Category Archives: Bread

Grandma’s Zucchini Bread Mini Loaves

 

Zucchini season is here!!! We picked our first zucchini out of our garden Monday! Hurrah!! This recipe is a spin off my grandmother’s zucchini bread recipe.  I made these mini loaves the other day for my coworkers. Everyone loved them! The only bad thing is, I gave them all away….Good news we have oodles of zucchini coming in so more recipes to follow.

Ingredients: 

1 cups of AP flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp ground Vietnamese cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup canila oil

2 TB ground flaxseed

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 baking powder

2 cups of finely shredded zucchini (not peeled)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat mini bread loaves pan with cooking spray. I used pampered chef stoneware mini bread pan for this recipe. By hand with whisk beat eggs, add oil, applesauce, sugar, vanilla, & mix well. Add zucchini with dry ingredients. Fold in nuts. Mix well. Pour into 4 greased loaf pans at 350 for 30 minutes or toothpick comes out clean.

Tip: Not everyone in my office likes nuts so I just took a handful of chopped nuts and added them into the batter after I portioned out the batter into the molds . I mixed the nuts in using a small rubber spatula.  

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Muffins

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I have used leftover Idaho Mashed Potatoes in donuts, rolls, pumpernickel bread, pot pies, and other baked goods but I have never used mashed sweet potato as a substitute in recipes before. However what a great idea to add moister & sweeteness to  any baked good. These muffins are so moist.  I cut the fat from the original recipe by replacing half of the oil with using low fat buttermilk and ripe bananas.

This recipe yields 18 muffins

Ingredients:

1 large Banana, mashed

1 large sweet potato, baked, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 egg whites

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup of buttermilk, low fat

1/2 cup canola oil

3 Tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup AP Flour

1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1 2/3 cup of granulated sugar

1 Tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tsp Pie Spice

 

Glaze Ingredients: Optional

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

2 TB Skim milk plus maybe 1/2 TB

1/2 Tsp vanilla

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Using a whisk, mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flours, baking powder, salt, spices, and sugar. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl mix together the mashed banana, mashed sweet potato, egg whites, oil, and buttermilk. Mix together well.
  4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Be careful to try and not over mix the muffins. A tunneling effect will occur.
  5. Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tins using a number 16 scoop. It will make your life some much easier and make the muffins the same size for overall perfect appearance.
  6. Bake the muffins at 375 degrees for 20 minutes in the oven or until toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Allow to cool in pan for 2 minutes and remove to allow to cool on wire rack for the remainder of the time.
  8. While the muffins cool, prepare the glaze (optional).
  9. Place all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl, whisk thoroughly. Once muffins have cooled slightly drizzle scant amount of glaze onto the muffins.
  10. ENJOY

 

 

 

 

Grandma’s 60 minute rolls

  
I found this recipe by going through my grandma’s recipes. I couldn’t wait to try it! It makes me feel like she had dinner with us tonight. We had some hot peppers tonight that accompanied it well.
This recipe yields 22 rolls

   

This looked like a keeper. So I thought I’d give it a try.  

Ingredients: 

4 1/2 AP flours

1 tsp kosher salt

3 tb honey

1 1/2 Tb active yeast

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup water 

1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer bowl mix flour, salt, side aside. 

2. In a sauce pan combine milk,  butter, water, milk, & honey. Allow the liquid to reach 120 -130 degrees and remove from the heat and wait to add the yeast until the milk mixture reads 70-80 degrees. Add yeast and allow the yeast to proof this should take 5 minutes. 

3. After yeast blooms slowly add to the flour blend and beat with dough hook for two minutes on low speed. Increase the speed to medium low and continue to beat with dough hook for 5 more minutes or until dough ball forms.

4. Divide the dough into 22 round balls place in deep dish round baking stone. Cover the dough with plastic wrap.  Allow the dough to rise for 60 minutes. 

5. Once the dough has rested for 60 minutes in a warm area. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 23 minutes or until the rolls turn slightly golden brown. 

6. Enjoy with some homemade apple butter or hot peppers. 



Rustic Feta &  Kalamata Olive Loaf

 

Beautiful… Beautiful Bread ❤️

  

If you don’t know it already  I am passionate about baking bread and find time to make a homemade loaf often. Bread takes time and patience and minimal ingredients. I find it magical and always a surprise. 

