Homemade Bread

Is there anything that smells (or tastes) better than Homemade Bread? Maybe not. To that end, here are six yummy homemade bread recipes to help you through the day, including Texas Moppin’ Rolls and Buttermilk Cornbread with Corn Kernels. Enjoy!

LAYERED PUMPKIN CRANBERRY BREAD MIX IN A JAR

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. The recipe source was listed as Ball Jar Ideas, http://www.homecanning.com

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions

To prepare the layered mix:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stirring until well blended. Place mixture into a 1 quart jar. Pack down this layer. Add the brown sugar to the jar, firmly packing down. Layer the white sugar on top of the brown sugar, firmly packing. Layer the pecans and then the dried cranberries into the jar. Adjust cap. Makes base for one recipe of Layered Pumpkin Cranberry Bread.

Attach the following directions to the jar:

PUMPKIN CRANBERRY BREAD

1 jar pumpkin cranberry bread mix

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour (or use spray) two 7-1/2x3-3/4x2-1/4 inch loaf pans (or 4 small loaf pans). In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, oil and eggs, stirring until well blended; set aside. Place contents of jar into a medium bowl; mix until well blended and brown sugar is no longer clumped. Add flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture, stirring until well blended. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes (30 to 35 minutes for the small pans), or until inserted toothpick comes out clean and tops of loaves spring back when pressed.

OATMEAL BREAD

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 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.

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.

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.)

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.

IRISH SODA BREAD

This wonderful recipe was posted on Facebook, and is from The Irish Post. It starts off, "WITH IRELAND under strict lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, friends and families everywhere are turning to the time-honoured practice of baking to keep occupied.

"And with some supplies proving harder to come by than others, the need for simple yet delicious recipes has never been stronger.

"Thankfully, the Irish know a thing or two about baking."Bread may come in various shapes and sizes but few types compare to a first-rate bit of Irish soda bread.

"Perfect for a sandwich or as an accompaniment to a good soup or fry, Irish soda bread is so delicious, you might be tempted just to spread a bit of butter on top and enjoy it as one of life's simple pleasures."

The wonderful photo accompanying this also has the statement, "This brilliant four-ingredient Irish soda bread recipe will see you through lockdown."

This can be viewed online at https://www.irishpost.com/news/brilliant-four-ingredient-irish-soda-bread-recipe-will-see-lockdown-182905.

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 220°C. (This translates to 428°F.)

In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk together.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in buttermilk. Mix together (using hands is the best way to do this) until just combined. Do not overwork or knead the dough. Texture should be slightly crumbly but just sticking together.

Form into a ball and place on a cast iron skillet, greased baking sheet or dutch oven. Make an "X" in the dough with a knife, about an inch deep.

Bake for 40 minutes or until outside is browned.

Bread of Life

If you've ever been fortunate enough to have homemade bread or rolls, you know how absolutely wonderful they can be. They make the house smell wonderful, and they taste great. Like me, you may have even made homemade bread or rolls. Yes, they take time, but it's usually not that difficult, and well worth the effort. I have one friend, an artist, who frequently mentions on a certain social media site that she's got another loaf or two rising/baking/fresh from the oven. Yum! Enjoy!

BEST HOT CROSS BUNS

Kathy Kingsley, About.com's American Food blog's guide, writes, "When these decorated rolls begin to appear in bakery windows and grocery store shelves, you know that Easter is approaching. But they are never better as the ones you can make at home, and this recipe will produce such great results, you'll want to make them every year — and maybe not just for Easter."

You can view this recipe on her blog here.

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: Makes 24

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water (105° to 155°F)

2 packages active dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup warm milk (105° to 115°F)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup dried currants

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Egg wash: 1 large egg white mixed with 1 teaspoon water

Lemon Icing

1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Preparation:

Pour the warm water into the large bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar over it. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Add the remaining sugar, warm milk, salt, nutmeg, and butter.

Add 3 cups of the flour, and using the paddle attachment of the mixer, beat at medium speed until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.

Beat in the vanilla, currants and apricots and 1 cup more of the flour. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough that just clears the sides of bowl is formed.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Place the dough in a large greased bowl. Turn once to coat the top and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough. Cover with an inverted bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 24 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Place the balls about 1 1/2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet or pan.

Let the rolls rise until doubled in volume, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the rolls lightly with the egg wash. With a sharp knife, cut a cross no more than 1/2 inch deep in the top of each roll. Bake the rolls until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack and let cool.

