Bready or Not

Bready or Not recipe blog

Bready or Not: Classic Pot Roast

Posted by on Sep 25, 2024 in beef, Blog, Bready or Not, gluten-free, main dish | 0 comments

Classic Pot Roast. Why haven’t I featured this on Bready or Not before? Because Arizona is not conducive to prolonged use of the oven outside of the two months of ‘winter.’

Bready or Not: Classic Pot Roast

But I’m in the Midwest now. That means I can whip up a proper pot roast (quite likely on a Sunday), and might just use local ingredients, too.

Bready or Not: Classic Pot Roast

Fun fact: I hate celery, but I like celery flakes. That’s why you see me use celery flakes in recipes like this. You can absolutely use a couple stalks of celery instead.

Bready or Not: Classic Pot Roast

If you have a large can of tomato paste, portion out standard amounts that are used in recipes (like tablespoon dollops), freeze them on wax paper, then store them in a quart freezer bag to toss into recipes. If you forget to thaw them before cooking, no biggie, just add it in frozen and give it a touch extra time to break down.

Bready or Not: Classic Pot Roast

This is a classic stove-to-oven pot roast with beef, potatoes, and all the fixings. It takes about 3 hours total. Leftovers, of course, are wonderful heated up in a smaller pot over the next day or two. Modified from Taste of Home February-March 2015.
Cook Time3 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • large oven-safe Dutch oven or pot with lid

Ingredients

  • 3-4 pound chuck roast tied
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt plus another 1/2 teaspoon
  • 2 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 medium onions cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 Tablespoons celery flakes
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup dry red wine or reduced-sodium beef broth
  • 1 can reduced-sodium beef broth
  • 1 1/2 pound small red potatoes cleaned and quartered
  • 1 1/2 cups baby carrots
  • 1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • dried parsley

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Dry roast and sprinkle with the pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt on both sides.
  • In a large pot on the stove, heat the oil. Add the roast and brown on all sides. Set meat aside.
  • Add onions, garlic, and remaining salt to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, 8-10 minutes, until browned. Add celery flakes, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves, stirring in for about a minute.
  • Add wine (or extra broth) and stir to loosen browned bits from pan. Add the can of broth. Return roast to the pan. Arrange vegetables around the roast while bringing the pot to a boil. Once that mark is reached, turn off burner and carefully transfer pot to oven. Cover and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is fork-tender.
  • Pull pot from oven. Carefully remove meat and vegetables to a platter. Discard bay leaves and skim any fat from the top of the liquids. Bring pot to a boil again, cooking for 10-12 minutes, until liquid is reduced by half. (While this is going on, prepare meat by removing string and slicing or cutting into chunks.) Add vinegar and parsley to the pot. Add more salt and vinegar to taste.
  • Serve meat, potatoes, and veggies with sauce. Any leftovers are great reheated on the stove over the next day or so.

OM NOM NOM!

    Read More

    Bready or Not: Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing

    Posted by on Sep 18, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, bundt, cake, maple | 0 comments

    Yes, it’s time for yet another maple cake on Bready or Not! This time, a straightforward Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing. Delicious cake, plain and simple.

    Bready or Not: Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing

    This recipe uses both maple syrup and maple flavor. I feel that both are really necessary here. Really, if you love maple, maple flavor is great to have around. It stays good forever. If you need recipes that use it, well, I think I have dozens of them here on my site.

    Bready or Not: Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing

    This is the kind of cake that works well for a breakfast, brunch, or dessert. It’s deliciously versatile like that.

    Bready or Not: Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing

    Bready or Not: Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing

    This classic bundt cake is infused with maple flavor inside and out. It’s fantastic for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Keyword: bundt cake, cake, maple
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • large bundt pan (12 cups/10 inches)
    • nonstick spray
    • baking sheet

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
    • 1 cup white sugar
    • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
    • 4 large eggs room temperature
    • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/2 cup half & half or milk
    • 1/2 teaspoon maple flavor

    Icing

    • 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
    • 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
    • 2 Tablespoons half & half or milk

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Place a baking sheet inside to warm up. Apply nonstick spray to coat the interior of a large bundt pan.
    • In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, scraping down the bowl a few times to make sure everything is mixed. Continue to beat until it becomes light and fluffy. Add the maple syrup followed by the eggs, one at a time.
    • In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the main bowl, interspersing it with the addition of the half & half. Add the maple flavor. Once everything is added, scrape the bottom of the bowl.
    • Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
    • Place the bundt pan atop the hot baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a toothpick plunged into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
    • Let cake rest in pan for 20 minutes, then invert it onto a rack to cool completely.
    • Make the glaze by combining the three ingredients to form a thick texture. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.
    • Store cake under a cake dome or other cover. Individual slices can be wrapped in plastic for transport or frozen for later.

    OM NOM NOM!

      Read More

      Bready or Not Original: Goat Cheese Biscuits

      Posted by on Sep 11, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, cheese galore, quick bread, side dish | 0 comments

      Today we are not only bready, to fit with the blog title of Bready or Not, but we are also cheesy. These Goat Cheese Biscuits are the perfect side for a supper meal.

      Bready or Not Original: Goat Cheese Biscuits

      If you’re on the lookout for a good supper meal, too, stay tuned–in two weeks, I’m sharing a pot roast recipe that will set you up nicely for this fall and winter!

      Bready or Not Original: Goat Cheese Biscuits

      For this recipe, I love using the 4-ounce logs that are often available at Aldi. They are cheap and basic, not high end as far as chevre goes, but they are absolutely perfect in a recipe like this. Plain logs are ideal, but you can also use one with herbs.

      Bready or Not Original: Goat Cheese Biscuits

      I like thick biscuits. I get 6 out of this recipe, but if you form them to be thinner, you could get 8 or more. The texture is cakey, the flavor rich because of the butter and goat cheese throughout.

      Bready or Not Original: Goat Cheese Biscuits

      This super-easy small batch of cheesy biscuits is perfect to feed a family alongside a good soup or stew. Makes 6-8 biscuits, dependent on thickness.
      Course: Bread
      Keyword: cheese, quick bread
      Servings: 6 biscuits
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • 2-inch round cutter
      • pastry brush

      Ingredients

      • 4- ounces plain goat cheese or used an herbed variety
      • 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
      • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
      • 1 teaspoon salt
      • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
      • 3/4 cup buttermilk or soured milk, see note
      • extra milk or half & half

      Instructions

      • Preheat oven to 475-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
      • Set the goat cheese in the freezer for just a few minutes as the dough is being prepared.
      • In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter and mash it until it is pea-sized. Pour in the buttermilk or soured milk.
      • The chilled goat cheese will be easier to dice into small pieces without being a sticky mess. Fold those chunks into the dough.
      • Sprinkle flour onto a clean work surface. Knead the dough to make sure it is cohesive, but don’t overwork. Pat into a thick round. Use a 2-inch cutter to cut out shapes. Set them on cookie sheet, then reform leftovers to cut out more biscuits.
      • Once all of the scrap dough is used, pour a dab of milk or half & half into a saucer. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of milk onto the top of each biscuit; this will create a nice golden crust.
      • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until nicely golden. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or wrapped in foil and set in the oven to briefly bake.

      OM NOM NOM!

        Notes

        To make soured milk, set out a liquid measuring cup. Add enough lemon juice or vinegar to form a thin line on the bottom of the cup. Pour milk or half & half to equal the 3/4 amount called for in this recipe. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes; it should coagulate. Use in recipe.
        Read More

        Bready or Not: Apples and Honey Cake

        Posted by on Sep 4, 2024 in apples, Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, cake | 0 comments

        Yes, yet another delicious version of apple cake. This Apples and Honey Cake uses apple butter, giving it a darker, moister crumb and a deeper infusion of spices.

        Bready or Not: Apples and Honey Cake

        This is truly a wonderful breakfast cake or a portable snack cake to tote along to work on school. It’s not messy to eat, and it’s refreshing and filling.

        Bready or Not: Apples and Honey Cake

        Note that, because of the apple butter, the top is dark in color, so don’t use the coloration to judge doneness in the oven. Rely on the good old toothpick test in the middle.