This recipe yields one loaf and can be made in 2-3 days depending on when you want to bake it. 
Ingredients:

1 tsp honey

1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast 

2 tsp kosher salt

1 & 3/4 cup warm water

3 1/2 cups AP flour (plus some for dusting)

1-2 TB Cornmeal 

1/2 cup reduced fat feta 
1/2 cup katamala olives (chopped) 

Dutchoven 7 or 9 qt 

Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Place the water,honey and yeast in a measuring cup and let proof for 5 minutes.

2. In the meantime place flour, & salt in a very large glass bowl. Mix with wooden spoon to incorporate the salt throughout.

3. Once the yeast has proofed ( becomes activated and foamy) add to the dry ingredients. Mix well with wooden spoon (do not knead) and cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour at room temperature.

4.Punch down the dough. Turn the dough onto a heavily floured surface; pat into a 9-in. square. Fold square into thirds, forming a 9×3-in. rectangle. Fold rectangle into thirds, forming a 3-in. square. Turn dough over; place in a cooking sprayed bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise at room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 hour.

5. Punch the dough down and repeat folding process as mentioned in step 4. Return dough to the same bowl; refrigerate, covered, for 24 to 48 hours.

6. Dust bottom of a parchment paper with cornmeal. Turn dough onto a heavily floured surface. Place the olives and feta on the bread and knead them gently into the dough for 6-8 times; shape into a 6-in. round loaf. Place on prepared parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 500 degrees with Dutchoven in the center of the oven. Allow the Dutchoven to heat in oven for 1 hour. Which allows the dough to rise well agai, dough inch in size. 

7. Once dough has rised for the last time, remove plastic wrap & take a sharp knife and a cut design on the of top of loaf to allow steam to escape. I like to make a few silts diagonally.

8. Reduce oven setting to 450°. Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven and remove the lid with silicone gloves. Place the dough on parchment paper in to the Dutchoven. Cover with the lid and place the Dutchoven back in the center of the oven. Bake bread 1 hour. No peaking. Remove loaf to a wire rack to cool. Yield: 1 loaf (16 slices).




Quick Cornbread 

I was cleaning out the freezer and came across chili. Yes! This will be perfect for dinner tonight. Which also allowed me to mix up this cornbread for two in a flash. You will find that this cornbread is slightly sweet and very moist.

The secret to good cornbread is buttermilk! Plus a good cast-iron skillet.

My husband and I picked up this beauty of a cast iron at a local flea market.

This recipe uses an 8 inch cast-iron skillet.

This recipe yields 8-10 small slices of cornbread.

Ingredients :

1 tablespoon of canola oil

1/2  cup of low-fat Buttermilk

1 cup of self rising cornmeal mix

1 tsp baking powder

1 large egg (lightly beaten)

1/4 cup honey

Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place cornmeal mix and baking powder and salt in a small to medium bowl. Mix with spoon.

3. In the center of the dry ingredients form a well. Place buttermilk, honey, canola oil in center and mix thoroughly with spatula.

4. Spray your cast-iron skillet with cooking spray and pour in the wet batter. Bake on 450 for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

A Rustic Italian Bread

I made my first baking demo video this weekend and it was while making this loved bread! Bread making is a true art and can be very fulfilling and therapeutic! In this video I will share some bread making tips to help you conquer your first loaf.

http://youtu.be/mX6V5nngooE

Ingredients:

5 cups Bread Flour plus 3/4 cup

2 cups warm water

1 tb local honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Egg white

Cornmeal

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast or (one pk)

Directions:

1. Place warm water, yeast and honey in a measuring vessel and allow to proof for 5 minutes.

2. Combine 5 cups of the flour along with the salt & oil in your stand mixer. Stit with dough hook attachment. Stop the mixer and gradually add the warm water yeast mixture.

3. Knead with dough hook for 7 minutes on speed 2. During this time might be when you need to add extra liquid or flour.

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and kneed by hand for 3 to 5 times. Place remaining oil in the mixing bowl. Spread the oil around the bowl using you hands or paper towel. Then place the dough ball back into the greased bowl. Move the dough around to transfer some of the oil to the bread. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for an hour to an hour and a half. I always place mine in a warm place in the house like the microwave or laundry room.

