Sourdough Sandwich Bread

https://alexandracooks.com/2019/04/17/easy-sourdough-sandwich-or-toasting-bread/

100g starter

10g kosher salt

430g water (440g for focaccia)

-  Lightly mix together.

512g flour

-   Stir to form sticky ball

-   Cover for 30 mins

-   Do a series of folds and turns

-  Cover and repeat 2-3 times

-   Let it rise overnight until doubled in size 

-   drizzle with oil, gently scoop out of bowl to counter

-   fold in sides and gently place in oiled loaf pan (place in oiled 9x13 and cover with sprayed saran wrap for focaccia)

-   let rise until dough almost reaches rim

-   Bake at 425 for 20 mins. Turn heat down to 375 and continue baking for another 25 mins (dimple and season, bake at 425 for 25 mins for focaccia)

-   Remove from pan and let cook for 30 mins before cutting open (remove from pan but no need to wait to eat)

Simple Bruschetta

 

• Olive oil
• 16 slices French bread
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 6 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt + pepper, to taste
• 2-3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil, chopped

• Add a splash of olive oil to a small skillet over medium heat, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to one minute just to cook it a bit–don’t let it get very brown.
• Add this to a bowl with the diced tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, parmesan cheese, and a few handfuls of fresh basil. Stir everything together and adjust anything to taste.
• Spoon over the toasted bread slices and enjoy!

Baked Pesto Bagels

 3 whole Stale Bagels (or Close To Stale) 

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

3 Tablespoons pesto

Garlic Powder, To Taste

Sea Salt, to taste 

Cut bagels into chunks. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, pesto spice mix and garlic powder. 

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Make enough to dip your bagel chunks – it’ll depend on how many bagels you have.

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Dip chunks into bowl and place on foil lined baking sheet. 

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Sprinkle sea salt over them, and bake in a 400 degree F oven for approximately 11-13 minutes (again, baking time will depend on how many you have, and how “chunky” they are).

Baked Croissant French Toast

 

• 3 large croissants, a few days stale
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• cinnamon to taste (I used almost a full teaspoon)
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

1. Grease a small baking pan with butter (I just used a small loaf pan). Tear the croissants into small pieces and place in the dish.
2. Whisk the eggs, milk, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight in the fridge (or for a few hours if you are short on time).
3. For the topping, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut the cold butter in with a food processor or just using your fingers until your mixture looks like small crumbs.
4. When you’re ready to eat, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the top of the croissant/egg mixture in the pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes depending on how soft/crispy you want it to be. Make sure the french toast is fully cooked before you remove it from the oven – usually the top looks done before the inside is really done.
5. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Authentic Mexican Rice

 https://stellanspice.com/authentic-mexican-rice/

(Step by step picture instructions on website)

• 1 1/2 cups Mahatma® Rice Extra Long Grain White Rice
• 3 tbsp canola, vegetable, or corn oil
• 1/4 onion diced
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1 tbsp Knorr chicken bouillon
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 roma tomatoes (makes 8 oz tomato juice)
• 2 cups hot water
• 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
• 3 sprigs cilantro
• 1 jalapeno

Over medium heat, add the oil to a heavy-bottomed or good quality non-stick pan, then fry the onions and garlic

When the onions and garlic have lightly browned, remove the garlic and set it aside

Add Mahatma® Rice Extra Long Grain White Rice to the pot and toast the rice in the oil, moving it constantly for about 5 minutes or until it becomes slightly puffy and golden brown.

Add the Knorr chicken bouillonand garlic powder, the mix and continue toasting for another minute.

Blend together the roma tomatoes and fried garlic clove. You should have about 8 oz (1 cup) of tomato sauce.

Add it to the rice, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. The color should change to warm reddish orange color. At this point, watch the heat to make sure the bottom is not burning. Adjust the heat if you need to.

Add the HOT water to the rice. It has to be hot- if the liquid isn't bubbling on the sides of the pot, your water is not hot enough. Stir in salt to taste at this point if you're adding. I recommend about 1/4 tsp.

Add the cilantro and jalapeno on top, continue boiling over medium-low heat until some of the water has evaporated. Then turn the heat to the lowest setting and cover for 20 minutes. Do NOT lift the lid!

After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and fluff the rice with a fork. There will be a thin layer of tomato sauce at the top- that is what we want. Just gently fluff & mix it into the rice to distribute evenly.

At this point, the rice is ready if you don't like overly soft rice. This is good for me, but if you want it more soft & fluffy, cover for another 10 minutes (no heat).

Kuchumber Salad

 

• 1 red onion peeled and sliced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ cucumber sliced
• 3 medium tomatoes sliced

• Place the sliced red onions, salt, and lemon juice in a bowl and mix thoroughly. (This will help soften the onions and make the flavour less harsh. The onions will also flavour the dressing beautifully.)
• Add the cumin, sliced cucumber and tomatoes and stir everything together.
• Leave to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes to allow the flavours to mix and mingle. (See Note 1.) Serve with your favourite curries, rice, naans and other Indian dishes.