Cinnamon Crunch Bread

On By sarafillmerIn Bread, BreakfastLeave a comment

I have come to enjoy baking fresh bread, but often times my family doesn’t eat it before it goes stale so it feels a little bit wasteful. I can happily report that this bread was so delicious that it was devoured in no time, which means it can go on the website! It tastes just like the cinnamon crunch bagels at Panera. Recipe and photo courtesy of sallysbakingaddiction.com.

Dough:

  • 1/2 cup  buttermilk, warmed to about 110°F
  • 1/3 cup water, warmed to about 110°F
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted + slightly cooled
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups bread flour, plus more as needed for hands/work surface

Filling:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, extra soft
  • 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

To prepare the dough, add all the dough ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. (If you do not own a mixer, you can mix this dough with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle.)

Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if using the paddle) and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.

For the 1st rise, lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1.5-2 hours or until double in size. I like to use the proofing setting on my oven, but if you don’t have that capability, put the bowl on the top shelf of your oven and fill a baking pan with boiling water and set it in the same oven on a lower rack. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

Once the first rise is complete, punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 9×15 inch rectangle (approximately). Spread softened butter all over the top of the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border uncovered. The softer the butter is, the easier it is to spread in this step. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly all over the butter.

To shape the loaf, tightly roll the dough into a 15-inch log. Place the log on its seam. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise. I find a serrated knife works best. Criss-cross one half on top of the other half—forming an X. Tightly twist the two together. Pinch the outer edges to seal as best you can. Place in prepared loaf pan and cover with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. (This step can get a little messy!) Allow the covered loaf to rest for 30 minutes. It will slightly rise during this time.

Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any cinnamon/sugar that may drip down. Preheat the oven to 350°F. For the cinnamon crunch topping, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together. Spoon over loaf right before baking. Bake until golden brown and, when gently tapped, the top of the loaf sounds hollow, about 45-55 minutes. The top browns quickly as it bakes, so tent the entire loaf with aluminum foil. (I usually place foil on top after about 20 minutes.) Remove finished bread the oven and place on a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and cool loaf on the wire rack. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Leftover slices taste delicious when warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds. Topping tends to lose its crunch after a day or 2.

Christmas Jam

On By sarafillmerIn Breakfast, Side ItemLeave a comment

I had a large amount of cranberries to work through at the end of last year and found this recipe on Instagram. The jam is the epitome of the holidays and was so easy and delicious. Photo courtesy of therusticelk.com

  • 16 cups washed cranberries
  • Zest from 1 orange
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 6 cups chopped strawberries
  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 8 cups sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon clove
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Once the the berries start bursting, process with an immersion blender, or in batches in a normal blender. Boil for 5 more minutes.

At this point you can fill your sterilized canning jars, about 8 pints. I used a steam canner for 20 minutes, but if you don’t live at altitude you only need to pressurize for 10-15 minutes.

Really Really Good Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

On By sarafillmerIn Cookies, DessertLeave a comment

After Christmas my husband and I went to purchase my favorite tea from a local restaurant and while we were waiting, we perused the bakery case. Front and center was an oatmeal raisin cookie and my husband immediately asks me to make some when we get home. The recipe I found proclaimed it to be the “best”, but according to the hubs we have not tried every single oatmeal cookie recipe and therefore cannot say that, hence the “really really good” moniker. Recipe and photo courtesy of http://www.thegeneticchef.com.

  • 1 1/2 cups raisins, I prefer golden
  • 2 sticks salted butter
  • 3 cups oats
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan (4 quarts works), melt the butter then stir in the raisins and oats. Set aside to cool. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs with the sugars and vanilla. Add the flour and the oats to the sugar mixture and stir together with a spatula or wooden spoon. Scoop up golf ball size rounds (2 tablespoons) spacing about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until cookies are light golden. Repeat with remaining dough and cool on racks.

Root Vegetable Stuffing

On By sarafillmerIn Side ItemLeave a comment

I have made this stuffing recipe a handful of times over the years and am just now getting it on my website! I never liked stuffing growing up and I didn’t know why. As I got older, I realized I really didn’t like the flavor profile of sage, and that is the predominant herb in most packaged stuffings. In my quest to find a non-sage stuffing option I came across this recipe from Giada and it was a hit. Chock full of vegetables and not a hint of sage to be had.

