Semi-Homemade Sweet Cornbread

Everyone loves chili in the Fall and everyone loves cornbread with their chili.  This is a delicious way to make cornbread that tastes homemade but takes only seconds to throw together!

2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

3 Tbs. honey

Mix well and pour into a 9x13 greased pan.  Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

APPLE BREAD WITH PECAN PRALINE GLAZE

I have so many recipes pinned on Pinterest, I think its time I went through them and printed (yes - the old fashioned way to read a recipe). I always think maybe the source they came from will get deleted or someone will cancel their blog.  I found this and pinned it while looking for a different recipe.  This cute girl's name is Kathleen and her cooking blog is gonnawantseconds.com.  And let me tell you, this bread is good for second or thirds or even fourths.  I only used 1 t. cinnamon, as I don't like my food too "cinnamony".  I know that's not a word.  It makes two loaves and I gave one to a neighbor.  Great fall recipe to use with all the wonderful apples that are appearing. The glaze is so delicious!! This bread is heavy and doesn't raise very high but is so dense, moist and delicious.

Apple Bread with Pecan Praline GlazeYield: 2 Loaves

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups - All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Teaspoon - Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon - Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon - Salt
• 3 Teaspoon - Cinnamon (I  used only 1 t.)
• 1/4 Teaspoon - Nutmeg
• 1/4 Teaspoon - Cloves
• 1 Cup - Sugar
• 1 Cup - Brown Sugar Packed
• 3 - Large Eggs
• 1 Cup - Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tablespoon - Vanilla Extract
• 2 Cups - Apples, Peeled, Cored, and Diced
• 1 Cup - Pecans, Chopped
• Praline Glaze:
• 1/4 Cup - Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 Cup - Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
• 3 Tablespoon - Milk
• 1 Teaspoon - Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup - Powder Sugar
• 1 Cup - Pecans, Chopped

Instructions:

Make The Bread:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray two 8X4 inch baking pans with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the first nine ingredients.  In a separate bowl, mix eggs, oil and vanilla.  Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and combine. (The batter will be extremely thick). Mix in apples and 1 cup chopped pecans until evenly distributed through batter.

3. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans and smooth out the top of batter with the back of a spoon.  Bake in preheat oven for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean and edges of bread are just pulling away from baking pan.

Make The Glaze:

1. In a heavy bottomed 2 quart saucepan, bring brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil over medium heat. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat.

2. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and using a hand held electric mixer beat on medium speed until smooth. Pour half the glaze immediately over each loaf of cooled bread and sprinkle evenly with pecans.

ORANGE BRAN FLAX MUFFINS

**Since I originally posted this, I noticed a mistake.  There should only be 1/2 c. flax and 1 1/2 c. flour. If you made it the other way - its ok - just not as light. It is now changed below.

My daughter reminded me of these muffins a few days ago. This recipe is from my good, dear friend Sandy! She's an angel on earth - really! These muffins are delicious and healthy (well sort of - if you discount the brown sugar and white flour - but the rest of the ingredients are).  I added and extra 1/2 cup of brown sugar to the original recipe (I like mine sweeter) and substituted coconut oil for canola oil.  I also experimented with diced apple or mashed banana added to them as well.  It's a forgiving recipe and you could add almost any fruit, I think.  Mangos, peaches, or even berries would be delicious. I don't add raisins - NO ONE in my family likes them. One of our family members (I won't say who) calls them "ticks". Ewwww! These freeze well. I buy the brans in the "buy the pound" bins at the grocery. Sprouts is a good source.

Preheat oven to 375. 

1 1/2 c. oat bran
1  1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. ground flax seed (make sure its ground - doesn't digest   well if it isn't and I'm told you lose the nutritional value)
1 c. wheat bran
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

Stir the above ingredients well in a large bowl. 

