Happy 4th of July! I am taking the week off from markets to enjoy some summer time with my family and friends, but in case you have some left over bread here is my current favorite crouton recipe:

1/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 c bread torn into little pieces (about 2/3 of a Polenta loaf works great)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400F
Mix the bread cubes with the olive oil in a large bowl. Toss to coat well. Transfer bread to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake staring 2 or 3 times until the croutons are golden brown, but still a little soft inside. Set aside and cool. 
Put on your next salad or enjoy as a snack while cooking your main meal :)

Directions:

1. Cut bread into thin slices and tear into chunks. Place in a large bowl and add salt and milk. Cover and rest for 20 minutes or longer if the bred was very hard. 
2. Sautee onion and parsley in butter add to the bread and milk. 
3. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil
4. Add eggs to the bread mix and combine with your hands into a uniform mass
5. Use wet hands to form one test dumpling and place in boiling water, if dough is too loose add some bread crumbs or flour. 
6. Divide dough into portions and form the rest of the dumplings in the size you like. Wet hands are best here. 
7. Place the dumplings in boiling water, place a lid on top and return to a boil, then partially open the lid and reduce heat to a strong simmer. Cook dumplings for 15-20 depending on size.
8. Take out dumplings with a slotted spoon and place on a hot plate. Serve immediately with Chanterelle Mushroom Sauce.

Tips:

• Reduce milk if the bread is relatively fresh, increase milk and steeping time if bread is hard and dry. For best results use five day old sourdough bread.
• In a hurry? Use hot milk and reduce steeping time.
• Left Overs? Cut into slices and fry in a cast iron pan with butter and top with an egg for breakfast or lunch.

Anyone else thinking about Thanksgiving yet? I am and it involves testing out stuffing recipes! Here is my spin on a simple one I liked from Bon Appétit:

Ingredients:

•     1 loaf Country Sourdough (or any other STELLA bread)
•     2 tablespoons olive oil
•     2 medium onions, chopped
•     2 carrots, diced
•     4 celery stalks, chopped
•     2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
•     ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
•     Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
•     ¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
•     ¼ teaspoon celery seeds
•     Pinch of cayenne pepper
•     2½ cups veggie (or chicken) broth
•     1/3 cup walnuts chopped
•     ¾ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Tear bread into 1” pieces spread out on baking sheets and let sit overnight to dry out.
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet heat oil then add onions, carrots, celery, thyme, sage, salt and pepper stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft about 10 minutes. Add butter, celery seeds, cayenne, and broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted.
Transfer to a large bowl; add bread, walnuts and parsley. Toss, adding more broth as needed to moisten. Transfer to a 13x9” baking dish; cover with foil. Bake until heated through, 45–50 minutes. Uncover; bake until dressing is browned and crisp, 15–20 minutes longer.

Country Sourdough
Montana grown organic wheat flour, water, organic sourdough culture (organic wheat flour and water), Montana grown organic whole wheat flour, sea salt. 

Polenta Sandwich Loaf
Montana grown organic wheat flour, water, organic sourdough culture (organic wheat flour and water), organic yellow corn, sea salt. 

Cinnamon Raisin Sandwich Loaf
Montana grown organic wheat flour, water, organic sourdough culture, (organic wheat flour and water), organic raisins, molasses, raw local honey, salt, organic cinnamon. 

This Weeks Bread Choices:
​Country Sourdough, Polenta Sandwich and KAMUT® Wheat Sandwich loaves available both markets

As you all know I love bread and I could have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday! Toast with any kind of topping and I am good to go. When we are short on bread around the house we get grumpy. Some days though I really crave Muesli or cereal for breakfast or an afternoon pick me up, just something crunchy in milk with fruit. The other day I came across a write up of Milk Toast and I couldn't get it out of my mind. I never found the recipe again, but the idea of using old bread and