  • 5 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, (at room temperature, (2 of the tablespoons cut into 1/2-inch pieces))
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 medium carrots, (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
  • 3 medium parsnips, (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
  • 2 large leeks, (white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced)
  • One 1-pound butternut squash, (halved, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, (unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
  • Zest of 1 large lemon
  • 8- ounce loaf sourdough bread, (cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups))
  • 3 large eggs, (at room temperature, beaten)
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, (thawed)
  • 3/4 cup vegetable stock
  • 5 ounces (2/3 cup goat cheese) coarsely crumbled, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13 glass or ceramic baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Grease a 12×15 piece of foil with 1/2 tablespoon of the butter. Set aside. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the carrots, parsnips, leeks, butternut squash, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to soften, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining olive oil, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the thyme, allspice, apples and lemon zest. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and cool slightly. In a large bowl, toss together the bread cubes and eggs until coated. Add the cranberries and apple juice concentrate. Add the vegetable mixture and toss to coat. Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining butter pieces on top. Pour the vegetable stock over the top and cover the baking dish with foil, buttered-side down. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is slightly crisp and brown in spots, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Let the stuffing rest 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle the goat cheese on top if using, and serve.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

On By sarafillmerIn Cookies, DessertLeave a comment

I found this recipe years ago and saved it on Pinterest but somehow never got around to adding it to my site. That oversight is now fixed and I don’t have to scroll through my Pinterest boards trying to find it any longer! The ricotta makes these cookies so soft, and the lemon flavor is just enough without being overpowering. It is a hit to whatever gathering I bring it to! Recipe and photo courtesy of justalittlebitofbacon.com.

Cookie

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp table salt
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter, cool room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup ricotta, whole or part skim
  • 1 large egg
  • lemon zest from one lemon

Lemon Glaze

  • 1 tbsp cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cups (8 oz) confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tbsp colored sugar, optional

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a standing mixer with the flat beater, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add the ricotta, egg, and lemon zest mix until thoroughly blended. Pour in the flour mixture and mix on low until just blended, but with some dry flour remaining. Use a large silicone spatula to give the dough a couple of quick turns. Transfer the dough to the refrigerator and chill for 20-30 minutes.

While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 350. Using a medium cookie scoop, fill your cookies sheets, keeping in mind that these cookies won’t spread very much. Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until you see the edges just starting the brown. The tops won’t look very dark, but you want the bottoms to lightly brown. Let them cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

Once the cookies have cooled, whisk together your glaze ingredients and dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze. You want the glaze to be on the thinner side, but not runny. Sprinkle with sanding sugar if desired.

Peach Salsa

On By sarafillmerIn Side Item, SnackLeave a comment

My son’s football team had a peach fundraiser this past summer and as a result we ended up with over 30 pounds of peaches to be processed. While some turned into canned peaches and peach pie, my husband found this peach salsa recipe and it was seriously good. I’ve continued buying peaches while they are still in season so we can enjoy it until the very last minute. My family doesn’t like spicy things so this salsa is mild, but you can easily make it spicier by incorporating different peppers or including the seeds.

  • 3 ripe, peeled peaches, about 2 cups
  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalepeno, seeded and minced (leave the seeds if you want more heat)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped peppers (we have used Anaheim or shishito)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbs agave or honey
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the peaches, red onion and peppers in a medium bowl. Whisk together the lime juice and honey/agave. (I like to heat up this mixture to loosen the honey so it incorporates better.) Gently stir in the lime juice mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Let it it sit for 5-10 minutes to marinate the flavors and enjoy! This salsa is perfect for chicken or fish, but we enjoy it best with tortilla chips. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Middle Eastern Inspired Chicken Kabobs

On By sarafillmerIn Entree, Gluten-FreeLeave a comment

We have done a fair amount of hosting this past fall and having quick finger foods people can munch on is one of my favorite things to have on the buffet. I found these kabobs on Pinterest and the recipe came together quickly and tasted delicious. Just make sure you leave enough time for the skewers to marinate. Recipe and photo courtesy of onceuponachef.com.