Add to blender and mix well:

2 whole oranges, peeled and quartered
1 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. brown sugar (I added the 1/2- omit if you want)
1/2 c. coconut oil (can use canola)
1 t. baking soda
1 c. chopped nuts - optional (we like pecans or walnuts)
**This is where I added the mashed banana or apple or other fruit. Don't blend the fruit - just stir it in. I added 1 whole mashed banana, or 1 peeled diced apple, etc.

Blend well and stir into dry ingredients, just until all ingredients are moistened.  Divide batter evenly into 24 regular size muffin pans.  Spray pans with cooking spray or use paper liners.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans.

Julia Child's White Sandwich Bread

I had this genius idea that I wanted to start making my own bread instead of buying it from the store, but the trick was finding a really good/easy recipe that I could make every week.  After SEVERAL failed attempts at some recipes, I tried making this recipe (which I found over at Dinner With Julie) and it was super easy and super yummy.  The first time I made it, we noticed that it was really missing something....it needed more sugar, so the next time I made it, I added 4 TBS and it was perfect.  So now, I guess you can say that we are homemade bread snobs. :)

Julia Child’s White Sandwich Bread

2 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
4-5 Tbsp. sugar
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, softened

Pour 1/2 cup of the water into a bowl (preferably that of a stand mixer) and stir in the yeast and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, unit foamy. (If the yeast doesn’t do anything, toss it out and buy fresh yeast.)

Add the rest of the water and 3 1/2 cups of the flour. Stir until well blended. Add the rest of the flour, the salt and butter and stir with the dough hook (or by hand) until well combined and shaggy.

Continue to knead (I let the dough hook go for about 8 minutes, poking it down once in awhile) until it’s smooth and elastic. You could do this by hand, too. If you used the dough hook, turn the dough out onto the countertop and knead a few times to make sure it’s evenly smooth.

Shape it into a ball and put it back into the bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let it sit for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, until it’s doubled in size.

Butter two 4″x8″ loaf pans. Punch the dough down (love that part!) and pat each piece into a rectangle that’s about 9″x12″ – or a bit bigger than a standard piece of paper.

Starting at a short end, fold it in thirds, like a letter. Place seam side down in the loaf pans, tucking the ends in. Cover with the tea towel again and leave them for an hour, until they puff right up out of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 375°F and put the rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the loaves are honey brown. Immediately turn the loaves out of their pans and onto a rack to cool.

Makes 2 loaves.

Starbucks Banana Walnut Bread

I had some bananas sitting on my counter that just kept getting more ripe by the day and I finally got around to making some banana bread.  I went looking on Pinterest to find a yummy new recipe and I think I found one that I will keep making over and over.  I found the recipe on Heidi Bakes and the struesel center she uses is beyond amazing.  I don't think I'll ever make banana bread without it!

Starbucks Banana Walnut Bread

• 3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons buttermilk or milk
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease one loaf pan
2. Mix sugar, oil, egg, vanilla, buttermilk, and bananas in a mixing bowl. Combine completely.
3. Add in flour, soda, and salt, and 1/2 cup of the walnuts.
4. Pour into the pan, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts over the top of the batter slightly pressing in the walnuts.
5. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Use a tester to check if it is cooked internally.
6. Cool and remove from the pan.

Struesel Layer
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
(these are approximate amounts. add more or less struesel, depending on your taste)

Mix together & sprinkle the mixture over a thin layer of batter in a prepared loaf pan. Cover with additional batter and bake.

ORANGE ROLLS

I tasted this version of orange rolls for the first time a few weeks ago.  My new friend Jackie who is our son and daughter-in-law's sweet nanny is the BEST cook (and takes great care of our grand-son).  I immediately put the recipe in my "favorites"!!  I love that there is orange juice in the dough.  Most orange rolls only have the juice in the frosting. Betcha can't eat just one!!

