Showing posts with label bread. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bread. Show all posts

Tried-and-True Banana Bread

When you have leftover bananas that are too ripe, sometimes there's nothing else left to do but make banana bread. And since I always buy too many bananas anticipating that my 3 year old will actually eat them, I seem to always have some overripe bananas. (I have to admit that sometimes I let them get ripe knowing that I will make banana bread because it's so yummy and smells awesome in my home.) My friend Amy gave me this recipe many years ago during my freshman year at college. It is a tried and true recipe and the amount of goop on my recipe card can prove it. I think it is my most gooped up recipe card in my collection. (I really ought to think about rewriting it). In any case, I noticed that admin does not have a Banana Bread recipe on this blog, so I thought I'd better remedy that problem.


Click here for printable recipe. 


The Ingredients:


1 c butter/margarine
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 c ripe mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 c milk
2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped nuts (optional)

The directions:

Grease a loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and yellow. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the bananas, milk, and lemon juice. (I break up my bananas into small pieces and let the beaters do the mashing for me. Some days, ok all days, I don't really feel like washing an extra dish used just to mash bananas)Add in the dry ingredients and mix well (but not too much. You don't want it to get that rubbery, miked too much texture. Just blend everything together nicely. At this point you could add in the nuts, but I never do. First of all because I don't really like nuts in baked goods, and second of all, and most important, my second son is severely allergic to nuts. So you will never really see me cooking with nuts.
Pour into greased loaf pan and smooth out the top.Add pan to oven and cook loaf for 1 hour (give or take 5 minutes depending on your oven) if it starts to look a little dark half way through the cooking process, cover with a foil tent.Check with a toothpick to make sure it comes out mostly clean. Remove from oven and let rest in pan about 5 minutes. Invert onto cooling rack and finish cooling.Or, if you're anything like my husband and you can't stand having warm bread in front of you that smells so great, then by all means burn your hands cutting into it. Because then the butter will melt better on top of your slice.

FYI: If you're interested in doing muffins, do not use muffin liners. I think that because of the amount of butter in this, that they get a little greasy at the end. But you still need to grease your muffin tin. Cook banana bread muffins for 16-20 minutes in 350 degree oven.

If you want to do mini loaves, then grease a mini loaf pan and cook for 20-24 minutes.


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Cream Cheese Filled Carrot Muffins

Breakfast at our house is a cherished meal...never to be skipped.   Most days we eat oatmeal or cereal, which while being quick and easy is also totally  forgettable.  To remedy the forgotten breakfasts, at least a couple times a week we try to have something more substantial.  Something like these muffins.  The cream cheese filling and streusel topping make these delicious muffins a breakfast to be remembered.    They were delicious and made with whole wheat flour and carrots could probably be called wholesome as well.  Enjoy! 

Recipe Source: Adapted from  What's Cookin' Chicago?
 Click here for printable recipe. 



Carrot & Cream Cheese Muffins

The ingredients:


Carrot Muffins:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( I used white whole wheat flour)

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp.  salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes (I omitted)

Cream Cheese Filling:


4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Streusel Topping:

1-1/2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1-1/2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
pinch salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted


Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare your muffin tins by greasing with cooking spray or using paper liners.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar; set aside.

In separate bowl, beat the eggs and oil together until lightened. Stir in the carrots, walnuts and raisins.
In another bowl, cream together the cream cheese filling ingredients; set aside.

Fold the dry muffin ingredients into the wet egg/oil mixture and stir until just combined.

**NOTE:  The original recipe called for putting the cream cheese filling on top.  I thought the flavor of the filling stood out more with it on top, but it definitely looked prettier with the filling in the middle....you decide.

Filling in the middle:
  Fill each muffin cup about 1/4 full. Add a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese filling to each muffin cup, then top with batter to make each muffin cup about 3/4 full.
OR
Filling on the top:  fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full, then add a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese filling to the top. 


Combine all the dry streusel ingredients in small bowl. Drizzle with the warm, melted unsalted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms large chunks with some pea-sized pieces throughout. Before baking, top the filled muffin cups with the streusel topping.

Bake about 20-25 minutes*, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake part comes out clean.

*If making standard sized muffins, bake for 17-20 minutes.
*If making jumbo sized muffins, bake for 23-25 minutes.


Enjoy! 


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Braided Bread

Because this recipe was a staple in my home growing up, I sometimes wonder if that is the reason I love it so much. It has become a comfort food as it reminds me of the treasured memories of being with my mother in her kitchen. But then when I take this bread to a dinner party, deliver it to a friend in need, or serve it to company, I am reminded that it's just plain good on it's own... childhood memories or not! It is my most requested recipe by far. 
Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:


2 Tbs. yeast
1-1/4 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
1/4 cup soft butter (not melted)
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. (2.9-oz.) dry custard mix (or vanilla pudding mix)
3-4 cups flour (I usually use all white flour, but admin's pictures are shown using 2 cups of white whole wheat flour and the rest white)


Directions:  In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add softened butter, salt, and dry custard mix.  Stir until dissolved.  Gradually add flour to right consistency.  Knead dough 12 times (or 2 minutes in mixer).
Divide dough into 6 equal portions and roll out into a long shape.  Braid 3 together for a loaf. 
Place on greased cookie sheet.  Let rise 2 hours (or until doubled). 
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown.  Makes 2 loaves.
NOTE:  Don't use sugar free varieties of custard or vanilla pudding mixes.   I made my first batch using Bird's Custard mix and I didn't realize until after the loaf was hard and flavorless that it contained absolutely no sugar.  I recommend just using the Jello brand custard or pudding mixes.
Enjoy!!!

