Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Mama's Breakfast

Will you indulge me for a moment? I promise it will be worth your time to read and try this! I'm remembering having breakfast with my Mama back when she could pull out of  the frig the most magical of combination of satisfying foods! That morning, when she toasted the small slices of bread and spread butter on them, with large dollops of warm applesauce and there was not much said because the applesauce was dripping off and our mouths were full, I was a happy adult child!
The following recipes are for my Mama's bread with several variations, and her plain and simple applesauce. The bread recipe, French Peasant Bread, originally came from a Womem's Club Cookbook in Palo Alto, Ca., a timeless collection.
This being a no knead bread and two 45 minute rises, you to can be happy in no time,
and the applesauce recipe just springs forth from having an appletree!
                                                                  My Mama's Bread
2 cups lukewarm water (95-105 degrees)
1 package dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
2 teaspoons salt                                                                                                                                        
5 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal                                                                 
4 tablespoons butter, melted                             

In a small bowl, combine the water, sugar or honey and yeast. Stir to dissolve. I use my instant read thermometer to stir. Let set and proof. This means it will become a little foamy or cloudy. In a large bowl, combine salt and flour. Pour the yeast mixture over the flour and stir to combine gently. My mama always used a table knife to combine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then pour 2 tablespoons butter over dough and turn dough ball to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the sun for 45 minutes until it is doubled in size.
Butter a baking stone or small loaf pan and sprinkle on cornmeal. Flour your hands and divide the dough into 2 parts, shaping each into a loaf either round or oblong, but do not knead! Place both loaves on stone or in pans and let rise another 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter and bake 10 minutes. Set a timer! Reduce the temperature to 375 and bake 20 minutes more.
While the loaves are still hot brush with more butter. Enjoy the feeling of triumph!
                                                     Applesauce
5 golden delicious apples
1/4 cup sugar or 2 packets stevia
1/4 cup lemon juice
Wash and peel apples and slice into wedges making sure to remove any hard seed coverings.Place in medium size sauce pan. Sprinkle sugar or stevia  and lemon juice over apples and cover. Bring to boil, then turn down heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Stirring the apples makes them mushy so just serve them in large soft chunks. You could sprinkle with a little cinnamon if that's your comfort level of the day!

Soon I will post the variations. In the meantime, enjoy breakfast with someone!
                                                        

1 comment:

  1. A lovely tribute to your Mom, the best of what she shared with you, and now you share it all with us. Perfect.

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