Tomato-Herb Loaf

Today's recipe comes from one of these beautify pamphlets (mini-cookbooks?) that I picked up on my trip to Trinity County last summer.

Baking bread is such a reassurance of life.  

The living organism Yeast eats the surgars that are added to the mix and releases carbon dioxide which causes the dough to rise.  From the combining of the ingredients to the kneading and rise to the smell of the baking makes me feel as if I've accomplished something.  Just one thing in a day.  

Bread is life.  

So instead of reading several articles about migration and colonization for my Molecular Anthropology Class, I'm making life.  In the form of bread.  

Tomato-Herb Loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 package regular active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1-1/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
• 1/2 cup warm tomato juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1 egg
• 5 to 5 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl

• Stir in remaining ingredients except flour

• Stir in enough flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle

• Turn dough onto lightly floured surface
• Gently roll in flour to coat.
• Knead about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic
• Spray large bowl with nonstick cooking spray
• Place dough in bowl, and turn greased side up.
• Cover and let rise in warm place about 1-1/2 hours or until double
• Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched
• Spray 2 loaf pans 9x5x3 with nonstick cooking spray
• Punch down dough and divide in halves
• Place in pans
• Pat and smooth with floured hands

• Cover and let rise in warm place 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled

• Heat oven to 350 degrees
• Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped

• Remove from pans
• cool completely on wire rack before slicing

The Verdict:

 Alex: "I like it". "It's not as strong tasting as I thought it would be".

 Dianna: More bland than I expected. Still yummy, especially with some sun dried tomato pesto on top.