By Planning MawMaw Shirley's 81st birthday. She is thinner this year. Naps more. The cotton gloves are permanent. She drove to the store and Daddy said she should not be driving and she said, "I drove before you were born." Factually incorrect. Spiritually true.
Kayla will come from Lafayette. Terrence confirmed. Jamal cannot make it from Houston. The table will not be full but MawMaw Shirley defines enough and I trust her definition. I made a practice gumbo — every stir counts when the woman you are cooking for is eighty-one and the birthdays are not infinite.
I went with a savory stuffing bread because MawMaw Shirley’s table has always been about the things that fill the room — the smell, the warmth, the something that tells people they are in the right place. The gumbo was the practice run, but this bread is what I am bringing to her birthday, something she can tear with her cotton-gloved hands and pass without ceremony. Kayla will come from Lafayette, Terrence confirmed, and I want the bread basket to say what I cannot always say out loud: that enough people are here, and the ones who are here are enough.
Savory Stuffing Bread
Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 1 hr 5 min | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/4 tsp celery seed
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup warm water (110–115°F)
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 1/4 cup finely diced onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add diced celery and onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Activate the yeast. In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Build the dough. Add butter, egg, salt, sage, thyme, marjoram, celery seed, onion powder, and black pepper to the yeast mixture. Stir in cooled celery and onion. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead until smooth. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gradually incorporate remaining flour and knead 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky.
- First rise. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover with a clean towel. Let rise in a warm spot 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Shape the loaf. Punch dough down and shape into a 9-inch loaf. Place in a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Cover loosely and let rise 30–40 minutes until the dough crowns about 1 inch above the pan rim.
- Bake. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake 35–40 minutes until deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Internal temperature should reach 190°F.
- Cool before slicing. Remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing so the interior sets properly.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 165 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 27g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 210mg