No Time Bread

   As a mom, one of the things I don't have very much of is TIME. So, when I saw this recipe on another food blog, with the title "No Time Bread" , it peeked my interest. I love making homemade bread, but I don't always have time to wait all day for it to rise, so I gave this recipe a go. It's the perfect accompaniment to your dinner when you would like a loaf of homemade, warm bread. It's really a no fuss recipe, that only takes about an hour and a half total from start to finish and doesn't require any kneading and the rising time is minimal. 

There area  couple things that would be good to have on hand. The recipe says to cook it in a dutch oven, which I happen to have. If you don't have one, use a round, deep casserole dish instead or  check out this link for Dutch Oven alternatives.

If you have never made homemade bread before, let this be your first! It's a simple recipe that doesn't require a ton of ingredients.

*this recipe came from another blog called thekitchn . You can check out the original recipe from their website.

Bread Recipe

Serves: 12 Prep: 25  minutes Cooking Time:  25-30 minutes

4 1/2 tsp active-dry yeast (2 packets)
1 TB sugar
1 1/2 cups water

3 1/2 cups bread flour (either unbleached white or whole wheat work)

1 1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp balsamic vinegar

1. In a bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer, put the yeast, sugar, and water and let sit for a couple of minutes. (I don't have a stand mixer, so I just use a regular mixing bowl and a hand mixer that has dough hook attachments).
2. Heat oven to 450*F. Put Dutch oven (or alternative) in to warm as the oven heats. 
3. Add 3 cups of flour, salt and vinegar to your yeast mixture and mix well with a spoon. Add last 1/2 cup of flour and beat for 7 minutes with your dough hooks. If you don't have a stand mixer or a hand mixer with dough hooks, you can knead by hand vigorously for about 5 minutes. The dough will become very elastic. 
4. Spray a microwave-safe bowl with cooking spray and transfer bread dough to it, rolling it in the oil. Cover bowl with a very wet towel. Then cover the whole thing with a dry towel. Put in microwave for 25 seconds. Let rest in microwave for 5 minutes. Put on high for another 25 seconds, take out of microwave and let rest for 15 minutes. 
5. Take Dutch oven out of oven, spray with cooking spray. Shape dough into a ball, and plop into preheated Dutch oven. Quickly slash top with a knife. Cover and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown or internal temperature has reached 210. Remove from oven, take out of dutch oven and let cool on rack.

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Plan and Prep Ahead 

Here are some helpful techniques to make life a little easier once dinner time hits. These tips will especially help those that work full-time and don't have a lot of time to prepare dinner. 

~Nothing really to prep.


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Who likes to CHANGE IT UP? 

 ~Try adding some sunflower seeds to dough to make it a seed bread.

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Skillet Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans

  One of my favorite memories from childhood is eating warm gnocchi in Italy with browned butter and cheese. Doesn't that just make your mouth water? I have yet to make them homemade, so that might be the next adventurous thing I do.  This recipe is a super family friendly meal. I had dinner on the table in about 15 minutes and it was a one pan meal, so less clean up. So easy and our family loved it! I mean, come on! Who wouldn't love miniature potato dumplings with melted cheese? If you are wondering what gnocchi is, get a little Italian history lesson towards the bottom of this post. Happy Eating!

*this recipe came from Eating Well . You can check out the original recipe from the Eating Well website.

Gnocchi Recipe

Serves: 6 Prep: 10  minutes Cooking Time:  15 minutes

1 TB plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided
1 16oz package gnocchi, usually in the Italian section of most supermarkets

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup water

6 cups chopped swiss chard or spinach

1 15oz can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning

1 15oz can white beans, rinsed (see Change it Up)
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated


1. Heat 1 TB oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often until they are starting to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the remaining 1 tsp oil and onion to pan and cook, stirring over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes. Add chard or spinach and cook stirring for 1-2 minutes until they start to wilt. Stir in tomatoes and beans and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Stir in gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Per Serving

Calories 325 ; Total Fat 7 g; (Sat Fat 2 g, Mono Fat 3 g) ; Protein 14 g; Carb 55 g; Fiber 6 g; Cholesterol 8 mg; Sodium 360 mg

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Plan and Prep Ahead 

Here are some helpful techniques to make life a little easier once dinner time hits. These tips will especially help those that work full-time and don't have a lot of time to prepare dinner. 

~Chop up swiss chard or spinach and leave in fridge until time to use. 
~Cut up onion and garlic and keep in fridge until ready to use.


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Who likes to CHANGE IT UP? 

 ~Instead of gnocchi, try this recipe with whole wheat noodles or brown rice.

~Try Kale or Collard Greens instead of chard or spinach.
~Use Monterrey Jack instead of Mozzarella.
~Chop up some shallots instead of onions.

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What is Gnocchi? 

 

Gnocchi are soft dumplings that are usually made from potato. They can also be made from semolina, wheat flour, or bread crumbs as well. Gnocchi is usually used as an alternative to pasta and can be served with tomato sauce, pesto or melted butter with cheese. According to Wikipedia, "the word gnocchi probably derives from the Italian word nocchio, meaning a knot in wood." 

Snack Idea: Walnut Dried Cherry Bars

   Oh my, are these bars delicious! They are fun for breakfast, a snack, or even if you are craving something sweet after dinner. I love how they hold their shape well, which makes them a great treat to pack when you are on the road. If you don't have or are allergic to walnuts and/ or dried cherries, just change it up! See the Change it Up section at the bottom for more swap out ideas.