I have made it every week for about a month now and it has turned out lovely each time.  Today was the day, I felt, for something completely different.




 

Back home I always loved the Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread you could buy at the shops.  I wondered if I could replicate it.  

It was lovely with a cinnamon flavoured dough  . . .  studded with sticky raisins and then a swirl of cinnamon inside so that when you cut into it you got a nice cinnamon swirl through every slice.


 

I used the basic recipe for the perfect white bread but added some ground cinnamon, some vanilla and lots of raisins to the recipe.  As you can see it rose beautifully.

I tried not to overdo it with the raisins and they all stayed inside the loaf so we did not end up with any burnt raisins sticking out here and there.  

I was happy about that.  When I was ready to shape it, I patted it out, spread it with butter, topped it with some brown sugar and cinnamon and rolled it up tightly.





I don't think that I actually needed the butter, the cinnamon and brown sugar would have probably worked well in any case.  

But it did make the filling a bit gooey, which was nice also.  This is an almost to the end piece that you are looking at . . .

I can promise you it is a lot more swirled in the centre of the loaf than what you see here, and it is absolutely flipping gorgeous toasted!

2 tsp ground cinnamon

 

Dissolve the yeast in the 178ml (3/4 cup) of warm water, stirring.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Add the remaining water, vanilla, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, sugar, salt, room temperature butter and 625g (5 cups) of the flour, and the raisins, stirring to combine.  Using a wooden spoon stir in the remainder of the flour a little bit at a time until the dough is soft and tacky, but not sticky.  Continue to knead until a soft ball of dough forms that clears the side of the bowl. This will take about 10 minutes.  Not a problem. Just put some music on that you love listening to and lose yourself in the music as you knead.  Shape into a smooth ball and place in a lightly greased bowl.  Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm draft free place for  45 minutes to 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.  A finger inserted into the dough should leave a hole that doesn't fill back in.  Tip out onto a lightly floured surface.  Gently press all over to remove any air pockets. 

Divide the dough into two.  Pat each half into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle.   Spread each half with softened butter.  Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle half over each loaf, leaving a border around the edges. Working from the short edge, roll tightly into a cylinder.  Pinch any seams shut and tuck in the ends.  Generously grease two  9 by 5 inch loaf tins.  Place the cylinders of dough into them seam side down.  Cover loosely and place into a draft free place to rise, once again until doubled in size.  30 to 45 minutes.
Brush the loaves with some melted butter.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating it halfway through the bake time until the loaves are golden brown all over and the bottom sounds hollow when lightly tapped.  Let stand for 10 minutes, tip out onto a wire rack and turn right side up, brush with the remaining melted butter and allow to cool completely before slicing.  Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.  Alternately it can be frozen for up to one month.

I am really enjoying this bread baking learning curve I am on. I was quite pleased with the results of this experiment, although I probably could have rolled it a bit tighter I think, but no matter . . .  it tasted fabulous!  Bon Appetit!

I was thinking of the lovely Easter Breads my Aunt Thelma used to bake and send over to us when I was a girl.  They were so sweet and light . . .  slathered in icing with candied cherries on top.   They were just gorgeous.    

When I was growing up in Canada, weekends  would often bring Baked Bean Suppers. These would be held at Church Halls, Volunteer Fire Dept Halls and Community Centers all through the beautiful Annapolis Valley where I lived. 

There were not too many people who could resist the temptation of a Baked Bean Supper, cooked by all the best cooks in the community.

These were fabulous social occasions and wonderful fund raisers.  People got to enjoy a really tasty and filling meal, catch up on all of the local gossip and help to raise funds for local needs all at the same time.  

They have always been win/win/win situations!

There would always be plenty of delicious food on offer.  Oven Baked Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Home Baked Beans, pickles and relishes, home baked brown bread, usually an apple pie or crisp for dessert and plenty of tea and coffee to go around.  

Brown Bread and Beans . . .  a marriage made in heaven.

 

Brown Bread is one of those fabulous breads that goes wonderfully with the soups, stews and bakes of colder weather.  

It's delicious and wholesome . . . and lightly sweetened with molasses and sugar . . . the molasses helping to give  it that characteristic golden color and beautiful flavor.

I've never been really good at baking yeast breads myself . . . I don't think I have the kneading power to make it really light and fluffy.  My ex husband used to bake all our bread and our kitchen table would dance across the kitchen floor under his ministrations . . . and his bread was lovely.



I can make batter bread though, which is a lot easier and takes no needing.  This recipe for Brown Bread is a Batter Bread.  You simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl, let it rise, stir it down, pop it into two bread pans, let it rise again and then bake it.



Your reward??  A delicious, nicely textured, wholesome bread that your family will love.  And it is perfect with Baked Beans of any kind . . . stews and soups too.

 *Brown Batter Bread*
Makes 2 loaves
Printable Recipe


A beautiful golden colored bread with a delicious, slightly sweet flavor, and fine crumb.  Perfect with soups, stews or baked beans!

2 tsp granulated sugar
125ml of warm water (1/2 cup)
8g of active dry yeast (1/4 oz packet)
300ml of milk (1 1/4 cups)
60ml of molasses (1/4 cup)
50g of granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
115g of butter (1/2 cup)
2 tsp salt
2 large free range eggs, at room temperature
325g of whole wheat flour (2 1/2 cups)
300g of plain flour (3 cups)
2 tsp softened butter to brush on top of baked bread

Stir the first amount of sugar into the warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over top, and let stand for 10 minutes.  Stir to dissolve the yeast.

