Quickbreads from the book Gabriel gave me - made with fine cornmeal and poppy seeds.

(Em português)

Quickbreads, this wonder of humanity!

In fact, I would call these tiny guys cakes, because they are made with baking powder, not yeast.

And this is the reason why you can whip up a batch so fast.

They are great as last-minute snacks, for those times when someone comes over and you're not ready for it, to serve as an excuse to turn on the oven on chilly days, this kind of thing...

The recipe comes from a book a friend gave me last year, it's called "Marvellous mini cakes" by Ilona Chavancova.

Dona Lisete's soft white bread.

 

(em português)

Last Winter I made a tour walking by the borders of the canyons between Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, do you remember? I'm sure I have talked about it in some post.
In the daytime we walked and saw pretty things, and each night we slept in one different farm-hostel.
It was pretty cold, something around 6oC, and very humid. But with the constant movement of walking  we didn't even get to feel cold. And the air was delicious, so fresh and clean.
The last place we slept at before going back home was Pousada do Morro da Cruizinha.
Like the other hostels, this one was very simple, and the people who received us were very welcoming.
In the morning, before leaving, we had a breakfast all based in wheat flour:
there were several kinds of cookies, cake, cuca (or kuchen, if you will. A kind of sweet bread, heritage from the German immigrants in Southern Brazil), and a bread you can only eat in Rio Grande do Sul.
At first sight, there's nothing extraordinary about it - it's just a white sandwich bread.
But it is so homey! It's a very soft white sandwich bread, with this nice brown top, delicate flavor, and a delicious texture.
It would win anybody's heart. Then I, a sucker for breads, was definitely in love.

There was no way out: I asked for the recipe.
People told me that this bread is prepared by Lisete who, by the way, prepares other titbits that were around, all of them baked in the wood oven.
I felt shy, so I didn't take pictures of her nor of the bread. I was sure they would think it was some sort of weirdness that attacks girls living in big cities.

But if any of you feel like taking a look in person, at the end of the post I will leave the link to the website of the company which guided us in the tour.

Party time! - Panettone.

(Em português)

Well, since christmas is around the corner and panettone is a tradition, here it goes.

In my opinion, it makes for great gifts.

I made it a bit different, but used Susan's recipe as a guide.

Bee hives.

(Em português)

This is a family recipe, which we never knew where came from.

I don't know if the whole thing was my grandma's idea, or if she saw something like it and made up her own version.

What matters here is that ever since I remember existing, bee hives is a treat present in our christmas, which sometimes she would also prepare in random afternoons.

It's been a couple years since my grandmother passed away, and since then we hadn't cooked the dishes that she used to make. But before I came to Santa Catarina this year (yeeess! I'm here already!) my brother wrote me asking if I could bake the bee hives, because he missed it.

I've tried, and it worked out. So here goes the recipe in case someone feels like having a new christmas tradition. This test-hive was devoured as a snack while still warm. The only thing they said was not the same was the glaze, so except for that the treat was like the original.

Traditional baguette.

(Em português)

Well, who doesn't like a challenge sometimes, huh?

I saw this recipe from Annie and got excited.

It takes three days for the bread to get done, but - oh boy! - it's so worth it.

Kanelbullar - cinnamon bread, Swedish version.

(Em português)

It is a fact that there are many versions of cinnamon bread out there.

Why should I start with the Swedish version, you might ask.

Well, simply because. I think the Swedish breads and cakes I've seen

on internet are really good-looking. And I also think Sweden must be the

thrift store paradise. I bet I would find everything pretty if I visited that country.

Also, the recipe I chose promised to be light and not too sweet.

And it's true. To it!

Soooft pizza, Chicago style.

(In Portuguese)

Think of an extremely soft, fluffy pizza.

Filled with a lot of grated cheese and sauce. With browned edges.

I took from Annie the recipe that leads to it.

Flaxseed bread.

(In Portuguese)

This bread came out really really soft and tasty, good to serve as a snack.

I think it would work perfectly for sandwiches as well, if baked in a loaf pan.

Adapted from here.

Carrot bread, and the week after the holidays.

(In Portuguese)


Well, we all know what happens in a week with the family during holidays.

We have fun, forget about our lives, and enjoy good food.

So I stole from my uncle and aunt a nice idea, which is to spend the following week "detoxifying" the body with more fresh vegetables and less carbs.

Back to São Paulo, I went to the supermarket to get several vegetables and fruits, had soup for lunch. And at night I decided to make a carrot bread.

Baked doughnuts filled with dulce de leche.

(In Portuguese)

Remeber that dulce de leche I got as gift?

I love it. I could sing odes to conaprole.

But people, it's just one person in here. haha 

There's no way I can handle 1kg of dulce de leche.

So, I thought to myself, I'll bake something with it, since I'm having visitors.

Cornmeal rolls.

(In Portuguese)


With a cold weather, there's nothing more comfortable than a fresh bread out of the oven.

This one is very soft and yummy, adapted from wild yeast.

Sandwich oatmeal bread.

(In Portuguese)

From tuesday to wednesday last week, I tryed to bake a no-knead bread,
but unfortunately I ended up burning the poor thing.
I've tryed other breads too, and some did come out good.
But not like this one.
I fell hopelessly in love with this recipe. It came from here, and I've changed some things.
It is a common kneaded bread, perfect for sandwiches, and just a little bit salty.

Slow and uncomplicated.

(In Portuguese)


I know it makes anyone proud to serve a delicious kneaded bread,
but this one promises to be delicious with no knead.
And, from me to you, let's admit it's a great joy to be able to make
delicious foods between a tuesday and a wednesday night.

Tanned bread.

(In Portuguese)

The thing is: food belongs either over the table or inside bellies,

never in the trash can.

The other day, I baked a lot of christmas cookies. And because of a whim of mine, I have cut them again after baking, so that they would all be round and equal.

Well, what to do with 3 cups leftover cookie crumble? Bread!

Buttery bread.

(In Portuguese)


I am insisting in the bread making trials until I get the hang of it. And I consider this one to be an advance. :)

A trick.

(In Portuguese)


Obs: the previous post, as well as this one and the next are being written while I eat some junk pre-cooked noodles, purely because of hunger and tiredness due to a crazy week.

Well, the trick is something quick.

Whenever you have at a home a cake that's getting old, drying, and isn't so much of a hit anymore

(and no one wants to throw food away, because that's not something ok to be done)

it gains a whole new appeal if turned into a toast, nice and warm.

I had mine alone with coffee. But if it is the case, having it with butter/jam/honey or whatever is great too.

Super quick bread.

(In Portuguese)


Sunday is the day I'll organize my life for the coming week.

I started today laundering some clothes and making bread.

It's really similar to the one I made last sunday, but I've changed some things.

Bread with mango chutney.

(In Portuguese)


Today at lunch all I did was set the table. My boyfriend and his mom made us gnochi with chilly tomato sauce. Yum! :)

Even so... I also cooked today. Whenever possible, I make myself some snack to take to work, because I always get hungry in the middle of the afternoon.

Today I'm testing a bread recipe, it makes a loaf.