Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Courtesy of Amanda

Ingredients

 

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
4 tbsp butter, very cold and cut in small cubes
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk

For Brushing
2 tbsp melted butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. It is very important to have a hot oven so do this step early and let your oven get super hot.)

Once the oven is hot, sift together the first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Next, incorporate the cold butter into the flour mixture by mashing the ingredients together using your hands, a fork or a pastry blender until it resembles a course meal with pea-sized lumps of butter and flour. If using your hands, work extra quickly so that the butter doesn't melt during the blending process.

Add the buttermilk to the mixing bowl with the flour and butter. Stir just until all the ingredients have come together in a ball of dough. (Try not to overwork the dough as this will lead to tough biscuits!)
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press or roll the dough into 1" thick circle (again, avoid over working the dough). Using a round cutter or ring mold dipped in flour, carefully cut out biscuits and place onto a sheet pan in a circle with the edges of each biscuit nearly (but not quite) touching one another and 1 biscuit situated in the middle of the circle. Loosely form the remaining dough scraps into 1 biscuit.

Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter. Place sheet pan in preheated oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Remove from oven and brush with more melted butter. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Peaches and Cream Muffins

Recipe Courtesy of  The Deen Brothers

Servings:    12 muffins
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can sliced peaches, drained and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, butter, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Gently fold in the peaches.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a serving platter and serve immediately or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, before storing.

Whole Wheat Bread or Rolls

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. yeast

2 c. lukewarm water (16 oz.)

1/4 c. honey (2 oz.)

3/4 c. olive oil (6 oz.)

2 fresh eggs

6 c. whole wheat flour

2 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast in water and honey for about 5 minutes. Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and knead until it loosens from sides of the bowl. Place in large oiled bowl, cover and let rise until about double. Be sure it is in a warm place. Remove and shape into loaves, rolls, or buns.

Bake at about 375 degrees until browned

Cheese Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded colby-jack cheese
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter


Directions: Whisk together dry ingredients, then stir in cheese.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, and butter together. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine.

Bake in greased muffin tins at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Makes 12.

Banana Crunch Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Southern Cornbread

The recipe calls for the corn bread to be baked in the oven in a cast iron skillet. We serve the corn bread at the table directly from the skillet, the benefit being that because the cast iron holds its heat so well, the corn bread stays warm throughout the entire meal.

1 cup self-rising cornmeal*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp bacon drippings (warmed to liquid)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup of cooked corn, either fresh, defrosted frozen corn, or drained from a can

*Self-rising cornmeal is just cornmeal with the leavening already in it. You can make your own easily. 1 cup of self-rising cornmeal is equivalent to 1 Tbsp of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 cup minus 1 Tbsp of cornmeal.

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
2 Combine cornmeal, soda and salt. Add remaining ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
3 Spoon into a greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 8 servings.

Bacon-Onion Biscuits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients: 

 4 slices bacon, chopped 

1 large onion, chopped 

3 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1 tablespoon sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 

3/4 cup butter 

1 cup milk  

 

Directions: In a skillet cook bacon and onion until bacon is slightly crisp and onion is tender. Drain off and discard fat. In a bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Combine milk and bacon mixture; add all at once to flour mixture. Using a fork, stir just until moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. 

 

Knead dough by folding and gently pressing dough for four to six strokes or just until dough holds together. Pat or lightly roll dough to 3/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with a floured 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, rerolling dough scraps as necessary. 

 

Place unbaked biscuits on baking sheet; freeze one hour. Transfer to a plastic freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze up to one month.To serve: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place frozen biscuits one inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes or until golden.Makes one dozen flaky, tender biscuits; the recipe is easily doubled.

Apple Raisin Muffins

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients:

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

2 cups grated apples

2 cups raisins

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 teaspoons baking soda

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the water, sugar, apples, raisins, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely.

In a large bowl, stir the nuts and baking soda into the flour. Add the cooled mixture to the bowl, and stir until blended. Fill greased miniature muffin tins with batter to the top. Bake for 15 minutes.

