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Quick Bread

Apricot-Nectar Bread Butternut Bread Flour Tortillas Lemon-Blueberry Bread Potato Pancakes
Banana Nut Bread Buttery Caramel Quicks Hush Puppies Navajo Fry Bread Pumpkin Bread
Beer Bread Carrot Bread Irish Soda Bread Nice & Easy Rolls Zucchini Bread
Boston Brown Bread Cornbread Italian Cinnamon Sticks Pancakes/Waffles .



menuApricot-Nectar Bread
Yield: 1 loafOven: 350°FPans: Standard loaf pan
Ingredients
2½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1¼ tsp salt
½ cup sugar
¾ cup finely chpd dried apricots
1 egg (room temp)
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 (12-oz) can apricot nectar (1½ cup)
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional)
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  1. Grease loaf pan.
  2. In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and apricots; set aside.
  3. In medium bowl, lightly beat egg; stir in butter, apricot nectar and vanilla.
  4. Stir into flour mixture only till dry ingredients are moistened.
  5. Stir in nuts if desired.
  6. Turn into prepared pan; smooth top.
  7. Bake 60 to 65 minutes or till a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  8. Let stand in pan 10 minutes.
  9. Turn out onto rack to cool.

Variations

Apricot-Orange: Add 2 tsp grated orange peel. Substitute 1½ cups orange juice for the 12-oz of apricot nectar.

Apricot-Raisin: Add ½ tsp ground cinnamon. Substitute ½ cup raisins for the half cup of chopped nuts.



menuBanana Nut Bread
Yield: 1 loafOven: 325°FPans: Standard loaf panTools: Electric mixer
Ingredients
3 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
½ cup nuts
¾ cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
.

Put all ingredients into a bowl and beat with electric mixer till thoroughly blended; add nuts. Pour into greased loaf pan, sprinkle with additional sugar on top and bake for 1 hour.



menuBeer Bread
Yield: 1 loafOven: 350°FPans: Standard loaf pan
NOTE: The type of beer used does matter as regards taste. A full bodied good-tasting beer will produce a better loaf.

Ingredients
3 cups unsifted flour
1 tbsp honey
3¾ tsp baking powder
12 oz beer
2¼ tsp salt

  1. Grease pan.
  2. Combine flour, beer and honey in large bowl; stir together till well mixed.
  3. Spread batter in pan.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes or till browned and wooden pick comes out clean.
  5. Turn out on rack; cool before slicing.

Variations

Salsa Bread: Add an extra ½ cup flour and ½ cup of your favorite salsa to the batter.

Jalapeno Cheese: Mince up 2 or 3 jalapenos and grate ½ cup of chedar cheese. Mix into batter and bake as directed.

Dill-Chive Bread: Add 1 tbsp dry dillweed and 1 tbsp chives to the batter.



menuBoston Brown Bread
Yield: 3 loavesTools: SteamerPans: #2 cans
Ingredients
1 cup flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
½ tsp salt
1½ cups seedless raisins
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup dark molasses
1½ cups buttermilk
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  1. Sift flour; add baking soda and salt and sift again; add wheat flour and raisins.
  2. Mix molasses with buttermilk; add to dry ingredients; beat till smooth.
  3. Pour into well greased containers and fill 2/3 full of batter. Cover. (Wax paper or aluminum foil may be tied over the end of the can for a cover.)
  4. Steam 3½ hours in a covered container with enough water added to keep steaming; use high heat till steam escapes from vent, then turn to low for remainder of cooking time.



menuButternut Bread
Yield: 1 loafOven: 350°FPans: Standard loaf panTools: Electric mixer or Food Processor

NOTE: Although the recipe calls for butternut squash, other favorite varieties of dry fleshed squash can be substituted.

Ingredients
1 butternut squash
2½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
¾ cup unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

  1. Trim off ends of squash and halve it lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the squash into 3-inch pieces, leaving the skin on. Steam pieces till completely tender (about 30 minutes). Drain well and set aside.
  2. When squash is cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop flesh away from skin. Puree the flesh in a food processor till completely smooth; set aside.
  3. Lightly grease and flour loaf pan.
  4. In a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt; set aside.
  5. In another bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars with electric mixer till smooth.
  6. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  7. Add the sour cream, vanilla and 1 cup of the squash puree; mix well. (Use extra squash for something else).
  8. Stir in the dry ingredients till just combined.
  9. Spread batter in pan and bake in center of oven till a tooth pick inserted in middle comes out clean (about 1 hour and 15 minutes).
  10. Let cool for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.



menuButtery Caramel Quicks
Yield: Makes 12Oven: 425°FPans: 9-inch square baking pan
Ingredients
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp water
2 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
2½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
.

