My wonderful sister-in-law, Terry, sent me a picture of her grandmother’s recipe card for Date Bread so I could make it for my husband (her brother). My husband remembered the bread with fondness so, of course, I decided to make it. I have to admit I was skeptical – dates in desserts were NOT something I grew up with. My mother was a sworn chocoholic, and I was following in her footsteps.
But when I took my first bite of Grandma’s Date Bread, I felt like a whole new world opened up. It was absolutely, and unexpectedly, delicious! How could this these dried, brown fruit create such a tender and flavorful bread?
GRANDMA’S DATE BREAD – 1 loaf
- 1 T butter, softened
- 8 oz (230g / 1.75 cups) pitted dried dates
- 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
- 1 egg
- 1.5 cups (190g / 6+5/8 oz) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (140g / 5 oz) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup (95g / 3.75 oz) pecans, lightly toasted
Set out butter to soften.
Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
Chop dates – I use my kitchen shears.
Place chopped dates in a bowl and pour in the boiling water. Cover with a plate to retain the heat. Let set for 30 minutes so the dates can soften.
Into a mixing bowl, beat the egg. Add in the softened butter, dates (WITH liquid), flour, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, and pecans. Blend together until the flour is just incorporated – don’t overmix or the bread can toughen.
Pour batter into a greased and floured loaf pan – I use a Pyrex glass pan.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the top bounces back when lightly pushed – about 60-75 minutes. (Mine take 74 minutes.) Make sure to gently press down on the cracked portion – if it’s still mushy, keep baking. The bread will LOOK done before it IS done.
Let set in pan 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
Try to resist slicing the hot loaf – it needs to firm up a bit. Give it, at least, 45 minutes if you can.
Brazilian Cheese Rolls – where have these been all my life?! Crusty outside, stretchy inside. An added bonus for those of you who have a problem with gluten: they’re gluten-free!
Put the milk, olive oil, and butter in a small saucepan. Over a low/medium flame, bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Immediately pour into the flour.
Turn the mixer on low and beat until all the flour is incorporated – about 1-2 minutes. (It will look rough and crumbly.) 
Add in the eggs and mix on low speed. Once it looks creamy (like frosting), continue to beat another minute.
Add in the cheeses, and mix just to blend on low. 
Scrap down the dough and smooth top. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours – this will firm up the dough, making it easier to work with. 
Using a large spoon, scrap out each wedge and roll into a smooth ball (it helps to have one of your hands wet so the dough doesn’t stick). Place each ball on a parchment lined baking sheet. They’re going to rise as they bake, so make sure to space them. One large sheet will hold all 8 rolls.
Using a pastry brush, paint the sides and tops of rolls with the egg wash. 
I’m going to use all caps because this is important!: PLACE SHEET IN OVEN, THEN 
Pour 2 T olive oil into a rectangular or square container with sides at least 3″ high, covering the bottom and sides. (The square corners train the dough somewhat and help it fill the corners of the baking pan. If you don’t have a container like this, just use an oiled deep bowl.) The dough is going to rise very high, then collapse somewhat. Cover container and let rise 5½ – 6 hours. Note the low height of the dough when I pour it in. 
Here’s after 2½ hours:
After about 4 hours it starts to collapse a bit – this is normal. 
After dough has been rising for 5 hours, preheat oven to 500º Fahrenheit, rack in the middle position. If you have a baking stone or steel (I use a steel), place it on rack as the oven preheats.
Note how bubbly the dough is: 
Gently pour the dough into the prepared pan, nudging the dough into the corners – try not to deflate the dough. 
If you’re using toppings such as olives or slices shallots, sprinkle them on, lightly pressing them into the dough. Let dough set uncovered for 20 minutes. 
Brush 2 T olive oil over dough, then sprinkle on 1 tsp oregano, pepper, and salt. 
Place in 500º F preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until well browned on top and sides have pulled away from the edges a bit. Remove from oven and let rest in pan for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
Decrease oven temperature to 350º F, leaving oven door open to expedite the oven temperature drop.
While omelette is baking, remove focaccia to a cutting board. Using a long bread knife, very carefully slice bread in half horizontally. (Take your time – the edges are crispy, making it difficult. I’ve found it best to cut into the bread only – not in and out, which tends to tear the bread.)
Once the bread is completely sliced through, leave it together to retain its heat.
Speedy Thin Crust Pizza has become my go-to pizza recipe not only because I can have it on the table in a little over an hour, but because it’s REALLY good. It’s a very thin pizza with a nice chew.
Set the workbowl on the processor base and run the machine for 10 seconds.
Let mixture set in place for 10 minutes. Add in the salt and process for 30 seconds. 
Empty dough onto a floured counter and fold the dough onto itself a few times to bring the dough together. 
Divide the ball in half and place each one on a piece of oiled (I use olive oil) parchment paper approximately 12″ wide. DO NOT USE WAXED PAPER – IT’S TOO THIN!!!
Rub the tops of the dough with a little more oil then top each with another piece of same-sized parchment. Press down with your hands to smoosh the dough into a square to get it started. With a rolling pin roll both dough balls to about 13″ x 10″ using short strokes, working from the center outward. (I find it easier to keep the parchment from sliding on my counter if I place it on a dry tea towel.) Let set 30 minutes.
