# Proof you can still enjoy cooking and baking while losing weight



## SpiceUmUp (Jan 28, 2006)

I make breads nearly every weekend. I don't eat very much of it but I enjoy the act of making the bread and the appreciative sounds of my friends and family eating it.  Hear are todays production


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## mudbug (Jan 28, 2006)

Yowza, Spice!  You've put your day to better use than I did mine.  Hope you give yourself at least a little taste of these lovely loaves - just to make sure you did it right!


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## Jenny (Jan 28, 2006)

Hey, spiceumup, that bread is spectacular!  I admire your self discipline!  I am trying to remove some extra poundage as well!  But I wouldn't be able to make all that yummy crusty bread without eating it up-along w/ a pound of butter and garlic spread!   WELL DONE!!


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## Jenny (Jan 28, 2006)

Did you make that bread in a machine?  Homemade?  Either way, dang!


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## Michelemarie (Jan 28, 2006)

Beautiful, just beautiful. I'm sure the house smelled wonderful too! Happy Saturday!


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## Debbie (Jan 28, 2006)

wow those look GREAT!  what recipe did you use, if you don't mind sharing?


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## texasgirl (Jan 28, 2006)

Wow!! Those look so yummy!!! I love warm fresh bread!
I wish I lived in Jersey, I would follow my nose to you!


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## Constance (Jan 28, 2006)

I am so impressed. Breadmaking is a true art...one which has defied me. 

My Grandpa White never ate a slice of store-bought bread in his life. Grandma fired that cooking stove up every morning and made bread. I have her big blue bread bowl, but it hasn't done me any good.
In my young Sally Homemaker days, I was determined to become a bread baker. In later years, I tried it again, but I have never been any good at it. Can't get my dough to rise properly. I have been teased about my "5 pound loaf of bread". One friend told me I wasn't kneading it properly. She said it should be smooth as a baby's bottom when ready.

I've quit worrying about it...at this point in my life, I have enough challenges. If I'm craving that wonderful yeast smell in my kitchen, I buy frozen doughballs and make rolls.


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## SpiceUmUp (Jan 28, 2006)

Jenny said:
			
		

> Did you make that bread in a machine? Homemade? Either way, dang!


 
Bread machine? What is this "bread machine" you speak off?

Nah, no bread machine but I do use a Kitchenaid Pro5+ to do the kneading but I do the all the work otherwise. Rolling the dough, forming the loaves, creating the recipe (As I did for the Pan Loaves) 

Everything from scratch,, no mixes.

We usualy have company for dinner on Saturdays and I also give some of the loaves away to neighbors. I did allow myself to enjoy the fruits of my labor with a slice of two with a light skim of butter. I just eat lighter the rest of the day.


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## SpiceUmUp (Jan 28, 2006)

Egg White Bread
 

2 cups very warm water
2 packets dry yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp table salt
7 cups AP or Bread Flour (I like King Arthur Sir Lancelot Flour)
¼ tsp ascorbic acid (optional)
4 eggs
2 tbsp vegetable oil.
1 egg plus 4 tbsp water well beaten for glaze
 
In two cups of very warm water, dissolve the sugar and the yeast, stirring to dissolve, set aside.
 
In a KA mixer, place two cups of flour, the salt and the ascorbic acid.  With the flat beater, blend the ingredients on setting 2 for 2-3 minutes.
 
By now the yeast/sugar water mixture should be foamy and bubbly.  Give a couple of good stirs and add to the flour all at once while the flat beater is running at 2.
 
When you have a soupy blend, Stop the mixer, scrap the beater off and put in the dough hook.  Lumpy is OK.
 
With the dough hook on, add the 4 eggs and the vegetable oil. Incorporate well and then add 4 level cups of flour.  Knead until the dough pulls from the bowl, adding small amounts of the 7th cup.  The dough should be slightly sticky.
 
Allow to rise covered in a bowl until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
 
Form in to three equal sized loaves, a little over a pound each.
 
Place in well grease loaf pan and allow to rise covered again until doubled in size.
 
With a very sharp knife make a slit the length of the loaves, about a ½ inch deep.
 
