Sweet Molasses Brown Bread (like outback steakhouse)

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, soft
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups all purpose flour, or bread flour
2 cups whole what flour (or more)

Directions:
1. Combine water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, and proof for about 10 minutes.
2.  Add everything except the whole wheat flour to the bowl and mix about 2 minutes until combined, scrape down the bowl.
3.  Add 1 cup of the whole wheat flour and mix on low until combined, gradually add the other cup of whole wheat flour until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Continue mixing on low for 7-10 minutes, adding more flour if needed.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead into a tight smooth call.  Place in a greased covered bowl and let rise until doubled.
6.  Punch down dough and shape into about 16 rolls, place in a greased pan, let rise again about 1 hour.
7.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
8. Brush baked rolls with butter.

7UP Biscuits

These are the best biscuits I've ever made, which is saying a lot since I hate Bisquick. I usually double the recipe

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7-up

1/4 cup melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. This makes a very soft dough.
3. Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out (be gentle).
4. Melt  the 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan.  Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

Lemon rolls

Makes 12 rolls (use frozen roll dough or make your own)

Ingredients:
12 rolls (if frozen, thawed but still cold)
zest of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons butter melted
1/2 cup sugar

   glaze:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar

• Grease a 9X13 inch pan
• cut rolls in half and place in the pan
• drizzle rolls with the melted butter
• mix the zest and 1/2 cups sugar together and sprinkle half of this mixture over the rolls
• cover and let rise until doubled
• sprinkle the remaining sugar/zest mixture over the rolls and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
• combine ingredients for glaze and drizzle over the rolls while still warm.

Danish Puff

This is a recipe that caught my eye years ago in an old Betty Crocker cookbook of my mothers that she gave me when I moved out of the house.  I found this recipe between the coffee cake and pancake recipes.  I don't know how it fits in there, but the recipe seemed so odd, I had to try it.  And I have been making it ever since.  It has a flaky crust with a custard-like topping.  It is such and easy and yummy pastry like dish.  I usually put the nuts on only one, and let the kids have the one with out nuts.  It serves 10-12.  And although it would be a great addition to a very unhealthy breakfast, it feels more like a dessert to me.  But there really isn't much sugar in it.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup flour
3 eggs
 
 glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-2 tablespoons warm water, or until smooth and of spreading or drizzling consistency

chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Crust:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut 1/2 cup of softened butter into 1 cup flour.
3. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water onto the flour and butter mixture and mix.
4. Round the mixture into a ball, and divide in half.
5. On a parchment lined baking sheet, pat each half into a strip, 12x3 inches.  Strips should be 3 inches apart.

Custard top:
1.Heat 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the almond extract and 1 cup of flour.
4. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute.
5. Beat in the eggs all at once until smooth and glossy. (I use a hand held mixer for this, for about 1 minute)

6. Spread half of the mixture evenly over each of the strips, extending the batter just barely  beyond the edge of the strips.
7. Bake about 60 minutes or until the topping is crisp and brown.
8. Cool.  (the topping will shrink and fall, forming a custardy top)

9.To make the glaze:  Mix glaze ingredients until it reaches desired consistency.
10. Frost or drizzle with the glaze and sprinkle generously with chopped nuts.


** for individual Danish Puffs, Pat the dough into 3 inch circles, using a rounded teaspoonful for each.  Spread a rounded tablespoon full of batter over each circle.  Bake for 30 minutes.  This makes 2 dozen.

Pizza Bianca

This is my favorite ever. This recipe comes from the cook book called my bread, by Jim Lahey. The book is full of delicious bread recipes using his no-knead method. Every bread recipe I have ever made using a no knead method has been perfect and delicious. I often make this particular recipe real quick (it takes a minute at most) at night, then bake the bread for my lunch. And I do eat it all, or at least I would eat it all if I did not have to share with the children.

Ingredients:
3 cups bread flour, plus additional for dusting
1/4 teaspoon instant or other active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups cool water
1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for coating the bowl and brushing
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour , yeast, table salt, and sugar. Add the water, and using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds. Lightly coat a second medium bowl with olive oil and place the dough in it. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size, 9 to 12 hours.

2. When the first rise is complete, generously dust a work surface (a cutting board is useful here) with flour. Use a bowl scraper or runner spatula to scrape the dough out of the bowl in one piece; as you begin to pull it away from the bowl, it will cling in long, thin stands and will be quite loose and sticky. Using lightly floured hands, fold the dough over itself two or three times and nudge it into a loose, rather flat ball. Brush the surface of the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the coarse salt (which will gradually dissolve on the surface). Put the dough in a warm draft-free spot and let rise until doubled, 1-2 hours.

3. Half an hour before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, with a rack in the center, and place a pizza stone, at least 14 inches in diameter, in the center of the rack.

