Homemade Bagels ~ ElephantEats.com

My blogger friend Alyssa alerted me to Love and Olive Oil’s bagel challenge and encouraged me to try it along with her, and I’m so glad she did! Bagels were one of the foods on my list of things to attempt in my kitchen at some point in my lifetime (along with pretzels, marshmallows, graham crackers, and a few others).

I followed Peter Reinhart’s recipe from his book Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day. They were so much easier to make than i was expecting. Most yeast recipes I have followed require so much rising, but this one (I’m assuming because of the “instant” yeast used) only had one 1-hr rise and then time overnight spent in the fridge.

Homemade Bagels ~ ElephantEats.com

I don’t have the dough hook for my Kitchen Aid mixer and it’s the mixer is such a pain to get out anyway that I rarely use it. I made this recipe by stirring with a wooden spoon and then kneading. I must be seriously out of shape because after 3 minutes of kneading, my abs were seriously sore the next day.

My bagels came out a little flatter than I was expecting but they were still totally delicious. I think it might be because I rolled the dough out into too thin of a “rope.” The recipe says to have a 2.5 inch hole but making it smaller may have kept the bagels puffier.

I also was reading up on flat bagels online and it seems that not refrigerating and simply baking after the first rise might solve the problem, but it could sacrifice the texture.

Homemade Bagels ~ ElephantEats.com

Personally, I was ok with their shape because their texture was SOOO good. They were everything a good bagel is supposed to be- crispy on the outside, airy but chewy on the inside. I don’t know about you, but I’m a bread person and I’m salivating just thinking about it. They smelled amazing too!

Some things I learned that you might find helpful:

  • If you use the second technique in the recipe to form the bagels, do not roll the “ropes” too thin and long.
  • Keep the bagel hole on the small side, especially if you make smaller bagels. If you divide into 8 pieces, keep each hole around 1″ wide
  • If using method two to shape the bagels, don’t overwet the ends or they won’t stick together.
  • Don’t overcrowd your pot when you boil the bagels.
  • If you line your pan with parchment, be sure to snip off any overhang, or it will majorly burn in the very hot 500° oven.
  • The “domed” side of the bagel the recipe is talking about is the side that ends on the bottom.
  • The recipe included here calls for instant yeast, not active dry yeast, but it still needs to be fully dissolved in lukewarm water before being used. If you only have active dry yeast, use 25 percent more (1 1/4 teaspoons instead of 1 teaspoon). Instant yeast is widely available and can also be ordered from King Arthur Flour or Amazon. If frozen, in an airtight container, it will keep up to two years.
  • I saw malt syrup in the market but it was so expensive and only came in a huge bottle so I just used honey in the recipe and it was totally fine.

That’s about it. Other than that, the recipe was super easy to follow. Enjoy!

This post is also being submitted to Yeastspotting!

Homemade Bagels ~ ElephantEats.com

Homemade Bagels

From Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day via Epicurious

Print this recipe!

makes 6-8 bagels

Dough
1 tablespoon (0.75 oz / 21 g) barley malt syrup, honey, or rice syrup, or 1 teaspoon (0.25 oz / 7 g) diastatic malt powder
1 teaspoon (0.11 oz / 3 g) instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons (0.37 oz / 10.5 g) salt, or 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 oz / 255 g) lukewarm water (about 95°F or 35°C)
3 1/2 cups (16 oz / 454 g) unbleached bread flour

Poaching liquid
2 to 3 quarts (64 to 96 oz / 181 to 272 g) water
1 1/2 tablespoons (1 oz / 28.5 g) barley malt syrup or honey (optional)
1 tablespoon (0.5 oz / 14 g) baking soda
1 teaspoon (0.25 oz / 7 g) salt, or 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
preparation

Do Ahead:
To make the dough, stir the malt syrup, yeast, and salt into the lukewarm water. Place the flour into a mixing bowl and pour in the malt syrup mixture. If using a mixer, use the dough hook and mix on the lowest speed for 3 minutes. If mixing by hand, use a large, sturdy spoon and stir for about 3 minutes, until well blended.

