Bessie's Dilly Casserole Bread

I shared this recipe with Octoberfarm this morning and thought I should share it with everyone. I did post it last summer...but it is so good I have to do it again. I know Betsy likes it. Dill and August seem to go together so this is a wonderful bread for this time of year.

Right after you take it out of the oven you rub it with butter and a sprinkle of sea salt. The crunchy kind of salt.

The recipe says to bake it in a round 8 inch casserole...

but I like to bake it in my cast iron skillet

Teddy wasn't too much help...

neither was dande rose marie

i got these eggs at CORNERCOPIA... and couldn't make up my mind on which one to use...there were brown ones, blue ones, green and white...that giant cream colored one there in the front was a double yolker...haven't seen one of those in forever....

this is an easy bread to make because it all goes into one bowl..no kneading ....
and will your kitchen ever smell cozy !

there is the original recipe...in my handwriting...i think i must have been about 14 years old. Bessie was a lady that came to our house in the afternoon to help my mom with us kids and get some supper started...and she looked EXACTLY like Mrs. Doubtfire...the cardigan sweater, plaid skirt, hair pinned back in a bun, sensible shoes...even the strand of pearls ...
Bessie introduced me to the BEST cookbook in the world. Mary and Vincent Price's "The Treasury of Great Recipes". It still is my favorite cookbook to this day.

Dilly Casserole Bread from Bessie

1 package dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup large curd cottage cheese ( I know this sounds weird, but it works )

2 T. sugar

1 T. instant dried onion ( I have used a minced fresh shallot too )

1 T. soft butter

2 teaspoons dill seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

2 cups of flour ( or so...just enough to make a stiff batter )

Sprinkle yeast over warm water and dissolve

Heat cottage cheese till just warm

Combine in a bowl the cottage cheese,sugar,onion,butter,dill seeds,salt, baking soda, egg and the yeast mixture

Add flour...enough to make a stiff batter

Beat everything together well

Cover and let rise till double..about 60 minutes

Stir down and put into a well greased 8 inch round casserole pan

( I use my cast iron skillet )

Cover and let rise about 45 minutes

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes

Check and see how brown it is..it usually takes another 10 minutes

Remove from the oven and rub the bread with butter and sprinkle with sea salt

When warm enough to handle take it out of the pan and let it cool a little

We can never let it cool...john and I get right on it...and Teddy loves it too

Let's Ride Out To The Farmstand

I live in the historic railroad district in downtown san luis obispo...and about 5 minutes away is a farmstand that i have been wanting to stop in on. it is called CORNERCOPIA. it is about one minute away from the house i grew up in...san luis obispo goes from a busy downtown to rural in the blink of an eye....you head out of town into an area called the edna valley..it is mostly vineyards and very pretty all year round.

this is the view across the street from the farmstand. this field has some yellow flowers growing it in. i think they are safflowers...i have looked at those dry, brown mountains every summer since we moved here from santa barbara when i was 14. on both sides of this field are vineyards.

i bought a jar of her jumbleberry jam. she said it was her BEST SELLER.

she had lots of buckets of pretty summer flowers

plums from her trees

how is that sign for old fashion and farmy?

another view from across the street..edna valley...july 24, 2010

What's In My Kitchen Today

Hey Teddy..are you asleep on the job today in mama's kitchen?

My first mum of the season getting it's drink in my farm sink

Every time I buy cherries i think to myself..is this the last bag..but we just keep on going..that darling little plate is from my dear friend, julie whitmore of julie whitmore pottery

Went to our local organic grocery store yesterday and got this beautiful bottle of california olive oil. and a bottle of pinot noir

We are bbqing again tonight..one is for teddy

How could i pass this up?

my sweet little dande girl...see all of teddy's chewies?

There he is..see that tail? always straight up

I just can't take my eyes off of him...look at that sweet face...

Scored this at Michaels yesterday for a dollar on the grab rack table..cute, huh? you can never have too many recipe boxes, can you? they have Fall in there too. you know i got some candles and Fall leaf window clingers. i have a thing for window clingers...probably cause i wanted them so bad as a child and there was no way mom was buying window clingers. i am making up for lost time...big time

Needless to say...i LOVE LOVE LOVE this plate. somebody else must have too. it has a repair at the top. i have it hanging on my wall in the kitchen. it makes me HAPPY

I collect any plates i can find that have turkeys on them. that Fall thing and all.

Little Hands Bakes A Birthday Cake

We had a birthday party here on monday night for my sister-in-law. With the help of my niece we made a pink birthday cake.

we added the birthday candles one by one. can you see that little ball of red behind the candles? that's teddy sitting on his favorite spot...on top of the couch.

Our simple farmhouse menu

a few festive touches

flowers , the guitar leaning against the wall ready for singing the birthday song and the doors open out to the apple orchard...the covered bowl in front of the picture is the dilly bread rising

our birthday cake, teddy and a tiny glass of pink lemonade for my little helper

getting started on the decorating

little helper with party streamers....we sure had a great time...

...and Teddy Picked Willow

We wrote down all the names of the the nice people that entered the give away from Farmhouse and Teddy's paw landed on Willow ! Congratulations, Willow. Send me your address and Teddy and I will get it in the mail to you so you can enjoy it.

Our email is: myfarmhousekitchen@yahoo.com

Thanks for all the kind words...you are THE BEST !!!!

We enjoyed the give away...and hope you did too !!!

Sending love,

Kary and Teddy

Sunday Night Comfort Food

I really am in need of some comfort food for Sunday night supper around here on the Farm. We are tired...been making lots of visits to the hospital..then out to dinner after with the family. So tonight we are taking a much needed break and staying home for supper. I think if you told me you would fly me to Rome tonight for supper at any restaurant I want...i would say thanks...but no thanks. I want to be home tonight.So I found this recipe from Giada for an Italian chicken and pasta casserole. Just the word casserole makes me HAPPY !

That little bowl of sauted chicken is you-know-who's supper..and he just ate almost all of it. Now he is sound asleep. Good Boy Teddy.

Even Whiskey Sour got in on the action. What ya cookin' mama?

It calls for bread crumbs on the top but I just put on some grated parmesan and some mozzarella.

It's easy cause everything goes in one bowl.

I had some spinach that needed to be cooked so I added that.

I used just the tiny farfalline pasta. The recipe calls for 1 cup dried pasta, cooked. It didn't look like very much but it was plenty.

Chicken and Pasta Casserole from Giada

Cook 1 cup tiny pasta and drain

Saute 1/2 a diced onion

Saute 1 cup cubed chicken

I added some cooked spinach....called for italian chopped parsley..but i didn't have any

Put everything in a bowl

Add one 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

Add one cup mozzarella

Stir and put into a casserole

Add salt to taste

Cover the top with more shredded mozzarella and some grated parmesan

Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes