Pumpkin Bread with Raisins, Dried Cherries & Pumpkin Seeds

Old-fashioned hospitality is at its best when you combine good food with your friends. And what could be more neighborly than to welcome your quests with a special fresh baked pumpkin bread full of flavors and fall's vibrant color.

Pumpernickel Bread with Chocolate, Coffee, Molasses, Prune Butter & Caraway Seeds

I like to bake bread at home, especially when cooler days descend upon us after summer. I feel homemade bread represents home and family. Usually I bake something during weekend and I like to surprise my kids and my husband when they come home and aroma of the fresh bakes welcomes them into cozy atmosphere. I use recipes from the books or sometimes create recipes myself. I got very helpful book on my shelf named "Baking with Julia" by Dorie Greenspan. If you are interested in baking it is highly recommended. I use it often and inspiration for the challah bread on our table as well as many other delicious bakes comes from this book.

Amaranth-Honey Bread

I made this bread using amaranth for the first time and it came out wonderfully! It has a bit of an "earthy" taste of "good old days", but at the same time sophisticated enough to be served with French cheese and red wine. The crumb is soft and moist with tiny seeds. We had it after lunch with my  vanilla rum plum jam  and it was a perfect combination.

Rye Cherry Bread with Flax & Pumpkin Seeds

It seems like we have gotten new tradition established in our house – bread baking on Friday. We usually have some friends over on Saturday or Sunday night and freshly baked bread is an ideal component for patties and cheeses. I am very fond of rustic breads with dried fruits and nuts. This one is my favorite.

New Zealand Almond and Fig Bread

This loaf has a wonderful flavor, and it use yeast and sponge. It is simple to do, but it takes some time. The odor of this stuff baking will bring the kids in from the yard - I promise. Excellent when toasted and served with soft cheeses and chicken liver pâté.

Gluten-Free Seeded Honey Bread

This gluten-free bread is full of earthy flours and healthy seeds. Hearty yet surprisingly light, it make delicious toast for breakfast or croutons for soups and salads.

Oat Bread

"All life moving to one measure - Daily bread."
W.W.Gibson

Few notes of the bread-making art: There are several kinds of yeast. Compressed yeast, which is quicker-acting than the dried yeast, must be kept in a cool place or it will spoil. The liquids used in bread-making are water, milk, or sometimes, potato water. Sweetening is usually added to bread. This can be either sugar, honey or sometimes molasses. For good flavor and texture use butter for bread dough. Temperature for rising and oven temperature are exceedingly important. It is truly a laboratory process to make bread correctly. The finished product should be an even-sized, medium-brown loaf with a good crust and fine grain, not lumpy.