1Tbl. Yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water and 1 tsp. sugar
1 cup warm orange juice
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups flour

Mix all ingredients, except flour, together. Add the 4 cups flour. Mix and knead until all flour is moist. Let raise until almost double. Knead slightly on floured surface and divide in half. Roll into a circle and brush with melted butter mixed with a little orange juice and a Tablespoon of sugar. Cut into
wedges, 12 per circle. Roll up wide end first. Let rise until double. Bake 375 10 minutes.

Honey Butter Croissants

 We spent the last 3 weeks in sunny Arizona.  It was wonderful!  The weather was perfection.  We ate out almost every night trying to hit up all of our favorite spots.  The boys loved playing with their cousins and staying at Grandma's house.  We were so sad to leave!  Oh, and I got my hair done!  Yes, I wait until I visit Arizona every 4 months to get my hair done.  I love my hair girl.  Not only is she fabulous at doing hair, she told me about these croissants and I am forever changed.  They are melt in your mouth goodness.  Thank you Chelsea!

Honey Butter Croissants

1 box Trader Joe's frozen mini croissants
butter
honey

Bake as directed on box.  As soon as you take the croissants out of the oven, rub with softened butter and drizzle with honey.  Then, try to eat just one.

BEST BAKING POWDER BISCUITS Ever!!!

Not a really exciting recipe--especially since it's almost Turkey day but I have been making pie crusts most of the day in prep for said Turkey day...and needed to make SOMETHING for dinner. I had a little left over chicken, so I made a quick Chicken Noodle Soup (nothing fancy) for the husband. You can't have soup without some kind of hot bread, so I pulled out my old Baking Powder Biscuit recipe. I forgot how good these are!! Really--they are, and I think the reason is they use butter instead of shortening. They are quick and fast too. I always use buttermilk instead of half and half. I think it makes them lighter. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, just put a few tablespoons of vinegar in fresh milk and let it sit for a few minutes. It will thicken and become your buttermilk substitute. 

I use my food processor to cut the butter into the flour. Just pulse it a few times. I also mix the milk into the flour with the processor. Just don't process too long. I made these in literally 10 minutes--minus the baking time.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold (1 stick)
3/4 cup half-and-half or buttermilk

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Cut the stick of butter into pieces and work it into the flour mixture with your hands or pastry blender (or food processor) until it resembles pea-size crumbs. Add the half-and-half or buttermilk, mixing until the dough mixed and no flour is present.

Pour the dough out onto a floured surface and knead a few times.
Roll out the dough until it's 1/4 of an inch thick. Use a biscuit or cookie cutter to cut dough.  I use a large round cookie cutter--we like our biscuits BIG!! Place on ungreased cookie sheet  about 1/4 inch apart (so they rise up not out), and bake for about 12 minutes, or until tops are just golden. Serve warm with butter and jam!! They will keep stored in an airtight container for several days.

**For a cheesy biscuit, add about 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese when the dough is almost finished processing. Bits of melted cheese will be in the biscuit. Really good!

Another Banana Bread

It's kind of weird to try so many banana bread recipes.  I mean, I have at least 3 banana bread recipes that I really love and yet, I keep trying new ones.  I don't know.  

So here's another one and I really liked this one, too!

4 ripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup light tasting olive oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda

*Smash up the bananas.  (Instead of dirtying another bowl, I just put my bananas in the mixer first and mix them up until their nice and juicy).  Add the sugar, eggs, yogurt, vanilla and olive oil.  Mix well.  Add flour and baking soda.  Mix well.  Pour into two small bread pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.  Watch it closely because the time will vary depending on your pans and your oven.

