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Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Robin Sloan's Sourdough, A Book Review

We love Sourdough. It is nearly unanimous in our book club. Not a cookbook, it is instead a funny story that is very readable, which is what we all need this year. It is a bizarre yet magical fairy tale of sorts set in today's world. It is about finding your passion and following it and about baking bread and the science of baking bread. In particular, it is about sourdough bread and the life of one computer programmer who learns to make some very special bread.

BOOK SUMMARY

Author Robin Sloan reckons that Sourdough may be the first English book to feature a sourdough starter that has feelings as as an important supporting character. The other main character is a lonely young woman named Lois who takes a programming job in San Francisco where she passes the days and nights of her life doing work that she does not care for.

Eventually, Lois is finds an escape after repeatedly ordering takeout from a mysterious little café. The owners of the café serve up combination of spicy soup and sourdough bread that is very comforting to Lois and that restores both her body and her soul. She becomes their Number One Eater or at least a very loyal, regular customer. However, her relationship with the café comes to an abrupt end but not before she takes ownership of the sourdough starter. The starter is alive, which means she has to look after it or it will die.

Anyway, it turns out that this starter is quite special and Lois makes the best sourdough bread ever with it. Indeed it is so successful that she leaps head first into baking bread and the bread literally changes her life. It helps her to climb out of the low spot that she has been barely surviving in by introducing her to new people and giving her a passion project.

Eventually the bread leads her to a farmer's market unlike the one you thought of when I said the words farmer's market. This market is a part of the underground economy. It is radical and it is filled with experimental foodstuffs. To be invited to this market means that there is something unusual about what you do and in Lois' case it is because of her story. That is a successful software programmer turned baker. What happens next? Well, let me just say it is all very unexpected and you will have to read the book to find out.

Sourdough is about San Francisco. It is about geeks, nerds, coders, secret societies, conspiracies, books and even about robots. It is a look at two kinds of culture: the worlds of high-tech culture and bread culture, which you might not think could collide. Finally and obviously, it's about bread.

IS IT RECOMMENDED?

Yes! The book Sourdough is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me though I am pretty partial to sourdough bread, too. The book may have bread as the focus but it is not boring. It is a work of fiction that is easy and light and might just make you happy. Consider what these others have had to say about the book:

The Guardian says, "Sourdough is a soup of skillfully balanced ingredients: there’s satire, a touch of fantasy, a pinch of science fiction, all bound up with a likeable narrator whose zest for life is infectious. The novel opens a door on a world that’s both comforting and thrillingly odd. Savour it." I like this recipe and I did savour the book.

The L.A. Times says, “Sourdough displays both lightness and a yearning for escape, but only in the best sense." I agree. Lois is on an entertaining adventure that I was only too happy to go along on.

In her letter to the book blogger Nut Free Nerd (NFN) says, "You (the book) reminded me of the value of carving out time in a busy schedule to do the things you love, and that you never know where life will take you...You were so wacky and whimsical and witty and entertaining that I found myself constantly thinking about you in between reading you and I still find myself thinking about you all these weeks later." I'm with NFN. I was reminded to stop working and to make time for life and the things I love and enjoy and like NFN, I am still thinking about the book, still cultivating sourdough starter and still trying to make sourdough bread in my bread machine.

Finally, here's a one-minute review of the book:

WARNINGS

Some prefer the first half of the book to the second as the second half takes a turn you might not see coming. I was okay with the twist, which is simply totally unexpected and not offensive in any way. There is really not a lot to be offended by in this book. There is some mild swearing and of course, this book will make you want to to eat or maybe even bake sourdough bread. There is the potential to gain weight if you find yourself needing sourdough bread. Finally, there is a lot of food wastage but at least, it's not real food that is being wasted and definitely no characters go hungry in the book. Slurry, anyone?

WHO WILL ENJOY THIS BOOK?

I think a lot of people will enjoy this book including but not limited to foodies and bread lovers, bakers and non-bakers and computer folk. Anyone who is looking for something fun with an almost discernable scent of bread will enjoy it and as the L.A. Times says, anyone who is looking for a book that is "light but not trite" will find that this book rises to the occasion , pun intended. This book will entertain you and it might also leave you pondering which is a better of doing things - the traditional way or new and improved ways.

