Grilled Cheese..the Ultimate Comfort Food!

Did you know that April is National Grilled Cheese month? Well, I didn't know that either until Kathy of Panini Happy filled me in when she hosted her first Grilled Cheese Pageant last year. And of course I had to enter again this year being that Grilled Cheese is one of my very favorite sandwiches.

Although I do have cookbooks on nothing but gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, I tend to enjoy a simple sandwich of just cheese and homemade bread, slathered with butter and grilled to a perfect toasty goodness so that every bite is a crunch!

This year was no exception for a simple sandwich. Mr. Tastebuds wanted Mild Cheddar, Mozzarella, Bacon and Ham with Tomato and I made mine with Horseradish Cheese and Bacon and both sandwiches were on homemade Semolina Bread. Although I used the Semolina Bread recipe from "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" that recipe is under copyright and can not be reproduced. But below is another favorite Semolina Bread recipe that I make often and it is just as good!





Semolina Bread
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

Starter:
1/4 cup warm water (105°F. to 115°F.)
1/4 teaspoon dry yeast
3/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons water, room temperature
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Bread:
2 1/2 cups warm water (105°F.°F. to 115°F.)
2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
3 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 3/4 cups finely ground semolina flour
2 teaspoons sea salt

Additional semolina flour

For Starter:
Combine 1/4 cup warm water and yeast in medium bowl. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons room temperature water. Add flour in 3 additions, stirring well after each addition Stir until mixture has consistency of thick sticky dough, about three minutes. Light oil large bowl. Transfer starter to a bowl. Cover with plastic; let rise at cool room temperature until tripled in volume (starter will be slightly wet and thick), at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Stir down starter, cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)

For Bread:
Pour 2 1/2 cups warm water into large bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Sprinkle yeast over; let stand until dissolved, about 10 minutes. Measure 2/3 cup starter (reserve remainder for another use). Rub between fingers, allowing starter to drop into yeast mixture (starter will be stringy). Beat until some of the starter dissolves. Combine flour, 3 3/4 cups semolina and salt in large bowl. Add to yeast mixture in 3 additions; beat until incorporated. Turn out unto floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes.

Oil large bowl. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic. Let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Butter 2 heavy large baking sheets. Punch down dough. Divide into 4 pieces. Cover 3 pieces with clean towel. Roll remaining piece on floured surface to 14x8 inch rectangle. Starting at 1 long edge, roll up dough jelly roll style. Press ends and seam to seal. Bend dough into half-circle. Using sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch-deep incisions every 1 1/2 inches in the top of the dough. Sprinkle with additional semolina. Place on a prepared sheet. Repeat rolling and shaping with remaining dough pieces.

Cover shaped dough with clean towel. Let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 45.

Meanwhile, position 1 rack in bottom third. If available, place baking stone on rack and preheat oven to 450°F. Let stone heat at least 30 minutes.

Place 1 baking sheet on each stone. Bake until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, alternating sheets between racks halfway through baking, about 25 minutes. Cool bread on racks.







All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Pickled Carrots

Carrots?? Yes, carrot is the theme for this months Can Jam. Carrots can not be canned in a Boiling Water Bath and since I don't own a Pressure Canner, my only alternative is to pickle them. So here I am faced with picking a recipe for Pickled Carrots..okay now say that three times really fast!

I looked but could not find a recipe I thought would work for us. And when I'm in a situation like this, I usually call my Mom. But she said she never canned pickled carrots and come to think of it I don't remember my Mom pickling much of anything! Darn, I can usually count on Mom for a recipe!

But I did finally find a Pickled Carrot recipe in a pamphlet from our local County Extension Office and with some minor additions, black pepper corns and fresh Dill, it should be pretty good. But I can't tell for sure until I taste them in a month or so. But if anything, my Pickled Carrots are pretty but of course I'm partial to anything in a canning jar!





