Sometimes Bread & Soup just sounds like a perfect meal. Soooo, this week, ‘I’ve got you!’  The bread is a former Marvelous Monday.  My son-in-law makes this frequently at their house and got me going on making i.  What I like about this bread is that it is fool proof. It has been made numerous times in our kitchens and without fail, it turns out.  I have made it for dinner parties, bread to have on hand for the week and to take when we go to someone’s home for a party and it turns out the same each time:  PERFECT!  I can’t say that with bread machine bread. Most of the time, yes, but every once in a while, I have a flop, which could be due to a variety of factors aside from the bread machine. AND, aside from the yeast-which you may or may not have on hand-you have everything. I have photos to show you how it’s done, the steps are clear, so GO FO IT!

     Now, next is a good soup. You may have your FAV and I have a few here on my website, just do a search. However, if you don’t or are looking for something to try, this one is flavorful and healthy.  It comes from a Chief Friend who makes it often, it’s a Cabbage Soup with lots of vegetables. For an extra touch and little more flavor, she adds freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top YUM! I like to make it when we get home from time away and a little over indulging and I want something to get me back on track eating healthy again.  Here you go on both…Enjoy!

Rustic Homemade Bread

Ingredients/supplies

-1 1/2 cup water 

-1/2 Tablespoon salt, I use Kosher

-2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (either from a jar on an individualized packet)

-3 1/4 cup unbleached flour

  -additional flour for parchment paper when rising is complete, before baking

-Parchment Paper to turn dough over on

-plastic wrap to cover a large bowl for bread to rise

-A Dutch Oven or baking pan with a cover, you could use a soup pot

Top photo, all ingredients, bowl, measuring devices and whisk out and ready…bottom photos, dough in a nice bowl, I usually use my stainless steel bowl but I have used other bowls and have had good results. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise-I like under the hood with a light on. Last photo on the right, cut a cross with a knife on the top on the bread on parchment paper before putting in the Dutch oven (with the parchment paper).
On the left-bread before taking top of Dutch oven off. Right-bread after additional

Method

1.  Heat the 1 1/2 cup of water in a Pyrex measuring cup for 55 seconds-         don’t over heat water, it could kill the yeast rising properties.

2.  While the water heats in microwave, measure out yeast and salt in a large       mixing bowl.

3.  Pour heated water in the mixing bowl and whisk water, yeast and salt      until well blended.

4.  Measure out carefully 3 1/4 cups unbleached flour and stir in with either      a wooden spoon or silicone spatula (If you feel you need a little more      water, add 1 or 2 tablespoons heated water (10 seconds) to mixture so all      flour is incorporated. 

5.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap making sure to press around the edge of      bowl so additional air doesn’t not get in, and set in a warm place like on a      stove top under a hood light or your favorite place for rising.  You want      dough to double in bulk, approximately 2 hours.  About 30 minutes      before rising time is complete, preheat oven to 450 degrees and place      Dutch oven or pan for bread to bake in, in the heated oven to heat the      cooking container.  This aids in a crispy crust outcome. Remember to use      pot holders when handling the hot pot and lid.

6.  Sprinkle flour on parchment paper and turn risen dough onto the floured      Using a silicone spatula turn dough to incorporate the additional flour      into the moist dough.  Turn the paper to get the shape along with handling      the dough with the spatula.  Handle the dough as little as possible to get it      into a round shape for best bread final texture.  When it is shaped, lift the      lid off the Dutch oven/pot using potholders, then pick up the parchment      with the bread on it and place in the Dutch oven/pot.  Use a sharp knife to      score a cross on top of the bread.  The Irish do this with Irish bread to      Bless it, that can be your purpose too in addition to allowing for the bread to have a rustic texture on top with some brown bits-see photos above before baking and below after. Place the top on the pot and set your timer for 35 minutes in the 450 degrees in the oven.

7.  After the 35 minutes baking time, carefully take the lid off, of course      using a pot holder. Set timer for 8-10 more minutes.  Remove at that time,  let cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing.  Yum, Yum & Yum.  

Cabbage Soup

Cabbage Soup from Chief Friend

Ingredients

-2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-1/2 cup onion

-2 cloves minced garlic

-1/2 cabbage chopped coarse

-4 cups chicken stock/broth (I use Better Than Bouillon) 

-1 carrot peeled with a potato peeler in strips

-1 zucchini either diced or zoodled*

-1-28 can good plum tomatoes diced

-(optional) 1 can Great Northern Beans, drained

-1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves taken off

-freshly ground black pepper to taste

-freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste to top before serving

Method

  1.  Prepare/measure all ingredients and have them handy and ready to go. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot.  Add onion and saute’ until translucent. Add garlic and cook and additional minute, do not let it burn.  Add tomatoes in a can and chicken stock/broth. Let mixture come to a. boil, then turn down.
  2. Add cabbage, zucchini, carrot, thyme & beans.  Let cook for about at least 10 minutes.
  3. Season with pepper.  Spoon into soup bowls and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. Enjoy!

Author, Mary Yana Burau