Bread

If you've ever had homemade bread, you know how absolutely wonderful it can be. It's so much yummier than most store bread. If you've ever baked it, you know how satisfying it is to make a loaf or three, or a pan of biscuits, dripping with butter and/or honey...

If you're ready to try your hand at homemade bread, or are looking for an additional recipe or two, check out the Texas Moppin’ Rolls, the Classic Southern Buttermilk Cornbread, or any of the other yumminess in today's post. Enjoy!

EGG CINNAMON BREAD



I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.





Ingredients

2 envelopes yeast

1 C warm water

1-2 T honey

1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)

1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2 eggs, beaten

6-7 C unbleached white flour

1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2-3 C cinnamon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.

Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.

Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, until double.

Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

CRANBERRY CORNBREAD

This is from Vallery Lomas in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. It begins, "Cranberries meet cornbread in this one-bowl fall mashup. A crunchy golden edge forms around the cornbread thanks to the hot skillet the batter is poured into. The mixture crisps in the oven-melted butter that coats the pan, resulting in browning and caramelization that delivers maximum flavor. While baking, the fresh cranberries soften, ensuring a burst of juicy tartness with each bite. Use either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal, as coarse varieties make for an overly gritty bite."

Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022718-cranberry-cornbread.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for serving

1-1/4 cups fine- or medium-grind yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries

Directions

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and heat oven to 375 degrees. Place the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, and place the skillet in the oven to melt the butter.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add the eggs and buttermilk, and whisk until combined.

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. The butter should be completely melted. Pour about three-quarters of the melted butter into the cornmeal batter, and stir until combined. Pour the batter into the hot skillet, and sprinkle the cranberries evenly over the top.

Bake until the cornbread is browned around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot with butter.

BUTTERMILK SUGAR BISCUITS

This is from Briana Holt and adapted by Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Eric wrote, "These wonderful hearty biscuits, from the brilliant baker Briana Holt of Tandem Coffee + Bakery in Portland, Maine, are crusty on the outside but tender on the inside, with distinct layers that are fun to peel apart while eating. Different from fluffy, airy Southern biscuits, Ms. Holt’s biscuits are like sturdy, salty-sweet Tempur-Pedic pillows that bounce back when you press into them. At Tandem, these beauties are split and served slathered with butter and fruit jam or, in an especially divine combination, cream cheese and hot pepper jelly."

Time: 1 hour; Yield: 9 biscuits

This was featured in "The Best Biscuits Outside of the South", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024061-buttermilk-sugar-biscuits.

Ingredients

1 cup cold unsalted butter

3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1-3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt

1-1/4 cups cold buttermilk

Melted butter and flaky sea salt (both optional), for finishing

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.

Coarsely grate the butter onto a plate, then freeze until cold and hard, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Using a spoon, toss together until all of the butter is coated with flour.

Add half the buttermilk and toss with the spoon. When incorporated, add the rest of the buttermilk and gently toss again, without mashing together or overmixing, until the dry ingredients are lightly hydrated throughout. The mixture will be crumbly.

Flour a clean surface and dump the mixture directly onto it. Using your hands, gently press the crumbs together and then use a floured rolling pin or empty wine bottle to roll the mass gently but firmly into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half: Using a bench scraper, lift the top half off the surface and fold it over the bottom half. This step may be crumbly and messy at first, but just go for it and fold what you can down from the top. Repeat this roll-and-fold motion 5 times, flouring the surface and dough as needed and using the bench scraper to straighten the edges as needed. The dough will come together as you roll it. Rotate the mixture after each fold to create a square.

Build the final layer: Fold the dough in half one last time, then roll to about 1-1/2 inches thick to create a 6-inch square, using the bench scraper to straighten out the edges.