        Bready or Not: Apples and Honey Cake

        Bready or Not: Apples and Honey Cake

        This variation of apple cake is doubly infused with apples and spice, as it includes apple butter, chopped apples, and extra spice. It’s fantastic for breakfast, snack, or dessert, and pieces freeze beautifully. Modified from Star-Tribune September 17, 2023.
        Course: Breakfast, Snack
        Keyword: apple, cake
        Servings: 9 pieces
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • 9×9 pan
        • nonstick spray

        Ingredients

        • 2 medium baking apples such as Honeycrisp or Cortland
        • 1 cup olive oil
        • 1 cup white sugar
        • 3/4 cup apple butter
        • 1/2 cup honey
        • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
        • 2 large eggs room temperature
        • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
        • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
        • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
        • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
        • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
        • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

        Instructions

        • Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
        • Peel and dice up the apples. Set aside.
        • In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sugar, apple butter, honey, vanilla, and eggs, creating a smooth mixture. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is combined. Fold in the apples.
        • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick plunged into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely, chilling in fridge to speed the process if desired, then use the foil to lift the cake onto a cutting board for easier slicing.
        • Store in a sealed container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Pieces can also be individually wrapped and frozen for weeks.

        OM NOM NOM!

          Read More

          Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

          Posted by on Aug 28, 2024 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, cookies, nutty | 0 comments

          These Nutella-Swirled Blondies are quick to make and delicious, making it a fantastic go-to recipe when you need to make a moderately-sized batch of goodies without a lot of fuss.

          Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

          The amount of Nutella called for here is 12 ounces. You can use more than that, if you want, but don’t use less or it’ll be challenging to spread the layer to the edges.

          Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

          Look for this base recipe used again in the coming months, too. I first experimented with this format using a fresh cranberry filling, but I won’t share that version until the timing is more seasonal. A Nutella filling has no such restrictions.

          Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

          Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

          Simple, delicious blondies with a core of Nutella. Delicious and easy to make!
          Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • 13×9 pan
          • aluminum foil
          • nonstick spray
          • uneven spatula

          Ingredients

          • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
          • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
          • 1/2 teaspoon salt
          • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) softened
          • 1 1/4 cups white sugar
          • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar packed
          • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
          • 3 large eggs room temperature
          • 12 ounces Nutella or similar hazelnut spread

          Instructions

          • Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line 13×9 pan with wide aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
          • In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
          • In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, both sugars, and vanilla to create a smooth batter. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by the flour mixture. Dollop about 2/3 of the dough in the pan; dough will be sticky, making it tricky to even out without smearing away the nonstick coating.
          • Spread Nutella on top and to the edges. Add dollops of remaining dough. Use a knife to swirl layers together.
          • Bake until evenly golden brown and set in the middle, 28 to 32 minutes. Cool completely at room temperature or chill before cutting. Blondies keep for up to 3 days in a room temperature sealed container.

          OM NOM NOM!

            Read More

            Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

            Posted by on Aug 21, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | 0 comments

            These Sparkling Chocolate Cookies are loaded with flavor and sweetness, and they are outright pretty. Look!

            Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

            The chocolate flavor here is from cocoa in the dough along with a whole bag of chocolate chunks. I like Aldi’s dark chocolate chunks, but use whatever you can find.

            Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

            It’s important to note that these cookies don’t keep well. They will go hard after a day. Therefore, bake them up and serve them promptly.

            Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

            Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

            These pudgy, chocolate-packed cookies are chewy and delicious, and are best eaten within a day. Makes about 50 small cookies.
            Course: Dessert, Snack
            Cuisine: American
            Keyword: chocolate, cookies
            Servings: 50 cookies
            Author: Beth Cato

            Equipment

            • parchment paper
            • cookie scoop

            Ingredients

            • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
            • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
            • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
            • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
            • 1 teaspoon baking soda
            • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
            • 1 cup brown sugar packed
            • 1 large egg room temperature
            • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
            • 1 bag chopped dark chocolate
            • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar for topping

            Instructions

            • Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
            • In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
            • In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate. Measure the turbinado sugar into a another small bowl.
            • Use a cookie scoop or spoon to shape dough. Roll each round in turbinado sugar. Place spaced out on cookie sheet.
            • Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until set. Let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transitioning to a cooling rack.
            • Store in a sealed container. Cookies are best eaten within a day.

            OM NOM NOM!

              Read More