if you'd like. 

In other news, I've been enjoying this summer with my kids & husband.  Since we finished our homeschooling year last month, we have: celebrated my oldest son's 8th birthday, done a lot of yard work/projects, gone swimming several times, and celebrated mine & my husband's 10th wedding anniversary!  We left the kids with the grandparents for 2 days and took a weekend trip to Victoria, BC.  It was great to get time away!  This is us eating lunch at a nice little pub.  It was fun not having to worry about if they had a kid's meal! :)

Cranberry Oat Bread
Printable version here

3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or other small dried fruit)
1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional

1. Combine the oats and buttermilk in a medium-sized bowl.  Stir to mix well, and set aside (only until it's needed in the next step- if you wait too long, too much of the liquid will have been absorbed).

2. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl, and stir to mix well.  Add the buttermilk mixture and vanilla, and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Fold in the fruit and nuts.

3. Coat an 8x4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.  Spread the batter in the pan, and bake at 325º for 40-42 minutes, or just until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. (Alternately, you can turn this into 12 muffins, baked at 350º for 18 minutes.)

4. Remove the bread from the oven, and let sit for 10 minutes.  Turn the loaf onto a wire rack, and cool before slicing.  Serving suggestion- this bread is great toasted and spread with cream cheese.

Recipe source: adapted from "Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking"

Why I love it? It's lowfat, hearty (but not dense), and flavorful!  I just love this bread with cream cheese.  It keeps fairly well, and I have also frozen it for later.  Like most quick breads, it freezes and thaws wonderfully!

Trail Mix Muffins (Mix in a Jar)

 

Just like my last post, here is a "Mix in a Jar" recipe.  I made both these and the oatmeal chip cookie mixes to give away as gifts to my MOPS group.  I got to keep one of these jars for myself, and I so enjoyed making it this morning- I wasn't even fully awake yet, but this was so easy I could get these going for the kids!

These muffins are pretty much what the name sounds like- full of goodies like what you would find in trail mix. (The only thing missing, according to my 5 year old, is M&M's!)  They have dried fruit, coconut, nuts, and some good whole grains.  But even with all that, they're still pretty light & fluffy.

Trail Mix Muffins (Mix in a Jar)
Printable version: Recipe
Printable version: Sheet of 6 gift tag instructions

Jar ingredients
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup old fashioned (or quick) oats
1/3 cup raisins (or other dried fruit)
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup wheat germ*
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour (I use 1 cup all purpose & 1/2 cup wheat)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Additional ingredients
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup applesauce (or you can substitute an additional 1/4 cup oil)
1/2 cup water
2 eggs

1. In a 1-quart glass jar, layer the sugar, oats, raisins, coconut, wheat germ, nuts, and brown sugar, packing well between each layer.  Then in a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and add this to the jar.  Press down to fit. Cover and store in a cool dry place.  Yield: 12 muffins

2. To prepare muffins- Empty jar into a large mixing bowl, blend dry ingredients thoroughly.  Add oil, applesauce, water and eggs, and mix until just blended.  Fill 12 standard size muffin cups (use liners or nonstick spray).  Bake at 350º for 21 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.

* I get wheat germ at any store with a bulk food section.  Here is an article that lists other substitutes for wheat germ, if you don't have (or can't find) it.


Why I love it? Well I like the fact that it fits in a jar, and it's a pretty tasty muffin.  It has a lot of different flavors & textures.  Plus, it's much healthier than muffins you can buy!  I actually feel good about feeding this to my kids for breakfast.

Herb Focaccia Bread

I found this recipe a few months ago on my favorite blog (here), and it has become a favorite at our house! It has turned out well every time I've made it. We've had it as a side for Italian food, roast chicken, and more.

Brushing with olive oil before baking


All done & golden brown!


Herb Focaccia Bread
Printable version here

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast (or 1 packet)
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
3/4 tsp. dried rosemary (or 1 tbsp. fresh, chopped)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme (or 1/2 tbsp. fresh, chopped)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. olive oil (plus more for topping)
1 cup warm water

1. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix in the herbs. Add the garlic, water and olive oil and mix until the dough comes together. Switch to the dough hook if using, and knead for 4-6 minutes (adding additional flour only if necessary- the dough will get less sticky as it kneads). The dough should be soft and pliable but not overly stiff. Likewise, it shouldn't leave a lot of sticky dough residue on your fingers. The goal is a soft, supple dough.

2. Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes, until it is puffy. Gently deflate dough and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 425º. Lightly grease a large, rimmed baking sheet and with your hands, spread the dough out into roughly an 8x10 inch rectangle. Use your knuckles or fingertips to make indentations over the dough, about every 1/2 inch. Lightly brush dough's surface with olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

4. Immediately after removing from the oven, brush 1 more tablespoon olive oil over the bread, and sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp. salt. Cut into pieces and serve. Best when eaten the day it's made.

Why I love it? Mainly because it is delicious- the herbs and olive oil are fantastic together! It's a nice soft bread, and the steps are pretty simple. Plus, you just can't buy fresh, hot bread like this from a store!

Rosemary Potato Olive Oil Bread

I tried a new recipe at dinnertime last night. For some reason this sounded really good- Rosemary Potato Olive Oil Bread. I've never had it before, but I was pretty sure it would be good! I searched Google and found this recipe here- it's a blog written by someone named Megan.

(Side note- here's my cutie Megan wearing an apron I just made her. She'll be 3 next week!)


Anyway, this bread wasn't hard to make, and it turned out great! All five of us devoured it! I'm going to write the recipe exactly as I made it, but you can also look at the post I found it from, or this site (the original source for the recipe) for more explanation.

*I just made it again, and found two things to add. One is the time it takes to make this- not counting the time to make the mashed potato, it takes 2 1/2 hours start to finish. Plus, you would need to add about 1/2 hour of cooling time. I thought I started this early enough in the afternoon, but it ended up being ready a little too late for dinner. So for me, I'd want to start it around 2:30 to have ready for dinner at 5:30.

Also, I found that it is still good the next day. I didn't mean to do this, but I baked it on Friday and we ate it for dinner on Saturday. After it cooled, I stored it in a paper bag (I'm sure plastic would be fine too). Then when I wanted to eat it the next day, I heated in on the oven rack at 300 degrees for maybe 10 minutes. It tasted exactly like it did the first time! I didn't mean to do it that way, but it's good to know! :) The leftovers also make great toast!

Mashed potato & olive oil mixture







Rosemary Potato Olive Oil Bread
Printable version here

1/2 cup mashed up potato
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
2/3 cup wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/8 tsp. instant dry yeast (half a package)
1 tsp. dried rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup potato water (or regular water), warm

1. In a small bowl, mix together the potatoes and olive oil until smooth. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), combine all dry ingredients. Next add the potato mixture and the warm water; stir. Knead on speed 2 (or by hand) for 8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic, adding small amounts of water or flour if needed to form a soft dough (mine didn't need any extra).

3. Place dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. (I turn my oven on for a minute or two while the dough is kneading, then I have a slightly warm place for the dough to rise in.)

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times. Form into a ball, pulling the dough to the underside of the ball to help form a smooth top. Pinch the dough closed on the bottom. Place the dough on a lightly greased baking sheet & sprinkle lightly with flour. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

5. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 400º. If the dough was in a bowl, flip it right-side up on the baking sheet, greased or lined with parchment. Using a sharp knife, make 3-4 diagonal slits in the bread to make a criss-cross pattern (or two slits to make an X). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let cool (at least slightly) before slicing.

Yield: One medium loaf

• For the potato, I used one Yukon gold. I peeled & cubed it, and cooked it in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover it. Once it was soft, I drained it, saving the liquid. Then I mashed the potato until it was completely smooth.
• You could use all white flour, I just chose to use part white/part wheat.
• Feel free to use fresh rosemary if you have it.
• You can also double the ingredients to make a larger loaf. When I did that, I made it in a rounded rectangular shape with 3 X's on top.
  

Why I love it? It is so soft and flavorful! It smells amazing, too! It would be a perfect accompaniment to just about any meal.

Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

Today I looked online for a new roll recipe (as if I don't already have more recipes than I need...) and found this one. I found it here at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I cut her recipe in half (the original recipe calls for 8 cups of flour), and it made enough for 2 dinner's worth- about 20 rolls. We had half for dinner, and I stuck the rest in the fridge (unbaked) for later.

Cut the dough into wedges, then roll up into a crescent shape


On a greased baking sheet, ready to rise


All finished!


Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
Printable version here

Yield: 20 rolls

1 1/2 cups buttermilk at room temperature
3.5-4 cups flour, divided
1/2 tbsp. yeast dissolved in 2 tbsp. warm water (let it proof for 2-3 minutes)
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten (I forgot to add this and they were fine)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp. baking soda

1. Mix the buttermilk, 1 1/2 cups flour, and yeast/water mixture together thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Let stand at room temperature until double in size, about 2 hours (mine took 1 1/2 hours).