Pickled Carrots

2¾ pounds peeled carrots
5½ cups white distilled vinegar at least 5% acidity
1 cup water
2 cups sugar or Splenda (I used Splenda)
6 tsp black pepper corns
2 teaspoons canning salt
8 teaspoons mustard seed
4 teaspoons celery seed
4 large cloves of garlic, cut in half
1 large sprig of fresh Dill per pt jar

Makes 4 Pints

1. Clean and peel the carrots. You can slice the carrots crosswise into rounds or slice them into sticks. I used the Baby Carrots which just fit a 1/2 pint jar perfectly.

2. In a large pot combine the vinegar, salt, sugar or Splenda and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and boil for about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add carrots and bring to a boil.

4. Prepare the jars. Put 2 tsp mustard seed, 1 tsp celery seed, 8-10 Black Pepper Corns in the bottom of each clean, hot pint jar.

5. Pack the hot jars with the hot carrots, leaving 1/2" head space. Pack the jars fairly tightly. I packed my carrots standing on end which was not easy with a hot jar and hot carrots but it can be done!

6. Don't forget to add your slices of garlic and sprig of fresh Dill per jar.

7. I used my pyrex measuring cup to pour the hot pickling liquid into each jar. Still making sure to leave at least 1/2" of head space. The carrots should be totally covered with the pickling liquid.

8. Remove air bubbles by sliding a knife inside the jar or gently shaking the jar. Adjust head space if needed.

9. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel and put the lids on each jar. Make sure that you screw the lid on to just finger tighten.

10. Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for 10 minutes. Remove and place on a flat surface covered with a thick kitchen towel. Let cool.

11. Anything pickled should be left unopened for at least a week, to let the flavors develop.







Can Jam, a monthly canning event, is hosted by Tigress of Tigress in a Jam. Canning is so much fun, you really should try it! The February Theme, Carrots, was chosen by fellow CanJammer, Doris and Jilly Cook.










Into my 7th week of the Ten in 10 Challenge. I'm still doing my weight exercises every day while I watch the news. And I've started repeating the exercises while watching the Olympics. I find that if I have something interesting to watch on TV I will exercise longer! However, last week I was sick for the entire week so did not work out at the gym at all. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. By the way, even though I am not dieting, I've lost 6 lbs.





All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Chocolate Cherry Pocket Pie with Brandied Cherries

Well, I did it again! I made more mini pies for HBinFive's Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread. The Pocket Apple Pies that I made two weeks ago were such a big hit, I had a request to make more. And I never need to be asked more then once!

But the Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread was not as easy to work and I did have to fuss a bit more but the Pies were very good. I made the Pocket Pies with my 5" Dough Press and again using about 2 TBL of Filling per pie.







For the Cherry Filling I used my home canned Brandied Cherries and boy was the cherry filling good. I canned the Brandied Cherries several years ago but they were pushed to the back of the pantry and I had totally forgotten about them! Well, I won't be forgetting about them any time soon. And plan on making more Brandied Cherries as soon as they come into season. Sorry but I do not remember where I found the recipe for the Brandied Cherries but I've had it for some time now.





Brandied Cherries
Recipe adapted from "not a clue"

6 lbs dark, sweet cherries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cups brandy

Wash and pit cherries. Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in a large sauce pot. Bring mixture to a simmer. Add cherries and simmer until hot throughout. Remove from heat; stir in brandy. Pack hot cherries into hot jars, leaving 1/2" head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a Boiling Water Bath.


Cherry Filling
Recipe developed by Big Black Dog

1 Pt of Brandied Cherries, abt 2 cups including juice (You can also used canned, frozen or fresh cherries, cleaned and pitted)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 TBL Sugar

Chop the cherries into 1/4" pieces. Put Cherries including juice, cinnamon and sugar in a saute pan. Over low heat, simmer until all liquid has evaporated. Watch it closely because it can burn easily.





With the remaining dough I made mini loaves of bread. Aren't they cute! I just cut the loaves into slices, garnished with fresh Kiwi Fruit and drizzled with Ganache.







Chocolate Ganache
Recipe adapted from my Mom

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Put the cream in the microwave and heat until just hot. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit until chocolate is melted. Stir until completely smooth and free of any unmelted chocolate. Add remaining ingredients. Allow to cool slightly before using.








