Oat Meal Bread

Ingredients
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)
2 cups milk, scalded
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup water*
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour

Directions
Put oats in large bowl and cover with milk. Stir and let stand until lukewarm. Sprinkle or crumble yeast into water. *Use very warm water (105F to 115F) for dry yeast; use lukewarm (80F to 90F) for compressed. Let stand a few minutes; then stir until dissolved.

Add yeast mixture, molasses, salt and ginger to oat mixture. Stir in 4 1/2 cups unsifted flour. Cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Knead on well-floured board and put into 2 loaf pans. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Bake in code oven 400F for about 45 to 50 minutes.

Makes 2 loves.

Purchase your Romertopf Clay Cookware: BigBargainMatrix.com

Oat Meal Bread, originally uploaded by Chef Madd Maxx.

French Bread

Ingredients:
1 Package Active Dry Yeast or 1 cake compressed yeast Water*
1 Cup Boiling Water
1 Tablespoon Shortening
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
6 Cups Sifted Bread Flour
1 Egg White

Directions:
*Use very warm water (105F to 115F) for dry yeast; use lukewarm (80F to 90F) for compressed yeast. Sprinkle dry yeast or crumble cake into 1/4 cup water. Let stand for a few minutes; then stir until dissolved.

Pour boiling water over shortening, salt, and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup cold water and cool to lukewarm.

Add yeast and gradually beat in enough flour to form a stuff dough.

Turn out on floured pastry cloth or board and knead until smooth and satiny.

Put in greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.

Shape into 2 oblong loaves about 12 inches long. Place on parchment paper.

Brush with beaten eg white and with knife, make 3 slashes across top.

Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Place in a pre-soaked greased Romertopf French/Italian Bread Baker along with the parchment paper. Bake in a cold oven 425F for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F, bake for 20 minutes more.

Makes 2 loaves.

Purchase your Romertopf Clay Cookware: BigBargainMatrix.com

French Bread, originally uploaded by Chef Madd Maxx.

Buttermilk Bread

Ingredients:
5 1/2 Cups Bread Flour (5 1/2 to 6 cups)
3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Packages Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/4 Teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Cups Buttermilk
1/3 Cup Butter, cut-up

Directions:
If you are using a Romertopf Clay Bread Baker, (recommended) soak the lid and base in cold water.

In large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, salt and baking soda.

Heat buttermilk, and butter until very warm (approx 120 to 130F). Stir into dry ingredients.

Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 7 to 9 minutes.

Cover and let rise for approx 2 hours, or until double in size.

Punch down dough, shape into round ball. Place round dough onto parchment paper and allow to rise until double, approx 1 hour.

Transfer dough with parchment paper to a greased Romertopf Baker. Cover baker and place in cold oven. Set oven at 450F. Cook for 40 minutes. Uncover clay pot and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Cool on wire rack.

Purchase your Romertopf Clay Cookware and Recipe Book here: BigBargainMatrix.com

Buttermilk Bread
Originally uploaded by Chef Madd Maxx

Beef in Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients
3 medium onions, sliced
4 medium carrots, peeled, sliced, 1/4 inch thick
1 cup ham julienned
3 pounds beef, cut in 1 inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
1/2 teaspoon rosemary leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup brandy
1 1/2 red wine
1 can tomatoes, with liquid, chopped

Directions
Combine all ingrediants except tomatoes in large bow. Refrigerate covered 2-3 hours.

Soak top and bottom of a 3 1/4 quart clay cooker in cold water for about 15 minutes and drain.

Transfer beef mixture to cooker. Add tomatoes with liquid. Place covered cooker in cold oven.

