Face Of Jesus Appears In Pancakes And Toast

These days when it comes to Jesus appearing in breakfast food, you have to have more faith than ever. Specifically, you need faith that some clever eBay profiteer hasn't purposefully anointed the Anointed One on a piece of toast or a pancake just to make a buck.

In early February 2006, Mike Thompson of Beachwood, Ohio claimed that the visage of Jesus appeared on a pancake he'd made while preparing breakfast for his family. Thompson was paraphrased by News Channel 5 of Cleveland, Ohio as saying the image the Lord's face was a sign from above.

He posted the alleged Holy Pancake on eBay with an opening bid of $500. The bidding reached $14,999.00 before the listing was removed for violating eBay's listing rules.

There is no evidence to suggest that eBay removed the listing because it was fraudulent. Still, internet message boards ran rampant with accusations that it was Thompson, and not God, who created the image on the pancake.

"This is a scam and this guy is a fraud," read one post.

"Looks more like Osama Bin Laden to me," read another.

One poster joked, "Maybe he has a Jesus fry pan that has an image embedded in the metal so everything cooked will have Jesus on it."

But that joke may be on us. The Jesus Pan is real.

"Jesus Pan is made from durable steel and topped with a non-stick coating."

The marketing text on JesusPan.com advertises a pan with an uplifted impression of Jesus that "puts the image of Jesus right on food."

Is it possible that Thompson's Jesus pancake was a marketing ploy for the Jesus Pan? It's obvious that the people at JesusPan.com are aware of the reach of eBay. The site says, "Holy images have been popping up all over... A grilled cheese sandwich with the image of the Virgin Mary sold for over 17-hundred dollars on eBay."

The most impressive evidence that the Thompson pancake may have been created by the Jesus Pan comes from MrBreakfast.com. The site created a computer overlay of the Thompson pancake and compared it to the Jesus Pan impression. While not definitive proof, the dimensions of Jesus in the pancake are striking similar to the imprint on the pan. However, a cross emblazoned on the lower right of the pan beneath Jesus does not appear on the pancake.

When the Thompson's listing resurfaced on eBay after the rules violation, the description sounded strangely commercial. "Sorry, the official "Jesus Pancake" was pulled for a listing infraction... I had 150,000 hits and the bidding was up to $15,000. Thank you VERY MUCH for your support! I have been encouraged to put the pancake back up so we'll start at $15,000."

Shortly after the Thompson Jesus pancake made headlines, imitators emerged. On February 14th, a 33 year old blogger from Newcastle, U.K. by the name of "ILuvNUFC" announced that he'd discovered the kisser of Jesus on a pancake that he'd made. Unlike Thompson, "ILuvNUFC" admitted that the face might not be that of Jesus. He noted that it also resembled the mug of porno actor Ron Jeremy. Be it Jesus or Ron Jeremy, he noted in his blog that he was ready to make money on eBay. The Thompson pancake itself may be a copycat of sorts. A week before the Holy Pancake appeared unto him, it was announced that Juan Patrano of Prairie Lea, Texas found the face of Jesus in a frying pan he was washing. Interestingly, Patrano was washing the pan with the intention of cooking his mother breakfast. Describing himself as a religious man, Patrano said he is also considering selling his discovery on eBay.

In December of 2005, cooks at the Stadium Club Restaurant in Jacksonville, FL found their Jesus on the bottom of a large pan used to heat water. They said that the pan had recently been used to warm nacho cheese containers and it's presumed that scorched nacho cheese and mineral deposits from the restaurant's water combined to form the face of the Messiah. Plans to sell the pan on eBay have yet to be announced.

Perhaps the most famous food-related sighting of religious symbolism in recent times is a likeness of the Virgin Mary that appeared on a grilled cheese sandwich. Florida resident Diana Duyser discovered the image after she'd taken a bite from the sandwich. For 10 years, Duyser kept the partially eaten Holy Sandwich in a clear plastic box on her night stand. In 2004, she sold the sandwich on eBay to GoldenPalace.com, an Internet casino, for $28,000. GoldenPalace.com is the same company that made another well-publicized purchase. They bought William Shatner's Kidney Stone.

When Religious icons begin appearing in breakfast food, there are several ways to make money. Threadless.com offers t-shits designs with Jesus on toast and the Virgin Mary on pancakes. One clever eBay seller is selling a piece of toast adorned with an image of Jesus on a pancake.

Would you like to make your own Jesus breakfast item without having to buy a special pan? Just check out the article "Your Own Personal Jesus Toast" by Eric Gillin. Available on blacktable.com, Gillin offers step-by-step instructions to paint Jesus on toast by strategically placing butter on bread and grilling it. Unfortunately, Gillin's Lord resembles Kenny from Comedy Central's South Park more than the Lamb of God. But these days, even a short Jesus in a parka should garner some "bread" from a well-timed online auction.

Does God place images of His relatives and friends on toast and pancakes? We may never know until we have a chance to ask Him. If there is a God that has His hands in the workings of the universe, we know this: events have conspired to lead us to talk about religion and breakfast. Beyond all the profiteering and sacrilege, there may be a very important message: Pay attention to your breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day.

UPDATE: THE THOMPSON JESUS PANCAKE IS FRAUDULENT

On March 2nd, 2006, this article was initially posted on MrBreakfast.com. The following day, MrBreakfast received a reply to an inquiry sent to JesusPan.com. The email read, "Sorry for the delay in responding I HAVE BEEN SWAMPED! Yes this is the product that created the JesusPancake!" The note was signed by Mike Thompson.

Copyright 2006 - Mrbreakfast.com

Mr Breakfast is the world's undisputed #1 expert on breakfast. The Klark Kent to Mr Breakfast's Superman is Eddy Chavey, an accomplished author and a graduate of the Los Angeles New School Of Cooking. His Mission: (1) To instill the importance of eating breakfast; (2) to show how multi-facited and fantastic the most important meal of the day can be and (3) to help provide breakfast to those in need through the promotion of school breakfast programs and food charities via The Breakfast Of Love Miracle Network.

Visit http://www.mrbreakfast.com for more.

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How to Make Kaiser Rolls

Want to impress your family and friends at the next gathering? Serve sandwiches on Kaiser Rolls. They'll look so professional--like they came from the bakery. You don't have to tell them how easy they were. If you can make dinner rolls, you can make Kaiser Rolls.

You can make Kaiser Rolls out of any lean bread dough but if you would like to make your rolls from a mix, we suggest using our Sunday Dinner Rolls. Simply leave the butter out and add another half-tablespoon of water.

Bread Pan

A Kaiser Roll is merely a lean roll, specially shaped, and baked in a steamy oven to make it crusty. Choose a recipe or mix for a lean bread dough-or leave the butter or oil out of the recipe. Make per the directions for rolls including letting the dough rise the first time.

Here's how to shape the rolls:

Step 1:

Cut a piece of dough off about twice what you would use for a dinner roll. (We scale the dough at 3.5 ounces for our sandwich rolls.) Roll the dough out into a rope about eight inches long.

Step 2:

Form a simple over-hand knot in the center of the dough. Leave the knot loose; do not try to draw it tight. You will have two protruding ends a couple inches long.

Step 3:

Take one of the ends and continue it around the rope and push it down through the center hole. It should look like the picture to the right.

Step 4:

Take the other end of the dough, go around the rope, and push the end up through the center hole. The finished roll should look like the one to the right.

It's more complicated to try to describe the forming process than it is to form the rolls. After the first couple, you'll breeze right through without even thinking.

Now let the formed rolls rise covered on a baking sheet. When they are ready to bake, brush them with a whisked egg and one tablespoon water, then sprinkle them with sesame or poppy seeds. You can bake them as you would dinner rolls but if you would like crusty roll like true Kaiser Rolls, follow the direction for baking breads in a steamy oven.

To form the thick, chewy crust that is typical of artisan breads, follow these instructions: Place a large, shallow, metal pan in the oven on the lowest shelf. You will pour hot water in this pan to create steam in the oven. High heat is hard on pans so don't use one of your better pans. An old sheet pan is ideal. Fill a spray bottle with water. You will use this to spray water into the oven to create more steam.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. When the oven is hot and the bread is fully risen and is soft and puffy--being very careful not to burn yourself with the rising steam and with a mitted hand--pour about two cups of very hot water in the pan in the oven. Quickly close the oven door to capture the steam. With spray bottle in hand, open the door and quickly spray the oven walls and close the door.

Immediately put the bread in the steamy oven. After a few moments, open the door and spray the walls again to recharge the steam. Do this twice more during the first ten minutes of baking. This steamy environment will create the chewy crust prized in artisan breads.

You can use this baking procedure for crusty hearth breads also. For rolls, bake for ten minutes at 450 degrees then lower the temperature to 350 degrees until done. How long you will bake them will depend on how quickly your oven loses heat but it will probably be about ten additional minutes (a total of 20 minutes). As for all hearth breads, the internal temperature of your crusty rolls should be about 210 degrees. (If crusty rolls are not well baked, the internal moisture will migrate to the crust and make it soft.)