  1. Melt butter in pan; stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar and water; set aside.
  2. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; add milk all at once, stirring just till dry ingredients are moistened.
  3. Turn out onto a well-floured surface; roll out to a 12x10-inch rectangle.
  4. Combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans; sprinkle over dough.
  5. Roll up, starting with the 12-inch side.
  6. Cut into 1-inch slices; place slices cut-side down in prepared pan.
  7. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes till golden brown.
  8. Turn out immediately.
  9. Serve hot.



menuCarrot Bread
Yield: 2 loavesOven: 325°FPans: Standard loaf pans
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups grated carrots
1 small can crushed pineapple
nuts (optional)
.

  1. Mix eggs, oil and sugar well; add vanilla, flour, cinnamon, salt, soda and mix well.
  2. Add pineapple, carrots and nuts.
  3. Turn out into greased and floured pans and bake for 1 hour or till tests done.



menuCornbread
Source: Gretchen Ellis, Houston TX
Yield: Makes 2Oven: Preheat to 375°FPans: Standard 8-inch cake pans
NOTE: This recipe forms the basis of a real southern style cornbread stuffing. (Oh, puleeze don't use canned or skim milk!) See the Archives (Nov. 15, 1998), for the full directions for stuffing.

Ingredients
2 cups yellow cornmeal
3 tbsp baking powder
3 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 large eggs
1 scant cup of whole milk or buttermilk

  1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl; slowly add the milk until the cornmeal mixture has the appearance of a stiff cooked cereal. Then add both eggs and mix thoroughly. Mixture should look silky and be soft but not runny. If runny, add a touch more cornmeal.
  2. Butter (yes, butter) two regular cake pans. Add equal amounts of the mixture to each cake pan, which should fill each pan to about 1/3 of its depth. This cornbread is going to Rise like good souls on final day! A pat of butter may be placed on top of each mix, or better still, a bit of melted butter may be poured over each pan's contents. Not necessary, but makes the cornbread brown nicely.
  3. Bake until the top begins to crack a bit and look dark gold and a touch tan. There is no optimum time, since ovens vary as does elevation. It takes me 20 minutes, but I live at sea level. Baked cornbread should be almost at the top of the cake pan.
  4. Remove from oven and set on baker's rack to cool. Don't be amazed if family members arrive in the kitchen and want to know what you're baking. I usually make three pans; one to feed - a slice at a time - to People Under My Feet. (For three pans, which would stuff a 12-pound turkey with a bowl of cornbread dressing left over, just add another half of each above ingredient. Good luck halving an egg. I just use a whole 'nuther one and watch that cornbread rise even more.)



menuFlour Tortillas
Yield: Makes 24Pans: Skillet
Ingredients
4 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup and 3 tbsp of hot water

  1. Combine flour, salt and baking powder and mix well.
  2. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender till mixture resembles coarse meal.
  3. Gradually stir in water, mixing well.
  4. Shape dough into 1½-inch balls; roll each on a floured surface into a 6-inch circle.
  5. Cook tortillas in an ungreased skillet over medium heat about 2 minutes on each side or till lightly browned.
  6. Pat tortillas lightly with spatula while browning the second side if they puff during cooking.
  7. Serve hot.



menuHush Puppies
Version 1
Yield: 10 to 12Tools: Deep fryer or whatever will work to hold necessary fat for deep fryingOil Temp: Hot
Ingredients
1 cup cornmeal
½ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
½ cup onion, chopped
1 can cream style corn (16 oz)
milk, if needed

  1. Mix dry ingredients; add onion and corn; mix well.
  2. If more liquid is needed to make desired consistency, add a little milk.
  3. Drop heaping teaspoons into deep hot fat; fry till golden brown (if cooked in deep fat, they float to the top when done)



Version 2
Method: Deep fry in hot fat

Ingredients
1¼ cups self-rising cornmeal
¾ cup self-rising flour
salt
1 beaten egg
½ cup fine chopped onion
1 cup buttermilk

  1. Mix all dry ingredients together.
  2. Add egg, onion and buttermilk.
  3. Drop batter by small spoonsfuls into deep fat; they will sink toward the bottom, then pop back to the top; turn if they don't pop over when brown on one side.
  4. Drain on paper toweling and serve warm.



menuIrish Soda Bread
Yield: 8 to 10 small loavesOven: 325°FPans: Baking sheet
Ingredients
2½ lbs flour
2 tbsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
2½ tbsp baking powder
¾ lb sugar
5 large whole eggs
1½ cups milk
raisins (optional)

  1. Sift together flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder and sugar.
  2. When blended, add raisins and mix through the flour.
  3. Beat the eggs and milk together thoroughly, then add to flour mixture and work into dough.
  4. Make small loaves and bake for 25-30 minutes.
  5. Serve warm.



menuItalian Cinnamon Sticks
Oven: 350°FPans: Baking sheetsTools: Coffee mill for grinding the nuts
Ingredients
¾ cup sugar
½ cup walnuts, ground
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup softened butter
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2½ cups flour
1 egg, beaten
.

