If you’re going to be stewing in your own juices in this heat, I say at least you should at least have something tasty to show for it at the end of the day. (Well, some of the days. Not all of the days— let’s not get crazy.)
This – THIS – is the recipe I’ve been waiting for. It’s the first white bread that I’ve baked which hasn’t been too squatty or strange-tasting for a sandwich. I can’t tell you how happy it’s made me. Oh, and here’s a tip: The words “do not use any other kind – just RapidRise” mean exactly that. I got too excited the first time around, and used the regular instant yeast because I couldn’t possibly wait until after I’d been to the store, and the loaves weren’t nearly so lovely.
Blueberry Pie Bars, a variation of this recipe, which were quite delish. You see here that I’m cutting them up to share, because sharing is caring, and not sharing is (in this case) piggy. I did not want to know that I’d eaten the better part of three sticks of butter, but parsing out a few makes me feel almost virtuous. I’m so health-conscious and all.
When you love bread as much as I do, you really really love panzanella. I mean, a salad made of bread? Come on! How can it get any better? Well, throw some shrimp on the grill to serve up along side it, that’s how! As a side note, I don’t know why heading outside to stand over a fire is more appealing than cooking over a stove, but it is. It just is. Anyway, I use Ina Garten’s recipe for the salad, but leave out the peppers and onions; I’m not a fan of either. The vinaigrette over the toasted bread is just delicious. Plus, it’s a great way to breathe new life into day-old bread, which appeals to my sense of thrift. In this case, though, I had some dough in the fridge that was going to expire, so I baked up a couple loaves and threw them in the freezer with the knowledge that I’d bust them out for panzanella this week. Usually, though, I just keep a bag of bread ends going in the freezer for such a time as this.
Tonight, we’re having chicken with tabbouleh (thanks again, Ina!). The summer feasting has begun!
Make it Snappy 