How to Make Kaiser Rolls

Dennis Weaver is the author of "How to Bake", a free 250-page e-book. Which is free at The Prepared Pantry The Prepared Pantry sells bread mixes and other baking mixes and offers a free Bread Center with recipes and techniques.

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A Welbilt Bread Machine Makes Breadmaking a Cinch

Welbilt Corp is a giant manufacturer of cookery and warming appliances and it is a North America company. Two people that is, Henry and Alexander Hirsch initiated Welbilt Stove Co. in the year 1929 as a private company. In 1955, it acquired another corporation called Detroit-Michigan Stove and ever since, it became a public company, Welbilt Corp. Many of you have an appliance or two from this top company. If you do not have anything yet, it is time to buy your welbilt bread machine. It has a collection of bread makers, such ABM 3600, 4800, 6200 and 6800 among many others.

This explains the reason why it is easy to get a worthwhile appliance. If you are new to these products, it is good to conduct a thorough research. With all the articles, reviews and other related content available, researching should be easy. You only require Internet access. Why should you really bother buying this company's products? First, you must be one person who has longed to eat a fresh, warm and delicious loaf of bread for quite sometime now.

The only item you require is a bread-making machine made by a top American brand. Now you know the name of the most popular brand and the duration of its valuable existence. In short, you can almost not find an appliance that equals a welbilt bread machine. Without doubts, you will enjoy first-class quality models that come with warranties. Although most machines last for three years, on average, a model from this renowned company can continue serving you for longer.

Whether you need to bake bread on a daily basis, most of its appliances can endure it. When it comes to design, you have a broad range of items. The best designs can enable you bake any kind of bread you want. Pay closer attention to the shape of the pan, timer and temperature controls, and the overall physical attractiveness. Most of this company's items will enhance any kitchen design. Besides, its bread making machines have compact designs and this facilitates storage after use.

Another feature that these products have is power. Even so, you have to be careful when choosing any item. One of the main reasons why people bake their own breads is because they want to eat healthy and keep fit. In case you want to always use whole grain flour to make dough, a powerful machine will be necessary. Fortunately, you will find more than one Welbilt models that can tackle heavy and uneven dough. You should order a model that can help you bake what you need often.

For instance, there are styles for making pizza, sweet, and French breads among others. You have to know what cycles a machine can handle. Each welbilt bread machine comes with an instructional booklet to help you get started. This is why you have nothing to worry about. Besides, its machines have user-friendly features, which are also replaceable. In case you already have one of them, and its warranty period is over, then look for replacement parts online. There are web stores that sell them.

G. Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from bread maker to professional basketball. Thanks for reading!

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How to Make Delicious, Fresh Bread With Whole Wheat Flour You Ground in Your Grain Mill

Bread is one of the ancient foods, and it used to be one of the simplest. Whole wheat ground into flour, water, honey, yeast and a little oil, and you were set.

Not only was it one of the simplest, but it was also one of the most nutritious and satisfying foods ever made.

Bread Pan

Leave it to modern man to really screw things up. These are all the ingredients I found on a package of a whole wheat loaf I bought at the supermarket a few months ago:

Whole wheat flour
Water
Wheat gluten
High fructose corn syrup
Honey
Yeast
Vegetable oils (soybean and/or cottonseed oil)
Brown sugar
Salt

Mono- and diglycerides - these are used to keep the oils from separating in products and to increase shelf life.

Ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides - as best as I can understand, these are fats that have been chemically altered. Oh yeah, I definitely want that in my body.

Ascorbic acid

Azodicarbonamide - this stuff can cause asthma and allergic reactions. It's also used as a pesticide. It's been banned in Europe because tests have shown it can cause cancer. However, it is still allowed in the U.S.

Enzymes - added because the natural enzymes that were once in the wheat kernel were destroyed and the flour now has no nutrition. These can include alpha-amylase, fungal protease, and lipoxygenase. Doesn't that sound tasty?

Calcium sulfate - used as a coagulant.

Guar gum - a food thickener

Calcium

Obviously, there are some ingredients in this bread I really have a problem with. The chemicals alone are frightening enough to make you want to steer clear.

But also, the flour they used is dead. No nutrients are left once the milling process is complete. The wheat kernel is removed and then vitamins have to be added in afterwards. Otherwise, people who eat it would suffer from malnourishment.

Wouldn't it be better to keep those nutrients in?

That's the beauty of grinding your own flour with whole grains.

An Easy Recipe For Making Bread from Whole Grains

This is my favorite recipe when working with whole grains. I have found it works on any whole grain, whether it is wheat, triticale or even Ezekiel mix. This recipe works well with any type of grain.

In order to make this, you will need both a grain mill and an upright, electric mixer. I have a Kitchen Aid Mixer, which I love, but I know there are other brands available as well.

These are the ingredients you need:

Four cups of whole grains
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 and a half teaspoons yeast
2 and 1/3 cups of very warm water
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoons of honey

Grind the four cups of grain and add them to the bowl of your mixer. Add the salt and the yeast to the flour. Turn on the mixer and mix this for 15 seconds.

In the microwave, heat the water to about the same temperature as you would use to reheat coffee. I have a beverage setting on my microwave which I use. Add the oil and then the honey to the water and mix well.

Turn on the mixer again and slowly add the water to the flour mixture. Allow the mixer to run for a minute and a half. Then set the timer and allow the dough to rest for ten minutes.

At the end of ten minutes turn on the mixer to the number two setting and knead the dough for three and a half minutes.

Put the dough in a large oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside to a warm place.

When the dough has risen to double its size, beat the dough down. You can then either divide the dough into two smaller loaves or put the dough into a large single pan to make one large loaf.

Cover the pan (or pans) with a cloth and allow the dough to rise for about 45 minutes.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Remove the baked bread from its baking pan immediately and allow it to cool on a rack to prevent the loaf from sweating.

My Favorite Whole Grains

Since I bought my wheat mill, I've been experimenting with different grains. Here are three different varieties that are delicious and healthy.

Hard Red Wheat

There are several different types of wheat. Soft white wheat is best for baking cakes and pastries. For your prize loaf, however, hard red wheat is the best.

This type of wheat rises well and has an excellent, firm texture. It's great for sandwiches and toast.

My children love it!

Kamut

Pronounced Kah-moot, legend says this grain has been found in the pyramids of Egypt. This wonderful grain has a slightly higher fatty acid content and is considered a high energy grain.

Kamut also contains more vitamin E, Thiamin, phosphorus, magnesium, Riboflavin and other healthful nutrients than regular wheat does.

It has less fiber than wheat, so it makes a golden-colored loaf with a more cake-like consistency.

Also, even kamut is related to wheat, people with wheat intolerance can usually eat kamut without any problems.

The Healthy Ezekiel Loaf

Another great variety for people with wheat intolerance is Ezekiel bread.

Although it does have some wheat in it, it is in a much smaller amount that most people with wheat allergies can tolerate, along with spelt or rye, barley, millet, lentils, northern beans, red kidney beans and pinto beans.

These wonderful whole grains are mixed together and then ground into a flour.

Although it will not rise as high as whole wheat, Ezekiel bread is very similar in taste and texture.

How to Make Delicious, Fresh Bread With Whole Wheat Flour You Ground in Your Grain Mill

Sue Merriam is author of the website, Organic Gardening and Homesteading.

http://www.organic-gardening-and-homesteading.com

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Just One of Rachel Ray's Delicious Recipes

Want to learn how to cook like the great Rachel Ray? This is just one of my favorite portions I picked up from her site that is so delicious. In this article I will tell you how to make Philly Cheesesteak Lunchbox Roll-ups.

As far as ingredients goes you will need olive oil. It is best to have Extra Virgin Olive Oil because it is better to cook with and adds more flavor. You are also going to need a medium sized onion, thyme leaves, salt, ground black pepper, whole wheat bread, provolone cheese, roast beef, sour cream, and last but not least horse radish.

As you can see Rachel Ray knows her stuff. Now let's move on to the directions.

Have a medium pan handy because you are going to want to place it on the stove over medium-high heat. Drop two tablespoons of olive oil on the pan and spread it out. Throw in a tablespoon of thyme, a chopped medium onion, salt, and pepper into the pan. Now put a lid on top. Cook the onions for about ten minutes stirring every so often. After they turn golden brown scrape them into a bowl and let cool.

Now time to prepare the roll-ups. Get two slices of the whole wheat bread and cut the crusts off. Flatten them out with a rolling pin. Now put two tablespoons of the onions on to each slice. Place one or two slices of roast beef on top followed by a slice of the provolone cheese. Now carefully roll up the slices of bread the long way. Cut each roll-up into three pieces making sure they are tight. You are done and they are ready to be eaten and if you want have some with the horse radish for an extra kick.