Using the bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut straight down into the square to create a 3-by-3 grid of 9 squares, then place them on your sheet pan, upside down if you’d like taller biscuits. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until risen, golden brown on top, and slightly pale on the sides. Don’t worry if a couple of the biscuits tip over or if melted butter pools underneath. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD

This yummy recipe is from Diana Rattray, who has contributed to About.com and The Spruce Eats for years. For this recipe, she wrote, "Cornbread differs in flavor and texture depending on what part of the country you are in. Southern cornbread is unsweetened and more crumbly than the sweet cake-like recipes from the North; it's also cooked in a very hot cast-iron skillet, while Northern cornbread is typically made in a baking dish. This cornbread recipe is for the classic buttermilk cornbread you'll find throughout the South. There's generally no sugar added to Southern cornbread, which makes it an ideal side dish for a savory meal. Serve it fresh from the oven, cut into wedges, with beans or collard greens or a big bowl of chili. It can also be used to make a delicious cornbread stuffing. If you want to go "old school," crumble some of this cornbread into a mug and enjoy it with a few splashes of buttermilk."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 22 minutes; Total Time: 32 minutes; Makes 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-southern-buttermilk-cornbread-3054140.

Ingredients

1/4 cup melted shortening, divided

2 cups white or yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 large egg

Butter, for serving, optional

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Position the rack in the center of the oven.

Brush about 1 tablespoon of melted shortening in a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet and put the skillet in the oven

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to blend thoroughly.

In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of melted shortening.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry mixture and stir just until blended. Carefully remove the hot cast iron pan from the oven and set it on a metal rack. Pour the batter into the sizzling shortening in the hot skillet.

Return the skillet to the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 375 F, and bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until golden brown.

Cut the cornbread into wedges and serve hot with a pat of butter, if desired.

Enjoy.

How to Serve Southern Cornbread

Southern buttermilk cornbread is delicious served alongside soups, stews, chili, beans, or greens. Many people like to crumble their cornbread in a glass and fill it with cold milk. You can also turn a pan of cornbread into a great dressing to go with chicken, pork, or turkey.

Tips

If you find the cornbread is too crumbly, increase the amount of flour (decreasing the cornmeal proportionally); the additional gluten will help to keep the mixture together.

For the optimal cornbread, splurge on a quality stone-ground cornmeal, which will offer more flavor and an interesting, varied texture.

Recipe Variations

For a little extra flavor, add some bacon drippings or duck fat to the cast iron skillet.

Although it will break from tradition, if you prefer a sweeter cornbread, add a few tablespoons of sugar or honey to the batter.

TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS

Yield: 12 rolls.

I frequently make these (from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic) to go with chili or homemade spaghetti. Definitely yummy!



Ingredients:

2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Directions:

Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.

Note: "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper.

"I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well." (All notes after the recipes are Father Dominic's notes.)

BASIC ROLLS

This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).

This recipe makes about 30 rolls.

Ingredients

1 package FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, beaten

5 to 5 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, divided

Directions

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Heat milk in a saucepan until lukewarm; do not boil. Add butter, sugar and milk; mix well.

Combine milk mixture, yeast mixture and eggs in large bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook. Add 2 cups of the flour; mix with dough hook until blended. Add 2 cups flour and mix until blended. Add 1 cup flour and mix on medium speed 2 minutes.

Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead, adding as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed to form a smooth, elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead 2 minutes to work out air bubbles. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Shape dough into desired rolls. (For shape variations, visit Tips & Techniques.) Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or until doubled.

When dough is nearly finished rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake rolls 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Bread

Is there anything as wonderful as homemade Bread? I'm not sure. But I do know that it almost always tastes wonderful, makes the house or apartment smell great, and just brings a smile to almost everyone.

That said, here are six yummy bread recipes, including Honey Oatmeal Bread and Classic Southern Buttermilk Cornbread. Enjoy!

EGG CINNAMON BREAD



I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.





Ingredients

2 envelopes yeast

1 C warm water

1-2 T honey

1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)

1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2 eggs, beaten

6-7 C unbleached white flour

1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2-3 C cinnamon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.

Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.

Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double.

Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

HONEY OATMEAL BREAD

This is from The Bread Monk, otherwise known as Fr. Dominic Garramone.

Years ago, he had a show on PBS that I used to watch. I've tried numerous recipes that he had on his show, and they're absolutely wonderful.

Anyway, this starts out, "Honey oatmeal is my most-requested recipe in two ways: more people ask me to share the recipe for this bread than for any other, and it's the bread my fellow monks ask for most often! As you can see, I usually bake it in big batches, but here's the recipe for a standard two loaf batch."

You can find this at https://breadmonk.com/honey-oatmeal.html.

