Cottage Cheese Bread - Secret Recipe Club

This is my first month participating in the Secret Recipe Club.  For those that haven't heard of it, this is how it works: everyone is assigned a blog and you must pick one recipe from that blog to make.  Then on Reveal Day everyone posts the recipe they made.  It's a great way to discover new blogs and meet some great bloggers.  This month I was assigned the cute blog Baking and Creating with Avril.  What I love most about Avril's blog is the step by step pictures.  They are very helpful in making sure you are on the right path while making the recipe.  My first instinct was to make a dessert but we really need to cut back on the sweets.  So  I settled on making one of her bread recipes since I finally understand yeast.  Her recipe for Cottage Cheese Bread caught my eye.  Cottage cheese seemed like such an unusual ingredient for bread.  I thought it would also be a great way to get some more calcium into the boys.  Well, it turned out fantastic!  The cottage cheese makes the bread very moist.  I've actually made this bread twice already.  This bread is very easy to make and is not as time consuming as many other bread recipes I have seen.  Next time I am going to try substituting some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat.  I will update this post once I have tried it out.

Cottage Cheese Bread

Slightly adapted from Baking and Creating with Avril

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup cottage cheese (I pureed this using my immersion blender)
1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Add the yeast to the warm water.  Give a quick stir to dissolve.

In a small saucepan over medium heat add the pureed cottage cheese and butter.  Occasionally stir until butter is melted.  Remove from heat.  Add sugar, salt, baking soda and egg.  Mix well.  Add the yeast mixture and mix well.  Pour this mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Add the flour and mix on low until a dough had formed.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Fold over several times.  Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel (leave the dough right on the floured surface).  Allow to rise until doubled in size (45-60 minutes).

Meanwhile grease a 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.

Once the dough has risen, fold over a couple of times and place in the prepared loaf pan.  Cover with the kitchen towel and allow to double in size.

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.