Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Hot From the Oven

I made the bread from the recipe Beatrice shared a few days ago. I made a minor change, using bread flour (my canister with all purpose was empty) and one third white whole wheat. My Pyrex bowls are varying sizes so I just made one larger loaf.


This is an extremely simple recipe with limited proofing time. It has a soft crumb and before storage the crust has a good crunch. It is a good sandwich and toast bread. Gets an A+ from me.


Until the last several years I couldn't make a casserole to save my life. I could make food that is a casserole but not in the standard tradition, or a hot dish as is the common name for it in much of Minnesota. I really was born and raised here but I swear I never heard that term until I was an adult. I made lasagna, which is a casserole, manicotti, various parmesans, all forms of casserole, but otherwise, nope. I think I overthought it. One day I made one and Mark, who grew up on 'hot dish', said it was good. I think I had brain freeze that finally thawed. This is all to say I'm making a pasta casserole for dinner. I have bacon ends, asparagus, spinach and lots of cheese. Tomorrow, following in Boud's footsteps, I'm going to try a fish pie. It is like cottage pie but with white fish. 

Since today is obviously only about food I may as well add something more. I made a rack of ribs yesterday. I do two different ways in the oven. Low and slow and wrapped in foil or low and slow for a shorter time unwrapped. I wanted a single pan dinner so I put cut up red and green peppers, thick cut onion and several whole garlic cloves as a base for the ribs. I dry rub ribs, I am not a fan of barbecue sauce. This spent about 2 hours 20 minutes in a low oven. It was so good.

That's it from my kitchen for now. Go visit Beatrice if you want the bread recipe.

8 comments:

Lori Skoog said...

Obviously, your foodie post is of great interest to me. I'm so envious of your bread making skills and love your "casserole" meals....not to mention that ribs with all those veggies would make my day. I have the feeling that Mark really enjoys ALL of your meals!

Boud said...

That bread does look good. I may try that one of these days.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Hi Sandra, so glad you tried and enjoyed the peasant bread recipe with the change of using a single larger bowl, which is something I might try in future. Trying to separate the dough into 2 smaller bowls is never much fun and sometimes quite messy for me. Your single loaf looks wonderful! Ms Stafford has a number of good recipes in her book, but sadly for us, bread baking is off limits for awhile as we are trying to lose weight, never an easy task for folks who enjoy cooking and bread making (sigh) and that even means no casseroles, at least for awhile.

Sandra said...

Lori, the peppers were so good with the ribs. I think people overthink bread the way I overthought casseroles! Mark almost floated out of his chair over the ribs.

Sandra said...

Boud, really simple and quick.

Sandra said...

Beatrice, when you do make it again I would suggest using two rubber spatulas instead of forks. You have a greater surface so more control of the dough.

I don't cut any particular food out, I try to watch portion control. Over the years I've been on numerous restrictive diets. I may lose some weight but it's inevitable it's coming back, and then some! This bread recipe is a keeper.

Far Side of Fifty said...

The bread looks great! I have a couple of favorite hotdishes that freeze well so I make them often. Enchilada Hotdish and Tator Tot Hotdish but I like hash brown potatoes better. Enchilada is roasted chicken breasts, pull apart meat add 1 cup Sour Cream, some chilis and a can of cream of chicken soup...9 x13 pan, buttered...take soft shells not sure if they are taco shells and fill the rounds with chicken mixture and roll up and place into baking dish...repeat and then cover with remaining chicken and a couple of cups of cheese we like coJack...bake for about 35 or 40 minutes:) Not Tator Tot...brown hamburger. Place frozen hash browns in a buttered baking dish, top with frozen mixed vegetables, then top with hamburger. Mix a can of cream of chicken soup with about a cup of water pour over hotdish top with cheese bake for about 45 minutes. I have also used fresh veggies...the yellow carrots were awesome in this hotdish with fresh green beans:)

Sandra said...

Thank you, Far Side! Mark asked me if Tater Tots were still made. Yes! I'm copying and saving this. I'll get there yet.