Cooking Green: Double Bake!

Why turn on the oven for just one little batch of cookies or 1 loaf of bread? Get twice as much use out of the same amount of heat by baking two items that cook at the same temperature! Not only will your house smell 10 times better than one of those cheesy scented candles that smell like baked goods, but homemade gives you control over you and your family's intake of whole grains. I've found that buying a sack each of wheat germ and wheat bran and adding a shake or two to some batter is a great way to "sneak" fiber into someone's diet.

Here's two items that lend themselves nicely to the practice of "double-baking": Whole Wheat Bread & Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies!

First, take out 1 stick of butter so it can soften while you get the bread going:

Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast (I've found that it's much more economical to buy a jar of yeast rather than the packets)
1/4 cup dry milk
1/4 canola oil
1/4 honey

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour (this makes the bread lighter)
1 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let it dissolve and start its thing while you combine the flours and salt in another bowl.

Pour the dry milk into the yeast mixture, then add the oil and the honey. (tip: if you add them in this order, it makes the honey slide out of the measuring cup easier)

Gently stir the mixture. Then, add the flour mixture. Stir until the dough comes together and then turn the dough onto a floured surface. Knead for 7-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it once to coat the dough. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and put in a warm place for about 50-60 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.

Lightly grease a 4X8 loaf pan. Take the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a loaf. Place it in the pan and let it rise again in a warm place until the dough is 1" over the top of the pan. (about 45 minutes, during which you can make the cookie dough)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, then put the pan in once the dough has risen enough. Bake for 40 minutes total, tenting with tin foil after the first 20 minutes to ensure a good crust.

Let the pan cool slightly and then invert to shake the bread out. Once it's fully cooled, I've found it keeps best when it's wrapped in foil then bagged in a bread bag.


Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 stick butter softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup dry oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries or cherries

Directions

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together (if you are co-baking the bread, just use the same bowl that you let the dough rise in.)

Add the egg and vanilla then mix well

In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients then add to the butter mixture.

Stir in the chocolate chips and dried fruit. Some people might like shredded coconut or chopped nuts too.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased or non-stick cookie sheet (tip: I usually save the paper that the stick of butter was in to grease the pan if needed)

Bake the cookies alongside the bread. They brown nicely in about 12 minutes and with a little practice, you can have both cookies and bread done at the same time!

On the "vida local" tip, I buy the eggs, butter and honey at local farms such as Connor's Farm in Danvers or Green Meadow Farm in Hamilton. Both places have animals on site so it's worth the extra time and gas to get out there if you make it into an outing with the kids! (Even without kids, it's really cool to see the origin of what you are eating and support local farmers in the bargain)

Cooking Green: Double Bake!