Rye Bread

St. Patrick's Day is around the corner, and I'm sure I'll be making this recipe to go with our corned beef and cabbage.  I've been using this recipe for years, and it always gets great reviews!

Ingredients:

4 C flour

2 C warm water

1/3 C brown sugar

2 packages (or 4 1/2 tsp) of instant yeast

1 Tbsp caraway seed

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 T canola oil

2 C rye flour

1 egg white + 1 tsp water (for egg wash)

Directions:

1.) Stir 1 C flour, brown sugar, and yeast.
2.) Add water.

3.) Mix until frothy and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

4.) Add caraway seed, salt, and oil.

5.) Stir in remaining 3 C flour and 2 C rye flour.

6.) Knead dough.

7.) Allow dough to rest in a warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes.

8.) Form dough into desired shape.
9.) Place dough onto a greased baking sheet (9x13 pan for rolls).

10.) Score the loaves and apply egg wash.

11.) Bake loaves at 400 F for 35 minutes (20 minutes for rolls).

Makes 2 loaves or 24 rolls.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Someone gave me this recipe literally years ago, and I only recently got around to making them.  I can't believe I waited so long.  The recipe is now one of our favorites!  The biscuits are essentially a traditional baking powder biscuit with sweet potato added - deliciously scrumptious!  You can roll out the dough and cut into circular biscuit shapes, but I normally go with the drop biscuit style for ease.  As leftovers, they taste surprisingly good and keep their moistness better than most breads.

Ingredients:
2 C flour
2 T baking powder
1 T + 1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 C shortening
1 1/2 C mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 C milk (or less)

Directions:
1.) Prepare sweet potatoes by baking, steaming, or boiling -mash.
2.) Combine dry ingredients.
3.) Cut shortening into dry ingredients.
4.) Mix in the sweet potato.
5.) Mix in enough milk to form a soft dough.
6.) With a spoon, drop balls of dough onto a greased cookie sheet.
7.) Bake at 400 F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about 20 biscuits.

Bisquick Cheese Biscuits

Yum. A quick and easy comfort food!

Ingredients:

2 C Bisquick

2/3 C milk

3/4 C cheese

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1/8 tsp garlic powder

Ingredients:

1.) Mix Bisquick, milk, and cheese.

2.) Drop 1" pieces of dough on ungreased cookie sheet.

3.) Bake at 450 F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

4.) Meanwhile, mix melted butter and garlic powder.

5.) Brush butter mixture over biscuits.

Makes 12 biscuits.

Dried Cranberry Bread

I was in the mood for a bread with dried cranberries today. I found this recipe with sunflower seeds - absolutely delicious! Because the bread is so moist, I can imagine it will keep well too.

Ingredients:

1 package fast-acting yeast

1 1/3 C warm water

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp honey

1 1/4 tsp salt

3 1/2 C flour

1/2 C dried cranberries

1/3 C sunflower seeds

Directions:

1.) Mix yeast and water until frothy.

2.) Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

3.) Mix in oil, honey, and salt.

4.) Add flour, 1/2 C at a time. Stir well.

5.) Knead dough until smooth and elastic.

6.) Knead in cranberries and sunflower seeds.

7.) Place dough in a bowl and cover.

8.) Allow dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

9.) Punch down dough and form into 2 loaves or desired shape.

10.) Bake at 350F until golden brown (took about 15 minutes on a baking stone).

Makes 2 small loaves.

Cheese Swirl Bread

I had some time this weekend, so I decided to be adventuresome and try a new bread. This one was tasty, but a little dry. I think I will add more butter and more cheese next time. I think I would also add some herbs (perhaps basil or Italian seasoning) next time. I modified the original recipe, which was a ham and cheese bread with Boursin cheese. Below is the recipe, as I modified it. For step-by-step directions (with pictures) on how to make the bread into this beautiful shape, see cookingbread.com. Next time I make cinnamon rolls, I may use this fancy shape, rather than individual rolls.

Ingredients:

1 C scalded milk

3 tsp yeast

4 C flour

1/4 C butter

2 T sugar

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 C mozzarella cheese, sliced

1/2 C cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1.) Scald milk (do not let boil) and cool to about 105F.

2.) Add in 1 C flour and mix until smooth.

3.) Add in yeast and 1 C flour. Mix well.