2. To this mixture, add sugar, eggs, salt, 2 1/4 cups flour (I did 1 1/2 cups wheat flour & 3/4 cup all-purpose), and baking soda. Mix well and knead for 7-10 minutes. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time if the dough is really sticky.

3. Divide dough into two halves. On a pastry mat (or a lightly floured countertop/cutting board), roll out each half into a flat disc, about 10 inches across and 1/4" thick. Cut into 9-10 wedges. Roll into a crescent shape and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap (that has been sprayed with nonstick spray), and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled. Repeat with the 2nd disc of dough.

4. Bake at 350º for 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter if desired.

*Optional- you can put some of this dough in the fridge for up to 1 week, and bake it later. I baked one pan of rolls the first night, and put the rest of them (shaped, covered with plastic wrap) in the fridge. To bake later, I'll just need to let them rest on the counter until doubled, about 2 hours, then bake.

Why I love it? They're just nice, soft rolls, and they weren't hard to make. The kids practically fought over who got the last one! They were good dipped in beef stew, and it was also delicious topped with apple butter.

Buttermilk Blueberry Coffee Cake

The other day I was trying to find a use for my buttermilk before it went bad, and I found this recipe by searching allrecipes.com. It had great reviews, and it did not disappoint! I reduced the amount of sugar a little bit. I will definitely make this one again- maybe even tomorrow!





Buttermilk Blueberry Coffee Cake
Printable version here

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Topping
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
2 to 3 tbsp. butter

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease and flour an 8x8 inch pan (or a 9-inch round pan); set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla.

3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4. In a small bowl (or food processor), combine remaining flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on top of batter.

5. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Set pan on a wire rack to cool. Covered with plastic wrap, this stays fresh for several days. Reheat leftovers if desired.

Why I love it? It's fairly easy, and I normally have the ingredients on-hand. The kids and I all loved it (except for my picky eater, who said it wasn't good, even though he didn't even try a bite!). It's not too bad health-wise, for a breakfast cake! It's just soft, tasty, and I like the slight tang from the buttermilk.

How to Slice Bread

I've had people ask me how I get bread sliced so nicely, so I thought I'd try to explain it. I think it's combination of a few things- using a good recipe (this bread has a good consistency- not too dense or too soft), I wait until it's all or mostly cool before slicing it, and I use a middle-of-the-road serrated bread knife.

I had my son take this picture the other day when I was slicing bread. I hold onto the end of the loaf with a few fingers while I'm slicing that piece; I think it helps me to cut it straighter. I cut one slice at a time, then make a stack of the cut pieces. I store them in a bread container in stacks like this (with maybe 5-6 slices in each stack). That way the bread doesn't lean & fall over when it's stored- that used to bug me.



That is this whole wheat bread recipe, my favorite one!

Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

I got this recipe out of a low-fat cookbook. I had never made it until today, when I was trying to find something to take to a friend with many dietary restrictions (including no eggs, dairy, or nuts). I wasn't expecting much out of them, but they're actually pretty good! The ingredient list is super simple.



Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies
Printable version here

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg*
2 cups regular oats

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Spray cookie sheet with non-fat cooking spray or line with parchment paper; set aside.

2. Stir together applesauce, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended in a medium-sized bowl. Gradually stir in oats until well blended.

3. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. (I used my small (1 tbsp.) cookie scoop, and when I got a scoop of the oat mixture, I pressed it into the scoop with my finger to help pack it in. That made the cookies hold together better.)

4. Bake for 16 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 25 small cookies

** Freshly grated nutmeg is best, and really easy. I just buy a nutmeg from stores that have a bulk spice section (like Fred Meyer or WinCo), and one nutmeg lasts me a long time. It's amazing how much more fragrant it is freshly grated! I didn't measure how much I used in this recipe, I just estimated.

Why I love them? Well, the main reason I like this recipe is because it's very allergy-friendly. Even not counting that, they're just really good! It uses ingredients I always have, is really quick to make and is good for an easy snack for me & the kids. It's fat-free and has fiber (and sugar, so I wouldn't eat a whole batch of them).