And there you have it. This is just one of Rachel Ray's many recipes.

To learn more about healthy eatings that taste great and help keep the weight off click on this link. ---> Best Fat Loss Program

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Baking Homemade Bread - Not As Hard As it Sounds

In a world of instant mixes, frozen dinners, and fast food, the simple pleasure of baking bread has almost been forgotten. From early childhood, I have pleasant and cherished memories of my mother and grandmothers baking yeast breads and batter breads-hearty breads for meals, sweat breads for desserts. Baking bread, much like sewing, crochet, and knitting, is fast becoming a lost art, but the truth is that baking batter breads doesn't take much longer than a bread mix.

Hmm, fresh yeast bread! The aroma fills the entire house, causing all within to follow the fragrance to the kitchen in hopes of getting a slice of hot, buttered, yeast bread. For as long as I can remember, the smell of bread baking has been a comforting sign of home.

Bread Pan

There are so many things that come to my mind when I think about bread: my grandmother's old stories of times when bread and cheese, or worse, bread and water, were all that was available to eat; the five loaves Jesus blessed and fed to 5,000 men (the women and children were not counted); the unleavened bread of remembrance for the body the Christ sacrificed that the world might have peace with God; the buttered bread toasting in the oven on a cold winter morning; the first time I punched down the yeast dough, then baked the loaf and served it to my new husband. . . So many things come to mind that I can spend an entire, serene morning just thinking while enjoying the scent of rising and baking bread. Even batter breads (breads leavened with baking powder or a combination of baking soda and buttermilk rather than yeast), such as the cornbread my mom served with hot brown (pinto) beans, lend a sense of home and belonging.

Grocery stores have long sold boxes of cake mixes on their shelves (I confess that I occasionally use one of them.). For some time, now, they have also sold different types of bread mixes, biscuit mixes, cornbread mixes, and frozen yeast breads and rolls. While these are usually ok, they just don't have give your home the ambience of handmade, fresh breads. Nor do the pre-made, brown-in-the-oven varieties.

Think you don't have time to bake bread? While it is true that yeast breads take some time, after all, they need to rise, many bread recipes don't take much, if any, longer than using a mix. For instance, to use a cornbread mix, you open the package and pour it into a bowl, add egg, oil, and milk. To make cornbread from scratch, you measure cornbread, flour, salt, and baking powder into the bowl, and then add egg, oil, and milk. While it might, maybe, take two extra minutes to measure four items, the taste difference is incredible! Another example would be homemade biscuits. To make biscuits from scratch, measure flour, salt, and baking powder into the bowl, add oil and milk. Depending on the biscuit mix you buy, you can open the package and pour it into the bowl, or open the container and measure the appropriate amount into the bowl, then add oil and milk. Not much difference, is there?

It doesn't even take too much longer than "whampum" biscuits (store-bought refrigerator biscuits in a roll can). Even with those, you have to open them and put them in the pan. Frozen biscuits might be faster, but again, the difference in taste is definitely noticeable.

I have memorized three bread recipes: the yeast bread I use for both pizza crust and table bread, the cornbread my mother taught me to make, and the biscuits my husband loves. The following three quick bread recipes, with full instructions, will help you recapture the aromatic art of baking bread.

Yeast Bread

Can be used to make 2 loaves or to divide and use as the crust for two pizzas.
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons dry baker's yeast
4 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
5 cups flour

In a 2 cup measuring cup, add the yeast to the warm water and mix well. Add the sugar, salt and oil. Stir liquid and let sit for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease two pans (loaf pans or pizza pans, depending on which you are making) with 1 tablespoon of oil for each.

Pour yeast liquid into a mixing bowl. Add half the flour and stir gently with a fork until moistened, then add the rest of the flour. Stir with fork until dough forms ball around fork (about 25 stirs). Flour hands and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into two balls.

For bread loaves, roll each ball into an 18" X 9" rectangle. Starting at the small end, roll dough into a log shape. Pinch edges together, and tuck ends under. Place into oiled pan, cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

For pizza crust, press each ball into a 12" to 14" oiled pizza pan. Make sure that the dough is distributed evenly. Top each with ½ cup pizza sauce and your favorite toppings. Bake for 20 minutes until toppings are done and bottom is lightly browned. After 10 minutes, I trade places with the two pans, moving the one on top to bottom, and the one on bottom to the top. This prevents one being overdone and the other underdone. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
¼ cup oil
¾ cup milk

Preheat oven to 420 degrees F. Measure the dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl. In a glass, liquid measuring cup, measure ¼ cup of oil. Into the same cup, over the oil, pour in milk to the 1 cup mark (mixture will bubble). Pour all at once into the dry ingredients. Using a fork, stir until dough follows fork, then stir 10 more times. Flour your hands, and knead dough ten times. Roll or pat dough onto a cutting board or clean counter. Cut into squares or use a floured glass to cut round biscuits. If you are in a hurry, you do not have to roll the dough. Pat it out and tear off biscuit size pieces and put them into the pan. If you want the biscuits to be crispy, butter or oil the pan. Otherwise, just place then in the pan. If you prefer the sides to be crusty, place the biscuits 2" apart on the pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown.

Mom's Cornbread

2 cups cornmeal (yellow is best, for the color)
1 cup flour
2 tbsp. aluminum free baking powder
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup oil
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Enough milk to make medium dough-should not be as thin as cake dough, but not as thick as cookie dough.

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 12" baking pan. The best pan to use in baking cornbread is an iron skillet. Pre-heat oiled pan. This allows the cornbread crust to crisp nicely.

Mix dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add eggs and oil and stir to make a crumbly mixture. Add enough milk (start with 1 cup, and add a little more at a time until you have enough), to make a medium dough-dough will pour, but not very fast. Do not over-mix. Pour dough into iron skillet. Bake for 20 minutes. Delicious with bean soup of any kind, corn and ham chowders, or just crumbled into a large glass of milk for breakfast!

Whichever bread you prefer, the aroma of baking bread will bring your family running to the table. Spend a few extra minutes to create some special memories for your children, or even better, let them help measure the ingredients and roll out the dough! Bread making, once a common, daily activity, is not almost a forgotten art. Learn to bake bread, make some memories, and help a tradition that spans thousands of years to survive!

Copyright 2008, Linda Pogue

Baking Homemade Bread - Not As Hard As it Sounds

Linda Pogue is the webmaster of http://www.momsredkitchen.com where she regularly posts information about kitchen products, reviews cookbooks, and shares family recipes.

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How to Cook Cod Fish

Learning how to cook cod fish is simple. Cod is a flaky fish and is good fried, baked, and poached. Slow cooking also works well to coax out the delicate flavors. Traditionally, it is served with lemon wedges and a light sauce composed of parsley. You can easily add it to stews, risottos and soups as well. One simple pan-fried recipe calls for lightly frying the cod in oil and serving it with a creamy mix of potatoes, green onions, and butter.

Other recipes add an Asian accent broiling cod with ginger and soy sauce for example, gives the fish a Japanese touch. Cod roe is actually a delicacy in Japan. For those trying to eat healthier, cod makes a great low-fat, low calorie meal. For an easy, no fuss, diet dinner, try baking cod in foil and seasoning with lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil. Accompany it with a large, leafy green salad. Another healthy diet option is to grill the cod seasoned with olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon and garlic powder. You might also simply brush a couple cod filets with BBQ sauce and broil it.

Cod is also the main ingredient in fish in chips; simply batter the fish with a mixture of egg, bread crumbs and some cream, and fry it in a frying pan. Or for healthier version, bake it in the oven with Japanese panko crumbs. Additionally, you can roll the cod in a cornmeal mix and fry them in oil or bake them. As you can see, mastering how to cook cod fish is actually quite uncomplicated.

No matter how you decide to prepare your fish by poaching, broiling, grilling, stewing, etc. -- make sure not to overcook it. Think 8-10 minutes per inch of thickness, i.e. if you have 2 pieces of 1-1/2 inch thickness and weighing about 16-20 ounces, do not cook it for any more than 20-30 minutes. Your oven should be set no high than 350 F or 160 C. Grilled cod fish is done once it starts to flake.

Cod fish is extremely versatile and healthy; once you learn how to cook cod fish, the sky's the limit. Incorporate it into your diet for a healthier lifestyle.

Looking for wonderful Alaskan Seafood recipes? Check out great meals to make for your family at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

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Bread Pudding From Humble Origins to Fine Restaurants

As a child growing up I turned my nose up at certain foods I was sure I didn't like even if I hadn't tasted them! Foods on my "will not eat" list included peas, coleslaw, broccoli, liver, tomatoes, lamb, mincemeat pie, and bread pudding. A pudding made with bread didn't sound good to me at all. As my taste buds matured I found that I really did like most of these foods, especially bread pudding!

