Time for me to get baking and cooking. Happy New Year!!
Chuck and I have been with family for almost 3 weeks now and I really haven't cooked much at all. Not sure why, but now I am getting itchy fingers and I want to start cooking something. I am thinking about the bread here in the first picture, but I want to add something else to the middle I am not sure yet what it will be but I do love to make this kind of bread where you add something in the middle of the bread and roll it up and slice it down the middle and twist it. So this is on my list so far. Next is the good ol fashion Monte Cristo Sandwich. But maybe I will change something in the sandwich. Oh and some new kind of Coffee Cake would be good to. So I will start the New Year with gaining wight I guess. Oh well. This is what makes me happy. Cooking!! Happy New Year!!
Pesto Bread
Pretty Pesto Bread
Deby Hogue
I really loved the way this bread turned out. I put mine on a small cookie sheet to cook it. The recipe said to put in a 10 in. bread loaf pan. I thought it was way to nice looking to squish in the pan. I twisted the two pieces together. So here it is, in all it's spread out glory. Garlicy, Basily and bready. Not even very hard to make. I found this recipe on Baked by Rachel.
Ingredients:
Loaf: 1 1/4C water 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 1 tsp granulated sugar 1 1/2C all purpose flour 1C white whole wheat flour 1 tsp fine sea salt 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
Pesto: 2C packed fresh basil 2 cloves garlic 1/2C Parmesan 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
Directions:
Heat water to 115°F. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Allow yeast to proof.
To the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with dough attachment, add flour and salt. With mixer running on low, slowly add yeast mixture. Increase speed to medium high, mixing until dough comes together in a clean ball. Shape dough into a smooth ball, transfer to a lightly greased large bowl. Cover and allow to rise for one hour or doubled in size.
Meanwhile, prepare pesto sauce in a food processor. Blend together basil and garlic. Add cheese, blending quickly. With lid on and food processor running on low, slowly drizzle in olive oil.
Roll out dough on a silicone counter mat into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. Spread pesto sauce out to 1/2-inch from edges. Starting at one of the shorter sides, tightly roll up dough, pinching edges as you go. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice completely through dough, end to end. Braid dough. Carefully transfer to a lightly greased 10-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Lightly cover and allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 190°F.