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Thank you to my cousin Trisha for sharing one of her very family favorite recipes!  We've enjoyed this Trisha-made bread many times and loved it every time (even thawed out after being frozen).  I just started making it myself  and it is absolutely wonderful....a new family favorite for us!


One more word of warning from admin:  Whatever you do, if you happen to be totally exhausted from overextending yourself once again and you think you're going to make some of your cousin's bread so you can take a few pictures for her post....

(Yep, I stopped in the middle of  arranging the ingredients and fell sound asleep right there on the chair.  It wasn't a long nap though, since I was quickly awakened by the sounds of my daughter clicking away on the camera.)


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Homemade Doughnuts

Breakfast just doesn't get much yummier than fresh, hot doughnuts dripping with glaze and that is why our family's twice annual tradition of making homemade doughnuts is an event to be anticipated with much drooling.  I let my daughter make the dough this time around and the kids formed them (hence the slightly crazy shapes), but no matter what they look like these were heads and tails above store bought doughnuts!    Enjoy! 
Click here for printable recipe. 


DOUGHNUTS:
2 Tbs. active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (I used oil instead)
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour (They're okay with part whole wheat flour, just not quite as soft)
Oil
for deep-fat frying

GLAZE: (or just dip them while they're hot in powdered sugar)
1-1/4 cups powdered sugar
4 to 6 Tbs. water
Colored sprinkles

Directions: In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, oil, eggs, salt and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down.

Turn onto a floured surface; roll out to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. doughnut cutter (I used the edges of a cup, then cut out the middle with a knife.  Of course we reserved the centers, letting them rise before frying, to make doughnut holes.).

Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

(my kids made the doughnut shapes themselves...hence the unevenness) 

In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. (NOTE: If you don't have a thermometer, you can make sure the oil is hot enough by dropping a very small piece of the dough into the oil. If the oil is ready it will bubble and sizzle freely). Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides.

(NOTE: Metal tongs work great for flipping the doughnuts in the hot oil and definitely avoid using plastic utensils.)

Drain on paper towels. In a shallow bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and water until smooth. Dip warm doughnuts in glaze; decorate as desired with sprinkles. Makes 20 doughnuts. Enjoy!

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Pepperoni Grilled Cheese



Sometime the week nights are just plain busy.
And, you need dinner in a pinch.  


We threw together these easy Pepperoni Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and called dinner a success.  

Pepperoni Grilled Cheese
{Serves 2}

4 slices of wheat buttermilk bread
4 slices of mozzarella cheese {or, cheese to your taste}
12 turkey pepperoni slices

Begin by placing your bread slices onto a griddle, heated to 300 degrees.

Top with cheese slices on one side of the bread.
Then, place the pepperoni slices on the other side.

Cook for about 5 minutes until cheese is semi-melted.  Check the bread to make sure the griddle isn't too hot that you'll end up with burned bread.

When the cheese is slightly melted, move the cheese covered slice of bread and flip on top of the pepperoni covered slice, cheese side down.

Allow the cheese to finish melting.

Serve warm with green veggies.


Photobucket

Linked to: What's on Your Plate?

Olive Garden Breadsticks



For as much as Frog Prince and I love bread, we rarely make bread sticks.


Now, we might have to make an exception.


These bread sticks are amazing!  Great flavor, and really easy to make.  I couldn't go all out whole wheat in this recipe because, well, Olive Garden's bread sticks are not whole wheat.  But, I did use 1 C of white whole wheat flour, just to make them a little more Finding Joy in My Kitchen style!



Olive Garden Breadsticks - Misadventures of Mrs. B

3/4 C warm water
1 1/8 tsp. yeast
2 1/4 flour
1 T butter, melted {unsalted}
1 T sugar
1 tsp salt {I used sea salt}

Begin by dissolving the yeast in the warm water, in the bottom of your mixing bowl.


Add the melted butter, salt and sugar to the mixture.


Add the flour; and mix the flour in using a dough hook.  


Allow the dough to rest, covered for ~45 minutes.

Then, shape into 8-10 bread sticks.



Bake at 400 for ~7 minutes.


Meanwhile, mix together 1 T melted unsalted butter, 1 tsp. sea salt and 1 tsp. garlic powder.


Brush each breadstick with melted butter mixture.



Then, bake for ~8 more minutes, until lightly browned.

Brush the rest of the melted butter over the breadsticks.  Serve warm.


Enjoy!

Photobucket

Linked to: What's on Your Plate?