Helen's Stuffed Braided Pizza Bread

Have you met Helen at our bakery? Not only is she great with customers, we love that she's also always coming up with ideas for how to use our baking at home.

Last week she brought home some of our pizza dough and used it to make a stuffed braided pizza bread. She says it's easy to make and wanted to share her tips on how to do it.

Helen started with a ball of our white pizza dough. We sell it frozen, so just thaw it before you're ready to use it. Roll it into a thin rectangle and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cut 1.5-2" wide strips along each edge. Here's a drawing showing where to cut:

Spread pizza sauce (you could even try some spreadable cream cheese) down the middle. Top with your favorite cheese and toppings. For the toppings, just be sure not to choose anything too juicy, since that will make the dough soggy. If you really want to use something juicy, like fresh zucchini, pan fry it first to get most of the moisture out. Helen's favorite toppings include bell peppers, onions, olives, ham, salami and cooked turkey.

Starting at the top, fold each of the cut strips over the middle and slightly angled towards the bottom, alternating strips from the right and left. If you know how to braid, this should be easy to do. Tuck in the ends. Bake at 350° F until golden brown. Helen has a convection oven and she suggests 18-20 minutes. For a traditional oven, you'll want to add a few minutes.

Do you have a favorite way to use our pizza dough? Let Helen know the next time you're at the bakery!

Cinnamon Pretzels

We had a snow day today...plenty of the white stuff! With school cancelled, we had the kiddos home, and they were looking for something fun to do. They pulled out their Rainy Day Play book (which we renamed the Snowy Day Play book just for the day). They found a fun idea for making soft pretzels. I remembered that I had a ball of frozen pizza dough from Grandin Bakery in our freezer. I put it in the fridge to thaw this morning and it was ready to go later in the afternoon.

I had brown pizza dough on hand, but we also make white dough at the bakery if you prefer. The kids made long "snakes" out of the dough and shaped them into letters, pretzels and other shapes (including Santa's sleigh, can you spot it in the last picture?) We put the shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. My parchment is oven-safe to 425°F. If you don't have any that is safe at that temperature, just use a greased baking sheet. We then brushed the pretzels with melted (salted) butter, and sprinkled them with cinnamon and a generous amount of brown sugar.

The pretzels went into the oven, preheated to 425°F, for about 12 minutes. How long you bake them will depend on how thick they are. Ours were about as thick as my thumb.

When the pretzels came out of the oven, we let them cool on the pan for a couple minutes and then moved them to a wire rack to rest until they were cool enough to eat. The kids dipped them in maple syrup...mmm...just right!

Glad I had the dough in the freezer. Made this project quick and easy. One snow day down, how many to go?

Wedding Showers

It's wedding season!

Planning a shower for a friend? If you are, then we've got sweet goodies for you. Our decorators love to do custom cookies, cupcakes and cakes. Just let us know what the wedding colors are and we can come up with something special for your party.

Check out some of our favorites we've done this year:

Bride Cookie

Groom Cookie

Wedding Cake Cookie with Couple's Initials

Wedding Dress Cake made with Cupcakes

Roses Cake: Shades of Purple

 

If you find other ideas that you like online, let us know. We always love trying new things! Questions? Call our decorators at 780-459-6560.

Homemade Focaccia

Helen, who works at our bakery, often recommends using our pizza dough to make Focaccia bread. We thought we'd share her instructions with you all. Thanks, Helen!

HELEN'S FOCACCIA:

Take 2 balls of Grandin Bakery's pizza dough and combine into one large ball. Place dough in a lightly greased cookie sheet and flatten. Poke dough with finger tips to create indents.

Brush with olive oil (flavored or plain). Sprinkle spices on top. Choices are yours, but some good ones to try are garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top (or your choice of cheese).

Bake until golden @ 350 degrees F.

** If you've never used our pizza dough, we keep it hidden in the freezer. White or brown. Just ask for it at the counter.

Baby Showers!

I remember when I first started going to baby showers (sometime back in the 90's) and the snack tables would be full of your typical party goodies: fruit & veggie trays, dips, cookies and squares. Nothing fancy, often a potluck.

Now, when I go to baby showers, the snack table is often the highlight of the party (after the baby, of course!). I'm always amazed when the hosts put so much creativity and thought into a beautiful display, arranging all kinds of treats on pretty plates. I've been to showers with candy bars, with hand-crafted banners on the tables, and with tiered platters of hand-decorated baking. That last one is where we come in.

