The Cook House

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Breads

Give us day by day our daily bread.

Luke 11:3

Southern Cornbread Recipe

* You really can’t make good cornbread without a cast iron skillet!!!

2 cups cornmeal

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/3 cups buttermilk (give or take)

¼ cup oil or bacon drippings
1 egg

Preheat oven to 425*. Put a couple of tablespoons of oil or drippings in a cast-iron skillet – rotate the skillet to cover the bottom and sides with the oil. Then put it in the oven to heat. You really want to give it long enough that when you pour in the batter it sizzles.

Mix the dry ingredients first then add the egg and oil (or drippings). Now add enough buttermilk to make the batter like pancake batter. You don’t want it to be too dry. I have used sweet milk before but it isn’t as good.

You can also have some chopped up jalapeno peppers or a cup of cream style corn and then adjust your buttermilk accordingly. (My Sarah LOVES it with the cream style corn.)

Bake this until the top crust is golden brown and a knife inserted comes out clean. It takes about 25 minutes.

When you take it out of the oven flip the cornbread over to let out the steam or the bottom will not be as crunchy

The BEST BANANA NUT BREAD EVER!

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsps baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 cup mashed ripe banana

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in the center of mixture. Combine egg, mashed bananas, milk, and oil; add mixture to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened -add pecans.

Spoon into greased loaf or muffin pans, filling three-fourths full. Bake at 400* for 18 to 20 minutes for muffins or 35 to 40 minutes for loaves. Should be golden brown when done. Remove from pan immediately. Makes 12 muffins or 1 loaf.

Homemade Southern Biscuits:

2 cups Sifted All Purpose Flour

4 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

1/4 cup Shortening (good lard is better)

3/4 cup Milk (buttermilk is better)

*** Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Stir in milk. Turn out on slightly floured board. Knead as little as possible. Pat out to1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured biscuit cutter. Place on baking sheet and bake in 475F oven 12-15 minutes.

Yield: 12-15 Biscuits.

Once you add your liquid, try to handle it as little as possible. Just stir to moisten – knead just enough to get it into a dough and then pat it out on your board with your hands. The more you handle the dough the tougher and heavier the biscuits will be.

BASIC SCONES
2 cups All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Baking powder
½ cup Butter, softened
1 cup Milk (add only as much as needed to make a good dough)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Add butter and rub in well. (I just use my hands and squeeze the butter into the flour mix till it is crumbly.) Add milk to make a soft dough but not sticky. With floured hands gently form into ball. On floured board pat into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Place on lightly buttered cookie sheet and score into 8 pie shaped sections. Brush with milk. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes; serve warm with whipped cream.

Options:

You can add 4 tbsps sugar and 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon to flour before sifting. Mix the same as above and knead in about 1 cup of raisins. Finish as above. Or for a savory scone – add ½ cup of grated cheese, crushed garlic, rosemary, basil or marjoram to the basic dough

GLAZED LEMON DAISY BREAD

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup milk

1 package active dry yeast

4 1/4 to 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 eggs

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling Ingredients:

1 /4 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Glaze Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar and milk in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted (3 to 5 minutes). Pour into large bowl; cool to warm. Stir in yeast until dissolved. Add 3 cups flour and all remaining dough ingredients. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Stir in enough remaining flour by hand until soft dough forms.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Place into greased bowl; turn greased-side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double in size (1 to 1 1/2 hours). (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.) Punch down dough; let rest 10 minutes.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into 18-inch circle. Spread with softened 1/4 cup butter; sprinkle with cloves. Place beverage tumbler in center; make 4 cuts at equal intervals from outside of circle to beverage tumbler. Cut each wedge into 5 wedges. Twist every two wedges together tightly, making 10 twists; pinch ends of twists together. Coil twists toward center, making daisy design; remove beverage tumbler. Coil one twist for center. Place on greased large baking sheet; reshape design, if necessary. Cover; let rise about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350°. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Combine all glaze ingredients in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil (5 to 6 minutes). Boil 3 minutes. Pour warm glaze over warm bread

thecook-house@mindspring.com

Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns

Makes 12 – I usually double this recipe and make larger buns

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (not self-rising) or you can grind your own wheat

2 Tblsps package instant yeast

2 Tblsps sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 egg

In a small saucepan, heat milk, water and butter until very warm. In a large bowl, mix together 1 3/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix milk mixture into flour mixture, and then mix in egg. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into smooth balls, and place on a greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Cover, and let rise for 30 to 35 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

For Hot Dog Buns: Shape each piece into a 6x4 inch rectangle. Starting with the longer side, roll up tightly, and pinch edges and ends to seal. Let rise about 20 to 25 minutes. Bake as above.

