It tastes like Brioche and weekend wrap up

Hello to you all and happy Monday!  Hope everyone is having a nice start to their week.

This past weekend Dave had off so that was nice because he only gets a weekend off every 4 weeks. Keaton is still getting over an ear infection, he can't hear out of one ear. He is now on his second set of meds because the first go around didn't work.  I just don't like that he has to be on medication for this long, luckily he hasn't been on any kind of medication in like 5 or 6 years.  So that being said we kind of played it mellow over the weekend.

I started Saturday morning out making french toast for breakfast, Keaton has been begging me to make it for weeks. The bread I used for this a Coconut Cream Bread, the recipe is from Celine just click here or recipe is below.  Just so you know Celine and Joni are in the process of yet another cookbook, this will be the third one they have done together, so I've been testing out recipes for this one as well.

 Anyhooo, back to the bread. This bread is absolutely the most delicious bread I've tasted. No coconut taste here, although I do love coconut, instead a light and buttery tasting brioche like bread. No joke! I can't say enough about this bread. I love it!!!! I left the raisins out because the boys don't care for raisins in their stuff. Now the French Toast Recipe using the bread, well you'll just have to wait a while until the cookbook comes out.

Coconut Cream Bread

by Celine
Have Cake Will Travel

1/2 cup (80 g) raisins
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark rum
2/3 cup (160 ml) coconut cream, such as Kara™, or full-fat coconut milk
1/3 cup (80 ml) water
1/4 cup (48 g) Sucanat
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, more if needed
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon any oil, to coat bowl
Non-stick cooking spray

Combine raisins and rum. Heat for about 30 seconds in the microwave. Let stand.

Combine cream and water; heat to 100°F (38°C). Add Sucanat and yeast: let stand a few minutes to let the yeast bloom.

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups (250 g) flour and salt.

Add wet ingredients into the flour, and start mixing. Add the remaining flour, as needed.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and start kneading for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pliable. Add more flour, a little at a time, if the dough is too wet. Knead in the raisins/rum preparation toward the end of kneading time, until well incorporated. Shape into a ball.

Lightly coat a large bowl with oil. Turn dough around to coat, cover, and let rise for 90 minutes.

Punch down dough,

Lightly coat an 8 x 4-inch (20 x 10-cm) loaf pan with spray. Place dough into pan.

Let rise in a warm place for another hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5). Loosely cover bread with aluminum foil.

Bake for 25 minutes, remove foil. Spray top with non-stick cooking spray, oil, or water. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack. Let cool completely before slicing and storing.

Yield: One 8-inch (20-cm) loaf

The actual recipe for this is called Malibu French Toast, it has a great sauce recipe and a couple other ones for toppings but I only had time to make the French toast part.  Dave said he only wanted a bite of Keaton's to try, well he ended up asking for some after that.  We all really loved this.  The bread really makes for a delicious tasting french toast.

After breakfast we walked to town and hung out there for a while then later we went to see Clash of the Titans.  We were very entertained by it but I think I liked the original movie better.  I mean that cute metal owl flying around and stuff in the original one.  I need to go rent it!

For dinner I made a veggie meatloaf, mashed potatoes and brocollini.  The recipe is from VegNews.  I love trying different veggie loaves and once I started making this loaf I remembered I have made it once before. Mine isn't as thick looking and I think it's because I have a bigger loaf pan.   It's tasty but I think I like it the next day in a salad, sandwich or a chard wrap like I had below.

One chard leaf, shmear of hummus, slice of the veggie loaf, avocado, tomato and cucumber.  Yum!

Sunday we just hung out and let Keaton go play for a while with his friends.  Then in the late afternoon we all went up to Cold Springs Tavern to watch Keaton's guitar teacher's band play.  Can't wait for more of that type of stuff this summer. 

Afterwards we headed back towards home to eat at Grappolo's.  Keaton and I usually order the penne pasta with mixed mushrooms, olive oil and garlic.

That's it for now.  Enjoy your day!