Stuffed Breadsticks

This is one of my favorite ways to use up leftovers. I throw a loaf of bread in the bread maker, prep the leftovers and we have a great lunch or dinner with little extra work. 

For the filling you can use just about anything. I had some leftover beef stew so I used that. I have also made this with pot roast, leftover thanksgiving turkey and gravy, chicken curry and most soups. I especially love German Lentil soup in them. With soups just strain the broth off and use the rest as the filling. I you want you can even thicken some of the broth for a sauce to bind it all together. If you start from scratch another thing we like to stuff them with is chopped chicken tossed with a little alfredo sauce.

If I am using something that has a really chunky filling, like stew or roast, I chop it up into fairly small pieces.

1 batch of bread dough

Leftovers

Melted butter

Granulated garlic

Dried oregano

Parmesan cheese

Roll the dough out so that it is large and thin. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut the dough into 4 in squares. Top with some of whatever filling you choose to use. Fold over and press the edges to seal. Brush with butter and sprinkle with the garlic, oregano, and grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 - 30 minutes until the bread looks cooked and browned on top. These make great lunches as well. 

Old Fashioned Pound Cake

It was surprisingly difficult to find a pound cake recipe that someone hadn't tried to reduce the fat content in. And I certainly wouldn't want that! So like any  ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶  classic pound cake recipe, this starts with an entire pound of butter.

1 lb butter

3 c. sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

6 eggs

3 c. flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. sour cream

Pre-heat oven to 350

Mix together the flour, soda and salt and set aside. 

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until mixed. Then add the flour mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated. When the flour is completely combined stir in the sour cream and mix until combined.

Grease your baking pan and bake at 350 for anywhere from 20 - 40 minutes, until the top is a dark golden brown. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run your knife around the edges of the pan and flop upside down on a cooling rack. 

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I got 5 smallish loaves out of this, each one yielding 10 slices. 

I'm guessing the pan size was 2 x 5 or 6

We ate one with macerated strawberries and
sweetened whipped cream. 

I think lemon curd also is very tasty with the pound cake,

and lemon curd with strawberries and whipped cream is always good too

The other 4 loaves I wrapped in plastic wrap and then tin foil and froze.

Bread Machine Honey Whole Wheat Bread

1 1/2 c. water

2 Tbsp. oil

1/3 c. honey

2 c. white flour

2 1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 - 2 tsp salt
(My page says 2 but I think I only used 1)

1 Tbsp bread machine yeast

1 tsp dough enhancer

Place all the ingredients in your bread machine in the order listed. 

The settings I used where Whole Wheat, 1.5 lb loaf, and light crust.

Hot start and met it do its thing!

This loaf puffed up nicely and was light and fluffy.

Fruit and Oat Muffins

This was created to use up a whole bunch of different odds and ends in my kitchen, so it's a jumble of flavors. My kids loved them and all had several right away and all of them where gone within the hour.

1/4 c. unsalted butter

1/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. honey

1 egg

2 brown bananas, whole

3/4 c. white flour

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c. oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 oz. apple sauce

Preheat the over to 350

Beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. When combined, beat in the honey, egg, and 2 bananas.

Next beat in the soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

Then beat in the white flour, whole wheat flour, and oats. Add the apple sauce and mix just until combined.

Line muffin pans with paper liners and fill 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350. I only had to bake these for 15 minutes because I used mini muffins. This made 3 1/2 dz. mini muffins.

Honey Cornbread

 I found cornflour in the Hispanic section, I used a bag of Maseca masa. I love to make tamales with their tamale flour, it's slightly courser ground.

1 c. flour

1 c. finely ground cornflour

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/3 c. oil

1/4 c. honey

1 egg

1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 400

In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the honey and oil. 

Whisk in the egg and then the milk.

Mix the two together and stir until fairly smooth,

A few lumps are normal.

Grease your muffin pan really well or use paper liners.

This makes exactly 12, so divide the batter between the cups and bake

for 15 - 17 minutes until golden brown on top

Variations I have tried: (and liked)

Saute 2 chopped jalapeno peppers and add to the batter

A handful of shredded cheddar cheese

Soak 1/2 c. raisins in water for an hour, pour water and raisins 
in a blender until chopped a bit but not pureed, 
drain and add to the batter with a dash of pie spice

1/2 can corn, drained

Garlic powder

Bacon, cheddar, and sauteed green onions

Cranberry Orange Bread

I used two eggs in this but I think next I want to try it with three,
It didn't rise as much as I would have liked.
I also would have like the craisins in smaller pieces, 
so either chop them or drop them in the vitamix. 

 2 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. craisins

1/2 c. sour cream

2 eggs

1 orange

4 Tbsp butter, softened

3/4 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Combine the craisins and 1 cup of water in a sauce pan. Simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed and the craisins are plump. Drain and set aside to cool. 

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and butter. Add the zest of the orange. Juice the inside and add enough water to  make 1 1/2 c. liquid. Whisk into the sour cream mix.

Mix together the flour mix and the sour cream/ orange mix. Stir in the craisins, and nuts if using. 

Grease 4 mini loaf pans and fill halfway with batter. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until browned on top. 

Pizza Bread

1 recipe pizza dough

Pizza Sauce (I used leftover spaghetti sauce this time)

8 - 12 oz. grated cheddar cheese

1 c. chopped pepperoni or turkey pastrami

Grated Parmesan cheese

Roll the dough out so it is long and thin, 

about 8 inches wide by about 18 inches long. 

Spread with the sauce, 

sprinkle with the cheddar and dust with the Parmesan, 

then sprinkle with the pepperoni or pastrami.  

Starting at one side roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll. 

Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 

anywhere between 30 - 45 minutes,  

until the top is darker than golden brown, but not charred. 

Let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.

Kalamata Olive and Caramelized Onion Bread

I have decided I need more interesting breads. 
This is the first in what I hope turns in to several 
weeks of experiment with different flavors.

4 Tbsp. Butter

2 Tbsp Oil

3 Small (or 1 large) onion, cut in half and sliced

1 Tbsp sugar

1 1/4 c. water

2 springs fresh rosemary

2 c. kalamata olives

1/4 c. brine from the olives

5 c. flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp yeast

1 1/2 tsp dough enhancer (optional but highly recommended)

1 - 2 Tbsp poppy seeds

Melt the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Sprinkle with the sugar and turn the heat to medium low. Continue cooking, on low, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and have shrunk in size. 

In a blender combine the water and rosemary. Blend until the rosemary is chopped and let sit for 10 minutes. Add the olives and and olive brine and blend until the olives are chopped. 

Pour into the bottom of a bread maker. Add the onions. Top with the flour, salt, yeast, and dough enhancer, in the order written. 

Put on the pizza dough setting.

When the bread is done, grease a large baking tray, and shape the dough into two balls, with minimal handling. Brush the top with oil and sprinkle with the poppy seeds, and cover with a light cloth. Let rise in a warm place, until almost doubled in size.

When the bread has risen, remove the cloth and bake at 350 for 45 - 55 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy.