Cucumber sandwich and homemade bread recipes

CUCUMBER SANDWICHES
allrecipes.com  (where I find most of my favorite recipes)

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian salad dressing mix (I didn't have a dry package so I used about 2-3 Tbsp Italian dressing mix)
• 2 medium cucumbers, sliced
• 1 pinch dried dill weed (I used more than a pinch, probably almost 1/2 tsp.)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and Italian dressing mix. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. Spread the cream cheese blend onto slices of French bread. Top with a cucumber slice, and sprinkle with dill. You can make as many or few as you like. the cream cheese mixture keeps for about a week in the refrigerator so you can make them over and over again!

 

 

 

 

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD RECIPE

I wish I knew where I found this recipe, it is very good and a very basic recipe.  About a year ago I was determined to find a good recipe for whole wheat bread that only contained 5 ingredients (whole wheat flour, salt, honey, water, and yeast).  I found this one some where online even though it contained 6 ingredients I figured it would be as close as I could get to what I wanted without having to spend too much time experimenting to create my own recipe.  This recipe makes 2 loaves, or for those who have the nice canape' bread pans like I used for the bread made in this picture, it would fill about 4 of these pans.  Which by the way those pans are great for fun shapes for kids and it makes the bread kind of crustless (for lack of better real word), even better for kids who waste crust often.  Here's the bread recipe.

 

I measure 1/2 cup olive oil, then 1/2 cup honey and put them in my Kitchenaid. (Always do the oil first so you don't have to scrape out the honey it just rolls out of your nicely greased measuring cup.  1 Tbsp. sea salt, and 2 Tbsp. yeast.  Then I add 2 cups luekwarm water and let it sit for a few minutes allowing the yeast to warm up.  Then I add aboiut 3 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and mix for just a couple of minutes.  Then I add about another 3 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and then using dough hook I  mix for 5-7 minutes.  Allow to rise for about an hour or until double in size.  Punch down and let rest a few minutes.  Divid into two equal parts and shape into loaves, place into pans and let rise for another hour or until double again.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.