After all of the baking I did last week for the bake sale, I was ready to make some quick and easy muffins! I was all out of fresh fruit (oh, the horror!), and when I opened the cupboard it was the cornmeal that spoke to me. It was begging to be made [...]]]>

After all of the baking I did last week for the bake sale, I was ready to make some quick and easy muffins! I was all out of fresh fruit (oh, the horror!), and when I opened the cupboard it was the cornmeal that spoke to me. It was begging to be made into rich, buttery corn muffins with just the right amount of crumble.

Before I share the recipe for these beauties, I’d like to give the results from the National Food Bloggers Bake Sale. Our Los Angeles bake sale raised $2,456.50! I was completely blown away when I read that number. But that’s not all. The combined total for all the bake sales across the country was $16,500! It is absolutely incredible what can be accomplished when a group of people come together to support a cause.

A huge thank you goes out to all the food bloggers who donated goodies to the bake sales, those who organized the bake sales, and all the people who visited our bake sales to buy goodies. I hope that next year will be just as successful (or maybe even more so)!

These muffins were also a success, albeit a much smaller one than our bake sale. I added a subtle hint of sweetness with maple syrup, and used whole wheat flour for depth of flavor. Vegan “buttermilk” gives a light and fluffy texture, but if you’ve got regular buttermilk it’ll do the job just as well.

Maple Corn Muffins
Recipe by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: 12 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 egg
1 cup soy milk + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or 1 cup buttermilk)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease muffin tins and set aside.

If you are using soy “buttermilk”, mix the soy milk and vinegar together and let sit for about 5 minutes (until it looks like it’s starting to curdle). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, stir the maple syrup and egg into the buttermilk. Add the butter and stir to combine. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the entire pan for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan to cool completely.

I’ve only had polenta once before, when my boyfriend cooked it for me. He loves a good cooking experiment just as much as I do. We had been intrigued by it in the store, not quite knowing what to make of the large yellow tube that appeared ready to burst at any moment. [...]]]>

I’ve only had polenta once before, when my boyfriend cooked it for me. He loves a good cooking experiment just as much as I do. We had been intrigued by it in the store, not quite knowing what to make of the large yellow tube that appeared ready to burst at any moment. We decided that it was pretty tasty, and I vowed to use it again.

When I came across a recipe for polenta made from scratch, I knew I had to try it. Plus, the addition of mushrooms in this recipe forced me to push my comfort zone. I don’t like mushrooms very much. It’s definitely a texture thing, so I figured that if I chopped them finely enough (and tried not to think about it) I could enjoy this dish.

Polenta is basically boiled cornmeal. It’s a simple base that is infinitely adaptable. Polenta is used in a wide variety of dishes from all over the world, and is prepared according to many different methods. Here, I created basic polenta by whisking cornmeal into boiling water.

Then, I dipped the polenta in a mixture of breadcrumbs, Parmesan, cilantro, and garlic. And baked it to perfection!

I chose to top it with a tomato wine sauce, which also makes an excellent pizza or pasta sauce. The whole meal took me a good half day to put together, but the time spent was well worth it.

Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta Cutlets
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites
Yield: 12 cutlets

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil
1 cup red wine
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 cup chopped mushrooms
3 cups water
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
3 egg whites

Heat the red wine just until it boils. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a non-reactive heatproof bowl and pour the wine over the tomatoes. Set aside to soak.

Heat the olive oil in a small pan. Add the minced onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of the basil. Cover the pot and cook on low, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their juices, about 10 minutes. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes, saving the wine for the sauce, if desired. Add the tomatoes to the mushroom mixture and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then add the cornmeal in a slow stream, whisking rapidly to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to low, and cook uncovered, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the polenta is very thick. Stir in the mushroom mixture.

Grease an 8 by 12-inch glass or stoneware baking dish. Spread the polenta evenly in the bottom of the dish. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, cilantro, and 2 cloves of minced garlic in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

Cut the polenta into 12 triangles. Here’s how: cut the polenta in half lengthwise. Then cut in thirds crosswise to create 6 rectangles. Then cut each rectangle in half diagonally. You should have 12 triangular cutlets.