I recommend buying the hardcover copy of the book. It has a textured cover that glows in the dark, which is totally appropriate for the this book and the properties of the sourdough starter. Find your copy of Sourdough in whatever format you prefer on Amazon by clicking right here.

Finally, I want you to admit that the loaf of sourdough bread in the introductory photograph was not baked by me. It is a product of the most amazing folk at Black Walnut Bakery in Cumberland near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

See you

at the bookstore!

Brenda

Quick Links:

Find Robin Sloan's book on Amazon.

Read my list of Spring / Summer 2020 book list.

Sourdough or, Lois and her Adventures in the Underground Market by Robin Sloan

A review of the novel about Sourdough bread by Robin Sloan

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Monday, January 23, 2017

Reviewing the Savings of a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer

Pink is only one of the MANY KitchenAid colors available

I have recently decided that I need to purchase a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer as soon as possible. This is a complete change of mind about investing in a what I had previously considered "just another kitchen gadget". And to be more specific, another gadget that has a hefty price tag when you are budgeting every penny. But I have reviewed the many reasons of why the cost would be justified and have observed others using this important kitchen tool. Below, I will share the primary reasons that I have decided a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer is an important purchase to make, and worth budgeting for.

Customizing Bread Recipes for Health and Savings

I am discovering the joys of homemade bread. My first successful recipe was an easy Peasant Bread that consisted of letting it rising and punching it down more than kneading. As I became proficient with that bread, I attempted another bread recipe - the Ultimate Bread recipe. This second bread recipe requires kneading.

So far, I've done this kneading by hand and have had no problems. However, it is a bit time consuming and tiring. The older I become the more quickly my hands tire. I have decided to bake my own bread weekly and have done so recently but I'm learning that I need a bit of help.

Energy Savings - I am referring to my energy. I feel like there are not enough hours in the day and that I need to be twins in order to get everything finished that I want to finish on the weekends. Making bread is a priority. But as I am kneading, and my hands are growing tired, I think that "there must be an easier way". Well, there is. It is a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer with a bread hook attachment. If the machine does the kneading I can save my energy for other tasks.

Money Savings - Have you noticed the prices of bread in the stores? I am a one-person household but I go through a good share of bread. I like toast and peanut butter sandwiches. I like to make grilled cheese sandwiches to go with my soup. With bread recipes that have only 6 ingredients, two loaves of store-bought bread can easily cover the costs of the ingredients to make many loaves of bread at home.

Possible Health Benefits - With 6 ingredients going into my homemade bread, I know what I am eating. The bread that I typically purchased from the store lists ingredients that I am able to pronounce. So there were no mystery ingredients. However, it also lists gluten.

For folks who need gluten-free breads, or have preferences about the types of flours they consume, they can easily adjust recipes to suit their needs.

KitchenAid Artisan Mixer Reviews

There are many, many reviews online and much information about KitchenAid Artisan Mixers. I will not reinvent the wheel and rewrite that information. Especially since I am not yet a proud owner of this important kitchen tool.

Heather does own one and has reviewed her KitchenAid as well as shared important information such as the best time of year to make your purchases due to sales. If you are ready to learn more about these mixers from current owners, I would start with her review.

After reviewing the financial, physical energy, and health related savings, it becomes easy to see that a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer will be an investment that pays for itself fairly quickly. The most difficult part of the purchase will be choosing just one of the many beautiful colors.

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Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Easy Pumpkin Spice Bread

Pumpkin Spice Bread Reviewed

I always like making things from scratch, but sometimes you just have to go with a box mix.

I wanted to make some banana bread but didn't have any ripe bananas. So I started looking through the cabinets and found this box of Krusteaz pumpkin spice bread.

Fran had picked this up at the store and thought it would be a good idea to make with the grandchildren.

Well, I guess I just couldn't wait so I went ahead and whipped this up. It was so easy to make and really moist and delicious. All you need is water, vegetable oil, and a couple of eggs. Stir everything together and bake in a 5-inch x 7-inch bread pan. Just follow the easy instructions on the box and you'll be enjoying this pumpkin spice bread in no time at all.

To be honest I've never heard of Krusteaz (Crust + Ease) before this. So I looked them up and found out that they have been around since 1932. Wow, where have I been?

The Krusteaz Story:

Times were tough during the great depression. A few women who always traded recipes together came up with a recipe for an easy-to-make pie crust and called it Krusteaz. They would go door to door and visit small cafes to sell their creation, and the rest is history. Today Krusteaz is still a family-owned business.

