Tortillas make me happy.

If you know me or have spent any time around here you know that more breads do. Homemade breads make me especially happy. I know it’s easy to buy tortillas in the store, but have you looked at the ingredient lists for most store bought tortillas? Yowza! Who needs all those extra ingredients they put in to elongate shelf life when all you need is a handful of ingredients? Now I will admit that whole wheat tortillas purchased from a local tortillaria are hard to beat, but not everyone has the time to make a special trip to a tortillaria just to buy tortillas for dinner.

Back to why tortillas make me happy. Tortillas are great for all those meals you usually use tortillas for along with many other. Around here whole wheat tortillas are a lunch time staple too. Tortillas are very kid friendly art lunch time helping to make Chicken Salad Wraps, Peanut Butter and Jelly-dilla, Salmon Quesadillas and much, much more.

I like to make these fajita sized tortillas for soft tacos, fajitas, huevos rancheros – don’t worry Jen I’ll be sharing that recipe soon-, as a bread to accompany Black Bean Soup or Mexican Chicken Stew and as a quick starting spot for lots of other meals.

These homemade whole wheat tortillas are pillowy and thick, but soft and easy to wrap around things. They have a great nutty flavor that really adds to spicy meals and best of all they do not have that overly chewy texture of so many store bought tortillas. I make this tortillas and freeze the leftovers, pulling them from the freezer as I need them. They thaw quickly and are just as tasty as the first time around.

 
Whole Wheat Tortilla Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup water, plus extra as needed

Mix whole wheat and white flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the oil and water in the well.  Using hands mix ingredients into a dough. Dough should be moist and just slightly tacky. If the dough is still too dry add water a teaspoon or two at a time until it reaches a springy and elastic and not dry and stiff consistency. Roll into a ball. Let the dough ball rest in the bowl covered with a tea towel or plastic wrap for 15-30 minutes.

Divide dough into 16 equal equal sized balls and cover with the tea towel. Preheat a large cast iron skillet or a griddle to medium high heat. Working with a rolling pin roll each ball into a 7-inch circle.

Place a dough circle into heated pan to cook. The tortilla will begin to form slight bubbles when it is ready to flip over, which should take about 45 seconds. Flip the tortilla and continue to cook for about 30 seconds. Remove tortilla from pan an wrap in a tea towel to keep warm an soft

Tortillas are best when eaten fresh. They will keep for a day or two at room temperature or in the freezer for a month when wrapped in plastic wrap. To warm leftover tortillas microwave tortillas for 10-15 seconds.

Just in time for your fourth of July Fourth barbecues I have a very special recipe for you. Honey whole wheat hamburger buns you can make at home! Since first making my own hamburger buns last year we have gone cold turkey from store bought buns. Who needs those things when you can have fluffy whole wheat rolls with a sweet buttery flavor made from ingredients you know, can pronounce and approve of?

I like to make these and top them with a variety of toppings like seeds and wheat bran. All the different tops peaking out of a big basket of buns is so pretty and then there is something for everyone. The recipe below makes about 3 dozen buns. If you are not using them all right away just bag them in plastic bags and keep them in the freezer. They keep and thaw well.

For an added bit of awesome I suggest cutting these buns in half, buttering them every so lightly and then toasting them cut side down on the grill just as your hamburgers are finishing cooking.

And just in case you weren’t hungry just thinking about honey whole wheat hamburger buns, just look at one in action. Mmmm. Lamb burger with feta, basil pesto and fresh tomato atop a toasted honey whole wheat bun. These buns are the perfect addition to a perfectly grilled burger and will certainly make your tummy happy.

Now lets get down to the nitty gritty…

Honey Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns
1/3 cup warm tap water
4 1/2 teaspoons yeast, or 2 packages
1 1/2 cups warm tap water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 egg beaten with 1/2 teaspoon water
Sesame seeds, chia seeds, poppy seeds, flax seed or meal or wheat bran, optional

Add yeast to 1/3 cup warm tap water and set aside for 5 minutes to proof. Mix 2 1/2 cups warm tap water, honey and butter in stand mixer bowl. Add eggs to liquid mixture and using the stand mixture paddle attachment beat until mixed. Add salt and baking powder and stir just to mix.

