Waffles

Pioneer Woman Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1-1/2 cup Milk
• 2 whole Egg Yolks
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon (additional) Vanilla Extract
• 1 stick (1/2 Cup) Salted Butter, Melted
• 4 whole Egg Whites

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the waffle iron to the regular setting.

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

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, 2 egg yolks, and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and very gently stir until halfway combined. Pour in the melted butter and continue mixing very gently until combined.

In a separate bowl (or using a mixer), beat the egg whites with a whisk until stiff. Slowly fold them into the batter, stopping short of mixing them all the way through.

Scoop the batter into your waffle iron in batches and cook according to its directions (lean toward being a little deep golden and crisp!) Remove and serve immediately with softened butter and warm syrup. 

Source-http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2014/02/waffles/

Monkey Bread

Ingredients

1 pkg of parkerhouse style bread roll dough. You can find it in the freezer department. Thaw dough.
1 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons (to 3 Teaspoons) Cinnamon
2 sticks Butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar


Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Open thawed roll pkg and cut each roll in quarters.
Next, combine the white sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon. (3 teaspoons of cinnamon gives it a fairly strong cinnamon flavor. If you’re not so hot on cinnamon, cut it back to 2 teaspoons.) Dump these into a 1 gallon zip bag and shake to mix evenly.
Drop all of the roll quarters into the cinnamon-sugar mix. Once all the rolls quarters are in the bag seal it and give it a vigorous shake. This will get all those pieces unstuck from one another and nicely coated with cinnamon-sugar. Spread these nuggets out evenly in the bundt pan.
At this point, you’re going to want to melt the two sticks of butter together with ½ cup of brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. This can be light or dark brown sugar. Cook butter/sugar mixture, stirring for a few minutes until the two become one. Once the brown sugar butter has become one color, you can pour it over the rolls.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the crust is a deep dark brown on top. When its finished cooking, remove it from the oven. If you have the willpower, allow it to cook for about 15-30 minutes before turning it over onto a plate.

Source- http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/05/monkey-bread/

Easy Homemade French Bread

French Bread recipe (this amount makes 3 small loaves or 2 large):

2 1/2 c. warm water
2 Tbls. yeast
3 Tbls. sugar
2 Tbls. white vinegar
Add the above ingredients together and let sit until bubbly (about 3-5 minutes). Then add:
1 Tbls. salt
1/3 c. oil (I use Canola)
6-7 c. flour (or a little more if it's too soft), one cup at a time--add enough until the dough is soft, but firm enough to mold into dough loaves

Knead for 2-5 minutes and then put in the oven with a small pot of boiling water. The water will keep the dough moist. Watch the dough and punch it down when it gets to the top of the mixing bowl. Do this every time it gets to the top of the bowl, as long as you have time to babysit it (2-5 times). Put the dough on a greased countertop and divide into 3 sections. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal on the bottom of the sheet. Roll the dough balls into rectangle/long French bread shapes. Slash tops of bread diagonally 3-5 times and cover with a beaten egg. Let rise 30 minutes (or until doubled)on the counter, or you can put them in your oven at 170 and wait until they are the size you want to cook them at. Once they are to the right size, turn up your stove to 375 (without opening the door!) and let them bake until done. Or, just raise on the counter and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Enjoy! Dough--can be a little soft, if too sticky, add a little more flour. Put the boiling water in the oven with your bowl of dough to help it rise faster. Cut the dough into two equal parts (or three if you are making small ones). Slice the dough diagonally and white wash with 1 beaten egg. Bake and serve warm out of the oven!

