Muffins (breakfast & side)

This is the muffin recipe that I use all the time. I love it-it's so versatile. I'll add cheese to them for a yummy bread to go along with soup that I make. This is out of my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. cooking oil

1-Grease twelve 2 1/2 inch muffin cups or line with paper bake cups; set aside.

2-In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder & salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

3-In another bowl combine egg, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).

4-Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full. if desired, sprinkle Struesel Topping over muffin batter in cups. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups; serve warm.

Blueberry Muffins: Fold 3/4 c. (or desired amount-I always do a little more) fresh or frozen blueberries and, if desired, 1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel into batter.

Cranberry Muffins: Prepare as above, except combine 1 c. coarsely chopped cranberries and 2 tbs. additional sugar; fold into batter.

Oatmeal Muffins: Prepare as above, except reduce flour to 1 1/3 c. and add 3/4 c. rolled oats to flour mixture.

Poppy Seed Muffins: Prepare as above, except increase sugar to /2 c. and add 1 tbs. poppy seeds to flour mixture.

Banana Muffins: Prepare as at left, greasing muffin cups (do no use paper bake cups). Reduce milk to 1/2 cup. Stir 3/4 c. mashed banana and 1/2 c. chopped nuts into flour mixture along with the egg mixture.

Cheese Muffins: Prepare as at left, except stir 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese into flour mixture (I usually do cheddar & I actually probably do at least a cup).

Streusel Topping: Combine 3 tbs. all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp. brown sugar, & 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon. Cut in 2 tbsp. butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 2 tbsp. chopped nuts (I don't usually add nuts just b/c it's not always something that I have on hand).

***I almost always add some baby food oatmeal to increase the nutritional value. Since the baby food flakes are so fine it doesn't make them very hard or dry. You may have to add just a little more liquid depending on how much oatmeal you add.

Sourdough Bread

This bread takes a while. If you wanted it to be ready to have with your supper one night then you need to make the starter in the morning.

SOUR STARTER:
3/4 c. sugar
3 tbs. instant potato flakes
1 pkg yeast (= 2 1/4 tsp. yeast)
1 c. warm water

Let stand for 8-10 hours


BREAD DOUGH:
1 c. starter
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 tbs. salt
6 c. bread flour
1 1/2 c. warm water

Combine the first 4 ingredients in the warm water.
Mix in flour. Put in a greased bowl.
Rise overnight.

Knead & divide into greased loaf pans, shaping into loaf shapes.
Rise in loaf pans for about 10 hours.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes & remove from loaf pans, cooling on wire racks. Coat the top of the loaves with butter if desired.

***I usually am able to make a recipe and a half from the amount of starter that I end up with, producing 2 regular sized loafs & 3 mini loaves. I also usually lightly lay tinfoil on top of the loafs while they're cooking; if I don't they get too browned for my taste.

Dutch Apple Bread

This is so yummy! One of my great childhood memories.


I guess you could use some of the freeze-dried apple slices for this recipe. We just really like it. It's easier with a kitchen aid mixer b/c the dough wants to travel up the dough hooks on a hand held mixer. I usually double the recipe. The recipe below is for 1 loaf.

1/2 c. milk
1/4c. margarine
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt (Heat these until mar. melts & sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm).

1 pkg yeast dissolved in 1/4 c. warm water (1 pkg yeast=2 1/4 tsp. yeast if you buy yeast in bulk)

2 eggs
3-4 cups flour (I started out with 3, mixed it, & added more if I needed to. It will still be a little gooey looking. I actually did half wheat half white flour when I made this yesterday & it was yummy).
1 medium apple-chopped

Mix it all on speed 2. Let rise in greased bowl. Punch down. Roll out in 9x14 rectangle. Sprinkle cinnamon mixture (recipe below) on it & roll it up. Sprinkle more on top. Bake at 350, 35-40 min.

Cinnamon Sugar Filling
2/3 c. plain flour
1/2 c. sugar
4 Tbsp. soft margarine
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix well with pastry blender (I used a fork).

Pizza Crust (White, Wheat, or White-Wheat)

Did you catch that?


2 1/2 c. medium hot water
Dissolve 5 tsp. yeast in this water

2 tbs. sugar
3 tbs. oil
1 tsp salt
Add to yeast mixture

Gradually add 6 cups of flour (I do 3 white & 3 wheat)

Melt 1-2 cubes butter on a cookie sheet at 400 in the oven (it only takes a minute or two in the warmed oven-watch it so that it doesn't start burning on the cookie sheet). Put dough on top & spread out on the cookie sheet.

Allow to double (about 10-15 minutes).
Cook for 10-12 minutes.
Cut into strips or top with your favorite toppings.