Chewy Bagels

 Growing up in California I had access to many different cuisines with just a short drive.  I don't know that New York style bagels can be classified as a cuisine, but they are few and far between. in this area. Panera has delightful flavored bagels, but their plain bagels are not quite right.

This recipe is a second attempt.  The first ones I made were over baked and too dark for me. 

The crust was shiny but a bit too salty from the baking soda in the water for boiling.  So this batch I switched out the baking soda for honey in the water.  The crust was tastier but not as shiny as I had hoped for.  I may try a SMALL amount of soda and a bit of honey in the next batch.  And maybe try some with cinnamon sugar on top!

However, this batch is quite tasty and chewy and I can recommend it!

Chewy Bagels

2 packages yeast

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup warm water

6 cups bread flour

2 cups warm water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoons salt

1 Tablespoon honey

Boil water with 1 Tablespoon honey.

When making bread with yeast, I like to preheat the metal mixing bowl.  I heat it up by filling it about half way with hot tap water and letting it sit for a couple minutes.

Dump out the water and replace it with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 Tablespoon sugar.  Give it a quick stir and then sprinkle in the two packages of yeast.  Set it aside while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

Place 2 cups bread flour in a medium bowl.  Mix in 2 Tablespoons sugar and 1 Tablespoon salt. 

After the yeast blooms to show it is still active, add the flour mix, honey and oil.

Use a dough hook on low to mix.  Scrape the bowl down and add 2 more cups of flour and continue to mix.  Scrape the bowl again and add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix for about 5 minutes when the dough will pull away from the bowl.  It will still be a bit sticky.

Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of flour on the counter and scrape the dough out the dough.  

If the dough is super sticky, sprinkle a bit of flour on top.  Knead until the dough absorbs the rest of the flour and is smooth.

       

Put about 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large bowl.  Spread the oil around and then put the dough ball in the bowl.  Flip it over until it is covered in oil and then cover with plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm spot for one hour or until the dough doubles in size.

Remove the plastic wrap and set aside.  Punch the dough down and divide it in half. 

Divide each half into 6 pieces. 

Roll the pieces on the counter until you have a smooth ball.  

Lightly oil a baking sheet or platter. Place the dough balls on it and cover with the reserved plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 

Set the dough balls out.  Put parchment paper on two baking sheets. Use your very clean finger to make a hole in the center of each ball. Add another finger to stretch the hole. a bit wider.  They will close a bit while baking. Set 6 bagels on each sheet.

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Boil water in a large pot.  Add 1 Tablespoon of honey.  

Place a folded dish towel between the boiling water and a prepared baking sheet, but not near the heat.  No fires, please.

Gently place a bagel in the water.  If you have room, add another one. I used my phone for a timer and told Siri to set a timer for one minute.  Gently turn the bagels over with a slotted spoon or spatula and set the timer for another minute.

Use the slotted spoon to lift a bagel out and then set it on the towel to dry off some of the water before transferring it back to the baking sheet. Repeat until you have 6 boiled bagels.

Put the boiled bagels in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.  Mine took 14 minutes. While the first batch bakes, finish boiling the rest of the bagels. 

After cooling for a couple minutes, transfer the bagels to a cooling rack. 

I couldn't wait for them to cool completely.  I sliced open a bagel and lightly toasted it.  I put Nutella on one side and strawberry cream cheese on the other.  They both were so good, perfectly chewy and without the salty taste of the ones boiled with baking soda.

The two of us can't possibly eat up a dozen bagels while they are still fresh.  When I buy bagels I slice them with a bagel guillotine.  These bagels seemed a bit too soft so I used a serrated knife to slice them. Then I put most of them in freezer bags where I can vacuum out the air.

Now I have soft, chewy bagels for anytime I want one. Yay!

Thai Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce

I found a recipe on the Panera Website.  I rarely make a recipe exactly as written, and I didn't this time.  I will give this recipe as I made it.  If you want the original, go to Panera.

 

Thai Chicken in Coconut Curry

1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, more if you like it hot.  I don't.
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 large onion, sliced
1 shallot halved and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced  or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 can coconut milk, light is okay
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil and cilantro

 

 

Mix the coriander, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Sprinkle it over the chicken and rub it in.

 

Heat some oil in a large, deep fry pan.  Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. 

 

Remove them from the pan and place them on a plate.

 

Add the onions to the hot pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. 

 

Stir in the shallot, garlic and ginger and cook for one minute. 

Add the coconut milk and then whisk in the brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the red curry paste. 

 

Taste the sauce (clean spoon, please) and then add more red curry paste to taste.

 

Place the chicken back in the pan and continue cooking.  When the mixture starts to bubble, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about `15 to 20 minutes.  Check a large chunk of chicken to make sure it is cooked through.  Add the thinly sliced basil and give it a stir.

 

Serve over Jasmine rice and sprinkle the cilantro over the top.

This was a hit for dinner and I was able to control the heat to my taste, yet have plenty of spice for flavor.  A definite keeper!

Panera Treats

Lee and I frequently stop in at Panera when we are out and about and hungry.  I like that their Chai Tea Latte is not the same as the one served at all Starbucks and most other coffee chains.  It is peppery and I really like it.  Their salads, soup and sandwiches are the best and let's not even talk about their baked goods.  I prefer a New York Style bagel for a plain bagel, but their flavored ones are delicious.

 

I recently received an invitation from the Panera at Valley View Mall.  They were having a tasting party for My Panera card members.  This is a free card that you get through Panera and you swipe it when shopping there, similar to other cards.  If you use the My Panera card, you get occasional treats, like a discount on a salad or a free baked item.  This time we got a great opportunity to try the new food offerings and to contribute to a good cause.

 

Feeding America was collecting non-perishable breakfast food at the event.  Feeding America, Southwest Virginia,  supplies food to local and distant food banks and other places that feed the hungry.  I know that Panera does not sell their day old bread and pastries.  They donate them to organizations that feed the hungry.  Would you rather have a loaf of day old white bread or some focaccia or sourdough from Panera?  No contest in MY book.  So we fed ourselves and helped out a struggling family.  A nice evening.

 

We were given tastings of Vegetarian Autumn Squash soup.  It was a bit sweeter than Butternut Squash Soup and very creamy.  It was topped with toasted pumpkin seeds.  Delicious.

They had Roasted Turkey Harvest Wheatberry Salad.  I love wheatberries and used to buy them to use in my whole wheat breads.  Can't find them around here.  They are the berries of wheat that are ground up to make flour.  When soaked overnight or cooked in a simmering pan of water they become plump and have a bit of bite to them.  I used to know someone who would soak them overnight and then have them for breakfast in a cereal bowl with milk.  Yum!  Panera has tossed a few with field greens, thin slices of turkey and a maple balsamic vinaigrette.  Don't forget the Gorgonzola cheese.  This will be the next meal I have at Panera.

Another new menu item is for breakfast.  It is a creamy soufflé.  In fact it is a Roasted Tomato and Feta Baked Egg Soufflé.  Their flaky bread dough is used as a bowl to hold the tomatoes and feta and baked with a luscious egg mixture to creamy perfection.  It was delicious and vegetarian, for those who care about such things.  Hi, Tara!  She is not fond of sundried tomatoes, but these are sliced, roasted tomatoes and just perfect.

Panera rounded out the meal with a few other treats from their regular menu and even gave a demonstration on scoring baguettes before baking, that you could eat after it was baked.  I even "scored" a recipe for French Bread Margherita Pizza to fix at home, using one of their baguettes, of course.  And now, you can, too!

September is Hunger Action Month, so consider Feeding America in Salem if you are looking for a place to donate time or money.