Breadsticks

This is my mom's breadstick recipe and they are so yummy! They are perfect with a bowl of hot, creamy soup.

Breadsticks

1 1/2 c. warm water

2 T. sugar

1 T. yeast

1/2 t. salt

3 c. flour, plus more for rolling out

5 T. butter, melted

garlic salt

parmesan cheese

Stir together water, sugar, yeast and salt in a mixing bowl. Let sit until slightly foamy.

Mix in flour. Dough will be very sticky. Cover and rest for 10-20 minutes.

Dump onto a well-floured surface. Sprinkle top with a little flour, too.

Press with hands, or roll out to about 1/2" thick (maybe a little less.) With a pizza cutter, cut dough into 14 breadsticks.

Pour a little melted butter into a cookie sheet. Roll each breadstick in butter and twist. Add more butter as needed.

Sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Cover and let rise for 10-20 minutes.

Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes.

Dump hot breadsticks out, upside-down.

Serve hot.

This is one of my favorite comfort foods. Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

This is a fun Irish recipe to try for St. Patrick's Day!

Irish Soda Bread

3 c. flour

2 T. sugar

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1/4 c. butter

1 egg

2 c. buttermilk

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Cut it butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Make a will in the flour mixture and add egg and buttermilk. Mix until just moistened. (Dough will look like biscuit dough.)

In a greased cake pan, form dough into a ball.

Bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes or until browned and sounds hollow when tapped.

This was my first time making this bread and I must say I like it. It is much like a large biscuit and tastes very good with jam or butter.

This will probably become a traditional St. Patrick's Day food for us. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I'm pretty sure my hubby will be happy when he comes home tonight. I have finally made something that he's been asking me to make for years: cinnamon swirl bread. The reason I haven't ever made it is because I'm not a great bread maker and, to be honest, I've been really intimidated to make this. But yay for me because I did it and now I'm not afraid! :)

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

1/3 c. warm water

2 packets (1/4 oz. each) active dry yeast

1 c. warm milk

6 T. butter, melted

2 eggs

1 c. sugar, divided

1 1/2 t. salt

5 1/2-6 c. all purpose flour

2 T. cinnamon

raisins (optional)

Dissolve yeast in water.

Add milk, butter, eggs, 1/2 c. sugar, salt, and 2 1/2 c. flour. Mix well.

Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Dump onto a floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn over so that the whole thing is greased.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about an hour.) Meanwhile, mix remaining 1/2 c. sugar with cinnamon.

Punch dough down and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll out half the dough to about 8"x18".

Spread with half the cinnamon mixture and a few raisins, if desired.

Roll up from one of the short ends so you have an 8" log.

Pinch the seam and the ends.

Place loaf, seam-side down, into a greased loaf pan. Repeat with other half of dough.

Let loaves rise until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours) then bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes. Remove hot loaves from pans and place on a cooling rack.

I immediately cut into it while it was hot. Mmmmm delicious.

This would make some yummy french toast. It's also great all by itself. Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

I've always wanted to find the perfect blueberry muffin recipe. I actually love the prepackaged varieties, but I've just had this desire to make a homemade recipe that I love just as much. I've tried several recipes and I'm always disappointed. This one, however, (that I found on thepioneerwoman.com) is a winner. They are moist, flavorful, and delicious.

Blueberry Muffins

3 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. oil

1 egg

1 (heaping) c. plain yogurt

1 t. vanilla

1 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

Add wet ingredients (except blueberries) and mix just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.

Divide into 12 greased or paper-lined muffin tins.

Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes.

I am excited to try these muffins with different fruits. I'd like to try raspberries or cranberries. Go ahead and mix it up. Dried fruits and nuts would be kind of fun, too. Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pancakes

Some of my favorite recipes are the ones that have been handed down from generation to generation. I got this recipe from my mom who got it from her mom. It is by far my all time favorite pancake recipe. It originally calls for 2 c. of all purpose flour (and it's very yummy) but I decided to use a little whole wheat flour. Either way is sooooo good!

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 c. all purpose flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

2 T. sugar

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 eggs

2 T. oil

2 c. buttermilk

1/2 milk (if needed)

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together.

Add wet ingredients and mix well. Add milk to thin the batter, if needed.

Cook on a hot, greased griddle.

This recipe makes about 18 pancakes. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Enjoy!

Everything Waffles

Last Saturday was Everything Muffins, today it's everything waffles! :) I like hot breakfasts on Saturday mornings.

Everything Waffles
1 banana, mashed
1 avocado, mashed
1/4 c. pumpkin
2 eggs
2 T. sugar
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 T. ground flaxseed
1 1/2 c. buttermilk

Combine banana, avocado, pumpkin, eggs, and sugar. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flaxseed. Mix only a little before adding buttermilk. Whisk until smooth. (You can add more milk if your batter is too thick.) Cook in a hot, greased waffle iron and serve with toppings of choice. (We used the classic butter and syrup!) Enjoy! :)

Everything Muffins

Have you ever read the book If You Give a Moose a Muffin? Well, we've been reading it a lot around here lately and it always makes me hungry for muffins! These muffins really do have a little of everything in them! They are great for a Saturday morning...like today! :)

Everything Muffins
1 banana, mashed
1 avocado, mashed
1/2 c. pumpkin
1/3 c. apple, finely chopped
1 egg
3 T. milk
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 T. ground flaxseed

Combine banana, avocado, pumpkin, apple, egg, milk, and sugar. Mix well. Add baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix again. Add flour and flaxseed and stir just until moistened.

Spoon into 12 muffin cups.
Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes.

Let cool about 5 minutes and then remove from pan.

I ate my muffin this morning with my Homemade Honey Butter. Delicious. And remember, if you see a moose in your backyard, don't give him a muffin! :) Enjoy!

Zucchini Bread

Fall is a great time for this bread because it's when everyone has a surplus of zucchini in their gardens. This recipe comes from the same book as my Best Ever Banana Bread. Zucchini Bread

3 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

2 t. cinnamon

3 eggs

1 c. oil

2 c. sugar

1 T. vanilla

2 c. zucchini, grated

In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and zucchini. Mix well. Add flour, baking soda, powder, and cinnamon. Mix just until moistened. Divide batter into two greased and floured bread pans. Bake at 325 F for 45-50 minutes.
Cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pans. Enjoy!