Use this time to get your toppings ready.
Carefully peel away and discard the top parchment (which used to be the bottom parchment). 
Top pizzas with your choice of sauce and toppings.
Slide the pizza with bottom parchment onto the preheated stone or steel. 
Bake for 4 minutes. Rotate the pizza 180º, then remove and discard the parchment by securing it in place with a spatula with one hand and pulling out the parchment with the other. (The parchment won’t burn your fingers, so you don’t need to use an oven mitt as long as you don’t touch anything else.) 
Let bake another couple of minutes, until it’s browned to your liking. Remove from oven, let set a minute or two, then slice it up and serve. (This is not the same pizza I placed in the oven in the above pictures.)
I’m not sure when it happened but, for better or worse, every year new foods become pumpkin flavored during Autumn.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin, milk, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold to mix.
Empty onto a well-floured counter and knead about 5 or 6 times. (I use a bench scraper to help since the dough is sticky.) 
With floured fingers, pat dough into an 8″ circle (try to keep the dough to an even thickness) and cut into 8 wedges.
Place on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet (I prefer a dark sheet that’s greased.)
Bake at 400º F with the rack in the middle position for about 16 minutes. They’re at their best when they’re slightly dark on the bottom. 
The last time I baked them, I thought I overcooked them (see photo), but they were amazing – a slight crunch on the outside and perfect chew inside. So when you check them for doneness, look for slightly dark sides. 
Then remove from oven onto wire rack to completely cool before icing.
For easier control over the drizzle, pour icing into a spouted cup or a pastry bag with a small circle tip. Design as you wish.
Allow icing to harden before serving.
I love Indian food! In particular, I look forward to the soft chewy naan bread. I previously posted a plain naan bread recipe (
During the half hour wait, sauté the onions: In a skillet put 3 T olive oil, the onions, and salt. 
Over medium to medium/high heat cook until onions are well browned. Adjust heat as necessary. (This step can be done ahead of time.) Remove from heat to cool a bit.
Once the dough has set for 1/2 hour, add in 3 T olive oil, buttermilk, baking powder, onions, and about 1 cup of the flour. Blend to combine and break down onion somewhat.
Add flour in increments until you get a dough that’s only slightly tacky to the touch. 
Pour dough into an oiled bowl, flip dough so both sides are oiled, and cover. Let rest about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Pour dough onto a lightly oiled counter (not floured). Cut into 8 pieces.
As it’s cooking, roll out next dough ball(s).
Remove to a tea towel and wrap to keep warm.
My introduction to Morovian Sugar Cake was a little bittersweet.
Add in 6 T butter and eggs. Process to blend.
With machine running, pour in the proofed yeast water. 
Add 3½ cups to processor and blend. Add flour one tablespoon at a time, processing after each, until dough starts pulling away from sides of the work bowl. Stop adding flour, and run machine another 30 seconds to knead the dough. Pour dough into a greased rimmed baking sheet (jelly-roll pan) and pat dough to fill the pan evenly. Cover with a tea towel and let rise about 45 minutes. 
After dough has risen, create pockets with your fingertip, the handle of a wooden spoon, or something else that’s about 1/2″ diameter.
Sprinkle the sugar topping over the entire cake. Drizzle the remaining 6 T melted butter over all. 
Bake at 350º F for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. 
Cool at least 5 minutes before serving.
They’re out there and they’re coming – those overzealous gardeners who plant way too much zucchini. You can hear the pleading in their voices – “You want some zucchini? We have lots!”
Using the large holes of your grater, shred the zucchini. (You can use your food processor or do it by hand.) You’ll have about 5 cups of zucchini. Take a handful of the zucchini and place it in the center of a clean tea towel. Gather the edges together and twist the ball firmly to extract as much liquid as you can. Do this with all the zucchini. (It’s better not to put too much zucchini in the towel at one time.) Discard the liquid, unless you can think of a use for it.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, sugar, oil, vanilla, and vinegar by hand.
Stir in zucchini.
Pour in the dry ingredients and gently blend until the flour is incorporated – there can be some flour showing. (Over mixing quick breads can lead to a tough loaf.) 
Pour batter into an oiled metal (or glass, if you don’t have metal) loaf pan and smooth top. 
Bake 60-70 minutes (mine took 65 minutes), until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let sit in the pan for 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack. 
The loaf needs to cool at least 1½ hours to firm up before slicing. Honestly, try and restrain yourself – you’ll get nicer slices if you wait.
Turn your electric mixer on medium to break up the whites. When the whites begin to foam, add in the cream of tartar. 
Increase mixer speed to high and beat whites until stiff peaks form. 
Pour the yolks/yogurt into the beaten whites and turn on mixer to very low. Beat until the yolks are blended into the whites – this won’t take long. Don’t overbeat – you don’t want to deflate the whites. 
On a parchment lined cookie sheet, ladle out the batter into whatever shape you want, making them about 1/2″ thick. Space them at least 1″ apart.
Bake in 300º F oven about 25 – 30 minutes (mine took 25 minutes) – until beginning to brown. 
Place the Cloud Bread still on parchment on wire rack. After about 5 minutes, remove bread from paper to wire rack to completely cool. They should really rest at least an hour before using, in order to set. Store in fridge.
Vegetarian Cooking For Carnivores BLOG 