Banana Bread

In college I had a roommate, Lisa.  She was a great cook and we all loved her food. She didn't bake too often because she was working full-time and going to school full-time. She was friends with everyone on campus (no really!). She worked for the corporate side of Cold Stone. She brought home ice cream all the time. She hated it when we would take a taste -- at least without asking. Mostly because she was planning on giving it away to a friend. That's how she was able to keep her girlish figure, and be friends with the entire campus! Lucky girl!
One thing Lisa made well was banana bread. I have yet to find a more delicious recipe. Lisa's is sweet, flavorful, and moist. Lucky for you, I made it the other day which means - you get the recipe now too!

Banana Bread

recipe thanks to Roommate Lisa

2 cups sugar
2½ cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix sugar, flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder. Mix in remaining ingredients. Bake in 2 greased bread pans for 1 hour.

Tips:

Sometimes this bread can get a little dark. After about 30 minutes if the bread is looking dark, cover with foil while bread finishes baking.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

This is a killer week for me. Let me explain. Today my husband has a final (aka won't see him all day), I need to pack for our trip. Tuesday I feed 75 hungry 20 year old men. Wednesday is my big comprehensive Pathophysiology final (yeah, just the name makes it sound hard!) as well as my husbands last final. Thursday morning we are finally done and fly out in the morning to relax and see our family. Yes, it is a big week - wish me luck!
For this big week ahead I am going to need something good to help me start the day. I made these muffins because they are a quick, easy, portable breakfast (or snack... or lunch...). They are delicious and the glaze takes them over the top.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

2 1/2 c flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c dried, sweetened cranberries
2 tsp orange zest
1/2 c butter, melted
1 c milk
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin with papers or grease thoroughly.
In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cranberries, and orange zest; stir until well combined. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine butter, milk and egg. Whisk with fork. Add to flour mixture. Stir with wooden spoon until all combined. Batter will be lumpy. Do not overmix.
Evenly spoon batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes. While still warm, top with orange glaze.

Orange Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar
orange juice

While baking prepare your glaze. In a small bowl mix powdered sugar with orange juice, a Tbsp at a time, until consistency is like honey. (Confession - I used clementines, and only needed about half of it). Drizzle the tops of your muffins with glaze or simply dunk the tops in the bowl.

Wheat Bread

Sorry I have been so absent - my nephew was baptized just over a week ago and my brother was married on Saturday. We have been busy with wedding plans, shopping (ugh), sickness, and running around. Plus, I haven't been near a computer either. I am staying with my in-laws and they have to take their laptops to work. Guess I should have been one of those ahead-of-the-game-bloggers and done posts before I left. But alas, I did not.

So I am loving our new apartment - for the first time we live in a place where I can host a party. I love to have people over. I always have. When I was 12 I used to have monthly parties with the girls in my church class. I love being the host.
So last week I had some of our new Nebraska friends over for a playgroup. I told them I was going to make a treat. Well, I decided I wanted to make something I could eat (I am not having desserts) so I made bread. This is a recipe of my mom's. She used to make bread a few times a week. Can you believe it? What a woman!
This was actually my first bread success (I have lots better success with rolls). Try it out. It was easier than I thought it would be!

Mom's 50/50 Bread
2 c warm tap water
1/3 c sugar
2 Tbsp yeast2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 egg
2 1/2 c wheat flour
2 1/2 c white flour

In a mixing bowl combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit until yeast has bloomed (looks bubbly and yeast has grown a little). Add in salt, butter, egg, and wheat flour. Knead with bread hook. Slowly add white flour (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup at a time) until dough has pulled away from sides of the bowl. Knead for 8 minutes (this is where you give your mixer a kiss). Let rise until doubled (about 1 hour). Punch down and form into two loaves. Let rise until doubled, again. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes.

Tips:

Serve warm with butter and honey (or homemade freezer jam).
If you want more or less wheat, just use about 5 cups total flour, whether all wheat, or all white. (I actually did 3 c wheat and 2 c white).

