Thursday, July 7, 2016

Bread Baking Tips

Hi all!  I'd thought I would share some of my favorite zucchini recipes with you, now that many gardens and grocers are well in supply this time of year.  Out of the few zukes that my husband brought home from our garden, I've made two loaves of quick bread and a wonderful variation of a spaghetti carbonara with zucchini in it.  (The Carbonara dish is my very own creation, and will take me a little longer to post since the sauce and measurements are from scratch. But since I was asked to make it again, I'll have another opportunity soon!-stay tuned)    

The quick bread recipe came from none other than my first cook book by Betty Crocker.  Feel free to skip directly to the recipe here Betty Crocker's Zucchini Bread, or look below for helpful tips and tricks for bread making.

Or, if your in the mood for something more savory, give the Slow Cooker Risotto a try.  You'll enjoy a satisfying dish that is cooked in the crock pot.   Sausage Mushroom Risotto


Tips and Techniques for Bread Making success: 

- Grease only the bottom of the loaf pans. Greasing the bottom allows the batter to climb and make the classic domed top shape.  I usually take the extra step and flour in addition to greasing each time to avoid a loaf sticking. Trust me, there is nothing more frustrating than waiting for a loaf of bread for an hour and half of it sticks to the pan.... :/.  

- Prepare all fruits, vegetables and nuts prior mixing dough

- Batter mixed by hand will prevent over worked, tough bread.

-After the bread pan has cooled,  I usually take a knife with a slim blade (like a steak knife) and run it around the perimeter of the pan before inverting, to help it release.

-Most breads can be tightly wrapped in foil and stored in a freezer safe Ziploc bag for up to 6 months

Pan Conversions:  


If you are cooking in metric,  visit http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html

Mini Loaves: 

Fill pan with water.
Pour water into measuring cup.

1/3C Water         approx. 1/4CBatter    Bake at 350degrees for 15 to 20 minutes
1/2C Water                       1/2CBatter                                          15 to 20 minutes
2/3C to 3/4C Water          1/2CBatter                                          25 to 35 minutes
1C Water                          3/4CBatter                                          35 to 40 minutes

Thanks for stopping by!