Ingredients

1 cup instant oats

1/3 cup honey

2 cups hot water

2 tsp. salt

1 package dry yeast

1 Tbs. butter or oil

1/4 warm water

5-1/2 cups of flour, approx.

Extra oatmeal for coating

1 egg (optional)

Directions

Put the oats in a large bowl. Bring 2 cups water to a boil, pour it over the oats and let stand for atleast 15 minutes. Stir the yeast into 1/4 cup of warm water and let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve.Feel the oats at the bottom of the bowl to be sure they're lukewarm, then add the honey, salt, butter and dissolved yeast. You can also add an egg for an extra rich dough. Work in enough of the flour so that the dough can be handled, but remember that the oatmeal and the honey will make this a very sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead for a minute or two and then letrest for 10 minutes. Resume kneading until the dough is elastic, but still rather sticky---don’t addtoo much flour at a time. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until double in bulk. Punch down and divide into two pieces. Knead each piece to remove the large air bubbles, but do not use any flour on the kneading board---you want the dough to remain sticky. Roll each loaf in the extra oatmeal until it is completely covered. Place loaves on lightly greased cookie sheets and allow to rise until doubled. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 45 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on racks.--

Dough made with honey may darken more quickly than other breads. If the loaves start to get too dark, loosely cover them with aluminum foil and continue baking.

For an excellent lo-fat sandwich, use this bread with fresh garden tomatoes and smoked turkey; no need for cheese or dressing for added flavor.

BASIC ROLLS

This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).

This recipe makes about 30 rolls.

Ingredients

1 package FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, beaten

5 to 5 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, divided

Directions

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Heat milk in a saucepan until lukewarm; do not boil. Add butter, sugar and milk; mix well.

Combine milk mixture, yeast mixture and eggs in large bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook. Add 2 cups of the flour; mix with dough hook until blended. Add 2 cups flour and mix until blended. Add 1 cup flour and mix on medium speed 2 minutes.

Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead, adding as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed to form a smooth, elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead 2 minutes to work out air bubbles. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Shape dough into desired rolls. (For shape variations, visit Tips & Techniques.) Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or until doubled.

When dough is nearly finished rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake rolls 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

BUTTERMILK SUGAR BISCUITS

This is from Briana Holt and adapted by Eric Kim in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Eric wrote, "These wonderful hearty biscuits, from the brilliant baker Briana Holt of Tandem Coffee + Bakery in Portland, Maine, are crusty on the outside but tender on the inside, with distinct layers that are fun to peel apart while eating. Different from fluffy, airy Southern biscuits, Ms. Holt’s biscuits are like sturdy, salty-sweet Tempur-Pedic pillows that bounce back when you press into them. At Tandem, these beauties are split and served slathered with butter and fruit jam or, in an especially divine combination, cream cheese and hot pepper jelly."

Time: 1 hour; Yield: 9 biscuits

This was featured in "The Best Biscuits Outside of the South", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024061-buttermilk-sugar-biscuits.

Ingredients

1 cup cold unsalted butter

3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1-3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt

1-1/4 cups cold buttermilk

Melted butter and flaky sea salt (both optional), for finishing

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.

Coarsely grate the butter onto a plate, then freeze until cold and hard, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Using a spoon, toss together until all of the butter is coated with flour.

Add half the buttermilk and toss with the spoon. When incorporated, add the rest of the buttermilk and gently toss again, without mashing together or overmixing, until the dry ingredients are lightly hydrated throughout. The mixture will be crumbly.

Flour a clean surface and dump the mixture directly onto it. Using your hands, gently press the crumbs together and then use a floured rolling pin or empty wine bottle to roll the mass gently but firmly into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half: Using a bench scraper, lift the top half off the surface and fold it over the bottom half. This step may be crumbly and messy at first, but just go for it and fold what you can down from the top. Repeat this roll-and-fold motion 5 times, flouring the surface and dough as needed and using the bench scraper to straighten the edges as needed. The dough will come together as you roll it. Rotate the mixture after each fold to create a square.

Build the final layer: Fold the dough in half one last time, then roll to about 1-1/2 inches thick to create a 6-inch square, using the bench scraper to straighten out the edges.

