Spiced Pumpkin Bread

RECIPE # 58

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 16−ounce can solid pack pumpkin

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

(optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3−inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired. Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Russian Tea Cakes

RECIPE # 57

Russian Tea Cakes

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

2 cups all−purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar.

Russian Tea Cakes

Parmesan Popovers

RECIPE # 56

Parmesan Popovers

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs1 cup milk

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter well 9 − 3" muffin−pan cups.
With mixer at low speed (or with hand beater) beat eggs slightly; beat in milk and melted butter; then gradually beat in flour and salt. Place a spoonful of parmesan in each muffin cup, dividing evenly among all. Pour batter in cups, dividing evenly among all.

Bake popovers 40 minutes; then remove from oven. Quickly cut slit in side of each to let out steam; return to oven for 10 minutes or until tops are very firm, crisp, and brown. Immediately remove from pan and serve.

Parmesan Popovers

Morning Glory Muffins

RECIPE # 55

Morning Glory Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 heaping teaspooon each of cloves, ginger, nutmeg, mace and salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

Mix these ingredients together.

Add:

1 cup coconut

2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup raisins

1 chopped apple

1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375F. Beat 3 eggs with 1 cup oil and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. This recipe makes 12 muffins using the oversized tins or 24 smaller ones. Bake about 30 to 45 minutes.

Morning Glory Muffins

Monkey Bread

RECIPE # 54

Monkey Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 loaves white bread, uncooked (freezer section of grocery store)

1 stick melted butter (add more if needed)

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Thaw bread dough overnight in refrigerator. When soft, use kitchen scissors to cut it up into one inch pieces. Dip dough into melted butter, then roll around in sugar/cinnamon combination until covered. Line bottom of a bundt pan and then start to layer in evenly. Cook at temperature recommended on dough packaging for about one hour until golden brown and hard on the top. Remove from oven and flip over on to a larger platter. Let sit with pan on top for a few minutes while the sweet mixture runs down the bread. Garnish with holly, marichiano cherries, candied nuts, icing, or decoration of your choice. To eat, pick apart − like monkeys.

Monkey Bread

Lemonade Muffins

RECIPE # 53

Lemonade Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1−1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 beaten egg

1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade, thawed

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix only 1/2 cup lemonade, egg, milk, and oil. Add to dry mix, stirring until just moistened. Gently stir in nuts. Spoon into prepared pans and bake and bake at 375F for 15−20 minutes or tests clean. While hot, brush with remaining lemonade and sprinkle with white sugar. Makes 8−9 large muffins.

Lemonade Muffins

Irish Soda Bread

RECIPE # 52

Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all−purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 cup raisins

1 egg, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons margarine, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a cast iron skillet. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and sugar. Toss the raisins with the flour mixture until coated. Make a well in the center and add the egg, buttermilk, and melted margarine. Stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few quick turnsjust to even out the dough. Handle the dough as little as possible. Pat into a flat circle, and place into the prepared pan. Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are golden.

Irish Soda Bread

Hot Cross Buns

RECIPE # 51

Hot Cross Buns

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup scalded milk

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cake compressed yeast

1 egg, well beaten

About 4 cups sifted flour

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup currants

1 egg

1 tablespoon waterIcing

DIRECTIONS:

Pour the scalded milk over the butter, sugar and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add the crumbled yeast and let rest for 5 minutes. Add the egg, flour and cinnamon to make a soft dough. Fold in the currants. Let rise in a warm place (80 to 85F.) until double in bulk − about 2 hours. Shape into large buns and place and inch apart on a buttered baking sheet. Let rise in a warmplace until double in bulk − about 1 hour. Brush tops of buns with 1 egg slightly beaten with 1 tablespoon of water. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes at 400F. When cool decorate top of each bun with a cross, using the following icing:

Place 1/2 egg white in a small mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, beat in as much powdered sugar as the egg white will absorb and add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice gradually as the mixture thickens. Spread at once as mixture hardens quickly. Makes 24 buns.

Hot Cross Buns

Eggnog Bread

RECIPE # 50

Eggnog Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs1 cup sugar

1 cup dairy eggnog

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons rum extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease bottom of bread pan. Beat eggs, add sugar, eggnog, butter, rum and vanilla. Blend well, add flour, baking powder and nutmeg. Stir until just moistened. Pour into greased pan. Bake at 350F for 45−50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing.