For me anyway, the name "bread pudding" comes nowhere close to describing this truly delicious dessert. One of our favorite restaurants serves this golden brown bread custard with a thick creamy sauce that makes it a truly memorable dessert. You can even serve bread pudding for breakfast or brunch.

Bread Pan

Did you know that Bread Pudding is an old fashioned dessert with humble beginnings in 13th century England? It was first known as a "poor man's pudding" as it was made from stale leftover bread that was just moistened in water, to which a little sugar, spices and other ingredients were added. We still make bread puddings with bread but the breads are often made especially for this pudding and the types are wide ranging; breads like brioche, challah, croissant, panettone, French, Italian, raisin bread or scones.

Today, we are not content to simply soak the bread in water; instead we use a rich custard mixture of milk or cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and spices. Sometimes even nuts, chocolate, fruit zests, alcohol, candied, dried or fresh fruits are added for more flavor and texture. The result is a rich, creamy, decadent dessert that has now made its way onto the dessert menus of many fine restaurants.

Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce

1 pound French style bread

3 1/4 cups milk

3 eggs

2 teaspoons Watkins Vanilla

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon

1/4 cup pecans

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Bourbon Sauce, recipe follows

Tear bread into medium pieces. Add sugar and cinnamon. Mix milk, lightly beaten eggs, and vanilla. Add to bread mixture. Place 1/2 mix in casserole. Layer pecans and raisins, if used. Top with the rest of the mix. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve warm with Bourbon sauce.

Bourbon Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon Bourbon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon white corn syrup

1 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla

In a sauce pan mix all ingredients. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Serve warm. Pour over bread pudding.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding - Slowcooker Recipe

Watkins Cooking Spray

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk, half-and-half, or light cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon or Apple Bake Seasoning

1 21-ounce can chunky apple pie filling

6-1/2 cups cinnamon-raisin bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes, dried* (4-1/2 cups dry)

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Lightly coat the inside of a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, and sugar. Gently stir in pie filling and bread cubes. Pour mixture into the prepared cooker.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 3 hours until a knife inserted near center comes out clean (mixture will be puffed). Remove liner from cooker, if possible, or turn off cooker. Let stand, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes to cool slightly before serving (pudding will fall as it cools).

4. To serve, spoon bread pudding into dessert dishes. If desired, top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Makes 6 servings.

*Note

To make 4-1/2 cups dry bread cubes, you'll need 8 or 9 slices fresh bread. Spread bread cubes in a single layer in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 300 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until dry, stirring twice; cool.

Apple Bread Pudding

3/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon

1/2 loaf good 1-day-old bread, 4 cups cubed

4-5 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted

1 cup milk

1 cup cream

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Watkins Ginger

1/4 teaspoon Watkins Nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon Watkins Cloves

1 teaspoon salt

Butter an 8 x 8 square baking dish. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the raisins with the cinnamon and set aside in a separate bowl.

Put the bread cubes in the oven for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, to toast.

In a large frying pan, saute the apple pieces with the butter and brown sugar until golden and barely tender. Mix the apples, raisins, and walnuts.

In a small saucepan heat the milk, cream, butter, and brown sugar until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the eggs and egg yolks. Whisk in the spices and salt.

Mix the toasted bread in with the apple mixture. Spoon into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish and pour the cream mixture over. Let sit for an hour, if you have time, to absorb, or bake right away. Bake for about 45 minutes or until set. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serve with Caramel Sauce.

Note

1 3/4 teaspoons Watkins Apple Bake Seasoning can be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in the egg mixture.

Caramel Sauce

2 cups cream

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

Pinch salt

1/4 cup butter

Warm the cream in a small saucepan over low to medium heat. While it's warming, add the sugar and water to a large, heavy, high-sided pan over high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then leave it alone to boil until it reaches a deep amber color. You are looking for a dark caramel here,  because you will be adding cream, so don't flinch and take it off the heat when it's still just pale gold!

Remove from heat and whisk in the cream. Be very careful and add the cream slowly - the caramel is going to bubble up violently! Add the pinch of salt and butter and whisk smooth. Simmer until slightly reduced. Makes approximately 3 cups. This will keep in the fridge for at least two weeks.

Apple Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

4 cups soft bread cubes

1/4 cup raisins

2 cups peeled and sliced apples

1 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla Extract

2 eggs, beaten

Vanilla Sauce

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup margarine

1 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 7x11 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine bread, raisins, and apples. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup brown sugar, 1 3/4 cups milk, and 1/4 cup butter or margarine. Cook and stir until margarine is melted. Pour over bread mixture in bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs. Pour bread mixture into prepared dish, and pour egg mixture over bread.

Bake in preheated oven 40 to 50 minutes, or until center is set and apples are tender.

While pudding is baking make the Vanilla Sauce.

Mix together 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/2 cup margarine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Serve over bread pudding.

Bread Pudding From Humble Origins to Fine Restaurants

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter called Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking tips, health tips, and contests to win free Watkins products. Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.NotJustVanilla.com

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My Chanukah Miracle

I look forward to Chanuka every year - giving gifts to the grandchildren, having dinner with the family, and eating lots and lots of latkes. But I don't look forward to making the potato pancakes! Each year I try, in vain, to make perfect pancakes or at least better ones than the year before. But it's a struggle.

My Mother, G-d rest her soul, made great latkes. However, she cooked them while we ate dinner, jumping up from the table every few minutes to turn over the potato pancakes or to bring us a fresh, hot batch. I, on the other hand, wanted to sit with my family during dinner. This meant I had to fry my latkes before my guests arrived. Unfortunately, well you know how the saying goes, "The best-laid plans of mice and men......"

The first time, I made potato pancakes, I fried them early in the afternoon then put them in the oven at a low temperature to keep them warm until dinner. But when I pulled them out of the oven I looked with dismay at my pitiful latkes. They had turned black! The following year, after frying the latkes, I put them in the refrigerator instead. I was delighted that they didn't turn black. But, the oven temperature to reheat the latkes was too low and we ate luke-warm potato pancakes.

Another year I decided to simply buy my latkes from the Pancake House. It certainly was a lot less work, the house didn't reek of oil, and they tasted good. But, still, they weren't as tasty as my Mother's recipe. Then a friend told me that when she lived in Chicago, she bought potato pancakes at a Polish market. The pancakes were packed in a bread pan on their sides, in an upright position. In addition, the instructions were to reheat them at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. "Great," I thought I could do that and lo and behold I finally made a decent batch of latkes for my family. Though, bless their hearts they always said, "Oh Mom, they're fine."

Thus, this year I was prepared to enjoy a "stress-free" Chanukah. I even bought Yukon Gold potatoes so that I didn't have to peel them. But when I took the oil out of my cupboard, I was frustrated to discover that I only had a small amount left in the jar. I quickly drove to PDQ to buy more and began again as soon as I returned home. I grated the potatoes, squeezed out all the excess water (the trick for really good latkes), heated the pan, and started frying the latkes.

When I finally finished making my potato pancakes, washing the dishes, and cleaning the kitchen, I breathed a sigh of a relief. And as I replaced the cover on my original bottle of oil, a huge smile broke over my face. A small amount of oil remained in the bottom. What a Chanukah coincidence. I had thought I wouldn't have enough oil, but..... I did!

JoAnn Salin is a retired educator and owner of the website http://www.FunnyPhotosContest.com

Thanks To : anolon ultra clad 12 covered deep skillet

Flat Bread Recipes

The bread culture is popular in the West mostly in United States and European countries like Italy, France and Germany. To the bread eating household dwellers, they may find it quicker to just pick their favorite loaf from bread shops or supermarkets. But those who want to sample their own flat bread recipes at home can certainly do so. In that way, they will likely gain a self-rewarding experience of serving bread that they bake themselves.

The food business is not complete with bread not placed on the menu. Bread is part of the appetizing dishes, or they could be main course for others who are on a sandwich diet. There are numerous flat bread recipes one can try out such as chapattis, caramelized apple pecan flatbread, basic pizza dough, corn tortilla, flour tortilla, deep dish pizza crust, herbed foccacia bread, homemade pitas, tomato and cheese filled foccacia, pizza dough, pan pizza crust, walnut cheese snaps, caramel whole wheat pita bread and caramel apple flatbread.

Bread Pan

Let's take for instance the last flat bread recipe and learn how to prepare it at your own home kitchen. The ingredients you will need for your Caramel Apple Flatbread are 2 and ¼ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ cup of Quaker oats, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, 1 and ¼ ounce package of quick rising yeast, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¾ cup of water, 1 tablespoon of veggie oil, 1 egg white and 1 cup unpeeled chopped apple. For your topping, you will require ¾ cup of Quaker oats, 2/3 cup of firmly packaged brown sugar, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ¾ cup of reduced-fat sour cream and ¼ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts.

