1. Aunt Mona's Dilly Bread. Marc's Aunt Mona was quite a gal, fun & funny, well traveled into her 80s, never-married & a Methodist minister who snuck food into demonstrators during the sit-ins at Berkeley's Sproul Hall in 1964. She didn't like cooking but had a few wonderful specialties & I always think of her fondly when Marc & I are enjoying this bread. Hope you like it, too!
Makes one 9×5-inch loaf
Combine in a small bowl and let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about five minutes:
- 1/2 cup warm (105 to 115°F) water
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions or chives
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill, or 1 tbsp dried dill or dill seeds
- 2 tbsp sugar or honey
- (1 tablespoon wheat germ)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup large-curd cottage cheese
- 1 large egg
Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Punch down the dough, form into a loaf, and place seam side down in the pan.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. If desired, brush the top of loaf with:
- 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt and/or dill seeds
Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan to a rack and let cool completely.
2. Renee's Corn & Black Bean Salad
Ingredients
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or lemon juice
1 avocado smashed
1 teaspoon paprika
1 Teaspoon cumin
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 large orange bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (if using lime juice) or parsley (if using
lemon juice)
2 small jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1/2 white onion finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add beans and remaining
ingredients; toss well to coat. Cover and let stand 1 hour, tossing
occasionally.
