Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Kitchen Nostalgia

Sauce 'n wine
Photo taken by my son, John, November 22, 2007.

Remember the bread machine craze in the eighties? In those days the ungainly baker was a permanent fixture on my kitchen counter. I experimented with dozens of grains and developed my own sourdough starter. A fresh loaf was always available for lunch and dinner...funny shaped loaves with the telltale hole in the bottom from the machine dough paddle. The fragrance of baking bread was wonderful and, before moving to Maine, I made sure to start a loaf whenever the realtors were expected to show up at our door with a prospective buyer. I stopped using my bread machine when our second child left for college and eventually tossed out my sourdough starter, unable to keep it going with a new life, a new town and a busy travel schedule. I still have my machine and it looks pretty clunky compared to the newer versions. The reason I hang on to this old kitchen friend is for the stuffing bread without which Thanksgiving would be impossible to imagine. Here's the recipe for those of you who still have one lurking in the back of your pantry and would like to give it a dust and put back into service for the Holidays.

From Richard W. Langer's  More Recipes for You Bread Machine Bakery

For large and small loaves:

small: 1 cup vegetable broth
large:  1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

small: 2 teaspoons olive oil
large:  1 tablespoon olive oil

small: 1 teaspoon molasses
large:  2 teaspoons molasses

small: 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
large:  3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

small: 1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal (not instant)
large:  3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal

small: 1/2 cup cornmeal
large:  3/4 cup cornmeal

small: 2 tablespoons dried parsley
large:  3 tablespoons dried parsley

small: 1 tablespoon dried onion
large:  4 teaspoons dried onion

small: 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
large:  1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary

small: 1 teaspoon dried sage
large:  1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage

small: 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
large:  1 teaspoon dried thyme

small: 1/2 teaspoon pepper
large:  1 teaspoon pepper

small: 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
large:  1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

small: 1/2 teaspoon salt
large:  1 teaspoon salt

small: 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
large:  2 teaspoons active dry yeast

I bake several loaves ahead of time, cube the bread and keep it in the freezer until needed. Later, you can add all your other favorite ingredients.

Savory Thanksgiving wishes!

5 comments:

  1. oh yes - as a kid my mom would make fresh bread daily and you knew when it was the last slice (with the holes from the paddle!). I remember my favorite was the 'english muffin bread' but sourdough was a close second. I don't think my mom has used the machine in years -again -since my brother and I left home. Great idea for stuffing!

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  2. Hi Stefan! Oooh! English muffin bread?! I never came across that in the thousands of recipes I accumulated over the years! Well, it's a good thing you kids left because we'd all be the size of elephants, but the stuffing bread is a must!

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  3. I will miss your stuffing bread this year!!! xo

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  4. I use my bread machine for pizza. Great for garden days. Come inside and throw ingredients in machine. Take a shower. Have a glass of wine. Make pizza. Done. Little clean up. Your stuffing bread sounds interesting. May have to try it although I'm a cornbread-sausage stuffing girl myself! Happy holidays.

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  5. Janet, I will miss you more than I can say...but you will be in excellent company! xo

    home before dark ~ I have never gotten into a pizza routine, but you have inspired me! As for the stuffing...it always has sausage, sometimes dried cranberry and whatever else strikes my fancy from year to year!

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