Baking for Thanksgiving with your Bread Machine

Thanksgiving Dressing Bread Recipe:

(Makes a 1 1/2 pound loaf)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon of dry sage
• 1 tablespoon of parsley
• 2 teaspoons of thyme
• 1 teaspoon of rosemary crushed
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS:

Add the ingredients to the bread pan in the order indicated and choose the basic bread or white bread setting; 1.5 pound loaf and medium crust.

The Dressing Recipe:

When the bread is done and has cooled you should definitely enjoy a slice or two. But not too much. Slice the bread thinly into cubes about 1/2 inch in thickness and then cut the slices into cubes about 1/2 thick. They can be larger or smaller. Don’t fuss about it. Here’s how to proceed:

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• 8 cups of large, cubed bread (fresh white or wheat baked at 250 for 45 minutes)
• 3 cups chicken or turkey broth (and not a tablespoon more or less)
• 1 lb Italian sausage sautéed and browned (This is optional, but I use whole, fresh links, steam them in some water and brown and then chop them up and brown the pieces some more)
• 1 larger Spanish onion diced
• 1 apple peeled and diced
• 6 stalks celery sliced
• 1 tbsp sage
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

It may seem redundant that you’re adding more spices on top of what you’ve already incorporated into the bread, but this adds more flavor to the overall dressing.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take a loaf of bread and gently cut it into 1 inch cubes with a bread knife. Put on a cookie sheet and bake in an over at 250 for about 45 minutes… Toss them about half way through. While the cubes are in the oven, brown the sausage. I prefer whole links of Italian sausage. I cook them in about a cup of water in a frying pan on medium heat to cook them through, brown them after the water cooks off, chop them coarsely and return them to the pan to brown them a bit. Then I put them aside while I do the rest of this stuff. You can also omit the sausage or substitute your favorite
2. In a saucepan add the butter, the olive oil and the onions, celery and apples. Add the seasoned salt. The salt will help them sweat and cook until onions are translucent. Add the sausage and cook another minute or two. Add the sage, the parsley and the cracked black pepper and stir it all around. Add the 3 cups of broth and simmer for about 20 minutes.

   

3. Put the bread cubes into a large mixing bowl and spoon out the solids from your pot with a slotted spoon (onion/celery/sausage/apple) on top of the bread crumbs and toss. Slowly add the broth and toss as you go. You want to distribute the broth evenly over the bread cubes. If you just dump it all in you’ll have some sludge with hard bits of bread. Try to share the moisture with a slow and measured mixing of the liquid and tossing.
4. When your mixture is done, butter the inside of a baking dish that will fit all this stuff and pour it in. Bake covered at 325 for 45 minutes and uncovered for 15 minutes more. Serve in the dish and you’re done.

Bread Pudding Bread Recipe:

(Makes a 1 1/2 pound loaf)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon of mace
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS:

Add the ingredients to the bread pan in the order indicated and choose the basic bread or white bread setting; 1.5 pound loaf and medium crust.

Bread Pudding Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups half & half
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 cups bread, torn into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk and half & half just until a film forms over the top. Watch carefully and don’t burn the milk. Combine the butter into the milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm. Combine the dark brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes and then slowly add the milk mixture. Lightly grease a 9 x 12 baking dish with soft butter. Put the bread into the pan and pour the milk mixture over the top. Sprinkle the top with the 1/3 cup of light brown sugar.

Now comes the tricky part.

This is best baked in a water bath. A water bath is a pan that is larger than your baking dish. The idea is to put some water into this pan and then place the baking dish into the water pan while baking. A large cookie sheet with high sides, or a larger baking dish should do the trick. Put the baking pan with the bread pudding mixture into the dry pan and slowly add hot water to the water pan. This way it won’t overflow when you put one dish into the other. The water surrounding the baking dish will cook the bread batter evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Stick a toothpick or knife into the center and if it comes out clean it’s done. Serve warm. I like it with vanilla ice cream but it’s good plain and also good chilled as a leftover with our next recipe -turkey sandwiches on rye.

Rye Bread Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1⁄2cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1⁄3 cup brown sugar (I use the granulated type)
• 1 1⁄2teaspoons salt (I use kosher salt)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup rye flour
• 2 3⁄4 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds (optional)
• 1 1⁄2teaspoons active dry yeast or bread machine yeast

DIRECTIONS:

Place ingredients in the bread pan in the order indicated and select whole wheat course. When done, cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and slice.