Our Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Bread

11 c all purpose flour
2 c rye flour
4 tbsp black cocoa
4 tbsp dutch cocoa
2 shot espresso
6 c warm water
3 tbsp yeast
3 tbsp salt
3 tbsp black molasses or honey

Mix, let rise in a rising container until doubled. Punch down and refrigerate for up to a week. I use a pullman loaf pan and this recipe makes two full loaves. Let rise with the cover nearly all the way closed, leaving a view to the rise. Sprinkle with caraway seeds.

Rise will take an hour or two depending on the weather. Our best loaf was one that overflowed a bit. It was so airy, yet dense. Amazing. So experiment a bit.

Either way, it usually takes exactly 45 minutes @ 450 degrees F.

Minnetonka Porridge

This is a take on a delicious hot cereal breakfast dish we have eaten at Hell's Kitchen in Minneapolis. There it is called Menohmonie Porridge but since I am just recreating it, I figured I wouldnt outright dare to claim to have it down pat.

The base of this dish is our traditional, local staple of wild rice. So to start, we need to make a batch.

Wild rice:

• 2 1/2 c wild rice 
• 5 c water 
• 1 tsp salt 

I put all ingredients into a creuset baking dish and bake @ 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Any extra wild rice can be portioned into freezer bags and reheats beautifully.

Porridge:

• 1/2 c toasted Almonds, Macadamia or Hazelnuts 
• 1/4 c raisins, craisins, peaches or dried cherries 
• 1 c heavy cream 
• 4 c cooked wild rice 
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/4 c dried blueberries, apples or apricots, diced 

Just throw all into a nonstick pan and reheat on low until heated through and starting to bubble. Serve warm in cozy cups or bowls. A serving ladel is a good, if not oversize serving as it is quite a filling, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal any time of day.

American Tart Tatin

1 sheet of puff pastry 
2 or 3 apples 
Cast iron skillet 
1 stick of butter, shaved over apples 
Cinnamon Vanilla extract 
~1 c loose brown sugar 
2 tbsp of heavy cream

Over low heat, arrange sliced apples in one nice tight presentation layer like a fan. Sprinkle lightly with brown sugar and shave butter with a paring knife equally on top of apples to distribute butter evenly. Drizzle heavy cream over top of apples to get the sugars bubbling. Add enough brown sugar to absorb the sugars and cream, contibuing to sprinkle brown sugar until the pan liquids are thick and bubbly. Keep on low heat! Do not stir! It will all caramelize without any help and it shouldnt burn on low.
 
Preheat oven to 400 F. An hour before baking, defrost puff pastry, unfolded, dusted lighlt with flour and covered with kitchen towel so it doesnt dry out. Pinch seems together once  defrosted and using a pan lid that fits your cast iron skillet as a mold, cut a circle to fit your skillet. This will go on top and create the tarts crust once done.

Transfer pastry to top of apples and brush with egg wash. Bake 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and then flip onto a serving dish or plate, scraping out all remaing caramel and juices on top of apples. This is a really beautiful and decadent dessert. You can serve withh whipped cream but you will never miss it if not.

Shortcake Muffins

Shortcake Ingredients:
- 2 c flour 
- 1/4 c sugar 
- 4 tsp baking powder 
- 1/4 tsp salt 
- Dash nutmeg
- 1/2 c butter, diced (should be soft enough to cut but not melted)
- 1/2 c milk 
- 2 eggs, separated

1.  Mix the above dry ingredients in a bowl. 

2.  Add butter to the above dry ingredients using a fork to mix in the butter until a crumbly texture forms. 

3.  Mix egg yolks with the milk in a coffee cup and save the egg whites for later, maybe Macarons. 

4.  Next, add the yolk/milk mixture to the flour mixture until a dough forms. 

5.  Spoon into small muffin tins or make balls using a cookie scoop onto a baking sheet. 

6.  Bake @ 450 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. 

Topping Suggestions:
- Additional sugar (about 1 tbsp) 
- 1 c whipping cream 
- 2 1/2 c strawberries 

1.  Mix sugar to taste with whipping cream to form soft peaks. I also add a little vanilla. 
2.  Top mini muffins with fresh strawberries and whipped cream just before serving. 

This shortcake recipe makes such cute bite size muffins that I always bake it this way but you can certainly use any pan form you like, just test the center with a toothpick like Mama taught you to test for doneness. If the toothpick comes clean, it is done. If any moisture or crumbs adhere to the toothpick once you remove it from your test muffin, give it another couple of minutes, depending on your oven. Don't overbake them or they will get too dry and crumbly. Who cares, right? It will just taste more like a cookie than a muffin.

Poundcake Muffins

3 c flour
3 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
6 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 sticks butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 c sour cream or heavy cream
Zest of one lemon


Cream sugar, eggs and butter until fluffy. Mix sifted flour, salt and baking powder into the egg mixture a little at a time, alternating with the sour cream. Start with flour, end with flour.


Add batter to bundt, loaf or muffin pan. In my oven it took 2.5 hours at 325 F.