Irish Soda Bread

A few years ago my friend, Emily (pastry chef and mother of triplets, extraordinare!) introduced me and my sister to Irish Soda bread and Irish Beef Stew. They are delicious recipes and have become a family tradition for us each year.
If you couldn't tell - I love celebrating any and every holiday. It just makes an ordinary day worth celebrating. Plus, redheads look great in green. Try this bread out for your St. Patrick's Day Party! We had 5 adults and 3 children. I doubled the recipe and almost all of the loaves were gone. (but we do like bread)

Irish Soda Bread

adapted from my friend Emily

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 c all purpose flour

1/4 c + 1 Tbsp sugar, divided

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1 c buttermilk
2/3 c raisins or craisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch-diameter cake pan with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, 1/4 c sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in large bowl to blend. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms. Make well in center of flour mixture. Add buttermilk. Gradually stir dry ingredients into milk to blend. Mix in raisins.

Using floured hands, shape dough into ball. Transfer to prepared pan and flatten slightly (dough will not come to edges of pan). Sprinkle dough with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake bread until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes. Transfer to rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I made this one with craisins, funny you can hardly see any. I thought it was delicious. But both ways are great!

Rosette Dinner Rolls

For our Valentine's Menu, I tried out a new shape for the rolls. I used my standard recipe for dinner rolls, only formed them into a different shape. I love that about bread. I love playing with my food.
Oh and thanks to Freida who let me know that Rosettes are also called, "love knots!" Perfect for Valentines!

How to Shape Rosette Dinner Rolls: (please ignore my dry old lady hands)

Divide dough in half. Divide that half into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 12 inch rope. Tie the rope into a loose knot, leaving the ends long. Tuck the end on top underneath the roll and point towards the middle. Bring the bottom end up, and tuck into the center of the roll, see my finger? Place them on great baking sheet, 2-3 inches apart. Let rise and bake as directed. Makes 32 rolls.

Homemade Pizza

We love homemade pizza in our house. It is so much tastier than from the store or the freezer section. We made our for a party. The perfect food. Who doesn't love pizza. And an added bonus? Everyone gets exactly what they want. One fun party idea: pot luck toppings, everyone bring their favorite. My favorite? Fresh tomatoes. Or maybe caramelized onions.

Pizza Dough

adapted from Bobby Flay
2/3 c lukewarm water
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl
1 3/4 to 2 c flour
2 tsp coarse salt
cornmeal

In a bowl stir together 1/3 cup water, yeast, and sugar and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 3/4 cups flour, and salt and blend until the mixture forms a dough. Put dough hook on your mixer and knead for a 5-10 minutes until dough looks smooth and doesn't stick to sides of the bowl. You may need to add some more flour. (Add a couple tablespoons at a time.)
Lightly oil the sides and bottom of a large bowl with oil, add the dough, turn to coat in the oil, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Sprinkle baking sheet with corn meal. Gently punch the dough down and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch circle that is 1/8-inch thick. Brush off excess flour and transfer the dough to baking sheet. Top with sauce, cheese, and favorite toppings. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until crust is cooked and cheese is melted.

Blueberry Pancakes

I love blueberry pancakes. But I have a confession, I never had them with real blueberries until about 2 or 3 years ago. We always used the dried ones. These blueberry pancakes are like a luxury for us. This could be a really special breakfast for Valentine's Day, or any day!

Blueberry Pancakes

adapted from Better Homes and Garden New Cook Book
1 1/2 c flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup blueberries

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir well. In a separate bowl (or in my case the measuring cup) combine the egg, milk, and oil. In the bowl with the dry ingredients, make a well (aka pit). Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredient well. Stir until just combined, but still lumpy.
Please! I am begging! Do not use a whisk! Do not over mix! Yucky rubbery pancakes are sure to follow if you do! Okay, sorry, back to the recipe...
Add blueberries. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto greased skillet. Cook until golden brown. Flip, brown again. Eat immediately! Makes about 8 4-inch pancakes

Tips:

• Like I said before, do not over mix, I can not stress this enough (obviously)
• Use fresh blueberries if they are available. If not, use frozen. Just thaw before using them.
• If you have a well seasoned griddle or heavy skillet, you don't really need to grease the pan - you will get beautiful looking, even colored pancakes.
• If your making a large batch, turn oven on to 200 degrees (or whatever your lowest setting is) with a cookie sheet inside. As the pancakes finish cooking, put them on the cookie sheet (in a single layer if possible). This keeps them hot and prevents too much sweat underneath.