4.) Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes.

5.) Meanwhile, mix butter, sugar, salt, and eggs until blended.

6.) Add the butter mixture into the dough and mix until smooth.

7.) Add in another 1 C flour and mix.

8.) Knead dough, adding flour as needed.

9.) Cover dough and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

10.) Punch down dough onto a floured counter top.

11.) Roll the dough into an 18" circle.

12.) Follow directions here for forming dough into a fancy shape (stuffing mozzarella cheese into dough while twisting it).

13.) Transfer dough onto cookie sheet.

14.) Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of dough.

15.) Cover dough and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

16.) Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes.

Makes 10 large rolls.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

This time of year gives me plenty of excuses to eat lots of pumpkin yummies. Here is another favorite. It makes a TON, so be prepared to gift some to the luckiest of your friends!

Ingredients:

15 oz pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 C canola oil

2/3 C water

2 C sugar

3 1/2 C flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp ginger

Directions:

1.) In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, and sugar.

2.) Separately mix dry ingredients together.

3.) Combine dry ingredients into first mixture and stir just until blended.

4.) Pour dough into greased bread pans and/or muffin tins.

5.) Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes (muffins) or 50 minutes (bread).

Makes 3 loaves or 36 muffins.

Zucchini Bread

Absolutely delicious! We used zucchini fresh from our garden. The zucchini bread turned out very moist and kept well until every last bit was eaten up! You can also use 1 C oil instead of 1/2 C oil and 1/2 C applesauce; when made with only oil, the outside becomes crispy and flaky.

Ingredients:

3 eggs (beaten)

1/2 C oil

1/2 C applesauce

1 1/4 C sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3 C flour

2 C zucchini (shredded, drained)

Directions:

1. With electric mixer, beat eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla.

2. Add in salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.

3. Mix in flour 1/2 C at a time.

4. With spoon, stir in zucchini.

5. Pour into two loaf pans or muffin tin (greased).

6. Bake at 350 F for 45-55 minutes (30 minutes for muffins).

Naan

We've found naan to be a great way to satisfy our craving for bread in the hot summertime when we don't want to turn on the oven. It's a perfect match with curry! When we have leftovers, we make them into mini flat bread pizzas by adding sauce, veggies, and cheese.

Ingredients:

1 package instate dry yeast

1 C warm water

1/4 C sugar

3 T milk

1 egg (beaten)

2 tsp salt

2 tsp minced garlic (optional)

4 1/2 C flour

1/4 C butter (melted)

Directions:

1. Disolve yeast into warm water. Mix until frothy.

2. Let sit for 5 minutes.

3. Sitr in sugar, milk, egg, salt, garlic, and flour (1/2 C at a time).

4. Knead dough.

5. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

6. Pinch off sections of dough and form into golf ball size balls.

7. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.

8. With rolling pin, roll dough ball into thin circle.

9. Place on heated pan or grill.

10. While cooking, brush uncooked side of dough with butter.

11. When golden brown (2-3 minutes), flip to cook other side.

12. Brush cooked side with butter.

13. Continue this process until all dough is cooked.

14. Eat while warm.

15. Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat.

Makes 12-15 pieces.

Flat Bread Pizza

Delicious! We tried making pizza with flat bread for the first time last night. I think we will stick to this recipe for pizza making from now on. The crust is the perfect combination of crispy and moist. The interesting part is that this recipe is identical to my Ultimate Pizza Dough recipe, the only difference being that the bread is not kneaded, does not require as much rise time, and is SO much quicker. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Pictured below is our pizza from last night: a light layer of pizza sauce, fresh basil (straight out of our garden), tomatoes (our garden isn't yet producing these), and fresh mozzerella cheese.

Ingredients:

1 C warm water

1 package instant dry yeast

2 T sugar

2 T olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 -3 C flour

desired pizza toppings

Directions:

1. Mix warm water and yeast until frothy.
2. Allow to sit 5 minutes.
3. Add in sugar, salt, and oil.
4. Stir in flour, 1/2 C at a time. DO NOT KNEAD.

5. Cover bowl and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

6. Break dough into two equal portions.

7. Sprinkle cornmeal on countertop.

8. On counter, roll each portion into a 12" pizza.

9. Transfer to baking stone and brush with olive oil.

10. Bake at 425 F for 5 minutes.

11. Remove from oven and add desired toppings.

12. Bake at 425 F for an additional 5-7 minutes.

Makes two 12" pizzas.

