Molasses Oatmeal Whole Wheat Bread

My first recent attempt at bread in the machine was the King Hawaiian Bread. It turned out great but I wanted something more "food" like. Something a bit more robust. Maybe with a bit of fiber, too. Hubs has been reading about quinoa flour. Quinoa is pronounced "kinwa." It adds protein to your baking. It's a bit pricey, but we thought we'd give it a try. Let me state for the record that we'll never be using this in any large amount. The aroma and flavor is something like peas, mixed with RAW garbonzos, with a slice of something, grass, maybe? and it's not my idea of yummy. BUT...I feel all healthy-ish when I add a scant 1/4 cup to this bread recipe. The molasses and oats override the flavor. I wouldn't use it in the KHB, though. That flavor is quickly overwhelmed by the quinoa.

I'll say it now, the whole family LOVES this bread.

Molasses Oatmeal Whole Wheat Bread

2 cups of flour (I use all purpose, unbleached flour and never have a problem, but some swear by BREAD flour)
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup of quinoa flour (if you choose NOT to use this, just up the whole wheat flour by 1/4 cup)
1 package of yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons of the loose variety)
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons of butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg

I add all of the wet ingredients first (water, molasses, butter, egg). Next, I add the dry ingredients and then I press a dimple into the flour with my finger. This is where you place the yeast.

If we want the bread during the day, I use the rapid setting on the bread machine and we have bread in 2 hours and 50 minutes. I've also set this to be ready at 5:30 in the morning. Some worry about the egg sitting in the machine for that long, but I've never had an issue with it.

Since my loaves tend to be tall, I cut them in half, then cut starting at the corner. Makes for even, although not equal, slices.  This is particularly good toasted.

After we slice it, we store it in the refrigerator in a zip-lock bag. With no preservatives, this will mold on the counter...if it lasts that long! 

Yes, the family rating for this is:

Roasted Veggies

At one of the Chinese restaurants that our family likes to visit, they have these green beans that are heavenly. Kind of crispy and roasted, with some garlic bits stuck to them.

A google search and I had the basics of making some of my own. When I shared a post on Facebook that a friend had posted, I was told that ANY veggie can be roasted. You know I had to try it.

I've roasted fresh green beans twice and frozen ones twice. And they all disappeared quickly.

Today I'm trying frozen broccoli and a yellow squash. It smells so good! This is going to be one of those recipes where nothing is set in stone...or measured out exactly.

Roasted Veggies

A bag of frozen broccoli (or a stalk of fresh, cut into pieces)
One medium yellow squash (or a zucchini!) sliced thin

In a bowl mix together about 1/4 cup olive oil and a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic (and I did use a TABLE spoon, not a measuring spoon. You can add more or less garlic to taste. We LOVE garlic, so the more, the better)
Put a couple "grinds" of sea salt and fresh pepper (I have a salt grinder AND a pepper grinder)

Toss the veggies in the oil mixture and spread on a cookie sheet
Sprinkle with "some" Parmesan cheese, use your best judgement about how much ;)

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes
Stir the veggies around at 15 minutes

Now, you can use ONE kind of veggie or mix and match. I've used fresh green beans and also a bag of frozen. It was all good. This combo (the broccoli and yellow squash) was quite lovely.

My best guess is that if you use FRESH brocoli, the pieces would be more "crunchy." But I have to say, this with the fresh squash and frozen brocoli was really tasty.

The Family gives this

FIVE out of FIVE!

King Hawaiian Bread

 

Although I've owned a bread machine for something like fifteen years, it's been living in a cabinet in my garage for about fourteen of those years. I've moved it from Germany to Oklahoma, to Florida, and then to two more houses in Oklahoma.

A recipe for King Hawaiian Bread, made in a machine, caught my attention recently and I pulled the dusty machine out. Got it all cleaned up...and made bread. That was about twelve loaves ago!

There really is nothing like the smell and taste of fresh, hot bread.

The recipes that I saw for KHB were all white and I wanted to give ours a bit more "food value" so I (say it with me) tweaked the recipe.

King Hawaiian Bread

1 cup warm water
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (you can use low or no fat, but I use the REAL stuff)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups white flour (I use unbleached)
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

I put the wet ingredients in my bread machine first
Next I put the flours
Last, make a dimple with your finger in the flour and put your yeast there

Because we can't wait, I use the "rapid rise" setting on my Hitachi Bread Machine and in 2 hours and 50 minutes we have a fluffy, yummy loaf of bread.

To cut it in manageable pieces, I lay it on it's side and cut it in half. Then I start cutting at a corner and make slices. Yes, this won't make nice even pieces for sandwiches, but we don't mind eating odd shaped ones!

The family rating for this is...

 

FIVE OUT OF FIVE!

I'll be posting my Whole Wheat Molasses Oat Bread in the next day or so. It's yummy, too!