Bread, kidney bean salad and roasted veggie poutine.

Necessities, pantry staples and forgotten stuff

Doctor Birx said 'Go to the grocery store only if necessary'.  It's been over a month I didn't go shopping. I don't know what are your necessities but in our household it is string beans, ground turkey and carrots.  So when we're out of those Scott goes and gets a few other items at the same time.

This morning I had toasts with hazelnut spread and orange slices.  I bought hazelnut spread a few months back because my brother and his wife were coming over.  Then I quit chocolate for lent and I forgot about it.  Easter had been quiet this year but chocolate is back on my diet. ☺

I made the bread last week.  Bread is not a necessity (almost) but flour is a pantry staple.

Here's the recipe.

Bread

(Yield 2 loafs)

Ingredients

1/2 cup                                                                 Warm water
1 teaspoon                                                          Sugar

1 envelope                                                         Active dry yeast

2 1/2 cups                                                            White flour

2 1/2 cups                                                            Whole wheat flour

1 cup                                                                     Milk of choice (I used soy)

1 tablespoon                                                       Sugar

2 teaspoon                                                           Salt

1/2 cup                                                                  Cold water

2 tablespoon                                                       Butter

Directions

Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar in 1/2 cup of warm water in a big bowl.  Sprinkle the yeast on the water and let it rest 10 minutes; stir.

Warm 1 cup of milk in a small pan with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 teaspoon of salt.  Add 1/2 cup of cold water and let cool off.

Add milk mixture to the yeast mixture along with 2 cups of flour.  Mix with spatula until smooth.

Add slowly 3 cups of flour.  Mix until the dough doesn't stick to the bowl. Drop on a floured surface and form a ball.

Knead 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and not sticky.

Drop in a buttered  bowl.  Brush a little butter on top.  Cover with a warm, damp dish towel.  Let rise 1 1/2 hour.  It should double in size.

Put in the oven with no heat but the light on.  After 1 1/2 hour, punch the dough in the bowl.

Drop on a floured surface, and divide in 2 equal parts.  Form 2 balls, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll the 2 balls with a pin, into a rectangle of about 9" x 12".  Beginning by the narrow side, away from you, roll the dough on itself toward you.  Keeping the end under, fold the 2 extremities and place in a pan.

Paint some butter on top.

Cover with warm damp dish towel and let rise in the oven with no heat and light on for 1 1/2 hour.  It should rise for 1 to 1 1/2 inch.

Remove the dish towel and bake at 400°F, 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool on a rack.

Bon appétit!

The worst part of the confinement is that I cannot make noise during the day  because Scott works nights and sleep during the day.  So after a month in that situation,  I am adapted.

When he gets home he watches t.v. and falls asleep in the living room and it's a good time to bing and bang in the kitchen.  This  morning I decided to make lunches for 4 days.

I always have dark kidney beans in the pantry.  There's so many things you can make with them: chili, minestrone soup, salad and so on.  I found Catalina dressing that I forgot about, so I'm making a salad.

Kidney bean salad

Ingredients

1 16oz. can                   Dark kidney beans

8 oz.                               Diced tomatoes

8                                     Shredded baby carrots

Little bit of                   Chives

8 tablespoon                Catalina dressing

A head of                      Iceberg lettuce 

Directions

Divide the kidney beans, carrots, chives and dressing in 4 tupperwares.  Mix well.  Shred the lettuce, put on top and don't mix before you are ready to eat.  It stays good for 4 days in the fridge.

Yesterday I found quebecer curd cheese in the freezer so tonight I'm having poutine for dinner. I am French Canadian so I have to make some once in a while.  My desire for healthy eating is very strong so I came up with this.

Roasted veggie poutine

Ingredients 

2                             Sweet potatoes

3                             Carrots

Handful                String beans

Handful               Curd cheese(or mozzarella)

Salt and pepper to taste

Gravy :

1 tablespoon         Olive oil

1 tablespoon         Butter

2 tablespoon         Whole wheat floor

1 clove                    Garlic

1 zigzag                   Siracha

1/4 teaspoon          Onion powder

1 1/4 cup                 Warm vegetable stock

Directions

Turn the oven on at 450°F.  Place the cheese on a dish, on the stove to warm up.  Cut veggies into fries, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spray with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Place in the heated oven for 15 min. + 2 minutes on broil.

Gravy:

Warm 1 1/4 cup of vegetable stock in the microwave.  In a small sauce pan, on medium heat, warm up the oil and melt the butter.   Add the minced garlic.  Let cook 30 seconds then add 2 tablespoon of flour.  Let cook 1 minute.  Slowly add warm stock while stirring.  You may have to lower down the heat.  Stir until it's thickened.

Place veggies in a serving bowl, cover with cheese and laddle with gravy.

Eat veggies at every meal and Bon Appétit !