Cardamom Bread

This bread has been a staple at my family's holiday dinners for as long as I can remember. Dad loves it, and would eat an entire loaf in two days if I made him one.

The original recipe is double this one. Great-grandma always made two loaves at Thanksgiving and put one in the freezer to keep until Christmas. I divided the recipe in half so it would fit in my bread machine. I'm lazy like that.

It's very important that this braided loaf be served warm and not sliced. It must be passed around the table and your piece must be torn from the loaf. It's essential for proper absorption of butter into the nooks and crannies. I repeat, do not let anyone slice this bread!

Ingredients

1 1/8 tsp Active Dry Yeast or Bread Machine Yeast
1/8 Cup Water, warm
1 1/4 Cup Milk, scalded and cooled
3/8 Cup Butter
1/2 Egg
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 C Sugar
3/4 Tsp Cardamom
4 Cups Flour (white is usually used, but I've used wheat with great success)

Bread Machine Directions

1. Put all ingredients into the bread machine in order listed, except add the yeast last! Put it on top! Run the machine through on the dough setting.

2. When the dough is finished rising (and you can let it rise as long as you want, but at least 1 1/2 hours), remove it from the chamber. Punch down, divide into three equal pieces and braid it. Let it rise for at least another 40 minutes.

3. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Directions for making without a bread machine:

1. In large bowl blend yeast and water. Let stand for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in all ingredients except flour until blended.

3. Stir in most of the flour, about 3 1/2 cups, until dough is stiff. Turn onto floured board and knead in remaining flour until smooth and elastic.

4. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise for at least 1 1/2-2 hours until double.

5. Punch down, divide into three equal pieces and braid it. Let rise for at least another 4o minutes.

6. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Serve warm and do not slice!

Pizza Crust

*Make this pizza dough in your bread machine. This recipe makes enough dough for two 12" pies. You can refrigerate the dough for up to a week, or freeze it. If you freeze the dough, take it out and put it in the fridge the night before you're planning on using it. Or you can bake it into a crust right away and refrigerate or freeze the crust.

*A personal dough roller - every well-stocked kitchen should have one!

Ingredients

1 1/2 C Warm Water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Sea Salt
4 1/4 C All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Yeast

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to your bread machine in order given. Set your machine on "Dough" and push start.

2. When done, split dough in half and move one ball to floured board. Roll dough into a circle the size of your pizza stone, making it as thick or thin as you like. Fold edges over to make crust. Brush edge of crust with olive oil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

3. Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Mom Tip:

*To make a wheat version of this recipe, use 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour and 2 cups white flour. Do not substitute whole wheat for all of the white flour or your pizza won't be chewy enough!