# Bread Bowls



## mish (Jun 24, 2005)

Haven't tried this one yet, but liked the simplicity & many dishes you could serve in these bowls, i.e. taco salad, hearty soups/stews...or make mini bowls for appetizers with fillings of choice. Have seen some recipes using refrigerated bread sticks, & wrapping them around inverted muffin tins. Another idea is using home made bread dough & adding in parmesan, or cheeses/herbs of choice. Something to experiment with & come up with your own ideas. 

Bread Bowls

Now you know how the restaurants do it! This simple recipe adds an impressive touch to any soup or salad.

Serving size: Each loaf makes 3 - 2 cup bread bowls.

Frozen Bread Dough

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Divide slightly thawed loaves into thirds, place on baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for 5 to 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. To form bread bowl, turn soufflé-type-baking dish* (approx. 2 to 3 cup capacity) **upside-down on baking sheet; lightly spray outside of dish with cooking spray. Place dough on base of dish and press down evenly over sides to form bowl. Repeat process for desired number of bread bowls.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from soufflé dishes and let cool.

* If soufflé-type dish is not available, follow these instructions to form bread bowl mold: use a 3-cup capacity mixing bowl, line inside with a sheet of aluminum foil, press down to form shape of bowl and let excess foil hang over edges. Stuff bowl with crumpled sheets of foil until completely filled and level. Fold excess liner foil over crumpled foil to form the baking mold. Remove from bowl and shape so sides and bottom are squared off.

** Continue as directed above.


----------



## jkath (Jun 25, 2005)

That is a really good idea, Mish. I bet you could even make a simple rope twist with any remaining bread dough and put it around the lip of the "bowl". How pretty these must be!


----------



## mish (Jun 25, 2005)

*Edible Cornucopia*

Wanted to mention too, could put chili, individual or a big salad in a big bowl too. (Heard that The Renaissance Faire (sp?) out here serves hearty soup in bread bowls.)

Haven't tried this yet, but the creativity of using bread sticks caught my eye. (Found some more ideas. Will try to post them separately.)


*Edible Cornucopia*










Ingredients:
3 cans Soft-breadstick dough
(or 2 boxes of bread machine dough)
1 Egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp Water

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Lightly spray a cookie sheet, at least 17"x 14", with non-stickcooking spray.

Tear off a 30"x 18" sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fold in 1/2 to 18"x 15". Roll diagonally to form a hollow cone, about 18" long with a diameter of 5" at the widest end (Cornucopia opening). Fasten end with clear tape. Stuff cone with crumpled regular foil until form is rigid. Bend tail of cone up then down at end. Spray outside of cone with non-stick cooking spray. Place on cookie sheet.

Open and unroll first can of breadstick dough on work surface. Seperate breadsticks. Begin by wrapping one breadstick around tip of cone. Brush end of next breadstick with egg wash and press to attach to end of first breadstick. 

Continue spiral-wrapping cone, slightly overlapping dough until there are 3 breadsticks left.

Pinch one end of the 3 breadsticks together, then braid. Brush bread around opening of Cornucopia with egg wash. Gently press on braid. Brush entire Cornucopia with egg wash.

Bake 45 minutes in preheated oven or until bread is a rich brown. (If parts start to darken too much, cover them with pieces of foil.)

Remove from oven and let cool completely on cookie sheet on a wire rack. Carefully remove foil when cool. (If freezing, leave foil in bread for support. Remove when thawed.)

Fill Cornucopia with the assorted raw vegetables directly on table and let them spill out of opening.


----------



## mish (Jun 25, 2005)

Here are some more ideas for bread sticks. The *coffee-mug twists caught my attention as well.

[font=times, times new roman][font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Bread Sticks [/font][/font]
[font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]*Baking Instructions*: Remove desired number of frozen layers of pre-cut sticks from case. Thaw at room temperature for approximately 5 minutes. Separate sticks and place 1-inch apart on greased sheet pans. *For plain sticks*, brush with melted butter. Let rise for approximately 1 hour. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven (convection oven: 350 degrees) for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot or cooled.

*Seeded Breadsticks*: Brush with well beaten egg and sprinkle with your choice of sesame, poppy, or caraway seeds.

*Flavored Breadsticks*: Brush sticks with melted butter and sprinkle with your choice of Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, dill weed, herbs, minced onion, grated Cheddar cheese, etc. *Try hot garlic and Parmesan breadsticks dipped in Italian sauce!*

*Fancy Shaped Breadsticks*: *Twists*: Twist strips on sheet pans for swirled effect or twist two sticks together. *Knots*: Tie breadstick dough pieces into loose knots prior to rising. *Snails*: Coil dough pieces tightly bringing 'tail' to center before rising.

*Pretzels*: Shape breadstick dough pieces into pretzels and brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. *Shorter Breadsticks*: Cut sticks into halves or thirds before panning.

*Crispy Chewy Breadsticks*: Do not let dough rise prior to baking.