All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Welcome to the 4th HBinFive Bread Braid

I know..I really pushed the envelope this week HBinFive's Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread! But I had so much fun in the process!

And I had just enough of the laminated dough left over from the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza to make six Pocket Apple-Cranberry Pies and oh were they good! And I used my 5" Dough Press which always does such a great job and it's so easy to use. I filled the Pocket Pies with a mix of Chopped Apple, Fresh Cranberries, Cinnamon, Granular Artificial Sweetener and Chopped Pecans.







To make the Pocket Pies:



The Dough Press is actually two tools in one. On one side there is a cutting edge similar to a cookie cutter and you can cut a disk of dough. And on the other side is a crimping edge where you can crimp the dough and form a moon-shaped Pocket.

1. Roll out the dough to about 1/8" thick.

2. Press the cutting edge into the dough and cut a disk of dough. Flip the Dough Press over and position the disk of dough so that it's adequately covering the Crimping Edge.

3. Sprinkle about a 1/2 tsp cornmeal or semolina on the filling area of the dough. The cornmeal/semolina helps to soak up any juices released during baking and keeps the bottom crispy.

4. Then add 2 TBL of filling on just one side of dough disk, making sure that no filling is spilling into the edges that are going to be crimped together.



5. Brush egg wash on the edges.

6. Using the hinge, flip one side of the Dough Press over the other and with both hands press, lightly but firmly, making sure that the crimped edge is completely sealed.

7. Place the Pockets on a parchment lined baking sheet.

8. Brush the Pocket with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar or topping of your choice.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until the Pocket is a nice golden brown.








With the rest of the Soft Whole Grain Sandwich Dough I made a Chicago Deep Dish Pizza and Angelo's Coney Island Hot Dogs served on a homemade Bun. If you'd like to read more about these recipes, just click on the below titles to visit the post.



Chicago Deep Dish Pizza





Angelo's Coney Island Hot Dog





If you are participating in the HBinFive Bread Braid, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general address.

Please leave a comment. Every once a while Mr. Linky flies the coop and we can then find your photos by clicking on the comment links.

Don't forget to copy and paste the HBinFive Badge in your Bread Braid post or somewhere on your FB Page. Or you can mention HBinFive but your blog post must be identified with HBinFive.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Big Black Dog, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your HBinFive post or pictures are actually published.

***If any HBinFive member is concerned about linking up to the Bread Braid Gadget please send an email to me at ms dot bigblackdog at gmail dot com with your name and the URL of your pictures and I will link you up as soon as I can.



Please feel free to click on any of the links below and visit some of our HBinFive Members and see their wonderful interpretations of this recipe!









All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Angelo's Coney Island Hot Dog

Whenever I see a restaurant famous for hot dogs I always think of Angelo's Coney Island in Flint, MI. I lived in Flint for the better part of 12 years and ate at Angelo's many times. It was just a five minute drive from the University of Michigan campus and I could get a quick, tasty lunch for under $3. But even at 20 years old, Angelo's Coney Dog with the secret chili sauce, sent my digestive system into overdrive! I usually ordered a Burger Deluxe with Olives which is actually a Kewpee Burger, now known as Halo Burger, but that's a whole 'nother burger joint in Flint.

This week for HBinFive we are making Hot Dog Buns and I thought it would be fun to introduce Angelo to Mr. Tastebuds...you know a little bit of my past meeting my present, just see how the two of them would get along.

I knew I had a recipe for Angelo's Secret Chili Sauce and found it, buried deep in my handwritten 3by5" recipe file. I used Best's Kosher Hot Dogs, boiled, on a homemade Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Bun, loaded with Chili Sauce, diced onion and yellow mustard. Mr. Tastebuds managed to eat three Coney Island Dogs, so I think Mr. Tastebuds and Angelo are getting along just fine!

When I made my hot dog buns I manipulated the dough to form a torpedo, baguette or batard shape and they baked up perfectly! The technique is wonderfully demonstrated in the below video:





But I can tell you that this recipe is not Angelo's Coney Island Sauce. Although the Coney Sauce is delicious and actually I liked it better then the original recipe, it is not even close to the real thing, but don't tell Mr. Tastebuds!







