Summer Cooking

It's summer, and I'm in some kind of cooking frenzy.

I don't understand why I wait until vacation(s) to use the bread machine, it seems the perfect thing to use during the school year. Anyhow, made a hearty hazelnut loaf which was perhaps a trifle too nutty, and I think I'd have enjoyed it better if I'd toasted the nuts first. I'm on the hunt for a good sunflower-seed bread recipe, and a cinnamon-raisin loaf, too. Anyhow, today's loaf is fantastic - it tastes great and the bonus: it made use of several ingredients that had been withering in my pantry - leftover granola cereal from a houseguest, some banana chips, and the end of a small bottle of honey.

Banana Granola Bread
from the book that came with my machine

1 c. water (80 degF)
2 T. milk
2 1/2 T. honey
2 1/2 T. oil
3/4 t. banana extract
1 1/2 t. salt
3 c. bread flour
3/4 c. granola cereal
2 3/4 t. rapid-rise yeast

1/2 - 3/4 c. banana chips, crushed

Add the ingredients to the pan in the order shown, except add the banana chips to the extras dispenser, if your model allows. Bake for a 1.5-lb loaf, medium crust, rapid yeast white bread cycle. If using regular yeast, decrease amount to 2 t. and use regular white cycle.

I went to the grocery store this morning and bought 3-4 days worth of food - lots of vegetables and fruit, some whole chickens, some milk to make yogurt with a yogurt-maker I got for my birthday. Fixings for quiche, potato-cauliflower szabzi, a bacon-basted roast chicken in the oven right now (the leftovers of which will go into chicken-bean enchiladas tomorrow). Hooray!