Note: Extra muffins can be stored in a re-sealable freezer bag

Special Banana Nut Bread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 3/4 cup butter, softened

 1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened 

2 cups sugar 2 eggs 

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium) 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3 cups flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 cups chopped pecans, divided 

Orange Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar 

3 tablespoons orange juice 

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Directions:  In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking power, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture. Fold in 1 cup pecans. Transfer to two greased loaf pans. Sprinkle with the remaining pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. In a small bowl, whisk the glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Pumpkin Bread

4 eggs
2-1/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 - 15oz. can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon*
3/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg*
3/4 teaspoons ground cloves*
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice*
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup golden raisins, optional
1/4 cups sugar, for topping
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for topping

* You may substitute 4 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for the starred ingredients. Be sure to note that you still need cinnamon for the topping.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two loaf pans or 24 muffin cups. Combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin in a large bowl, and stir until smooth.

In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients and the spices with a wire whisk.

Add the nuts (and raisins) and stir together. Add to the egg mixture and mix thoroughly. Fill the loaf pans or muffin cups with the batter.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the bread or muffin batter.

Bake the bread at 375 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or the muffins for 35 to 40 minutes. When the bread is done, a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
Yields 2 loaves or 24 muffins.

Cheese Biscuits

Biscuit:

1 1/4 cups biscuit mix
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup water

Garlic Butter:
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the biscuit mix and cheese in a small bowl. Add the water and stir just until combined. The dough will be slightly moist. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the biscuits are firm and beginning to brown.

While the biscuits are baking, make the garlic butter. In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic powder, salt, and parsley flakes. Mix well. As soon as you bring the biscuits from the oven, brush them with the garlic butter using a pastry brush.

Courtesy of Paula Deen

Fried Donut Holes - For Christopher

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 quart oil for frying
Optional - powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar mixture

What’s Next:

Go ahead & prepare a place with either newspapers or a brown paper bag to drain the donuts / dougnuts. Top those with paper towels. Either flour clean kitchen counter or bread board for kneading doughnuts. Prepare a shallow bowl or plate with an inch of flour. Heat oil in deep fryer to 375 F, or 195 C.

In a large bowl- sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon & nutmeg. Mix in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk and egg. With floured hands, lightly knead the smooth dough. Turn onto area prepared with flour. Pat dough into 1/4 inch thickness. Dip either doughnut cutter or two biscuit cutters (one 1-inch and one 3 or 4-inch) in flour. Use to cut-out doughnuts.

Carefully drop doughnuts into hot oil, only a few at a time. Fry, turning once, for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on prepared paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Donna's Sour Cream Banana Bread

"Sour cream gives enough tangy bite to take the edge off this banana bread 's sweetness. Dusting the baking pans with cinnamon sugar gives these small four loaves a gentle spice undertone."

Photo by: chestnut

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 cup butter 3 cups white sugar 3 eggs 6 very ripe bananas, mashed 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons baking soda 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Nutrition facts (per serving) Calories (kcal) 264 Protein 3.7g Cals from Protein 5% Total Fat 10.5g Cals from Fat 34% Carbohydrates 40.3g Cals from Carbohydrates 59% Fiber 1.4g Cholesterol 38mg Sodium 213mg

Donna's Clone of a Cinnabon

Donna sent this and thought we would all like to try them!

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 2 eggs, room temperature 1/3 cup margarine, melted 4 1/2 cups bread flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup white sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast 1 cup brown sugar, packed 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/3 cup butter, softened 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS: Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Parker House Yeast Rolls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup whole milk

2 pkg. dry yeast 

1/2 cup butter, melted 

1/4 tsp. salt 

1/4 cup sugar 

2 eggs 

4-1/2 to 5 cups flour 

more melted butter

 

PREPARATION:

 

Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Mix 1/3 of the milk with the dry yeast in a small bowl and let sit until bubbly. In a large bowl, combine remaining milk, melted butter, salt and sugar and beat until the sugar is dissolved. Then add the beaten eggs and bubbly yeast. 

 

Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating on high speed of stand mixer. This step should take at least 5 minutes. When the dough gets too stiff to beat, stir in rest of flour by hand, if necessary, to make a soft dough. Turn out onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until smooth and satiny.

Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size. (I have also covered the dough well and placed it in the refrigerator overnight. This works really well.)

 

Punch down the dough and roll out on floured surface to 1/2" thickness. Cut with 3" round cookie cutter. Brush each roll with melted butter and fold in half to make half circles. Pinch edge lightly to hold, so the rolls don't unfold as they rise. Place in 2 greased 13x9" pans, cover, and let rise again until double. (If you refrigerated the dough, this will take a little longer.) 

 

Bake rolls at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan immediately and brush with more melted butter. Don't use the same butter you used when forming the rolls - melt some fresh just for this step.

Makes 24 rolls