Cinnamon Rolls

Twice a year, we listen to our church leaders at General Conference. Even if you aren't a member of the LDS church - you should read their messages, they are very inspiring. Growing up my mom always made cinnamon rolls. Now she has taught my sister and my brother - both who all make delicious rolls. My mom taught us well.
First, make this dough.
Once it has risen the first time, follow these tips:

1. Roll half the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick
2. Brush the dough with melted butter, leaving about 1 inch on one of the long side.
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon, I like a lot of cinnamon flavor, so I get my pretty dark. But do it to your taste.
4. Next spread a small layer of brown sugar. Sometimes I get carried away, and do too much. But that makes the rolls come apart. So hold back if possible. Now this is where you can add some raisens or nuts - my family likes them simple.
5. Now, roll it up, Jelly Style!
6. Pinch the seam together
7. Cut into 12 pieces. (Easiest to do half, half, then thirds)
8.  If you like them to be soft all around, place close together in 9 x 13 dish, if you like them browned all around, place about 12 on a cookie sheet. Cover with dampened dish towel (if you live in a dry area), and set in warm area and let rise until doubled.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown
10. Top with your favorite icing as soon as they are hot. (Do not use cream cheese frosting - too powerful, this is about the roll, not the frosting.)

Quickly take a picture, even if it is slightly blurry because these are too good to worry about a retake!

Dinner Rolls

Rolls are probably my favorite thing to make, there is something so therapeutic about kneading bread dough. Although the mixers make it easy to do, I still take it out and knead by hand because I love the feel.
Here is my recipe - tried and true by all my family members (we are all bread makers!)

Dinner Rolls
Adapted from Better Homes and Garden New Cook Book
About 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs

Get a cute baking buddy... check!
In a large mixer, combine 2 cups flour and the yeast.

In a saucepan combine milk, sugar, butter and salt. Melt over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Heat until butter is almost melted. (Should be just warmer than body temperature, so stick your finger in, if you can't tell the temperature - just a titch warmer, feels warm - perfect, feels hot - let it cool down before adding it to the yeast... it could kill it)

Add to flour mixture. Beat until mixed.

Add eggs. Beat for a few minutes. Switch mixer attachment from beater to bread hook. Add flour ½ cup at a time until bread is smooth and does not stick to sides to the bowl. Knead for 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, mix flour in until unable to mix with wooden spoon. Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed. Dough should feel moist but not sticky. This takes a little finesse to get the feeling right. (Should look like picture below, minus the grease.)

Grease bowl, place dough in bowl and turn so that both sides of dough are greased.
Cover with damp cloth and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 2 hours (depending on your yeast, temperature of the room, etc.).

This is what it looks like after it has raised

(This is from the cookbook - so if you want to make other shapes.)

Divide dough in half, roll out or shape into desired shapes.

This is the beautiful butterhorn shape - roll from big end to little and place on baking sheet with point side down.
This is the easy man's version.

Place on greased baking sheet, bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes.

While still hot, rub butter on cooked rolls. Eat and enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

For St. Patrick's Day one year, my sister and I decided to make Irish stew and soda bread. It was delicious. We had never had soda bread before. It quickly became a tradition.
For some reason whenever I see buttermilk, I think of this recipe. It was on sale this week, and although we are past St. Patrick's Day, I had to make it.

Irish Soda Bread

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup dried fruit (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch-diameter cake pan with nonstick spray. I used a 9-inch because, well, that's what I have.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in large bowl to blend.

Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms.

Make well in center of flour mixture.

Add buttermilk. Gradually stir dry ingredients into milk to blend. Mix in raisins, if desired. I didn't today.

Using floured hands, shape dough into ball. Transfer to prepared pan and flatten slightly (dough will not come to edges of pan). Sprinkle dough with 1 tablespoon of sugar. I know, I have a weakness for anything with sugar, so this got a little more than a tablespoon of sugar. Bake bread until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Cool bread in pan 10 minutes. Transfer to rack. Voila! Serve warm or at room temperature.