Breads

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN TORTILLAS

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup hot water

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Either by hand or with a pastry cutter, cut in the shortening till the mixture is crumbly. If the mixture looks more floury than crumbly, be sure to add just one or two more tablespoons of shortening till it is crumbly. Add about 3/4 cup hot water to the mixture, or just enough to make the ingredients look moist. With your hand or a large fork, knead the mixture making sure to rub the dough against the sides of the large mixing bowl to gather any clinging dough. If the dough still sticks to the side of the bowl, add a couple more tablespoons of flour until the dough forms a soft round shape. The dough is ready to roll out now, but it is best to let it rest. Cover it with a dish towel, and let it sit for about an hour or so. Take the dough, and pull it apart into 10 to 12 balls. Lightly flour your rolling area, and roll each ball with a rolling pin to about 1/8 inch thickness. Place each tortilla on a medium hot cast iron skillet. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until the tortilla does not look doughy.




TOASTED GARLIC BREAD

1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread
5 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the broiler. Cut the bread into slices 1 to 2 inches thick. In a small bowl, mix butter, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture evenly on the bread slices. On a medium baking sheet, arrange the slices evenly and broil 5 minutes, or until slightly brown. Check frequently so they do not burn. Remove from broiler. Top with cheese and return to broiler 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese is slightly brown and melted. Serve at once.




BUTTERNUT SQUASH QUICK BREAD

Whether you like squash or not, you really should try this bread. You will be glad you did. It is similar to pumpkin bread, but so much better. It is very moist and flavorful.

3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
2 cups butternut squash, cooked and mashed
1 cup raisins or nuts

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl. Combine wet ingredients in another bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix just until combined. Put in two ungreased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.




LOUISIANA SWEET POTATO PANCAKES

3/4 pound sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan of boiling water, and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and immediately immerse in cold water to loosen skins. Drain, remove skins, chop, and mash. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Mix mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk and butter in a separate medium bowl. Blend sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture to form a batter. Preheat a lightly greased griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter mixture onto the prepared griddle by heaping tablespoonfuls, and cook until golden brown, turning once with a spatula when the surface begins to bubble.




CINNAMON ROLLS

1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup warm milk
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons milk

In the pan of your bread machine, combine water, melted butter, vanilla pudding, warm milk, egg, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt, bread flour and yeast. Set machine to Dough cycle; press Start. When Dough cycle has finished, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 17x10 inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over dough. Roll up dough, beginning with long side. Slice into 16 one inch slices and place in 9x13 buttered pan. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. While rolls bake, stir together cream cheese, softened butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and milk. Remove rolls from oven and top with frosting.




BANANA NUT BREAD

3 bananas
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
2 cups flour
½ cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. baking soda

Crush bananas and whip until light. Cream sugar and butter together. Add flour and baking soda. Stir and pour into a bread pan. Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees.



PUMPKIN PANCAKES
Melinda Manley

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1¾ c. milk
½ c. canned pumpkin
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large bowl. Combine milk, pumpkin, egg and vegetable oil in a small bowl; mix well. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened; batter may be lumpy.

Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with vegetable oil. Pour ¼ c. batter onto hot griddle; cook until bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking 1 – 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.



 
SEED BREAD

½ c. bulgur wheat
½ c. hot water
½ c. warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar (divided)
2 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. oil
2 eggs
1/3 c. honey
1 c. warm milk
2 Tbsp. flax seed
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/3 c. sunflower seeds
1/3 c. pumpkin seeds
½ c. potato flakes
½ c. quick cooking oatmeal
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. all purpose flour

In a small bowl, mix hot water and bulgur; set aside. In another small bowl, mix the warm water, 1 Tbsp. sugar and yeast; set aside. In a large bowl, mix the salt, oil, eggs, t Tbsp. sugar, honey and warm milk. Add the bulgur and yeast mixtures to the large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and knead 5 – 8 minutes. Cover and let rise until double in size. Shape loaves (2 large or 3 medium). Let rise. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.




CREPES
Ann Manley

4 eggs
¼ tsp. salt
2 c. flour
2¼ c. milk
¼ c. melted butter

In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs and salt. Gradually add flour alternately with milk, beating with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat melted butter, then cook on upside down crepe griddle or in a regular pan. Makes 32 – 36 crepes.



 
ZUCCHINI BRAD
Ann Manley

3 eggs, well beaten
1 c. cooking oil
2 c. sugar
2 c. raw grated, peeled zucchini
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. baking powder
½ c. chopped nuts (optional)

Combine eggs, oil, vanilla, sugar and zucchini. Sift flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Combine with zucchini mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.