Circle of Life Bread (Happy New Year!)

New  Year's Day was a happy one enjoying the company of our grown children.  My lucky food symbolic of the New Year was the bread ring.  This symbolizes the Circle of Life- Bob and I are nearing retirement and our kids are ready for the next stage of their young lives.  For lunch, I made one of Greg's favorite meals-Stuffed Flank Steak.

Stuffed Flank Steak
(Serves 4)

1 # Beef Flank Steak
2 Tablespoons Lite Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Molasses
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
2 teaspoons Dry Mustard
2 teaspoons Garlic, minced
Cut a pocket in the flank steak.  Mix the marinade and fill pocket and outside of steak.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, begin cooking the rice mixture on the stove top:
2 cups Water
1/4 cup Wild Rice
3/4 cup Brown Rice
2 Carrots, shredded
1/4 cup Onions, diced
Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Add the marinade to the rice mixture.  Stuff steak with rice mixture.
Place steak in baking dish, adding rest of rice to pan.  Cover and bake at 350 F. for 1 hour.  Slice meat across the grain.

I adapted the bread recipe from one in this month's Saveur Magazine.

Swedish Cinnamon-and-Cardamom Bread
(20 Slices)

1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 1/2 cups Skim Milk
Scald milk.  Stir in buttery  spread.  
Cool to 125 degrees F.
Add:
2 teaspoons Dry Yeast
2  Tablespoons Sugar

In a mixing bowl with dough hook place
1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Seeds, lightly crushed
Slowly add warm milk mixture to flour, beating at medium speed 2 minutes.
Continue adding rest of flour, kneading until flour leaves the sides of the bowl.
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour 
Place dough in a bowl sprayed with Pam.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Filling
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Seeds, finely crushed

Punch dough down.  Roll to rectangle, 11 X 17 inches.  Spread filling to within 1/2 inch from ends.  Roll dough, the shape into a circle.  Let rise 45 minutes.

With kitchen shears, cut strips 3/4 of the way into dough, spacing 1 inch apart and 1 inch from ends.  Fan top strips.  
Brush top with
1 Egg, beaten
Sprinkle with
Turbinado Sugar
Bake at 375 F. 25 minutes.  

Our meal included sauteed squash, mushrooms and peppers and a delicious fresh pineapple.  Greg brought some Mexican Coke in bottles.

This is our fun centerpiece inspired by Rachael Ray Magazine.  I brushed the number candles with Mod Podge, then sprinkled with silver glitter. We lit the sparkler candles on New Year's Eve.

Happy New Year!