They make a variety of easy-to-make bread and muffins, and I'm sure that they are all equally as delicious as this pumpkin spice bread. I will certainly be giving some of their others a try.

If you're looking for an easy and delicious dessert or snack to serve your family or friends just pick up a box of Krusteaz.

Find more product reviews on Review This Here: ReviewThisProductReviews.com

Try my made-from-scratch: Quick Cinnamon Swirl Bread

You will find a variety of Krusteaz products in your local grocery store or you can find them on amazon.

Krusteaz Quick Bread Supreme Mix, Pumpkin Spice, 30 Ounce Krusteaz Chocolate Chunk Muffin Mix - No Artificial Flavors/Preservatives - 18.25 OZ Box (Pack of 12)5 Pounds Krusteaz Sweet Cream Pancake Mix Just Add Water Krusteaz Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix, 17.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 2)

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Saturday, November 7, 2020

Review of Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs

I was first introduced to Panko flakes over 6 years ago when I met my new daughter-in-law, whom I will introduce here as J. She is a delightful girl who is originally from South Korea. She's also a wonderful cook, naturally specializing in Asian dishes (which my son loves). One of the first dishes she made for me was Panko coated shrimp deep fried in a Wok. It was absolutely delicious.

I watched (and helped) J. make the Panko Shrimp that evening and, after tasting how good the Panko coating was, I have used it ever since. J. does a lot of food shopping at a local Asian Market, but I found a product similar to her Asian Panko Flakes in a product by Progresso. Not only is it good on shrimp, but it is equally delicious on fried chicken fingers and on pork chops.

Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs

Panko is drawn from Japanese crusine. It is a delicious flaky bread crumb which can be used in a variety of recipes. My favorite way is as a coating for fried meat and seafood. It adds a golden crispness to fried creations and makes the food crunchy and flavorful.

Panko bread crumbs can be used in many ways.

It makes a delicious stuffing for chicken breasts or pork chops when combined with cheese, onions and herbs.
You can make quick croutons by browning in a skillet with melted butter and spices for a tasty salad topping.
I haven't tried this yet, but I can just imagine how tasty it would be to replace your usual amount of regular bread crumbs with these Panko bread crumbs in your favorite meatloaf recipe.
Mix these Panko bread crumbs with olive oil and your favorite seasonings and sprinkle on top of casserole in the last few minutes of baking.
Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs come in two varieties – 'Plain' and 'Italian Style'. I prefer the Italian Style because they are so deliciously seasoned that no additional seasonings are needed. The Plain version is good if there are specific seasonings you prefer to add to your bread crumbs.

A dinner of rice, applesauce and pork chops with Panko flakes

Panko Coated Pork Chop Dinner

My teenage grandson's favorite meal served by his G-MA (the grandmother name he calls me) is pork chops and white rice with butter, along with applesauce. Here is a sample of our Panko-coated pork chop dinner.

Panko Fried Shrimp Recipe

Panko Fried Shrimp

For your dining pleasure (and a tasty way to duplicate the delicious deep-fried shrimp meal my daughter-in-law J made me), here is a recipe for Panko Fried Shrimp from AllRecipes.

Recipe: Japanese-Style Deep-Fried Shrimp

Ingredients: shrimp, seasonings, flour, eggs, Panko flakes and oil for frying.

Directions:

Place the flour, eggs and panko crumbs into separate bowls.
Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep skillet.
Dip each shrimp into the flour mixture, then into the egg, and finally into the panko crumbs to coat. Fry a few at a time until golden brown.
Drain and serve. Yum!

Progresso

The Progresso brand has been around for more than 80 years. Begun by the merging of two prominent Italian importing companies in New Orleans in 1925, they specialized in canned Italian food products. They are most known for their soups, as well as canned tomato products, olive oil, spaghetti, ravioli and beans. Progresso was acquired by Pillsbury in 1988 and today it is in the General Mills family of products.

Where to Purchase:

Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs are available on Amazon, which is convenient as it is delivered right to your door. And, in addition, besides the single packages, it is also available in bulk (6 and 12 box units).

It is also available online and in-store at Target and Walmart.

Wherever you purchase your Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs, it is a very tasty product to have on hand for all the reasons I mentioned above.

