Pineapple Bran Bread

350 degrees - 1 hour

1 c. pecans chopped

2 c. flour
3t. baking powder
1/2 t. soda
3/4 t. salt
3T butter
3/4 c. sugar

1 egg
1 1/2 c. crushed, undrained pineapple
1 c. bran cereal

Refrigerator French Bread - not tested

2 1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 pkgs. yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
3 1/4 to 3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
Salad oil
Cold water
1 egg white
1 tbsp. water

Heat water and butter to 120 degrees. In large bowl combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar,
salt and warm water mixture. Mix at high speed for 3 minutes. Mix in 3 1/4 of flour;
knead. If dough is sticky, knead in enough of remaining 1/2 cup flour to form a stiff
dough. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise
in a warm place for 30 minutes. Punch down and divide into 2 equal parts. Roll each
into a 15x8 inch rectangle on lightly floured board. Roll each up tightly, jelly-roll
style beginning at long side. Seal edges and ends well by rolling with hands. Place
seam side down diagonally on greased 17x14 inch baking sheet. Slash top of loaves
diagonally at 2 inch intervals with a sharp knife. Brush with oil; cover. Refrigerate
2-24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator, uncover. Let stand 10 minutes.
Brush breads with slightly beaten egg white and water. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven
for 35-40 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Bagels

BAGELS

MAKES 10 LARGE BAGELS
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 packages, dry yeast
3 tablespoons, sugar
1 tablespoon, salt
1 1/2 cups, hot water (120-130 degrees)
3 quarts water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg white – beaten with 1 teaspoon water
topping of choice,
cornmeal for sprinkling on the baking sheet

Make the dough: In a mixing bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer) measure 3 cups of the flour and stir in all the remaining dry ingredients. Pour in the hot water, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon (or with the flat paddle attachment of the electric mixer at low speed) and beat for about 2 minutes. Add the remaining half-cup of flour, a little at a time, stirring by hand. When the batter becomes thick and heavy, attach the mixer’s dough hook (if using) or lift the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface for kneading by hand. Knead the dough: Knead the dough at medium low speed on the mixer – or by hand (using a push, turn and fold motion, energetically) for about 10 minutes – or until the dough is firm and solid when pinched with the fingers. Add flour as needed if the dough is sticky in your hands, or sticks to the sides of the mixing bowl (if using electric mixer).

First Rising: When dough is kneaded enough, place it in an oiled mixing bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature until it has doubled in volume – about 1 hour.

Shape the bagels: When the dough has doubled in volume, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and punch it down with extended fingers to remove excess gas. Divide the dough into 10 pieces (each will weigh about 3-4 ounces). Shape each piece into a ball. Allow the balls to stand and relax for a few minutes – then flatten each one with the palm of your hand. With your thumb, press deep into the center of the bagel and tear the depression open with your fingers. Pull the hole open, pull it down over a finger and smooth the rough edges. It should look like a bagel! Form all of the bagels and place them on your work surface.

Second Rising: Cover the shaped bagels with wax paper or parchment paper. Leave them at room temperature just until the dough has risen slightly – about 10 minutes.

Prepare water bath: Near the end of this rising time, bring the 3 quarts of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the malt syrup or sugar; then, reduce the heat and leave the water just barely moving – at a slow simmer. (The sugar in the water makes the bagels shiny.)

Prepare the baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with shortening (or use a non-stick baking sheet, or line a baking sheet with “Silpat” or similar material) and sprinkle the baking sheet with cornmeal.

Water-bathing the bagels: Into the gently simmering water prepared earlier, slip one bagel at a time (use a large skimmer, and gently lower them into the water). Simmer only 2 or 3 bagels at a time – do not crowd the pan. The bagels will sink and then rise again after a few seconds. Simmer gently for one minute, turning each bagel over once during that time. Lift each bagel out of the water with the skimmer, drain briefly on a towel, then place each bagel on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all bagels are simmered, drained and on the baking sheet.

Baking the bagels: If toppings are desired now is the time to add them, by sprinkling the desired topping over the bagels. Brush each bagel lightly with the egg-white-water mixture first, then sprinkle the topping if desired – or leave unadorned, for water bagels. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. When the bagel tops are a light brown, turn them over to complete baking. This turning-over step will keep the bagels in a rounded shape, instead of their being flat on the bottom. When brown and shiny, remove the finished bagels from the oven. Place the bagels on a metal rack to cool.

Variations:Toppings may include: coarse salt, shredded onion, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, or other flavors of your choice. Sprinkle toppings over before baking bagels, as described above. Another tasty treat: slice each bagel crosswise into 4 thin rounds. Return the rounds to the oven and bake the rounds until dry throughout, and just beginning to brown – about 20 minutes. Remove the rounds from the oven, immediately butter them and salt lightly – then return to the oven for about 5 minutes until the butter is absorbed by the rounds. Serve hot or at room temperature as a snack.

Biscuits / shortcake

2 c. flour
1T. Baking Powder
1/4t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt

6T cold butter cut into 12 pieces
3/4 c. buttermilk (or milk & lemon juice)

425 15 minutes

For shortcake:
Add
1/4 to 1/2c. sugar
melted 2T. butter

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins


Preheat oven to 375. ‘Pam’ cupcake pan or use cupcake papers.

In large bowl put:

1 ½ c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
¼ c. packed brown sugar
2 ½ t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
¼ t. cloves
½ t. salt

-----------------------------
In another bowl mix together:
1 ¼ c. canned pumpkin
1 c. milk
2 eggs
6 T. melted butter
2 t. grated peeled fresh ginger

Add to dry ingredients and mix just to blend.

Use ice cream scoop to put into muffin tins. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 25 minutes.

Great with honey-butter or creamed cheese and honey.

Sweet Pretzels

Yep, that high school basketball team loves these!

Dough:
1 1/4 c. warm water
1 1/4 T. active dry yeast
3 ¾ c. flour
¾ c. powdered sugar
2t. vegetable oil.

Dissolve yeast in water. Add oil and sugar, then flour. Knead for 5 minutes and let rise for 45 minutes or until double.

Preheat oven to 425. ‘Pam’ baking sheets.

Bath
4 c. warm water
1/2 cup baking soda

Mix the bath. Divide dough into 16 pieces, (or whatever) and roll into ropes 18” long. Twist to be a pretzel. Hold by pinched ends and dip into bath. Blot on paper towel and put on baking sheet. Don’t crowd. Cook 4 minutes, then turn pan and cook another 4 minutes.

Coat with melted butter.

Sweet: dip into mixture of:
½ c. sugar
2t. cinnamon

Salted: Sprinkle with coarse salt or Kosher salt.

Savory: Sprinkle with mixture of ½ c. parmesan cheese and 1t. garlic salt.