Multigrain Bread

 

1 c. water

1 Tbsp. or 1 pkg. dry yeast

1 c. white bread flour, more as needed

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. cornmeal

1/2 c. rolled oats

1 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

 

        Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let sit until proofed (foamy), about 10 minutes.

 

       Add dry ingredients to the work bowl of food processor. Pulse a few times to blend.

 

             Add honey and oil to proofed yeast. Pour into food processor and pulse with dry ingredients until dough makes a rough ball. Dough should be somewhat sticky. If it seems dry, add a tablespoon of water and pulse briefly.

 

       Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times, adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time if dough is too sticky to work with.

 

         For the first rising: Put dough in greased bowl twice as big as dough ball (large enough for risen dough), cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm draft-free place until about doubled in size, about 1 hour. (To make a suitable place, microwave  1 glass of water 2 minutes on high and put the dough in the microwave with the heated water).

 

        For the second rising: When dough has about doubled, deflate it by pushing with your fist, fold it over on itself a few times allow to rise again for about 1/2 hour.

 

           To shape loaves: Return dough to work surface and flatten with hands or rolling pin to remove any air bubbles. Divide in half and shape each half into a round or oblong loaf. On a baking sheet, sprinkle areas of cornmeal somewhat larger than the loaves. Center the loaves on the cornmeal areas, cover loosely with damp cloth and let rise until about double.

 

 Preheat oven to 375.

 

       Using a very sharp knife, razor etc., carefully (so loaf doesn't defate and collapse) slash loaf tops with parallel or criss-cross lines. This allows expansion as the bread bakes. You can skip this step; the bread will still bake just fine, but there may be irregular bulges in the crust.

 

 Bake in preheated oven until loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack before slicing.

 

 

 

    I beat one egg, added 1 tablespoon of melted butter along with just a little milk and used that to brush the top of the bread right before I placed it in the oven. I also sprinkled on some black and brown sesame seeds.

 

 

 

Surprise Upside-Down Salsa Cornbread   The surprise part of this recipe is the bottom layer as you are making it, but the top layer once you have taken it out of the skillet. The recipe calls for slices of green bell pepper for that layer. Once as I was all set to bake this, I realized I didn't have bell peppers. I substituted another veggie. It was eggplant that time, and it was delicious. Since then that top layer is almost as much of a surprise to me as anyone else. It is what I have on hand, and believe me, practically anything works here. Use your imagination and your taste to select your veggie for this layer.



This time the veggie I used was yellow squash. I just thinly sliced 1 yellow summer squash for my bottom layer. I served it for lunch with a cold cucumber and watermelon salad.


Surprise Upside-Down Salsa Cornbread

Cornbread mixture:

2 c. self rising cornmeal mix
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 (16-oz.) jar chunky-style salsa
1 1/4 c. milk
3 Tbsp. oil
1 egg, beaten


Filling:

1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt (I just used garlic powder, the recipe has enough salt already for me)
1 medium green or red bell pepper, cut into rings


Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat oil in 10 1/2-inch cast iron or ovenproof skillet over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef, onion, chili powder, salt and garlic salt; cook until ground beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Remove beef mixture from skillet. Place pepper rings in bottom of skillet.

****Here is where you insert your surprise veggie instead of the peppers if you would like to do so.


Spoon beef mixture over rings.

In medium bowl, combine all cornbread mixture ingredients; stir until well combined. Spread evenly over beef mixture in skillet.

Bake at 425 F. for 32 to 38 minutes or until golden brown. Place serving plate over skillet; carefully invert and remove skillet. Cut into wedges. If desired, cornbread can be served from skillet; cut into wedges and carefully turn each wedge upside down onto individual plate.



****My iron skillet is very heavy for me to lift, especially with something already baked inside of it. This morning, my DH did the flipping for me and he didn't do it very carefully. Looks a little messy this time. But if you take your time with the flipping, your veggies really do stay in place and your top layer will look better than mine does in this photo.    

 

 

 

  Delicious Old Timey Buttermilk Biscuits   1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour ( I use White Lily Flour)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Crisco or mix of unsalted butter and shortening 2/3  to  3/4 cup buttermilk   (You can make your own buttermilk by adding a little vinegar to regular whole milk, or using a buttermilk powder.)   This is very important....Preheat oven to 500 F. When you place the bisuits into the oven, turn it down to 425F and cook at this temp.   In a large bowl or wood biscuit bowl, combine flours, baking powder, soda,  sugar, and salt. For those of you that don't want to get your hands messy, you can cut in the shortening (and/or butter) until the mixture resembles coarse, grainy meal. Sprinkle the buttermilk over flour, stirring lightly with a fork until ingredients are evenly moistened. Now you really need to use your hands and mix with your dough. Pinch off dough, roll out in your hands
 
Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet pat down just a little with your finger tips and dab on milk or milk mixed with melted butter or even just plain water.    Bake 12 - 14 minutes or until light golden brown.  They seem to darken just a tad once removed from the oven.   I usually get a dozen and a half biscuits. If you feel like your oven is hotter or you feel uncomfortable baking them as I do, you can bake in hot oven 425 F or if this is too hot for you, reduce heat to 400 and bake a minute or two longer.             Banana Bread   This is a great easy recipe that is fool proof.

In separate bowl,  cream1/8 cup butter, 1 egg, 1 cup pure maple syrup, and 2 cups mashed bananas.

Add these dry ingredients:
2 c whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt.

Blend. Add 2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Bake at 350F for 25 min, then 300F for another 30 min.

Makes 2 lb. loaf

 

 

  BLUEBERRY BREAD

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
  Crumb Mixture:   2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Confectioners/ sugar to taste

Mix 2 1/4 cups flour and baking powder in a bowl.

Beat 1 cup sugar and shortening in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until blended.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, mixing well after each addition. Spoon the batter into 2 greased and lightly floured round baking pans. Sprinkle with the blueberries.

Mix 2/3 cup sugar and 2/3 cup flour in a bowl. Cut in the butter and flavoring until crumbly. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the blueberries. Top with the almonds.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans on a wire rack.

Sprinkle with confectioners/ sugar. Remove the bread to a plate. Cut into 8 wedges.