For the Marinade:

  • 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce to ½ teaspoon for less heat)
  • Zest from one lemon
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced

For the Skewers:

  • 2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, folding if the pieces are long and thin, alternating with the red onions. (You can use wooden skewers, just be sure to soak them for 30 minutes before using). Be sure not to cram the skewers. (Note: You’ll need between 6-8 skewers.) Place the kabobs on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the marinade all over the meat, coating well. Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Make sure to grease your grill with Pam or vegetable oil before putting your skewers on. Grill the chicken kabobs until golden brown and cooked through, turning the skewers occasionally, 13 to 15 minutes. (The yogurt marinade makes these kabobs prone to sticking to the grill grates; if necessary, use a metal BBQ spatula to scrape underneath the kabobs and release them.) Transfer the kabobs to a platter and serve.

Guacamole

On By sarafillmerIn Appetizer, Gluten-FreeLeave a comment

I’m not typically a huge guacamole fan, but we were hosting friends for dinner and I wanted to have some dip options so after a quick Google search I found this recipe. It was delicious and I ate more of it than I ever do of a guacamole recipe so here it goes onto the website. Recipe and photo courtesy of loveandlemons.com.

  • 3 avocados, ripe
  • 1/4 cup diced onion (red or white is fine)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • Zest and juice of 2 limes
  • 1 small jalapeño pepper, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin,
  • optional: 1 to 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the tomatoes and mash with a fork until all ingredients are combined, but not completely smooth. Fold in the tomatoes if using. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Flourless Secret Ingredient Chocolate Cake

On By sarafillmerIn Dessert, Gluten-FreeLeave a comment

I saw this recipe on my Instagram feed, and since I was craving chocolate figured it was worth the shot. If you are intrigued by what the secret ingredient is I’m about to blow your mind. It’s BLACK BEANS! The recipe comes together super fast in a blender/food processor and doesn’t taste like beans in the slightest. I made our version with vegetable oil, but next time I’m going to try butter. This time I paired it with the one minute frosting from my Depression Cake, which was delicious, but perhaps a tad too rich so I’ll switch to a lighter frosting when I make it again. Recipe and photo courtesy of thepancakeprincess.com.

  • 1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed* or 1 3/4 cups cooked black beans
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 5 tablespoon melted butter or oil of your choice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 5 tablespoon cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line 2 6-inch round cake pans* with parchment paper. In a high speed blender or food processor, puree the beans, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until completely smooth. Add the cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda directly to the blender and blend until smooth. Divide batter equally into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top springs back. Let cool for 5 minutes before flipping the cake onto a cooling rack. Make the frosting as the cake cools completely. Frost with the frosting of your choice.

*If you are like me and don’t have two 6″ pans, you can use a 8×8 or 9×9 and it works just as well.

Homemade Dog Treats

On By sarafillmerIn PetLeave a comment

It’s the beginning of 2025 and in -apparently- long standing tradition I’m ready to upload a bunch of recipes that I’ve been making over the last several months. I don’t know how it has evolved to this cadence but at this point I’m just going to embrace it and finally get some stuff posted. Hurray! The first recipe (and photo) is one for homemade dog treats and it comes from one of my favorite websites, cookiesandcups.com. You can make them into any shape you want; over Christmas I cut them into miniature holiday shapes; but this does take longer to do so basic squares also works great.

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin or applesauce (my pups love both kinds)
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter*
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, measured in liquid state
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (or 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour)
  • 1/4 cups quick oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, or stand mixer, and mix until the dough comes together. Turn out on to a lightly floured, flat surface and roll into a rough rectangle approximately 1/4″ thick. Cut into any shape you like, re-rolling the dough as many times as needed to use it all up. The shapes won’t really spread so you can pack in as many as you think will fit on the sheet. Bake for 17-20 minutes, depending on the size of the treat. You want them to be well baked and crunchy. Let them cool completely and then set out overnight so they dry out before storing them in an airtight container.

*If you use natural peanut butter then your dough will be drier so just pay attention and use a little less flour if needed. You want it to be able to stay together when you roll it out.