For more Recipe Reviews, check out ReviewThisReviews: Recipes

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Friday, December 1, 2023

Banana Bread Mini Loaves Recipe and Mini Loaf Pan Review

After getting the Wilton mini loaf pan that makes 8 mini loaves of bread at one time, I have found that I actually prefer the mini loaves to one large loaf of bread.

My husband likes walnuts in banana bread, but I don't like walnuts in mine. Therefore, I often end up making two large loaves or one loaf that is not going to please both of us. Making a pan of mini loaves is the perfect solution!

After I have mixed the batter, I add walnuts to half of the batter. Therefore, I can make 4 mini loaves of banana bread with walnuts and 4 without walnuts.

I can also share the mini loaves with friends and family. These would make lovely gifts of homemade food during the holidays. For our friends who have differing ingredients preferences like us, I could send several loaves.

A variety of bread mini loaves will certainly make the food at family gatherings more appealing. By labeling the mini loaves, everyone will know exactly what they are getting. No more surprise walnuts in my piece of banana bread!

Mini Banana Bread Loaves Recipe by Sylvestermouse
ReviewThisReviews.com

Heat Oven to 350°

Grease & flour pan

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Shortening
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Cups Bisquick or Jiffy Baking Mix
1 Cup Mashed Banana (usually 2 or 3 very ripe bananas)
1/3 Cup Chopped Nuts, if desired

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar together with a mixer

Then, add eggs, baking mix, & mashed bananas. Mix until well blended

Stir in walnuts - If you are dividing the number of loaves that have walnuts, divide batter into two mixing bowls and stir walnuts into only one

Pour into the prepared pan

Bake mini loaves for 30 minutes - Check if done by sticking a toothpick in the center of a mini loaves. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done

Let cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan

Let the mini loaves cool completely before you wrap them in foil or plastic wrap.

Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick Mini Loaf Pan, 8-Cavity, 15.2 IN x 9.5 IN x 1.6, Gray

Check Out More Recipe Reviews at
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Mini Banana Bread Loaves Recipe and Loaf Pan Recommendation Review Written by:

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Thursday, September 28, 2017

Review of Favorite Banana Bread Recipe

banana bread photo and recipe by mbgphoto

Bread for Fall Menus

When the weather turns cool my thoughts turn to baking and baking breads is one of my favorite fall activities. I have tried many recipes over the years and have combined different recipes to come up with tastes my husband and I enjoy.

Banana Bread

It seems like we always have bananas that have gotten a little too ripe and when we do I use them for banana bread.

Tip: If I can't bake that day, I peel the bananas and put them in a freezer bag to freeze for later use. When I'm ready to use them I just sit them out for a few minutes and add them to the recipe.

I have tried many different recipes over the years and have combined several to come up with the recipe below, which is my favorite. The secret ingredient in this recipe is the sour cream, which helps to keep the bread moist and delicious.

Recipe for Favorite Banana Bread

Start with: 2 mashed bananas, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 2 eggs well beaten. Mix together.

Mix together 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 t baking pwd, 1 t baking soda,
and 1/2 t salt.

Mix together wet and dry ingredients. Fold in one half cup of one of the following:
your favorite nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries.

Pour into 1 sprayed bread pan.
Bake 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Adding Extra Ingredients

I particularly like adding nuts to my banana bread, but I have found it is also delicious with chocolate chips and cranberries. Experiment with your favorite additions to create new taste sensations. I have also combined nuts and chocolate chips and that produces a delicious bread.

Recipe Card

Below is the recipe on a card you can purchase from Zazzle by clicking on the link.

Favorite Banana Bread Recipe Postcard
by mbgphoto

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Sunday, October 9, 2022

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Here's My Mom's Stuffing Recipe

For those who don't know, it's Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend.

Growing up, early October was always a time when we planned to be together as a family.

For me, heading to my mom and dad's house with the kids was a wonderful weekend: Time with my brothers and their families, as well as a great time with mom and dad.

Since mom and dad are both passed on now (I still can't believe I'm typing that!) I miss and treasure those memories to the core of my being.

I must say, I'm looking forward to dinner tomorrow with the kids. Unfortunately, it won't be with all the kids, as I have seven (4 sons, 2 stepsons, and a stepdaughter). I only use the word "Step" to respect their mom. My stepkids have been a part of my life for 40 years - I consider them my kids, but I hold back on that declaration out of respect for their mom. Being a mom myself, I understand that 'feeling.' - the feeling of being 'the mom.'