Source-http://www.dealstomeals.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post_09.html?m=1

Pizza Dough

Original Recipe Yield 1 giant pizza crust

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.allrecipes

Homemade Biscuits

I came up with this recipe in a flash because of a quick need for our Sunday lunch. I plan for this to be my go to recipe for biscuits until I can find one as good as the Chickfila Biscuits. I will say they are 100% better than Grands in the fridge section, and much  better than Bisquick biscuits.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in order in mixer. Then roll out, cut and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 14-18 min

Blueberry Muffins with a hint of Lemon Zest

So, does anyone else out there need a break from reality as badly as I do? Well then I’m sure you won’t mind going along with me on a little fantasy … Go ahead relax…unwind and sink into those old but dearly loved leather sleepers. It’s sometime back in the mid 1800s in the western part of North America and you are around 17 years of age. You have a few siblings and live in a log cabin that your Pa built with his bare hands. Faintly, you hear your mother’s voice softly cooing at you. “Sweet girl, if you keep starring out that window you’re going to make those pretty eyes all red from the strain”. You knew your mother was right but you honestly couldn’t help yourself. Pa was outside repairing the fence for the horses with the neighbor boy, Levi. Oh, if growing up with him wasn’t enough, add in the constant teasing and childhood games the two of you used to play. Now he has grown up and was gorgeous. Not fair, not fair at all! More recently, Levi had been nothing but kind, running over to help you close the barns doors and make sure all the animals were safely tucked away during the storm, just a day ago. Pa had been away seeing about a new plow horse during that horrible storm and Levi had come to your rescue. Peering back through the window you take a glance at his muddy yet incredibly strong hands. You observe how similar they are to your fathers, yet not as worn from all the additional years of hard work. The dark mud stains on his hands make you reminisce of the time you headed into town to get something for Mother and Levi grabbed you by the waist from the carriage so you wouldn’t sink into a pile full mud. The fragrance of blueberries and cinnamon baking in the oven capture your senses. “It smells like they’re almost done” your mother comments from her creaking rocking chair. She had since moved over to it so she could get busy with her crocheting. “Yes, I do believe you are right mother” you reply as you pull out the blueberry muffins nearly burning your pinky in the process. You let them cool just enough to the touch, then grab a wooden basket and a cloth napkin, place your delectable’s inside and out the door you go. Immediately you’re embraced by the glorious sunshine beaming through the faint clouds. Your eyes rest upon your Pa and then of course Levi. The thought crosses your mind; could he ever be interested in me? “Darling what did you bring us?” Pa’s deep yet sensitive voice breaks through your cloudy daydream. “Blueberry muffins Pa” you answer your father, yet your body completely turned to Levi. He was dirty and smelled like pine, his shirt was rolled up past his elbows and there were small droplets of sweat gliding down his temples. His eyes were completely fixed on you. Of course this made you slightly uncomfortable which probably was apparent from how you were switching your weight from one leg to the other and then back again. You quickly glance over at your Pa who had a huge grin across his face. That honestly puzzled you, how could he know anything… Pa broke the inherent silence with “sweet girl, Levi has expressed his feelings to me and would greatly like to ask you to go to the Church fellowship potluck this Sunday”. You whirl back to Levi and reply “yes, yes Levi I would love to go with you”! Thinking to yourself that after your earlier thoughts you probably should start going to Church daily. Nervously you smile up at Levi, while your father says “ good , this is very good".

Original Recipe Yield 1 dozen

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter, diced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
2. Combine 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons flour over blueberries, and set aside. (This simple trick will keep you from having "purple" batter)
3. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, and stir in vanilla and lemon zest. Fold in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Fold in blueberries. Remember, fold gently, don't stir. Spoon batter into prepared cups.
4. Combine 2 tablespoons flour, 5 tablespoons sugar ,and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter with fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles course crumbs. Sprinkle over batter in muffin cups.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack. These muffins freeze really well, and re-heat in the microwave successfully. Hope you enjoy!! Allrecipes

Cinnamon Topped Rhubarb Muffins

This recipe came about after hours of trying to find a muffin that was dairy free. Well, truth is this one is not, but the one under it is and if I’m going to be completely honest with you they taste nearly identical. So, with that said, I would use frozen rhubarb for this recipe because the flavor of the rhubarb is very faint. This is more of a cinnamon spice muffin than anything else. And let me just add, this sweet little muffin is very moist...mmm. The Applesauce Spice muffin below it is a little bit dryer compared to this one yet is an excellent alternative.