Add whole wheat flour to liquid mixture and mix until combined. Switch to dough hook attachment. Add all-purpose flour 1/4 cup at a time until flour is incorporated or the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough using the dough hook for 3-5 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic. You should be able to handle the dough without it sticking to your hands. If the dough is still sticky knead in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour at a time until the dough reaches the desired constancy. lightly oil a large bowl and place dough in it. Cover and set in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When the dough has doubled in bulk, punch it down, then divide it into 36 equal balls. Lightly grease 2 or 3 light colored baking sheets. Flatten balls into disk shapes about 3 inches in diameter and place on baking sheets leaving an inch or two in-between each disk. Cover the pans with tea towels and let sit for 30 minutes until doubled in bulk.

Brush egg wash over tops of buns. Optional: sprinkle with seeds, flaw seed meal or wheat germ.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake rolls for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Rotate pans about halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Promptly remove buns to a cooling rack after removing them from the oven.

Store extra buns in plastic sip tops bags in the freezer for up to two or three months.

Think of your very favorite smells. Scents that fill up you heart with happy. I’ll give you a minute.

I would wager a guess that some of you said fresh baked bread. I did. Although I like fresh baked lots of things, bread is probably my favorite fresh baked scent. I also love the smell of bread dough, bread baking and bread toasting in the toaster. Me like carbs, um mum mum mmmumm mm. I’m sort of like cookie monster but without the blue fur, and weird googly eyes, and the deep voice. Oh, and I guess I might have a slightly better vocabulary. I guess I’m really only like cookie monster in my love of a baked good.

Hearty breads with seeds or other goodies make me happy. Really happy. Hearty bread recipes with seeds or other goodies that make two loaves of bread make me really happy. One loaf for now, one loaf for a later time when peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are desperately needed and I haven’t had time to bake the very most important ingredient.

Now go forth and make some Whole Wheat Seed Bread it will make you happy. It’s bread. It has yummy seeds and lots of whole wheat goodness. And it slices up oh so well. Bread that slices well has a direct route to my little heart.

Whole Wheat Seed Bread Ingredients

6 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
1 tablespoon salt
2 packages, or 4 1/2 teaspoons, yeast
1/2 flax seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds* (if you can’t find chia seeds you can use poppy seeds)
1 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
2 1/2 cups warm water (plus more as needed)
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey

Using a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer add whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, salt, yeast, and all seeds. Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl mix warm water, melted butter, and honey until incorporated. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Using either a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment on your stand mixer mix the dough. If the dough is too dry add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to incorporate all the flour.

Once the four is incorporated switch the dough hook to knead the dough for about 4-5 minutes or until the dough is smooth, springy and tacky to the touch. If kneading by hand, move the dough to a very lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is as described above. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in size, about 1 hour.

Grease two 9×5 loaf pans. Punch down dough and divide into two equal balls. Roll the dough into about an 18×9 inch rectangle. Fold each of the short ends of the rectangle  so they meet in the center of of the dough and form a square. Starting on one of the unfolded sides tightly roll the dough into a log. Gently roll the log back and forth over the seam to help seal it. Pinch and tuck the ends of the log to create smooth ends. Place the dough log seam side down in the pan. Repeat with the other ball of dough. Cover the loaves and let sit in a warm spot until dough is about 1 inch about the side of the pan, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake bread loaves in center of oven for 40-45 minutes or until top is golden brown and bread reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit. When finished baking remove loaves from pans and cool on a wire rack.

* Chia seeds are a great little seed similar in size and shape to a poppy seed. Chia seeds are high in omega-3s fiber, protein and antioxidants.

I love bread.

Of course you knew that already.

I always knew I liked rye bread but I didn’t know I loved it until I started baking bread of my own. Then my love of rye grew. This cranberry Walnut Rye bread is perfect for so many reasons. The nuts and cranberries are perfect for everything. Any kind of sandwich, french toast, toast. I’m telling you this bread is good, and hearty and soft with just the right amount to chewiness to the crust. Also? It. Is. Not. Hard. Trust me. Make this bread. The recipe below makes two good sized loaves so you’ll have plenty to toast and top with peanut butter or to turn into fantastic turkey and avocado sandwiches.

This recipe has also gotten a thumbs up from several of my favorite people. Whether or not their place as some of my favorite people was determined by their giving approval of this recipe will not be disclosed.

Cranberry Walnut Rye Bread Ingredients

4 1/2 tsp yeast
1 cup white flour
2 cups rye
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
4 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons honey
2 1/2 cups warm tap water
1 1/4 cups cranberries roughly chopped
2 cups walnuts roughly chopped

Mix yeast, flours, gluten, and salt in a large stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment thoroughly mix the dry ingredients.

Dissolve honey into warm water. On a low speed mix the water into the dry ingredients. Mix using the paddle attachment until the dough comes together, leaving the sides of the bowl. Switch to the hook attachment and knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until the dough smooth and elastic. Add the cranberries and walnuts and knead the dough until the cranberries and walnuts are spread throughout the dough. It shouldn’t take more than a minute.

Let the dough rise in a covered bowl for until doubled in size, about an hour. Once the dough is doubled in size split it into two equal balls. Work with one ball at time leaving the other ball covered. Roll out the dough into rectangle about 12×16. You may need to lightly floor the work surface to keep the dough from sticking.

Starting on a short side tightly roll the dough into a log shape. Pinch the seam together and then smooth it out by gently rolling the loaf back and forth. Tuck the ends in pinching and smoothing the seams to give even ends to the loaf. Repeat the process with the second ball of dough. Lightly grease or cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cover loaves and leave in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until loaves are nicely golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Another full proof way to test if a loaf is done is to take it’s temperature using a meat thermometer. Bread should temp at 190 degrees Fahrenheit when it is done baking.

Eat.

Enjoy.

You’re welcome.

Evolving Mommy’s Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange

Growing up I ate a lot of cookies. I have had many favorites. Many. Growing up my grandma’s forgotten kisses were my favorite. I am not sure if it was the taste the texture or the whimsical white fluffiness of her fluffy white meringue cookies. Either way they are still some of my favorite cookies.

Grandma’s version of these cookies usually have either chocolate chips or crushed candy canes in them. I like both versions but decided to put a little bit of my own spin on this recipe.

Forgotten Kisses Ingredients
2 eggs whites
pinch of salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped Andes mints

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease cookie sheets.

Beat together eggs and salt until mixture becomes foamy. Adding one tablespoon at a time beat sugar into egg mixture. Beat for 8-10 minutes or until mixtures forms stiff peaks.

Use two teaspoons to form teaspoon sized amounts of meringue mixture into balls and drop onto greased cookie sheet. Cookies can be placed about an inch apart.

Place cookie sheets in hot oven, close the door and turn off the oven immediately. Leave in oven for 5 hours without opening the oven door. Cookies can also stay in the oven overnight.

Evolving Mommy’s Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange!

Last year my friend Gillian, made cookies to give to her husbands clients. I wish I was one of his clients because a plate of beautiful cookies is one of the things I really love. My friends these cookies, were especially beautiful cookies.

The cookies in the picture below and the following recipe are Ghirardelli’s Wish Star Chocolate Cookie, created by Chef Emily Luchetti in honor of the Ghirardelli Make-A-Wish program.Thanks for sharing Gillian, your husband is a lucky guy. Also his clients are pretty lucky too!

Shortbread
2 cups flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 bar (4oz) Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt

Dipping
1 11.5 oz bag Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1 Tablespoon butter

Melt baking bar on double boiler and set aside. Mix flour and salt together and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add melted chocolate and vanilla. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and mix just until blended. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured board, roll dough to ¾ inch and cut with cookie cutters. If the dough is very soft, chill again for at least 30 minutes. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Melt chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp butter in double boiler. Dip cooled cookie in melted chocolate mixture and let chocolate set.

This recipe makes about 1 dozen cookies.

Submit your recipe links by entering your recipe title, email and post URL below. Want to participate? Check out the cookie exchange details to see how to play along and get entered to win one of the prizes!

Evolving Mommy’s Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange!

I love getting recipes in my inbox. My baking to do list is growing by the day. Date Bar recipe provided by Gillian.

Ingredients for the filling:
3 cups coarsely chopped dates (a generous pound!)
1 1/2 cups water

For the crust and topping:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) very cold butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a nonreactive medium saucepan over low heat, combine dates, and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, place brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Mix on low speed until combined. While mixer is running, add butter, 1 piece or 2 at a time. Mix until crumb like, with some lumps of butter no larger than pea size.

