Basic White Bread

This is my basic white bread recipe. If you are nervous about baking with yeast here are some tips.

This is how my mother makes bread. A full batch will make four loaves or 3 loaves and some buns.
You can halve most of the ingredients for a half batch. In that case the yeast and salt amount remain the same.


Ingredients:

1 package dried yeast(2-1/4 teaspoons)
4 cups warm water or milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooking oil, shortening, or butter
1 teaspoon salt
11-12 cups flour

In a very large bowl, add the yeast and water or milk.
Add a small amount of the sugar.
Let sit for about 5-10 minutes until the mixtures gets all foamy.
Add the rest of the sugar and oil.
Stir and add a few cups of flour.
Stir well and keep adding flour and mixing in.
The dough will get so you need to mix the last of the flour in with your hands.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Grease your bowl.
Put the bread dough into the bowl and turn over so the the top of the dough is greased.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until double.
It will take an hour or two.
Punch down the dough.
Now, you can either put it in pans to rise again or you can just let it rise again in the bowl.
If you let the dough rise a second time in the bowl, the bread seems a little lighter than if it only rises one time in the bowl and another in the pan.
After the dough has risen a second time in the bowl, punch down and let rest while you ready your pans.
Grease the pans. Either 8x4 or 9x5.
Shape the bread into loaves or balls for buns and put into pan.
Cover with towel and let rise.
This will take another 30-45 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Put loaves into oven and bake for 30 minutes.
It is done if the bread is golden brown and has a hollow sound when thumped.
Turn out the bread onto a wire rack to cool.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are simple sugar cookies, rolled in balls and coated with cinnamon and sugar before baking.
Yummy!

These cookies need to be chilled before rolling and baking.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup(1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour

For rolling-
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


In a mixing bowl, beat the butter til creamy.
Add the 1 cup sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
Beat that well.
Scrape sides of bowl, if needed.
Mix in the vanilla extract and egg.
Blend in the flour.
Cover and chill for an hour.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Get out some cookie sheets.

In a small bowl, mix the 2 Tablespoons sugar and cinnamon.
Take the cookie dough out of the fridge and roll it into balls. About 1 inch or so.
Roll the balls into the sugar/cinnamon mixture and put on cookie sheets.
Bake for 10-11 minutes until set and edges are golden.

You will get about 36 cookies.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

If you love pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, you are going to love these.
Most people think of whoopie pies as being chocolate.
But, these as a fantastic change of pace.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly grease 2 or 3 cookie sheets.


Ingredients:

COOKIES-

1-1/2 cups pureed pumpkin(15 oz. can)
2 large eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup cooking oil
2 Tbs molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups flour

In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and molasses.
Add the salt, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.
Beat in the flour.
Using a medium cookie scoop, drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until they feel firm to the tough.
Take out and put on a cooling rack to cool while you make the filling.

FILLING-

1 Tbs unflavored gelatin
2 Tbs water
1/2 cup(1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup(4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2-1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs finely chopped crystallized ginger-optional, but highly recommended

Add the water and gelatin to a microwave safe bowl.
Heat in the microwave briefly on low power to dissolve the gelatin. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
Add half of the powdered sugar and beat.
Add the gelatin and mix in.
Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix til creamy.
Stir in the ginger, if using.

Spread the filling on the bottom side of half of the cookies.
Top with other half.
To store, separate layers with paper towels or wrap each whoopie pie in plastic wrap. Otherwise they will stick to each other.

You will get about 2 dozen whoopie pies.

The gelatin can be found with the jello or in the baking aisle.
It seems to help stabilize the filling.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

AKA butterscotchies. AKA oatmeal sccotchies. Whatever name you want to go by, they are fantastic.

I love this time of year. All the baking stuff is on sale!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease a couple cookie sheets.


Ingredients:

3/4 cup(1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups oatmeal
1-3/4 cups(11 oz pkg.) butterscotch chips

Beat the butter and both sugar together in a large bowl.
Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix well.
Add the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Beat in the flour.
Stir in the chips and oatmeal.
Let the cookie dough rest for about 10 minutes to help soften the oatmeal.
With a cookie scoop or spoon, drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake 8-10 minutes until cookies start to brown.
They may seem not done, but they are fine. They will finish out of the oven.
Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

You will get about 4 dozen cookies.

