Keto Garlic Butter Bread

Last year, Bitcoin led a motley pack of so-called cryptocurrencies in one of the great booms in market history, soaring over 2,000 percent to its peak. Since then, it’s led an epic bust that rivals the dot-com era stock market collapse. But there are still plenty of true believers. And as the dust settles, investors and regulators find themselves still grappling with questions first raised when Bitcoin broke into public consciousness five years ago: What exactly is it? How do imitators like Ethereum, Ripple’s XRP and Bitcoin Cash work? Should I buy it? Where do cryptocurrencies fit into the future of money? Here’s a guide for those feeling at sea in these turbulent digital waters. 1. What’s been happening? The total market value of all traded cryptocurrencies exploded late last year to peak at about $800 billion in January by one count. Four months later, though, the value of crypto-assets had plunged by about two-thirds, as regulators began to crack down and fear of big losses began to replace fear of missing out. By late June, Bitcoin had fallen by 70 percent -- close to the 78 percent fall of the Nasdaq Composite Index’s drop when the dot-com bubble burst -- while the worth of hundreds of other virtual coins fell close to zero. Even so, the total market value of traded cryptocurrencies still rested above $250 billion, many multiples of what it was a few years ago. 2. Is Bitcoin money? In a way, yes, though it’s not necessarily a useful form of it. It’s possible to buy or sell some things with Bitcoin but very few people do. Extreme volatility is perhaps the biggest argument against treating cryptocurrencies as you would the dollar or the euro. The hallmark of a reliable currency is that it provides a stable store of value. You wouldn’t want to spend Bitcoin on groceries today if you thought its value might soar tomorrow, or take your salary in Bitcoin if you thought it might plunge. 3. So what is it? Born out of the bitterness that followed the 2008 financial crisis, Bitcoin and its imitators aren’t bills or coins printed or policed by a government or bank. They’re electronic assets created and monitored by a community of users acting in a decentralized way, following protocols set down by the person or persons who dreamed them up. The “crypto” in the name refers to the encryption techniques used by so-called Bitcoin miners. And all the new currencies revolve around what’s seen as Bitcoin’s real innovation — blockchain, a publicly visible, largely anonymous online ledger that records the calculations miners perform to verify transactions without the need for a central authority. 4. Why are so many people down on Bitcoin? You mean, why did legendary investor Warren Buffett call it "rat poison squared”? There’s a long list of reasons. Besides the massive price swings, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have been connected with scams, money laundering, tax evasion, cyberthefts, exchange outages, excessive speculation and more. Risks like these may have been easier for regulators to overlook when Bitcoin and its peers sat on the far fringes of finance, but they are moving ever closer to the mainstream. The stakes are much higher now that mom-and-pop investors and Wall Street banks alike are piling in. 5. Is anyone overseeing this area of finance? A wide range of regulators are trying to get a handle on cryptocurrencies. Turns out there’s little agreement about what they fundamentally are: currencies, commodities, securities or something entirely new. Thus you’ll see them called crypto-assets, digital tokens, coins or just “crypto.” 6. How are crypto-assets like commodities? The vision behind Bitcoin laid out in a 2008 pseudonymous manifesto promised that no more than 21 million will ever be created. That means it’s sometimes compared with scarce commodities such as gold, whose value is determined solely by what people are willing to pay for it. Crypto-assets have become popular in places where hyperinflation erodes the buying power of the local currency (think Zimbabwe), or where sanctions block purchases (think Venezuela and North Korea).  7. How are they like securities? There’s an argument that some crypto-assets have the same characteristics as stocks, such as a share of ownership in a common endeavor and the expectation of making a profit from work done by a company. Much of the focus is on new coins or tokens offered by startups through so-called initial coin offerings, or ICOs. While they take different forms, ICOs let companies bypass the venture capital process by selling coins instead of shares. In some cases, the founders say coin buyers are prepaying to use a service that the company will build. In the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission has opened a broad probe into whether entities running ICOs are violating its rules by offering what are really securities, although a top SEC official said that neither Bitcoin nor Etherereum fell into that category. China has banned ICOs entirely. That didn’t stop them from raising more than $10.5 billion worldwide through the first half of 2018. 8. How are regulators clamping down? Their approaches have run the gamut, from an exchange-licensing regime in Japan that was recently tightened to a largely hands-off system in Switzerland, though the anonymous and borderless nature of many digital coins makes them tough to control. China, once the world’s most active Bitcoin market, banned crypto-asset exchanges in 2017 and blocked access to overseas trading platforms. The crackdown came during government campaigns to stop money from leaving the country and to reduce financial risk. Most countries, notably the U.S., have not yet formulated a comprehensive regulatory strategy. But U.S. prosecutors are investigating whether traders have been manipulating the price of digital currencies. 9. How can I buy Bitcoin? There are a bunch of ways, all with different risks. Individuals can buy crypto-assets directly from online exchanges that will trade them for regular currencies like the dollar, the euro or the yen. Most of the exchanges will offer to hold the asset for you in a digital “wallet,” although an alarming number of exchanges have been hacked. You can also hold the asset for yourself, in a digital wallet or in so-called cold storage: for instance, a thumb drive disconnected from the internet. Since December 2017, investors can place a wager on Bitcoin — betting it will either rise or fall — without having to own it directly, via futures contracts traded on two big U.S. exchanges. 10. What’s Wall Street’s approach? Until recently, it mostly kept its distance. Now there’s lots of interest if not yet much action. Lenders including JPMorgan, Bank of America and Citigroup have barred customers from using their credit cards to buy cryptocurrencies to avoid the risk associated with these transactions. But Goldman Sachs Group Inc. planned to begin trading Bitcoin futures on behalf of customers. And everybody in finance is at least dabbling in blockchain, which is seen as an innovative way to handle transactions that could potentially upend a wide range of industries. 11. Why are there so many digital coins? There are thousands of Bitcoin rivals, and it’s not clear how many of them are going to prove either legal or useful. Some were developed to overcome what their creators saw as flaws in Bitcoin, such as slow transaction times or high fees. Some of them were outright scams. Die-hard fans of newer currencies think they’ll eventually overtake their bigger cousin. The largest rival is Ethereum, which has a total market value half the size of Bitcoin. These so-called alt-coins are certainly getting more attention: By mid-2018 they accounted for more than half of all the money in crypto-assets, compared with less than a fifth at the start of 2017. 12. Who are the crypto true believers? Here’s a short list of enthusiasts: Teenagers and hackers drawn by a disdain for authority and the libertarian aspirations behind Bitcoin’s creation. Technology geeks who believe they’re disrupting the marketplace and getting in early on the next chapter in the history of money. Financial firms and central banks that think something important will come out of all this even if Bitcoin withers. And there are also plenty of investors who aren’t true believers but who hope to find one to sell their holdings to if crypto prices soar again.