Anyway, I digress!

So in honor of Canadian Thanksgiving, I wanted to share my mother's turkey stuffing recipe. It has long since been my recipe; I just made it today for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.

My Mother's Turkey Stuffing Recipe:

Ingredients for My Mom's Stuffing Recipe:

Celery
Onion
Stuffing Bread OR
Regular Bread Cut-Up with Spices
Spices if adding on your own: Sage, Poultry Seasoning,
Sausage (I use breakfast sausage)
3 Tablespoons of Rice (Basically a handful)

How to Prepare Mom's Stuffing:

1) In a bowl, add cut the bread up into chewable cubes (sometimes you can get stuffing bread already cut up)

2) If you don't have cut-up stuffing bread and need to make your own stuffing bread, here's what to do:

In a large mixing bowl, cut bread (any bread that is your favorite, although heavier bread is better) into cubes
Add Sage - be liberal with the Sage - I add about two or so tablespoons, depending on how big the turkey is and how much stuffing there is
Add Poultry Seasoning - probably about 2 tablespoons

3) Fry the sausage separately - I buy breakfast sausage - and, after cooked, cut the breakfast sausage into bite-sized pieces

4) In a Frying Pan, in Butter:

Fry one chopped onion
Add one entire stock of celery (chopped into bite-sized pieces)

5) Add the celery/onion fried mixture and the cut-up sausages to the bread/sage/poultry seasoning bread mixture

6) Add the rice to the bread mixture

Mix it all together until it sticks together nicely.

It should look 'wet' and be compacted together.

By the way, what's the secret ingredient to stuffing that makes it stuffing - it's the Sage! But that's been a flavor I've been used to my entire life when it comes to stuffing!

If you've never added Sage, give it a try - by the way, that's ground sage! You can find it in the spice aisle of your local grocer.

NOTE:

I prepare this the night before, put it in a ziplock bag, keep it in the fridge, then stuff the turkey in the morning <---- Mom taught me that trick too.

My number three son, Joshua, loves this recipe as much as I do, and that alone makes me so happy! Thank you, Joshie, for being a kindred stuffing lover!

Happy Thanksgiving to all - These times haven't been easy, so it's essential to live in the moment and enjoy spending time with the ones you love.

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Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven With Loop Handles

When fellow contributor, Dawn Rae, started tempting me with homemade bread recipes, I decided I needed a dutch oven. My husband loves homemade bread and I enjoy cooking, so it was time to test my bread baking skills again.

It has been years since I have baked bread other than my banana bread. I used to bake bread every week, but I got out of that habit when I let my sour dough starter ruin. I would love to find another really good sour dough starter. Until then, Dawn's Artisan Bread Recipe is great! Actually, it is faster and easier than the sour dough bread I used to make and my family seems to be just as happy with Dawn's Artisan Bread.

There are a lot of dutch ovens available, but I wanted the cast iron version.

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven with Lid/Skillet

The Versatility of Cast Iron

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven on Gas StoveI have cooked with a cast iron skillet my entire life. It is heavy compared to other skillets, but you can't beat it when frying fish, frying pork chops, or baking cornbread.

You can use cast iron on a stove top, electric or gas, as long as it has range burner elements (not recommended by some glass stove top manufacturers for a flat surface glass stove top).

Update: Contributor Sam Monaco comments below that he uses his cast iron skillet on his glass stove top all of the time.

Cast Iron will also go in the oven, which is how my mother, my grandmother, my great grandmother and I have all baked cornbread. That is why I wanted the cast iron dutch oven. I knew it would be most excellent for baking!

Cast Iron can also be used on a open flame, like a campfire. I have been known to fish which is rather ironic since I don't eat trout or catfish. However, when you come from a family with 4 brothers and a mother who loves catfish, you better fish or you are left behind counting the hours. Besides, I love quietly floating down the river in a boat, soaking in the sun and the beauty of nature surrounding me.

One year, Dad hired a guide. We caught our limit by midday, but didn't have any desire to stop fishing. So, we pulled to shore, built a campfire and cooked our fish in a cast iron skillet along with some potatoes the guide provided. After lunch, we fished a few more hours and brought home fish for dinner. That is how I discovered a cast iron skillet could be used over a open campfire!

My Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven With Loop Handles, 5 qtCheck PriceI purchased a 5 qt. Lodge brand cast iron dutch oven and I have be thrilled with it for several reasons.

