hopeful

Spinach and feta has to be one of my favorite flavor combinations of all time: there is just something about how creamy feta balances the delicate texture of cooked spinach. Growing up in Chicago, spanikopita was available at just about every corner family restaurant and I have long loved it. This recipe replaces the typical phyllo dough for store-bought pizza crust. The result is a super yummy, super easy weeknight dinner that was a huge hit around here.

While I have not yet actually done this, I like the potential adaptability of this recipe. There are so many things you could seal into two triangles of pizza dough, from the obvious pizza ingredients for a quick calzone to an adaptation of samosas, with potatoes and peas and curry. I got this recipe from the free magazine they give you at my grocery store if you spend $50 or more. You never know where a good recipe is going to pop up.


Spinach Feta Turnovers
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 10 minutes
Serves 6

PRINT ME!

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add spinach and stir until well combined. Remove skillet from heat; stir in feta, dill and pepper. Let filling stand at room temperature 5 minutes to cool slightly.
3. Unroll dough onto prepared pan. Cut dough into 6 equal squares. In center of dough squares, evenly divide spinach mixture. Fold 1 corner of dough over filling to the opposite corner to form a triangle. Press edges of dough to seal tightly. With sharp knife, cut 3 small slits in top of each turnover to allow steam to escape. Brush tops with beaten egg.
4. Bake turnovers 10 to 12 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is hot. Serve turnovers warm.

So I'm thinking about entering an amateur photography contest. These are the pictures I am considering....whaddya all think? I would love your thoughts/criticism/input.

Taken at Brasserie du Pays Welche, France

Taken at Heart Lake, Montana

Taken at the Strasbourg Market

Taken in the Strasbourg Cathedral

Taken at Brown Lake, Montana

Taken in Paris

Taken in my neighbor's yard

Taken in my yard

Taken on the North Shore of Lake Superior

Taken at Grama and Grampa's house

When I started this blog back in October, one of my goals was to bake more bread. I'm now several months in and, looking back, I've done alright. I feel like with every new bread recipe, I get a better sense of the basics of breadmaking, and I've enjoyed seeking out new recipes to try. If Finn does indeed become a baker, maybe I can convince him to give me a few shifts in his bakery.

I think one of the greatest lessons I've learned is that baking a homemade loaf of bread does not have to be that difficult. It takes some time (though, in many instances, not as much as I would have guessed), but the hands-on is fairly minimal and the payoff extraordinary. The cost effectiveness is pretty remarkable, too, when I see what the grocery store bakery charges for a loaf of whole wheat artisanal bread. Admittedly, I have the privilege of being home with my boys this year so I can get a loaf of bread going in the morning while they are playing...but I think I could just as easily make a loaf in the evening in the hours between dinner and bedtime. Bread turns a simple dinner (soup, for example) into something kind of special; I think of it as an upgrade of sorts. It also makes your house smell really good.

Today is a great example of the use of bread to step up a meal. My friend dropped off a great big container of gumbo for our family to try for dinner. Since the effort required by me for this meal is exactly zero, I thought I'd make some bread to go with it. I found an interesting recipe in what I think is the very first cookbook I ever owned: Mollie Katzen's The Enchanted Broccoli Forest (1995 edition). I remember getting my hands on this book when I was in college and realizing for the first time that cooking could be a joyous process as well as a means to an end. It's still one of my favorites. As an added bonus, it's got a great basic illustrated guide to making yeast breads that is super useful for getting started.

I was looking for something kind of dense and flavorful, and I came upon this recipe. Unlike most of the breads I've been baking lately, this is not a yeast bread. Rather, it's a savory batter bread. I honestly don't think I've ever made a savory batter bread before; batter breads in my world generally come with bananas or pumpkin in them. The wonderful advantage to a batter bread is that it takes minutes to throw together and is then ready to put in the oven; no rising, no punching, no kneading. I made the recipe exactly as written  and it turned out really well. I think I would cut back on the sugar next time, as it was a bit too sweet in combination with the herbs, but I will definitely be making this again. I would also consider trying different herb combinations, or maybe different savory ingredients like olives or sun dried tomatoes.  I didn't get any help from Finn on this one; in fact, I had it made and in the oven before he even realized I was making bread. Emmett was in the mei tai, so I guess I can give him a cooking credit here.

Yogurt and Herb Bread
adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

PRINT ME!

15 minutes to prepare (seriously!)
40 to 45 minutes to bake
Yield: 1 medium sized loaf

a little butter or oil for the pan
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup plain yogurt
5 tbsp. melted butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey or sugar
2 tsp. dill
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a medium sized loaf pan.

2. Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the dried herbs.

3. In a separate bowl, beat together the yogurt, butter, eggs, and honey/sugar.  Pour this mixture into a well in the dry ingredients.  Mix with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended (it will be stiff).

4. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it sit for about 5 minutes then rap the pan sharply to remove the bread.  Cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.