source http://kosong--ok.blogspot.com/2019/05/keto-garlic-butter-bread.html

EASY LEMON BLUEBERRY BREAD

This Lemon Blueberry Bread is a delicious, flavorful quick bread perfect to enjoy along with a cup of coffee or tea.This recipe comes together quite quickly and would beautiful for a special brunch, tea party or shower.

This Lemon Blueberry Bread is moist, fluffy, sweet and flavorful!  I know I’ll be making this recipe again and again!

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (I used fresh)
• 1 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Lemon glaze
• 2 Tablespons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions :

1. Preheat oven to 350*F and line a 9"x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease with butter).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Mix until well combined.
4. While slowly mixing, add flour mixture and milk in two batches (some flour, then some milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk).  Stop mixing as soon as it's just combined.
5. Rinse off the blueberries (if using fresh) so they have just a bit of moisture on them, then, in a small bowl toss the blueberries and 1 T. flour.  This flour coating will help prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of your loaf while baking.
6. Add the flour coated berries to the batter and gently but quickly stir, by hand, to combine.
7. Immediately pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Cool bread in the pan for about 30 minutes, then move to a wire cooling rack with a baking sheet below (to catch the glaze you're about to add).
8. Prepare glaze by simply whisking together the melted butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla, then pour glaze over the loaf.  Allow to set a few minutes, then enjoy!

