Gingerbread Loaf

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/4 tsp ground cloves
1-1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, syrup and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients until just moistened. Batter will be thin. Pour into two greased 9x5-inch loaf pans. Bake at 325*F for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Cranberry Raisin Loaf

2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Lightly coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, milk, brown sugar, and vanilla. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of the stand mixer or large mixing bowl and mix with the wet ingredients until the batter is smooth. Fold in the raisins and dried cranberries. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the loaf in the oven for 45-55 minutes, reducing the oven temperature to 300*F for the last 10-15 minutes of baking. The loaf is done when a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Feta Cheese Biscuits

This is another recipe from my Bulgarian friend. I have not yet perfected it, but here's her version with my own notes added at the end.

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp baking soda, dissolved in the yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
around 1 and 1/2 cup flour or till the mixture is thick enough to stay on one place without running - like a soft and sticky dough
1 slice of butter, 1 cm thick

Mix the ingredients in the order listed. I use a fork for this purpose. When everything is evenly mixed, get a spoon full of dough and put over greased baking sheet. For the size of 1 of my biscuits, I would put 3 spoons in a pile and it would be enough for 8 of them. It's not a problem to prepare them smaller. Just leave some space in between as they tend to grow a bit. In the end, cut the butter in pieces as many as the number of the "piles" and push a piece in the middle of each before placing the sheet in the oven. Bake in 375-400* F oven until golden on the top - around 30 min in my funny oven.

[I think where I went wrong was that I didn’t add enough flour. I probably could have used 2 cups. Also, instead of pushing the butter into the center, next time I will put a dollop of dough on the pan, then put butter on top, then put another dollop of dough on top of the first dollop. Hopefully that will make mine more like my friend’s! ENJOY!]

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf

Very moist!

6 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup grated zucchini, with peel
1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1-1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Beat in egg. Add vanilla and zucchini. Stir with spoon. Add next 6 ingredients. Stir to moisten. Add milk and walnuts. Stir slowly to mix in. Turn into greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in 350*F oven for about 1 hour. An inserted wooden pick should come out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack to cool.

Eggnog Bread

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups egg nog
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup cut glazed mixed fruit

Beat sugar and egg in mixing bowl. Beat in melted butter. Add egg nog. Mix. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg over egg nog mixture. Stir until moistened. Mix in pecans and fruit. Turn into greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in 350*F oven for about 1 hour until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Let stand 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack to cool.

Potato Rolls

By far the best buns I know how to make. Slightly sweet. Worth the extra effort.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp sugar, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup hot potato water, drained from cooked potatoes
1/4 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast (2-1/4 tsp.)
2 large eggs, fork beaten
4 cups flour

Stir butter, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and potato water together in large bowl until butter is dissolved. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Stir 1 tsp sugar into warm water in small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over top. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add to potato mixture.

Beat in eggs. Add flour. Mix. Knead on floured surface about 7-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with tea towel. Let stand in oven with light on and door closed about 2 hours until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down. Shape into rolls the size of eggs. Arrange on greased baking sheet. Cover with tea towel. Let stand in oven with light on and door closed about 1 hour until doubled in size. Bake in 350*F oven for 15-18 minutes. Makes 24 rolls.

Nutritious Bread

1 package active dry yeast
3 cups lukewarm water
1 cup powdered milk (not made up)
 1/2 cup honey
4 cups whole wheat flour (or 3 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup wheat germ)
1 1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter

In a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the milk and honey, then the 4 cups whole wheat flour. Beat with a whisk until lumps disappear (it will be no thicker than cake batter). Let the dough rise for 1 hour.

Add the salt, oil, and white flour, working in all the flour the dough will take - until it’s not sticky. Knead for 3 to 4 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Put the dough into a large greased bowl and turn it once so it’s greased on both top and bottom. Cover the top with a towel. Let it rise 50 minutes. Punch down and let rise 40 more minutes

Shape into 2 large smooth loaves and put them in loaf pans which have been greased with shortening. Let rise in the pans, covered with a towel, 30 minutes. Set the time for 15 minutes to remind yourself to preheat the oven to 350*F.

Bake for 1 hour. When right out of the oven brush the top with melted butter.

Option #1: Bake only 1 loaf and roll the other half of the dough into approximately 2-inch rolls. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350*F for 25-30 minutes. Rub a cube of butter over the tops of the warm rolls.

Option #2: Take the unbaked round rolls from above and flatten them into circles about the size of your palm. Fold each circle of dough around a small wedge of cheddar cheese and 2 Tbsp of browned ground beef. Bake sealed-side down on a cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes at 350*F. Serve with barbecue sauce or mustard for dipping.

Spicy Pumpkin Muffins

My favorite pumpkin muffin recipe because it's so moist and flavorful.

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Topping:
2-1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices until well combined. Mix in the raisins to coat well with flour mixture. In a smaller bowl, beat the egg with milk, pumpkin, and oil.
   
Stir the egg mixture, all at once, into the flour mixture, mixing only until combined. Fill greased or nonstick muffin pans 2/3 full. Sprinkles with the sugar/cinnamon topping. Bake at 400*F for 20-25 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve warm.

Push-In Pie Crust

I tried this crust for the first time today. I’ve always shied away from making my own pie crust from scratch, for some reason. But this one worked GREAT! And it’s so quick!

1-1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp milk

Place flour, sugar, and salt in an 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Mix with a fork. Add oil and milk. Mix again, until all ingredients are combined. Press dough into the bottom and against the sides of the pan with your fingertips. Bake empty pie shell at 425*F for 10-12 minutes. Now it’s ready to use in your next quiche recipe, or make it a delicious dessert by filling it with pudding or fruit pie filling.

Simple Banana Bread

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup mashed banana's
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs

Cream sugar, shortening, and eggs.  Add flour, salt and bananas.  Mix well.  Add baking soda last, do not over mix.

Bake at 350 for approx 45 - 50 mins.