APPLE SPICE CRUMB BREAD

I read a LOT of recipe blogs! Every time I see one I think I might be remotely interested in--I copy it. My recipe file is HUGE. And who am I kidding? There are some that I will NEVER make but they sounded good and interesting at the time. Will I ever really make Salted Caramel-Filled Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes? No--probably not, but they sounded delicious and the photo was gorgeous. However, I read the-baker-chick.com a lot and have and will continue to make many of her recipes. She is a darling girl who lives in New York City, just got married and cooks in a REALLY tiny kitchen. This Apple Spice Crumb Bread caught my eye and I happened to have some apples that needed to be used.  I must say--delicious!! Credit goes to Audra from her blog.


makes one 9x5 inch loaf

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cup all-purpose flour (I used 1 whole wheat, 1 white)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 medium sized apples - peeled and cored. 2 of them chopped and 2 grated.

crumb topping
1/8 cup flour
1/8 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter- cut into small bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Make crumb topping by mixing all ingredients but the butter, and then cutting the butter in with a knife until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the oil and sugars until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Mix into the sugar mixture. Stir in the buttermilk until moistened. Fold in the apples. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with crumb topping.

Bake 60 mins in the preheated oven, with a cookie sheet on a lower rack to catch any over-flow. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note- it always takes me a good 15 minutes longer to get a loaf of quick bread baked all the way through. If after 60 minutes it still seems gooey, check it in 5 minute increments.
 

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

I made these muffins last week.  I love a hearty, whole wheat muffin.  And these were just that.  Easy to make and delicious to eat!  These were a perfect snack for our road trip the next day.

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
recipe from:  Baking Bites

2 cups whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat)
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 brown sugar
1 large egg
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups mashed banana (2-3 large bananas)
1/4 cup milk (any kind)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans and/or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and egg until well combined. Whisk in vegetable oil, mashed banana, milk and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir until batter just comes together and no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Gently fold in chopped nuts. Do not overmix.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed.
Turn muffins out onto wire rack to cool completely.  Store in airtight container.

Carolyn's Zucchini Bread

I don't know who Carolyn is, but I do know that she makes a mean zucchini bread.

I got this recipe out of a cookbook that Nat gave me called "Favorites."  It's a collection of somebody's favorite family recipes.  

So wherever you are Carolyn...thanks for the awesome recipe!

3 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (I used Canola)
1 Tbs. vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional...I didn't add them)

*Mix flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder.  Set aside.  Beat eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla.  Slowly mix in dry ingredients.  Add zucchini and nuts and mix well.  Pour into greased and floured bread pans and bake at 325.  I used 3 smaller pans and baked them for 50 minutes.

SWEET KNOTS WITH RHODES ROLLS

Remember I said in a few posts back that I signed up for a recipe of the week from Rhodes Rolls, but didn't usually think the recipes sounded good?  I have to take back what I said.  I came home from teaching today and this was in my inbox.  It looked and sounded good and easy and I was hungry. I pulled out some frozen rolls and made these. Wow-they are so good. And easy.  So thanks, Rhodes and my apologies.

Ingredients

12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

Roll each roll into a 9-inch rope. Place butter in a shallow bowl and sugar in a separate shallow bowl.  Mix the melted butter and sugar together. Dip the rolls in butter/sugar mixture and tie into a knot and place on cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart. Repeat with the rest of the rolls. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350°F 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Do not overbake.Remove from pan immediately and place on cooling rack.

SQUAW BREAD-- like Cheesecake Factory

My cute niece found this recipe and asked if she could come over and have me help her make it. She loves the Squaw Bread at the The Cheesecake Factory and she found this recipe somewhere. The instructions were confusing and complicated. I made some minor changes to make it easier to understand (and to make). It turned out really good. If you love the Squaw Bread at the "Factory" you might want to try it. If you do; let me know what you think.

2 c. warm water
1 1/2 T. dry active yeast

1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. honey
2 T. molasses

3 1/2 c. bread flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. medium or dark rye flour
1/2 cup dry powdered milk
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 1/2 t. salt

2 T. melted butter for brushing
2 T. rolled oats (optional for top)
1 T. milk (to soak oats in - optional)

Mix warm water and yeast in bowl to dissolve. Set aside.