Recipe Source : Lemon Blueberry Bread @ lorioustreats

CHEESY GARLIC BREAD WITH ITALIAN SPICES

These cheesy garlic breads only take 20 minutes to make.  Quick and easy sides for pasta night or pizza night. Use mini French Bread for best results.

Cheesy garlic bread is a huge favorite around here. It is present on pizza nights and pasta nights.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter Unsalted, softened to room tempreture
• 4 cloves garlic Finely diced
• 2 tsp Italian spices dried
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (optional)
• 1/4 block pepper jack cheese
• 3 Mini Baguettes I used French Demi Mini Baguettes

Instructions

1. In a bowl, add the butter, garlic, Italian spices, salt and black pepper
2. Mix well and refrigerate for 30 minutes
3. Cut thin slices of cheese
4. After the butter has chilled, preheat oven to 400 degrees
5. Cut 4 slits into each mini baguettes
6. Add one slice of cheese per slit
7. Take the remaining butter and microwave it for 15 seconds.
8. In each slit, spread a little of the butter mixture
9. Individually wrap each baguette in aluminum foil
10. Place the wrapped baguettes on a baking tray
11. Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes
12. Remove from the oven and let it cool
13. Serve with pasta

Notes
Oven temperatures may vary, so, check after 20 minutes minutes.  If you like it crispy, cook for about 30 minutes
Recipe Source : CHEESY GARLIC BREAD WITH ITALIAN SPICES @ healingtomato

Zaatar Pastries "Mana’eesh bi Zaatar"

Zaatar – oregano in Arabic – is ubiquitous at the Middle Eastern table. The oregano is mixed with olive oil as a dip for fresh bread, either on its own or with sesame seeds to make a spice mix. Perhaps most commonly it’s baked into homemade dough to make this mana’eesh, among one of the most popular street and breakfast foods in the region. It’s found in loads of bakeries now.

What you’ll notice about the dough is that it uses olive oil, rather than the butter much of the West is accustomed to. In the Middle East oil-based dough is the rule, and it results in a light, crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside pastry. When raw, it’s quite sticky and stretchy. Dipping your fingers in more oil while kneading each pastry round makes it much easier to handle. This also brings out the oil’s flavor.

INGREDIENTS :
For the dough

• 4 cups flour
• 2 eggs, at room temp
• 1 cup water
• Pinch of salt

Yeast mixture: 1 tsp yeast + 1/2 tsp sugar + 1/2 cup warm water, mixed and set aside 15 mins

For the zaatar

• Equal tbsp (start with 4 tbsp each) dried oregano and sesame seeds
• 1 tsp sumac
• Drop of olive oil, to make a paste

INSTRUCTIONS :

1. Using your hands, combine the flour and eggs. Slowly add half of the water, and mix until just combined. Add the yeast mixture and rest of the water, then mix once more until incorporated. Cover with a clean, damp cloth and place in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours. 
2. Preheat oven to 200C / 400F while making the dough balls. Rub your hands lightly with olive oil. Take a handful of dough and make a fist, squeezing a little ball of dough up between your thumb and index finger. Place on an oiled cookie sheet, and repeat until all dough is used. Dip your fingertips in a bit more olive oil, and pat each sphere flat (they may shrink the first time, just keep flattening them).
3. In a small bowl, make the zaatar: mix the oregano, sesame seeds, sumac and olive oil into a paste (alternatively use store-bought) . Spread a thin layer of zaatar on each pastry round, and pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and puffed up.

Recipe Source : Mana’eesh bi Zaatar: Zaatar Pastries @ wanderingspice

HOMEMADE NAAN BREAD RECIPE

This Homemade Naan Bread Is Soft, Chewy, And Simply Delicious. You Won’t Believe How Easy It Is To Make And Will Want It As A Side To Every Meal. This Naan Recipe is so simple, and so delicious!

You start by making a basic yeast dough. Combine warm water, yeast and sugar in a large bowl and let it sit for a few minutes. Then add oil, yogurt, egg, salt, and enough flour to form a soft dough. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it and let it raise till doubled. Cut the dough into eight pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a circle about 6″ across.