*Fried Breadsticks*: Cut thawed breadstick dough pieces in half. Fry until golden brown on each side.

*Herb Breadsticks*: Brush 1 layer of 24 breadsticks with mixture of 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings, and 1 teaspoon caraway seeds.

*Poppy Seed-Onion-Cheddar Breadsticks*: Brush 1 layer of 24 breadsticks with melted butter and sprinkle with mixture of 2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese, 6 tablespoons dried chopped onions, and 2 teaspoons poppy seeds.

*Parmesan-Dill Breadsticks*: Spread mixture of 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan & Romano cheese blend and 1 tablespoon dill weed over 1 layer of 24 breadsticks.

*Italian Breadsticks*: Spread 1 layer of 24 breadsticks with mixture of 2 table-spoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons oregano, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon paprika.

*Nutty Breadsticks*: Spread 1 layer of 24 breadsticks with melted butter. Sprinkle with mixture of 1/2 dup ground walnuts, 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds, 1 & 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon garlic salt.

*Cinnamon-Sugar Sticks*: Brush breadsticks with melted butter and sprinkle with mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

*Lemon-Nutmeg Sticks*: Brush breadsticks generously with melted butter and sprinkle with mixture of 1 cup sugar, 1 & 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.

**Coffee Mug Twists*: Brush 24 breadsticks with melted butter. Sprinkle with half of mixture of 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon or grated orange rind. Turn sticks over and spread other sides with butter and remaining sugar mixture. Twist two sticks together and coil into 10 oz. OVEN-PROOF mugs. Let rise until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve when mug handles are cool enough to hold. [/font]


----------



## Lugaru (Jun 25, 2005)

Man that edible cornucopia made me laugh out loud... not in the funny way but in the "wow... That's amazing" way. Bread bowls eh... you know I've been wanting to make new england clam chowdah from scratch so if I do I'll make your bread bowls as well to really make it awesome. There's nothing like chowda in a bread bowl.


----------



## mish (Jun 25, 2005)

Lugaru said:
			
		

> Man that edible cornucopia made me laugh out loud... not in the funny way but in the "wow... That's amazing" way. Bread bowls eh... you know I've been wanting to make new england clam chowdah from scratch so if I do I'll make your bread bowls as well to really make it awesome. There's nothing like chowda in a bread bowl.


 
Lugaru, I had a WOW laugh too. I'd never seen anything like it. Clam chowder, what a *great* idea! Thank you. Yum. Made me think of what else I could coil the bread sticks around. Don't laugh (okay laugh), but I thought of trying clothespins. I'd heard of a cone shaped Swedish? cookie, filled with a cream filling. Thought little bread cones would make an interesting little funnel to fill with hors de houvres too (sp?) -- maybe guacamole?

Here's an ez one I'd like to try with the breadsticks.


*Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Mini Pizzas*
Prep Time: 15 min (Ready in 40 min )
http://www.imageshack.us/ 
4 oz. cream cheese (from 8-oz. pkg.), softened 
2 tablespoons sour cream 
3/4 cup Frozen Spinach (from 1-lb. bag), thawed, squeezed to drain* 
1/2 cup artichoke hearts (from 14-oz. can), drained, patted dry with paper towels 
1 (10.6-oz.) box Refrigerated Garlic Breadsticks 
1 oz. (1/4 cup) shredded Parmesan cheese 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, thawed spinach and artichoke hearts until well blended, breaking up artichokes during stirring. 

2. Unroll dough into 1 large rectangle. Spread garlic mixture from box evenly over dough. Separate dough into 10 breadsticks. Reroll each breadstick, coiling dough into spiral shape with garlic mixture inside; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 

3. Starting at center, press out each coil into 3 1/2-inch round (edges will curl up slightly). Spoon and spread cream cheese mixture on top of each round. Sprinkle with cheese. 

4. Bake at 350°F. for 17 to 22 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm. 
10 pizzas

Note *To quickly thaw frozen spinach, place in colander; rinse with cool water until thawed. Drain well; squeeze dry with paper towels.


----------



## TexasBlueHeron (Jun 26, 2005)

*Bread bowls - wow*

We make bread bowls for potato soup, but never again will they be just plain old bowls. Never thought about adding in parm, et al. And then a little braid at the top - that would be so easy and really make it look professional (well, in our case, sort-of-professional).

The cornucopia is fabulous.


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jun 26, 2005)

When I was in Chicago a couple of weeks back, I and my family ate at Uno's, where the first deep-dish pizza was created.  The shape of the crust reminded me of bread bowls.  Last week, I went to the chef at the Dream Maker's Restaurant here in the Sault and told him of the crust shape, flavor and texture.  It was very yeasty, a bit on the bland side otherwise, and with a little imagination, could be filled with anything from creamed chipped beef, to the most luxuriant steak and mushroom sauce.  It could be filled with stew, chowders, chili, pizza fillings, deli-meat with cheese, etc.  