Angelo's Coney Island Sauce
Recipe adapted from "not a clue"

1 Tbs Butter
2 med onions (ground)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
2&1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbs prepared mustard
1&1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 6oz can of tomato paste
3 oz water
4 hot dogs (ground)

1. Grind up the hot dogs in your food processor.

2. Melt butter in large, heavy fry pan.

3. Add onions, garlic and saute for a minute.

4. Add ground beef, making sure to break it up as finely as possible, lightly fry until all pink is gone.

5. Add ground hot dogs, mustard, chili powder, salt, tomato paste and water. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until all water evaporates.










Family Recipes is hosted by Lynda of Lynda's Recipe Box, Laura of The Spiced Life and Shelby of Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch.





All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Light Citrus Strawberry Spread

I love to can late at night when everyone is asleep and I'm all alone in my kitchen. I count out the lids and get the water bath ready. I prep the vegetables or fruit and sneak a little taste here and there. I sterilize my jars and line them up, squeaky clean and gleaming, on my kitchen counter. The smell of the fresh tomatoes or peaches fills the air as it comes to a boil! I carefully fill the jars with the recipe du jour, screw on the lid and then and only then is it ready for the finale.... the Boiling Water Bath (BWB). After twenty minutes, I remove the jar and wait in anticipation to hear the most wonderful sound in the world and that's the PING of a sealing lid! I swear I can hear the PING three rooms away!

When I get up in the morning and wander into the kitchen for my first cup of coffee, and see all my jars lined up, I feel so accomplished. Is there anything more gorgeous then freshly canned goodness?







Light Citrus Strawberry Spread
Recipe adapted from "The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving" by Ellie Topp

Makes 8 - 4oz jars

1 large orange
4 c strawberries, washed and hulled
1 TBL lemon juice
2 TBL granulated sugar
1 box light (low-sugar) fruit pectin
1 c granular low-calorie sweetener (I used Natur, All Natural Sweetener)

1. Grate 2 tsp zest from orange; place in a large stainless-steel or enamel saucepan. Remove and discard remaining white rind from orange. Chop pulp and place in a 4 cup measuring cup.

2. Mash strawberries; add to orange. You should have 3 cups of fruit.

3. Combine fruit, lemon juice, sugar, and pectin in saucepan; mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sweetener, return to a boil, and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.

4. Ladle into sterilized jars and process in a BWB. Once opened, keep in the refrigerator and use within 3 weeks.

Tasting Notes: This spread which is actually more like a butter, is very tart. I did add an additional 2 TBL granular low-calorie sweetener which was perfect. Mr. Tastebuds loved it and it was very good on Rice Pudding!



I've joined another monthly event! You're probably thinking "Michelle don't you have enough to do?". I know but I hate to miss out on anything and I like being busy! Can Jam, a monthly canning event, is hosted by Tigress of Tigress in a Jam. Canning is so much fun, you should really try it!











I'm now starting my third week of the Ten in 10 Challenge and so far I've worked out 7 times in 10 days...WOOT! And I bought some 2 lb weights to start some weight training at home. I'm going to be following "8 Minutes in the Morning for a Perfect Body" by Jorge Cruise.



All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Sweet & Spicy Peanut Soup with Whole Grain Snack Crackers!

Poor Crackers always seem to play second fiddle to exciting dips and colorful salads. But we love crackers and I make a batch of crackers or breadsticks at least every two weeks. We eat crackers instead of bread for dinner and my husband, a brown bagger from way back, takes a few crackers in his lunch almost every day. So when Spicy Whole Grain Snack Crackers were on the agenda for HBinFive I was happy!

I did divide the cracker dough in half and added Chili Pepper to half and Kosher Salt on the remainder. I had a great time making the crackers and used my Pasta Bike which I highlighted in my Gadgets that Work category. Love my Pasta Bike which makes cutting the crackers so easy! I did make some of the crackers small and served them with a big pot of Chili!