Cinnamon Balls

Cinnamon Balls are a cross between monkey bread and cinnamon rolls. They taste just like cinnamon rolls, but are several steps (and a ton of time) easier! The recipe for the dough is the same as my Yeast Rolls, but with a tad more sugar. The topping is a simple icing, not the super-sugary goo that often goes with monkey bread.

Ingredients:
1 C hot water
1/4 C margarine
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 C cold water
1 package instant dry yeast
2 3/4 C flour
1 egg

----------------------------

2 Tbsp cinnamon

1/4 C sugar

----------------------------

3 Tbsp butter (melted)

1 Tbsp milk

1 - 1 1/2 C powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Melt margarine in hot water.
2. Add sugar and salt. Stir.
3. Add cold water and yeast to water. Stir.
4. Add 1 1/2 C flour. Mix.
5. Add egg and 1 - 1 1/2 C more flour.
6. Knead dough.
7. Cover dough and let rise until it doubles in size.

8. Combine cinnamon and sugar.
9. Make walnut size balls of dough.

10. Roll balls in cinnamon sugar mixture.

11. Place balls in a greased 9"x9" pan (stack as necessary).

12. Allow to rise 20-30 minutes in warm place.
13. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 45-45 minutes.
14. Make icing by combining final three ingredients.

15. Pour icing overtop warm cinnamon balls.

Serves 5-6.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Bread is an easy and equally tasty alternative to making laborious cinnamon rolls. The whole process is about two hours start to finish!

Below you see the same bread, but cooked a little bit differently. On the left, the bread has extra butter and cinnamon sugar for maximum gooey goodness! On the right, the bread is cooked a bit longer for a hardened crust and a more "bready" texture. Take your pick!

Regardless, it is important to roll this dough to be long and slender, or else you may have uncooked dough in the middle of this large loaf.













Ingredients:
3/4 C raisins
1 package active dry yeast
3/4 C milk, warmed
1/3 C brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 T butter, melted
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 1/4 C flour
------------------------------
1-3 T butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C sugar
egg wash

Directions:
1. Cover raisins in bowl of hot tap water and allow to soak.
2. Combine warmed milk and yeast.
3. Stir until frothy and then let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Add in brown sugar and 1 C flour.
5. Mix in eggs, butter, salt, and cinnamon.
6. Stir well.
7. Add in remaining (3 1/4 C) flour, 1/2 C at a time.
8. Knead dough.
9. Let stand for 10 minutes.
10. Drain raisins and fold them into the dough.
11. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
12. Roll out dough into 14"x7" rectangle.
13. Combine cinnamon and sugar.
14. Spread butter on dough.
15. Sprinkle desired amount of cinnamon sugar on top.
16. Roll dough into loaf "hot dog style."
17. Place in greased loaf pan and let rise 20 minutes or let rise 20 minutes and then place on baking stone.
18. Coat with egg wash and/or butter.
19. Bake at 350 F for 50 minutes.
20. Slice and enjoy!

Serves 10.

Cinnamon Breadsticks

This recipe is the same as our Ultimate Pizza Dough, but with a bit more sugar added to the dough.

Ingredients:
1 C warm water
1 package instant dry yeast
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 T olive oil
2 1/2-3 C flour
----------------------------
1 C powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 T milk

Directions:
1. Mix warm water and yeast until frothy.
2. Allow to sit 5 minutes.
3. Add in sugar, salt, and oil.
4. Stir in flour, 1/2 C at a time.
5. Knead dough.
6. Allow to rest for 20-30 minutes in warm place.
7. Roll out dough to be 3/4" thick.
8. Slice dough into breadsticks.
9. Place on greased pan or on baking stone.
10. Allow to rise an additional 30 minutes before baking.
11. Bake at 450 F for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Prepare frosting by combining powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
13. Serve with frosting drizzled on top of breadsticks or with frosting on the side.

Makes 2 dozen breadsticks.

The Ultimate Pizza Dough

After years of searching, we have finally found a great pizza dough recipe that is perfect every time! It's wonderful for pizza, breadsticks, Cinnamon Breadsticks, or calzones! Also, check out our recipe for Flat Bread Pizza.

