Pumpkin Muffins

Simply Sweet Sunday  We like pumpkin desserts at our house.  Then add chocolate chips you can't go wrong.  On top of that say it's for breakfast.  It's like getting dessert for breakfast!  What I really use this recipe for the most is to take a treat to someone.  Every one likes them and it easy to give away part of a batch and still keep some for my family.  This makes everyone happy!

1/2 cup melted butter
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup chocolate chips
1 2/3 cup flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a large mixing bowl mix melted butter, eggs and pumpkin.  Stir in chocolate chips.  In a small mixing bowl combine dry ingredients together.  Mix dry ingredients into wet mixture.  Grease muffin tins.  Scoop into 18 muffin cups.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

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Tip- Freeze the remaining pumpkin in 1 cup containers, it keeps for three months.  Use 2 to make Pumpkin Bars or 1 to make more muffins

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Heavenly Orange Rolls

For my family orange rolls are certainly a Thanksgiving tradition.  I could break into song but I'll resist.  I remember having these orange rolls at my grandma's house on Thanksgiving when I was a girl.  My eyes would grow big as the bowl of orange rolls was pass around the huge table we sat around for Thanksgiving dinner.  We only had them for Thanksgiving, this made them special.  Now that I make them, I know why.  They take a lot of time, (the dough rises three times) but they are worth every minute.  Take one bite, and you'll think you've died and gone to heaven.  Honestly they take time but anyone can make them.  My daughter Julie is definitely not a bread maker.  But since she lives too far away to come home for Thanksgiving she has to make her own orange rolls.  She says, it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without orange rolls.  If you want to make rolls that will be the star of Thanksgiving dinner make Heavenly Orange Rolls.  Makes 24 smiles, I mean rolls.               

 

 Dough:

 

1 cup scalded milk (divided)

1 packet yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)

2 tablespoons butter

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups flour (divided)

Filling:

Zest from 1 and 1/2 oranges

3/4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter softened

 Sorry you can't see the steam.

 

To scald milk: Place milk in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat.  Stir occasionally until milk is just hot with steam and small bubbles appear around the edges; do not boil.  Remove from heat.

 

Pour 1/4 cup of scalded back into cup used to measure the milk, allow milk to cool to 110 - 115 degrees. 

Add yeast to the 1/4 cup milk.  Yeast will form bubbles, but not foam.
(If your yeast does not form bubbles, you need to start over.  Either your yeast is dead or you got it too hot.)  Place 2 tablespoon butter in remaining milk to melt.  (Leave the remaining cube of butter out to soften for the filling.) 

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs with a fork.  Stir in sugar and salt. Add yeast mixture and remaining milk and butter.  Stir in 2 cups of the flour.  Cover bowl with dish towel, let rise till doubled.  How long this takes depends on how warm it is.  It can take as long a two hours if it is cool. 

When dough has doubled,

add remaining two cups of flour.  Cover with dish towel, let rise till double a second time. 

While waiting for dough to rise zest oranges.  Prepare filling by mixing with a fork sugar, butter and orange zest.  

When dough is ready deflate dough and turn it out onto a well floured surface.  Roll dough out into a rectangle about 24 inches long and spread with filling. 

Roll up dough, starting with long side. 

Spray muffin tins with pan spray.  To cut into rolls, slide a piece of thread or dental floss under rolled dough and pull up around sides.  Cris-cross thread at top, then pull quickly.  Cut dough into 1inch thick rolls, place in muffin tins.  (You can use a cookie sheet.)  Cover and let rise.  They will rise more when first placed in oven.  Bake at 325 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Try to wait for rolls to cool a little.  Remove from muffin tins while warm or they will stick to the pans.  

Enjoy!                                                                

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Banana Bread

Simply Sweet Sunday

I think everyone likes Banana Bread, I know I do.  This is a traditional Banana Bread recipe and of course my favorite.  I love the smell of it baking.  A loaf disappears pretty fast at my house.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (over ripe)
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream margarine and sugar.  Add eggs and beat, add bananas, milk and lemon juice.  Pour 2 cups of flour on top of banana mixture.  Spoon baking powder, baking soda, and salt; on top of flour.  Using a fork mix dry ingredients together.  Mix dry ingredients into banana mixture.  Mix in nuts.  Spray a 8x4x3 loaf pan with pan spray.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350, reduce oven temperature to 325 bake for additional 20 minutes.  Baking is for a total of an hour.  Cool on cooling rack for 15 minutes.  Remove bread from pan, allow to finish cooling. 
Enjoy!      

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Bruschetta

One of the reasons I anticipate tomato season is Bruschetta, I love it! 

I buy a baguette and cut two pieces 3-4 inches long. I then cut them in half long way making a top and bottom. I butter each piece and place then on a small cookie sheet.

I toast the bread in the oven under the broiler. Watch it closely because it doesn't take long, less than a minute.

Top toasted bread with tomato mixture and then with grated mozzarella cheese.

Place in oven under the broiler till cheese is melted.

