The Cookbook

[George K]

Whatcha cooking?

[Optimistic]

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/pane-bianco-recipe

So I´ve had this recipe on hand for a few years now, wanting to get back into cooking my own bread. Now that I have a little extra time, and tomorrow is supposed to be a little warmer, I´m thinking it´s about time to get back into the habit of making my own bread. Apparently, everybody else things the same, because you have to fight for a bag of flour and a packet of yeast anymore!

[Optimistic]

Oh man. Just LOOK at that bread.

[Mik]

Opti, that looks great.

I tried to cook gnudi tonight but they don't seem to be ready. Will try again tomorrow .

So in a pinch I did shrimp with sun dried tomato alfredo over spaghetti.

[mark]

That looks awesome!

[brenda]

Yum! Pics when you're done baking yours, please.

[George K]

https://www.spendwithpennies.com/slow-cooker-spaghetti-bolognese/

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients
*2 tbsp olive oil 4 garlic cloves , crushed
*2 onions , diced
*2 lb ground beef
*1 cup red wine such as a cabernet sauvignon or merlot (or chicken or beef broth)
*2 x 28oz canned crushed tomato
*4 tbsp tomato paste
*3 beef bouillon cubes , crushed
*2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
*3 tsp dried oregano
*2 tsp dried thyme leaves
*3 dried bay leaves
*2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
*1 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook until translucent and sweet - around 7 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet and increase heat to high. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned. Cook in 2 batches if your skillet is not large enough. Transfer to slow cooker.

Return skillet to the stove, turn the stove down to medium and add red wine. Bring to simmer and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet into the wine, then pour the mixture into the slow cooker.
Add remaining ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6 hours.

Spaghetti

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the spaghetti until just before al dente (still slightly firm). Remove 1 mug of the water from the pot, then drain the pasta.
2. Return the pasta to the pot and add 2 1/2 - 3 cups of Bolognese Sauce, plus 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Toss gently over medium high heat for 2 minutes, or until the Sauce has thickened and coats the spaghetti. (Note 3)
3. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

[Optimistic]

My Pane Bianco did not turn out as great as I´d hoped, but it´s hard to not enjoy anything slathered in cheese, basil, and sundried tomatoes. I still need to play around with yeast dough. It used to be so easy--but then again, that´s when I lived in a hot place.

Brenda, how´s your flour supply lately?

[brenda]

@Optimistic
You're absolutely right about that combination being yummy no matter if it's not like the pictures. A baking experiment can still be darn delicious.

Doing fine here for flours.
All-purpose flour = about 30 pounds
Bread flour = about 30 pounds
Whole wheat flour = about 15 pounds
Other specialty flours = about 15 to 20 pounds

Should get another pound of yeast soon. That keeps fine in the freezer.

[brenda]

@Optimistic said in The Cookbook:

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/pane-bianco-recipe

So I´ve had this recipe on hand for a few years now, wanting to get back into cooking my own bread. Now that I have a little extra time, and tomorrow is supposed to be a little warmer, I´m thinking it´s about time to get back into the habit of making my own bread. Apparently, everybody else things the same, because you have to fight for a bag of flour and a packet of yeast anymore!

Opti, that's a great recipe. I can see why it caught your attention. I think I have to try this technique and the whole recipe. I also think the technique would make a lovely cinnamon bread with the swirled design. So many possibilities.
Thanks for posting this!

[Optimistic]

@brenda
Impressive! I figured you would be well-stocked-up on supplies !

[mark]

@brenda said in The Cookbook:

@Optimistic
You're absolutely right about that combination being yummy no matter if it's not like the pictures. A baking experiment can still be darn delicious.

Doing fine here for flours.
All-purpose flour = about 30 pounds
Bread flour = about 30 pounds
Whole wheat flour = about 15 pounds
Other specialty flours = about 15 to 20 pounds

Should get another pound of yeast soon. That keeps fine in the freezer.

Nice! We have 10 lbs of all purpose and 5 lbs of whole wheat.

Down to two packets of yeast because it is in short supply everywhere. I used to buy yeast in jars but haven't in a few years.

King Arthur has a 3-4 week delivery time on flour. I put an order for 10 more lbs.

Yeast is "Put on Wish List" status.

Sourdough starter FTW!

[Optimistic]

@mark
I´ve been checking their stock periodically the past three weeks or so. They seem to be replenishing every once in a while, but then selling out again quickly. I was able to make an order two weeks ago, but it only just was shipped the other day

[89th]

SPINACH PANCAKES

You’d be surprised how good these are. A little sweeter and healthier than normal pancakes but my wife loves them. You can taste most of the ingredients in each bite.

Ingredients
1 cup old-fashioned oats (use gluten-free oats if needed)
1 cup spinach, packed
1 ripe banana
1 egg or flax egg
1/2 cup milk of choice – regular, coconut, almond, hemp, etc
2 tablespoon oil – coconut or olive
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a blender, place the oats and pulse on medium speed for 30 seconds or until oats are a chunky flour consistency. You will blend them all the way up in the next step, so the oats don’t have to be perfectly even right now.

Add in the spinach, banana, egg, milk, oil, cinnamon and vanilla extract and blend on high for 30-60 seconds or until batter is completely smooth and the spinach is completely broken down, scraping down the sides of the blender if needed.

Add in the baking powder and salt and blend on low for 20 seconds.

Heat a non-stick pan or pancake griddle over medium to medium-low heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until tiny bubbles appear on the outside of the pancake. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes. If batter gets too thick, add in a tablespoon at a time of milk and re-blend until you have the right consistency.

Transfer pancakes to a cooling rack and repeat the process until you have used all of the batter.

Note: Bacon and Hash Browns optional

[Mik]

Spinach is good for you. MFR is still asleep so I snuck out to the car where I was hiding the stuff. Assembled Easter baskets for MFR and The Princess. Just little ones with a solid chocolate bunny and some jelly beans.

And of course that fake grass. Sadly on one the jelly beans all got kind of lost in the grass.

[brenda]

You're a good poppa!

[Mik]

Thanks, Brenda.

[xenon]

We upped our pizza game this weekend.

Learned that our gas oven goes up to almost 600. That plus a good pizza dough recipe translated into great results:

Breakfast pizza Saturday morning:

Pizza stone is still on the way. Curious how that’ll change things

[George K]

@xenon that looks beyond wonderful.

Is that sour cream?

[xenon]

Thank you George!

Poached eggs