Curiosity

Curiosity becomes interest, interest becomes hobby, hobby becomes passion, passion becomes life's work, and even spiritual pursuit--the stuff of the heart. (44) 

And I Shall Have Some Peace There by Margaret Roach

In my semi-annual quest to clean up and clean out at NOLD, I came across a file folder that became a catchall over the years for articles, information, and essays about food. As I looked back at what I had collected since my curiosity germinated, I realized that I had come a long way, building a solid base of knowledge and crafting an approach to cooking that feels authentic and ingrained.

So, I shouldn't be surprised that I have immersed myself with food as the seasons change. I am deeply immersed in the following:

• Preparing food for storage
• Planning food gifts for the holidays
• Organizing recipes collected and not yet tested
• Cooking and baking to get the family back on track nutritionally
• Cataloging recipes to share here
• Rifling through cookbooks and donating those left frequented to our Little Free Library

Working in the kitchen is creative and tangibly satisfying. I can taste and appreciate results immediately, although I do prepare meals and dishes that don't pass muster, too. And, sometimes, things do go terribly wrong. I have come to appreciate the process, which can at times run counter to my OCD side. 

However, my greatest satisfaction comes from sharing food -- sharing a meal with friends, family, and new acquaintances is a large part of life at NOLD. I love to gift food and, occasionally, peak someone else's curiosity in something new. So, today, I want to share a few recipes with just such curiosity in mind.

Two friends, one tween and one adult, requested this recipe after assurances that they could bake just such a healthful, simple loaf of bread themselves. You can, too.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

1¼ cup warm water or warm milk (105ºF to 115ºF) or any combination of the two

1 egg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, or sunflower oil

½ cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave syrup or ¼ cup brown sugar

2 cups unbleached all-purpose bread flour

2 cups whole wheat bread flour or spelt flour

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon yeast

1. Place all ingredients, in order, into the large bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook.
2. Beat at low speed until dough is smooth, comes cleanly off of sides, and climbs hook, about 8 minutes. If dough is sticky add additional unbleached all-purpose bread flour as needed one tablespoon at a time. Be careful not to add too much additional flour or bread will be tough and/or dry.
3. Cover bowl and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubles, about 1½ hours.
4. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.
5. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes, shaping into an 8-by-3-inch log.
6. Place into pan and cover loosely with a buttered sheet of wax paper or foil wrap.
7. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until center is 1½ inches higher than top of pan, about 45 minutes.
8. Gently pull cover off top of loaf and bake in a 350ºF oven for 30 minutes until deep golden.
9. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Then, run knife around edges of bread and turn out of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 1 large loaf

Notes: You may use only whole wheat bread flour in this recipe. However, I would begin with 3 ½ cups and add additional whole wheat bread flour slowly, by the tablespoon, as needed in order to prepare a dough that is springy to the touch but not too dry or tough. Also, you may brush loaf with milk or cream and sprinkle with oats just prior to baking for added pizzazz.

My younger daughter is responsible for the following two recipes. She decided to eat salad greens (Hurray!) over the summer and has taken to caesar salads, in particular. She tracked down this recipe for dressing and allowed me to show her how to make croutons from leftover/stale bread (from the recipe above or otherwise) as well. Both are simple and delicious, staples to add to your larder.

Caesar Dressing

2 small garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice/one lemon

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Put everything in a bowl or dressing holder. Start with the dry ingredients, then the wet. Mix with a whisk or handheld mixer until everything is combined. Serve immediately or put in fridge. Dressing is good in fridge for 1 week. 

Baked Croutons

Dice fresh or dry bread into ½-inch cubes. You may freeze them at this point or use immediately. Toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat (about ¼ cup olive oil for each ½ pound of bread). Season to taste with garlic powder, sea salt, ground black pepper, and/or herbs, to taste. Spread evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F, stirring halfway through to brown evenly. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for future use.