Using the bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut straight down into the square to create a 3-by-3 grid of 9 squares, then place them on your sheet pan, upside down if you’d like taller biscuits. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until risen, golden brown on top, and slightly pale on the sides. Don’t worry if a couple of the biscuits tip over or if melted butter pools underneath. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD

This yummy recipe is from Diana Rattray, who has contributed to About.com and The Spruce Eats for years. For this recipe, she wrote, "Cornbread differs in flavor and texture depending on what part of the country you are in. Southern cornbread is unsweetened and more crumbly than the sweet cake-like recipes from the North; it's also cooked in a very hot cast-iron skillet, while Northern cornbread is typically made in a baking dish. This cornbread recipe is for the classic buttermilk cornbread you'll find throughout the South. There's generally no sugar added to Southern cornbread, which makes it an ideal side dish for a savory meal. Serve it fresh from the oven, cut into wedges, with beans or collard greens or a big bowl of chili. It can also be used to make a delicious cornbread stuffing. If you want to go "old school," crumble some of this cornbread into a mug and enjoy it with a few splashes of buttermilk."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 22 minutes; Total Time: 32 minutes; Makes 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-southern-buttermilk-cornbread-3054140.

Ingredients

1/4 cup melted shortening, divided

2 cups white or yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 large egg

Butter, for serving, optional

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Position the rack in the center of the oven.

Brush about 1 tablespoon of melted shortening in a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet and put the skillet in the oven

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to blend thoroughly.

In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of melted shortening.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry mixture and stir just until blended. Carefully remove the hot cast iron pan from the oven and set it on a metal rack. Pour the batter into the sizzling shortening in the hot skillet.

Return the skillet to the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 375 F, and bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until golden brown.

Cut the cornbread into wedges and serve hot with a pat of butter, if desired.

Enjoy.

How to Serve Southern Cornbread

Southern buttermilk cornbread is delicious served alongside soups, stews, chili, beans, or greens. Many people like to crumble their cornbread in a glass and fill it with cold milk. You can also turn a pan of cornbread into a great dressing to go with chicken, pork, or turkey.

Tips

If you find the cornbread is too crumbly, increase the amount of flour (decreasing the cornmeal proportionally); the additional gluten will help to keep the mixture together.

For the optimal cornbread, splurge on a quality stone-ground cornmeal, which will offer more flavor and an interesting, varied texture.

Recipe Variations

For a little extra flavor, add some bacon drippings or duck fat to the cast iron skillet.

Although it will break from tradition, if you prefer a sweeter cornbread, add a few tablespoons of sugar or honey to the batter.

BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD WITH CORN KERNELS

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, though it states that it's from The Working Family's Cookbook.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 30 minutes; Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup fresh, or frozen and defrosted corn kernels

1 cup buttermilk

2 medium-size eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put 1 tablespoon of butter in a 9-inch cast iron or ovenproof frying pan or a square baking pan and heat in the oven until it is hot and the butter is melted.

Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and corn kernels in a bowl and mix to blend. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and combine with the buttermilk and eggs in a bowl. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just to combine (do not overmix).

Swirl the butter in the frying pan to coat the sides and pour the batter into the pan. Smooth the top of the batter and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a knife inserted in the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

Homemade Bread

If you've never had the pleasure of making and eating Homemade Bread, you don't know what you're missing. We're talking something really yummy that makes the whole house smell wonderful. Check out the Classic Southern Buttermilk Cornbread, the Texas Moppin’ Rolls, or any of the other yummy breads in today's post. Enjoy!

BASIC ROLLS

This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).

This recipe makes about 30 rolls.

Ingredients

1 package FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, beaten

5 to 5 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, divided

Directions

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Heat milk in a saucepan until lukewarm; do not boil. Add butter, sugar and milk; mix well.

Combine milk mixture, yeast mixture and eggs in large bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook. Add 2 cups of the flour; mix with dough hook until blended. Add 2 cups flour and mix until blended. Add 1 cup flour and mix on medium speed 2 minutes.

Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead, adding as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed to form a smooth, elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead 2 minutes to work out air bubbles. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Shape dough into desired rolls. (For shape variations, visit Tips & Techniques.) Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or until doubled.

When dough is nearly finished rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake rolls 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

EGG CINNAMON BREAD



I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.