Brush with egg glaze and bake in a 375 degree oven until golden brown and the internal temperature of the loaves reaches about 210 degrees. (I uses an instant read thermometer inserted in an inconspicuous place)
 
Remove from pans and Cool on a rack


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## Jenny (Jan 28, 2006)

Thank you for posting the recipe for us!  It doesn't look too scary but I am not stupid!  However, I will have to buy extra loaf pans cuz I only have the one.  Is there any way to rise it in another type of pan?

How sweet is that to share with your neighbors!  We live in the country, noone really communicates with their neighbors here.  It would be so awesome to live where people know each other and get together!


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## buckytom (Jan 28, 2006)

how far away can one be considered a neighbor, spice?

those italian loaves look fantastic. would dipping in evoo, herbs, and fresh cracked pepper be ok with your diet?


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## Jenny (Jan 29, 2006)

I keep seeing this 'evoo' and am wondering what the heck it is?  some acronym for several things or an actual item?


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## Constance (Jan 29, 2006)

...extra virgin olive oil...


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## SpiceUmUp (Jan 29, 2006)

Jenny said:
			
		

> I keep seeing this 'evoo' and am wondering what the heck it is? some acronym for several things or an actual item?


 
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Now, forgive my ignorance but where is Bulldog contry?

Bucky, you can come by any time and get a loaf.

Jenny, I think the recipe would work fine if you just formed them in to round loaves and cooked them on a cookie sheet with a little corn meal spread on it to keep the loaves from sticking to the pan.

A little evoo and some fresh craked pepper is actually quite good in my diet as long as I keep it to a minimum: 1 slice of the french bread, and a tbsp of the oil.


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## Debbie (Jan 29, 2006)

thank you for sharing the recipe..    hmm where do you get  *ascorbic acid* ?


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## SpiceUmUp (Jan 29, 2006)

Debbie said:
			
		

> thank you for sharing the recipe.. hmm where do you get *ascorbic acid* ?


 
I get mine through King Arthur:

http://shop.bakerscatalogue.com/items/Ascorbic_Acid.html


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## Debbie (Jan 29, 2006)

shoot bet they don't ship to Ontario Canada


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## SpiceUmUp (Jan 29, 2006)

try this:
http://www.bulkfoods.com/canada.htm

http://www.bulkfoods.com/search_results.asp?txtsearchParamCat=ALL&txtsearchParamType=ALL&txtsearchParamMan=ALL&txtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch&txtsearchParamTxt=4704


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## Debbie (Jan 29, 2006)

hmm I actually have a bulk food store really close to me.... I wonder ? hmmmm THANKS for the idea


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## JMediger (Jan 29, 2006)

Spice - your bread is beautiful! 

I admit to using my bread machine to bake our bread on Sundays but your recipe seems do-able. I have a KA and stare at that hook thingey every time I pull out the basket wondering "what the heck ... this won't work for chocolate chip cookies!" so have only ever used the paddle or the whisk. One question ... can you freeze your dough or would you suggest baking it off and then freezing the bread? We eat a ton of sandwiches but with only 2 of us, still only through one loaf a week.
Ok, actually 2 questions ... what does the ascorbic acid do?

Again - beautiful work! You are proof that food is truly art!

(edited to add 2nd question -  )


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## Dina (Jan 29, 2006)

Your bread looks awsome Spice!  I jotted down the recipes so I can start baking this week.  Although I doubt I will lose weight after eating this bread; it's truly my weakness.


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## Jenny (Jan 29, 2006)

SpiceUmUp said:
			
		

> Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Now, forgive my ignorance but where is Bulldog contry?
> 
> Bucky, you can come by any time and get a loaf.
> 
> ...




No Worries...Bulldog country is Athens, GA, home of the dearly beloved Georgia Bulldogs hailing from University of Georgia.  Game day here is celebrated with, well, there really isn't a word for it.  Enthusiasm is WAY
to mild.  Noone outside the state of Georgia would be expected to know that.  Anyway, I can forgive that if you all can forgive me knowing extra virgin olive oil!  

Thanks again for the recipe!

oops, make that NOT knowing!


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## SpiceUmUp (Jan 29, 2006)

Jenny said:
			
		

> No Worries...Bulldog country is Athens, GA, home of the dearly beloved Georgia Bulldogs hailing from University of Georgia. Game day here is celebrated with, well, there really isn't a word for it. Enthusiasm is WAY
> to mild. Noone outside the state of Georgia would be expected to know that. Anyway, I can forgive that if you all can forgive me knowing extra virgin olive oil!
> 
> Thanks again for the recipe!
> ...