  1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Beat butter and cream cheese till creamy; gradually ad flour, mixing till well blended.
  3. Shape dough into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
  4. Divide dough in half; place one portion between 2 sheets of lightly floured wax paper and roll into a 10-inch square about 1/8-inch thick.
  5. Brush with egg, and sprinkle with half of sugar mixture.
  6. Cut into 5"x½" strips; twist strips, and place on ungreased baking sheets.
  7. Repeat with remaining dough and sugar mixture.
  8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or till golden; transfer to wire racks to cool.



menuLemon Blueberry Bread
Yield: 1 loafOven: 350°FPans: Standard loaf pan
Ingredients
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 eggs
1½ cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup milk
1 cup blueberries (tossed with flour to coat)
2 tbsp grated lemon peel
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
.

  1. Preheat oven; grease and flour loaf pan.
  2. In large bowl, mix butter, sugar and lemon juice then beat in egg.
  3. In another bowl, sift together baking powder and salt.
  4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with the milk, stirring just enough to blend.
  5. Stir in blueberries, grated rind and nuts.
  6. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for about an hour and 10 minutes.
  7. Cool and store, foil wrapped for 1 day before slicing.



menuNavajo Fry Bread
Pans: Wok or deep skilletFrying Oil Temp: 375°F
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
¾ cup warm water
Oil for deep frying
  1. Mix dry ingredients together; stir in oil and water and mix till smooth.
  2. Knead lightly for a minute till dough is elastic but don't work it too hard or it won't roll out.
  3. Shape dough into a ball, put in a plastic bag and refrigerate for an hour.
  4. Pinch off 12 balls of dough and flatten them with your hand; roll them into 3 to 4-inch circles; roll again to make circles as thin as possible (7 to 8-inches in diameter). The thinner they are the better they puff in the oil.
  5. Poke a hole in the center with your finger and dust the tops lightly with flour while the oil heats to 375°.
  6. Slip rounds one at a time into the oil to brown (about 1 minute per side), turning them with tongs or a slotted spatula.
  7. Drain on paper towels and spinkle with powdered sugar; or drip honey over the top or spread with honey butter.



menuNice & Easy Rolls
Yield: Makes 12Oven: 425°FPans: Muffin tin
Ingredients
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup milk
¼ cup regular mayonnaise

  1. Preheat oven and grease muffin cups.
  2. Combine flour, milk, mayonnaise in a medium bowl; stir just till dry ingredients are moistened; divide dough equally amount the muffin cups.
  3. Bake for 20 minutes; serve warm or at room temperature.



menuPancakes/Waffles
Ingredients
1½ cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1½ cups milk
3 tbsp oil
dash of salt

  1. Mix dry ingredients.
  2. Add wet ingredients.
  3. Cook in hot pan for pancakes or in waffle iron for waffles.



menuPotato Pancakes
Pans: Griddle or skilletTools: Blender or food processor
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 small onion
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ cup milk
3 cups cubed raw potatoes
.

  1. Place eggs, onion, salt, flour, baking powder, milk and ½ cup potato cubes in blender; cover and blend on medium speed for 5 seconds.
  2. Add remaining potatoes and blend another 10 seconds (do not overblend or potatoes will be liquified; especially important if using a food processor where a few burst starts would be better).
  3. Pour onto hot greased griddle and cook till brown on one side, then turn once and brown.
  4. Drain on paper towels.



menuPumpkin Bread
Yield: 1 loafOven: 350°FPans: Standard loaf pan
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup dark molasses
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
½ tsp salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1-2/3 cups flour
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp grated orange rind
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins

  1. Beat together: sugar, molasses, vegetable oil, eggs and salt.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and mix just till blended and moist.
  3. Bake in lightly oiled loaf pan for 1½ hours.
  4. Let bread cool for half an hour before removing from pan.



menuZucchini Bread
Yield: 2 loavesOven: 350°FPans: Standard loaf pan
NOTE: The trick to making a good loaf of zucchini bread lies in how the zucchini is processed. Wash and peel the zucchini. Cut into chunks and place in food processor. Puree the zucchini. Remove and place into colander which is lined with a double layer of cheesecloth or kitchen muslin. Allow to drain well (this takes a couple of hours). Then gather up the cloth and twist tightly until as much remaining moisture as possible is removed. What's left should resemble dry-ish mashed potatoes. Now the zucchini is ready to be measured and used in the recipe.

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup cooking oil
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
¾ cup raisins or nuts
2 cups sugar
3 tsps vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
2 cups prepared zucchini
.

Put everything into a bowl and mix well. Bake 1 hour.




© 1999 by Ernestina Parziale

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