Tomato mixture for bruschetta:

1 cup tomatoes cut into small pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped onion or green onion
8 leaves of fresh basil finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dry basil
garlic salt
black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Let sit in stainer for about 10 minutes or more to strain off some of the tomato juice. I like to use Roma tomatoes they are less watery.

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Southern Cornbread

For me the best part of eating at a restaurant that claims to serve real southern cookin' is the cornbread.  I LOVE a good, moist piece of cornbread.  My friend from dinner group has just such a recipe.  When she would make her chili she would send cornbread as well.  This cornbread is so good that as soon as I got in the car from exchanging our meals and I would have to eat a piece, or two, right then and there.  Having a pan of this in the house is just as dangerous as having extra brownies around for me.

Here's what you'll need:

2 cups flour

2 cups cornmeal

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 eggs

2 cups milk

2/3 cup oil

In a large bowl mix together the DRY ingredients.  In another bowl mix the wet ingredients together;  then combine with the dry ingredients.  Do not over mix.  Pour into a UNGREASED 9 x 13 pan and bake at 400 for about 25 minutes.  Bake until the top is golden brown.

Enjoy!

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One Hour Rolls

Nothing beats the smell and taste of warm rolls just out of the oven!
With this recipe you can have the first pan of rolls out of the oven in an hour.  With instant yeast the dough only needs to rise once.

1. Mix together thoroughly:
    2 cups flour
    3 tablespoons instant yeast
    1/4 cup sugar
    1 1/2 teaspoon salt

2. Add to dry mixture:
    1 3/4 cups warm water
    1/2 cup oil
    1 large egg

3. Beat together with hand mixer.  Let dough work or sponge for 10 minutes.

Then add 3 1/3 cups  flour.   Dough should be slightly sticky.

4. Knead dough in bowl, or on floured surface.

5. Brush 2 cookie sheets with butter.  Preheat oven to 170 degrees.

6. Divide dough into half.  Place one half of dough on floured surface, roll dough out to make a 13-14 in circle.  Spoon 1 tablespoon of melted butter on rolled out dough, brush butter to cover circle.  Use pizza cutter to cut the circle into fourths.

Now cut each fourth into thirds making twelve triangles.

 Start at the wide end of the triangle roll to make a crescent shape roll. 

Place rolls on cookie sheet brush tops with melted butter.  This will make 1 pan of 12 rolls.

7. Put first pan of rolls in preheated 170 degree oven for 10 minutes to rise. 

8. While the first pan of rolls are rising shape the other half of the dough into rolls.

9. Remove the first pan of rolls from warm oven.  Turn the oven to 400 degrees.  When the oven has preheated bake the rolls for 10 minutes.  The rolls should be golden on the top and bottom.

10. The second pan of rolls should have risen while the first pan was baking, and is now ready to bake

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French Breakfast Puffs

Easy muffins, make smiley faces in the morning.  So yummy!

1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup cup sugar
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups Bisquik mix
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease muffin pan.  In a small mixing bowl lightly beat egg, add milk, sugar and oil.  Stir in Bisquik and nutmeg just until moistened.  Divide batter evenly into the muffin cups.  (A 3 tablespoon food scoop is perfect for scooping the batter.)  Bake 13 to 15 minutes, until golden.
While the muffins bake, melt butter.  Mix sugar and cinnamon.  Dip the top of the muffins in melted butter and then in the sugar and cinnamon.
Makes 12 muffins. 

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Bread sticks

Chewy bread sticks, a perfect addition to many meals.
Recipe from: Karen Tucker

This recipe makes 16 bread sticks

1½ cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
1 tablespoon malted milk powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
½ cube butter, melted
Garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

Mix water, yeast, brown sugar, malted milk powder, salt and flour together in order. Knead with hand to mix in all the flour. Use a little of melted butter to lightly grease baking sheet. You can put a little flour or oil on your hands to make working with dough a little easier.  Divide dough in half, and then divide each in half again. Divide each forth into fourths, making 16 balls. Roll balls into sticks. Place on baking sheet. Brush bread sticks with remaining melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt and Parmesan cheese or use sesame seeds instead of Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 14-16 minutes. Bottom of bread sticks should be golden.

This recipe makes 8 bread sticks

3/4 cup warm water
1/2 tablespoon yeast
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
1/2 tablespoon malted milk powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
¼ cube butter
Garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

Mix water, yeast, brown sugar, malted milk powder, salt and flour together in order. Knead with hand to mix in all the flour. Use a little of melted butter to lightly grease baking sheet. Divide dough in half, and then divide each in half again. Divide each forth into half, making 8 balls. Roll balls into sticks. Place on baking sheet. Brush bread sticks with remaining melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt and Parmesan cheese or use sesame seeds instead of Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 14-16 minutes. Bottom of bread sticks should be golden.

The malted milk powder helps feed the yeast. It can be usually be found in stores with the chocolate milk mixes like Ovaltine and Nestley Quick.

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