Ingredients

2 envelopes yeast

1 C warm water

1-2 T honey

1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)

1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2 eggs, beaten

6-7 C unbleached white flour

1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2-3 C cinnamon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.

Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.

Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double.

Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

IRISH WHOLE WHEAT SODA BREAD

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. However, since it has nutritional info for diabetics, I have to guess that it was in a diabetic email.

Yield: Makes 1 Round Loaf

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add buttermilk all at once, stirring with a fork to make a soft, but slightly sticky dough.

With lightly floured hands, form dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough gently for 8 to 10 times. Pat the dough into a 6-inch thick round with a slightly flattened top.

Place dough on prepared baking sheet. With a shape knife or pizza cutter, score the top in the shape of a cross or large X. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from baking sheet onto a cooling rack immediately. Dust top with rice flour. Serve warm from the oven.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/12 of loaf): Calories: 123, Carbohydrate: 25 g, Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 335 mg, Cholesterol: 1 mg

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch/Bread

BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD WITH CORN KERNELS

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, though it states that it's from The Working Family's Cookbook.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 30 minutes; Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup fresh, or frozen and defrosted corn kernels

1 cup buttermilk

2 medium-size eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put 1 tablespoon of butter in a 9-inch cast iron or ovenproof frying pan or a square baking pan and heat in the oven until it is hot and the butter is melted.

Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and corn kernels in a bowl and mix to blend. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and combine with the buttermilk and eggs in a bowl. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just to combine (do not overmix).

Swirl the butter in the frying pan to coat the sides and pour the batter into the pan. Smooth the top of the batter and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a knife inserted in the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD

This yummy recipe is from Diana Rattray, who has contributed to About.com and The Spruce Eats for years. For this recipe, she wrote, "Cornbread differs in flavor and texture depending on what part of the country you are in. Southern cornbread is unsweetened and more crumbly than the sweet cake-like recipes from the North; it's also cooked in a very hot cast-iron skillet, while Northern cornbread is typically made in a baking dish. This cornbread recipe is for the classic buttermilk cornbread you'll find throughout the South. There's generally no sugar added to Southern cornbread, which makes it an ideal side dish for a savory meal. Serve it fresh from the oven, cut into wedges, with beans or collard greens or a big bowl of chili. It can also be used to make a delicious cornbread stuffing. If you want to go "old school," crumble some of this cornbread into a mug and enjoy it with a few splashes of buttermilk."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 22 minutes; Total Time: 32 minutes; Makes 6 to 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-southern-buttermilk-cornbread-3054140.

Ingredients

1/4 cup melted shortening, divided

2 cups white or yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 large egg

Butter, for serving, optional

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Position the rack in the center of the oven.

Brush about 1 tablespoon of melted shortening in a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet and put the skillet in the oven

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to blend thoroughly.

In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of melted shortening.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry mixture and stir just until blended. Carefully remove the hot cast iron pan from the oven and set it on a metal rack. Pour the batter into the sizzling shortening in the hot skillet.

Return the skillet to the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 375 F, and bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until golden brown.

Cut the cornbread into wedges and serve hot with a pat of butter, if desired.

Enjoy.

How to Serve Southern Cornbread

Southern buttermilk cornbread is delicious served alongside soups, stews, chili, beans, or greens. Many people like to crumble their cornbread in a glass and fill it with cold milk. You can also turn a pan of cornbread into a great dressing to go with chicken, pork, or turkey.

Tips

If you find the cornbread is too crumbly, increase the amount of flour (decreasing the cornmeal proportionally); the additional gluten will help to keep the mixture together.

For the optimal cornbread, splurge on a quality stone-ground cornmeal, which will offer more flavor and an interesting, varied texture.

Recipe Variations

For a little extra flavor, add some bacon drippings or duck fat to the cast iron skillet.

Although it will break from tradition, if you prefer a sweeter cornbread, add a few tablespoons of sugar or honey to the batter.

TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS

Yield: 12 rolls.

I frequently make these (from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic) to go with chili or homemade spaghetti. Definitely yummy!



Ingredients:

2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Directions:

Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.

Note: "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper.

"I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well." (All notes after the recipes are Father Dominic's notes.)

