EASIEST PUFF PASTRY
The glorious puff pastry.. you can use it to make danish, pies, croissants, and so much more. With a little creativity the limits are endless. You don’t need to go crazy. A little butter and cinnamon sugar can take you a long way.Puff pastry is not just limited to sweets. Puff pastry is absolutely wonderful for savory dishes as well! Chicken pot pie or savory cheesy broccoli puffs are some of my favorites! Start with your 2 and 1/2 sticks of butter. Make sure to keep 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter separate! Cut your butter into cubes. Place in fridge to chill.
You’re going to want COLD water so go ahead and measure out your water
(1/2 cup) and place in the fridge.
2. Measure out your all-purpose flour (2 cups) and put in food processor.
3. Take out your cubed butter and add the 1/2 stick or 4 Tablespoons to the flour. Pulse a few time until the butter is completely combined into the flour.
4. Add the rest of the cubed butter and 1 teaspoon salt.
5. Slowly pulse until butter is in pea sized pieces.
6. Add COLD water.
7. Pulse until the dough comes together into a ball. It will be slightly crumbly and that is okay!
This should not take long! You want chunks of butter so don't over-process the dough.8. Flatten dough slightly with hands and try and shape into a rectangle. Put dough in between two pieces of plastic wrap. Roll with rolling pin until you get your desired shape.About 1/2 inch thickness.
9. Peel away the top layer of plastic wrap and fold the dough in thirds unto itself from each side. (see below for photo reference)
10. Roll up dough from one end making one big cylinder shape
Flatten down the cylinder a bit with your hand. (like above)
11. Wrap dough and place in fridge for at least an hour. or until firm and your dough is ready to be used!
STORAGE:
Keep refrigerated and use within 2 to 3 days. Or freeze for up to a month and defrost in fridge overnight before using.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN BREAD USING YOUR CARVED PUMPKIN
Carving pumpkins? Don’t know what to do with the pumpkin guts that you scoop out of the pumpkin? I got the perfect thing for you. Instead of throwing out those pumpkin guts make a delicious pumpkin bread out of it!This bread is super easy and not to mention absolutely delicious! It was gone between the two of us in two days! I love it! I wasn't sure how this recipe was going to turn out but I was VERY happy with the end result. I hope you decide to try it and love it as much as I do.The best part about this recipe is you’re really getting the bang out of your buck. A lot of people get pumpkins to carve and let all the delicious insides go to waste. It’s a sad thought, when you can so easily make a delicious pumpkin bread instead.Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
You want to start with your pumpkin guts. This is the the stringy stuff on the inside of your pumpkin.
Separate the seeds from the stringy guts. We won’t be using the seeds in this recipe. But you can roast the pumpkin seeds for a delicious snack!
2. Puree fresh pumpkin guts in a food processor or blender until smooth. (you will need 1 Cup of pureed pumpkin guts which equals to about 2 cups not pureed)
3. Mix together 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
4. Separately mix together 1 and 1/2 cups sugar, pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup canola oil, 1/4 cup water.
5. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
6.Grease a loaf pan and pour your batter in it.
FOR TOPPING
7. For topping, mix together 1/3 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2/3 cup all purpose flour.
8. Melt 4 Tablespoons or half a stick of unsalted butter and mix into flour mixture until crumbly.
9.Crumble Mixture on top of batter.
10. Bake in oven for about an hour or until baked through.
Serve up and enjoy. You can eat it as is which is honestly how I eat it cause it's that delicious! Although, walnuts in the batter would be a delicious add-in! You can heat it up a little in the toaster oven or microwave which is always a good idea. You can top it with ice-cream, whipped cream, and/or caramel. Anything that your heart desires :) 
HOW TO MAKE FRESH BAKED LOAF BREAD FROM SCRATCH
They really don’t lie when they say the smell of fresh baked bread is unlike any other. It’s got to be one of the best smells in the world! You can’t find fresh baked bread nowadays. Sadly, it’s even hard to find good bakeries in todays day and age. The grocery stores are stocked full with loaves loaded with chemicals and names that we never heard of.And who knows how these are affecting us? I personally don’t trust it. I had a bag of hamburger buns sitting in my cabinet for a few weeks and they still are soft as could be and no mold or anything. That can’t be normal! or good for our bodies. Not to mention name brand breads are no where near at satisfying as homemade bread. Not just in taste, but making them can be very exciting. And when it comes out, you better be proud of yourself! I’m sure proud of you!I know making bread may seem like a daunting task. But I believe in you! It’s really not as hard as it may seem. Plus, I’m here to help with any questions :)So, let’s get started!1.The first step and one of the most important is your yeast. You are going to want to measure out your 2 Tablespoons of instant yeast.
*Tip: Do this in your kitchen aid mixer bowl (if you're using one) to reduce the amount of dishes you have to clean!
2 Tablespoons of instant yeast2. Secondly, you are going warm up your 1 and 1/2 cups of Milk and add it to the yeast.
You want the temperature about 105-110 F)
You may use any milk of your choice
3. Add your 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and mix. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
You'll know it is ready when it all bubbly and foamy. This also means that your yeast is alive. If it does not bubble up it could be one of three thingsYour yeast is dead
Your milk wasn’t warm enough or it was too hot. (You don’t want the milk to be too hot just warm to the touch)
Just give it a little more time! After fifteen minutes if it still has not foamed up your yeast is no good. Throw it out and start new.
4.Next add the 6 Tablespoons of melted butter, 2 tsp salt, and 1 large egg. Mix together.
5. Slowly add in your all-purpose flour and mix as you go using the bread dough attachment.
If you are using a kitchen aid use the lowest setting to avoid getting flour everywhere.
I like to use a measuring cup to scoop it in the bowl. Turning off the mixer each time you add a little more flour.
6. Keep adding the flour until it starts pulling away from the sides and is still slightly sticky but doesn’t stick to your hands when you poke it.
7. Once it is done mixing take it out and form it into a ball using your hands. You shouldn’t need extra flour at this point as it shouldn’t stick to your hands.
8. In a separate bowl, lightly sprayed with cooking spray place your ball of dough in it and flip over to cover the whole ball in cooking spray. Cover with a towel and let rise for at least 30 minutes or more! You can even do it before you go to work and come back to it risen!
9. After this time it should double in size. If it has not, try giving it more time. Or try putting it somewhere warm. In the summer time i like to put it outside.
Before it has risen
After is has risen10. After rising, you’re going to punch down the dough. Yes you read that correctly!
Make a fist with your hand and push it gently and firmly into the center of the puffy dough, deflating it.This is my favorite part!Why you may ask?It improves the bread's flavor by giving the yeast new starches and sugar to eat during the second rise. It also results in a finer grain (or crumb).11. After doing this you are going to shape your dough to your liking and put each half into a greased loaf pan. (or save the other half for later! one can also be on a sheet pan)
It does not have to be perfect! It’s going to rise and fill out the spaces. The loaf pan will help shape it.12. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes or more until it has risen again. It helps to put it somewhere warm.
*Tip: Start preheating your oven at this point and Put your bread on top of your oven (But make sure it is not too hot! You don’t want to cook your bread just help the bread rise faster with the warmth from the oven.13. If you haven’t preheated your oven at this point go ahead and do so. (375 degrees F).
14. After it has risen again you can put score marks on the top with a knife or just leave as is.
You do not have to score the bread but it helps control where the bread expands and results in a prettier end product
15. Bake for about 30-45 minutes or more until golden brown.
16. Brush with melted butter and enjoy!
17. Let cool, slice and enjoy!