I was cruising around, looking at some of my favorite blogs and I happened to land on Kayte's blog, Grandma's Kitchen Table. And she was raving about Sweet & Spicy Peanut Soup by Ellie Krieger! However, the Sweet & Spicy Peanut Soup is way outside my comfort zone but yet it sounded so good to me...I think it's the snowbound effect that twisting my senses around! I do not like peanut butter and have never eaten a PB&J sandwich...nope never! And the Soup also had Cayenne Pepper which is something I rarely ever add to anything, just too spicy for me. Yet it sounded too good not to try and perfect for a second round of Whole Grain Crackers!

For the Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup I did cut down the Cayenne Pepper to just 1/4 tsp and I did eliminate the large onion and scallions and substituted 8 Green Onions. And after my first test taste I did add an additional 1/4 c. of Peanut Butter. But this soup was out of this world, super fantastic and I can't wait to make it again!









Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup
Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (2 cups)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes, with their juices
2/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup chopped scallion greens (about 3 scallions)

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell pepper and carrots and cook, stirring until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cayenne, black pepper, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the sweet potato, broth, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

*Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or in a regular blender in 2 batches and return the soup to the pot. Add the peanut butter and honey and stir, over low heat, until the peanut butter melts. Serve warm, garnished with the scallions.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.








All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Soft Pretzels and the Minnesota v. Chicago Football Game

I love football and have always looked forward to the season. And every year I plunk down my money for season tickets. But geesh, the Chicago Bears are absolutely in the toilet this year! I don't mind when my team loses a game but when they play SOOOooooo bad, it really is embarrassing. So when it came time for the Minnesota v. Chicago game I knew I had to soften the blow of another loss and decided to make some Soft Pretzels to munch on during the game.

The big, giant mall pretzels, oozing with yellow mustard and encrusted with way too much salt, are not my favorite thing in fact the smell is disgusting. So when I made my Pretzels I used very little salt and of course went overboard sprinkling with seeds. And I eliminated everything in the water bath and just added 2 TBL of Barley Malt Syrup. The Pretzels were DE-licious and I would make them again and again!


By the way, the Bears won the Minnesota game, 36 to 30, in OT. It was great!







Pretzels
Recipe adapted from my friend, Nancy

1 package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour

For the water bath:
2 quarts water
1/4 cup amber beer
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

I eliminated all the above for the water bath and just used 2 qts of water and 2 TBL of Barley Malt Syrup.

Toppings:
4 TBL melted butter
Kosher Salt, Poppy Seed, Pepitos, Parmesan Cheese, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds or anything you want.

Makes 12 Pretzels

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water.

Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.

After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape and place on a baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Simmer the pretzels: In a 10-inch-wide stainless-steel pot, combine the water, beer, baking soda, and brown sugar and bring to a simmer. Place 2 pretzels at a time in the water bath. Cook for 10 seconds and flip, using a skimmer or slotted spoon. Cook for another 10 seconds, and with the skimmer, lift above the pan to drain. Then transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet, rounded sides up.

Brush pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, sugar/cinnamon, coarse salt, etc., be creative.

Bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with additional melted butter, if desired. Serve warm.







Foodie Friday is graciously hosted by Michael of Designs by Gollum. Please visit Designs by Gollum and see more wonderful creations!









All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Welcome to the 2nd HBinFive Bread Braid

Whenever I bake my three Rottweilers like to keep me company in the kitchen but I can not maneuver in my kitchen with three fully grown Rottweilers under foot! So I've drawn invisible lines on the floor that are not to be crossed and the dogs know exactly where the lines are located. And my male Rottweiler, Archie, generally claims the most coveted spot safely outside the invisible line yet just close enough to spy any thing that falls on the floor! The dogs know that they can not begin a food search until I give the command "scavenge" and then all three bolt into the kitchen and the search is on!

In the below photo, Archie's wide-eyed, confused expression is because he knows he is well over the invisible line and he's wondering why I'm taking a photo and not correcting him. He's like frozen in place waiting for the correction-of-death which consists of a tug on his collar and then the final blow of "Bad Boy"! OH...the shame of it!