Use a spatula to remove each cutlet, dip it into the egg white, and then coat both sides with the bread crumb mixture. Place the cutlets onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flip them over, then bake for 10 more minutes, or until golden brown.

Tomato Wine Sauce
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites
Yield: about 3 1/2 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup red wine
3 cups undrained chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onions have begun to soften. Add the Herbs de Provence and oregano, and cook for another minute. Add the wine, bring the sauce to a boil, then add the tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Cornmeal and molasses give this bread a deep, rich flavor.  You can taste the absence of refined sugar.  That flavor is intensified with the addition of whole wheat flour.  It tastes just as great with butter and fresh jam as it does with a savory tomato and olive bruschetta.

I will definitely make [...]]]>

Cornmeal and molasses give this bread a deep, rich flavor.  You can taste the absence of refined sugar.  That flavor is intensified with the addition of whole wheat flour.  It tastes just as great with butter and fresh jam as it does with a savory tomato and olive bruschetta.

I will definitely make this bread again and again.  So how does this recipe compare with the recipe that I posted yesterday?

It’s not an easy comparison, since the recipes are not identical.  I’ll just relate my experiences along with the recipe, and you can choose which version better suits you.

The no knead recipe uses a blend of whole wheat and bread flour (or all purpose flour).  This gives it a healthy kick and a denser texture, as well as a more earthy flavor.

The recipe also calls for vital wheat gluten, which helps the bread to rise.  Whole wheat flour tends to produce a denser bread so the gluten helps the bread to “puff” more.  I was able to find vital wheat gluten in the flour section of my regular supermarket!  I thought I was going to have to track it down at a specialty store.

The no knead recipe obviously requires less work.  You basically just dump all the ingredients in, mix, let it rest, and bake.  The other recipe uses an overnight soaker of water and cornmeal, which actually gives the cornmeal a sweeter quality that I enjoy.

Both recipes have a stopping point at which the dough can be refrigerated for baking at a later time.  I always love to have this option just in case I run out of time or want to have fresh bread again the next day.

The no knead recipe didn’t rise as high or as fast, and it came out a lot darker in color.  The loaf didn’t have much oven spring, but was still airy and not too dense inside.  Believe me, I’ve made some whole wheat loaves that come out as dense as a brick.  This is not one of them.  Nice and soft inside, with loads of flavor!

Anadama Corn Bread (No Knead)
Adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes A Day, via Mother Earth News
Yield: 4 one-pound loaves

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups unbleached bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
3 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup molasses

In the bowl of your mixer, or any large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, wheat germ, flours, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten.  In a separate bowl, mix the water and molasses together, then add to the flour mixture.  Stir with a spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer, until well incorporated.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours, or until dough has risen and started to collapse.  It should be flat on top.

Using flour to prevent the dough from sticking, remove a one pound chunk (about the size of a grapefruit).  The dough will be very sticky and hard to handle.  Form it into a rectangle, then gently roll it into a loaf.  Place it, seam side down, into a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for about 40 minutes.  I let it rise about 15 minutes longer, until the top of the dough was level with the top of the loaf pan.

Place the rest of the dough (or all of the dough, if you’re not baking a loaf right away) into the fridge, loosely covered with plastic wrap.  The dough will be easier to handle after being refrigerated.  When using dough straight from the refrigerator, allow to rest for 90 minutes after shaping into a loaf or round.

At least 30 minutes before you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450°.  Bake the loaf for 30 minutes, or until deep brown and sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.  Remove immediately from pan and allow to cool on cooling rack before slicing.

Anadama bread requires a few ingredients that I don’t normally stock in my kitchen.  I’ve been wanting to make it for ages, but I never seem to have everything on the list.  Namely, corn meal, molasses, and unbleached bread flour.

OK, so I actually found some molasses way in the back of my [...]]]>

Anadama bread requires a few ingredients that I don’t normally stock in my kitchen.  I’ve been wanting to make it for ages, but I never seem to have everything on the list.  Namely, corn meal, molasses, and unbleached bread flour.