First step in doing your flat bread recipe of Caramel Apple Flatbread is to make your bread first by combining your yeast, flour, oats, sugar and salt in a food processor bowl processor. It's important that you mix them well as you put the machine on and off. Heat oil and water, then mix it with the flour mixture along with egg white. Wait until dough starts to resemble a ball. Work the dough until smooth so that you can press apples on to them. Place the dough on a smooth surface that's filled with some flour and start shaping them rectangular. Leave them for 45 minutes in the 400-degree set oven so that they can enlarge but make sure you cover them with plastic.

In flat bread recipes like Caramel Apple, you can do the topping by blending together ingredients like cinnamon, brown sugar and oats. Scatter this mixture equally on top of the dough and pour some pecans afterwards. Bake the topped dough for 18 minutes or more until you notice they turn light golden brown on the sides. After which, your Caramel Apple flatbread is good as served.

Flat Bread Recipes

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about bread recipes [http://easyitalianbread.info/flat-bread-recipes], please visit Easy Italian Bread [http://easyitalianbread.info] for current articles and discussions.

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How to Bake Really Good Bread

Image : http://www.flickr.com

I love bread. I love eating it, smelling it, and I love baking it. The first bread I ever baked was cinnamon buns. My grandmother is a baker and I must have eaten a couple thousand of her famous (in my family) cinnamon buns by now. I got the recipe from her and happily set about my first attempt at baking. Everything went fairly smoothly. The mixing and the kneading. Even got the right ratio of cinnamon to sugar. When I pulled the buns out of the oven they seemed a little flat. Then when i went to bite into one I discovered that it's hardness rivalled that of a hockey puck. A quick look in the cupboard revealed that I had used icing sugar instead of flour!

So now you're wondering what I'm doing writing an article about baking really good bread after such an auspicious initial attempt? Well, I went back the next day and tried the cinnamon buns again. That attempt was far more reminiscent of what my grandma pulls out of the oven and I was hooked.

So just what is really good bread? The variations of bread are staggering and I'm sure there are as many opinions about what constitutes good bread as there are members of Facebook. I have to admit that, while I enjoy soft, white bread straight from the oven, I have been bitten by the sourdough bug. I happen to think there is something amazing about starting with flour and water and growing a culture that lifts and adds flavor to the finished loaf.

Baking bread from scratch is a very satisfying experience for me. I enjoy the transformation of what is essentially an inedible foodstuff (flour) into a loaf of bread whose textures and flavors bear no resemblance to the basic ingredients. I love the feel of dough, and i think the smell of fresh bread is proof that God loves us.

So what do you need to bake the kind of bread I think is Really Good? Here's a quick list..

- Big non-metal mixing bowl

- Mixing Spoon

- Kitchen Scale

- Cookie Sheet or Baking Sheet

- Plastic Wrap

- Serrated Knife

- Oven

That's it. You do not need big fancy machines. Nothing with timers or crust darkness settings. If you've never tried it I would recommend making bread from scratch totally by hand. In this world of working on computers and business, it can be soothingly therapeutic to create something with your hands.

I won't go into the specifics of getting a natural starter going but I have had a lot of success using the starter described in Baking Across America by Maggie Glezer. She uses a firm starter and that's worked for me so that's what I've stayed with.

Baking with a natural starter takes longer. Commercial yeast is much quicker at doing what it does. The good thing about the process taking longer with natural leavening is that it takes time for flavors to be drawn out of the grain. Of course you can make a loaf of bread in a couple of hours, but it will resemble a naturally leavened loaf, which takes 18 hours from initial mixing to coming out of the oven, in the same way that a supermarket tomato compares to an heirloom tomato. It doesn't. Every part of the loaf will be different. The crust, the crumb, everything really. Really good bread has a crisp crust which comes from it baking on stone with steam added at the start of it's time in the oven. It is baked free form so must be shaped as opposed to being dumped in a pan. The bread rises significantly in the oven, so much so that it needs to be slashed before baking to prevent cracking.

There are plenty of good resources out there for learning how to bake this kind of bread. Look for books by Jeffrey Hamelman, Peter Reinhart, or Maggie Glezer.

It's really not that hard. I'm not an accomplished bread baker by any stretch of the imagination and I still turn out loaves of bread better than I could find at 98% of the bakeries I've been to in my life, and I've been to Paris.

I really think that Wonder Bread is a symbol of everything that is wrong with our culture. Instant gratification, zero substance. Bread as a metaphor for life is an interesting idea which I won't explore here but I think it speaks to the connection between bread and people throughout the last 8000 years of human history.

So go ahead. Live a little. Spend some time making some really good bread. Your taste buds and state of mind will thank you.

Perry Johnson is an avid baker and lover of good bread and food.

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Bread Without Yeast - Baking Soda Bread

There are many reasons that yeast must be excluded from a diet. Whether prescribed by a doctor or a simple allergy mandates it, a yeast free diet is achievable. Diets have to be drastically altered due to the widespread use of yeast in modern day cuisine. One of the most difficult foods to become accustomed to is bread without yeast. As nearly all breads are raised with the use of yeast bacteria, it is with great difficulty that one obtains bread without yeast and not sacrifice on taste.

Breads without yeast, or any other oxidizing chemical or substance, are characteristically flat, hard, and dry. Breads such as Jewish "matzah" bread or some types of sourdough are baked in such a fashion as to obtain crusty, flat exteriors. However, breads such as these differ exceedingly from common sliced bread found at the market or grocery store.

Bread Pan

To obtain a fluffier, moist, raised bread without yeast similar to store-bought bread, it is necessary to bake bread using a substance that will add air to the dough and achieve a softer, taller loaf. As a substitute for yeast, there are several other readily available ingredients one can use to bake their own bread without yeast present. Such ingredients as beer, baking soda, or unsweetened carbonated soda beverages all produce a raising effect in homemade breads. (Note, however, that beer is not recommended for baking bread without yeast, as yeast bacteria are used in the production of all beers).

The following is a simple recipe of a bread without yeast. Rather, it incorporates an unsweetened soda as the leavening agent.

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups self-rising flour

4 tablespoons white sugar

1 (12 fl ounce) can or bottle of unsweetened carbonated beverage

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 9 x 5 inch pan.

Combine the sugar, flour and carbonated beverage. Mix well and place into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes.

Bread Without Yeast - Baking Soda Bread

Baking and being able to enjoy bread without yeast allows the transition to a yeast free diet to be a smooth and painless experience. To find more yeast free recipes, including baking bread without yeast, visit http://www.yeastfreecooking.com.

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Make Your Own Quick Bread Mix

I like to keep a container of quick bread mix on hand for unexpected guests that drop in for coffee. I can have a coffee cake ready in 20-minutes or muffins in a flash. One of my favorites is to make chicken and dumplings from this mix. Pancakes, waffles, banana bread, nut bread or a variety of doughnuts and biscuits can be made from this mix.

To make my favorite mix I measure 10-cups of all-purpose flour into a large bowl. To that I add 1/3-cup of baking powder, 1/4-cup of sugar, and 1-tablespoon of salt. I mix all of those ingredients very well. Next I measure 2-cups of shortening and cut that in until the mixture looks like cornmeal. DO NOT use lard for this because lard requires refrigeration. Use a vegetable shortening. I keep this in a tightly covered container up to 6-weeks at room temperature.

To make a quick banana bread, cream together 8-ounces of cream cheese, 1-cup of sugar. Then add 1-cup of ripe mashed banana and 2-eggs. Next stir in 2-cups of the baking mix until just moistened and add 1/2-cup of nuts. Do not stir too much. Pour the batter into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and bake 350-degrees for 60-minutes. Cool in pan for 10-minutes before removing from pan.

To make chicken and dumplings, I fry my chicken and while the chicken is frying I mix 2-cups of the baking mix and 2/3-cup of milk together. I bring 2-3-quarts of chicken stock to a boil. Then I drop rounded tablespoons of mixture into the boiling stock. I cook that 10-minutes uncovered and the I turn the heat down and put the cover on the pot and cook for another 10-minutes.

Now I have golden fried chicken, fluffy dumplings and flavorful gravy for dinner. There is no need for potatoes. I add a vegetable dish and condiments and enjoy!

Everything I write about is from personal observation and life experiences. I love to cook and prepare foods in different ways. I like sharing my experiences about food and cooking. My website http://www.pothaven.com was created because of my interest in quality cookware and cooking.

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Knotty Garlic Bread Stuffed or Knot

KNOTTY GARLIC BREAD STUFFED OR KNOT

Ingredients for dough:

Bread Pan

3-cups Bread flour or wheat flour

1½-teaspoons Dry yeast

1-cup Water

1-teaspoon Salt

¼-teaspoon Sugar

2-tablespoons Olive oil

Ingredients for garlic oil:

6-cloves Garlic, peeled and minced

1-teaspoon Salt

½-teaspoon Pepper

½-cup Olive oil

Ingredients for sautéed black olive filling:

1-cup Black olives, finely chopped

1-tablespoon Olive oil

½-teaspoon Salt

¼-teaspoon Pepper

1-clove Garlic, peeled and minced

1-cup (4-ounces) Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Before making dough have all ingredients at room temperature. Prepare dough. Add ingredients in order as per your bread machine. Select manual dough setting on your bread machine. Once the manual dough setting has finish it's cycle, punch down the dough and let dough rest for five minutes.