Put 3 cups of the bread flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, powdered milk brown sugar and salt in bowl of your bread mixer (not bread machine). Use regular mixing paddle and mix until well combined

In another bowl mix honey, molasses and oil. At this point you will have 3 bowls of mixtures: water and yeast, dry ingredients and oil, molasses and honey.

Turn on your bread mixer and slowly add both liquid mixtures (yeast and honey and molasses. Mix thoroughly, then cover bowl and let rest for 20 minutes. It will be very sticky.

After 20 minutes, add dough hook to your mixer. Add the 1/2 cup of remaining bread flour and knead for 2-3 minutes, until dough pulls away from the sides. Remove from mixer bowl and place in a well oiled bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Dough will be sticky.

After 30 minutes, remove dough from bowl, place on a lightly floured surface and stretch, knead and fold it well for 2-3 minutes. Place back into greased bowl and cover and let rest for another 30 minutes. The resting and kneading helps with taste and gluten development in breads using whole grains.

Heat oven to 425.

Remove from bowl and shape into 4 baguettes of even size about 10 inches long. Place on a large oiled cookie sheet. Make several diagonal slashes in the dough. Brush loaves with melted butter. At this point, if you want oatmeal on top, mix the oatmeal with milk and spread on loaves. The milk helps the oatmeal stick. Let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 45 min to 1 1/2 hours depending on warmth of your kitchen).

Place a cake pan with approximately 1 cup of water on bottom rack of your oven. Place the loaves of dough in middle rack and turn oven down to 375. Bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the pan of water and bake for another 15 minutes. If dough seems to be getting too brown on top, cover with foil. Remove and let cool. Slice and eat.

CREAM CHEESE STUFFED MONKEY BREAD

I signed up to get recipes by email from Rhodes Dough. Most of the recipes I have deleted--I would NEVER make them. This one however, caught my eye and it is a keeper!! My apologies to Rhodes though. The grocery was out of Rhodes so I bought the generic rolls and I must say they were absolutely fine!! If you have Kroger in your area; that's the kind I used. Quite a bit cheaper too. We had some company this weekend and EVERYONE loved these. They were gone quickly. Next time I will add pecans. We love nuts around here. We are nuts around here!!

20 Rhodes (or other brand) frozen dough rolls-thawed but not raised
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup)
4 T. cinnamon sugar (1 T. cinnamon, 3 T. sugar, mixed)
8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature

Combine cream cheese with 1/2 c. of the brown sugar. Mix well and set aside.
Melt butter and then add remaining 2 c. brown sugar and stir well. Bring to a light boil to caramelize. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into bottom of a bundt pan. Take one roll at a time into your hands and stretch it into a small circle. Place approx. 1 T. of the cream cheese/sugar mixture into the middle and pinch closed into a ball. Evenly place 8 of the filled rolls in the bottom of the pan, on top of the caramelized mixture. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar on top of the 8 rolls Pour an additional 1/3 of the sugar mixture on top. ** Repeat the process with the remaining 12 rolls for the second layer. First the dough balls, then the remaining cinnamon sugar and finally the remaining sugar mixture..

Let rise for 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. You may need to lay a piece of foil over top of pan after 30 minutes if buns start looking too brown. I did this step.

Remove from oven and immediately invert onto a LARGE plate. The caramel mixture will run all over so make sure the plate is large. I did it onto a cookie sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature.

These raise REALLY high and the rolls are large. Most monkey bread is cut smaller.

**Next time I will add 1/2 cup chopped pecans to each layer.

Pretzel Letters

For Christmas, we were able to go to Arizona  for a few weeks.  It was fabulous!!  It was sunny and warm and just so fun!  We loved hanging out with our families and friends and eating at our favorite restaurants.  I think I ate out somewhere almost everyday!  I loved it.  Now we are back in the frozen tundra called Albany.  It's been sooo cold the past few days.  We try not to go outside which leaves us with a case of cabin fever.  I found this fun activity in a magazine called "The Friend."  Griffin was so excited to make letters out of dough.  We had so much fun rolling the dough with our hands then shaping it into letters.  The pretzels were so good right out of the oven.  I was wishing I had some nacho cheese to dip them into! 

