Bread Rosemary-Herb Bread Source: Heather HaydenIngredients Two-Loaf Machine 2/3 c milk 3 tbsp butter 2 eggs 3 c bread flour 1.5 tsp salt 2.5 tbsp sugar 4 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (dried works as well; decrease amount to 1 tsp)* 1 tsp dried thyme (fresh works as well, just adjust amount) 1 tsp dried marjoram(oregano also works if no marjoram available) 2 tsp yeast (a little more if you want extra rising) One-Loaf Machine 1/3 c milk 1.5 tbsp butter 1 egg 1.5 c bread flour .75 tsp salt 1 tbsp + .75 tsp sugar 2 - 2.5 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (dried works as well; decrease amount to .5 tsp)* .5 tsp dried thyme(fresh works as well, just adjust amount) .5 tsp dried marjoram (oregano also works if no marjoram available) ~1 tsp yeast (a little more if you want extra rising) Directions Use basic white bread dough setting on bread machine. Separate into two well-buttered loaf pans. Allow to rise until about doubled in size. Bake at 350*F for ~15-20 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when knocked. *"not enough rosemary" according to Thomas...might need to increase amount for two-loaf batch? Note: Increased to ~5+ tsp fresh rosemary--seems to be about the right amount now.Portugese Sweet Bread (Machine) Ingredients 1 c milk 1 egg 2 tbsp butter 1/3 c sugar 3/4 tsp salt 3 c flour 2 1/2 tsp yeast Instructions Use sweet bread dough setting on bread machine. Separate dough into two loaf pans and allow to rise until ready to bake. Bake at 325*F for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.Flour Tortillias Yield: 8 tortillas. Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 1.5 cups AP flour .5 cups whole wheat flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup water 3 tablespoons olive oil Directions In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-12 times, adding a little flour or water if needed to achieve a smooth dough. Let rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough into eight portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook tortillas over medium heat for 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Keep warm. No-Knead Whitebread Source: Alexandra's Kitchen Modified By: Heather HaydenIngredients: 4 cups (484 g to 510 g | 1 lb. 2 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour (can also use bread flour or a mix; measure scant cups if going by volume) 2 tsp kosher salt 2 cups lukewarm water  (Mix 1 1/2 cups cold water with 1/2 cup boiling water and it will be perfect) 2-3 tsp sugar  (I use 2, my mom uses 3 — difference is negligible) 2 tsp active-dry yeast  (If using packets, just go ahead and use one whole one.  Activated instant-rise yeast works fine too.) ~2 tbsp room temperature butter Instructions: Mixing the dough: • If you are using active-dry yeast: In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar into the water. Sprinkle the yeast over top. There is no need to stir it up. Let it stand for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and/or bubbling just a bit — this step will ensure that the yeast is active. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. When the yeast-water-sugar mixture is foamy, stir it up, and add it to the flour bowl. Mix until the flour is absorbed. • If you are using instant yeast: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Add the water. Mix until the flour is absorbed. Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for at least an hour. (In the winter or if you are letting the bread rise in a cool place, it might take as long as two hours to rise.) This is how to create a slightly warm spot for your bread to rise in: Turn the oven on at any temperature (350ºF or so) for one minute, then turn it off. Note: Do not allow the oven to get up to 300ºF, for example, and then heat at that setting for 1 minute — this will be too hot. Just let the oven preheat for a total of 1 minute — it likely won't get above 300ºF. The goal is to just create a slightly warm environment for the bread. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Grease two oven-safe bowls (such as the pyrex bowls I mentioned above) with about a tablespoon of butter each. Using two forks, punch down your dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl, which it will be clinging to. As you scrape it down try to turn the dough up onto itself if that makes sense. You want to loosen the dough entirely from the sides of the bowl, and you want to make sure you've punched it down. Then, take your two forks and divide the dough into two equal portions — eye the center of the mass of dough, and starting from the center and working out, pull the dough apart with the two forks. Then scoop up each half and place into your prepared bowls. This part can be a little messy — the dough is very wet and will slip all over the place. Using small forks or forks with short tines makes this easier — my small salad forks work best; my dinner forks make it harder. It's best to scoop it up fast and plop it in the bowl in one fell swoop. Let the dough rise for about 20 to 30 minutes on the countertop near the oven (or near a warm spot) or until it has risen to just below or above (depending on what size bowl you are using) the top of the bowls. (Note: Do not do the warm-oven trick for the second rise, and do not cover your bowls for the second rise. Simply set your bowls on top of your oven, so that they are in a warm spot. Twenty minutes in this spot usually is enough for my loaves.) Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375º and make for 15 to 17 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and turn the loaves onto cooling racks. If you've greased the bowls well, the loaves should fall right out onto the cooling racks. If the loaves look a little pale and soft when you've turned them out onto your cooling racks, place the loaves into the oven (outside of their bowls) and let them bake for about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Spelt Tortillas Spelt Tortillas Yield: 8 tortillas. Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup spelt flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup warm water (a bit more if using King Arthur flour) 1/4 cup oil Directions In a large bowl, combine flours and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-12 times, adding a little flour or water if needed to achieve a smooth dough. Let rest for 15 minutes. Divide dough into eight portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook tortillas over medium heat for 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Keep warm. Notes Doubling the batch works better for a full batch of spinach wraps... Make the tortillas larger and roll not quite as thin, cook gently so that they are still pliable (original recipe was a direct update to my mom's flour tortilla recipe). "Hybrid" Sourdough Bread Bowls Makes: 8-12 bowls depending on size; I often make a half batch since I don't need quite so many. Ingredients Dry ingredients 500g all-purpose flour 450g bread flour (can just use all-purpose flour if you don't have bread flour on hand; you can also replace up to 200g with whole wheat or spelt flour if you like the flavor) 20-30g salt (depends on if you want a slightly saltier bread for soup) 4 tsp active dry yeast Wet ingredients 200g starter mix 650g water Optional 1 egg, well beaten, for egg wash Ingredients (half batch - skip egg wash) Dry ingredients 250g all-purpose flour 225g bread flour (can just use all-purpose flour if you don't have bread flour on hand; you can also replace up to 200g with whole wheat or spelt flour if you like the flavor) 15g salt (depends on if you want a slightly saltier bread for soup) 2 tsp active dry yeast Wet ingredients 100g starter mix 325g water Directions 4-12 hours before making the dough, mix 50g starter, 100g water, and 100g all-purpose flour (25, 50, 50 if doing half batch). Cover and leave on the counter until at least doubled in size and bubbly; this can take more or less time depending on the starter and the temperature. I'll often mix it up the night before and start the dough first thing in the morning when it's cold out, but warmer temperatures make the process faster. Mix dry ingredients, then add all the wet ingredients, stir, then knead briefly with your hand for a minute or two to get it mixed. It'll be a bit shaggy and sticky, but as long as it forms a dough, it's good. If it seems a bit dry and isn't coming together, you can add a little water--some flours absorb more than others. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Fold the dough (gently scoop on one side, lift, fold over itself, turn 90 degrees, repeat three times). Cover and let rest another 15 minutes, fold a second time, rest another 15, fold a third time, rest 30, fold a fourth time, rest 30, fold a fifth time. The dough will puff up a lot toward the end, but don't worry too much about that. Sometimes I'll do six folds total, sometimes only four, depends on if I lose count. As long as you do at least four or five, it should be good. By the end of this folding process, the dough should be much smoother and soft. Divide the dough into 8-12 balls. I use a kitchen scale to get them roughly equal weights, either ~220g per or ~150g per for smaller ones, but you can also just eyeball it. Gently roll each ball and set on parchment paper on a flat cookie sheet. Leave PLENTY of space between them, I learned that the hard way! I can usually get 3-4 big bowls or 5-6 little ones on a good-sized cookie sheet. A full batch will likely take two rounds of