5. Start to preheat the oven with about 35 minutes left waiting for the bread to proof. Preheat oven to 500 degrees with either the stone or Dutchoven in the oven.

6. Once the dough has doubled remove from bowl and cut in half with sharp knife.

7. Form one of the dough balls into a round ball. Place on parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area to allow to double in size. I like to place it on top of the oven while it is preheating. Once teady the round dough will be placed in the Dutchoven along with the parchment paper.

8. Take the second dough ball and form it in an oblong shape. This one will placed on the hot pizza stone. I recommend using generous amounts of cornmeal on the pizza peel to transfer. if you don’t have a pizza peel you could use the bottom side of a cookie sheet pan. This will help prevent sticking and will help with removal off the stone later on. Cover this dough with plastic wrap as well and place in a warm area to rise. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes.

9. Once both of the doughs double in size prep the dough for baking by brushing with egg white wash. (Mix scant water with one egg white in small bowl).

10. Place slits ontop both loaves this can be done by using a very sharp knife and making a few diagonal motions on top of the dough. Be careful not to press to heavily or you may flatten the bread.

11. I recommend baking each loaf seperately to prevent the bottom dough from burning.

12. If using Dutch oven bake the dough for one hour do not open during baking process. Decrease oven to 425.

12. If using pizza stone decrease oven to 425 and place the dough on though hot pizza stone use either pizza peel or bottom of a cookie sheet to transfer. Stuff your oven vent with a wet dishcloth cheaper rent steam from escaping. Prior to closing the oven door spray with water bottle water five times and close the door immediately do not open. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Apple Buttermilk Bread

 

My grandpa just gave me a large buchel of apples at Christmas I couldn’t wait to use them. Honestly fruit is the best gift you can give a dietitian at Christmas! Or anyone.. Really! I remember my grandpa telling me he would always get fresh oranges at Christmas. 

 Also a few weeks ago my mom, sister, and I went through some of my grandma’s cookbooks and stumbled across this apple cookbook. Every single recipe has apples in it from sweet to savory. This is actually the second recipe I have made with my extra special tweeks. Looking forward to trying them all.

BTW my sister and her family got me the adorable recipe holder (pictured above) for Christmas! It is a cookbook miracle tool. No more splatters or losing your page. 

This makes 4 mini loaves

Ingredients:

1 1/2 all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

4 tb canola oil 

2 tsp Apple pie spice

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup of chopped walnuts 

3/4 cups shredded Apple 

1 cup buttermilk 

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup Apple cider

1 1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt

Predirections:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray with cooking spray bread tins. 

Directions: 

1. Mix oil and sugar together in large bowl. Add in egg and vanilla whisk to incorporate. 

2. In a medium sized bowl whisk together both flours, baking soda, salt and apple spice blend. 

3. Add dry ingredients into the egg and oil batter. 

4. Now add buttermilk, apple cider, and shredded apple. Whisk to incorporate all the ingredients. 

5. Lastly add the walnuts and fold to blend throughout. 

6. Pour batter evenly into greased pans. 

7. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 

8. Remove the bread from the pan right away. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm with applebutter. 

Whole Wheat Buttermilk and Honey Biscuits

  
Homemade biscuits are very quick and easy! These are super special because the honey used in them was harvested by my husband’s good friends parents. They go perfectly with applebutter or pumpkin butter and also biscuits and gravy. 

Biscuits and gravy are one of my family’s favorite breakfasts so that is what we had them with today. 

This recipe yields 15 biscuits

Ingredients 

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, sifted 

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup vegetable shortening or coconut oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

4 tsp baking powder

1 egg

2/3 cup buttermilk 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. 

2. In a large bowl sift flour, salt, and baking powder. Add shortening. Cut the shortening in to flour with pastry cutter or two knives. 

3. In a small vessel mix honey, buttermilk and egg. 

4. Pour liquid minute into the dry ingredients. This will be a very sticky dough.

5. Place dough on well floured pastry mat (this just makes for way clean up). Roll out to 3/4 inch thick. I made mine thinner to yield more biscuits. 

6. Cut biscuits with either a glass drinking cup or I found a beautiful gem of a biscuit cutter at an antique store (as pictured). 