Ingredients:
1 C warm water
1 package instant dry yeast
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 T olive oil
2 1/2-3 C flour
desired toppings

Directions:
1. Mix warm water and yeast until frothy.
2. Allow to sit 5 minutes.
3. Add in sugar, salt, and oil.
4. Stir in flour, 1/2 C at a time.
5. Knead dough.
6. Allow to rest for 20-30 minutes in warm place.
7. Form into desired size and shape.*

8. Top as desired.
8. Allow to rise an additional 15-20 minutes before baking.
9. Bake at 450 F until golden brown (cooking time will vary based on size and shape of dough).

*If making calzones:

7. Form dough into 3-4 balls and allow to rest 10-15 minutes.

8. Sprinkle cornmeal on countertop.

9. On counter, roll dough into 7" circles.

10. Place toppings (meats, cheeses, veggies) on half of dough.

11. Fold dough over toppings to form the calzone.

12. Slide calzone onto baking sheet or baking stone.

13. Seal and top with egg white prior to baking.

14. Bake at 450 F for 15-20 minutes.

15. Serve with pizza sauce on top or on side.

Makes 1 large pizza, 2 dozen breadsticks, or 3-4 large calzones.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Yum! We slice the cranberries in half to help distribute the flavor. The recipe also calls for 1 C nuts, but we do not include them.

Ingredients:
1/4 C butter (melted)
2-3 T orange juice concentrate
1 egg (beaten)
3/4 C milk
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C flour
1 C fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions:
1. Mix butter, orange juice concentrate, egg, milk, and sugar.
2. Add in baking powder and salt. Mix well.
3. Stir in flour.
4. Fold cranberries into mixture.
5. Pour batter into greased muffin tin.
6. Bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes.

Makes one dozen muffins.

Flour Tortillas

We tried this recipe for the first time tonight. They are the best homemade tortillas we've tried yet (of course, only secondary to the ones we ate in Honduras)! We ate the tortillas as burritos tonight, but I can imagine they would also be very good for quesadillas. We made dessert tortillas by spreading honey on top. Yum!

For making these tortillas, it is most efficient to have two people: one person to roll out the dough, and one person to man the griddle.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
7 T oil
1 C warm water

Directions:
1. Mix ingredients together.
2. Knead for 3 minutes.
3. Cover with clean cloth and let dough sit for 15 minutes.
4. Separate dough into 1" sized portions (12-18).
5. Form each piece into a small ball.
6. Cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
7. Heat griddle on medium-high.
8. Roll out one ball into flat, round tortilla shape.
9. Place first piece of dough on hot griddle.
10. Once bubbles form, flip tortilla.
11. Tortilla will bubble up while cooking; flatten with spatula.
12. Heat until tortilla is golden brown on each side.
13. Continue rolling dough and cooking tortillas one at a time.
14. Enjoy the tortillas hot off the griddle!

Serves 4-6.

Parmesan Herb Bread

My favorite way to jazz up a normal pasta dish is with this amazing bread!

Ingredients:
2 C warm water
1 package instant dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 C olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
6-6 1/2 C flour
1 egg white + 1 tsp water (for egg wash)

Directions:
1. Mix yeast, sugar, and salt into water.
2. Allow to rest 5 minutes.
3. Stir in 1 C flour.
4. Add oil, basil, oregano, black pepper, and cheese. Mix well.
5. Mix remaining 5-5 1/2 C flour.
6. Knead dough.
7. Cover dough and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
8. Split dough into 2 equal portions.
9. Roll each portion into a 16" long loaf.
10. Twist the loaf and place on greased baking sheet or baking stone covered in cornmeal.
11. Let rise 20 minutes longer.
12. Score the bread.
13. Beat egg whites with water.
14. Brush egg wash on bread.
15. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes and reapply egg wash.
16. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until golden.
17. Cool loaves and enjoy!

Makes 2 loaves.

Cinnamon Rolls

This is my mom's super-moist cinnamon roll recipe. It is easy to double or triple the recipe if you are baking for a large group. As mentioned in the recipe, you can prepare these cinnamon rolls the night before and allow to rise in the refrigerator overnight; however, the best cinnamon rolls are the ones that are started at 5AM (those type aren't made often at our place...we enjoy sleeping in too much).