Eggnog Bread

Crescent Mushroom Turnovers

RECIPE # 49

Crescent Mushroom Turnovers

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, coarsley chopped

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons minced onion

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent roll dough

2 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, slowly cook and stir the mushrooms, parsley and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Drain and set aside. Separate the dough into 4 rectangles. Cut rectangles in half, forming 8 squares, and arrange on a large baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon mushroom mixture on each square. Top each square with 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese. Fold the squares into triangles. In a small saucepan, melt remaining butter. Brush triangles with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the

preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

Crescent Mushroom Turnovers

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

RECIPE # 48

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup light olive oil

3/4 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups all−purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1−1/2 cups pistachio nuts

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 300F. In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts by hand. Divide dough in half.

Form two logs (12x2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Dough may be sticky; wet hands with cool water to handle dough more easily. Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275F. Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; cool.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Cheese Calzones

RECIPE # 47

Cheese Calzones

INGREDIENTS:

1−1/2 cups warm water (105F)

4 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 1/2 teaspoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, mix water with sugar and salt until dissolved. Add oil, and then flour. Stir with heavy spoon for 1 minute. Turn out to a floured board and press into a circle (it will be quite dry). Sprinkle yeast evenly over dough and knead for twelve minutes. Divide dough into 6 oz. portions (yield for this recipe is 5). Shape each portion by sliding your palms across the top portion of dough while curving your fingers inward toward each other and "tucking" the dough into the center. You want a dough ball without visible seams except the bottom. Set all on plate, cover with plastic, and allow to proof for 1−2 hours.

Meanwhile, mix:

1 lb. ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarellapinch of black pepper

Preheat oven to 500F. Take a dough ball and place on floured surface. Spread, with finger tips, to a 6 inch circle. Place 2/3 cup cheese mix on one side and fold over other side. Seal with finger tips making sure no cheese mixture is in the seal. Pinch the edge to assure a tight seal. Pat calzone to even filling inside. Check seal again for leaks. Repeat with the others. Place calzones on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cut a 1 inch slit in the top of each for venting while baking. Place in center of oven and bake for 10−12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite tomato sauce, warmed, either on top or on the side for dipping.

Cheese Calzones

Breadsticks

RECIPE # 46

Breadsticks

INGREDIENTS:

1 Loaf unfrozen bread dough (if frozen, thaw in bowl at room temp)

Pam spray or oil

Granulated Garlic

Dried Oregano

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. When dough is soft enough to knead, spray your fingers with Pam or oil and knead just until you can shape into cigar−sized pieces (about 8 to 10). Place these 3" apart on Pam−sprayed cookie sheets. Let rise in warm place until doubled − about 1−1/2 hours. Then, holding Pam about 8" from sticks, lightly spray top of each and then dust with garlic powder and oregano (crush with fingers). Bake at 375F about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on rack to serve within a day or two.

Breadsticks

Babka

RECIPE # 45

Babka

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened

2 cups milk1 cake yeast

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)

5 eggs

4 egg yolks

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon orange flavored liqueur, optional

grated zest of 2 oranges

grated zest of 1 lemon9 − 10 cups all−purpose flour

1−1/2 cups currants

1−1/2 cups raisins

1−1/2 cups golden raisins

1 cup chopped slivered almonds

1/2 cup packed brown sugar1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 cup all−purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

Place yeast in a small bowl, and pour warm water over it. Stir with a spoon to break up the yeast. Set aside for 2 to 3 minutes. In a small saucepan, scald milk. Add 1 cup butter or margarine, and stir until melted. Remove from heat, and let cool until lukewarm. In a mixing bowl, beat 4 eggs and egg yolks with an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Add sugar and salt, and continue to beat until mixture is thick and pale. Add vanilla, orange−flavored liqueur, zests, and yeast mixture. Combine. Beat in 4 cups flour gradually. Add milk mixture alternately with remaining 4 cups flour while beating on medium speed. Add up to an additional 1 cup flour if the dough is sticky. Mix in currants, raisins, golden raisins, and almonds.

Transfer dough to a clean large bowl. Knead using a large wooden spoon until the dough pulls away and doesn't stick to the spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer dough to a large buttered bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place until dough reaches the top of the bowl, about 1 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down, re−cover the bowl, and allow torise again.

Butter 3 angel food cake pans. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup flour,

Babka