 

Original Recipe Yield 24 servings

 Cinnamon Topped Rhubarb Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely chopped rhubarb ( frozen)
• TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Combine egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in rhubarb. Fill greased or paper-lined muffins cups about half full. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over each muffin. Bake at 375 degrees F for 16-18 minutes or until muffins test done. Allrecipes

12 servings

Applesauce Spice Muffins

Ingredients

For muffins:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or 1/8 tsp of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup pecans or walnuts (3 1/2 ounces), coarsely chopped opt.

For topping:

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• Special equipment: a muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

Directions

Prepare muffins:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Grease muffin pan.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until combined well, then add butter, a little at a time, whisking until mixture is creamy. Stir in applesauce, and then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened. Stir in nuts and divide batter among muffin cups.

Make topping and bake:
Stir together all topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of muffins. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and cool slightly. Epicurious recipe

Grandma's White Bread/Buns

As I write this post I'm reminded by how warm, flaky and delicious this bread is. Growing up, my other Grandmother (Mom’s mom) was almost always making bread. Her timing was perfect. I recall so many times her freshly made bread was done at the moment of our arrival to her little brick home on Iowa St. What is it about bread that makes it have such amazing comforting powers? A few years ago I remember sharing with my mother in law that I was making this bread. She shared with me a story of when she and her then young family lived overseas and how she would make bread weekly for her neighbors. Oh how I would have loved to be one of those neighbors! Another memory of bread, well honestly it was more like the lack of. You see I was just a few weeks away from my wedding day and had gone on a no bread diet until after the wedding to ensure the dress would fit. Well, I was being really good and a number of friends of my husband-to-be came up with the idea that we should go to a restaurant that is well known for their yummy warm rolls that they toss to you. Well, I decided to still be good and even refused to catch one, and ordered a salad... So I was stunned when they brought out my salad in the largest bread bowl on the planet!! When I say largest I mean it! It was the size of large mans cowboy hat! I just starred at that thing and kept saying, really? Come on really? What cruelty! Let's just say everyone had a good laugh.

Ingredients

• 2 cups. scalded milk
• 1/2 cup. sugar
• 1  stick butter
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbs. dry yeast (2pkgs.)
• 1/4 cup. lukewarm water
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 7 to 8 cups flour

Directions

Add sugar, butter and salt to hot milk. Cool till lukewarm. Mix yeast, water, and sugar (if yeast is good, this mixture will foam). Add to milk mixture. Add eggs and mix on low speed with mixer until well blended. Add flour 2 cups at a time and mix dough until no longer sticky. Knead with mixer about 8 min or by hand about 10-15min. For buns: Break off a small piece, make into a ball, cover and let rise until double in size. Bake at 350 for 20-30 min, until nicely browned. Makes 4 dozen buns. For bread: Shape into 2 loaves. Cover and let rise until double in size. Bake at 350 for about 30 min, until nicely browned. From one of my Grandmother's Cookbooks

Irish Tea Bread

With all those chocolaty desserts, I'm sure you are about ready for something, say a little less sweet? Well with St Patrick’s Day in about two weeks, I figured we should enjoy some of the Irish flavors. This bread has many different names: Irish Tea Bread, Spotted Dog to even an Americanized version of Irish Soda Bread. More authentically it's one of the first two. It reminds me of a cross between a moist scone and a muffin, definitely cuts best the second day. I spent some time researching for a recipe to try, and I must say I will definitely make this again. One of the best parts of course is that there is no yeast to rise! As you can see I added some raisins to mine, funny thing though how they seemed to gravitate to one side of the bread more than the other. I must not have mixed it very well, which isn't surprising since I had little feet scurrying around me while preparing this bread. Anyhow I hope you enjoy!

Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9x5 inch loaf

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter.Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Pour into prepared pan and let rise 30 min before baking. Then preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.