Bake at 425F, stirring once or twice until beef and carrots are tender, approx 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Serves 6
Purchase your Romertopf Clay Cookware and Recipe Book here: BigBargainMatrix.com

Roast Chicken & Peppers

Ingredients
3 1/2 lbs chicken
pearl onions
1 small red pepper, sliced
1 small green pepper, sliced
1 clove garlic
4 oz baby sweet corn
4 oz button mushrooms
4 oz green beans
1 tbsp tomato puree
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
6 oz red wine or chicken stock
flour

Directions
Soak the Romertopf in cold water for approx 15 minutes.
Place the chopped garlic, sprig of thyme and salt and pepper inside the chicken.
Place chicken in the Romertopf and surround with onions, peppers and more sprigs of thyme and salt and pepper.
Mix the tomatoe puree with the wine or stock and pour over the chicken.
Place in a cold oven and cook at 400F for one hour.
Remove pot from oven and add sweet corn, sliced mushrooms and green beans, cook for an addition 30 minutes or until done.
Remove the chicken and vegetables and keep warm.
Strain off the sauce, reduce if necessary.
The amount of sauce can be increased by adding 5 oz of chicken stock to the sauce and thickening with 2-3 tsp flour dissolved in 3 tbsp cold water. Whisk well until the sauce is brought to the boil and thickens.
Adjust seasonings and serve with chicken and vegetables.
Boiled new potatoes, sprinkled with chopped parsley, are a delicious complement to this meal.

Serves 6


Purchase your Romertopf Clay Cookware and Recipe Book here: BigBargainMatrix.com

Pot Roast with Cider

Ingredients
3lbs pot roast
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
4 small turnips peeled and quartered
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
1 large onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz dry cider, or beef stock
1 tbsp flour


Directions
Soak both the top and bottom of your Romertopf roaster in cold water for about 15 minutes.
Place the sliced onion, 2 bay leaves and garlic in the pot.
Place the beef on top and surround with carrots and turnips.
Place the last two bay leaves on top of the meat, add the parsley and season to taste.
Pour the stock or cider over the meat and place pot in a cold oven.
Heat the oven to 400F and cook for about 1 hour.
Remove the pot and add the zucchini. Return to the oven for a further 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and test the meat with a fine skewer, it should enter easily.
Lift the meat and vegetables out of the pot and keep warm
Drain off the sauce.
For more sauce with the meat, increase the amount by adding 5 oz of beefstock to the sauce and thickening it with 2 - 3 tsp of flour dissolved in 3 tsp of cold water. Whisk well until the sauce is brought to the boil and thickens. Check seasoning and strain into sauce boat.
Serve with the beef.

Serves 6

Purchase your Romertopf Clay Cookware and Recipe Book here: BigBargainMatrix.com

Romertopf Clay Bakers TerraCotta Bakeware Care Guide

Care and Use Directions

Before using for the first time, wash thoroughly with hot water. Do not use soaps.

Each time you use your Romertopf Clay Bakeware, immerse both the top and base in cold water for about 15 minutes. Pour off excess water.

After adding all the ingredients place your Romertopf in the center of a COLD oven.

DO NOT ADD COLD LIQUIDS once the Romertopf is hot.

Regular recipes usually can be converted for clay pots by increasing the cooking temperature by 100F and deducting one-half hour of cooking time.

Romertopf is ideal for the microwave. Because microwave ovens vary to such a great degree, use the oven manufacturer's guidelines for cooking times.

To keep your Romertopf in top condition for many years, take care not to shock it by moving it from one extreme temperature to another.

Use pot holders or oven mitts to move your Romertopf when it is hot, and place it on a trivet, mat or folded dishtowel when moving it out of the oven.

Cleaning, use hot water only, and a stiff natural bristle or nylon brush, or a nylon scouring pad to clean after each use. Do not use soaps; a little baking soda will cut any grease. Never use cold water when the Romertopf is hot.

When not in use, keep the Romertopf in a place where the air circulates. Place lid upside down on top of base when storing, to allow air to circulate inside the bottom of the roaster.

Don't use the Romertopf on an open flame or hot cooking plate. Your Romertopf is designed for oven and microwave use only.

Use one Romertopf for fish and a separate one for meats, to keep the flavors separate.

Purchase your Romertopf Clay Cookware and Recipe Book here: BigBargainMatrix.com