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homemade bread

The Comfort in Homemade Bread

Last week Katy shared about the comfort homemade soup brings to her and her family. As I thought about one of my comfort foods I thought of homemade bread. I come from a long line of bread bakers. Growing up I have memories of making whole wheat bread with one grandma and oatmeal bread with another grandma. And my kids know my mom almost always has some sort of quick bread made when we go to visit. Banana bread is a favorite. I find comfort in making homemade bread, smelling it bake in the oven, and eating it warm out of the oven with butter or peanut butter.

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Yes, You CAN Freeze Sandwiches

Last week after a program, I offered to leave some of the sandwich samples for the staff. One of them commented that they had a bunch of other snacks and that the sandwiches might not get eaten. I said, “Well, you can take these home and freeze them for another day.” The look I received was that of total shock. “You can freeze sandwiches?” was the reply. The individual was just sure the bread would be all soggy and the overall quality so bad that you would never want to consider it. But, the quality isn’t diminished. It’s time to use the freezer and save a few dollars…

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

The Whole Grain Maze

Bread used to be made from either whole wheat or white flour; although, many times coloring was added to white flour to make it look darker (healthier) .  Now we have “whole white bread” and many claims on the label to wade through such as 5 grams fiber, 20 grams of whole grain and 40% fiber.  How do you know which is the best?  What’s a person to do if we want to make half of your grains whole as recommended?

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Mediterranean Diet

The last couple of weeks I have been studying the Mediterranean diet in Crete.  This diet, which is named for the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean sea, is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, and higher life expectancy.  The locals brag that almost everyone in Crete has a relative that is over 100 years old  (it seems like the older I get, the more important life expectancy is to me!).

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Whole Grain Bread…The Basics

Half the grain products we eat are supposed to be whole grain. We aren’t there yet, but according to a July study about 55% of us have switched from white bread to whole grain bread.

No Knead Whole Wheat Bread

At last, a recipe for whole wheat bread that does not have to be kneaded. This bread is delicious, easy, and less expensive than whole wheat bread you buy at the store. Just don’t expect it to rise as high as other yeast breads with white enriched flour.

No Knead Whole Wheat Bread

Baking Bread like Grandma

I come from a family of cooks. I started cooking at a young age and continue to enjoy it today. A favorite memory I have is learning to make homemade whole wheat bread from my grandma. I remember her teaching me to knead the bread and then being patient to let it rise before cooking it. As a 4-Her I made my grandma’s bread for the county fair and got a purple ribbon. It went onto the state fair where it got a blue ribbon.

croutons

Pantry Picks – Whole Wheat Bread

We are excited to announce a new feature on Spend Smart. Eat Smart. called Pantry Picks. Pantry Picks provide tips on nutrition, storage, and preparation for foods that you might commonly find in your pantry or cupboard. Each week this month, we are going to look at a different Pantry Pick. We hope you learn some new ways to use these staple foods.

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Banana Oatmeal Bread

Last week I shared with you our recipe for Banana Ice Cream. This week I am going to share one of our older recipes, Banana Oatmeal Bread. Just like last week, I made a video to go along with the recipe, which you can check out down below. Unfortunately, the video is not quite as exciting because none of my children felt like helping out in the kitchen when it was time to make the bread.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

I suspect that my family’s favorite food for me to make is quick bread. Last week, my four year old told me that my banana bread was the best. It was zucchini bread, but that is ok. I enjoy making quick breads and my family enjoys eating them. Today I am going to share with you our October recipe of the month – Apple Cinnamon Bread.