baking unless you have a giant oven and very big cookie sheet. Allow to rise until about doubled--this may take an hour or two. Toward the end, preheat the oven to either 500*F (darker crust) or 425*F (lighter crust). You want a rack in the middle and a second rack underneath--put a metal cake pan or loaf pan on the second rack, with a cup or so of water inside, during the preheat. This helps create steam to improve the crust. I use an old solid aluminum cake pan, but anything metal will work. Optional -- you can brush the bowls with an egg wash (1 well-beaten beaten egg) right before baking if you want to give them a nice shine. Since I often make half a recipe, which doesn't use nearly the full egg wash, I don't bother, but if you're making a full batch or want them to look even nicer for company, it's a lovely touch. Brush each bowl gently on top and sides, careful not to use too much pressure. Once the bread is risen and the oven has heated, put the pan in the oven. When putting the bread into the oven, you can carefully pour some boiling water into the cake pan on the lower rack to give it an extra burst of steam right before closing the door--this isn't necessary, it just helps with creating more steam to improve the crust. I've splashed myself before, so wear oven gloves and be careful if you do this step. Starting at 500*F - As you put the dough into the oven, lower the temperature to 475*F. Bake large bread bowls for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature again to 425*F and bake for ~20 minutes. Bake small bread bowls for 10 minutes, then ~15 minutes at 425*F. Starting at 425*F - Bake large bread bowls for ~35 minutes. Bake small bread bowls for ~25 minutes. If you have a baking thermometer, you want the bread to be around 210*F internally. Otherwise, just keep an eye on them around the 35/25-minute mark and take them out when they have a nice dark crust (they'll be darker if you start at 500*F vs. 425*F). Allow bread bowls to cool on racks. Serve that day or store in an airtight container. They can be reheated in the toaster if you want to crisp them up a little a few days down the road...assuming any make it that long. Some notes Every starter and every oven is different, so there may be a bit of trial and error with your first batch or two. Don't get discouraged! I've been baking sourdough for years and still have flops sometimes, though more often with regular sourdough; the hybrid version seems to work really well so far. The bread tastes good regardless--I often turn not-so-great batches into an egg-and-cheese souffle. I want to test doing all the folds of step #3 with 15 minutes between, to shorten the time required for that step, but I haven't done so yet. However, I do know that a little extra time between steps doesn't seem to cause issues, since sometimes the alarm goes off while I'm focused on work and I turn it off and forget to go fold the dough immediately, haha. The important thing is just to make sure there's a series of folds and rests, since that helps with developing the dough's structure. Walnut Bread (FFXIV) Ingredients 2 cups (190 g) walnuts 4 cups (600 g) bread flour 1 tbsp salt 2 tbsps sugar 1 cup (250 ml) lukewarm water 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 1/4 cup (85 g) maple cream 1/4 cup (60 g) butter, melted and cooled olive oil for greasing Directions In a medium pan over medium-high heat, toast the walnuts. Toss them frequently to avoid burning them. Transfer the walnuts to a food processor and blend until finely crumbled. Transfer to a bowl, add the bread flour, salt, and sugar, and stir to combine. In a large bowl, combine the water and yeast. Let rest for 5 minutes, allowing the yeast to become active. Whisk in the maple cream and melted butter. Add the flour mixture to the maple cream mixture in two batches, stirring until fully combined after each addition, then knead the dough for 5 minutes. Brush a bowl with oil. Transfer the dough to the oiled bowl, cover, and let rest until doubled in size, 2 hours. This dough takes a little longer to rise because of the weight of the walnuts. Punch the dough down, transfer to a clean surface, and knead slightly. Form the dough into a log shape that will fit into a loaf pan. Grease the loaf pan and place the dough in it. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for one hour. Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake the loaf until the top has begun to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. This will help prevent the crust from turning too dark or burning. Return the pan to the oven and bake until a kitchen thermometer registers 190F when inserted into the center of the loaf, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and let cool completely, at least 30 minutes.