The dough should form a stiff, coarse ball, and the flour should be fully hydrated; if it isn’t, stir in a little more water. I had to add some more water. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Resume mixing with the dough hook on the lowest speed for another 3 minutes or transfer to a very lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 3 minutes to smooth out the dough and develop the gluten. The dough should be stiff yet supple, with a satiny, barely tacky feel. If the dough seems too soft or overly tacky, mix or knead in a little more flour.

Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 hour.

When you’re ready to shape the bagels, prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then misting it with spray oil or lightly coating it with oil. Divide the dough into 6 to 8 equal pieces. (A typical bagel is about 4 ounces or 113 grams before baking, but you can make them smaller. If you make more than 6 bagels, you may need to prepare 2 sheet pans.) Form each piece into a loose ball by rolling it on a clean, dry work surface with a cupped hand. (Don’t use any flour on the work surface. If the dough slides around and won’t ball up, wipe the surface with a damp paper towel and try again; the slight bit of moisture will provide enough traction for the dough to form into a ball.)

There are two methods to shape the balls into bagels:

The first method is to poke a hole through the center of the ball to create a donut shape. Holding the dough with both thumbs in the hole, rotate the dough with your hands, gradually stretching it to create a hole about 2 inches in diameter.

The second method, preferred by professional bagel makers, is to use both hands (and a fair amount of pressure) to roll the ball into a rope about 8 inches long on a clean, dry work surface. (Again, wipe the surface with a damp towel, if necessary, to create sufficient friction on the work surface.) Taper the rope slightly at each end and moisten the last inch or so of the ends. Place one end of the dough in the palm of your hand and wrap the rope around your hand to complete the circle, going between your thumb and forefinger and then all the way around. The ends should overlap by about 2 inches. Squeeze the overlapping ends together by closing your hand, then press the seam into the work surface, rolling it back and forth a few times to seal. Remove the dough from your hand, squeezing it to even out the thickness if need be and creating a hole of about 2 inches in diameter. (I think you should make a smaller hole)

Place each shaped bagel on the prepared sheet pan, then mist with spray oil or brush with a light coating of oil. Cover the entire pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. (You can also proof the full piece of dough in the oiled bowl overnight and then shape the bagels on baking day, 60 to 90 minutes before boiling and baking them, or as soon as they pass the float test.)

On baking day:
Remove the bagels from the refrigerator 60 to 90 minutes before you plan to bake them, and if you plan to top them with dried onion or garlic, rehydrate those ingredients (see the variations).

Immediately check whether the bagels are ready for baking using the “float test”: Place one of the bagels in a small bowl of cold water. If it sinks and doesn’t float back to the surface, shake it off, return it to the pan, and wait for another 15 to 20 minutes, then test it again. When one bagel passes the float test, they’re all ready to be boiled.

If they pass the float test before you are ready to boil and bake them, return them to the refrigerator so they don’t overproof. About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) and gather and prepare your garnishes (seeds, onions, garlic, and so on).
To make the poaching liquid, fill a pot with 2 to 3 quarts (64 to 96 oz / 181 to 272 g) of water, making sure the water is at least 4 inches deep. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain at a simmer. Stir in the malt syrup, baking soda, and salt.

Gently lower each bagel into the simmering poaching liquid, adding as many as will comfortably fit in the pot. They should all float to the surface within 15 seconds. After 1 minute, use a slotted spoon to turn each bagel over. Poach for another 30 to 60 seconds, then use the slotted spoon to transfer it back to the pan, domed side up (the part that’s now on the bottom). (It’s important that the parchment paper be lightly oiled, or the paper will glue itself to the dough as the bagels bake.) Sprinkle on a generous amount of whatever toppings you like as soon as the bagels come out of the water (except cinnamon sugar; see the variation for details).

Transfer the pan of bagels to the oven, then lower the oven heat to 450°F (232°C).
Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pan and check the underside of the bagels. If they’re getting too dark, place another pan under the baking sheet. (Doubling the pan will insulate the first baking sheet.) Bake for another 8 to 12 minutes, until the bagels are a golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving.