Ingredients:
1/4 C milk
1/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 C shortening
1 package instant dry yeast
1/4 C warm water
2 eggs (beaten)
2 1/4 C flour
---------------------------
1/8 C cinnamon
1/8 C sugar
soft margarine
---------------------------
1 tsp milk
1/4 C powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Combine milk, sugar, salt, and shortening in saucepan.
2. Heat until shortening melts. Cool to lukewarm.
3. Combine yeast and warm water in another bowl.
4. Add eggs to water mixture.
5. Mix both bowls together.
6. Add flour and mix until smooth.
7. Knead dough.
8. Cover dough and allow to rise 30 minutes.
9. Mix cinnamon and sugar.
10. Roll dough into an 8" square.
11. Spread soft margarine over entire surface of dough.
12. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture on dough.
13. Roll dough "hot dog style" and pinch ends of dough.
14. Cut the dough in 6-10 slices (depending upon size and number desired).
15. Place the rolls in greased baking pan.
16. Allow to rise for 30 minutes (or overnight in refrigerator).
17. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
18. Prepare icing by mixing milk and powdered sugar.
19. Pour icing over baked cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

Serves 6-10.

Pigs in a Blanket

We enjoy making pigs in a blanket. Mitch prefers them with mustard on the side; I like them when they are cheese-filled. They warm up well as leftovers. This bread recipe also tastes good as yeast rolls.


Ingredients:
1 package instant dry yeast
1/3 C + 1 tsp sugar (divided)
2/3 C warm milk
1/3 C warm water
1 egg (beaten)
2 1/2 T shortening (melted)
1 tsp salt
3 2/3 C flour
10 hot dogs
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. Mix yeast, 1 tsp sugar, warm milk, and warm water.
2. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add in egg, shortening, 1/3 C sugar, and salt.
4. Mix in flour.
5. Knead dough.
6. Cover dough and allow to rise for 10-15 minutes.
7. Divide dough into 10 equal portions.
8. Roll section of dough into rectangle (5"x2 1/2").
9. Wrap dough around hot dog (and cheese, if desired).
10. Repeat with each piece of dough.
11. Allow "pigs" to rise on greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes.
12. Bake at 350 F for 15-18 minutes (or until golden brown).

Banana Bread

This recipe makes two wonderful tasting loaves or a dozen muffins. The bread/muffins keep well for a couple of days following the original bake. It's our favorite banana bread recipe! Thanks, Christina!


Ingredients:
1/2 C margarine
1 C sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp yogurt
3 bananas (mashed)
1 C flour
1 C oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 C chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
1. Stir together margarine, sugar, eggs, yogurt, and bananas.
2. Mix in dry ingredients.
3. Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes (25 minutes for muffins).

Baked Doughnuts

These doughnuts (and doughnut holes) are amazing! They taste the best right out of the oven, so make them at a time when you will have lots of people to eat them up. Be sure to cut the middle holes large enough, or else you will have giant doughnut rolls.


Ingredients:
1 1/3 C warm milk (divided)
1 package instant dry yeast
2 Tbsp butter
2/3 C sugar
2 eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
A pinch or two of nutmeg
1 tsp salt
------------------------------------------------
1/2 C unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 C sugar

Directions:
1. Combine 1/3 C warm milk and yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
2. Stir in butter, sugar, and remaining warm milk (1 C).
3. Stir in eggs, nutmeg, and salt.
4. Add in flour.
5. Knead dough, shape it into a ball, and cover.
6. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size (30-60 minutes).
7. Roll dough 1/2" thick onto floured counter top.
8. Use a cookie cutter to stamp out 2-3" circles.
9. Transfer circles to greased baking sheet.
10. Stamp out inner circles using a smaller cookie cutter.
11. Cover and let rise another 45 minutes.
12. Bake at 375 F 8-10 minutes (until bottoms are golden).
13. Melt butter.
14. Combine cinnamon and sugar in separate bowl.
15. Remove doughnuts from oven. Let cool 1-2 minutes.
16. Dip each doughnut in butter and toss in cinnamon sugar.
17. Eat immediately.

Makes 1 1/2 - 2 dozen delicious doughnuts + doughnut holes.