OK, so I actually found some molasses way in the back of my spice cabinet but the “best by” date was January 2009.  I frequently stretch the limits of the expiration date, but this seemed a little extreme.  I went out and bought a brand new bottle (best by 9/23/2013 – that gives you some insight into just how long that old bottle had been around) for making gingerbread scones.  Then I decided it was time to jump in and try Anadama bread.

This bread originated in New England and its interesting story has been told and retold.  The recipe has many adaptations, but I planned to use the one from Peter Reinhart’s Bread Baker’s Apprentice.  Then, I received the new issue of Mother Earth News and found a recipe for a no knead version of Anadama bread.  I decided to give both versions a try and compare them.

First up: Peter Reinhart’s version, which takes 2 days and involves kneading.  I know, that sounds like a long time and lots of work.  But it’s only a few small sections of work between hours and hours of rising time.  Besides, when it comes to bread, the more you let the dough sit around, the more flavorful it becomes (think sourdough).

Let’s begin the experiment.  Below, “kneady” Anadama bread.  Tomorrow, the no knead version.

Anadama Bread
From  The Bread Baker’s Apprentice
Yield: Two 1 1/2 pound loaves, or three 1 pound loaves

Soaker:
1 cup cornmeal (also packaged as “polenta”)
1 cup water, room temperature

Dough:
4 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup water, lukewarm (90° to 100°F)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
cornmeal for dusting, optional

The night before you want to bake the bread, mix the soaker: stir the cornmeal and water together in a small bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight at room temperature.

The next day, mix the dough in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.  Add 2 cups of the flour, the yeast, water, and soaker.  Stir until combined, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour, or until it begins to bubble.

Stir in the last 2 1/2 cups of flour, the salt, molasses, and butter.  Mix on low speed with a mixer or stir until the ingredients are combined and a ball of dough forms.  If the dough won’t come together, add a small amount of water.  The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.

Knead the dough using a mixer, or by hand, for about 10 minutes.  The dough should be tacky, but not too sticky.  If it’s too sticky, add in a little more flour.  It should pass the windowpane test before continuing.  Break off a small piece of dough (golf ball size) and stretch it between your fingers.  If it becomes translucent (like a windowpane) before it tears, it’s ready.  If it fails the test, knead for a couple more minutes and test again.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn it to coat the entire surface.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for approximately 90 minutes, or until it doubles in size.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces if you’re going to bake it in 9 x 5 inch pans, or 3 equal pieces if you’ve got 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pans.  I only have two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pans, and one 9 x 5 inch pans, so neither of these options suited me.  I decided to use one 9 x 5 inch pan, and one 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pan.  I just eyeballed the dough proportionally to the pan size.  Lightly oil or spray each pan with cooking spray.

Lightly flour a counter or other work surface to shape each piece of dough into a loaf.  Form a rough rectangle shape approximately 5 x 8 inches, then start rolling from the short side.  Use your palm to gently seal the end of the dough, and place the loaf seam side down into the pan.  The loaf should be just long enough to touch each end of the pan.

Proof the loaves in the pans at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the top of the loaves rises above the tops of the pans.  This actually took about 2 hours for my loaves.  [This is a stopping point if you would like to continue the recipe another day.  You may place the loaf, unproofed, into the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  Remove it from the refrigerator about 4 hours before baking, and proof until ready, as described above.  I didn't try this, as I wanted my bread right away!]

Preheat the oven to 350° during this final proofing.  Make sure the oven rack is on the middle shelf.  Place both loaf pans onto a sheet pan, spray the tops with water, and dust on cornmeal.  Place the whole thing into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Rotate the pan at this point to ensure even baking.  Bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown.  They should register 185° to 190° in the center, and make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.

Remove the loaves from the pans immediately, and let cool on a cooling rack for at least one hour before slicing.

This bread has been submitted to YeastSpotting, a weekly bread roundup.  Be sure to look for it next Friday!