At Grandin Bakery, we love to get in on the baby shower fun, too! Some of our favorite orders are the ones we make for baby showers. Here are a few photos of sweet cupcakes that we've done for some soon-to-be and new mamas:

And you can always add a small cake, or just do cake instead of cupcakes:

 

 Hand-decorated cookies are also becoming popular for baby showers, either for at the party, or as favours. Head to your local craft or party store for some bags and ribbon, and you can put together special take-home gifts to say thank you to the guests.

 

 

Best of all, our cupcakes, cakes and cookies are customizable. Just call Grandin Bakery at 780-459-6560 and we can help you choose colors and decorations to match the rest of your party. Happy celebrating!

Pizza Contest

Grandin Bakery recently held a contest on Facebook. We asked our customers to share ideas for ways to top our pizza dough. Thanks to Nancy Malaka for one of the winning suggestions: creamy rose sauce with roasted chicken, bacon, tomatoes, red peppers and a ton of cheese.

Our family made a couple of Nancy's pizzas last night for dinner...the kiddos gobbled them up! Here's the scoop on how I made them.

The night before, I pulled the dough out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge (Grandin Bakery's pizza dough is sold frozen and you can keep it in your freezer until you're ready to use it).

I actually did some of the prep work in the morning (while school was in!) since it's always nice to be ahead of the game. I made the rose sauce, fried up the bacon, shredded a rotisserie chicken and popped it all in the fridge until I was ready to make the pizzas later in the afternoon.

Preparing the Rose Sauce

Here are the ingredients for the rose sauce:

• 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup 10% cream
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Dash of pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 213 ml can tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp sugar

To make the sauce, start by getting your spices and garlic ready in prep bowls: one bowl with onion powder, salt, pepper and the bay leaf, another bowl with minced garlic, and the last bowl with oregano and sugar. It helps to have these ingredients measured and ready to add while the sauce is simmering. 

Next, warm the milk and cream together in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for a minute or two. Slowly add the warm milk/cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming, mixing until smooth. Add the onion powder, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and garlic. Simmer over medium heat, stirring very frequently, until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. If after 7 or 8 minutes the sauce is still not thick, turn the heat up just a bit. You don't want to boil the sauce, so don't set the heat too high. 

Remove the bay leaf from the pan. Add the tomato sauce, oregano and sugar. Stir for a minute and remove from heat. This recipe makes enough sauce to cover three 12" crusts.


Making the Pizzas

I made our pizzas using Grandin Bakery's brown dough, but the method is the same if you use our white dough. I baked the pizzas in two stages: for a few minutes before adding the sauce and toppings, then again after they were all loaded up. 

To prepare the crusts, grease 12" pizza pans with olive oil and then sprinkle a bit of cornmeal over top. This gives the pizza a nice, crispy crust. 

Prepare the pans with olive oil and cornmeal

I stretched out the dough by hand, but you can also roll it out on a lightly floured surface. Press the crusts onto the pans and bake for 8 minutes in an oven preheated to 425°F (middle rack). 

Remove the crusts from the oven. You'll notice that the crusts will have bubbled up. Just poke them in a few places with a fork to let the air out before you put the toppings on.

Add your rose sauce and toppings:

• Mozzarella cheese
• Cooked, shredded chicken
• Fried, crumbled bacon
• Diced tomatoes (be sure to remove the seeds so they don't make your pizza soggy)
• Diced red peppers

Topped and ready to bake

 
Return your pizzas to the oven and bake for about 15 more minutes, until the crust is baked through and the cheese is ooey, gooey. 

Try this pizza with a ranch dip, super yum!

Let's eat

Christmas Treats

Looking for something fun to take to your Christmas party this year? We create all sorts of unique holiday cakes. Maybe you're looking for a winter wonderland scene with snowmen and snowflakes. Or maybe a cake with Santa's reindeer? Just let us know what you're looking for and we'll design something special for you.

Cupcakes are another great option. They're just the right size for the little people at your party. The kids can have their own treat after Christmas dinner while the adults enjoy their "grown-up" dessert.

We also make some fun iced sugar cookies. Each one is made from scratch and decorated by hand. From snowflakes to mittens to snowmen, we've got lots to choose from. Great for tucking into stockings...just put one in a little bag and tie with a ribbon. Easy!

