Fresh Bread

Yum! The smell of fresh bread in the house…*drool* 

Do you remember the “trial and error” part of my blog. Well here we are! This is my first ever attempt at homemade bread. My awesome mother in-law had given me a Kitchenaid Mixer a few years back (I LOVE IT I might ad) so I chose a bread recipe that was in the Kitchenaid Mixer recipe book.  It’s called Cool Rise Bread. It says it’s the easiest for beginners, so I figured I better start at square 1.

Here is the Recipe:

Place 5 1/2 cups flour, 2 T. sugar, 3 1/2 t. salt, 3 packages of active dry yeast and 1/4 c. butter or margarine (softened) in your mixer bowl. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 20 seconds. Gradually add 2 cups very warm water (120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit) and mix about 1-1/2 minutes longer.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining 1/2 cup to 1-1/2 cups flour (1/2 cup at a time) and mix until dough clings to hook and cleans side of bowl, about 2 minutes. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.

Cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rest for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes your dough will have risen considerably. Divide the dough in half.

Place the dough in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pans.

Brush each loaf with oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 to 12 hours. When ready to bake, uncover dough carefully. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Puncture any gas bubbles. Bake at 400 degrees 35-40 minutes.

My bread didn’t look like a perfect loaf but mmmm it sure was good!

Chocolate Covered Oranges

It’s about time for a cooking post, don’t you think? Although chocolate covered oranges don’t really involve cooking I thought I would share them any ways.

The school my son attends still allows homemade snacks, and knowing how rare that is these days I thought I would take advantage of that and whip up something with some TLC.

I try to serve healthy snacks, but I know that can be hard with young kids (you have to get creative sometimes). My grand idea- I dressed up some orange slices with chocolate and sprinkles! Will the kids know they are getting a healthy snack, or think they are eating candy? (sneaky sneaky)

What you will need:

Oranges- I used Cuties brand, because they are easy to peel, sweet and seedless.

Chocolate Chips

Vegetable Shortening- for thinning out the chocolate

Sprinkles

Wax Paper

Cookie Sheet

How to make Chocolate Covered Oranges:

·        Peel and separate the oranges

·        Melt your chocolate

You can melt your chocolate in the microwave. I used my fondue pot.

You may need to add some vegetable shortening to think out the chocolate.  

·        Line your cookie sheet with wax paper

·        Dip your oranges in the chocolate then set them on the wax paper

·        Sprinkle with sprinkles

·        Let harden in the refrigerator

·        Enjoy : )