Whole Wheat Bread- Tutorial

My whole family has fallen so in love with this bread recipe (the same one in the picture above), and I've made it so many times that I don't have to look at the recipe anymore. It's the best whole wheat bread I've ever had. It's soft (but not too soft), healthy, and delicious. Anyone who says whole wheat bread has to be heavy or dense has not tried this one. :) So, I decided to take pictures of each step of the recipe, in case anyone wants a little guidance on how to make bread. (This recipe uses a stand mixer. I know you can also make bread by hand, but I don't have experience with that.)

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below. :)

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine all of the dry ingredients (see link above for recipe). *I make several batches of dry ingredients at a time, and store them in containers like this one (a quart size yogurt container). Pour into mixer bowl & stir (with paddle) to combine.


Pour water in a microwave-safe measuring cup. (I used 1 cup of water, since it's summertime. You use more in the winter.) Then I pour in 1/4 cup each of honey and vegetable oil. I found it's easiest to measure them all in the same cup- so rather than measure your water in one cup, and the honey & oil in another (while trying to scrape the honey out of the measuring cup), you just use one.


Microwave (mine takes about 30 seconds with room temperature water), then stir a little. The water is ready if it's between 110-120 degrees.


With mixer running, slowly add in liquid.


Once the dough is just combined, stop the mixer. The dough will look like this. Take off the paddle, cover bowl with a towel, and let it rest for a few minutes (5-10).


Put on dough hook, and knead on speed 2 for 8 minutes.


Dough looks like this after kneading- it's fairly sticky and might not seem done, but don't add any more flour unless it's super sticky- too much flour will make your bread dry. (It's okay for the dough to feel tacky, but if it sticks to your hands when you try to form it into a ball, add a tablespoon of flour and knead again briefly.)


When you pull off a small piece of the dough, and stretch it thin with your fingers, it should be a little transparent, like this. If it breaks before looking like this, knead it a little more (1-2 minutes at a time).


Take dough out of bowl, gather it into a ball, and pinch the ends under, like this. This becomes the underside of your dough ball, and when you flip it over, the top should be smooth.


Lightly grease a large bowl with a little bit of oil or nonstick spray; place dough in the bowl. (This is my 2-quart mixing bowl, and it's a good size for this) Cover with a piece of plastic wrap.


Place bowl in a slightly warm spot to rise. (I turn on my oven for a minute or two, turn it off, then put the bowl in. You want it a little warm for good rising, but not hot.) Rise until puffy, but not necessarily doubled in size, about 1-2 hours. In my warmed oven, I do 1 hr 15 min. While rising, grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 (or 8 x 4) inch loaf pan. I put my hand inside a ziploc bag, and spread the Crisco that way. Make sure to get every part of the pan.


Dough is done with the first rise


Dump out the dough onto a lightly oiled work surface (I started using my pastry mat recently for this, and it works well with no need for extra oil or flour). Flatten gently with your fingers. Pat/spread it into an 8" wide rectangle. (Note- don't oil the surface too much, otherwise your dough won't roll up properly, and you'll have big air pockets in the bread.)


Starting with the 8" side, roll up the dough into a log. You want to roll it up tightly, but don't push too hard.


Pinch the end of the roll (on the bottom) together like this, then pinch the side ends together (and tuck them under the loaf if you can).


Roll over, and you have a shaped loaf!


(This next step is optional, if you want the top of your bread to look more interesting) Sprinkle some oat bran on your work surface, next to your loaf. Roll the dough into the bran, pushing down a little to help it stick.


Place dough in greased loaf pan (you want it to touch all 4 sides, or come close to it).


Cover loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and put in a warm place for its final rise. You want it to rise until the center has crowned about 1" above the rim of the pan. For me, this takes about an hour.


Towards the end of the rising time, remove the dough to the counter or stovetop, and preheat the oven to 350º. Here it's done rising & ready to bake!


Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (mine takes 35) or until loaf registers 190º on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center. (If your bread is getting darker than you'd like, tent it lightly with foil after 20 minutes of baking.)


Run a thin spatula around the edges to help loosen the bread


Turn it out onto a rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing (if you can!). I often set mine in the microwave while it's cooling, so nothing (like flies or small children!) disturbs it. You can also put it in a paper bag. Just don't seal it up until it's cooled. (Tips on slicing the bread are in this post.)


Here it is, a soft, delicious, homemade whole wheat bread! You can't get this from a store! You'll even want to eat the crust & the end pieces. :)


I store mine in a plastic bread container after slicing, but you could also store it in a large ziploc bag. Enjoy, and happy bread-making!

(PS- Thanks to King Arthur Flour for this great recipe!)