When I leaf through cookbooks, I mark recipes that look interesting with little post-it flags. I frequently go back through those marked pages when I am looking for ideas, and it is always interesting when I return to books to see what caught my attention at any particular moment. Recently, I was flipping through some old community cookbooks to pass the time and I came across … [Read more...] about Cottage Cheese Dinner Rolls
bread
Buttermilk Bread
Making a fresh loaf of lovely, real homemade bread gives me more of a sense of accomplishment than just about anything. I am not an expert at it, you see, and I am still a little wary around yeast. So I look for simple recipes and adapt them as best I can for my skill level. Because I love that moment when you see that your dough has risen to a beautiful, soft … [Read more...] about Buttermilk Bread
Holiday Spice Bread with Whipped Honey Butter
I adapted this recipe from an old community cookbook, modernizing and stream lining it a bit, but I can’t imagine its origins. Maybe Scandinavian? Or a take on a French quatre epices? A Byzantine tradition? I don’t know, but the unusual spice combination lightly sweetened with honey really sets this bread apart. I want there to be some story that this is … [Read more...] about Holiday Spice Bread with Whipped Honey Butter
Panzanella Bake
Panzanella a genius example of creative leftover usage. It’s a classic Tuscan salad of stale bread and over-ripe tomatoes, tossed with basil and moistened with olive oil and vinegar. But the beautiful colors and bright fresh flavors make it elegantly simple, the kind of food you imagine yourself throwing together if you lived in a stone house in the Italian hills. This is … [Read more...] about Panzanella Bake
Leek and Brie Bread Pudding
Spring is the perfect time for brunch. With Easter starting things off, there always seems to be an explosion of daytime events. Graduations and weddings and all the celebrations that go with them. And I love a good family brunch. You can wear a nice dress, but don’t have to worry about high heels and punitive undergarments and retouching your lipstick … [Read more...] about Leek and Brie Bread Pudding