30 August, 2009

"Shelli's" Yummy Pesto

"Shelli's" Yummy Pesto

Well, a few of you have asked for "my" pesto recipe... but, unfortunately, I can't take full credit for this one, not at all. My sweet friend, Lisa Johnson, deserves all the glory for this fantastic blend of basil and lip-smacking, mouth-ahhing pleasure.

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup parmesan cheese (I use the bagged, grated/ shredded kind)
1/2- 3/4 cup olive oil (I stick closer to 1/2)
1-2 cloves of garlic (Uh, make that at least 5 or 6 for me!)
2 T pine nuts or walnuts (I use 2-3T of BOTH!)
salt to taste

Process till smooth. Spread on bread, use for pizza sauce, or, my favorite (straight from Germany!!), stir into a pot of (whole wheat) spaghetti, mixed with halved cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella chunks, along with the juice of one lemon (include the lemon chopped into tiny pieces for some real zing!) and several fresh chopped basil leaves. MmmmMmmm, good!

Variations:
1. Add sun-dried tomatoes, plus one small fresh one, for a nice red pesto.
2. Add onions for some extra spice... or hot peppers!
3. Experiment, experiment, experiment... and share your great ideas with this crazy pesto freak!!!!!

Crunchy Cracked Wheat Bread

Into the bread machine:

1½ tsp active dry yeast
1½ cup whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached multipurpose flour (or bread flour)
1 tsp salt
¾ cup cracked wheat*
2 whole eggs, large
4 TBSP honey
3 TBSP olive oil
1 cup water*

* combine the cracked wheat and the water about an hour before starting the bread for a softer bread.

(Yeast goes in first, flour second. After that, the sequence is not important. The goal is to keep the yeast dry until everything starts mixing.)

20 August, 2009

Granola Cashew Bread

Into the bread machine, in this order:

1½ tsp yeast
1 cup granola: the heavier the better; homemade is always best
¾ cup salted cashews, roughly chopped
½ cup dates, roughly chopped
1 TBSP wheat germ
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 TBSP gluten
2 cups unbleached bread flour
1½ tsp sugar
2 TBSP butter, in pieces
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP powdered milk
1-1/3 cup filtered water, room temperature

Load it all into the bread machine. Set the baking level on “dark” and fire it up. Pretty darned good. This is really great tasted with lots of butter, or with cinnamon & sugar.