Oh, and the best part? Our goodies taste as good as they look. To order, all you need to do is call us at 780-459-6560. Merry Christmas!

Bringing Your Sandwiches from Sad to Sensational

Guest post by Sarah Robert BSc., Registered Dietitian and Owner of Simply Yours Nutrition

September often means the return to packed lunches, usually sandwiches.  For many people, the idea of packed sandwiches is less than appealing.  I remember once in elementary school my teacher was checking our lunch bags to make sure we had finished our sandwiches before we could go out to play.  I did not want to eat that sandwich – it was warm and wrapped in saran wrap and squishy.  I watched as the other children in my class filed out of the classroom one by one with the teacher checking their lunch bags as they went.  Then I carefully placed the already flat sandwich underneath my thermos and joined the line.  Success!

Except not really.  Turns out in hindsight that it really was an epic failure.  Okay, maybe not epic, but a failure nonetheless.  Without a good lunch, I think it is safe to say that my concentration and learning were not as good as they could’ve been.  And maybe I was a little grumpy.  And probably my mom wasn’t that thrilled to find a squished up and totally uneaten sandwich underneath my thermos when I got home.

But sandwiches don’t have to be sad or squishy.  And they certainly meet my criteria for being easy to prepare and a healthy choice.  But how to change your sandwiches from sad to sensational?

The outer layer:

Make it healthy – choose a 100% whole grain product.  Grandin Bakery sells delicious fresh 100% whole wheat bread, and their Kaiser buns and dinner rolls come in 60% whole wheat but you can order them in 100% whole wheat.  Remember to watch portion sizes – especially with buns, or breads that are not pre-sliced.

Make it delicious – does anything beat fresh bread or buns? 

Make it creative – switching from bread to buns or to other whole grain products can keep things interesting.  With bread sandwiches, you can cut them in different shapes – triangles, four squares, strips, or even use cookie cutters from time to time for heart, flower, dinosaur, or other shaped sandwiches (which my children really appreciate, but turns out my husband does not). :)

The spread:

Switch it up – try mustard, low fat salad dressing, hummus, light mayo, honey mustard, salsa, low fat cream cheese etc.

The filling:

Anything goes!  Fish is a healthy choice that many of us do not eat enough.  Try salmon or tuna on your sandwich.  Egg salad, cheese, leftover chicken or roast beef. 

The toppings:

In my opinion, the best sandwiches are made by the toppings you add in.  Tomato or cucumber slices, lettuce, little chunks of peppers, sliced apple, grated carrots.

And then, to keep your sensational sandwich from turning sad… first, consider packing the toppings separately and adding them right before eating.  Second, if the sandwich is for a child and they prefer all their sandwich components separate from one another, remember there is no reason that they need to eat it all at once.  Third, invest in a reusable container that will protect that sandwich from being squished en route.  Four, use either a reusable ice pack or a frozen water bottle or 100% juice box to keep the lunch at a temperature that is both safe and palatable.

Want more healthy lunch suggestions?  Simply Yours Nutrition will be focusing on healthy lunches for the month of September.  Like us on Facebook for free nutrition tips and information, and check out our website at www.simplyyoursnutrition.com. 

Sarah Robert is a Registered Dietitian with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, meaning she has the knowledge, skills, and education to provide accurate nutrition information.  As a mom of 3, she understands the challenges families face, and the importance of practical recommendations.  With nearly 10 years experience, Sarah started Simply Yours Nutrition with the vision of giving families the tools and information that they need to successfully fit healthy eating into their lives.

 

Check out the Simply Yours Nutrition website and “like” Simply Yours Nutrition on Facebook for nutrition tips, information, special deals, and even some laughs!

 

Princess Birthday Party

Do you have a little girl with a birthday coming up? Here's her chance to be a princess for a day! Princess parties are great for girls around 5-8 years old.

When you send out invitations, let the guests know they can come dressed up as princesses. It is also nice to have a few extra dress-up pieces at the party for anyone who forgets or doesn't have a costume.