7. Place biscuits spread evenly on a loner half sheet pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. 

8. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Or slightly cool before adding your favorite topping…. Applebutter, jam, honey or biscuits and gravy. 


Pumpkin Banana Bread

  

My sister loves hempseeds! So this one’s for you Jenna Lynn. I like that it gives the bread a bit of a nutty texture without the nuts.

Yields 4 mini loaves
Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 tb wheat germ

2 tb hemp seeds

2 tb Canola oil

2 tb buttermilk

1/2 cup egg substitute 

1 tsp pumpkin spice

1 cup puréed bananas (2 med banana)

1/2 cup puréed roasted pumpkin

1 cup raw sugar

1 vanilla extract 
Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Cooking spray for mini loaf tins. Set aside. 

2. In a medium to large bowl place whisk together what ingredients. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Slowly incorporate the drying ingredients into the wet. Mix by hand until no dry residue remains. 

4. Pour 1 cup of the batter into each greased mini loaf pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Or until toothpick comes out with crumbles. 

5. Wow loves to cool in pan for five minutes then remove and allow to cool on wire racks for the remainder.

Enjoy with a homemade pumpkin spice latte!

Orange Rhubarb Streusel Bread

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We finally picked our last harvest of rhubarb. Boy it is so beautiful! One of the stalks cut equaled 1.5 cups so it is rather large as well. This year our garden did not do very well; however, our peppers and rhubarb excelled! I am always making new rhubarb recipes. As many of you already know ! I just found out last week that I won 1st place for my rhubarb spiced coffee cake. It will be featured in TOH magazine May/June 2016 edition! I am so excited!

I love making mini loaves of bread! I feel like you can share them with so many more people than just the traditional 8 by 4 loaf or 9 by 5 loaf. My way of spreading the love around.

If you try this recipe you will not be disappointed! My husband said “it is the best breakfast loaf recipe you have ever made”! Wow that is a complement since I make a great many of recipes!

 

This recipe yields 4 mini loaves and one standard 8 by 4 inch loaf

Pre directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cooking spray your mini bread vessels.

 

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour ( I am in love with Bob’s Red Mill)

2 Cups of AP flour

2 Tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/4 cup unsweetened Applesauce

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup egg white subsitute

2 whole large eggs

2/3 cup 100% Orange Juice

1.5 cups of granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 cups of finely chopped rhubarb (6 regular sized stalks but like I said mine one stalk yield 1.5 cups)

 

Streusal topping & filling

8 TB raw sugar

2 TB Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

2 TB melted coconut oil (melted)

1 TB Vietnamese ground cinnamon

 

Streusel Directions:

  1. Mix with spoon all the streusel ingredients in a medium to small bowl.

 

Bread Directions:

  1. In a large bowl mix with whisk both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside
  2. In a medium bowl mix canola oil, applesauce, flaxseed, egg, egg substitute, vanilla, sugar, and orange juice. Whisk together to fully incorporate.
  3. Pour the wet ingredient batter into the dry ingredients and whisk together and using a spatula make sure all the dry residue is incorporated. I like to use a clear glass bowl for this so that I can look on the bottom of the dish and see if any dry residue remains.
  4. Fold in chopped rhubarb and make sure rhubarb is incorporated throughout.
  5. If you are using mini loaves take 3/4 cup of the batter and place into the greased pan.
  6. Now take 1.5 tsp of the streusel mixture and spread it evenly on the top of the batter. Then take 1/2 of the bread batter and place on top of the streusel layer. Finish with another 1.5-2 tsp of streusel layer spreading evenly on the top to guarantee cinnamon in each bite. Repeat with all mini loafs. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center of the loaf clean.
  7. For the standard loaf take half of the remaining batter and place in greased 8 by 4 inch bread pan and take half of the remaining streusel topping and place evenly on-top of the bottom layer. Finish with placing the remaining bread batter on top of the streusel crumble. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out of the center clean.
  8. Allow the loaves to sit in the pans for 5 minutes on a wire rack. They do have a tendency to stick. I recommend going around the edges with a plastic knife.  Remove from the pans and allow to cool completely on wire rack (if you can wait). My husband couldn’t!
  9. Enjoy!