Ballymaloe Irish Brown Bread - #Twelve Loaves

This month's theme for #TwelveLoaves is Irish Breads.  I'm pretty sure the Irish made a few of breads and said, lovin' this bread, we're good, because there really isn't an abundance bread recipes from this part of the world.  I choose a brown yeast bread recipe that originated at Ballymaloe House - a bread that has been baked there for over 60 years.

Braided Red Bean Bread ~ #TwelveLoaves

There really is something magical about making your own bread, whether it is the tactile feel of the dough in your hands or the smell of a fresh-baked loaf coming out of the oven.  The theme for #TwelveLoaves this month is Red, and this post is a tale of what can happen if you just have a little faith in what you can create.

Five Grain Loaf with Cranberries & Pecans ~ #Twelve Loaves

I met this month's #TwelveLoaves theme with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.  Bread baking is still quite new to me, and I'm trying to find my way.  Every month I learn a little more about how the dough should feel after each stage, so would the theme of New-to-You Flour Breads be my undoing?

Christmas Morning Crown ~ #Twelve Loaves

I had truly forgotten how wonderful dough can feel in your hands.  Soft little pillows of goodness, so light to the touch, with the promise of the deliciousness to come.

It has been quite a while since I have participated in Twelve Loaves, but the group has remained in my thoughts and I missed the camaraderie and encouragement that all the wonderful bakers in the group provide.  At the last moment I decided that I needed to bake - because it is what makes me happy - so I had to quickly find something that fits this month's theme.

Fruit and Veggie Quick Bread ~ #TwelveLoaves

The theme for #TwelveLoaves this month is Summer Fun!  I don't know about you but I am definitely ready for some summer fun and can't wait for the long weekend - although honestly my idea of fun may involve catching up on sleep.

Rustic French Onion Focaccia #TwelveLoaves

The theme for Twelve Loaves this month is onions, which gave me the perfect opportunity to try my hand at focaccia.  I have loved this bread ever since I started my first job in an Italian neighborhood after graduating.  My treat for lunch every few weeks was this amazing bread that was sliced in half, stuffed with wonderful cheeses and meats, and then placed in a panini grill.  One bite and I was in heaven.

Orange Pull-Apart Bread ~ #TwelveLoaves

The aroma of oranges always makes me think of sunny mornings, and having breakfast outside. There is just something so refreshing about the smell of an orange.  So it was such a pleasant surprise to find out that the challenge for Twelve Loaves this month would be Oranges.

Balsamic Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls #TwelveLoaves

March is here but there doesn't seem to be too many signs of Spring as yet.  Hopefully the theme for this months #TwelveLoaves will chase away those winter-time blues, and bring some sunshine into your life.  The theme this month is Strawberries!

"I really don't think I need buns of steel. I'd be happy with buns of cinnamon" ~ Ellen DeGeneres

Love Me, Love Me Knots - #TwelveLoaves

It is February and love is in the air, cupid decorations are in the store, and Chocolate is the theme for this months #TwelveLoaves. There were so many options I considered for this theme but I decided to stick with a yeast bread, and found this recipe for Chocolate Love Knots at the Fleischmann site Breadworld.com.

Crumpets ∼ #TwelveLoaves January 2014

Welcome to 2014! Can someone please slow this year down a bit since it seemed like 2013 went by in the blink of an eye. I have decided to make 2014 the year that I will become a confident bread baker - including all kinds of bread. I have been very fortunate in being able to join the #TwelveLoaves baking group. If anyone can help me achieve this goal it is this group of amazing bakers. It is going to be challenging for me, but I am so excited to get started. I hope that anyone else who wants to achieve this goal will follow along as I attempt each months theme - it will be fun and we can learn together.