CRANBERRY TWIST BREAD

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 TBSP dry yeast

1-cup milk

1/2-cup water

4 TBSP sugar

4 TBSP butter

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup finely chopped cranberries

1/2-cup brown sugar

4 TBSP finely chopped pecans

3 teaspoons shredded orange peel

1/2- tsp ground cinnamon

1/2- tsp ground nutmeg

1/4- tsp ground cloves

3 tsp butter

Orange glaze (see recipe below)

In a large bowl stir together 2 cups all-purpose

flour and yeast; set aside. In a saucepan heat and

stir milk, water, 4 tablespoons sugar, 4 tablespoons

butter, and salt till warm and butter almost melts.

Add milk mixture to dry mixture along with egg.

Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30

seconds, scraping sides of the bowl constantly.

Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden

spoon, stir in 3 cups all-purpose flour. Turn dough

out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in enough

additional flour (1/4 to 1/2 cup) to make soft dough

that is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball. Place in

a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.

Cover; let rise till double.

While dough is rising combine finely chopped cranberries,

brown sugar, chopped pecans, shredded orange peel,

cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Set aside.

Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured surface.

Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Melt remaining butter.

Roll dough into a 14x10-inch rectangle. Brush with

melted butter. Spread cranberry filling over dough. Roll

up, jellyroll style, starting from a long side. Seal seam.

Place loaf on a greased baking sheet. Join ends together

to form a circle/wreath with the dough. Using kitchen

shears make cuts through the dough about every inch

around the circle. Cut through the roll 2/3 to the bottom.

Twist each section so that one side faces up. Cover; let

rise till nearly double (about 30 minutes). Bake in a 375

[degrees] oven for 25 minutes or till golden. Cool on wire

racks. Drizzle with Orange Glaze.

Orange Glaze: In a small mixing bowl combine 1 cup

sifted powdered sugar and about 6 teaspoons orange

juice to make a drizzling consistency.

Shaker Daily Loaf

2 Tablespoons Dry Yeast

¼ cup warm water (baby bath water temp!)

2 cups milk

½ cup shortening

¼ cup sugar

1-tablespoon salt plus 1-teaspoon salt

2 cups water

9 to 11 cups bread flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water, stirring well; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly.

Scald milk; add shortening, sugar, salt, and stir until shortening is melted. Add water; let mixture cool to lukewarm. Stir in dissolved yeast. Gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto heavily floured surface and knead 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover with a cloth and keep in a draft-free, warm place and allow to rise till doubled. Punch dough down; turn out onto floured surface.

Divide into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Cover with a cloth and allow to rest 10 minutes. Shape each into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan. Cover and allow to rise until doubled.

Bake at 375 degrees for approx. 35 minutes. Loaves should be browned and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

Makes 4 loaves

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups of sugar

1 cup of oil

3 large eggs (lightly beaten)

1 (16 oz) can solid pack pumpkin

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp each:

Ground cloves, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

Preheat your oven to 350*. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans. Mix the first four ingredients well. Sift rest of ingredients into a large bowl. Add the first mixture to the second and mix well. Pour into loaf pans and bake for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool on racks.

Momma’s Special Christmas Bread

4 cans biscuits – cheap ones (you may not can fit them all)
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 c. sugar

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened (we might use a little more)

3/4 cup orange juice

Optional - chopped pecans

Icing

3/4 cup sifted confectioners sugar

1 Tbsp orange juice

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

*You may want to double this.

Preheat oven to 425°. Grease a bundt pan or tube pan well. Combine cinnamon and sugar (and chopped pecans if you like). Remove biscuits from can and dip each biscuit in melted butter/margarine and then dip in sugar and cinnamon mix. Stand biscuits on their sides in the pan. Place a dollop of cream cheese between each biscuit and the next. Once you have placed all the biscuits in the pan, pour the orange juice over the top all around.

Bake this for 20 minutes (depending on your oven) or until golden brown. The biscuits will rise out of the pan – so I always put the pan on a cookie sheet. Once it is done turn this out on a plate and pour the icing over the top.

*You know, you have to tweak this recipe for your family. We might use a little more or a little less of any given item. Sometimes I can get better biscuits on sale - they will be bigger and it might only take two cans. You may need more sugar/cinnamon mixture for dredging or you might want a glob of cream cheese and not a dollop. :-)))) Just have fun with it! It is such an easy recipe and now the girls like to make it first thing in the morning. They all get in there and just have a blast! Then when they have it made and put it in the oven - we all have our songs, prayer and they can open their gifts.

Shepherds Hill Farm
The Burrell Family