Lemon Squares

Lemon squares are yummy bars. They have a shortbread crust with a lemon curd like filling over the top, similar to the lemon filling in lemon meringue pie.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

You will need an ungreased 8" or 9" square pan.

Ingredients:

Crust-

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Filling-

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoon grated lemon peel, optional

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix the flour, powdered sugar, and butter. It will be crumbly.

Press that into the square pan. Build the sides up slightly.

Bake for 20 minutes.

While the crust is baking, beat the filling ingredients until light and fluffy.

As soon as the crust is done, pour the filling over the top of the hot crust.

Return to oven and bake another 25 minutes.

It is done when you touch lightly and no indention remains.

Cool on a wire rack completely before cutting.

Makes 16 bars.

Soft Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are not the oatmeal cookies you are probably used to.

They are soft and not flat.

You can make these without chocolate chips, but they are a nice addition.

Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit oven.

Grease some cookie sheets.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup(1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 Tablespoons(1/8 cup) vegetable oil

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

6 Tablespoons(3/8 cup) sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups flour

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts-optional

In a small bowl whisk the flour, salt, cinnamon,and baking soda.

Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream, the sugar, butter, and oil.

Add the egg and beat well.

Stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract.

Stir in the oats.

Add the flour mixture. Mix well.

Add the chocolate chips.

Let the dough rest for 15-30 minutes. Letting it rest is important. The oats will absorb moisture from the rest of the dough.

Use a tablespoon or large cookie scoop to put cookies on the sheets.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until they are light brown.

Remove to a cooling rack.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Smoothies

 These are bars. Very yummy, peanut buttery bars.

They are very addictive and you can have them done in less than an hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Lightly grease a 9x9 square pan

Baking time is approximately 30 minutes

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter- you can use either creamy or chunky

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or lightly salted peanuts (picture shows them with chocolate chips)

In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a medium bowl cream the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat well. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure the first one is well incorporated before adding the next one. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Stir in the flour mixture until smooth. Add chips or peanuts.

Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until bars start to come away from the edges of the pan.

Cool completely in the pan.

Cut in the size you want.

Happy snacking!

Chicken Enchilada Dip

This dip is to die for. Serve it with tortilla chips and it tastes just like you are eating chicken enchiladas.
It is a hot dip. I hope you enjoy.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/ 175 C.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken meat
1-8oz package softened cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese OR cheddar/jack cheese
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1- 4 oz can diced green chili pepper- you can also use half of a fresh Anaheim chili
1 Jalapeno OR Serrano pepper, finely chopped- optional

Bake chicken in oven for about 20 minutes or until done. Take out, cool and shred or cube.
In a mixing bowl add all of the ingredients and blend well.
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. A 2 quart casserole works really well.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. It will be bubbly and the edges will be golden.

Coconut Diamonds

If you love coconut and nuts, this is a bar that was just made for you.
It is a 2-step bar. That means you partially bake the crust and add another layer and finish baking.

Preheat your oven to 350 degree F.
You will need a 9x9 square pan.

Ingredients:

CRUST-
6 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour

TOP LAYER-
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Cream together butter,1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1 cup flour and pat into your baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes til lightly browned.
While the crust is baking, mix the top layer.
Beat the eggs lightly and add the vanilla and brown sugar. Blend well. Add the 2 Tablespoons flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in the coconut and walnuts.
When the baked layer is done, pour the coconut mixture over the top.
Bake for 20 more minutes or til toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
Cool and cut into diamonds.

Cinnamon Bread

 
This is a very simple quick bread to make. The great taste of cinnamon is swirled throughout.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease an 8"x4" loaf pan.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar

Mix the 1/2 cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.
Alternate batter and cinnamon/sugar mixture in loaf pan. Make a few layers.
Bake for 50-60 minutes. Test for donenes with a toothpick inserted in the middle.
Let it rest for 5 minutes in the pan before loosening and turning out.