Easy Weeknight Recipe: Spaghetti Bread

   I love to cook Italian food, especially the old fallback, spaghetti. It was the first dish I ever made on my own and it's always a good stand-by for nights when you don't feel like "cooking." However, if you're anything like me, you are TERRIBLE at measuring those tall, thin, spaghetti noodles. I always over-think the amount that goes into the pot, add more at the last minute, and then end up with a huge pile of cooked pasta. What's a girl (or guy!) to do with all of the left overs? Two words: Spaghetti Bread.
   I came across a pin for this recipe on Pinterest and have been wanting to make my own version for quite awhile. With leftover spaghetti from the lazy night before, I created a next day meal that you won't want to wait for! Here's what you need to get started:

• cooked spaghetti noodles (though I imagine this would work with any pasta)
• marinara or spaghetti sauce
• mozzarella cheese (cubed or shredded)
• pizza dough (store-bought or you can use my recipe here. :))
• optional: garlic powder, dried basil, coconut milk/eggwash, mixed veggies, meats, ect.

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the pasta and marinara together with any veggies or other additions. Like I said, mine was leftover so it was already mixed and had cooked red onion/pepper as well. Now you want to roll your pre-made pizza dough out on the counter, or onto some parchment paper, into a large rectangle. Then, pile the spaghetti in the center of the dough. Next add a layer of cheese, cubed or shredded, onto the spaghetti. You will then cut along the dough so there is an even amount of flaps on both sides. Then braid the flaps together, tucking in both ends. Next you can brush the top with either an eggwash (egg + water) or a little coconut milk. I then sprinkled with garlic powder, basil, and a little salt and pepper. Parmesan cheese would have been delightful on top as well, but I was lacking that. Now you will bake in the oven for 35 minutes until nicely brown. Let cool as long as you can and then serve!
   This makes a lot of food and would pair nicely with a light salad for your next dinner party! It's like French bread and spaghetti that you can eat in one bite! Until next time, stay hungry and let us know how your spaghetti bread turns out in the comments section below! :)

Homemade Sandwich Bread!

   Last week, you were taught how to make a delicious homemade pizza crust using simple ingredients.  I love this idea because the more basic the ingredients, the healthier the outcome. This week, I would like to provide you with another easy, yet extremely satisfying, homemade bread recipe for a white sandwich loaf.
   If you are an avid label reader like myself, you have probably noticed the lengthy, unpronounceable list of ingredients on store-bought breads. This is very unsettling and I much prefer to make homemade bread whenever I get the chance. The following recipe yields three loaves of sandwich bread. That way, you will have a couple of loaves to freeze for a later date or give away to friends!
   First you will need to gather your ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 cups warm milk or filtered water (or half and half)
• 1 1/2 tbsp salt
• 4 1/2 - 5 1/2 cups bread flour (more or less depending on consistency of dough)

   Now for the fun part. Mix together yeast, all purpose flour, oil, and milk and/or water. Rest for about 20 minutes. Now add the salt and enough bread flour until the consistency is no longer sticky. Knead several times and allow to rise until doubled (about 1 hour) in a warm area. Shape the dough (I usually flatten the dough and then roll it up like a burrito almost, pinching the ends in and the bottom until there is no seam.) Place in pre-oiled bread pan ‘seam’ down and allow to rise again for another hour or so. Bake @ 375 degrees F for around 35 minutes until tops are nice and brown. If you do not have a bread pan, you can also just shape the dough into 3 rounds, slice an X on the top, and bake it the same way! Either way you do it, this bread is a winner.

    You can use this loaf for sandwiches, but don't stop there! This bread is wonderful for bruschetta, french toast, and bread pudding. You can also use leftover bread to make amazing croutons or breadcrumbs for your next fried endeavor! Use this recipe and help eliminate the processed, store brand breads with all of their additives and preservatives. Eat homemade bread the healthy way! Because is there anything better than warm bread and butter? Happy eating! :)