Masa Sandwich Bread

Beyond sandwich bread
Grains of wheat and corn transformed
It's baking magic

Masa Sandwich Bread

Adapted from Baking Illustrated

Ingredients:

1/3 cup tepid water (about 100° - a little warmer than body temp)

1 pkg dry yeast

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour + 1-2 tbsp

1/2 cup masa

2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup milk

3 tbsp honey

3 tbsp butter, melted (plus about 1 tbsp for brushing on the finished loaf)

Directions:

1.  Stir the water and yeast together in a small bowl.  Let sit for five minutes to allow the yeast to bloom.

2.  Combine 3 cups of the flour, the masa, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Use a wooden spoon to mix.  Make a well in the center.  Set aside.

3.  In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the milk and honey.  Microwave until just warm (110°).  Stir in the 3 tbsp melted butter.

4.  Pour the liquid ingredients and yeast mixture into the dry.  Use the wooden spoon to mix everything together.  Cover and let rest for five minutes (the masa will absorb some of the liquid).

5.  Place the bowl on the mixer with a dough hook.  Turn the machine on medium and let it knead for 5 minutes.

6.  Check the dough.  It should be sticking to the bottom of the bowl, but not the sides.  If it is sticking to the sides, add more flour a tablespoon at a time as needed.  If the dough is not sticking to the bottom, add 1 tbsp more water.  Turn the machine back on medium and let it knead for 5 more minutes.

7.  Knead the dough a few times by hand and form it into a fairly smooth ball.  Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl (the mixer bowl is perfect).  Lightly oil the top of the dough.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

8.  Gently press the dough down to expel the air.  Reform the dough into a ball.  Lightly oil the top.  Place the dough back into the bowl, cover, and let rise for another hour or until doubled in size.

9.  You may skip to Step 10 here if you are short on time.  This step provides extra flavor development and improved texture.  Gently press the dough down to expel the air.  Reform the dough into a ball.  Lightly oil the top, cover, and let rise for another hour or until doubled in size.

11.  Grease a 9" X 5" loaf pan.

12.  Gently press the dough down to expel the air.  Press the dough into a rectangle, about an inch thick, and about 8 inches wide, with a short side facing you.  Begin rolling the dough into a cylinder, pressing as you go to avoid air pockets.  Place the cylinder, seam-side down, in the prepared pan.  Lightly oil the top of the dough.  Cover very loosely with plastic wrap.  Let rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

13.  When the dough is almost fully risen, preheat the oven to 350°.

14.  Place 2 cups of water in an empty oven-safe container (a Pyrex loaf pan is perfect).  Microwave the water until simmering.  Carefully place the container of water in the oven.  This will provide steam for the bread as it cooks.

15.  Place the loaf into the oven and bake until it reaches an internal temperature of 195° (about 40-50 minutes).  Remove the bread from the pan and set it on a cooling rack.  Brush the top with melted butter.  Let cool completely.

16.  Slice, serve, & enjoy!

*This bread is terrific all on its own, or toasted with butter.  It also makes an outstanding sandwich!  I made my last loaf into grilled cheese sandwiches using a recipe for DIY American Cheese (which tastes so much better than those slices at the grocery store, but still melts beautifully).  Too good not to share!  Check out the recipe at Brown Eyed Baker.

Chile Verde

Tender smothered pork
A taste of New Mexico
Flavorful green sauce

Chile Verde

Chile Verde Adapted from Make It Do

Rice Slightly Adapted from Rick Bayless

Ingredients:

Chile Verde -

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 lbs pork loin, trimmed & cut into 1" pieces

Salt

Pepper

1 large onion, chopped small

1 Anaheim pepper, seeded & minced

1 tsp minced garlic

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

14.5 oz can petit-cut diced tomatoes with juice

28 oz fire roasted, diced mild green chiles (I used La Victoria 4oz cans)

1/4 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp flour

*Of course you can roast, peel, seed, and chop your own chiles.  Make sure you use mild green chiles and factor in the extra prep time!

Serve With: 

Arroz Blanco (Mexican white rice) -

2 tbsp vegetable/canola oil

1 1/2 cups long grain white rice (dry)

1 small white onion, chopped fine

1 tsp minced garlic

2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp lime juice

1 1/4 tsp salt

*Alternately, you could serve the Chile Verde with plain white rice.  The Arroz Blanco is truly delicious, though.  You won't be sorry that you made it!

Directions:

1.  Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat until shimmering-hot.  Add half of the pork.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sear the outside of the pork (you are not trying to cook it through).  Transfer the pork to a plate.

2.  Add another 1 tbsp oil to the pot.  Add the 2nd half of pork.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sear and transfer to the plate with the first batch of pork. Set aside.

3.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add the last 1 tbsp oil to the pot.  Add the onion and 1/8 tsp salt.  Cook until the onions are just beginning to soften.  Add the Anaheim chile.  Continue to cook until the onions are translucent and the chile has softened.

4.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.  Immediately add the chicken broth.

5.  Add the tomatoes, fire-roasted chiles, and cumin.  Add the pork back to the pot.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a simmer.

6.  Reduce the heat to low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender - about 2 1/2 hours (you could certainly use a Crock Pot here).  

7.  For the Rice: preheat the oven to 350°.  Place a medium oven-safe stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the oil.

8.  Once the oil is hot, add the rice, the onion, and the garlic.  Reduce the heat to medium.

9.  Cook, stirring often, until the rice has turned opaque and the onions have softened.  You are not trying the brown the rice or onions.

10.  Add the broth, lime juice, and salt.  Stir to combine.  Increase the heat to high.  When the liquid begins to boil, place a lid on the pot and transfer it to the oven.

11.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the pot from the oven, stir the rice mixture.  Replace the lid and return the pot to the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes more.  Fluff the rice mixture with a fork.

Kale Chips

Light, crisp, delicious
Words cannot do it justice
A healthy surprise!

*My kids went crazy for these kale chips.  They are so yummy - great on salads or just right out of the bowl!  I know, this doesn't sound amazing, but it really is.  A must try!

Kale Chips

From Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients:

Kale, rinsed, dried thoroughly, stems removed, chopped*

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

*I used prepackaged Cut N' Clean Kale, which makes this oh so much faster!  The kale's already rinsed, dried, & chopped.  Simply remove any pieces of stem.  I found this product at WalMart.

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°.

2.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  1lb of prepared kale will take three baking sheets.

3.  Spread the kale out in an even layer on the baking sheets.  Drizzle the olive oil lightly over the kale.  Toss until the kale pieces are completely coated.  Spread the kale back out into an even layer.  Sprinkle with salt.

4.  Bake until the edges are lightly browned.  This takes about 12-17 minutes, but you should start checking at 10 (smaller chopped kale will get done faster).

5.  Transfer the kale to parchment or paper towels, spreading into an even layer, to cool completely.  Serve!