Soup And Bread

Yesterday was rainy, and this morning, after the rain ended (with the possibility of more to come this afternoon), the weather is on the cool side. (Well, cool for Florida.) Seems like the perfect day for homemade soup and bread.

Soups can be intimidating for those who've never made homemade soup; then again, so can homemade bread. But both are really relatively easy to make. Here are a few offerings that would taste great any time - especially on a rainy, snowy or otherwise cool day. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN SOUP RECIPE

From About.com's British and Irish Food blog. Elaine Lemm, who writes the blog, wrote, "This lovely recipe from Simon Hopkinson's book, Vegetarian Option, 1 is a cross somewhere between a baked pumpkin and a pumpkin soup. Simon first encountered the recipe in the seminal book, Great Chefs of France and over the years has adapted it to a more manageable recipe for the home-cook...This Pumpkin Soup recipe is perfect for an autumn or winter supper, great for Halloween and for Bonfire Night it is perfect." Actually, it's perfect anytime, as far as I'm concerned.

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours; Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

3 1/2 - 4 1/2 lb pumpkin

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

5 1/4 oz Gruyere or Beaufort cheese, freshly grated

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 395°F.

Cut off the top quarter of the pumpkin to make a lid and set aside. Scoop out the seeds and stringy membrane using a spoon.

Heat the cream with the garlic and seasoning almost to a simmer, then take off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.

Strain the infused cream into the pumpkin cavity. Mix in the cheese, put the lid on and place in a roasting tin. Bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until the pumpkin flesh is tender when pierced with a fork and the outer skin of the pumpkin is nicely burnished; you may want to turn the heat down slightly if the skin is becoming too brown.

To serve, with a spoon, scoop a good layer of the pumpkin flesh inside the cavity into the hot cream and cheese and stir taking care to not pierce the outer skin.

Serves 4

Recipe Courtesy of Quadrille Books from Simon Hopkinson's Book - Vegetarian Option

CREAMY FRENCH LENTIL & HAM SOUP

This is from Macrina Bakery's email list. If you're not on their email list, you're missing out on some great recipes!

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup onions, diced small

1 cup carrots, diced small

1 cup celery, diced small

1/4 cup leeks, diced small

1/2 cup fennel, diced small

2 teaspoons garlic, chopped

1/2 cup ham, diced into

1/4-inch pieces

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 cup white wine

2/3 cup French green lentils*

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

*Available in specialty shops and some supermarkets.

Preparation

Serves 4

Place olive oil and butter into a medium-sized, heavy- bottom soup pot. Over medium heat, warm the oil and melt the butter.

Add onions, carrots, celery, leeks and fennel to the pot. Cover and cook, sweating the vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the cover from the pot, and add the garlic, ham, thyme and tarragon. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.

Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, reducing the liquid by half. Then add the lentils and stock. Bring everything to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.

Stir in the heavy cream, cooking for 8 to 10 more minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

POTATO AND ONION SOUP

From Roadfood.com . The recipe starts off with, "Cooking potatoes in beef stock gives the starchy vegetable a savor that all carnivores will appreciate. A sprinkle of Parmesan on each serving adds just the right zip."

Recipe Source: Harry Caray's; Preparation Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Servings: 6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups peeled and sliced Spanish onions

3-1/2 cups homemade beef stock or equivalent amount of canned, low salt beef broth

3 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan and add the olive oil.

Add the onions and sauté until they become clear and turn a light brown. Set aside.

In a large stock pot, bring the beef stock to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the diced potatoes. Simmer over medium heat until the potatoes are soft. Add the onions to the stock pot and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Salt and pepper the soup to taste.

Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese on top and serve.

CARROT AND ZUCCHINI SOUP

From About.com's low fat cooking blog. Fiona Haynes, who writes the low fat cooking blog, writes, "Why settle for canned soup when you make your own heartier fresh-tasting soup without all those additives? This carrot and zucchini soup is pureed to make a deliciously filling soup to warm you on cool Autumn days. Enjoy with a slice of crusty whole-grain bread."

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1-lb carrots, peeled and sliced

1-lb zucchini, unpeeled and sliced

2 tsp curry powder

3 1/2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley

Preparation:

Sauté onions in a soup pot for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add carrots and zucchini, followed by curry powder. Stir for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add chopped parsley. Transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth, working in two batches.