The lid doubles as a skillet
I really like the handles on both the lid & the dutch oven
It is just the right size for the oven
Perfection in cooking due to even heating
Easy to wash, dry & re-season*
I know it will outlast me, which means I will never have to buy again
Lodge is a trusted name in cast iron. Over 100 years in business

*Seasoning cast iron is simply rubbing it lightly with vegetable oil after washing while it is still warm from the hot water wash or you can place it back in a warm oven after applying the oil.

I chose the basic cast iron dutch oven mainly because I loved the dual purpose lid. I knew I could flip the lid and bake cornbread on top while a roast baked below it in the dutch oven. The top would not only be a lid for the roast, but also a skillet for the cornbread.

One note about using the lid on the dutch oven. In the photo, you see the lid and dutch oven handles are evenly aligned. I prefer to offset them slightly so lifting the hot lid is much easier.

Dawn Rae chose an enameled cast iron dutch oven which should be fine for cooking on a flat, glass stove top. You can read her review here: Enameled Cast Iron - Pricey But Worth It

You too can Bake Dawn's Easy No-Knead Dutch Oven Artisan Bread!

To make my bread in the intro photo, I used Dawn's recipe.
I added 3/4 cup cranberries, 3/4 cup walnuts & 1T honey.
Simply click the image below for her recipe.

Monday, May 2, 2022

Reviewing Why I Make and Recommend Bannock

Bannock, a type of bread that is made in a skillet or pan on the stovetop or open fire, has been something I have made off and on over the years. But recently, Bannock has been in the forefront. Between being an integral part of a book series I've just read and being what I'm making for breakfast this morning, I thought I'd share with you.

What is Bannock?

After a Google search, it seems that Bannock (with a variety of spellings) was a Gaelic word meaning "morsel" and is believed to have originated in Scotland. It is a flat, unleavened bread and it is thought to have been introduced to North America by Scottish immigrants.

You'll hear the words fry bread and bannock use interchangeably at times. The Indigenous people of North America make an unleavened fry bread. I believe that the original Scottish bannock used oatmeal and the North American fry bread originated with meal made of corn or nuts. At some point in time, both versions began using flour.

For my personal use and definition, Bannock is a yeastless bread that is made of flour, baking powder, and a liquid and is cooked on an almost dry skillet. Fry bread is similar but "fried" with a larger amount of oil. I am sure others have their definitions, but this is mine. Bannock is something that hikers, campers, and hunters can easily make while on the trail.

Bannock for Breakfast

Today has turned cold and stormy. Thunder claps and lightning had me rushing to check on the outside animals before crawling back under the blankets. I felt too lazy to make breakfast but I was hungry. When I finally got up and moving, I made bannocks and scrambled eggs with sausage crumbles.

During the moving process from the apartment to my land, my best friend was helping at one point and made a crack that I had "several" cans of baking powder. When I told him that I planned to be able to make Bannock if I get snowed in on the mountain he understood completely. He is an avid outdoorsman who has also made bannock while camping.

I started making bannock when I was camping in "The Shack" on my land. With only 4 ingredients, it was an easy thing to have on hand in off-grid conditions. As the house build began, I camped in the little shed and conditions were more austere. The shed was such a very small space for camping and storing supplies. But I could make bannock on my single camp stove burner.

I use the version by Liz Thomson. The ingredients are:

1 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 TB olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c warm water
herbs such as rosemary are optional (I use the most minuscule shake of Mrs. Dash)

I use this version because it is the smallest recipe and makes 3-4 small biscuits. I found that olive oil kept well in my off-grid camping situations. There are versions that use butter, lard, bacon grease, and so on. While those version often have more flavor, those ingredients were more difficult for me to make sure I had on hand.

Not only did I make bannock while I was camping I also made bannock at the apartment. During quarantine and supply chain situations, I sometimes made bannock in lieu of bread. I also made homemade bread that required yeast and time to rise - because I had that time. But bannock is much more quick and easy to make. It was great to have with a can of soup. And as I told my friend, I made sure to buy some (okay, many) cans of baking powder ahead. Now that I've moved to a rural area (a mountain ridge in West Virginia) I could easily be snowed in for a long period of time. Bannock is something that I can make in a pan on top of my woodstove if I am without electricity. So I'm set in that regard.