The bread bowls that are formed around a bowl have one problem, depending on the shape of the bowl.  That is, they have little flat bottom to sit on, and so are rather unweildly on the plate.  But that also is easily corrected, and by one of the ideas listed above.  Simply make a braid and attach it to the bowl's bottom, like the ring that woks sit on.

Also, I watched a bread artisan working at San Diego's Sea World shape a loaf in the shape of a tuna, and score the crust to form scales.  He brushed with egg-wash.  I came back later to see the end result.  It was truly amazing.  If you are willing to play with it a bit, bread can be an incredible artistic medium to work with, from simple braids, to intricate models of animals, sea life, sculptures, etc.  So replace your chef's hat with a chapeau, gather your tools, and see what you can do.

And that's my challenge to you for the week  

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North


----------



## mish (Jun 26, 2005)

Cool story, Good! Gives me all sorts of ideas to play with. The big tuna sounds like a nice presentation for a seafood dip, maybe? The coiling inside the coffee mug might help it sit better too. Saw another idea for little baskets -- w the handle baked separately & inserted in a cut slit on either side. Perhaps fill with strawberrries, etc.

If I can find a heat-proof Martini glass  , I'll try coiling the dough/sticks around it & fill w guacamole, bacon bits & a cherry tomato (for the olive).

The idea of crumpling up the aluminum foil to any shape (cornucpia) leaves lots of room for imagination. Hmmm. maybe a square bread bowl or bread shaped like a big Hershey's Kiss? I'll think of it as a sculpting experiment.

Thanks Good


----------



## mish (Jun 26, 2005)

Okay, I'm posting this one in keeping with the bread/breadstick theme for ideas. This one is made with a slice of bread, but think it could work with bread sticks or won ton wrappers...just another idea of how we can experiment with different fillings...even a Caesar salad. (Plus I loved the pic & idea of embedding herbs into the bread  )

*CAESAR SALAD IN CROUTON CUPS*


Butter Flavor No-Stick Cooking Spray
12 slices white bread
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
4 cups romaine lettuce, finely sliced into 1/8-inch strips
2 green onions, thinly sliced, plus additional for garnish
Caesar Salad dressing, to taste
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-muffin tin with cooking spray. Trim crusts off bread; spray both sides of bread with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, thyme rosemary and cracked black pepper. Lightly sprinkle mixture over both sides of bread. Use a rolling pin to slightly flatten bread and embed the spice mixture. 

Press each slice into a muffin cup. Allowing edges to hang over cup. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and cool. Toss lettuce and green onions with dressing. Spoon salad into muffin cups. Garnish with cheese and additional green onion slices. Serve immediately.

Yield: 12 appetizers


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jun 26, 2005)

speaking of baskets, I wonder if the bread sticks could be rolled slightly flat, and woven into a basket, then filled with little packaged cheeses and sausage chubs.  That would a great way to give such things during the holidays.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North


----------



## mish (Jun 27, 2005)

Goodweed of the North said:
			
		

> speaking of baskets, I wonder if the bread sticks could be rolled slightly flat, and woven into a basket, then filled with little packaged cheeses and sausage chubs. That would a great way to give such things during the holidays.
> 
> Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North


 
Hi Goodweed. Don't see why not. 

You gave me some more bread/stick food for thought. After you weave them, perhaps mold it around the *outside* of a clay flower pot & bake. There are some rules re lead about baking in flower pots. Also read there are neon food colorings available now. Your idea made me think of a candy cane breadstick, hooked onto the lip of a soup bowl (maybe filled w tomato soup) - or using a star-shaped cookie cutter for the dough/breadstick w a parmesan, garlic herb flavoring, baking them & floating them in soup or surrounding a dip. Thank you for these inventive ideas.

Here's a pic of baking bread IN a flower pot. Btw, at fabric/craft stores they sell little tiny flower pots. Great for the holidays too.


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jun 27, 2005)

Cool.  There is so much to try, and so little time to try everything.  I wish I'd chosen cooking as a profession.  It would be so rewarding to constantly be trying new ideas.  Instead, I fix phones and phone systems.  Of course it's great when you see a smiling customer after you've done your work, but it's such mundane work, except in time of crisis.  And then, well, you just couldn't imagine how much people rely on their phones.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


----------



## mish (Jun 27, 2005)

Goodweed of the North said:
			
		

> Cool. There is so much to try, and so little time to try everything. I wish I'd chosen cooking as a profession. It would be so rewarding to constantly be trying new ideas. Instead, I fix phones and phone systems. Of course it's great when you see a smiling customer after you've done your work, but it's such mundane work, except in time of crisis. And then, well, you just couldn't imagine how much people rely on their phones.
> 
> Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


 
Some days I don't even want to boil water. But when I went several days with phone problems, I practically kissed the telephone repair man. lol Hello, Pizza Man.


----------

