White Bread

This is by far the best white bread recipe I have tried.  It is super soft and stays that way a lot longer than other recipes!!  Have fun baking.

In your mixer put:

½ cup shortening

4 ¼ cups hot water

Pour hot water over shortening and let cool slightly.

Add the following and mix:    2 ¼ Tbls. salt, 2/3 cup sugar or honey (I use honey), 1 TBS lecithin, 1 cup powdered milk, 2 TBS dough enhancer and 3 cups flour.

Then add:

 2 ½ TBS yeast, mix slightly, let rest about 8 minutes until you can see yeast working good.

Add 7 cups flour all at once and mix well.  Add 3 ½ cups (or more) flour, one at a time and mix well after each until dough leaves the sides of mixer.  Mix about 3-4 min.   Dough should not be sticky to the touch.

Let rise until double.  Punch down form into 5 greased loaf pans.  Let rise until double.

Bake 10 min. at 375 degrees and then 30 min. at 325 degrees.  Take out of pans and grease tops with butter.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I grew up on this bread and it is a family favorite.  You can always omit the chocolate chips and add chopped walnuts if you want.  But, I always go for the chocolate! 

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup butter shortening 

(If you do not like using shortening you can substitute with butter).

4 eggs

4 ripe bananas

2 tsp soda

1 cup cold water

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 cups flour

2tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 bag chocolate chips

Mash bananas and combine with water and soda. Set aside.  Cream shortening and sugar together.  Add eggs 1 at a time.  Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.  Alternate dry mixture with the banana mixture into the sugar mixture.  Add vanilla and chocolate chips.  Grease bread pans.   This will make 4 regular size loaves or 8 mini loaves.  I really like the mini loaves the best.  Bake at 360 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown and center has cooked completely through.

Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls

Bread Bowls

Ingredients

• 2 TBS active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups warm water 
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6-7 cups all-purpose flour
•  
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition.When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.Punch dough down, and divide into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round loaf. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash.Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks. To make bowls: Cut a 1/2 inch thick slice from top of each loaf; scoop out centers, leaving 3/4-inch-thick shells. Fill bread bowls with hot soup and serve immediately.

Clam Chowder

1 cup celery, finely chopped

1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

1 cup carrots, shredded

3 cups potatoes, cubed

2 cans of clams, drained or 12 ounces fresh clams

1 cube butter

3/4 cup flour

1 quart half and half

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp sugar

In a large pot combine vegetables and clams.  Cover with water until just covered.  Simmer until vegetables are tender.  In a large pot, over medium heat, melt butter and then add flour.  Stirring continually, cook for about 3 minutes.  Slowly add the half and half. (If you do not want it this rich you can use 1 pint of half and half and 1 pint of milk).  Then add salt, pepper and sugar.  Then add vegetables and all the liquid to the cream mixture.  Heat through and serve! 

Wheat Bread

I have found my new favorite wheat bread recipe.  It is soft and holds together great.  I put some white flour in it but you can definitely do all wheat!

Whole Wheat Bread (Makes 5 loaves.  Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 min.)

Into your mixer, put :

5 cups warm water

1/2 cup honey

1 Tbls. liquid Lecithin (avoid getting on hands) You can just pour it from the bottle.  Lecithin can be found at your local health food store.

1 cup powdered milk

1/3 cup gluten 

Turn mixer on and off several times till mixed up a little 

Then add:

6 cups whole wheat flour 

2 Tbls. instant yeast 

Mix well

Let sit for 20-30 min. until a nice sponge has developed

Then, add:

1/2 cup oil

2 Tbls. salt

6 more cups of flour (4c. wheat and 2c. white)

Mix until mixture pulls away from bowl (about 7 min.).  It should

be slightly sticky

Grease large bowl and put dough into it, turning over once to coat.

Cover  with towel and let raise for 1-1 1/2 hrs.    Punch down and

divide into 5 loaves. 

