For the Love of Yeast

I've been a bad baker. Neglectful, remiss, borderline snobbish in my refusal to bake bread for weeks now. See, E was getting irritated by the huge 60's era Tupperware cake carrier-turned-dough tote that had taken up permanent residence on the bottom shelf of our fridge. That's usually where the beer lives, so you'll understand his aggravation. I figured subbing one yeasty product for another wasn't such a bad thing. The I realized it was summertime, aka beach time, aka bathing suit season, and was forced again to look at my massive carbohydrate intake as a possible road bump in my goals. With all of the parties we had coming up, I had to make a choice. Cupcakes or bread? That was a no brainer.

Now that I've consumed my weight in cake and icing, the parties are almost over and I'm back in the bread baking saddle. As luck would have it, the week I decide to rejoin HBin5 is another gluten free week. Blast! Forget that crap, yo. Like last time, I blew off the assignment (I've skipped so many I doubt anyone cares) and made a big batch of Whole Wheat with Olive Oil instead. It makes my second favorite pizza dough (the Soft WW Sandwich Dough is awesomer) and was another perfect way to help me get rid of the massive amount of produce I bought last week. This one is zucchini, red onion, kalamata olives, roasted red pepper, artichoke hearts and goat cheese. Yum!

The rest of the dough was turned into a leftover saver and is all wrapped up and ready to go to the Ibey's today. It's Anniebelly's 2nd birthday party and I'm in charge of "Adult Appetizers." Normally, that would mean an ice luge and a handle of vodka or two, but the party starts at 10 AM, so I figured I'd make food instead.

Italian Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Sandwich Loaf
adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients

Ingredients:
1 lb. portion of any whole wheat dough
1 cup cooked Italian sausage, crumbled or chopped
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. each red pepper flakes, oregano, and dried basil, mixed
olive oil

Preparation:
Grease a loaf pan (I always line it with parchment, too).
On a floured work surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.
Sprinkle with cheese, spinach, basil, and sausage.
Roll dough over the fillings, pinching seam and ends shut and folding them over.
Place the roll, seam side down, into the prepare pan and let rest for 60 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and when ready to bake, brush the loaf with olive oil. Sprinkle with spice mixture and salt and pepper to taste.
Bake for one hour or until top is browned and bread is firm. Cool slightly before removing from pan.
Slice and serve warm or at room temp.

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Don't forget to visit Michelle's blog in case you are curious about Gluten Free breads. Not everyone in the group is a scaredy cat like moi!