The Bread of Life

One of the things I absolutely love is homemade bread. And what's not to love? The way it makes the whole house smell, the yummy goodness...Since we don't always have time for yeast bread, today's offerings include a couple of quick breads, biscuits and rolls. Enjoy!

SWEET POTATO BREAD

Fiona Haynes, of About.com's Low Fat cooking blog, writes, "Enjoy a slice of sweet potato bread as a snack or pack one for lunch. If you don't like dates, use raisins instead."

Cook Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce

1/4 cup nonfat milk

1 cup mashed sweet potato

2/3 cup chopped dates

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar in a large bowl. Place egg, milk, applesauce in a small bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry. Stir in mashed sweet potato, followed by chopped dates. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5 loaf pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Yield one loaf, 12 slices

Per Slice: Calories 179, Calories from Fat 7, Total Fat 0.8g (sat 0.1g), Cholesterol 0.1mg, Sodium 64mg, Carbohydrate 34.8g, Fiber 3.1g, Protein 3.1g

CRANBERRY ORANGE QUICK BREAD

Elizabeth Yetter does the Bread Baking blog on About.com. She wrote, "Enjoy the sweet taste of dried cranberries and the aroma of oranges with this delicious recipe for cranberry orange quick bread. The quick bread batter is made into 3 mini loaves that are perfect for family gatherings and gift giving. Individual loaves can be wrapped in foil, bagged, and frozen if they are not glazed."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

2/3 cup butter, chilled

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup dried cranberries

rind and juice from medium orange

milk (see instructions)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

water

Preparation:

Grease 3 mini loaf pans.

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Cut butter into thin slices and add to bowl. Break butter into mixture with fingers until mixture is crumbly.

Stir in brown sugar. Stir in cranberries.

Grate the rind off of one medium orange. Add rind to the mixture.

Cut orange in half and squeeze juice out into bowl. Remove any seeds from juice.

Pour orange juice (it should be about 1/4 cup) into liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to the orange juice to make 3/4 cup.

Pour orange juice and milk into mixture. Add eggs and stir. Batter should be thick but not dry. If necessary, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time. Scrape batter into three greased mini loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until done.

Turn loaves out and let cool on rack.

In small bowl, add enough water to confectioner’s sugar to make a thin icing. Drizzle icing over loaves.

VEGAN ROSEMARY-CHEESE BISCUITS

I'm not sure where this one came from, but whoever came up with it wrote, "My grandmother made a nonvegan version of these biscuits when she was a child. With a few tasty modifications, the biscuits are vegan and better than ever!"

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup margarine

1 cup soy milk

1/2 cup vegan cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. crushed dried rosemary

1 Tbsp. dried basil

1 Tbsp. sage

1 Tbsp. rubbed thyme

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand. Drop by tablespoonful onto a greased baking sheet. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes approximately 1 dozen
MAPLE WHEAT ROLLS

This one's also a mystery as to where it came from. Whoever sent it wrote, "Serve these sweet rolls fresh out of the oven for a perfect side to any meal." And while it does call for yeast, it's worth the effort.

1 1/2 cups warm water

3 Tbsp. maple syrup

1 pkg. dry yeast

1/4 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups white flour

Oil for brushing

Combine the water and maple syrup in a large bowl. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Cover with a towel and let sit until bubbly.

Add the canola oil, whole wheat flour, and salt, mixing well. Knead on a well-floured surface and gradually incorporate the white flour. The dough will be slightly sticky.

Cover with a bowl until doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes. Roll into 12 to 16 biscuits. Place on an oiled pan and brush the tops with oil. Let rise.

Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Makes approximately 1 dozen