Homemade Milk Bread sort of from Joy of Cooking

Homemade Milk Bread #food #bread, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

If you aren't familiar with the bread making process I suggest you check out the Joy of Cooking from the library and look up the full instructions. I am not good with the details of the process.

3 T of Warm Water (105-115 deg F)
1 PKG of Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
Add your yeast to the warm water and let set. Be careful not to overheat your water.
Let set 5m

While it was doing its yeasty thing, I prepped the next step, and put in my handy dandy stand mixer with dough hook. Don't have a stand mixer get your arms warmed up for Grandma's got great arms workout!

Heat 1 Cup of Milk (this is not the time to reach for the skim milk either, go with 2% or higher), heat it to 105-115 deg F.
Melt 5 T of Unsalted Butter
3 T of Sweet (white sugar, or honey)
1 t of Salt (optional to me, however the recipe doesn't make it an option)

After the 5m mark on the yeast, mix in mixer, or with a wooden spoon in bowl, for 1m. All the above ingredients with yeast & water mix.

Then slowly add
2 C of AP Flour or Bread Flour or Whole Wheat Flour (if you do whole wheat, use honey instead of sugar above)

Let it mix away happily in your mixer.. or if your doing it like Grandma feel the burn in those arms.

When it starts to come together, add 1-1/2 Cups to 2 Cups of AP Flour or Bread Flour (if you used whole wheat before, I strongly suggest you opt for a white flour on this go around).

You want to slowly add that flour and watch for the dough to pull away from the bowl and leave the bowl clean. Thats when you know you have enough flour..

If your working it my hand, there will become a point when the bowl is pain and you will be able to begin working it on the counter, the dough will be tacky but not sticky. If your not sure what it should feel like, consult a bread book. Once you do it a couple of times, you'll just know.

Now, once you have added all the flour that you can-- let mixer knead the dough for 10m.
If your kneading by hand, you will know, but it should be roughly about the same. Do not abuse your dough, pull then push and fold and repeat a lot.

While its going in the mixer prep your bowl to rise in coat with butter, and after 10m put bread in a neat ball with a little butter on top. Cover and keep in a warm spot (75deg), for 1 hour or until doubled.

If your working it the old fashion way, once your done kneading you can leave it to rest on the counter with a clean tea towel over it. Or do the same as above.

Now after its rested, there is no more machine work.

Several people say punch, but you don't have to be so mean. Push the air out of the dough and peal out of the bowl and work on a lightly floured surface for a few mins, work into the shape you desire, make sure when you put it in to your pan or rolls or whatever, seam side down.
This will fit into a 9x5 loaf pan. and yes you should grease with butter.

Ok, once you have it shaped cover and let rest for and hour to hour and half. Once again, double in size.

Melt 1-T of butter and let cool while its rising. Also at some point begin to pre-heat your over 375deg F.

Once your ready coat your bread with the cooled melted butter and put into your preheated over for 35-45m, or until you tap it and it sounds hollow.

Let rest in pan on its side for 10m. Then you can pop out and let cool for 10m more, then you can cut your nice warm slice of bread.

Most books say to let cool completely, but seriously who does that?

Sunday Morning Breakfast: Fresh Peach Dutch Baby #breakfast

Sunday Morning Breakfast: Fresh Peach Dutch Baby #breakfast, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

Dutch Baby
1/2 C Milk
1/2 C Flour (AP)
1/4 C Sugar
2 Lg Eggs
Mix together, add any flavorings you wish, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, etc...
Melt 2 T of Butter in a medium 8-10in oven proof skillet, we use cast iron.
Add batter to the melted butter and let cook on stove 1 m
Put in pre-heated 425deg F oven for
10in pan 12m
8in pan for 15m
It will fit either, and just depend on how thick you want your pancake.
If you want fruit put it on as it comes out of the oven.

Coconut Cream Poke Cake with lite frosting

Coconut Cream Poke Cake with lite frosting #cake, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

This was cake recipe I found on Pintrest. It was pretty basic, make box cake (white), after it comes out poke it all over with a fork and pour can of cream of coconut over it, let cool. Here's the part I changed... it called for just a tub of Cool Whip over it, yes that is ok, but what if you could make it better?
I have used this frosting recipe before and it is always a hit!
1 Cup of Milk (2%, Skim, whole, whatever you fancy).
1 Pkg of Pudding (for this cake I used vanilla, but I have used chocolate)
Mix with a whisk for 2 min, then fold in 1 small tub of Cool Whip.
Now for coconut cake I did add coconut extract 1tsp, and some shredded coconut.