Crescent Roll Dough

Preheat: 400F Bake: 12-15 min Yields: 10-15 rolls
Ingredients

• 1, .25 oz, pkg active dry yeast
• 6 Tbs warm water (110F/45C)
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 eggs
• 1/4 c shortening
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbs butter, softened

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2. Stir in sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 1 c of flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in remaining flour until smooth. Scrape dough from side of bowl. Knead dough, then cover it and let rise in a warm place until double (ab 1 1/2 hours).
3. Punch down dough. Divide in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle. Spread with butter. Cut into 12 wedge shapes.
4. Roll up wedges starting with the wide end. Place rolls with point under on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, ab 1 hr.
5. Bake, until golden brown.

Biscuits

Preheat: 400F Prep: 20 min Bake: ab 12 min Serves: 9-12

Ingredients:

• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sugar, optional
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 8 Tbs cold, unsalted butter, cubed
• 3/4 c whole milk or buttermilk

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients.
2. Using a pastry blender cut butter into dry ingredients until it begins to look like cornmeal.
3. Make a well in the mixture & slowly add milk into the well a little at a time as you knead the dough with fingers, adding more milk when necessary.
4. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 an in thickness.
5. Cut dough with a biscuit cutter or cup.
6. Butter bottom of pan & place biscuits into it.
7. Bake until golden brown.

Tip: Biscuits can be made in a fry pan on the stove top; cover with a lid & flip when necessary.

Bread Pudding

Preheat: 350°F Prep: 20 min Bake: 40-50 min Serves: 15 Cost: Under $1 per serving

Note: In my house we never have stale or leftover bread... When I want to make bread pudding I have to actively buy bread for the pudding. So I stop in at my local supermarket bakery & see if they have any day old french bread. They will even cut it up into chunks for me while I am doing the rest of my shopping. Talk about your mess saver!

Pudding Ingredients:

• 2 loaves french bread, cubed (about 8 c)
• 2 c raisins (juicy fat raisins, not super dry tiny ones)
• 4 c whole milk
• 1/2 c salted butter
• 1 c sugar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2-4 Tbs real vanilla extract
• 1 Tbs ground cinnamon

Simple Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Optional; Vanilla Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c whipping cream
• 1/2 c butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 Tbs dark rum, optional

Directions:

1. Combine bread & raisins in a lg bowl
2. In a sauce pan, over mead heat, cook milk & butter until butter is melted.
3. Pour milk mixture over bread & raisins; let stand 10 min.
4. Stir in remaining pudding ingredients letting stand several minutes, repeating the process several times until bread is soaking.
5. Pour into a lightly buttered 9x13 in baking dish.
6. Top with sweetened condensed milk.
7. Bake until center is set & top is browned & bubbly.
8. Best served warm.

Vanilla Sauce directions:

1. In saucepan, over med heat, cook: sugar, brown sugar, whipping cream, butter, & rum if desired; stirring occasionally until mixture thickens & comes to a full boil, 5-8 minutes.
2. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3. Serve sauce over warm pudding.

Banana Bread

Prep: 20 min Preheat: 350 F Bake: 60 min Serves: 10 or more Cost: $

I have vigorously attempted to make this a lower calorie/sugar bread. All attempts have failed to yield a successful batch. I have used Splenda, applesauce as well as several other things. I've given up. After 6 batches that were nearly inedible, had the texture & taste of cardboard, I have returned to tell everyone this is the best recipe I have ever made & well worth the extra fats & sugars!

Ingredients:

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp (sodium free) baking soda or 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie seasoning
• 1 tsp salt (optional)
• 3/4 c dark brown sugar
• 8 Tbs unsalted butter
• 1/4 c buttermilk or regular milk
• 2 Tbs vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3 over-ripe bananas
• 1 slightly green banana
• 2+ Tbs raw, coarse sugar

Optional Ingredients:

• 1 c crushed walnuts or pecans
• 1 c blueberries
• 1 c baking chips, (chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, white chocolate...)
• 1/2 c coconut
• 2-3 Tbs honey
• top with butter crumb

Directions

1. Sift together: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl cream together brown sugar and butter.
3. In a third bowl beat eggs, buttermilk, & vanilla.
4. Peel the over-ripe bananas & add to egg bowl, mash but don't over mash.
5. Pour creamed sugar & mashed bananas to the sifted dry ingredients bowl & mix until flour is moistened.
6. Peel the slightly green banana and cut into centimeter sized cubes.
7. Gently fold the cubed banana into the dough.
8. Pour dough into a lightly grease a loaf or muffin pan.
9. Evenly coat the top of the dough with coarse sugar.
10. Bake.
11. Allow to cool, remove from loaf pan & cut into desired thickness (in my house its just under 1 in per slice)
12. Serve topped with butter and a glass of milk.