I highly recommend that people try making bannock in the event they want or need an easy-to-make bread at home or on the trail.

Bannock in the Books

I mentioned that I just read about bannock in a fictional series I was reading. I love to read. It takes my mind off of the issues at work. But I don't have much spare time, focus, or energy. So I need the story to grab me and keep me immersed.

I am so glad that I read a series that was reviewed by Sylvestermouse Cynthia here on Review This! The series is the Tales from the Highlands series. Book 3 in that series written by Martha Keyes is The Innkeeper and the Fugitive. Ana MacMorran flees her home and an arranged marriage. She does not want to marry the villainous laird of Benleith. During her criminal escape from this contract, she finds herself at Glengour Inn. There she secretly assumes an identity of another in order to try to hide.

At Glengour Inn, travelers stop for a bit of bannock and drink before continuing on their travels.

I enjoyed the Tales from the Highlands series immensely. If you'd like to know more about the series, check out Cynthia's book reviews:

The Widow and the Highlander (book 1)

The Enemy and Miss Innes (book 2)

The Innkeeper and the Fugitive (book 3)

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Sunday, January 16, 2022

A Bread Box Review and Recommendation

A Five Star Review - Bread Box

I've needed a new bread box for a long time. I searched on amazon for at least three months before finally taking the plunge and making the purchase.

Features That Were Important to Me:

I wanted a roll-top bread box
It needed to have two shelves inside
Each shelf had to be deep enough and high enough to hold several loaves of bread
There had to be room between the cupboard and top of the bread box so I could place things on top if necessary
I wanted to spend less than $100
It had to look attractive
It could be chrome or wood
I preferred it be pre-assembled
I didn't want a glass door (I figured the glass would eventually break)
Bamboo wood was preferred

This Bread Box Met 9 out of the 10 Criteria Items:

Bamboo Bread Box

Which One of the 10 Criteria Items Did Not Get Met?

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find one that met all of our needs that was pre-assembled.

However, like most of my sons, my husband is very good at assembling products, so I knew I could safely forfeit this preference.

After reading the reviews, a few comments expressed their dissatisfaction with the assembly process. But I have to say, my husband had absolutely no problem putting it together, but as I mentioned, he's good at such things.

If I had to personally assemble it, I would not have purchased any item that required putting it together --- only because I suck at that stuff! Fortunately, hubby handled that.

The Interior Has Two Shelves With Plenty of Room

Has Two Roomy Shelves

There is Plenty of Room On Top

There's Room to Place Items on Top

The Only Fix We Had To Make

When the roll-top door is closed (without care), it makes a loud noise. Since so many people live in our home, I knew I couldn't police that behavior, so we solved the problem by putting two tiny velcro tabs on the bottom. The tabs prevent the door from hitting the base, and it's much quieter.

We Placed Velcro Tabs to Reduce the Door Closing Noise

We Purchased the Bread Box From Amazon

We purchased it from Amazon.ca (Canada) at this link.

When typing this, I noticed that this specific bread box wasn't appearing on the USA site. But here's a link to a similar one (from what I could tell)... Both of them are the same size ... 15" by 9.8" by 14.2"

Five stars. Recommended.

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Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Quick, Easy & Delicious Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins — Low Carb Recipe

I posted a photo of these quick & easy Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins on social media recently and many people commented asking me for the recipe. So, by popular demand, I'm sharing and reviewing my quick and easy recipe for these mouthwatering, keto-friendly, low carb Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins.

My husband loved these so much he couldn't wait for me to make them again!

I wanted a quick and easy recipe for weeknights, so I used Good Dee's Corn Free Bread Mix, which is excellent and has clean, wholesome, healthy ingredients.

However, you could easily make this recipe with your favorite low carb or conventional cornbread or corn muffin recipe instead of the prepared Good Dee's Corn Free Bread Mix, if you prefer. You can also substitute another favorite shredded cheese for the cheddar. See Recipe Variations, below, for more information and variations.

Enjoy!

Recommended Tools and Equipment

I like to use reusable silicone baking cups AKA muffin tin liners lightly sprayed with avocado or olive oil for these cheddar corn dog muffins. Baked goods are released from these cups very easily, and they help keep leftover muffins or cupcakes fresher during storage. These silicone liners are also very easy to clean, especially if you spray them lightly with oil before adding the batter.