Makes 6 servings.

Per Serving: Calories 81, Calories from Fat 16, Total Fat 1.8g (sat 0.2g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 65mg, Carbohydrate 13.4g, Fiber 4g, Protein 2.8g

FRAGRANT FRENCH ONION SOUP

Really not sure where this came from. The recipe starts off with, "A classic that’s so simple, you’ll wonder what you did before you started serving this staple soup."

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil or water

2-3 large onions, sliced

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

4 cups water

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

4 slices French bread, toasted, or croutons

Preparation:

Heat the oil or water in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir until the onions are well coated. Add the water and soy sauce or tamari and stir well. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and simmer, covered, until the onions are tender. Add more water if the soup becomes too thick.

Serve in individual bowls topped with the French bread or croutons.

Makes 4 servings

BASIC ROLLS

YIELD: About 30 rolls.

From one of my favorite cooking shows, Breaking Bread with Father Dominic. It's no longer on the air (that I can find, anyway), but his cookbooks are still for sale.

Ingredients:

1 package FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, beaten

5 to 5 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, divided

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Heat milk in a saucepan until lukewarm; do not boil. Add butter, sugar and milk; mix well.

Combine milk mixture, yeast mixture and eggs in large bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook. Add 2 cups of the flour; mix with dough hook until blended. Add 2 cups flour and mix until blended. Add 1 cup flour and mix on medium speed 2 minutes.

Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead, adding as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed to form a smooth, elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead 2 minutes to work out air bubbles. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Shape dough into desired rolls. (For shape variations, visit Tips & Techniques.) Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or until doubled.

When dough is nearly finished rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake rolls 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD

YIELD: 2 loaves.

Another recipe from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic.

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening or butter

5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 packages FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 eggs, beaten

Filling:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

Directions:

Combine milk, sour cream and shortening in a saucepan over low heat; stir occasionally until sour cream and shortening are melted and mixed in. Remove from heat. Let cool to lukewarm.

Combine 2 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl; mix well. Blend milk mixture, vanilla and eggs into flour mixture; beat about 3 minutes. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding flour as needed to make a smooth and elastic dough. Lightly grease the surface of the dough; place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough. Knead 2 minutes to work out the air bubbles. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface or pastry cloth, roll each piece of dough into a rectangle about 14 by 7 inches. Spread softened butter on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; sprinkle over butter. Starting with the short edge, tightly roll up dough; seal the edges. Place in greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Cover with a clean towel and let rise 45 to 60 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake bread 40 to 45 minutes, or until top is golden and bread sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove from pans and let cool on a wire rack. If desired, while loaves are still hot, brush the tops with additional butter and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar.

More "Breaking Bread" Recipes

I really loved watching Breaking Bread with Father Dominic when it was on TV. It was one of the first cooking shows I got hooked on. So...I'm posting a few more of the recipes from the show.

One quick note: These recipes are not mine, but are from the aforementioned show. Many of them are, no doubt, from the Breaking Bread With Father Dominic cookbooks. If you enjoy the recipes from there (and this group will probably be the last of the Breaking Bread ones I post, at least for a long time), please purchase a copy or two of his cookbooks.

OATMEAL BREAD

YIELD: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 to 3 cups bread flour

1/2 cup oats (old fashioned or quick-cooking)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 envelope FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

DIRECTIONS:

In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, oats, brown sugar, undissolved yeast, salt, and cinnamon. Heat water and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed with electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Roll dough to 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at short end of each rectangle, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place seam side down in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 50 to 60 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

CHALLAH

YIELD: 1 large loaf; about 20 to 25 slices

INGREDIENTS:

2 packages FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

6 to 7 1/2 cups bread flour, divided

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten, for glaze

DIRECTIONS:

Combine yeast, 1 cup lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl; stir to mix. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy. Stir in 2 cups of the flour; let stand about 30 minutes to let the yeast develop.

Combine 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water, oil and 3 eggs in a large bowl; mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Add the yeast mixture; mix well.

