Brittany's PantryButtermilk Yeast Bread & Random Acts of Cooking
Brittany wrote this on 11 January 2011
buttermilk, yeast
That is what I feel like lately. Random foods, flying out of my kitchen in all directions without rhyme or reason or direction. One day, salads. Another day, Buttermilk Bread. Lunch on Sunday was pancakes. Today? Chicken and Dumplings. I blame a portion of this on the fact that my couch is in my kitchen while we finish renovating our family room. I wonder if my husband comes home from work and inwardly braces himself for my answer when he asks “What is for dinner?” Because…well…you just never know.
I’m sorry! Its me! I need variety in my food! I don’t like a lot of repetition. For example, there seems to be a large group of people out there who eat the same thing for lunch every day. The same thing! How is this possible?! After days and days of ham and cheese, wouldn’t you want to arm wrestle a coworker just for a bite of his reheated Thai food? Is there some kind of secret society that no one knows about that exists in office building broom closets? A noon-time black market of sorts? Do they boast to friends and family that the lettuce with egg and fat free vinaigrette that is lunch every single day is so satisfying that they do not wish to vary it, while secretly trading stellar office supplies for a Cobb salad with extra bacon, lasagna with garlic bread, or Jimmy Johns with salt and vinegar potato chips? The bonds of secrecy are strong, so we may never know.
So here is to randomness! Variety! Ahah! I feel better already!
This recipe is for the bread machine but as always, adapts well to the old fashioned method. It is directly from the Breadman Ultimate Plus, Instruction Manual and Recipe Guide.
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c canola oil
1 1/2 c plus 2 T low fat buttermilk
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeastPlace the ingredients in the bread machine in the order given or according to your machines manufacturers directions. Bake on the basic white setting for a 2 lb loaf. This bread does better if you do not use the rapid mode.
You may have noticed by my previous blog entries that I don’t do the whole New Year’s healthy eating resolution deal. Personally, I think that eating healthy food, regular exercise, a good nights sleep, and plenty of stress relieving activities are all things that we should be doing all the time. It isn’t just a random decision that we make on Jan 1st and then start groaning inwardly with guilt about before Valentine’s Day. I don’t recall ever making a real New Year’s resolution. Perhaps because I knew that if I didn’t stick to it, it didn’t really matter to anyone but me. No one noticed and no one cared. So why do it? Yup, I have a bit of an attitude.
That said, I think that anything that gets a person to eat better, exercise, stop smoking, budget better, etc. is fantastic and a great thing. So whatever day is on the calendar and you decide to make changes in your life for the better, I wish you good luck and support. Just remember that every day is a new day. There are no mistakes in tomorrow.
So on that note, I am posting one of my favorite, uber healthy recipes. Is that how you spell uber?
This salad recipe is from my dear friend Laura, and although she is probably unaware, I have been making it repeatedly ever since she gave me the recipe. Like, a lot. It is one of my family’s favorites and it is perfect for the middle of January for several reasons. All of the ingredients are readily available year round, there is virtually no prep, and it is satisfying enough for dinner but easy on your hips. This recipe got me eating nuts in my salads again, something we all should be doing. Good, heart healthy walnuts. If, like my siblings, you are allergic to walnuts and they make your tongue itch (weird, but true) feel free to add almonds instead. But I cannot stress enough that the beauty of this combo is when you have all the elements. Its creamy, crunchy, sweet, salty, tangy, and yes, very good for you. Put it at the top of your list for this winter and feel fantastic about it!
Note: There are no poppy seeds in my dressing for a very good reason. I didn’t have any. Just so you know…
Laura’s Salad
Leftover dressing lasts for weeks in the fridge. Its is also good brushed over chicken.
Dressing:
1 T Dijon mustard
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp finely minced onion
1/3 c canned, jellied cranberry sauce
1/4 c white wine vinegar
1/2 c oil (I use 1/4 canola and 1/4 extra virgin olive oil)
1 T poppy seeds, optional
In a small bowl or jar, blend the sugar, cranberry sauce and the vinegar. If you do this first, the sugar dissolves easier. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake or whisk until well blended.
Salad:
dark greens, such as spinach, spring mix, or both
dried cranberries
walnuts
feta, crumbled
grilled chicken, diced
Build your salad and enjoy!
I needed something to throw together for lunch and I was kinda sick of sandwiches. After reading a bunch of different blogs today, I had a craving for Shrimp Quesadillas. My experiment was a tasty one.
Shrimp Quesadillas
1/2 pound of shrimp, peeled deveined and tails removed
1 T taco sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper
Heat 1 T of olive oil in a medium skillet and add garlic. Heat for 30 seconds or just until fragrant. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium heat until liquid starts to evaporate and shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp to a cutting board and roughly chop. Set aside.
Build your quesadilla with shredded monterey jack cheese and shrimp. Add onions and peppers if desired.
Love a Good Recipe?
Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Brittany, and I share tested, trusted recipes you’ll love. I prepare & photograph food, obsess over the perfect recipe, and enjoy grins of delight when I serve up something awesome. Enjoy!