Pretzel Letters

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 - 3 cups flour

1 Tbs. yeast

1 cup warm water

1 Tbs. sugar

melted butter

Mix the first five ingredients until they form a ball.  Then, knead dough until smooth and elastic.  Place in a greased bowl and cover with a towel.  Let rise for 1 hour.  Pull off sections of the dough and roll into long ropes.  Form into letters or shapes.  Place on greased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees.  When done, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt or cinnamon and sugar.

BEST BANANA BREAD Ever!!!

I know EVERYONE has a favorite Banana Bread recipe, but this one is the best EVER--I promise! I have had this recipe for many years and I got it from my dear friend, Kristen Rogers. She's a wonderful cook and every time I make it I think of her. It has a lot of banana so the flavor is really good. I made a loaf last night and it was gone before anyone went to bed.

You can also make banana muffins with this recipe. Just fill cupcake papers, or greased muffin tins 2/3 full and bake approx 15-20 min.

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening, or one cube softened butter (I use butter)
2 eggs
Cream well with mixer, then add:

4 very ripe, mashed bananas
Mix well again. Then add:

1 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
1 3/4 c. flour

Optional: 1 c. nuts (We love pecans--that's what I use)

Mix well and pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 45 min. Check the middle and if it doesn't seem done, bake approx. 5 min. longer. This recipe doubles well, to make two loaves.

Alber's Corn Bread

We have been having some chili-and-cornbread weather around here.  Rainy and cold (I know it's a relative term) for a couple of days this week.  I realized that there is a reason I live in the desert...I love the sun!  After two days of rain, I start to get a little cranky.  But we did love the chili and cornbread we had the other night and this is the recipe off the Alber's corn meal box.

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 egg

*Mix dry ingredients together.  Add the rest and mix well.  Pour into an 8 inch square baking pan and bake at 400 for 25 minutes.  Recipe can be doubled for a 9x13.

Buttery Cornmeal Crescent Rolls

 This year, we ate Thanksgiving dinner at our friend's house.  My friend made the turkey, corn, yams, and an Oreo pie. I volunteered to bring the mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and rolls.  3 things I never make.  3 things that are very important sides in a Thanksgiving meal.  Not sure what I was thinking when I offered to bring them but I was ready for the challenge!  Luckily, all 3 things turned out and we had a delicious Thanksgiving meal.  Moral of the story, if I can make these rolls, anyone can.  They were actually easy, you just have to give them time to rise.  I got the recipe from my friend Stephanie, then saw it on Mel's Kitchen Cafe too.  Go to either blog for detailed instructions and recipe.

MAORI BREAD

We vacationed in San Diego a few weeks ago with my brother and his wife. My brother's best friend of 20 years and his wife came along too--and were we lucky because his wife is the MOST FABULOUS COOK (thanks Marty)! She brought this delicious bread with her and we made it twice on the trip! It is so delicious and the easiest bread I have ever made! So easy--we made it on vacation. It has a sweet flavor and is delicious as toast or peanut butter sandwiches. I have used brown sugar instead of white sugar also.

MAORI BREAD
5 c. Lukewarm water
1 c. Sugar
2 1/2 T. Yeast

Stir together with a wisk. Let stand for 20 min.

10 c. Flour
1 1/2 t. salt

Place flour in large bowl. Make a well in center. Pour yeast mixture in well. Mix until all flour is combined. Will be lumpy. Let stand for 20 min.

Dump dough on heavily floured counter. Knead about 10 times. Dough is very sticky. Form into 3 regular loaves or 4 smaller loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and let raise for 20 min. Bake at 350 for 40-45 min.