White Bread

I have always wanted to try baking white bread but only got the chance to try it last night, probably after watching Food Factory the other day. We tested Grandma VanDoren’s White Bread Recipe from www.allrecipes.com. It has hundreds of good reviews so it is worth a try. Very few of the comments suggested using lesser sugar and yeast but I followed the recipe as is.

The wet and dry proportions were just perfect to make a nice dough. The rising times are also faster than what I have on my previous bakes. It is cooked in 35 minutes and the top is still light brown. It also slides smoothly out of the baking pan. The bread was crisp outside but very soft and fluffy inside. The scent of the yeast is “overpowering” for me so I will have to reduce it next time. I only baked one loaf and placed the two other unbaked loaves in the freezer. These need to be thawed at room temperature and let the dough rise before baking in the oven. I also managed to make small Nutella and Peanut Butter Buns and they taste great as well!

Here’s the recipe that I will follow next time.

Ingredients:

3 cups warm water

1/2 cup white sugar

2 packets (11g each) active dry yeast

3 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 cups all-purpose flour

flour for kneading

Procedure:

1. Using your stand mixer, combine warm water, yeast, salt, vegetable oil, white sugar, and 4 cups flour. Mix it well. Set aside until it becomes foamy and doubled its size.

2. Add the remaining 4 cups flour, one cup at a time. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl turning once. Cover with a plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it doubled in size.

3. Punch down the dough and knead it a few times. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal parts depending on the size of your bread pan. Shape it into loaves and place it in the prepared baking pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap until it doubled in size.

4. Butter the top or do an “egg wash” for a crispier or shinier top. It adds flavor too!

5. Bake at 175 degrees C preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Share and Enjoy,

Jane

Carrot Ribbons and Broccoli

The year is young and the time is perfect to start making healthy choices. I believe we must be intentional if we really decide to follow a healthier lifestyle, and it all starts with our grocery list. Because the food we buy are the foods that we will prepare, cook and eat. So, we are trying our best to fill our fridge with fresh fruits and green, leafy vegetables, avoid foods that are sweet, salty and oily, and to cut down on our intake of the Asian favorite, rice.

Today, I will share with you a simple side dish which you can pair with chicken pallard or a grilled fish fillet. Here it goes.

Ingredients:

2 carrots (peeled and sliced)

1 broccoli

1/2 cup green peas

Olive oil for frying

1 tbsp butter (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Slice the carrots using a peeler to create ribbons (as in the photo above). Cut the broccoli into big bite-size pieces.

2. In a skillet, heat the butter until melted and add the olive oil.

3. Sauté all the veggies until almost done. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Happy eating!

Jane