There are so many great ideas for party activities:

1. Decorate crowns with feathers and gems.
2. Make necklaces and bracelets with beads and cord.
3. Paint wooden jewelry boxes and jazz them up using glitter glue.
4. Pick up a few princess puzzles and see who can finish making theirs the fastest. The kids can take home their puzzles after the party.
5. Have a princess race. Each girl puts a book on her head and they all walk (run!) to the finish line.
6. Play a princess memory game. Put a bunch of princess items on a tray. If you're like us, you'll have plenty of princess toys around the house. Look for things like princess figurines, tiny hair combs, glass slippers, and rings. The older the children are, the more items you can place on the tray. To play the game, give the girls a minute to look at all the items on the tray. Have the girls turn around and then remove one item from the tray. Let them look at the tray again and try to figure out which item is missing. Replace the toy and play again.
7. Have a dance party. Put on some fun music and let the girls dance in their fancy dresses.

Ready for snack time? Grandin Bakery has lots of fun ideas for party treats. We can do cakes with tiaras, castles and pretty princesses. We also have a set of cutters that make the loveliest cookies. Just let us know how you'd like them decorated!

Instead of goodie bags, you might want to give one special item to each girl, like a wand or a princess story book. And if you have a printer at home, you can take a group picture of the princesses, print out copies, and send each girl home with a photo to remember the special day. Happy party planning!

Teddy Bear Birthday Party

Here is a great theme for a little girl's birthday party: Teddy Bears! This party would be great for younger kids between the ages of 4-6.

Invite each guest to bring along her favorite teddy bear. The teddies can join in all the birthday fun, from snack time to present opening.

• Set up extra chairs at the table so that each girl can sit next to her bear at a tea party.

• Make hats for the teddy bears using paper cups, crayons, and stickers. Use some stretchy string to put chin straps on the hats so that they stay snugly on the bears. 

• Let the kids decorate teddy bear shaped cookies. Grandin Bakery can make uniced sugar cookies that are ready to be decorated. We can also put together containers of icing in any color you like. Just pick up some candies or other toppings at the grocery store and you're set! Here is a picture of the teddy bear cutter we use at the bakery:

• Be sure to play games with the teddies. One idea is to have a teddy bear race. Split the kids up into pairs and give each pair a tea towel to place their teddies on. Each person holds two corners of the tea towel and together they carry their bears to the finish line. Whichever pair gets there first wins. If the bears fall out of the tea towel, back to the starting line!

• When it's time to open gifts, first have each guest hide her teddy bear for the birthday girl to find. Each time a girl's bear is found, her present is opened. This is a fun way to get everyone involved in the gift opening.

• Having kids over for lunch? Make teddy bear shaped sandwiches. Simply cut bread into bear shapes using cookie cutters and then add cheese or jam. Here are some cute grilled cheese sandwiches that are beary fun!

Nostalgia

I love looking through old photos. It's an opportunity to appreciate where we've been. Recently, I came across these pictures from the bakery, which I'm guessing were taken in the late 70's. Our family has been in the baking business for generations. My husband and his brother were taught how to bake by their dad, who in turned learned from his father. Even great granddad was a baker! It just runs in the family. My husband can't imagine doing anything else. There is something very special about turning simple ingredients like flour and eggs into a hearty bread or decadent pastries.

These photos are from when Grandin Bakery was located in Grandin Mall. We still have many customers that remember stopping in there for treats after dance class or hockey practice when they were kids. And now they are bringing their own children by the bakery for cookies or donuts. We have some pretty great customers. Thanks for letting us help you with your school lunches and family BBQs, with your birthday parties and special occasions for so many years!

  Wow! Cinnamon Buns were 6 for 69¢!

Valentine's Day Goodies

My husband and I have only celebrated Valentine's Day at a restaurant once. That was enough for us. Oh, sure, we enjoyed the food and good company. But the two hour wait for a table, not so much. The restaurant didn't take reservations for Valentine's Day, so we thought we'd just hope for the best. When we found out how long the wait was, we thought about going home, but we were with another couple and had really been looking forward to a night out with them.

So the four of us made our way back to the van and we hunkered down for a couple of hours. I'll admit, we had some fun laughing and chatting together while we waited for our pager to buzz us in from the cold, but mini vans aren't built for cuddling. It's hard to enjoy a snuggle with your Valentine when there's an aisle separating your seat from his!

These days, hubby and I are more content to just stay home on Valentine's Day. We have a nice dinner together (usually with the kids!) and enjoy some cuddles afterwards on our comfy couch. If you decide to stay in this year for Valentine's Day, be sure to share something yummy for dessert. Check out these cute goodies from Grandin Bakery and surprise your Valentine with some sweet treats.