Dried Peach Bread

INGREDIENTS

2    cups boiling water

8    dried peach halves (about 1+ cups)

1 ¾  cups all-purpose flour

1    teaspoon baking soda

½   teaspoon baking powder

½   teaspoon salt

6    tablespoons butter, softened

¾   cup dark brown sugar

2    large eggs

½   teaspoon vanilla

½   cup sour cream

¼   cup maple syrup

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan and flour the pan . Add the dried peaches to the boiling water and boil for 10 to 12 minutes until the peaches are soft and tender. Remove from the heat, drain, saving ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and cool. Once cool, chop into pieces and add to a food processor along with the ¼ cup of cooking liquid. Process to a coarse puree and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mixing well with a whisk. In a separate large bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar with a pastry cutter or electric mixer until well mixed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating them in and add the vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream and maple syrup. Stirring constantly, fold the flour mixture and sour cream mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Add the peach puree and combine thoroughly.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan on a wire rack and for 10 more minutes out of the pan on a wire rack.

Adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light  magazine

Basic Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

2    cups flour plus additional for rolling

1    tablespoon baking powder

½   teaspoon salt

½   cup shortening

¼   cup milk

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 450 F. 

Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Cut in the shortning with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk and mix in with a fork until the dough is soft and moist and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and toss with flour until it is no longer sticky. With a floured rolling pin or your hands, roll the dough out into an 8 inch round, about ½ inch thick. Using a floured biscuit cutter*, cut into rounds and place onto an ungreased baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Gather and re-roll the leftover dough and cut more rounds until done.

Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

NOTES: I did not have a biscuit cutter and so used a drinking glass or glass bottle. The next time I make these, they may be larger, flatter or square and may contain different herbs, grated cheese or cinnamon and sugar.

Adapted from a recipe in All Recipes magazine

Kalinta

Also known as karane or karantika, this dish is made from chickpea flour and eggs. It is quite popular in the north of Morocco where it is sold by the slice as street food

INGREDIENTS

2    cups chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour

2    teaspoons baking powder

1    teaspoon salt

1    teaspoon ground cumin

¼   teaspoon cayenne (optional)

2 ½   cups water

½   cup milk

1/3    cup olive oil

2    large eggs, beaten

METHOD

Grease the sides and bottom of a 10 to 11 inch round baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Slowly whisk in the water and milk, mixing constantly to prevent any lumps. Whisk in the beaten eggs and the oil.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and carefully place it into the oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until well-colored and set. Note that some burnt or deeply darkened spots are desirable. Serve slices in bread or on a plate while still warm.

Basic Cornbread

INGREDIENTS

1/3   cup all-purpose flour

1    cup yellow or white cornmeal

1    teaspoon baking powder
½   teaspoon baking soda

½   teaspoon salt

1    cup milk

2    tablespoons melted butter

1    large egg, beaten

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease the sides and bottom of an 8 or 9 inch baking dish.

Sift the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium  bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter and egg, Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl and stir to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake until golden brown around the edges, about 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the  middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before cutting into serving pieces.

Cooks Note: I did  not have any cornmeal handy, so I used Polenta instead, first placing it into a food processor and grinding to a finer consistency.

Based on a recipe from CD Kitchen

Apple Whole Wheat Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1    cup all-purpose flour

1    cup whole wheat flour

2    tablespoons baking powder

2    tablespoon granulated sugar

¼   teaspoon salt

½   teaspoon cinnamon powder

2    large eggs

1    cup reduced fat milk (2%)

2    cups peeled, shredded apple (about 3 medium-large)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375 F and grease the insides of a 12 muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, sugar, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.

Shred the apples with a hand shredder or in a food processor. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring well to combine. Add the apples and mix them in, but do not over-mix.

Pour the batter with a spoon into the muffin tin until it is just below the rim of each muffin site (should make 10 to 11 muffins.) Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet and place both into the middle of the oven. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown; when a toothpick is inserted into the central muffin and comes out clean, Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing..

Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS
3 ½   cups all-purpose flour
1    teaspoon sugar
1    teaspoon salt
1    teaspoons baking soda
6-7 ounces buttermilk

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Sift together all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add half of the buttermilk and begin to stir together. Add more liquid sparingly, if you need to – the dough should be raggy, soft and dryish. Blend the ingredients and then, with floured hands, knead the dough briefly, 1 or 2 minutes.

Form into a flat disk and place onto a lightly floured baking sheet. With a sharp knife, cut a cross into the top of the loaf. Bake for 10 minutes and then lower the heat to 350 and bake until golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Do not over-bake.

Based on a recipe from  “IrishAbroad.com”

Irish Brown Bread

INGREDIENTS2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup bulk oat bran
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk or 2% milk
1 tablespoon to 1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons melted butter or butter substitute

METHODPreheat the oven to 375 F and grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium dish. Add the buttermilk, molasses and melted butter and mix well to form a stiff dough. Knead several times on a lightly floured board

Form into a ball and place onto the baking sheet. Cut an X into the top with a small knife. Bake in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.

　

Spicy Cornbread

INGREDIENTS
2          cups polenta mix or cornbread mix
1          cup whole wheat flour
1          tablespoon baking powder
½         teaspoon salt
¼         cup melted butter or butter substitute
2          eggs, beaten
1          jar (10 ounces) Aloha from Oregon hot pepper jelly

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. . Grease the sides and bottom of an 8 by 8 inch oven proof baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt, mixing well. Add the melted butter and eggs. Warm the pepper jelly in the microwave (remove the lid first) for 20 to 30 seconds and add to the bowl.

Mix the ingredients well until they are all combined and pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow it to cool and serve immediately in small squares.

Pepper Breadsticks

Bread sticks are pretty easy to make and pretty dull, so why don't we add something wild - like pepper! Sure does spice them up and make you pay attention. There are other things that can be added - see the note at the end of the recipe.




INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (1 1/2 packages)
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons bread flour
3/4 cup butter, butter substitute or shortening
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the water, 2 tablespoons of flour and the yeast. Mix well and let it stand for 5 to 7 minutes until it gets foamy. (Be sure it is in a warm, draft free place.) Add the rest of the flour, shortening, salt and pepper.

Knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, place in a warm environment and let it rise for about 15 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a un-floured work surface and divide into 4 parts. Divide each quarter into 8 parts and roll each part into a 8 to 9 inch rope and arrange on the baking sheets.

Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown and firm, shifting the pans half way through the baking. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Serve at room temperature.

Additions: 1 tablespoon of a spice such as oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme 1/4 cup of grated cheese such as Parmesan, Asiago, Pecorino 1/4 cup pureed sun dried tomatoes
 

Emmenthaler Swiss Cheese Bread

A quick and easy appetizer that will have everyone asking for more

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Emmenthaler Swiss cheese, finely grated (4 ounces)
1 tablespoon cream or half and half
1 medium egg
1 pinch paprika
1 twelve inch long baguette

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Cut the baguette in half crosswise and then each piece length wise, yielding four 6 inch long pieces.

 In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a fork for 70 times to fully fluff it up, add the cream, the cheese and paprika, mixing well. Spread the mixture evenly over the four baguette portions, place them on a baking sheet and place on the rack in the middle of the oven.

Bake them for 5 to 6 minutes until the cheese has melted and is just beginning to brown. Remove from the oven, cool and cut into serving size pieces. Serve immediately.