As I stood at my island rolling out dough, I had no idea what I was going to make and I glanced down at Archie and thought "This boy is definitely due for a pup pedicure". And then it hit me! Hmmmm.....Rottweiler Claws! And being I have wanted to make Zoe's Bear Claws for a while now, my decision was made. Of course I'd have to put my own spin on the pastry and I just happened to have absolutely everything I needed....YES!







Rottweiler Claws
Recipe developed by BigBlackDog

1/2 Recipe of Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries and Orange Zest (Makes about 12 Rottweiler Claws)

My alterations and additions to the Whole Grain Challah Recipe:
2 c. AP flour
1 c. White Whole Wheat Flour
1 c. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/4 c. soft butter
1 tsp Vanilla
Fresh Yeast

Filling:
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. golden raisins
Zest of 1 large Naval Orange
1/4 c. ground almonds

Topping:
Egg Wash (1 egg slightly whipped with a tsp of water) or Cream
Coarse Sugar
Whole Cashews

In a food processor add cranberries, brown sugar, raisins, orange zest and ground almonds and mince. Set aside.

Roll out dough to a little bit less then 1/4" thick. Cut into about 6-8" squares.

The filling will be sticky and easily formed into 5-6" logs. Place a log of filling at about the half mark.

Dampen the short end and down the sides of the square with egg wash and then flip it over the filling log and tap it down so that it adheres.



Trim the toe area to about 1" and then cut the 5 individual toes. I know dogs only have 4 toes and a dewclaw but only 4 toes looked silly...so I'm using my pastry maker's license.

Curve the Paw area into a crescent so that the toes separate and spread out.



I brushed with Egg Wash but it came out sort of blotchy where the sugar is and I'm not quite sure why this happened. I think if I had brushed with cream my Rottweiler Claws would have been prettier, if it's possible for Rottweiler Claws to be pretty!

Sprinkle with course sugar. Press 1 whole Cashew into each toe to make the claw.

Cover and let rise for about an hour.

Bake at 350 degrees until Claws are a nice golden brown.







Below are more of my creations I made with our Bonus December Recipe, Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries and Orange Zest. Just click on the title link to find the post and recipe.


Poppy Seed Roll




Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries and Orange Zest






If you are participating in the HBinFive Bread Braid, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general address.

Please leave a comment. Every once a while the Mr. Linky flies the coop and we can then find your photos by clicking on the comment links.

Don't forget to copy and paste the HBinFive Badge in your Bread Braid post or somewhere on your FB Page. Or you can mention HBinFive but your blog post must be identified with HBinFive.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Big Black Dog, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your HBinFive post or pictures are actually published.

***If any HBinFive member is concerned about linking up to the Bread Braid Gadget please send an email to me at ms dot bigblackdog at gmail dot com with your name and the URL of your pictures and I will link you up as soon as I can.



Please feel free to click on any of the links below and visit some of our HBinFive Members and see their wonderful interpretations of this recipe!









Don't forget that December 15th is the last day to enter my A Bag and a Book Giveaway.

Every comment left on this post is one entry into the Giveaway!

The Bamboo Bread Bag is impeccably designed by Ann Arnold. And the book, "The Adventurous Chef: Alexis Soyer" was authored and illustrated by Ann Arnold.

And Ann has a special offer for all HBinFive Members!







All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Poppy Seed Roll

When I was growing up in Flint, Michigan, we had a neighbor down the street that my Mom and I would visit for late morning coffee. I was very young at the time and the family moved away when I was about 6 years old. I don't remember much about the family except that they had a large wooden kitchen table and there was always a Poppy Seed Roll sitting right in the middle. I have no idea if the Roll was homemade or not but I loved their Poppy Seed Roll and they always offered me a piece. And sometimes I was offered a second slice which I never turned down!

