Archive for the ‘Breads’ Category

This recipe starts with a story.

See, our local grocery store ran a “traffic stopper” deal on Oranges throughout January. Super yummy oranges. From California. And these oranges were sold in 8lb. bags – on sale – every monday – all month. We may or may not have purchased 7 bags (56 lbs.) of oranges throughout the month. We ate plenty of them fresh, juiced even more of them (ah, fresh squeezed orange juice), and made these muffins. We may or may not have made them more than once.

Ok, back to the oranges.

We had lots. I tried making Cranberry-Orange bread once before. It was less than successful. Maybe it was the recipe I used. But the flavor… the flavor was something was craving. So I got my google on and started searching. There were plenty of things I liked about this recipe or that, but nothing quite perfect. So, I went ahead and took this from that recipe, and that from another. I wanted to get a nice orange-infusion. And I had the oranges to make it happen. So, after a bit of adding and subtracting, we have the following recipe.

One that I may or may not be making again today.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

2 1/4c. flour
3/4c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4. tsp. salt
1/4. tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. zested orange peel
3/4 c.  freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)*
optional: 3-4 Tbsp of the pulpy orange innards (just adds a little extra orangy-goodness)
1 Tbsp. milk
1/4 c. melted butter
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c.  dried cranberries**

Preheat oven to 400˚ and prepare muffin tins (grease tin or line with paper/foil cups)

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Whisk together.
In a separate bowl combine orange juice, zest, and pulp with melted butter, milk, and egg.

Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring just until incorporated.
Fold in cranberries

Bake for 15-2o min. Until tops are a light golden.

*Orange juice made from concentrate or otherwise purchased can be used if necessary.
**If using fresh cranberries, add 1 1/2 c. instead.

So there you have it. They are SOOO GOOD! And I am totally making them again today!

This recipe comes from my childhood. Growing up my mom called them “blueberry biscuits” – but they seem a more like English Scones to me. . . thus the change in the name. They are pretty easy to make and super yummy. A word of advice – be sure to use FROZEN berries, not fresh. The fresh berries will lead to a sticky stained mess while cutting the dough.

Baked Blueberry Scones

2 C. sifted flour
1/2 C. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 c. shortening
2 tsp zested orange peel
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 C. buttermilk
1/2 C. frozen blueberries

Topping:
3 Tbsp butter, melted
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
2. Cut in shortening until coarse
3. Add orange peel and mix lightly
4. Combine egg & vanilla with buttermilk, and add to flour mixture
5. Stir enough to blend
6. Add frozen blueberries and stir gently
7. Transfer dough to a floured surface and fold 5 or 6 times.
8. Pat dough to 1/2″ thickness
9. Cut out biscuits with a floured 2″ biscuit cutter
10. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 15 minutes.

Topping:
1. Combine all topping ingredients
2. Spoon over biscuits while they are still warm (not hot)
3. (OPTIONAL) add a second coating of the topping when the biscuits are almost cool.

YIELD: 1 dozen

The other day I was looking for a recipe for some Strawberry bread. I’d purchased some strawberries at a local supermarket and wanted to make something yummy with them. I’d made Strawberry bread in the past, but remember it being just a little bit bland and somewhat sour. I wanted something sweeter. Something with more flavor. Something with a bit of a crispy crust. So I set out to do a little internet research.

I looked at dozens of recipes. I wrote down some of the ingredients unique to each recipe or things that sounded good to me. When I was done, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to put in MY Strawberry bread.

I spent a little time coming up with the right quantities, and got busy cooking.

The result was an amazingly delicious bread, and a new recipe.

I challenge you to make this. I think you’ll like it. I think you’ll really really like it. And if you do, please leave me a comment and tell me about it!

Strawberry Pecan Bread

2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
red food coloring
1/3 cup sour cream
1 lemon
1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 Tbsp strawberry preserves

TOPPING:
Hershey’s Strawberry Syrup
4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare (grease and flour) bread pan(s). Recipe makes one average sized loaf and one small loaf, or one large loaf.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together eggs and sugar until well blended. Add oil, vanilla, 3-4 drops red coloring, and sour cream. Mix well.

4. Grate peel/zest of lemon into the bowl. Squeeze the juice from one half of the lemon into the bowl. Stir again.

5. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture. Stir just until moistened. DO NOT over stir.

6. Fold in strawberries, pecans, and preserves. Pour into prepared pans (fill half full).

7. Squeeze a small amount of strawberry syrup over the top of the bread in a zig-zag pattern. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the bread.

8. Cook at 350 degrees for approx. 1 hour, until it tests done.

9. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack. Slice, and serve!

Ooh, this bread is good. Can you smell it cooking already??

You can eat this bread plain. Toasted. With butter. With Cream cheese. Or, you can try this Creamy Strawberry Butter recipe:

Creamy Strawberry Butter

1/c cup butter or margarine
2 oz. cream cheese
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 c. chopped strawberries, well drained

Beat together butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until well blended. Beat in strawberries. Spread on finished bread.

The strawberry butter is pretty good, but I’m undecided as to whether its my topping of choice for the bread. I’m a pretty big fan of the ‘ol toast and butter method. If you try the strawberry butter I’d be interested to know what you think. Is it the best topping for the bread? What, if anything, do you top it with?

This is a recipe my mom made a bit while I was growing up. I think she got it from a food program on KSL years ago – but its hard to remember. Anyway, its a great way to use some of those fresh vegetables from your garden. (Not my garden, I don’t currently have a garden)…

Anyway, think Banana bread meets Zucchini bread. …meets carrots… meets pumpkin pie spice… its pretty good!

Earth Bread

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

3/4 cup oil

1/4 cup water

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup mashed banana

1/2 cup grated carrots

1 cup grated zucchini

1/2 cup chopped nuts

.

In medium size bowl mix together well the dry ingredients.

In large bowl mix together well the eggs, oil, water, and vanilla.

.

Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

Add in banana, carrots, zucchini, and nuts. Mix only until it’s thoroughly mixed

.

Pour into pans of choice that have been greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees. Takes 30-60 minutes to bake depending on pan size/selection.

Cool 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan.

*Slices better after additional cooling and when sliced thick.

Since I didn’t have a garden this year, I used zucchini from my mom’s… and carrots from a neighbor’s garden. Thanks guys! I left the nuts out this time since I didn’t have any on hand, but I have to say that I MUCH PREFER it with nuts. It just adds another dimension to the bread. If you make it, let me know what you think!