Using your hands, press and flatten half of crumb mixture into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Spread cooled filling over crust. Cover with remaining crumb mixture, patting lightly. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars while still in the pan. Gently remove cut bars from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Date bars, stored in an airtight container, refrigerate and freeze well.

Submit your recipe links by entering your recipe title, email and post URL below. Want to participate? Check out the cookie exchange details to see how to play along and get entered to win one of the prizes!

Evolving Mommy’s Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange Day Four!

Every December Maddy and I head over to my grandma’s house for a full day cookie baking extravaganza. Everyone in the family gets tins filled with cookies to enjoy and share with friends or co-workers.

In last years cookie exchange I shared several of our favorites. The list of cookies that we make every year seems to grow and while we have a bunch of cookies my grandma has been making for years and years we also add in a new recipe here in there. Lime Meltaways? Newish. Peanut Butter Blossoms? Must have Christmas cookie for years and years and years.

Chocolate Peppermint Brownies are definitely in yearly attendance in our cookie tins and plates. I love them. They are chocolately and dense and perfectly pepperminty. We usually make a double batch using a 9×13 inch pan and then cut them into little bite-sized squares, perfect for cookie trays. Thanks for joining in and sharing this recipe Grandma. I am sure everyone will love it as much as we do!

Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Ingredients
Step one: Chocolate brownie layer
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2  cup flour
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Using a double boiler melt chocolate and butter. Once melted set aside to cool. In a separate bowl beat eggs and sugar until thick. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9×9 inch baking dish. Once chocolate is cool stir into egg mixture along with flour. Pour into baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Cool brownies completely before moving on to step two.

Step two: Creamy minty filling
1 1/2 cups powder sugar
3 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk ( mare may be needed to get a spreadable consistency)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops of green food coloring (or more depending on your preferences)

Beat ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spread filling over brownies. Cover and chill until firm.

Step Three: Chocolate Glaze
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler. Stir in vanilla. Spread glaze evenly over brownies. Cover and chill. Store brownies in refrigerator.

Submit your recipe links by entering your recipe title, email and post URL below. Want to participate? Check out the cookie exchange details to see how to play along and get entered to win one of the prizes!

Evolving Mommy’s Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange

This recipe comes from my good friend Gillian. I am particularly happy that she decided to share her recipe in my cookie exchange because I recently had some of her biscotti and it was delicious. Thanks for participating, Gillian.

Hazelnut Biscotti ingredients

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour.
1 tsp anise.
1/2 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar (or sucanat)
1/4 cup honey (warmed) or pure maple syrup.
1 egg
1tsp vanilla
optional 1/3 cup cherries
optional 4 squares melted dark chocolate for drizzling over cooled biscotti.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease large baking sheet.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl cream the butter, sugar, egg, honey and vanilla until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix well.

Divide the dough in to 2 equal pieces and shape in to logs approximately 12″ long. Place on baking sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool, cut logs diagonally into 1/2″ slices. Place on baking sheet and return to oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. When cool melt chocolate in microwave and drizzle over.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee. Dunking is most definitely allowed with biscotti.

Submit your recipe links by entering your recipe title, email and post URL below. Want to participate? Check out the cookie exchange details to see how to play along and get entered to win one of the prizes!

Evolving Mommy’s Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange

I’ve been working on a small batch Chai Spice cookie recipe for a while now. I love Chai Spice cookies so much I could easily make and eat a full batch but it seems more prudent to have a recipe that makes less cookies for me to eat all at once. So here you go, new smaller batch size same great taste.

Chai Spice Cookie Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter softened
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
pinch of salt
1/3 cup powder sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using an electric mixer cream butter together with granulated sugar and vanilla until well blended. In small bowl mix flour, spices and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until combined.

Roll dough into teaspoon size balls and place on baking sheet about an inch apart. I recommend using an actual measuring spoon for this to get perfect bite sized cookies. Bake for 16-20 minutes and cookies are lightly golden. Remove cookies from oven and let sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes then lightly roll warm cookies in powdered sugar and set on wire rack to finish cooling.

Submit your recipe links by entering your recipe title, email and post URL below. Want to participate? Check out the cookie exchange details to see how to play along and get entered to win one of the prizes!