Scald the milk in a saucepan.  Remove from the stove and stir in the molasses, sugar, butter and salt.  Allow the butter to melt, then cool the mixture down to lukewarm. (To scald milk place it in a saucepan and heat just until bubbles appear at the edges.)  Stir in the yeast mixture.  Pour into a large bowl and then beat in the eggs.  Gradually beat in both flours.  Cover with a greased piece of cling film and a clean tea towel.  Let stand in a warm place for about 1 1/4 hours until doubled in size.  Stir the batter down and then divide the batter between 2 well greased loaf tins.  cover with the greased cling film and the tea towel again and let rise for 1 hour longer, until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/gas mark 5.  Bake the loaves for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they sound hollow on the bottom when turned out of the pan.  Turn out onto racks to cool, brushing the warm tops with the second amount of butter.  Once cold, store tightly covered.


.

1 TBS butter, melted

Oil for frying

For the filling:

1 TBS olive oil

1 pound of ground turkey

1 (400g) tin of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice (14 1/2 oz tin)

1 (400g) tin of black beans, drained and rinsed (14 1/2 oz tin)

1 medium brown onion, peeled and chopped

1 green chilli, trimmed, seeds discarded and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

2 tsp mild chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp oregano flakes

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

a splash of hot sauce

To serve:

Your favorite taco toppings.  I used
chopped black olives, chopped spring onions, shredded lettuce,
grated cheddar cheese, chopped ripe tomatoes  and dairy sour cream 

  

Make the dough for the fry bread first.  Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Whisk the melted butter into the warm milk and then stir this mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring until the mixture comes together to form a soft, elastic dough.   Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.  

To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the onions and green chilies.   Cook, stirring,  until softened without browning.   Add the ground turkey.  Cook and stir until the turkey is no longer pink.  Add the garlic and seasonings, along with the tomatoes.  I like to mash it all together with a potato masher to help break down the meat and tomatoes.   Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.   Stir in the black beans.  Simmer, uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes while you cook the fry bread.

To cook the fry bread, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.  Roll each into a ball.   Using a lightly floured rolling pin and surface, roll each ball out into a 6 inch circle.  It will be quite thin.  Do this one at a time.  Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a small skillet.  Add the fry bread dough circles one at a time and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes per side.  Drain on some paper toweling.   Keep warm while you fry the rest.

Note -  It took me a few tries to get the bread right.  The mistakes were lovely spread with butter and drizzled with golden syrup in the British way!  Sooooo good!!

Old Fashioned Pull-Aparts.  You have never tasted  better pull-apart dinner rolls than these ones. This is an old fashioned yeast rolls recipe that you are sure to fall in love with. If I can make them anyone can! 

I have always despaired of being able to make really good bread and rolls from scratch.  I did manage to do a really easy loaf not to long ago, that was very rustic and that didn't require much in the way of effort and it was really good . . . but my heart has always longed to be able to make really good bread and rolls.  

My ex husband was the bread baker in our family, and he made beautiful bread.  I am sure it was down to his power and strength when it came to kneading.   

His bread always turned out beautifully light and fluffy.  I have despaired of being able to do that for years . . . trying and trying, but only ever with very few exceptions, turning out much more than yeasted door stops.



Recently I won a recipe contest on Gourmandize UK and Ireland and this was my prize!  I was so excited when there was a knock on our door last evening and there was the delivery man with my new Kenwood Stand Mixer! 

 I have always wanted a stand mixer . . . my whole cooking life, and that is a very long time.  My mother had a stand mixer and it was a dream of mine to one day have one too.  You can imagine how excited I was to win this.  

It may not be a candy apple red kitchen aid, but I don't care.  This is real and it's mine, all mine!



It came with  a blender attachement, a juicer, a food processor, a paddle hook, a whisk and yipee!!  A dough hook, which I was THE most excited about of all.  

I would now be able to knead bread easily and hopefully with success!  No surpise that the very first thing I decided to do  with it was to make some fluffy yeasted rolls!



The machine did it's job beautifully!  Could it be possible that I might actually have a yeast roll success story here????  

Well, they say a picture tells a thousand words and I am happy to say that success in this house today smelled like buttery freshly baked yeasted rolls that rose beautifully and came out of the oven looking like the winners that they truly were!

 

Soft and fluffy, with a golden brown crust and a lovely light crumb.  I

 don't know what I am more excited about today . . . my prize or the success I had with these lovely rolls!  (adapted from a recipe on the King Arthurs Flour page)   I am so impressed with my results!



Don't they look absolutely perfect to you???  They do to me and what's more, they ARE perfect.  

I will make these again and again and I have my new  little silver Kenwood Stand Mixer to thank for it, oh . . . and the Gourmandize people too!  ☺



Uncover the buns and bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until golden brown on top and the edges of the centre bun spring back when lightly touched.  Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter.  Serve warm.



I have never ever been able to resist a freshly baked bun spread with cold butter.   Can you??   These were just like what my mama used to make.  Call me one very happy camper! 

 

Peel the butternut squash.  Cut in half and remove the seeds.  Slice the bulbous end into wedges and cut the remainder into 1/2 inch cubes.  Peel the parsnip and cut into wedges.  Peel the carrot and cut into wedges.  Peel the onions and cut each one ito six wedges.  Place them onto the baking tray.  Toss with a bit of olive oil and season with some salt and pepper.   Roast in the oven until cooked through and beginning to caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.



While you are roasting the vegetables make the crust.   Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl  Add the hot water and olive oil.  Stir togerher well, then tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for five minutes.  Turn the bowl over top and allow to stand for 10 minutes.   At the end of that time, pop your pizza stone if you are using one into the oven.