In the last 10 minutes of the bake cycle I brushed the top with melted butter. OH the aroma of fresh baked bread filling the house. I know my family is going to be so happy to get home this afternoon.

From start to finish, this loaf was made by the bread machine in 4 hours. Wheat flour has a strong flavor and thicker texture. For a loaf of wheat bread you will find recipes using 100% wheat flour or half wheat flour, half bread flour. I decided on this one because it is 1 part wheat flour to 2 parts bread flour. I wasn’t quite sure what “Light” meant but now I know, it was just the color of it!

You are probably wondering about the dry milk in the recipe. Why is it in there? I read that it helps to stabilize the bread. If you want to omit it, I really don’t think it would be a problem, you can omit it all together. You could even replace all of the water in the recipe with milk. But for now, I’m following all bread recipes EXACTLY as written. I’ll save my creativity for cooking contest entries. I’ve learned over the years that following the recipe exactly is how to get the good results you want.

“Dry Milk (or milk powder) is a way of enhancing the dough to: Make a softer loaf (due to the milkfat acting as a tenderizer by interfering with gluten production) Add flavor to the loaf. Enhance browning of the crust due to the potential caramelization of the milk sugars.”

Even though this recipe is named, “Light”, it is still pretty earthy and dense. The bread machine is practical, especially if you are making bread once or more a week. It’s most important setting is the process of proofing, which can be troublesome for new bakers.

I’m loving this machine but missing my oven. When I used to make croissants and bagels, I’d hook a heating pad up with a small extension cord and turn my oven into a proofing box.

I really want to get my hands sticky and shape some bread. On to the next!

Winter approaches. We are ready to snuggle in for a long winters nap. Bread is baking and the sweet smell fills my kitchen. This is Fall, my favorite season. I love Spring too. In the Fall though, time Falls back and gives us a minute to reflect and be thankful. Ahh, the fragrance of bread baking! (more…)

The Top 75 Recipes From Around The Country is out and I’m so tickled to have my recipe for Holiday Cookie Butter Cookies appear in the book.  Page 29. What an honor to have my creation selected from over 4,000 entries. I will be at the Topeka Barns & Noble store promoting the book and offering some tasty samples this Sunday, Oct. 18th at 2pm. Stop by and  get your copy!

I haven’t entered many contests over the past couple of years, but when I saw the billboard at the Barns & Noble Cafe that day,  I had to enter. (more…)

Warm or Iced, cinnamon and more fragrant spices are stewed in a pot releasing flavors galore and then sweetened with Bob’s Red Mill Evaporated Cane Juice Sugar. Top your tea with almond milk for a healthy added twist. (more…)

Brunch Week continues! We are whipping up some fantastic ideas for Mother’s Day.

THEN: I was reading through the May of 1985 Gourmet Magazine, sigh, the memories. Rest in Peace Gourmet Magazine (1941-2009). A restaurant review featured a photo of delicately carved strawberries into roses-there wasn’t a recipe with it or instructions. There was another recipe in the magazine for strawberries with a “Rum Chantilly” cream, but it had some other fruits, so I decided to take the best of both ideas and marry them into one recipe. (more…)