Good Things by David

There's nothing like freshly-baked bread.  During these past few weeks I've been wanting to bake, but because of flour and yeast shortages at the supermarket, I have not been able to do so.  Finally, as if looking over the horizon onto an oasis, I found yeast at a local supermarket!  Wasting no time in bringing several packets home, I quickly assembled my ingredients for a nice loaf of bread.   Freshly Baked Whole Wheat Bread Bernard Clayton's book, 'New Complete Book of Breads', is my bread baking bible.  In it, there are dozens upon dozens of recipes covering different types of flours, grains and types of breads.  From quick breads to yeast risen breads, there is a little bit of everything for everyone.   Bread Baking Mise en Place I was looking at Clayton's whole wheat bread recipes, and decided to settle on the honey lemon whole wheat, which is found at the beginning of the chapter.   I love deep jars for storing my fl...

Have you ever had the pleasure of eating eggs poached in tomato sauce?  It's such a delicious way to cook and serve eggs for a light breakfast, lunch or even a dinner.  Nothing could be easier than cracking a few eggs into a pot of simmering tomato sauce, and then having them poach to perfection. Since there are only a few ingredients to this dish, it's of the utmost importance to use good, cage-free, free-range eggs, and fresh garden tomatoes, if possible, or canned San Marzano tomatoes. Many gardens are still bursting with tomatoes, so if you're lucky enough to have a bumper crop I strongly encourage you to make a large pot of marinara sauce.  It's an easy thing to do, and it's such a great way to capture the essence of summer.  After harvesting several plump Brandywine tomatoes a couple of weeks ago (above), I wasted no time in making a most delicious marinara sauce.  The first order of business is to skin the tomatoes.  Fil...

Considered a power food because of its fiber-rich, high-protein content, Amaranth is a grain that we should consider adding to our diets.  The leafy variety, that I wrote about last year , is highly delicious and very good for you, but it is the grain which makes a tasty, hot cereal for breakfast or for brunch.  We just started making it here at home and I am glad it has now become a part of our menu rotation. These small seeds, or 'grains', originated in Mesoamerica and were used for festivities and ceremonies throughout the area before the Spanish conquest. Nowadays only a small amount of the global amaranth supply is grown in this region, with India and Nepal cultivating the bulk of what we purchase in the health food aisle. As I said, cooked amaranth seeds are a good source of fiber, protein, manganese, magnesium and iron.  In addition to this, it is naturally gluten-free, but aside from these healthy benefits, one of the things that appeals to me about coo...

Granola is always in my pantry because it's a quick go-to breakfast or snack for us here at home.  I've shown you one of my favorite recipes before and have since altered it here and there over the months, from batch to batch.  For the Fall season I decided to add a bit of spice and expand on the dried fruits & nuts in order to make it even more tasty.  Autumn seems to herald in all of those sweet combinations that suggest warmth & spicy aromas, so what better way to capture it than with some delicious granola? You have to understand that I make a large batch of this so that it can be packaged up and parceled out to people in the neighborhood, but one can always cut the recipe in half if need be.  I like to keep some in one of my vintage Ball jars so that during the week I can have a light breakfast with my yogurt & banana, but I also love to have it in the afternoons when I want a boost of energy.   Packed with oats, wheat germ, a...

Buttermilk pancakes hot off the griddle with a pat of sweet butter and a generous drizzle of pure maple syrup are one of life's delicious pleasures.  My fluffy pancakes are enhanced with malted milk powder and a bit of  vanilla sugar  which sets them apart from most standard recipes.  The batter is so easy to make because there is no need to bring any of the ingredients to room temperature or have the batter sit around for a few hours.  The eggs and buttermilk can be added cold and the pancakes can be dropped onto a hot griddle in a matter of minutes. Such a treat to have on the weekends when everyone is puttering around the house or waking up late, buttermilk pancakes will certainly help everyone start their day off on a good note.  Bring a platter of my pancakes along with some eggs and bacon if you're in the mood for savory extras and have plenty of maple syrup on hand.  All you need now to complete this enticing...

Granola is always in my pantry because it's a quick go-to breakfast or snack for us here at home.  I've shown you one of my favorite recipes before and have since altered it here and there over the months, from batch to batch.  For the Fall season I decided to add a bit of spice and expand on the dried fruits & nuts in order to make it even more tasty.  Autumn seems to herald in all of those sweet combinations that suggest warmth & spicy aromas, so what better way to capture it than with some delicious granola? You have to understand that I make a large batch of this so that it can be packaged up and parceled out to people in the neighborhood, but one can always cut the recipe in half if need be.  I like to keep some in one of my vintage Ball jars so that during the week I can have a light breakfast with my yogurt & banana, but I also love to have it in the afternoons when I want a boost of energy.   Packed with oats, wheat germ, a few...

Those stovestop espresso makers that are found throughout Italy have long been on my list of kitchen items to buy, and that's just what I did a few days ago.  I love an invigorating cappuccino or latte in the afternoons if I happen to be near a good cafe when I'm out and about.  As much as I like a barista taking care of my coffee drink and making it to my specifications, creating one at home shouldn't be something to stop us from enjoying a good brew in our very own abode.  After weighing the costs, manufacturers and ease of operation, I finally settled on the iconic Bialetti brand of espresso makers for my Pennsylvania kitchen.  I just had to see what it was like. With several capacities available from this particular brand, I decided to go for the middle-tiered 6 cup version.  Keep in mind that when talking about espresso, a cup of this brew equals to 3 ounces to be exact.  That is a 'shot' in espresso parlance.  A 6 cup stove top espresso maker ...