The silicone liners I use for this recipe (I have two types) are the GIR: Get It Right Premium Silicone Cupcake Liners Reusable Non-stick Baking Cups, which have a slightly larger capacity than my heavy-duty standard silicone baking cups and also have helpful tabs for lifting muffins or cupcakes in or out of the pan without accidentally touching or marring the tops. The set I have is in the Strawberry Swirl colorway (shades of red, pink, and pale gray), but they also come in a pretty Frosty Mint colorway (shades of dark and pale blue and green).

The handy tabs on the large GIR silicone baking cups make it easy to lift the filled liners in and out of the muffin pan.

I prefer to use these silicone baking cups as liners in a nonstick muffin pan, which helps distribute the heat evenly and helps keep the muffins shaped nicely, while the nonstick pan finish helps prevent any stray bits of batter or cheese from sticking. Chicago Metallic is an excellent brand; I have a couple of specialty (jumbo and mini) muffin pans from them and they're great. Since my standard nonstick cupcake pans are getting a bit long in the tooth, when it's time to replace them I'll be buying the Chicago Metallic Commercial II Non-Stick 12-Cup Muffin Pan.

I use a three-tablespoon scoop to measure out the batter, using one rounded scoop of batter for each muffin cup. I have a set of Norpro stainless steel measuring scoops that I love and use all the time, and the 50MM (3 Tablespoons) Norpro Stainless Steel Scoop is perfect for this recipe.

Ingredients for low carb cheddar corn dog muffins

I use Good Dee's Corn Free Bread Mix along with eggs, butter, apple cider vinegar, cornbread flavoring, cheddar cheese, hot dogs, and avocado oil spray in this recipe, but you can also substitute other ingredients (see Recipe Variations).

Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Servings: 12 (one muffin per serving)

Ingredients

For the Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins:

Avocado or olive oil spray (for greasing muffin pan liners)
3 large eggs
3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Amoretti Sweet Corn Extract or 20 drops of OOOFlavors Corn Bread Flavor Concentrate Unsweetened
1 package Good Dee’s Corn Free Bread Mix
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 hot dogs, fully cooked (I recommend Applegate Farms brand The Great Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dogs)

For the optional dipping sauce:

2 Tablespoons sugar-free ketchup (Primal Kitchen regular or spicy unsweetened ketchup)
2 Tablespoons sugar-free raspberry jam (ChocZero No Added Sugar Raspberry Jam)
1 Tablespoon teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease 12 silicone muffin cup liners and place in a muffin tin.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, vinegar, and cornbread flavoring or sweet corn extract. Stir in the Good Dee’s Corn Free Bread Mix until well combined.
Reserve 4 Tablespoons (1/2 cup) of the grated cheese and mix the remaining cheese into the batter.
Divide the batter evenly among the greased muffin tin liners.
Slice each hot dog into four sections. Place one section on end in the center of each batter-filled muffin cup, then sprinkle each muffin with 1 teaspoon of the reserved shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake until lightly golden, approximately 18 minutes. Do not overbake or the muffins will be dry.
Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the silicone muffin cup liners and serve, with or without optional dipping sauce.

Optional dipping sauce:

Mix the sugar-free ketchup (Primal Kitchen), sugar-free raspberry jam (ChocZero) and Dijon mustard. Serve 1.25 teaspoons of dipping sauce with each cheddar corn dog muffin.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: one Cheddar Corn Dog Muffin (without optional dipping sauce)

Calories: 189

Fat: 16.3 g

Sat. Fat: 5 g

Cholesterol: 70.3 mg

Total Carbs: 6.3 g

Net Carbs: 1.3 g

Fiber: 5 g

Sugars: 0 g

Added Sugars: 0 g

Sugar Alcohols: 0 g

Protein: 8.6 g

Recipe Variations

If you want some hot dog in every bite, consider dicing the hot dogs and mixing them into the batter instead of inserting 1/4 hot dog into the center of each muffin.
If you're not a fan of cheddar, consider substituting another cheese such as shredded Swiss, provolone, or gouda.
If you want to make this low carb cheddar corn dog muffins recipe entirely from scratch instead of using a mix, try the Keto Corn Dog Bites recipe from All Day I Dream About Food but mix in the shredded cheddar before scooping the batter and add the shredded cheese topping before baking.
Alternatively, you could substitute a conventional corn muffin mix or recipe for the corn dog batter if you aren't watching your carbs.