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Title: Baking with the St. Paul Bread Club by Kim Ode (Minnesota Historical Society Press, $24.95; 60 pages)

By ELLEN FOLKMAN
Published October 25, 2006

Title: Baking with the St. Paul Bread Club by Kim Ode (Minnesota Historical Society Press, $24.95; 60 pages)

Generally speaking: A wide variety of old-fashioned bread recipes plus lots of tips and baking secrets from club members. Good ideas that can be used in other forms of cooking as well. No bread machine required.

Sample recipes: Bread crumb muffins, hearty honey wheat bread, classic white sourdough, focaccia, snail rolls and garlic pull-apart bread.

For: The adventurous baker. This is a good starter cookbook for novices. The directions are straightforward and clear. Aside from having to go to the market for specialty flours, many ingredients may already be in your pantry.

Great for gifts: Many of the recipes make multiple loaves or numerous rolls, making them perfect for gift giving. They can be frozen for later use too.

Don't be afraid of: Yeast. Some bakers do not like to bake bread because of the need to proof the yeast. Not all the recipes in this cookbook require proofing (rising time). Start with those that don't and move into the recipes that do include that technique.

Title: Biba's Italy by Biba Caggiano (Artisan, $29.95; 314 pages)

Generally speaking: Author Biba Caggiano is a five-time cookbook author and owner chef of BIBA in Sacramento. She has also hosted her own cooking show. Biba's Italy combined her cooking acumen with her Italian travels.

Sample recipes: Deep-fried salt cod, pork shoulder braised in milk, poached salmon with Bolognese salsa verde, and fried green olives.

For: Experienced cooks. These recipes require a lot of preparation, but they reward you with great flavor. Some ingredients, such as dried cranberry beans, may be difficult to find. No convenience foods here; even the pasta is made by hand.

Title: Prevention's Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes by Linda Gassenheimer (Rodale, $19.95; 272 pages)

Generally speaking: Nearly all of the recipes can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. The recipes promise easy, healthful meals, packed with flavor.

Sample recipes: Mexican pork and bean chili, Brazilian-style chicken with quinoa, salmon gazpacho, mocha cream cake, Greek lemon fish and banana apricot egg crepes.

For: Health and weight conscious adults with a worldly appetite. Cuisines include Asian, Mexican, South American, Thai, among others.

Making it easy: Each recipe contains helpful hints, a shopping list for ingredients, nutritional information and an at-a-glance box with total calories and fat content. 

¹/₃ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch pieces

Salt to taste

4 anchovy fillets, packed in salt, rinsed and minced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

½ teaspoon finely minced red chili pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to taste

1½ cups dry white wine

¼ cup good quality red wine vinegar

-Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

-Heat the oil in a large, heavy ovenproof pot or casserole over medium high heat. When the oil is nice and hot, add the lamb without crowding and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring and turning the meat until the lamb is lightly golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Do this in two batches, if necessary. With a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a large plate.

-Discard some of the fat. Add the anchovies, garlic, rosemary and chili pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring with wooden spoon for 1 to 2 minutes. Return the lamb to the pan and stir the pieces around briefly to coat them with the savory base. Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a simmer. 

-Cover the pot and place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender enough to be cut with a fork. At the end of cooking there should be just enough sauce to coat the meat. If too much is left in the pan, transfer the meat to a large, warm platter and reduce the sauce over high heat. Pour the sauce over the lamb, taste for seasoning and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Source: Biba's Italy by Biba Caggiano (Artisan, $29.95)

Baked goods: Squash Rolls

1 cup low-fat milk

2 tablespoons canola oil

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water

1 cup cooked winter squash, mashed

1 cup whole wheat flour

3½ to 4 cups bread flour

-In a saucepan, heat milk, oil, sugar and salt to lukewarm, stirring to dissolve sugar.

-In the large bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk mixture, squash, whole wheat flour and 1 cup of bread flour. Beat until smooth. Gradually incorporate remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. 

-Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

-Place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1½ hours. The dough is ready if a slight indentation remains when you press it.

-Punch down dough and divide and shape into 1 inch balls, placing three balls each into 24 greased muffin cups. If making loaves, divide dough in half, shape into 2 loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Cover with a cloth and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. 

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake until light brown, about 15 to 20 minutes for rolls and 40 to 45 minutes for loaves.

Makes 24 rolls or 2 loaves.

Source: Baking with the St. Paul Bread Club by Kim Ode (Minnesota Historical Society Press, $24.95)

Sandwiches: Crab Salad Melt

2 whole wheat English muffins

3 tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

¼ cup snipped chives

2 stalks celery, sliced

6 oz. canned, jumbo lump or backfin crab, drained

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 ounce reduced-fat Swiss cheese, sliced or shredded

-Preheat broiler or toaster oven. Split English muffins in half and toast.

-While muffins are toasting, mix mayonnaise, water, Old Bay seasoning and chives together in a medium size bowl. Add celery and crab. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

-Spoon crab salad onto muffin halves. Place cheese over the crab and return to the broiler. Heat just until cheese melts.

Serves 2.

Source: Prevention's Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes by Linda Gassenheimer (Rodale, $19.95)

[Last modified October 24, 2006, 15:36:09]