Naan Bread

I found this really neat blog here that has budget recipes with the price of each ingredient, recipe and serving calculated out. I found it the same day I did my bountiful basket calculations and was so impressed I think I might try the same thing with some of my favorite recipes. To start off here is a new Woodward favorite: Naan Bread (I got the recipe off that blog).

Naan Bread 

Servings Per Recipe: 8 pieces

Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 25 min. Rise Time: 45 min. Total: 1.5 hrs.

Our naan and falafel dinner 

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp dry active yeast $0.19

1 tsp sugar $0.02

1/2 cup water $0.00

2.5-3 cups flour $0.19

1/2 tsp salt $0.05

1/4 cup vegetable oil $0.15

1/3 cup plain greek yogurt $0.56 (totally worth it! it makes the bread so soft!) 

1 large egg $0.12

Total Cost: $1.27

Directions 

STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water. Stir to dissolve then let sit for a few minutes or until it is frothy on top. At that point, stir in the oil, yogurt and egg until evenly combined.

STEP 2: In a medium sized bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour with the salt. Next, add the bowl of wet ingredients to the flour/salt mixture and stir until well combined. Continue adding flour a half cup at a time until you can no longer stir it with a spoon (about 1 to 1.5 cups later).

STEP 3: At that point, turn the ball of dough out onto a well floured counter top. Knead the ball of dough for about 3 minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. I ended up using about 3 cups of flour total. The dough should be smooth and very soft but not sticky.

STEP 4: Loosely cover the dough and let it rise until double in size (about 45 minutes). After it rises, gently flatten the dough and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball by stretching the dough back under itself until the top is smooth and round. 

Step 5: Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out until it is about 1/4 inch thick or approximately 6 inches in diameter. Place the rolled out dough onto the hot skillet and cook until the under side is golden brown and large bubbles have formed on the surface.  Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden brown as well. Serve plain or brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with herbs!

TIPS: For the most bubbles, don't roll out the ball of dough until just before it is ready to be placed in the skillet. I experimented with different skillet temperatures and found that a medium heat produces the most bubbles in the dough and does not burn the surface.

What we had with it: falafel, hummus, cucumber-yogurt spread. 

David, with the top of his head cut off.  Oh no! I'm turning
into my mother!

Bountiful Basket

I've only gotten a bountiful basket a couple times, but I love the concept. You get a variety of produce at a supposedly reduced cost. A great way to vary your veggies, find new fruit, and hopefully save some money. However, I'm curious to know if buying a bountiful basket is really saving money, so I am taking inventory of what I got today and comparing it to how much it would be to buy the exact same thing and  local grocery store today.


My Basket

1 bunch green onions

1 head romaine lettuce 

1 head pretty purple leafy thing 

1# carrots

5# ruesset potatoes 

2 english cucumbers

1 head green cabbage

8 oranges

5 tomatoes

9 bananas 

1 spaghetti squash

3# granny smith apples 

Total: $16.50

Certainly not the most exciting or exotic basket I've ever gotten, but I'm still excited to have all this fresh produce to use and the challenge of thinking of things to make with it before it goes bad. 

Local Grocery Store

1 bunch green onions $.059

1 head romain lettuce $0.99

1 head flowering kale (not offered at store, but regular kale was $1.79)

1# carrots $0.79

5# russet potatoes (on sale) $1.99

2 english cucumbers $2.00

1 head cabbage $0.66

8 oranges $4.14

5 tomatoes $3.00

9 bananas $3.10

1 spaghetti squash $6.00

3# granny smith apples $3.27

Total: $28.32

Total Savings: $11.82

I'm pretty happy with my bountiful basket. It definitely saves money and it encourages me to try new things or things I wouldn't normally buy, like oranges for example. To figure out what to I looked up different ways to eat oranges and I think I have some pretty successful ideas. We'll see how it goes. 

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

This is the best homemade whole wheat bread I have ever had. I got the recipe from Maren Hale, the wife of my last student ward bishop. I'm determined to make it as well as she does some day, but I'm certainly in the practice stage. This is the recipe with the exact ingredients she had in her bread recipe.

4 cups warm water
1 1/2 TBS Saf-Instant Dry Yeast

Golden Flax Seed 

1/4 cup Honey/agave nectar
1/2 TBS Real salt (found at health food stores)
1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
2 cups Whole rolled oats (old fashioned)
1/2 cup Golden/red flax seed (found at health food stores)
2 1/2 cups Whole wheat flour (you will need an additional 3 cups later)
4 cups Unbleached flour
3/4 cup Raw sunflower seeds

1. Mix ingredients together in mixer with dough hook (excluding the 3 cups you will need later).

2. Add additional 3 cups of whole wheat flour until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is not too sticky to the touch. Do not add too much flour!
3. Knead dough 10 minutes.
4. Remove dough from bowl and let rest on counter 10 minutes.

It is very, very important not to add to much flour

5. Divide dough into 3 equal portions and form into 3 8.5"x4.5"x2.5"loaf pans. Press into corners and sides. Flatten tops. (It is important to do this step well if you want your loafs to come out rounded and uniform on top. I'm still practicing).

I'm still working at getting the tops flat and even, if you couldn't tell

6. Place in cold oven on middle rack and let sit for 20 minutes.
7. Turn oven to 350 F and leave bread in oven for 45-50 minutes.
8. Place on cooking racks and glaze tops with butter while hot.