To roll out bread: Lightly grease countertop. Stretch dough lightly

and roll out lengthwise.  Roll up tight, tuck ends under.  Place in

greased pan upside down, then turn right side up.  Cover with towel 

and raise for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs. (1" above pans) then bake until nicely

browned on middle rack.  Cool on racks (I butter the tops of bread

while hot.) 

Lemon Blueberry Bread

I got this recipe from a friend and I absolutely love it!  It is so fresh and light.  You will love it!

1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsps. grated lemon rind
½ cup milk
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and drained
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar 

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Set aside. Beat butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy in second bowl. Add eggs one at a time; beat well after each one. Add lemon rind. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Fold in blueberries. (Sprinkle small amount of flour over blueberries to prevent sinking to the bottom of the bowl.) Spoon batter into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on wire rack to cool slightly. Bring lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar to a boil. Pierce loaf. Spoon mixture over loaf. Let stand in pan 1 hour to cool completely. Makes 1 loaf.

French Bread

I love this bread.  It is not as crunchy on the outside as a normal french bread but I like my bread more soft. I use this bread recipe for almost everything.  This makes great french toast and garlic bread.  I hope you enjoy!

Combine:

2 TBS yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1/2 tsp sugar

In a mixer combine 2 2/3 cup warm water, 1 TBS salt, 1/4 cup sugar and 3 TBS melted butter.  Than add the yeast mixture and mix well.  Then add 9-10 cups of bread flour.  Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.  Form into 2 french bread loaves and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Top with an egg wash (1 egg and 1 TBS water beaten).  Let rise until double.  Bake on 400 degrees until golden brown about 15-20 minutes.  

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

I got this recipe from a wonderful lady I just met.  I had never had pineapple in my zucchini bread and loved it.  So, I thought I would share it!    

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 large can crushed pineapple (well drained)

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients together in a mixer on low speed until well blended.  Grease pans well with shortening and flour.  Fill pans 2/3rd full and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  If you are doing mini loaves you will want to start checking your bread at 35 minutes.  This recipe is great and can even be done in a bundt pan.  It is super yummy fresh out of the oven with butter.  I hope you love it as much as I did!

Apple Spice Bread

I love this bread!  It is another recipe from my mother-in-laws kitchen.  It is the perfect comfort food on a cold dreary day!  It is super moist on delicious!

CREAM TOGETHER:

2 cups sugar

1 1/4 cup oil

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

THEN ADD:

1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp cinnamon

3 cups flour

FOLD IN:

3 cups of peeled, diced apples

Put batter in greased bread pans.  Fill about 2/3 full.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until completely cooked in the center.  You can also do muffins.  You will bake these for only 25-30 minutes.  

Mom's Famous Rolls!

Growing up it seemed like my mom's rolls were always the big hit at our meals. We couldn't wait for them to get out of the oven so we could sneak one before dinner! I hope you enjoy them as much as my family has.

In a small bowl combine 1/3 C warm water, 1 TBS yeast and 1 tsp. sugar. Stir and set aside.

In another microwavable bowl combine 1 C milk, 2 TBS butter, 2 TBS sugar and 1 tsp salt. Microwave for one minute or until butter melts. Set aside to cool.

In another small bowl whip 1 egg. Add a small amount of the milk mixture to the egg to temper it. Then add the egg mixture to the rest of the milk mixture. Pour your egg and milk mixture into your mixing bowl. Then add your yeast mixture and stir until incorporated. Next add 31/2 C flour. Mix the dough until it it looks smooth and satiny. (This step is very important in your final outcome. It will take a few minutes). Cover and let dough raise for one hour.

After the dough has risen, divide dough into 3 balls. Roll out each ball into and 8 inch circle and cut into 6 pizza slices.

Then take each pizza slice and roll from the "crust" in forming a crescent shaped roll. Once done you will have 18 rolls that fit perfectly on one cookie sheet.

Brush each roll lightly with melted butter and cover with plastic wrap slightly sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise for one hour or until doubled. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Once out of the oven, rub then over with a little more butter. YUM!