 
A GEORGIA BULLDOG?  ARGGGHHHHH and you seemd so nice!

GO TECH


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## SpiceUmUp (Jan 29, 2006)

JMediger said:
			
		

> Spice - your bread is beautiful!
> 
> I admit to using my bread machine to bake our bread on Sundays but your recipe seems do-able. I have a KA and stare at that hook thingey every time I pull out the basket wondering "what the heck ... this won't work for chocolate chip cookies!" so have only ever used the paddle or the whisk. One question ... can you freeze your dough or would you suggest baking it off and then freezing the bread? We eat a ton of sandwiches but with only 2 of us, still only through one loaf a week.
> Ok, actually 2 questions ... what does the ascorbic acid do?
> ...


 
The ascorbic acid turbo charges the yeast, helps give the bread a nice rise.

I have never tried freezing the dough but I freeze my breads all the time.

By the way, this bread makes Great french toast

And there is nothing wrong with using a bread machine.  I just like using the KA mixer


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## Debbie (Jan 30, 2006)

*what type pans?*

I have to go buy some bread pans, because I didn't bring any with me... what do you cook your bread in... metal or glass?   Ever heard of a insulated bread pan?       it is just the regular size right?


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## SpiceUmUp (Jan 30, 2006)

I like dark metal pans, I think they brown the crust in the pans better, they are the standard size, what ever that is


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## Constance (Jan 30, 2006)

Jenny said:
			
		

> No Worries...Bulldog country is Athens, GA, home of the dearly beloved Georgia Bulldogs hailing from University of Georgia.



I've been through Athens several times, and it's one of the most beautiful towns I've ever seen!


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## Debbie (Jan 31, 2006)

SpiceUmUp said:
			
		

> try this:
> http://www.bulkfoods.com/canada.htm
> 
> http://www.bulkfoods.com/search_results.asp?txtsearchParamCat=ALL&txtsearchParamType=ALL&txtsearchParamMan=ALL&txtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch&txtsearchParamTxt=4704


 
Guess what?   I DID find absorbic acid  at the bulk food store.... its EXPENSIVE stuff though, cost $4.19 for about 3/4 of a cup of it.   And I could only find glass bread pans.. I wonder if I should maybe turn the oven down a bit?


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## TXguy (Feb 1, 2006)

SpiceUmUp said:
			
		

> Bread machine? What is this "bread machine" you speak off?
> 
> Nah, no bread machine but I do use a Kitchenaid Pro5+ to do the kneading but I do the all the work otherwise. Rolling the dough, forming the loaves, creating the recipe (As I did for the Pan Loaves)
> 
> Everything from scratch,, no mixes.



To Spice: We use the same techniques on our bread: from scratch, no mixes, and we _love_ our Kitchenaid mixer too.

You do such a good job, you're making me hungry just looking at all that good bread.


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## Debbie (Apr 21, 2006)

SpiceUmUp said:
			
		

> Egg White Bread


oh my goodness.. you guys HAVE to try this recipe.. I actually cut the recipe in half.. and I only had All purpose flour.. but I did not half the ¼ tsp ascorbic acid.. actually I added a tad bit more then the 1/4.
   So I made one loaf in a regular loaf pan.. and then like a round blob.. ( for a lack of better words, you know like those blobs you get in a restaurant)  the blob was done in 15 minutes.. and the loaf was done in 30 minutes
    and it is sooo pretty and great tasting!  THANK YOU spice for the wonderful recipe!!!!!!!
                Now, I wonder if you have one using wheat flour????


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## SpiceUmUp (Apr 21, 2006)

I am so gratified to hear that you like the reciepe and that it came out well for you.  It is a recipe I developed myself and it is great to hear htat others enjoy it!

I do have a wheat recipe I make.  I will try to post it here this weekend


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## Debbie (Apr 24, 2006)

SpiceUmUp said:
			
		

> I am so gratified to hear that you like the reciepe and that it came out well for you. It is a recipe I developed myself and it is great to hear htat others enjoy it!
> 
> I do have a wheat recipe I make. I will try to post it here this weekend


 
GREAT!  I can hardly wait!


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