Since I've been wanting to try making a Poppy Seed Roll I decided to make another half recipe of the HBinFive December Bonus Recipe, Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries and Orange Zest. But this time I adjusted the dough and used 2 c. AP Flour, 1 c. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, 1 c. White Whole Wheat Flour, 1 tsp Vanilla and I also used butter instead of oil and this made a huge difference. And the rise was truly amazing! I braided the top of the Poppy Seed Roll but since I drizzled with glaze and added so many sliced almonds you really can't see the braiding! I baked the Poppy Seed Roll for not quite 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

The Poppy Seed Roll was very good and quite different from anything I've made before. However, I do think the bread should have been just a little bit sweeter and if making it again I would use 1/2 c. Honey.







Poppy Seed Roll Filling

1 pound poppy seeds
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup seedless raisins
Zest from 1 medium sized lemon
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 egg yolk
1 egg white

I cut this recipe in half and had more then enough for 1 Poppy Seed Roll.

Rinse and drain the poppy seeds and spread them out on paper towels to dry. Then pulverize the poppy seeds, almonds, raisins and lemon zest in a food processor until finely minced.

In a heavy saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of the milk and sugar and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce the heat to low. With a whisk, beat the 2 Tablespoons of flour into the remaining ¼ cup of milk, then slowly beat it into the simmering milk. Again bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Pour it over the poppy-seed mixture and stir well. Then beat in the egg yolk. In a separate bowl, beat the egg white until it forms firm unwavering peaks on the beater when it is lifted out of the bowl. With a rubber spatula, fold the egg white gently but thoroughly, into the poppy-seed filling.







Constructing the Braid/Roll

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, 1/8-1/4 inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.

Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you have already made.

Spread a layer of the Poppy Seed Filling cream about 1/2" thick down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Brush the Roll with either egg wash or cream before baking.


Glaze and Topping

1/3 cup half and half
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
Sliced Almonds

Place powdered sugar in bowl. Whisk in half and half by spoonfuls until glaze is spreadable. Drizzle glaze over roll. Sprinkle with almonds. Let stand until glaze sets.








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries and Orange Zest

Our December recipe for HBinFive is Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries and Orange Zest. I was very happy to see a Challah as our bonus recipe because it's so easy and I love braiding bread. With Christmas less then 3 weeks away, I really did not want a recipe that was fussy. Although braiding bread looks difficult, it's not and I thoroughly enjoy it and the 5-strand Challah is my favorite. At the end of my post is a short video, less then two minutes, demonstrating just how easy the 5-Strand Challah is to make!


You can find the recipe for the Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries and Orange Zest by clicking on the link. However, I did make some changes to this recipe. First of all I made a half recipe and for the flours I used 1 1/2 c. AP Unbleached White Flour, 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour and 1 1/2 c. White Whole Wheat Flour. And for the Wheat Germ I substituted Amaranth Flour.







Orange Sugar Confection
Recipe adapted from "not a clue"

1 large naval orange
1/2 c. of sugar

Zest the entire Orange. Mix the orange zest with the sugar.

The sugar will be damp and you will need to let it dry out. I just spread the orange sugar on a cutting board, parchment paper or a plate and after an hour or so I transfer it to the bowl. Once in the bowl I stir it with a fork and break up any sugar clumps. Over the next 2 days, every once in a while repeat stirring with a fork and breaking up any clumps until the orange sugar is completely dry. The sugar will preserve the orange and there will be no taste lost and it will keep for at least 6 months or so in a tupperware like container or ziplock bag. However it will fade if exposed to light, so keep it in a kitchen cabinet towards the back.







You can use the same technique and make your own Garlic Salt which is so good on Homemade Potato Chips.

Garlic Salt

2-3 TBL Kosher Salt
2 large cloves of garlic

Put garlic cloves through a garlic press. Mix pressed garlic and salt. Let air dry by spreading out the salt on a plate or parchment paper. As the garlic salt dries periodically break up any clumps with a fork. When the garlic salt is completely dry store in a covered tupperware-like container or ziplock bag.




A Book and A Bag Giveaway

And don't forget to enter my A Bag and a Book Giveaway. The Bamboo Bread Bag is impeccably designed by Ann Arnold. And the book, "The Adventurous Chef: Alexis Soyer" was authored and illustrated by Ann Arnold.

And Ann has a special offer for all HBinFive Members!















All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog