Cornbread

I got this from Down Home with the Neely's. Good basic recipe for cornbread. If you're from the South then you're used to cornbread that isn't sweet, and that's what this is. They also make it in a cast iron skillet, just like my father, so it's round. The first time I saw cornbread that wasn't round was when we moved to Utah!

2 c. flour
2 c. yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 c. milk
2 large eggs
6 Tbsp. melted butter, slightly cooled
1 Tbsp. rendered bacon fat (or butter, shortening or veg. oil)

Preheat oven to 400. Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet in the oven and heat for at least 30 minutes.
Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and melted butter. Make a wekk in the center of the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into the well. Use a fork to stir until evenly combined.
Remove the skillet from the oven, add the bacon fat or oil, and swirl to coat. Pout the batter into the skillet and spread evenly across the pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Cheddar Dill Scones

4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup cold heavy cream
1/2 pound extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, small-diced
1 cup minced fresh dill
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine 4 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Mix the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss together the Cheddar, dill, and 1 tablespoon of flour and add them to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the Cheddar and dill are well distributed. Roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outside is crusty and the inside is fully baked.

Biscuits

We had these with the sausage gravy for Christmas morning. I love biscuits and gravy.

2 1/2-3 c. flour
8 Tbsp. butter, chilled and cut into cubes.
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. buttermilk
4 Tbsp. butter, softened

Preheat oven to 450. Pulse together dry ingredients in a food processor. Add buttermilk and mix. Dough will be slightly dry. Roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter. Place on a baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes. Spread with softened butter.

Pumpkin Muffins

Samantha made these muffins to go with dinner a few weeks ago and we really liked them. From Katie Lee Joel.

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. olive oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
15 oz. can pure pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 12 c. muffin tin. Mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl beat together sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. ADd dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Pour into muffin tins and bake 20 minutes.

Dill Bread

3 c. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried dill
salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 oz. packet yeast
1 c. cottage cheese
2 Tbsp. butter
1 egg, lightly beaten

Combine 1 c. flour, sugar, onion powder, dill, 1 1/4 tsp. salt, baking soda and yeast.

Over medium low heat, combine the cottage cheese, 1/4 c. water and 1 Tbsp. butter. Stirring constantly, heat until creamy and simmering but not boiling. Remove from heat and quickly whisk in egg. Stir into dry ingredients. Beat about 4 minutes. Let stand for 8 minutes. stir in remaining 2 c. flour, turning onto a work surface to gently knead in loose flour. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour. Punch down dough and dough and place in greased baking pan. Cover again and allow the dough to rise until double in size.
Preheat oven to 350. Bake 35-40 minutes. While still hot, rub top with butter and sprinkle with salt.

Pizza Dough

From The Comfort Table, by Katie Lee Joel

1/4 oz. packet yeast
3 c. flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. warm water
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. olive oil

Fill a small bowl with hot water. Let sit for 2 min. Dump out the water and combine yeast, 1 Tbsp. flour, sugar and 1/4 c. warm water. Let stand 5 min.

Mix 2 1/2 c. flour and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture, 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 3/4 c. warm water. Mix until dough starts to pull away from sides of bowl. Knead for about 8 minutes. From into a ball. Use remaining olive oil to coat the dough in a bowl and allow to rise 1 hour. Do not punch down. Carefully place on a floured work surface. Flatten into a disc and cut in half. Roll out to desired thinness.

Nutty Banana Bread

This banana bread from Katie Lee Joel was so good. I add pecans, which I've decided make the banana bread. It took 1 1/2 hours to bake rather than the 45-55 min. she suggests. I was using a Pampered Chef stoneware bread pan though, which may be why it took a little longer. The kids said it was better than my usual banana bread.

2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. buttermilk
3 med. bananas, mashed
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk in three additions. Gently stir in bananas and nuts. Pour into loaf pan and bake 45-55 min.

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

These were the best muffins ever!! I love Barefoot Contessa!
* 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 3 large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
* 1/4 cup milk
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 2 cans blueberries, rinsed and drained

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

cranberry orange scones

I like to make these when it's snowy outside and I can pretend to be British and have tea. I actually had a scone with clotted cream on one of our trips to England and it was really good. This isn't the same, but I enjoy them all the same.

2 c. flour 10 tsp. sugar, divided
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. baking soda
1/3 c. cold butter
1 c. dried cranberries
¼ c. orange juice
¼ c. half and half
1 egg
1 Tbsp. milk

Glaze:
½ c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. orange juice

Orange Butter:
½ c. butter, softened
2-3 Tbsp. orange marmalade

Combine flour, 7 tsp. sugar, orange peel, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside. Combine cranberries, orange juice, cream and egg. Add to flour mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Gently knead 6-8 times. Pat dough into an 8” circle. Cut into 10 wedges. Separate wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with milk; sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake @ 400° for 12-15 minutes. Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over scones. Combine orange butter ingredients and serve with warm scones.

Onion Garlic Bubble Bread

This is Amy's favorite!!

1 loaf (1 lb.) frozen bread dough, thawed
½ c. finely chopped sweet onion
½ c. butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. salt
Divide dough into 24 pieces. Combine remaining ingredients. Dip each piece of dough into butter mixture. Place in a greased 10” fluted tube pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place 1 hour. Bake @ 375° 20-25 minutes.