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