Add the remaining flour, about 1 cup at a time, until you get slightly firm dough. It will be a bit softer than ordinary bread dough because of the eggs. Knead in bowl about 5 minutes. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly to work out the larger air pockets. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, about 24 inches long. Braid ropes to form a loaf, tucking the ends underneath. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until nearly doubled in bulk. The loaf will be quite large.

About 15 minutes before loaf has finished rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush loaf all over with beaten egg. Bake in 375-degree oven about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. If your oven doesn't bake evenly, be sure to turn the pan every 10 minutes or so. Remove loaf from pan and let cool on a rack.

Note:

A large, braided loaf is one of the traditional forms of challah. One also finds it shaped as a large braid with a smaller braid on top. I generally prefer to make two smaller single braids, as may be necessary if you have a smaller oven.

CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD

YIELD: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS:

Dough:

1 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening or butter

5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 packages FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 eggs, beaten

Filling:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Combine milk, sour cream and shortening in a saucepan over low heat; stir occasionally until sour cream and shortening are melted and mixed in. Remove from heat. Let cool to lukewarm.

Combine 2 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl; mix well. Blend milk mixture, vanilla and eggs into flour mixture; beat about 3 minutes. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding flour as needed to make a smooth and elastic dough. Lightly grease the surface of the dough; place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough. Knead 2 minutes to work out the air bubbles. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface or pastry cloth, roll each piece of dough into a rectangle about 14 by 7 inches. Spread softened butter on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; sprinkle over butter. Starting with the short edge, tightly roll up dough; seal the edges. Place in greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Cover with a clean towel and let rise 45 to 60 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake bread 40 to 45 minutes, or until top is golden and bread sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove from pans and let cool on a wire rack. If desired, while loaves are still hot, brush the tops with additional butter and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar.

Note:

Be careful not to add too much flour, either in mixing or kneading, or the dough will be too stiff to roll out. It's better for the dough to be a bit too soft than too stiff. When sealing the edges of the loaf, brush the edge of the dough with a little milk if you have trouble getting it to stick.

I like to make this recipe in circular glass tube pans. Corning used to produce them, but I'm not sure if they're still available. I got mine at a rummage sale. They make a perfectly round slice of bread with a spiral of cinnamon in the center.

BASIC ROLLS

YIELD: About 30 rolls

INGREDIENTS:

1 package FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, beaten

5 to 5 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, divided

DIRECTIONS:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Heat milk in a saucepan until lukewarm; do not boil. Add butter, sugar and milk; mix well.

Combine milk mixture, yeast mixture and eggs in large bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook. Add 2 cups of the flour; mix with dough hook until blended. Add 2 cups flour and mix until blended. Add 1 cup flour and mix on medium speed 2 minutes.

Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead, adding as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed to form a smooth, elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead 2 minutes to work out air bubbles. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Shape dough into desired rolls. (For shape variations, visit Tips & Techniques.) Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or until doubled.

When dough is nearly finished rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake rolls 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

HONEY OATMEAL BREAD

YIELD: 2 loaves.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup instant oats, uncooked

1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil

2 cups hot water

1 package FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 egg, beaten (optional)

About 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 warm water

1/3 cup honey

Extra oatmeal for coating

DIRECTIONS:

Put the oats in a large bowl. Bring 2 cups water to a boil; pour it over the oats and let stand for at least 15 minutes.

Stir the yeast into 1/4 cup of warm water and let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve.

Feel the oats at the bottom of the bowl to be sure they're lukewarm. Add honey, butter, salt and yeast mixture. You can also add an egg for an extra-rich dough.

Mix well. Work in enough of the flour so that the dough can be handled, but remember that the oats and honey will make this a very sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for a minute or two. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Knead until dough is elastic but still rather sticky, adding flour as needed; don't add too much flour at a time.

Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough and divide into two equal pieces. Knead each piece to remove the large air bubbles. Do not use any flour on the kneading surface; you want the dough to remain sticky. Form each piece into a loaf. Roll each loaf in additional oats until completely covered. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or until doubled.

While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake loaves about 45 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

Notes:

Breads made with honey might darken more quickly during baking than other breads. If the loaves start to get too dark, loosely cover them with aluminum foil and continue baking.

For an excellent low-fat sandwich, use this bread with garden-fresh tomatoes and smoked turkey. There's no need for cheese or dressing for added flavor.