While your bread machine is making the dough, prepare the garlic oil. Combine all the ingredients for the garlic oil in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat just until garlic begins to color; remove and set aside to cool.

Prepare olive stuffing. Drain olives and chop; heat olive over medium heat in a small skillet. Add garlic and sauté about a minute. Add olives and sauté about two minutes, stirring continuously; season with salt and pepper. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. Add mozzarella, and stir to combine.

Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray with flour and heat over to 425°.

Dust work area with flour. Shape dough into a 12-inch long tube. Cut each tube into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch rope, ½-inch around. Tie loosely in knot, leaving two short ends. Place on the sprayed baking pan, cover and let rise for one hour, or until doubled in size. Place pan in next to bottom rack of oven and bake about 30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown; after baking place on rack to cool for five to ten minutes.

Dip rolls in the garlic oil and let cool a few minutes before serving if serving without black olive stuffing.

If serving with black olive stuffing, dip rolls in the garlic oil and let cool first then slice garlic knots almost in half, leaving one side attached. Fill with sautéed black olives and mozzarella mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake at 375° for about 4 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Makes 12 knotty garlic knots

You can find this at Cristie's Cookin and much more. Be sure to submit your favorite recipe to win a free "Gotcha Covered" apron. Check out Cristie's unique spices.

Knotty Garlic Bread Stuffed or Knot

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world -- her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the "trade" has grown ever since. Cristie's creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Check out Cristie's books at http://www.cristiescookin.com and http://www.tjstokes.com

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Recipe For Moist Banana Bread

What do you do with bananas that are going ripe more quickly than your family can eat them? Make Banana Bread! It's great as a after school snack, lazy winter morning breakfast or dessert with your favorite meal. It's a comfort food that no one willingly passes up. It's pleasant fruity aromas filled the house and bring every one to the kitchen asking, is it done yet? Enjoy it warm, cold or even toasted.

Banana bread first made it's way in to cookbooks in the 1930's. Shopkeepers and grocers would have recipes available for shoppers when they had too ripe fruit on their shelved to try to make a sale for the product before it hit the trash bin. With the resurgence of home baking in the 1960's it regained the popularity it once had. Unlike some other recipes it was straight forward and required very little skill to create.

Banana bread is a popular gift giving item during the holidays, making it's way onto many platters for family, friends and neighbors.

The following recipe will make the moistest Banana Bread you have ever tasted. It's easy and takes no special ingredients. For best results use very ripe bananas. Be sure there are brown spots all over the peels and mash them well.

Ingredients:

1- 1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas, about 3-4 bananas
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare greased 9 x 5 x 3 bread pan.

2. In a bowl, combined mashed bananas, butter, sugar and 1/4 cup milk. Mix to combine.

3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in the banana mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup milk. Beat for about 1 minute on medium speed.

4. Pour batter evenly into the greased pan. Place pan in oven on the middle rack. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick or knife inserted in the middle of the bread comes out completely clean.

5. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

For this recipe you can also use a 9 x 13 cake pan.

To add a different flavor use raisins or add pecan or walnuts. For the chocoholic try adding chocolate chips. Top with powder sugar or a cream cheese frosting.

If you have ripe bananas but have no time for baking, they can be frozen in a brown paper bag.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about moist banana bread recipes [http://dessertrecipessite.info/recipe-for-moist-banana-bread/], please visit Dessert Recipes Site [http://dessertrecipessite.info/] for current articles and discussions.

Thanks To : anolon advanced 10 quart stockpot

Bread Machines Delay Making Bread Until You're Ready

Bread machines have simplified bread making for the busy homemaker. It's really fascinating that one little kitchen appliance can do everything needed to turn out a loaf of bread, except for adding the ingredients. That's all you need to do to get fresh homemade bread with a bread machine. Just measure ingredients according to the recipe, push a couple buttons, and then come back in a few hours. When the beeper sounds, the bread is done and ready to take out of the oven. Total hands-on time is about 15 minutes for measuring ingredients into the mixing pan, which also serves as the baking pan, and cleaning up a few utensils.

Bread makers come in a variety of styles with an array of features and one of the most useful features is a time delay cycle. This is where you can program the machine to start at some time after adding the ingredients. You fill the mixing pan with the ingredients and enter in the time delay. Check the manual for your machine as some units may be limited to a certain time period for the delay.

Bread Pan

For instance, an older Hitachi bread machine has an upper limit of 13 hours. This means that the start of the bread cycle can be delayed up to 13 hours, but no longer. That seems like that would fit into most schedules. Say you go to bed around 10 o'clock in the evening and rise at 6 am. You could fill and set the bread machine at 9 pm with a 5 hour delay. The bread cycle would be started at 2 am and, as the bread cycle in this example runs for 4 hours, the bread would be done at the time your alarm is going off. Hot, fresh bread at breakfast.

Plain white bread and whole wheat bread are good candidates for using the delay timer function of your bread machine. Other recipes do not turn out well on a delayed bread cycle. Recipes that call for fresh milk shouldn't be used on a time delay due to safety reasons. You want to use fresh milk for making bread and if left at room temperature too long, it could spoil. Recipes that contain moist ingredients may pre-activate the yeast and that would be undesirable.

A tip for using a timer delay is to make sure that water is added to the mixing pan first. The flour should be added second. Make sure that flour completely covers the surface of the water. Then add the remaining ingredients with yeast being the last added. This way the yeast will not be activated prematurely because it will have no contact with water until the mixer is turned on after the delay time has passed.

If you haven't been using your bread machine because it takes too long to make the bread, give it another try. Use the delay timer to your advantage and have the bread hot when you are ready to eat.

Bread Machines Delay Making Bread Until You're Ready

Naomi Gallagher is a writer and a fantastic cook with a love for machines that help her make the most of her time in the kitchen. Making homemade bread has become one of her specialties. Learn more by visiting her sites where she likes to write about making bread and cooking great food: http://lazysusanspicerack.com/ and http://toastmasterbreadmachine.com/.

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Baking Bread and the Weather

Homemade bread baking in the oven has the most wonderful scent in the world to it. More and more people are discovering that baking bread is not as difficult as it looks. However, the weather does make or flop homemade bread made from scratch.

If the weather is too cold and damp your bread will not rise properly so before you even begin to make and bake your bread. You need to make sure your kitchen is nice and warm. About one hour or two before you begin your bread turn up the heat in your home. If you do not want to warm the entire house then you can set your oven to warm and leave the oven door cracked just a bit.

Then once the kitchen warms up enough prepare your bread ingredients and make sure that, your water and milk are warm. Put the warm water and milk together and add your sugar. The warm water, milk, and sugar are what activate the yeast and the yeast is what makes the bread rise.

Combine all of your ingredients and then let the bread dough sit and rise on the top of your stove with the oven door still open and the oven on warm. If it does not seem to be rising, as it should there is a trick that you can use to help the bread rise.

Take a large pan of warm or mildly hot water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Place your bread pans with the dough in them on the top rack and let the dough rise in the oven with the door open. This is only after your dough has risen the first time and been placed into the loaf pans to rise again ready to be cook.

When your dough has risen the last time, it is then ready to cook and it is already in the oven set your timer for twenty minutes and let the bread fill the house with that wonderful smell of fresh baked bread. Remove the pan of water before baking the bread. Take the bread out after it bakes and remove it from the loaf pans. Let the bread cool before cutting. An electric knife is the best kitchen gadget to slice through the bread quick and easy.

You are, done baking bread and the weather does not have to be a challenge is it simple and easy and your homemade bread will turn out right even in bad weather.

Do visit Irsan's latest website at 18 inch dishwasher which contains reviews on general electric dishwasher and other information about dish washers.

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Oster Bread Maker Machine - Quick and Easy

Oster bread maker machine is said to be a very quick bread maker as it can easily make a loaf. It has special express cycle which helps it in creating the bread in around 58 minutes.  And as soon as the bread is made, it also helps in keeping it warm for an hour. The price of this special bread maker is also not more and that ranges between and .

The Oster bread maker can easily make bread loaves of sizes 1, 1.5 and 2 pounds. It has a non stick aluminum baking pan that helps it in creating horizontal loaves. And it has the capability to bake various kinds of natural breads as it has around 18 settings along with the option of choosing the crust colour. The design of this machine is oval in shape and it has a removable lid. There is a large glass viewing window which helps you to keep looking at the process of baking of bread. Another good advantage of this machine is that it has cool touch exterior which helps you in protecting from burns if you touch the Oster bread maker accidentally.