Make the icing: In a small bowl, mix together all of ingredients until well blended. Spoon the icing int a party bag fitted with small plain tip, and pipe a cross over the top of each roll. Let the buns stand at least 20 minutes for the icing to set before serving.

CRANBERRY BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Not really sure where this recipe came from. Probably from some emailing list that I was on years ago...

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup Dried Cranberries

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2 teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin, or line cups with paper muffin cups.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in medium mixing bowl. Combine egg, milk and oil in small bowl. Add liquid to dry ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently stir in blueberries and cranberries. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Sprinkle muffins with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.

Bake in 400°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove muffins from pan; cool on wire rack. Serve warm.

Makes 12 muffins.

OATS AND DARK MOLASSES BREAD

Elizabeth Yetter, About.com's Bread Baking's guide, writes, “The touch of Pennsylvania Dutch in me forces me to buy a few jars of blackstrap molasses at the start of ever winter. I use it to make my soft, molasses and ginger cookies and to add to my winter hearty breads. This recipe for oats and molasses bread is very easy to make, very basic, and yet oh so delicious. It is a winter time favorite bread and a good seller during the winter months. The bread can be eaten, buttered, fresh out of the oven. It also makes great toast, peanut butter sandwiches, and you can make it into french bread.”

Yield: 2 loaves; Prep Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups boiling water

1 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup water, room temperature

1 Tbsp or 2 packets (1/2 oz) active dry yeast

2 Tbsp butter or margarine

1/2 cup blackstrap molasses

2 tsp salt

5 cups bread flour, about

2 Tbsp cornmeal for preparing bread pans

Preparation:

In a large bowl, mix boiling water and oats. Let sit for 30 minutes. Do not add the yeast until water and oats are lukewarm. The heat of boiling water will kill the yeast and prevent the bread from rising. Add room temperature water and yeast. Stir. Add butter, molasses, and salt. Stir. Add 3 cups of flour and mix well. Slowly add in remaining flour, enough flour to make a dough that follows the spoon around the bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 4 minutes, adding more flour as needed until the dough is soft and smooth to the touch. Place dough in large greased bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so that the top is also lightly greased. Cover with clean cloth and let rise in warm, draft-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.


Punch down dough. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead for 4 minutes or until the bubbles are out of the bread. Divide dough into two equal halves. Shape each half into a loaf. Place each loaf into a greased and cornmealed 9 x 5-inch bread pan. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Bake loaves at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. Remove each loaf from pan and let cool on rack.

Baking Tips:

To keep bread soft, store in a plastic bag.


To prevent the molasses from sticking to your measuring spoon, coat the spoon in a tiny amount of cooking oil.

ORANGE CRANBERRY BREAD

Yield: 1 loaf (18 slices)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/412.shtml

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 medium orange

2 teaspoons margarine, melted

1 large egg, beaten, or 1/4 cup egg substitute

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut aluminum foil to fit the bottom of a 9x5-inch loaf pan and spray the sides of the pan with nonstick pan spray.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

Grate the zest from the orange and set aside. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into a measuring cup. Add the grated zest and melted margarine to the juice and add enough hot water to make 1 cup.

Stir the liquids into the dry ingredients. Add the egg, vanilla, cranberries, and walnuts; stir to mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the top of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

If time permits, let stand overnight for easy slicing. Cut the loaf into 18 slices.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 108; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Cholesterol: 12 g; Sodium: 109 mg; Fat: 3 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Fat

CINNAMON APPLE FLAT BREAD

Yield: 12 servings

Source: "Mr. Food's Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook"

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/89.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound frozen bread dough, thawed

1/4 cup peach all-fruit spread

4 medium apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 10" x 15" rectangle. With your fingertips, gently spread the dough to cover the pan, and push it up to the edges of the pan, forming a rim. If the dough is too sticky, dust it with your hands lightly with flour.

Spread the fruit spread over the dough, then top with the sliced apples, arranged in a single layer.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the apples. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden.

Remove from the oven and cool slightly in the pan on a wire rack. Slice, and serve warm.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (2 squares): Calories: 143, Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 221 mg, Carbohydrate: 29 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 11 g, Protein: 3 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate

OATMEAL BREAD

Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live, although the episodes can still be found here. Check out his website, The Bread Monk, at http://www.breadmonk.com/.

Yields 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.

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.