Blueberry Muffins

My little 2 year old was given blueberries somewhere, I have no idea where.  But one day that's all he was asking for so I went out on  limb and bought a huge box of them at Costco. I've never really bought fresh blueberries so what the heck was I to do with all those blueberries?! We had pancakes and blueberries, salads with blueberries, and blueberries. Wow there were so many blueberries! So I decided to make muffins. I've never made blueberry muffins from scratch and now I'm sitting here scratching my head wondering WHY??? They were absolutely delightful. I will never make them from a box again.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups blueberries

Notes / Directions
Combine butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add milk. Mix dry ingredients together, then add to batter. Mix until just moistened. Fold in blueberries (fresh or frozen). Pour into prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until slightly golden on top.

Makes 12 muffins.

*Instead of milk I used almond coconut milk and it was delicious.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients
4 cups whole wheat flour (or 2 cups whole wheat flour and 2 cups all-purpose flour)
1 tablespoon yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Notes / Directions
Sift together 2 cups of flour and yeast.  Stir in water and salt.  Mix well.  Gradually add 2 cups of flour, just until dough isn't sticky anymore (there may be remainder flour).  Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes.  Form dough into 10 balls.  On a floured surface, roll out each ball until about 1/4 inch thick.  Pat flour onto both sides so that it doesn't stick and set aside.  Let rise for 30 minutes, until dough looks slightly raised.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Turn dough upside down onto cookie sheet and cook for 5 minutes.  When they come out, they will be extremely puffed up.  Allow them to cool until they are warm and gently press flat.  Store in an airtight container.

*During the kneading process, you can add whatever herbs or spices you'd like.

Banana Bread

I got this recipe from a lady that I lived next door to my whole life. I'm still yet to find a recipe that I like better than hers. She makes the best banana bread.  Her biggest secret was to use incredibly ripe bananas, like almost rotten bananas. I still can't quite figure out why her big loaves turn out different than mine but they do. So I stick to mini loaves which turn out great.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 bananas (the browner, the better)
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar

Notes / Directions

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Mix till smooth. In a separate bowl, mash bananas. Stir them into batter. Measure milk and add vinegar, mix a little before adding to batter. Grease 4 mini loaf pans and pour in equal amounts of batter to each pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

*You can make 2 regular sized loaves with this same recipe. Cooking time is the same.

Savory Ham and Gruyere Cookies

 Adapted from Delish

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped black forest ham
1 1/2 cups finely shredded gruyere cheese, divided

Notes / Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a sauce pan, bring butter, salt, and water to a boil.  Reduce heat and quickly stir in flour.  Continue stirring until a film starts to form on the bottom of the pan, about 30 seconds.  Transfer dough into a bowl and allow to cool for a minute.  Stir in eggs one at a time, making sure each is well incorporated before adding the next.  Stir in pepper, ham, and 1 cup of cheese.  Scoop dough out into a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch star on it.

Grease 2 cookie sheets and squeeze dough out in 1 1/2 inch circles, leaving 1/2 inch between each cookie.  Place cookie sheets in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, rotating sheets half way, until golden brown.  Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of gruyere cheese on top.  Cook for 3 more minutes or until cheese is fully melted.  Serve warm.

Butterhorn Rolls

These rolls have been on the Thanksgiving dinner table ever since I can remember and are a classic at my house.  Not only that, they are absolutely TO DIE FOR good.  Once the first batch comes out of the oven, everyone runs to the kitchen, and my mom, armed with a broom, starts whacking people away.  Well.... not really.  But there is yelling and scolding involved :)  This is the first year that I'm going to be away from home for Thanksgiving so I'll be making them on my own.  My mom assures me that they are easy so hopefully it goes well for me.  Give it a try yourself!  They are truly the most amazing rolls.

Ingredients
2 pkgs. yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk
1/2 cup imperial butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, well beaten
5 cups flour

Notes / Directions
Combine warm water, 1 T. sugar and yeast and set aside. Scald milk and add butter, 1/2 c. sugar and salt. Beat eggs, add milk mixture, yeast, and 1 2/3 c. flour. Beat vigorously til bubbles form on the surface. Cover and set aside 25-30 minutes.

Add remaining 3 1/3 c. flour; knead. Put in greased bowl. Cover and let rise about 1 hour. Knead down. Divide into thirds. Roll each third into a circle and cut into 12 pie-shaped wedges. 

Brush with melted butter. Shape into crescents by starting to roll at wide end of triangle.

Place on buttered cookie sheets with pointed end tucked under.

Let rise til light (45 min-1 hour). Brush with salted butter. Bake 12-15 (mom says 10) minutes at 400. Brush with salted butter.  Makes 3 dozen.

Amish White Bread

My friend Scott is a bread critique and he said that this is probably the best white bread that he has ever had.  It really is quite delicious!

Ingredients
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour

Notes / Directions
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

French Baguettes

 

So I made these the other day for the first time and HOLY COW!!  They were SO good!  I ate a whole loaf by myself and then I made another batch because everyone else wanted some more too.  I also couldn't believe how easy it was!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Ingredients
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons SAF instant yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Notes / Directions
Combine water, flour, sugar, and yeast and kneed for 5-7 min (in mixer).  (If using different yeast, proof yeast first.) Remove dough hook, cover work bowl and let sit 15 minutes. THEN, sprinkle salt evenly over the dough and knead again until the salt is well incorporated. Set aside in warm place (85°F) until doubled in size.

Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16x12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8x12 inch rectangles. Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper end. Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.

***For those who prefer a more crunchy crust, use only egg white for brushing the loaf - and throw 1/4 cup of water onto the bottom of the oven (avoid heating element if you have an electric oven) - immediately place the loaf in the oven and bake as directed... the water will create steam and gives the bread a crispier crust. When I prefer a soft crust, I whisk a whole egg (not just the yolk). For bread sticks omit brushing the dough with egg.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Corn Muffins

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups corn meal
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 egg whites
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup butter
1 cup honey
1 cup milk
1 cup apple sauce

Notes / Directions
Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Slightly beat egg whites and mix in oil, butter, honey, milk, and apple sauce until semi blended. Add dry ingredients and stir till moist. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.


***You may also substitute corn meal with oats and then add some apples and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon for cinnamon apple muffins.

Easy Pull-Apart Orange Rolls

My grandma always makes these when I go to visit her.  Mostly because they are my FAVORITE and I devour the whole plate but also because she's getting old and tries to keep things as simple as possible.  And these rolls are SO simple!

Ingredients
2 pkgs regular sized biscuits
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
orange rind, grated

Notes / Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place biscuits standing up in a bundt pan. Boil sugar and butter together. Place orange rind in the mixture. Pour over biscuits. Bake 15-20 minutes. turn over onto plate and serve warm.