Bread Pan

The Oster Bread Maker machine is very convenient to use as it has the ability to add certain ingredients while the kneading process is going on. And during this time, nuts and fruits can be easily added to it. Along with the Oster Bread maker you will also get a manual which has more than 50 recipes to it. This special product also has easy to use control panel which allows you to program the baking process in three easy steps. This machine has special timer of 13 hours which helps in keeping your bread loaf very much fresh for 13 hours. This is very nice if you want the bread loaf to be ready as soon as you get up in the morning.

With all these greatest features in the Oster bread maker machine, this has become very quick and easy to use product.

Oster Bread Maker Machine - Quick and Easy

Lucien Brennan is an online writer and loves to write about health issues.

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Drywall Finish - Tips to Get it Right

Getting a perfect drywall finish is not as easy as it might seem. You can, however, avoid the common pitfalls by following a few guidelines.

Have all the necessary tools at hand. You will need joint compound and joint tape, an application knife, taping knife spreader, corner taping tool, and a bread pan. Running around because of the wrong tools, could complicate things.

Ensure (literally) there are no loose ends. Your measurements must be accurate, and the panels fastened securely. Use nails (or screws) that are long enough to hold everything in place: this is a permanent fixture. You also have the option of using adhesive to hold it in place, only needing screws (or nails) for the edges.

When mixing your cement, or "mud" as it is more commonly called, try to get it to a consistency similar to that of cake icing. Ideally, when you add some to a trowel and turn it upside down, it should stick, yet be soft enough to apply easily.

Consider using mesh tape rather than paper tape. Mesh tape allows the "mud" to seep into it, and this allows you a much smoother drywall finish than you would achieve using paper tape. It just makes it easier the first time around.

Keep in mind, when applying your joint compound, not to apply too much, wanting to sand it off later. It's much more difficult than it seems. Rather use a wide taping knife to level it off, and leave as little as possible to sand off afterwards.

As long as you keep to these basic rules, you should be able to achieve a good drywall finish. The first attempt might be perfect, but it needn't look horrible. Just keep your mind on the task at hand.  

Do you need to know more about drywall? Visit our website today for more information on Doing Drywall.

Alternatively, you may want to read about how to Repair Drywall

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Costa Rica Mango Bread Recipe

Above all Mango is my favorite fruit. Whether eating them fresh after peeling the skin, or added to a fruit salad, mixed with yogurt, or made with this wonderful Mango bread recipe, I simply love the king of all fruit. I just purchased almost ten pounds of mangos for .85 at a local outside market in Costa Rica. In the States that would be the price for one mango not ten pounds of mangos!

The Himalayas are the origin of the mango, the history of mango cultivation goes back for 4,000 years. Mangos are a sub-tropical fruit, and more mangos are eaten fresh than any other fruit in the world. The enzymes in mangos are tenderizing as are the enzymes in papaya. Mangos help to lower cholesterol, the fiber content is a wonderful aid to digestion regularity and they are rich in the vitamins A and C, and several minerals.

Bread Pan

They provide more carotenoid than other fruits and are also low in calories. They will yield slightly to pressure when ripe. Ripe mangos may have a variety of colors, being red, through orange, yellow, to green when ripe.

As with other similar fruits, unripe mangos may be kept in a paper bag for a few days to entrap the ethylene gas that is naturally generated, promoting the ripening process.

You will want to share this Costa Rica Mango Bread recipe with all your friends and loved ones once you taste the sweet savory flavor. I am retired in Costa Rica and never would have appreciated the incredible taste of mangos if it were not for me living in this wonderful country. If mangos are not available in your area during a certain time of the year you can substitute bananas for the mangos, it will produce great banana bread as well.

Mango Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups-good quality flour

2 tsp-baking soda

2 tsp-baking powder

1 tsp-ground cinnamon

3-eggs

1 ½ cups- sugar (natural sugar is available)

¾ cup of sunflower oil

2 cups of mashed mango

½ cup of raisins

½ cup of shredded coconut

½ cup of chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Use a large mixing bowl to mix all ingredients thoroughly.

First beat eggs, then add sugar and oil. Mix well and then add fruit. Stir in dry ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Pour mixture in a greased 9 in x 13 in Pyrex pan or baking pan of your choice.

Bake for 40-60 minutes. Using a wood toothpick test the bread to check it for finished baked consistency. If the bread sticks too much to the toothpick it needs more time, also keep an eye out on the color, it should be golden on top.

Cool in the pan and when cool cut into nice size slices and enjoy with some fine Costa Rica coffee.

Costa Rica Mango Bread Recipe

Alan Johnson is the founder and host of a seminar on the subject of retiring in style in Costa Rica on less than ,000 a month. He and his son Bryan have produced and published several guides and articles in reference to saving money on everything of importance, including real estate and Alan has enjoyed living in Costa Rica for 18 years. Alan also worked as a consultant for over 30 years for CBI countries in the field of economic development Including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Aruba, St Marten and Dominican Republic. To obtain your Free full color guide pertaining to retiring in Costa Rica and packed with 95 pages of very helpful information go to: [http://www.thesurvivalpassport.com/passport.html]

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Hobo Corn Bread

What could be better than campfires and s'mores and hobo pies? Well, summer camping season may be over but now is the time to use the home fire pit in the crisp, fall air. So don't put those pie irons away yet. Invite some friends over, kindle the fire and try out this hobo corn bread recipe.

1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and beat with a spoon until smooth without over beating. Spray the irons with cooking spray and spoon in enough batter to cover the bottom of the iron about 1/4 inch thick. Hold the iron over hot coals for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not turn over. Open the iron and test the bread. If it is still sticky, close the pie iron and return to the hot coals.

This corn bread is absolutely delicious served with chili or beans or soup. Or you can butter it and drizzle with honey for a stand-alone treat.

You can also bake this corn bread in small bread pans for 18 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees. And I often double the recipe and bake it in a 9 x 13 pan for 20 to 25 minutes.

Try slicing the warm corn bread and put on a serving plate. Spread with oleo and pour a dipper full of cooked beans over the top.

Annette Soper is a published author.

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Quinoa How-To - Banana Bread

Quinoa is a rich source of protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and phosphorous. If you're getting tired of serving it with your favorite vegetables for lunch then you might want to try making nice yummy banana bread out of quinoa. This quinoa how to recipe that I found is so easy to make and it wouldn't take but 40 minutes to finish it.

For the quinoa banana bread you will need:

Bread Pan

1/3 cup quinoa flakes,
2/3 cup quinoa flour,
2 eggs,
1/2 cup blond cane sugar,
1/2 cup white rice flour,
2 oz coarsely chopped chocolate,
1 teaspoon baking powder,
1/2 teaspoon baking soda,
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
1/2 cup chopped walnuts,
7 tablespoons butter (melted and slightly cooled) and
2 ripe bananas.

For this banana quinoa how to recipe, you can add Macoun apple if you want. Preheat the oven at 350 F and grease a loaf pan, coat it with flour and tap the excess out, set the pan aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours with quinoa flakes, baking powder, baking soda and ground cinnamon. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until light and then add the butter and mix.

Stir in the bananas and then fold in the flours, chocolate and nuts and mix until everything is combined. Pour the bread mixture into the pan and bake it for 30 to 35 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. I love this quinoa how to recipe because it's so good, I like it especially when it's cold. Quinoa adds chewiness and nuttiness to baked goodies plus you are assured that you are getting a lot of nutrients. Make sure you purchase quinoa flour and flakes with the gluten-free seal.

Quinoa How-To - Banana Bread

For more information and tips on quinoa how to recipes, feel free to visit http://www.quinoakitchen.com/

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Easy Recipes For Picky Eaters

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Are you the mom of a picky eater child and looking for easy picky eater recipes? Then you are in the right place. Mentioned below are some quick and easy recipes for picky eaters that your child will love and enjoy. Apart from being delicious, these easy recipes for picky eaters are also nutritious.

French Toast Sticks

Ingredients: 4 slices bread, 3 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp butter, three-fourth cup of milk, sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup.

Method of Preparation: Melt butter in a frying pan. In a bowl, mix eggs, milk and vanilla. Cut the bread slices lengthwise into 4-5 pieces. Dip these bread slices into the mixture until they are completely soaked. Place these soaked bread slices in the frying pan. Keep the bread slices till they become brown. Sprinkle little sugar and cinnamon on it. Serve this French toast with maple syrup.

Pita Bread Pizzas

Ingredients: Pita bread, shredded cheese, tomato sauce or ketchup.

Method of Preparation: Cut the pita bread into small triangular segments. Put a small amount of tomato sauce or ketchup on it and top up with shredded cheese. Place these pita segments in moderately oven. Keep them until the cheese melts. Serve hot.

Chocolate Milk Shake

Ingredients: 4 scoops of chocolate ice cream, 2 ounces chocolate syrup, grated chocolate, 1 ounce milk.

Method of Preparation: Put all the ingredients in blender stirring well. Blend on high speed until creamy. In order to achieve the desired consistency you can add milk or ice cream. Pour the shake in a glass and top with grated chocolate.

