Stir Whole Wheat Bread

Okay. . . this recipe is for anyone who has never baked bread. Yes, the rest of you can make it too, but it's guaranteed to be so easy that no one has an excuse. Well, after you have all the ingredients in the house, there is no excuse. You can have this bread on the table in 1 1/2 hours,

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup 7 or 9 grain cereal
• 1 1/2 cups white flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 3 tablespoons sunflower and or pumpkin seeds
• 3 tablespoons flax seed (ground)
• 1 tablespoon poppy seed (optional)
• 3 tablespoons oat bran
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 1/2 cups hot water

Method:

1. Mix dry ingredients and add in oil, molasses and hot water
2. Stir until mixed. Sprinkle with flour and shape into a ball. I don't want to use the word knead but if you feel comfortable with that, knead a little.
3. Without rising, divide the ball into 2 or 3 parts, depending on size of bread pans. Mine are small (4'' x 7 1/2'') so I do three.
4. Cover with a clean tea towel and plastic bag. Let rise about 20 min. 
5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 F, then bake loaves about 30 minutes.

Time saving idea: mix several batches of the dry mix and divide per recipe into zip-lock bags. Freeze. When you want to bake bread, just take one out and add the liquids as specified.

Lemon Cream Sponge Cake /Flashback Friday

For this Flashback Friday recipe I want to share this delicious sponge cake with a lemon filling. Perfect dessert for a special occasion or just because. I usually make the homemade lemon filling, but a boxed lemon pie filling mix works just fine as well.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour sifted with
• 2 tsp. baking powder and
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup of hot milk
• 2 tbsp. butter melted in the milk
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Beat eggs till foamy, add sugar gradually, beat til thick and lemony.
2. Fold in sifted dry ingredients. Add lemon juice.
3. Gently stir in the milk and melted butter.
4. Bake in two greased 8" pans at 375 for about 20 minutes or til golden brown.
5. Leave in pan for five minutes and then cool on a cooling rack.
6. Slice each layer in half
7. Put lemon filling between layers and dust with icing sugar, or decorate it with whipped cream.
   

Lemon Filling

• 2 1/2 tbsp. corn starch
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp butter

1. In a double boiler, blend together corn starch and sugar, add boiling water, stirring all the time, until it is clear, about 10 minutes.
2. Beat egg, lemon juice and rind. Stir into the cornstarch mixture.
3. Cook 3 minutes. Beat in butter. Cool.
   Or just make your favorite Lemon Pie filling.

Whipped Cream icing

1. 2 cups whip cream, whipped and sweetened to taste.
2. I add a stabilizer for this cake called "Whip-It by Dr. Oetker. It just helps to keep the whipping cream firm for decorating. Two packages are enough for 2 cups of whipping cream.
3. Take 1/2 cup of whipped cream and add it to the cooled Lemon filling.
4. Layer Lemon between all the layers
5. Decorate the cake with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with sugared almonds, around the edges.

Sugared Almonds

• 1 cup of slivered almonds
• 2 tbsp. sugar.

1. Gently stir over medium heat till sugar melts and caramelizes over the almonds
2. Cool and sprinkle around the cake.
3. This is not a high rising cake, so don't worry if the volume isn't what you are used too.

Sausage Rolls with Honey Mustard Ranch Dip

My Auntie Betty gave me the recipe for this dough years ago and I've used it in different ways.  I used to make little sausage rolls with Smoked Farmer Sausage but I've switched it up a bit to make the pinwheels a tender and attractive little bite  which is easy to take along to add to a party buffet.

Sausage Rolls

• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1/2 warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 slightly beaten large eggs
• 1 cup butter melted and cooled
• 2  1/2 cups flour
• 1 small ring smoked farmer sausage. . .any other smoked sausage would work as well.

1. In a one cup measuring cup add the yeast and sugar to the warm water.  Let sit 10 minutes or until the yeast has proofed.
2. Put the flour into a mixing bowl.
3. Add the eggs, the melted cooled butter and the yeast.
4. Stir to combine well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
5. While the dough is chilling. . peel the farmer sausage and roughly dice.  Put it into a food processor and pulse until it is uniformly crumbs.
6. Roll the dough into a long strip about 6 inches wide and about 3 feet long.
7. Sprinkle the farmer sausage crumbles over the dough and roll up jelly roll style.
8. Cut into 1/2 inch slices and lay on two cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper.
9. Allow to rise for one hour and then bake in a 375 F oven for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

If you have leftover sausage crumbles.  . .use them the next day to make easy cheese and sausage buns.  Simply sprinkle the crumbled farmer sausage over cheese on halves of buns and broil on low until the farmer sausage is sizzling and the cheese has melted.

Honey Mustard Ranch Mayo Dip

• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 tablespoon liquid honey

1. Stir together and refrigerate.
2. Serve with Sausage Rolls.

Applesauce Bee Sting Cake

This simple cake, covered, stays moist and delicious for days. Make sure to invite someone for coffee if you do not want to snack on it endlessly. It's hard not to.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 egg (optional)
• 2 cuos flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon soda
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• 1 ½ cups applesauce
• 1 cup raisins, rinsed

Method:

1. Cream butter and add honey gradually, then beat in the egg.
2. Combine dry ingredients and add to first mixture alternately with applesauce.
3. Stir in raisins.
4. Spread into  9 x 9 inch greased pan.
5. Bake at 350° F for about 45 min. Test with toothpick.
6. Spread hot cake with broiled icing.

Broiled Icing:

• 1/4 c butter
• 1/3 c liquid honey
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut
• ½ cup chopped fresh walnuts

Method:

1. Melt butter, add honey and cinnamon. Stir in coconut and walnuts.
2. Spread on cake and put in oven on broil setting for about 2 minutes, until topping bubbles and browns lightly. (stay by the oven and watch)

Baked Oatmeal

We were served this for brunch at our football reunion at Wilderness Edge a few years ago..it was so delicious and the cook was kind enough to share the recipe. This is a large recipe but could be cut in half very easily.

• 1 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 cup sugar ( I used 1 cup Splenda)
• 6 cups oatmeal (I used 3 cups large flakes and 3 cups of 3 minute oats)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups milk ( I used skim)

1. Mix well and pour into a greased 9 x 13" pan. Bake at 350º for 30 min. After you take it out of the oven wait a bit so that it can set before you cut it.
2. Serve warm with milk and cinnamon. You could add raisins before or after it is baked.
3. I chose to eat it with a large dollop of vanilla yogurt and some slightly thawed blueberries... fresh would be really good but at this time of year they are too pricey in the store.
4. Leftover oatmeal freezes well.

Pineapple Cupcakes

My mother-in-law was the best cook and left me with many wonderful recipes, which now remind me of her whenever I use them. One of the first recipes she ever shared with me was a simple pineapple cupcake recipe. I baked them up often for 'my girls' at Pioneer Clubs back in the day and they were always a favorite. I had all but forgotten about them until I saw the handwritten recipe in my book the other day and made up a batch for old-times sake. They are still every bit as good!



Pineapple Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 small can crushed pineapple (14 oz. or 398 ml) ...juice included
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
2. Blend in pineapple; then add dry ingredients and beat until blended.
3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full...and bake at 350ºF for about 20 minutes.
4. Frost with cream cheese frosting (below)

Yield ~ 18 cupcakes

Cream Cheese frosting:

• 1/2 cup (125 gr) softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon milk

1. In a medium sized bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until creamy.
2. Add icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time and beat after each addition, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
3. With mixer on low, add vanilla and milk. Add a little more or less milk...as needed to obtain proper spreading consistency.

This is a mild cream cheese frosting...to fool those who claim not to like cream cheese. If you prefer your frosting cheesier, use the entire package of cream cheese, rather than half.

They are perfect for afternoon tea out on the front porch...or an easy treat to pack for a picnic.

Enjoy,

Bread For The Journey

I've always thought that the perfect tea towel to dry dishes is well worn, freshly pressed and made of fine linen.  I thought that until this year when I was given this unique, one of a kind, hand-embroidered, treasure for Mother's Day. 

 My darling grands didn't make this happen on their own.  Their creative Mom who has a desire to teach and use every opportunity to build within her children appreciation, helped them to brainstorm what it is their Grammie and Omi do for them that makes them feel loved.  

For my tea towel, they thought and then each came up with something that I bake that they love. Can you figure out what those three baked items are?  After drawing out their ideas, the drawing was transferred onto a good flour sack tea towel and then their little hands helped to stitch and create a treasure.  

The tea towel is draped over my oven door handle and it looks like it is ready to use but truthfully, I feel it is worth too much to risk ruining.  I want to save it and maybe even put in a treasure frame where it stays clean and is protected against rips and stains. 

The problem with this theory is that the children will question why I am not using the gift that they created just for me.  They wanted to give me something that I could use in my everyday routine that would be useful.  

It bears considering then whether the good gifts that Christ gave us when we came to faith in him are being put to good use to help others or are we saving those gifts for when it suits us, when we have more time, more energy or when we feel like our gift will be properly appreciated.  

I'll use that treasure of a tea towel on my best crystal because their gift deserves to be appreciated and put to good use! When I use it I'll be reminded to consider how to use the gift that Christ gave me. 

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

Herbed Pizza Dough

We enjoy pizza and once you find a dough that works well for you you won't ever go back to pre made pizza dough. It's so simple to make and adding a few extra spices or herbs to the dough makes it extra tasty. This is also great dough to make a flat bread and top it lightly with oil and a few fresh toppings. When hot out of the oven dip in balsamic and a good olive oil.

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/2 cup white flour, plus a little for kneading if needed
• 1/2 cup semolina flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dry Greek seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

1. Place warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle with yeast and allow to stand for 8-10 minutes.
2. While yeast is proofing, add all other ingredients except olive oil to a large bowl. 
3. Once yeast has proofed stir down and pour over dry ingredients.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
5. Using a fork stir until the dough comes together. 
6. At this point add another tbsp of the olive oil and using your hands knead dough. Add a little more flour if needed to make a soft but not sticky dough. Knead about 5 minutes.
7. Lightly grease bowl, place dough ball back into bowl and cover. Let stand out of draft for 35-40 minutes.
8. Roll out dough and fit onto pizza pan.

Now you are ready to top the pizza crust with your favourite toppings. There are a lot of great pizza recipes here on our blog and if you have our Celebrations book Lovella and I also have some great topping ideas as well as several other dough recipes to try out. 

Chipa

For my flashback Friday I have chosen to share the recipe for Chipa again.
Makes 3 dozen
These chewy cheesy little pillows is a recipe originally from Paraguay, where my husband was born. They are made from Cassava flour (called Mandioca flour in Spanish) or Tapioca Starch, therefore making them gluten free. (Tapioca Flour and Tapioca Starch is the same thing.)
Another variation for the recipe has a crusty hard outer crust yet soft and chewy from the inside. This version however is a soft muffin, chewy on the inside that taste best warm from the oven, they feel like little pillows. **They are so quick and easy to make, you don't need to be following a gluten free diet to enjoy them.

• 1 - 400 g. / 14 oz package of tapioca starch (approx 3 cups)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup of oil
• 2 cups of grated cheese, like Old Cheddar*
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
2. Add oil, beaten eggs with the milk and stir until the dry ingredients are well moistened.
3. Put into greased mini muffin tins, enough to make 3 dozen. 
4. Bake at 350 until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

*You can use any combination of cheese according to personal taste. I have added 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese mixed with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella.  Try smoked Gouda, Swiss, Jalapeno Pepper Jack perhaps? Change up the flavors for a new taste experience.

**Just a word of caution, because these are gluten free, and you don't eat them the day that they are made, they will certainly lose that soft, chewy goodness and become a bit dry and hard. So enjoy them right out of the oven and only make as many as you need. Do not use regular size muffin cups, the larger ones do not taste the same.

Cinnamon Knots

I love anything with cinnamon and these knots didn't disappoint. Warm from the oven they are a delicious treat with a cup of coffee. If you desire you can use your favorite sweet yeast dough for these knots. At the end if there is any sugar/cinnamon mixture left over you can save it for cinnamon toast.
This recipe is from Taste of Home magazine, I made a few changes.
I love the many various ways of using cinnamon bun dough. What do you make with your sweet yeast dough?

• Dough:
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 4 1/2 - 5 cups of flour
• Topping: 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Scald milk, whisk in 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, and salt. Add eggs slowly whisking the whole time.
2. Add yeast and 4 cups of flour, mixing thoroughly. Continue adding flour as needed and knead for 5 minutes until dough feels soft, smooth, and elastic. It's okay if the dough is slightly sticky, it's better for the dough to be slightly sticky than using too much flour.
3. Cover bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 hours.
4. Divide dough into 3 even portions, Shape each portion into 12 balls. Work with one portion at a time.
5. Roll each ball into an 8" rope. Combine sugar and cinnamon from the Topping ingredients.
6. Dip each rope into melted butter, then coat with sugar/cinnamon mixture and tie into a knot, tuck and pinch ends under and place on parchment lined pans. Repeat with remaining dough.
7. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
8. Bake in a 375º oven for 12 minutes.
9. Cool slightly then drizzle with icing glaze or serve plain. Either way they are delicious.
10. Yield: 3 dozen knots