True Fruitcake

Prep: 20 min Preheat: 275°f Bake: 2 ½ hours Yields: 6 loaves

Ingredients:

1. 1 can ea; drained: dark sweet cherries & pineapple tidbits
2. 1 c ea; dried: apples, apricots, currants, dates, figs, golden raisins, & peaches
3. 1 c ea; chopped: almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, & walnuts
4. 6 c all-purpose flour
5. 1 c ea: white & dark brown sugar
6. 4 tsp salt
7. 2 tsp baking powder
8. 1 Tbs ground cinnamon
9. 2 tsp ground nutmeg
10. 1 tsp ea; ground: cloves & ginger
11. 1 ½ c orange juice
12. ½ c rum or whiskey
13. 1 c oil
14. 8 eggs
15. ½ c light corn syrup

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients, mixing well.
2. Add oil, orange juice, whiskey, eggs & corn syrup, mixing until smooth.
3. Add fruits & nuts, stirring well after each addition.
4. Grease the insides of 6 loaf pans with oil.
5. Fill pans 2/3 full with batter.
6. Bake until wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Cover tops with foil during the last hour to prevent excessive browning & drying out.
8. Remove cakes from pans & allow to cool.
9. After cooling wrap in foil or plastic wrap & store in a cool place.
10. Optional: glaze the fruitcakes with your favorite glaze before wrapping for storage.

Persimmon Bread

Prep: 25 min Preheat: 325F Bake: 90 min

Ingredients

1. 1 2/3 c flour
2. 1 1/2 c sugar
3. 1/4 tsp baking powder
4. 1 tsp baking soda
5. 1/2 tsp ea; ground: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, & salt
6. 1/2 c vegetable oil
7. 1/2 c dark rum
8. 2 eggs
9. 1 c soft persimmons, chopped in a food processor
10. 1 c ea; chopped: raisins, dates, & pecans

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl & pour into a loaf pan.
2. Bake.

PB&J Muffins

Preheat: 375ºF Prep: 15 min Bake: 20 min Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1. Non-stick cooking spray
2. 2 c wheat flour
3. 1 1/2 tsp salt
4. 1 Tbs baking powder
5. 1 c milk
6. 2 lg eggs
7. 2/3 c sugar
8. 1 c creamy peanut butter
9. 1/3 c vegetable oil
10. 1/2 c seedless jam or preserves
11. 1/4 c raw, coarse ground sugar

Directions:

1. Spray muffin pan with no-stick cooking spray.
2. Stir together flour, salt & baking powder in a large bowl.
3. Add milk, eggs, 2/3 cup sugar, peanut butter & oil to bowl.
4. Combine ingredients on low speed of electric mixer, just until moistened. Do not over beat!!!
5. FILL prepared muffin cups evenly with half of the batter.
6. Place 2 level teaspoons jam or preserves in the center of each muffin.
7. Evenly divide remaining batter between muffin cups.
8. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup coarse sugar.
9. Bake.
10. Remove from oven.
11. Cool in pan 5 minutes.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread (White & Brown)

Preheat: 425 Prep: 20 min Bake: 45 min

Ingredients:

1. 4 c all purpose flour (white soda bread) or 3 c wheat flour & 1 c white flour (brown soda bread)
2. 1 3/4 c buttermilk
3. 1 tsp salt
4. 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Optional Ingredients for a more modern bread:

1. 4 Tbs Butter

Directions:

1. Lightly grease & flour a cake pan.
2. In a large bowl sieve & combine dry ingredients.
3. (optional) Rub in butter until flour becomes crumbly.
4. Add buttermilk to form a sticky dough.
5. Place on floured surface & lightly knead (over kneading causes the gas to escape)
6. Shape into a round flat disk shape.
7. Place into cake pan & cut a cross into the top of the dough.
8. Cover with another cake pan & bake 30 min.
9. Remove cake cover & bake an additional 15 min.
10. Bread is done when the bottom has a hollow sound when tapped.

Perfectly served with butter & a cup of tea.