Creamy Avocado Dip

Ingredients: Half ripe avocado, one-fourth cup of finely shredded cheese, 1 tsp plain yogurt, 1 tbsp finely chopped tomatoes.

Method of Preparation: Put all the ingredients in food processor or blender. Blend on high speed until they become smooth and creamy. Instead of blending, you can also mash the ingredients.

Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes

Ingredients: 10 oz of cauliflower florets, 2 pounds of potatoes, 2 tbsp of minced garlic, one-fourth cup each of whole milk and grated cheese, 1 tbsp of butter.

Method of Preparation: Peel the potatoes and dice it into pieces. Place the diced potatoes and the cauliflower florets in a large pan. Put water into the pan such that it covers the vegetables completely. Boil it for about 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are completely cooked. Drain the remaining water and add minced garlic, butter, milk and grated cheese to the vegetables. Now mash the mixture with the help of a masher until a desired consistency is achieved. Serve it warm.

Banana Muffins

Ingredients: 1 ripe-mashed banana, 2 cups of self-raising flour, half cup each of milk, melted butter and brown sugar, 1 lightly beaten egg, one-fourth cup chopped walnuts.

Method of Preparation: Grease the muffin tin lightly with some butter. In a large bowl mix flour and sugar. Add milk, egg, butter and banana to it. Mix it well but don't over mix. Place the mixture into the pan holes with the help of a spoon. Top with walnuts. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Your muffins are now ready to eat.

These were just a few easy recipes for picky eaters, which are popular not only amongst children but also amongst adults.

Brian Kennedy is a line cook and the single parent of two picky eaters. He runs an informational website with smart parenting recipes, nutritional guidelines, and snack ideas. To take advantage of all this and more, be sure to check out Brian's website Picky Eater Recipes at http://www.RecipesForPickyEaters.com

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Tomato Bread is a Passion in Barcelona

Visitors to Barcelona will soon find that the locals have a passion for 'Pa amb Tomaquet', also known as 'Pan con Tomate', sometimes 'Pan a la Catalana', or simply, in English, 'Tomato Bread'. If you wonder how such a sophisticated people as the Catalans can get excited about so basic a dish, simply try it in Barcelona. Not only will you enjoy it, you'll also be on your way to understanding what makes this great city tick.
 
'Pa amb Tomaquet' is, at its most basic, a slice of country bread with ripe tomato squeezed and pressed on to it, finished with some olive oil and a little salt. For those used to eating the tasteless red fruits that emerge from Dutch hothouses throughout the year, the appeal will be elusive. 
 
Try a real tomato from the Mediterranean, a sensational taste in its own right, and then combine it with a bread that's more than a cut above Mother's Pride, and the appeal becomes clearer. Add a touch of garlic, a good quality local olive oil and sea salt, and everything drops into place. This is real food, Barcelona food!
 
You can now add a little mystique to the mix. Catalans will debate endlessly whether the bread should be a fresh country loaf, or one that's a day old, or even older. Or should the bread be lightly toasted? Is garlic an essential ingredient or should a slice of Serrano ham be added? Will any Spanish olive oil do, or should it be a local Catalan oil? 
 
Then there is the question of who does the work. Should the 'Pa amb Tomaquet' be assembled by the restaurant or bar staff, or should the ingredients be brought to the table so you can do the work yourself, exactly as you know it should be done? Debates can go on endlessly, all adding to the interest of this simple dish.
 
Surprisingly, 'Pa amb Tomaquet' hasn't a long history that goes back many centuries. It's thought to date back only to 1800's - it was mentioned in an 1884 cookery book - but its origins are unclear. Leopold Pomes, who wrote the definitive 'Theory and Practice of Bread with Tomato' in 1984 claims it was invented by a painter who wanted to combine the colours of the sunset on an edible base! This sounds fanciful and others reckon it was more likely a local looking for a tasty way to use up the previous day's bread and a glut of tomatoes.
 
What we do know is that the tomato first came to Spain in the 16th century. It originated in Peru and soon found it's way to Spain on the galleons bringing back the gold and silver of the New World. It was called the 'Golden Apple' in south west France and, curiously, this name has stuck in Italian - Pomodoro.
 
For several hundred years, the tomato was simply a decorative plant as it was thought to be poisonous! It was, however, the Spanish who first dared use it in cookery. Before long it spread across the Europe and became the basis of cuisines all around the Mediterranean, and further afield such as in Hungary.
 
Next time you are Barcelona, do try some 'Pa amb Tomaquet'. It won't be hard to find. Once you are aware of this simple dish, avoiding it will be more of a problem! As you eat it, perhaps accompanied by a local botifarra sausage, or perhaps goats' cheese, or anchovies, ponder how such a simple dish can be so good, and how a piece of bread rubbed with a ripe tomato can create so much debate. It may well be one of the 'gastronomic' highlights of your city break in Barcelona.

Bread Pan

Tomato Bread is a Passion in Barcelona

Bob Cartwright writes for TravelSavvy Europe - independent city guides for tourists. For more information visit: short breaks in Europe.

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No Knead Homemade Bread Without a Bread Machine - A Must Have for Busy Cooks

I am one of those people who actually love to bake bread. I love the feel of the dough as I knead it into the perfectly shaped loaf, and I love to experiment with the addition of different ingredients. But let's face it, bread making is not for everyone. Yet, the huge numbers of bread makers sold every year indicates that many people want the taste of a homemade loaf as well as a convenient way to make and bake it. Here are a couple of recipes you can serve with pride.

ONION AND HERB BATTER BREAD

The aroma of this bread will great your family and guests and draw them to the table with smiles of anticipation. The best part is that you don't need to knead this at all. To make it you will need:

1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons butter or margarine
1 package active dry or compressed yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
1 tablespoon instant minced onions
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, rosemary, or other herb of choice
Melted butter
Salt

To make the bread you will scald the milk in a small pot and remove from heat. Add the sugar, salt, and butter until dissolved. Cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Water should feel slightly warmer than your hand, but not hot. About 100 degrees F. Add the cooled milk mixture, stirring until well mixed.

Stir the flour into this yeast and milk mixture, mixing well. Stir in the onion and dill or other herbs, stirring all together about two minutes or until blended. Cover with a damp dish towel and let rise in a warm, draft free place for about 45 minutes. It should double in bulk.

Using a sturdy spoon stir down the dough, beating vigorously for 1/2 a minute. Pour the dough into a greased 8 or 9 inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for about one hour or until the loaf sounds hollow when thumped with a finger. Brush the crust lightly with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Cool on a rack. You can serve this slightly warm or toasted and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese for an extra special treat.

SPOON BREAD

Sometimes we want rolls rather than a whole loaf of bread. Rolls usually cook more quickly and often the recipe serves more people. Here is a basic stir and drop recipe that bakes in only about 15 minutes and serves 24 (or fewer if some have more than one). You will need to start early however because you will need to allow time for the yeast dough to rise.

You will need:

1 package yeast
1 cup warm water
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
3 cups flour that you have sifted before measuring
4 tablespoons oil, olive or canola.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl. Add the sugar, salt, and egg, stirring the mixture well. Set aside. Sift the flour a second time. Add the oil and about half of the flour to the yeast mixture, beating until smooth. Add the remaining flour, blending well.

Cover the bowl with a dry dish towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft free place to rise. This takes about 30 minutes and you should get about double the bulk.

Drop spoonfuls of the dough into greased muffin cups so that each is about half full. Let rise again until almost doubled or the dough almost fills the muffin cups. About 30 minutes Bake in a hot, 400 degree F., oven for 15 minutes. Serve warm with butter.

VARIATIONS on the basic SPOON BREAD

After the first rise of the dough you can divide the dough into four parts and mix each portion with one of the following until well blended. Proceed as directed for the second rise and baking.

Options include:

1/4 cup drained pineapple
4 tablespoons chopped raisins
4 tablespoons chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled - crisply fried bacon
1 tablespoon cocoa mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

OR before putting the spoonfuls of cough into the muffin cups, place one of the following ingredients in the bottom of the greased cup.

1 teaspoon poppy seed or sesame seed
1 teaspoon butter with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 3 pecan halves
1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon shredded coconut
1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon jelly

Bake as directed and serve as up-side-down rolls.

I am Barbara Cagle and I have been working and playing online since 1989. I am a certified teacher and as such I find that people are constantly asking me how to do ____. I started http://www.cagleonline.com in 2001 and it is now my internet portal where you can access information on a variety of subjects to make your life just a little bit easier.

At http://www.caglecooksonline.com you can download free cookbooks and find great lots of recipes. My 55 page Holiday cookbook is still available if you missed it and my newest cookbook, for Diabetics, is ready now, just in time for Thanksgiving with over 80 pages, full color photos and packed full of delicious recipes. So, head on over and see how I can help YOU today?

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