Variations
You can replace any amount of the bread flour with an equal amount of whole grain flour (by weight), such as wheat or rye. If you do so, increase the water in the dough by 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz / 14 g) for every 2 ounces (56.5 g) of whole grain flour you substitute.
Top your bagels with any combination of the following garnishes: poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, or rehydrated dried onions or garlic. (Soak dried onions or garlic in water to cover for at least 1 hour before applying.) The toppings will stick even better if you first brush the top of each bagel with an egg white wash made by whisking 1 egg white with 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz / 14 g) of water. If using coarse salt as a garnish, remember that a little goes a long way.
For raisin bagels, mix in 1 1/3 cups (8 oz / 227 g) of raisins during the final 2 minutes of mixing and, if you like cinnamon, stir 1/2 teaspoon (0.14 oz / 4 g) of ground cinnamon into the flour before you start mixing. When the bagels come out of the oven, brush the tops with melted butter and dip the top into a bed of cinnamon sugar to give it a very tasty cinnamon crust. You can make cinnamon sugar by whisking 2 tablespoons (1.6 oz / 44 g) of ground cinnamon into 1/2 cup (4 oz / 113 g) of granulated sugar.

Farro Salad ~ ElephantEats.com

Sorry I haven’t posted a recipe in a while. We’ve been quite busy around these parts.

First, Nate’s mom came to visit, then my parents flew in for the wknd, then it was the 4th, then my bday and then I came down with a nasty stomach bug. But I’m back now, so I’ve got some lovely photos for you all, and a tasty recipe!

When Nate’s mom came to town, we went to this cool exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art called the Rain Room. It’s basically a dark room with just one light shining, and inside it’s raining…but wherever you walk the rain stops. They only let 10 or so people in at a time.

Here’s Nate and his mom- in the rain, but dry as can be.

Moma Rain Room ~ ElephantEats.com

Because it was a dark room with a huge light beam shining right on us, there were some crazy shadows while we were waiting in line.

No one else in line seemed to notice, as they were too mesmerized by the actual exhibit, but Nate and I managed to get quite a silhouette of us!

Moma Rain Room Silhouette ~ ElephantEats.com

Then, we headed to the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx. We’ve been there a bunch of times, but this time we went specifically because they had this awesome outdoor temporary exhibit called The Four Seasons.

From their site, “Four Seasons is an installation of four sculptures—each standing more than 15 feet high—by contemporary American artist Philip Haas. Encompassing Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, the works are inspired by the 16th-century creations of Italian Renaissance painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo.”

They were SOOOO cool. Clockwise from top left: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn.

NY Botanical Gardens Seasons

Here’s a photo to show how large they are in comparison to a person. Quite a resemblance, isn’t it?

Nate Old Man Winter ~ ElephantEats.com

Which one is the real Beardo?

I don’t have any great pics from when my parents visited because it was too hot to do anything, much less take out the camera. We did do some fun stuff though- walked over the Brooklyn Bridge, ate some yummy food, saw a cool Lego exhibit at the Discovery Center, and ate more yummy food :)

Finally, here’s me, enjoying my delicious Reese’s PB cup ice cream cake, a mere 12 hours before the stomach virus incapacitated me. At least I got to enjoy my bday!

Amy bday 2013

But the real star of this post is the Farro Salad I made to bring to my friend Barrie’s annual 4th of July party. I saw it on one of my fave sites, Shutterbean, and I chose it because it has nothing in it that can spoil if it’s left out in the hot temperatures for an afternoon (i.e. perfect picnic food!). And it’s a good thing I chose something like that since it was in the 90s all day on the 4th.

Farro Salad ~ ElephantEats.com

It was TOTALLY delicious and I couldn’t stop eating it before I packaged it up for the party.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t change a thing from the recipe on Shutterbean’s site, so you can head on over there for the recipe! The only caveat I’d make is that I doubled the recipe and it still didn’t seem like all that much. I guess it depends if you’re serving it as a main dish or side dish.

Farro Salad ~ ElephantEats.com

I hope you all had a great 4th! I can’t believe we’re already into July. How is this year going by so quickly!

Get the recipe on Shutterbean’s site!

I hope you guys have some fun plans for the 4th. If you’re not going to someone’s party, chances are you’ve got your own bbq or picnic planned.

Still not sure what to make? I’ve got you covered for both the main meal and the dessert!