HOMEMADE NAAN BREAD RECIPE
This homemade Naan Bread is soft, chewy, and simply delicious. You won't believe how easy it is to make and will want it as a side to every meal.



INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2-3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 tsp garlic, minced (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl; let sit for five minutes or till bubbly. Add olive oil, yogurt, egg, salt and 2 cups of flour. Stir till smooth.
2. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead a few times on a floured counter until smooth. 
3. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
4. Preheat a skillet to medium heat.
5. Cut dough into eight pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each piece into a 6" circle. 
6. Add a little oil or non-stick spray to the skillet. Cook each circle for 2-3 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on the bottom. Flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
7. Brush the top (the bubbly side) of each naan with melted butter. I added garlic to my butter, but that is optional.

Recipe Source : NAAN BREAD RECIPE @ lilluna.

SOFT NO KNEAD DINNER ROLLS RECIPE

No stand mixer, no knead, no special equipment required. These No Knead Dinner Rolls are perfectly soft and fluffy and are astonishingly effortless to make. Just combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon – that’s it!

They are in every way just as good as classic dinner rolls, made by kneading the dough by hand (tired arms, tired arms!) or using a stand mixer. I truly believe to my very core that only those with a refined palette and/or baking experts can tell the difference between these No Knead Dinner Rolls and traditional kneaded-tired-arms dinner rolls.

Soft No Knead Dinner Rolls Recipe



Ingredients
BUNS:

• 1 tbsp dry yeast (Note 1)
• 55 g / 1/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar), or sub with normal white sugar
• 1/2 cup / 125 ml warm water (Note 2)
• 600 g / 20 oz bread flour (4 1/2 US Cups, 4 Cups everywhere else exc Japan)+ extra for dusting (can use all purpose / plain flour) (Note 3)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup / 250 ml milk, lukewarm, whole or low fat, (Note 2)
• 50 g / 3.5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 eggs, at room temperature, beaten with fork

BRUSHING:

• 1 tbsp butter, melted

Instructions

1. Place the yeast and 2 teaspoons of the sugar in a medium bowl, then pour in water. Leave for 5 minutes until it froths.
2. Place flour, remaining sugar and salt in a bowl. Mix to combine.
3. Make a well in the centre. Add milk, butter, eggs and pour in the yeast liquid, including all froth.
4. Mix until combined with wooden spoon - it will be like a thick muffin batter. Not pourable, but thick and sticky.

STEP#1:

1. Leave dough in the bowl, cover with a wet (clean) tea towel and place in a warm place (25C/77F+) to rise for around 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until almost tripled in volume. See Note 4 for how I do this (you will laugh - but it works every time!). Dough surface should be bubbly (see video or photos in post).
2. Line a 31.5 x 23.5 cm / 9 x 13" tray with baking paper with overhang.
3. Remove tea towel and punch dough to deflate, then mix briefly in the bowl to get rid of the bubbles in the dough.
4. Dust work surface with flour, scrape dough on work surface. Dust top of dough then shape into a log. Cut log into 4 pieces, then cut each piece into 3 pieces (12 in total). 
5. Take one piece and press down with palm, then use your fingers to gather into a ball, flip (so smooth side is up) then roll the dough briefly to form a ball. This stretches the dough on one side and that's how I get a nice smooth surface on my roll. (For this step, use as much flour as needed to handle dough and avoid piercing inside into the wet dough)
6. Place the ball with the smooth side up on the tray. Repeat with remaining dough. Line them up 3 x 4.

STEP # 2:

1. Spray surface of rolls (or cling wrap) with oil (any), then place cling wrap over the tray.
2. Return tray to warm place and leave for 30 - 45 min, until the dough has risen by about 75% (less than double in size).
3. Partway through Rise #2, preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan/convection).
4. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes, or until the surface is a golden brown and the roll in the centre sounds hollow when tapped. The surface colour is the best test for this recipe.
5. Remove rolls from oven. Brush with melted butter.
6. Use overhang to lift rolls onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool to warm before serving.

Recipe Source : Soft No Knead Dinner Rolls @ recipetineats