4.Generously dust a pizza peel with flour and place the ball of dough in the middle. Spread out the fingers of one hand, like a claw, and drive your fingers into the dough, but do not puncture it. you want to simultaneously create dimples in the dough and spread it across the peel. Continue working your hands across the dough and dimpling it until you have a bumpy disk about 12 inches in diameter. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the rosemary leaves.

5. With the peel resting on the counter (this part gets easier with practice), grasp the handle and give it a quick little tug: you want the pizza to just barely move but stay on the peel. (Loosening it make it easier to slide it onto the baking stone.) If the dough sicks to the peel, gently lift it around the edges and add flour to the peel. Shake the pizza onto the baking stone. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown on the mounds but still pale in the dimples.

6. Slide the peel under the pizza and transfer it to a rack to cool for a least a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Pretzel Rolls

I saw these at Wegmans and Knew I had to make them. I made these twice last week, all I needed was a bowl of that artificial cheese dip and my life would have been complete.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
pretzel salt


Directions:

In a bowl of a stand mixer combine the water, yeast and sugar and let rest until foamy, about 5 minutes
Add the flour, salt and butter. Mix the dough until combined and dough cleans the side of the bowl, about 2 minutes.
Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise until double.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 20 little balls.
Place the balls on the baking sheets and let rise about 30 minutes or until doubled.
Place oven racks in the lower 2/3 position.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda and lower the heat to a simmer.
Put the rolls into the water and poach for 30 seconds, then carefully turn the roll over and poach for another 30 seconds.
Remove the rolls onto a dry tea towel to drain. Be very gentle. Place rolls back on parchment lined baking sheets.
Glaze each roll with the lightly beaten egg. Top each roll with pretzel salt. Cut an X or slash into the top of each roll.
Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I have to make these a few times every year.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter milk (or milk)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2/3 cups canned pumpkin

Directions:

1. Whisk together all the dry ingredients with a fork.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, oil, egg and pumpkin and combine.
3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until combined. (If you over stir the batter, the gluten will start to form in the flour and you will get a chewy pancake)
4. Cook pancakes on a griddle or skillet over medium heat very lightly sprayed with oil. Once bubbles start popping up, gently flip the pancake.

Pita Bread

I am so excited that I finally found a pita recipe that works! I have been trying recipes but have not really been happy with any of them. These pitas are delicious and I made them with a little whole wheat flour so they are a bit more healthy for you. Homemade Pitas with homemade hummus and fresh vegetables is one of the best things ever. And the second best thing ever is the next day when you take a left over pita and melt cheese on it. YUM!!

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups warm water
3 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting.
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine the water, sugar and yeast and let proof for ten minutes.
2. Stir in the flour, salt and olive oil and knead until dough is soft and barley sticky. Or make the dough in a mixer with a dough hook and knead the dough on low until the sides of the bowl are clean, but the dough is still sticking to the bottom of the bowl.
3.Place the dough in a oiled bowl and cover, let dough rise until doubled.
4.Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
5.Divide the dough into 16 equal portions.
6. Roll each piece of dough out on a floured surface into about a 6-7 inch circle.
7. Place 2-3 pitas directly on your oven rack and bake for 4-5 minutes or until puffed in the center and golden.  Or you can place the dough onto a metal cooling rack, then move the cooling rack into the oven.
8. Repeat with remaining pitas.
9.  Let the pitas cool slightly before eating (they are full of hot steam) Cut in half, fill and enjoy!

*For the first couple pitas you may have to experiment with the size. It takes me a few tries to get the pita dough rolled out to the right thickness. If they are too thin they will not puff up. When I roll mine out, they are about the size of my hand. Luckily, the ones that don't puff up are still good to eat!

Mini Cinnamon and Sugar Puffs

Now come on, doesn't this look yummy?

Ingredients:

1-¾ cup Flour
1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoons Salt
1/4 teaspoons Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/3 cups Oil
3/4 cups White Sugar
1 whole Egg
3/4 cups whole Milk
_____
FOR THE TOPPING:
1/2 cups Butter
2/3 cups White Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Directions:
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine.
Spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl.
Combine the white sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl.
Shake muffins out while still hot.
Dip muffins in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Let cool.

This makes 24-30 mini muffins

Orange Glazed Mini Pumpkin Muffins

It's October! Yea, time for all the yummy pumpkin recipes. I love these yummy cute little things. Kids love them too, they are the perfect way to get your kids to start liking pumpkin. This makes about 40 mini muffins. It sound like a lot, but don't worry you will find that you will eat about 12 at a time and you will have to hold yourself back so that you will have enough to send in the kids lunches the next day.

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can 100% pure pumpkin
1 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Orange Glaze:
1 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar
the zest of 1 orange
the juice of 1 orange (you won't use it all)
a pinch of salt


Directions1.Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray mini-muffin cups with vegetable cooking spray.
3.Bring pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon and cloves to a simmer in a medium saucepan until puree thickens enough to start sticking to pan bottom, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Turn hot puree into a bowl. Whisk in brown sugar and oil, then slowly beat in eggs one at a time.
5. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk into pumpkin mixture until just combined.
6.Divide batter among the muffin cups and bake until golden and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. 7.Let stand a few minutes, then transfer mini-muffins to a wire rack to cool.

For the glaze, combine ingredients adding orange juice until it is a good drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze on each muffin, or dip top of muffins into the glaze.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Oh man, 3 over ripe banans were sitting in my kitchen. It meant I had to make my favorite Banana Crumb Muffins for dinner. Thanks to a half a bag of frozen stirfry veggies and some eggs we had the perfect dinner of veggie omlets and Banana Crumb Muffins!

Banana Crumb Muffins recipe is from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter.

Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Naan

When ever I make anything with curry we have to have this, it is amazing. It would also be great with something like shish kabobs!! Try it with one of my favorite recipes : Vegetarian Korma.

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 egg beaten

2 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 cups bread flour

minced garlic (optional)

1/4 cup butter melted

Directions:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Punch down dough. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
During the second rising, preheat grill to medium high heat.
At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter (and garlic if you want), and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

* You can also cook the dough in a frying pan, as I did in the picture.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

These are my absolute favorite muffins.

Lemon - Blueberry Muffins
(from The New York Times)

1/2 cup butter, room temp
2 tsp lemon zest
1 cup + 1 Tblsp. sugar
1 egg room temp
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups cake flour (all-purpose is fine too)
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups blueberries

1. preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cream butter with lemon zest and 1 cup of the sugar until and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
3. Toss the blueberries with 1/4 cup flour and sift (or whisk) the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Fold in the blueberries.
5. Grease muffin tin. Fill muffin tins, each cup will be filled above the rim with batter. Sprinkle the batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 30 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. Let muffins cool in pan for 7 minutes before serving.....

*this recipe is for 6 jumbo muffins. I found it makes about 10 regular muffins with a slightly decreased baking time.

Croissants

Ingredients:
1 cup milk, plus 2 tblsp to brush over croissants
2 tsp active dry yeast
2 1/4 cup plus 3 tblsp sifted all purpose flour
2 tblsp sugar
1 tsp salt
12 tblsp sweet unsalted butter

glaze:
1 tblsp milk mixed with 1 egg yolk

Directions:
Day 1 (Friday evening)
Heat 1/4 cup of the milk to lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast into the milk. Stir 2 tblsp flour into the milk and whisk until there are no more lumps. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until double (about 20 min).
Mix the sugar and salt into 2 1/8cup flour.
Transfer the raised dough to a bowl of and electric mixer with a dough hook. Heat remaining milk. Add the milk and mix at high speed, start adding the flour, sugar and salt a little at a time reducing the speed to low until dough is soft and sticky.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.
Day 2 (morning)
Bring the butter to room temperature and work in the 3 tblsp of flour.
Sprinkle the work surface with flour.
Shape the cold dough into a into a 6x15 inch rectangle.
Spread the butter on 2/3rds of the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border.
Fold the dough into thirds.
Roll the dough out again into a 6x15 inch rectangle and fold into thirds.
Transfer the dough to a pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.
(afternoon)
Roll and fold dough two more times, wrap with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
Day 3 (Sunday morning)
1 1/2 hours before baking time, remove dough from fridge and roll it into a 16 inch circle. Working quickly cut dough into quarters, then each quarter into 3 triangles.
Roll base of triangle towards point. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with 2 tblsp milk and let stand at room temp until doubled.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, brush with glaze and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. When the croissants start to brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.


*This recipe i got from a french recipe book years ago. It has become a Sunday morning tradition
* Our favorite is, before i roll the croissants i fill them with almond paste filling. then after they are cooked, top with sliced almonds and powder sugar or glaze.
There are lots of good feelings, nutella, chocolate, chocolate and almond etc... or even ham and cheese.

Flour Tortillas

Thanks to my dad, we now have a handy tortilla press. The kids love to help with it and we all love to eat these so much that I really need to from now on make a double batch.

2 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp shortening
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup boiling water

1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Cut in shortening.
3. Add water slowly, and mix to combine.
4. Knead the dough for a few minutes.
5. Cover with a moist towel and let rest for 10 minutes
6.Divide the dough into about 10 pieces and roll each piece out to desired thickness, about the size of the soft taco tortillas. (cover dough with moist towel so they don't dry out.)
7.Cook on a frying pan over medium to medium high heat. No oil or spray, just a dry pan. Flip tortilla when bubbles form. (I again like to cover the cooked tortillas with a hot moist towel, so they stay moist and hot for serving)


*OK, so a little time consuming, but so worth it. And cheap. Hmmm.... I should try making a whole wheat version.

Whole Grain Waffles

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cups skim milk (or soy)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt


In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Beat in whole wheat pastry flour, flax seed meal, wheat germ, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar,cinnamon and salt until batter is smooth.
Preheat a waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown. Place cooked waffles in a 200 degree oven until all the waffles are cooked or serve immediately.

*freeze and reheat in toaster