If you want something savory, these first recipes will make you the hit of any 4th of July party:

Brad’s Salsa– seriously so good you don’t even need chips

salsa

 

Tomato Corn Salad – sweet summer corn steals the show in this one.

Corn and tomato salad with basil

 

Veggie TexMex Pasta Salad– I brought this to last year’s 4th festivities! It’s got no mayo so it can sit out without worries of food poisoning.

Tex mex pasta salad

 

Pasta Salad with Broccoli, Feta, Capers and Chickpeas– a great cold pasta salad to serve alongside burgers and hotdogs.

Pasta Salad with Broccoli, Feta, Capers,and Chickpeas 2 ~ ElephantEats.com

 

Wheatberry Salad– something a little different and healthier for your 4th. Great served warm or cold.Warm Wheatberry, Brussels Sprout Salad with Feta and Crispy Tofu ~ ElephantEats.com

 

Marinated Broccoli Salad – best made the day before, so get on it!Broccoli Salad

 

Tabouli – classic summer salad taking advantage of all the fresh veggies available!

Tabouli

 

Cilantro Lime Hummus– the most refreshing hummus you’ve ever tasted, and a recipe that gets pinned ALL the time.

Cilantro Lime Hummus

 

Now, if you’re looking for something sweet, I’ve totally got you covered:

Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp– with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s summer dessert perfection!

Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp

 

Toffee Blondies– Sturdy and perfectly portable for whever you need to bring them. Also, have you seen the photo below?! I wish I had one now.

Toffee Blondies ~ ElephantEats.com

 

Cookies ‘n Cream Bars – this recipe is crazy good. Tastes like Cookies ‘n Cream ice cream in a convenient little bar.

Cookies and Cream Bars

 

No-Bake Chocolate-covered Peanut Butter Crispy Bars  – a great recipe for when it’s too hot to turn on the oven. Though these are best served indoors in the A/C so the chocolate doesn’t get too melty.

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars

 

and finally for a little something to liven up your party while keeping you cool:

Frozen Lemon Mojito– SOOOO good and so refreshing! Can easily be made without the alcohol. Just add more water.

Frozen Lemon Mojito

 

Happy 4th everyone!!!

 

Pasta Salad with Broccoli, Feta, Capers and Chickpeas

Southwestern Quinoa Veggie Bake ~ ElephantEats.com

Last weekend Nate and I drove an hour north to Cold Spring, N.Y.

We had grand plans to do this hike that he had read about.

Cold Spring, NY hike

However, when we headed down the trail, it seemed to be completely grown over. It was also flooded in parts because of the heavy rain we’ve been having.

Nate was totally bummed, but we found some other shorter hikes to do, including a walk that went along the shore of the Hudson. There were some kids swimming in the water and it was just very peaceful. I wish I had brought my bathing suit.

Cold Spring, NY hike

Since the hike wasn’t as long as we hoped, we decided to head over to a nearby estate called Boscobel. We were too cheap to pay the $37 house tour fee, but it was free to walk the grounds on Saturdays, so that’s what we did.

It was really beautiful and it made me wish the house we bought had a bigger yard. Ah well, a girl can wish…

Boscobel gardens

Part of the reason we went hiking is because Nate hasn’t been running for about a month, since he injured some muscle in his leg. He’s been trying to get a lot of walking in, but it just isn’t the same. To say he’s been in a foul mood would be putting it lightly, haha. (just kidding, if you’re reading this, sweetie!)

Boscobel gardens

Anyway, we’ve also been trying to eat a little healthier. This recipe is based on one I pinned several months ago.

Nate claims he doesn’t love southwestern/mexican things so much, but I do…and I honestly don’t think the boy actually knows what he likes and what he doesn’t. There have been several occasions during which he told me something (that he had previously claimed to hate) was delicious. I didn’t bother reminding him.

Southwestern Quinoa Veggie Bake ~ ElephantEats.com

Anyway, I added zucchini to this because it’s in season and just seems like it belongs. I went light on the cheese on top because I ran out, but feel free to make it as cheesy as you’d like. It’s delicious topped with salsa and sour cream and served with some tortilla chips!

Southwestern Quinoa Veggie Bake ~ ElephantEats.com

Southwestern Quinoa Veggie Casserole

Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Print this recipe!