Donut Muffins

What’s more delightful than warm donuts and coffee (or my case hot cocoa) on a morning with the family. This is a terrific treat to get the whole family involved in or more realistically the little ones.  They truly love to roll the donut muffins in the cinnamon and sugar. Plus this would be a wonderful activity to add to your list of family traditions. What time of year and when can be entirely up to you. One of my fond memories as a kid was when my Dad would take my sister and I to the bakery or bagel shop on the weekends. Later as a young teen I worked at that particular bakery. It’s simply amazing how many memories I have from there along with my teen years just in general. The memory I’m thinking of today actually took place the weekend of my 15th birthday at my church's youth group. I had decided to do something special and bring in a few boxes of donuts and muffins. At that same time I was suffering from a head cold and hyped up on cold medication. Which later I found out had alcohol in it! That of course makes sense now because I was a new sophomore and usually a little intimated by the older kids. Well that didn't last long because the cold medication just wouldn't allow it! It made me very relaxed yet  I was completely myself and you know what?  They LOVED me for me! Yes, you could say the donuts and the meds helped but months and months later it still being that way...no that was because I was true to myself. I've continued being myself ever since. Now I'm not saying anyone should go out and get some cold medication instead my goal is to share how important it is to be yourself. Oh and a few donuts and muffins couldn't hurt to break the ice!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
•  
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 mini-muffin cups.
2. Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup margarine, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, then mix in the baking powder and flour until just combined. Fill the prepared mini muffin cups about half full.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. While muffins are baking, place 1/4 cup of melted margarine in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon. Remove muffins from their cups, dip each muffin in the melted margarine, and roll in the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Let cool and serve. 24 mini servings  allrecipe

Moist Pumpkin Pancakes

So, this recipe has become a tradition for my family. Every year (since last year) I will make this on or at least around Halloween.  I believe it important to have special traditions for every family.  Some of our other fall favorites are common to most families such as hayrides, pumpkin patches, apple orchards. maybe a few less common are how often we watch It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,  that I decorate the whole house for fall, and we try to wear our dress up costumes once a week just for fun. If you have any fun fall activities your family enjoys doing please share I would love to hear about them. In the mean time try some moist pumpkin pancakes with a splash of real maple syrup!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions

1. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. allrecipes

Brown Bread

What makes me love this bread so much? I’m not really sure it good be that a sweet friend named Carrie Anne made and gave me this recipe or that it tastes like a special bread from one of my favorite childhood restaurants. In any case I know it will surprise and warm you with how yummy it is. You must make sure to have a slice while it's still warm with a just tad bit of butter if you like. Hmm warm homemade bread , a blanket with a good book or movie ...perfection! Can you tell I'm beginning to get in the mood for fall?! Well, get ready because I plan to make, post, and enjoy many attributes of all the yummy fall flavors in the coming months. Oh I do love this time of year ...I just don't tell the other seasons because I don't want them to get jealous:)



Ingredients


2 cups milk

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups bread flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

1.Butter and flour two 9x5 inch bread pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.In a small bowl combine milk, sugar and molasses.

3.Mix together whole wheat flour, regular flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add to milk mixture and mix well.

4.Pour mixture into bread pans. Bake for 45 minutes.

Banana Bread-Muffins

The best memory I have about this recipe is when I made it for my husband and his friend the day before we moved from Daytona Beach, Florida to Georgia. I remember how shocked my husbands friend was at how good it tasted. He told me his wife just had to have this recipe. Let's just say the Banana Bread didn't last long. Later on his wife and I did do a recipe swap. It was my Banana Bread for her Fudge Brownies. Which I will share with you at another date...what I gotta keep you wanting more!

Ingredients

1c. sugar
1 egg
1 stick butter (melted)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 banana (mashed), put in a measuring cup, fill with milk until it measures 1 c.
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 nuts (opt)I never use them
1 pinch of salt or 1/8 tsp

Directions

Combine all ingredients. Bake in greased loaf pan at 350 for 40-50 minutes. If making muffins bake in one 12 count muffin pan for 20-25 minutes. Always set timer for the lesser time and then if not done check back every 3 minutes or so.