Serves 5-7

3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles (in the mexican section of the grocery store)
2 Tbsp oil, divided
4½ cups canned black beans, rinsed
1 cup chicken/veggie broth
3 cups cooked quinoa
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 bell peppers, diced
1 very lg (or 1 med, 1 small) zucchini, diced
garlic powder, salt and pepper
1¼ cup shredded Mexican cheese
diced green onions
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
sour cream, salsa, tortilla chips- optional

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9×13 pan.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, cooking several minutes until it begins to soften. Add garlic and cook 1 min. Add chiles and cook another minute.

Stir in broth and black beans. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Mash beans to desired consistency. The mixture should be thick, not watery. If you still have a lot of moisture, let it cook out by keeping it on the heat for another few minutes. Taste and season with salt.

Spread bean mixture in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.

In same skillet over medium high heat, toss the cooked quinoa with the cayenne, chili powder, cumin, and salt for 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with salt. Spread on top of bean mixture in casserole dish.

If bottom of pan is coated with quinoa residue, add a little hot water and let it sit one minute, then scrape the bottom and it should easily come off. Pour out.  It’s ok if there’s still some a little stuff stuck to the sides/bottom

Add the remaining Tbsp of oil to the pan over medium high heat. Add the diced peppers and zucchini. Add a some garlic powder and salt to taste. Cook about 10 minutes until a little softer than al dente in texture. You don’t want them mushy as they will continue to cook in oven.

Spread minxture over quinoa in pan, trying not to take any liquid that came out during cooking. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese is golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro and serve immediately.

Serve with sour cream, salsa and tortilla chips if you’d like.

"Buffalo" Chicken Salad Sandwiches ~ ElephantEats.com

It was such a nice day out today in NY. Warm but breezy. It makes my walk home so nice.

I’m trying to savor these warm, dry days before we get to the so-humid-you-stick-to-your-pants days. Unfortunately, we did have a couple of those in the last two weeks. All I want on days like those is something cold.

"Buffalo" Chicken Salad Sandwiches ~ ElephantEats.com

Ice cream is totally a possibility for dinner on those days. At least for me. But since I have a husband to feed who can’t subsist on dessert alone, I have to come up with other things.

We had some whole wheat rolls lying around from veggie burgers on Memorial day, and since you know I can’t let things go to waste, i had to come up with some use for them.

"Buffalo" Chicken Salad Sandwiches ~ ElephantEats.com

I thought chicken salad would be great, but to kick it up a notch, I added the most delicious sauce on the planet- Frank’s Buffalo Sauce. I seriously could eat that sauce every day on anything.

I had a hard time coming up with what I should call this, because when I did a google search for “Buffalo Chicken Salad,” all I could find was buffalo chicken pieces ON a salad….which totally makes sense although I hadn’t thought of that at all. I wish I could like emphasize that “chicken salad” is one phrase. Oh, I know…”Buffalo” Chicken Salad.

"Buffalo" Chicken Salad Sandwiches ~ ElephantEats.com

That was totally my thought process, by the way. I literally came up with that as I was typing. Now you probably understand why Nate has learned to completely tune me out when I talk, since for me talking actually means voicing my every thought.

Oh well, I guess it’s worth putting up for if you get this for dinner :)

"Buffalo" Chicken Salad Sandwiches ~ ElephantEats.com

“Buffalo” Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Print this recipe!

Makes about 6 sandwiches

1 2/3 lbs chicken breast, raw (I guess the same amount cooked if you have leftovers? prob a little less pre-cooked)
4 ribs celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
6 oz. 2% Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
salt and pepper to taste
6 hamburger buns
Romaine lettuce for garnish (optional)

Put chicken in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and heat until chicken is cooked through. I find the easiest way to tell is to take a piece out and cut into it.

Pull chicken out and set on cutting board to cool.

Meanwhile, chop celery. Whisk lemon juice, yogurt, blue cheese, buffalo sauce and s/p. Dump in celery.

When chicken has cooled, chop into small bite-sized pieces and mix with the sauce. Put in fridge to cool.

Top each bun with a lettuce leaf and a large scoop of chicken salad.