Serving Up {Bread}: Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

My youngest child started kindergarten this week!!!  I don't think there is anything cuter than watching him walk into the elementary school with his two older brothers.  I watch in the rear view mirror and see three boys - large, medium and small - all walking away from me with their backpacks on their backs and it is stinkin' cute!  One of these days I am going to greatly embarrass the 10-year old by jumping out of the car and taking a photo of them all together.

I mention school, and more specifically kindergarten, because you just never know what your child will learn (or do) at school.  My insight yesterday was more than I wanted to know....my five year old asked me, "how come when you lick the kickball after you have played with it, it tastes bad?"  Seriously???  I cook a lot and you would not believe how difficult it is to get that same 5 year old to take a taste of ANYTHING...but he is licking kickballs?  I am speechless!

Today's recipe is hopefully more tempting than a kickball and guaranteed to taste better.  We are entering fall, with all the yummy fall flavors...which in the food world equates to PUMPKIN!  But I still have zucchini that I am harvesting and baking with (a little of this and never enough of this)!  Lucky for me, last year I discovered this recipe for Pumpkin Zucchini Bread and I absolutely love the combination.  It is perfectly moist and tastes like it could be the poster child for fall with all the yummy spice flavoring.  Not to mention that your house smells divine while it bakes.  For your sake I really do hope that you still have a few lingering zucchini so that you can enjoy this recipe and share it with someone you love!

One Year Ago: Snickerdoodle Blondies
Two Years Ago: Candy Bar Pudding Dessert

PUMPKIN ZUCCHINI BREAD     
(recipe from Taste of Home)
printable version

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup butter, melted
1 Tbs. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans by greasing and flouring.

In a bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Add pumpkin, butter and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini (and nuts if desired). Pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until breads test done. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Serving Up {Bread}: Sally Luna Bread

I had never heard of Sally Lunn bread, but supposedly it has enough of a history (originating in England) that it has it's own entry on wikepedia, which isn't something you can say for any old run-of-the-mill recipe.

This is a delicious, buttery yeast bread that doesn't require any kneading.  Which is a good thing because the dough is more of a batter consistency and kneading it would be impossible.  This has been enjoyed by my family as a late night Sunday treat, warm out of the oven and slathered with butter and jam.  I can honestly say that I have never had a piece of this bread make it more than an hour or two, so I have no idea how well it holds up for a day or two past baking, but in that first 30 minutes it is delicious!!!

One Year Ago: Whole Bowl Rice Bowl

SALLY LUNN BREAD     
(recipe from fav family recipes)
printable version

1 cup hot milk
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 eggs
3 1/2 cups white flour

Mix the hot milk, butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl and let it cool to lukewarm. Stir the yeast into the warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes to dissolve. Add the dissolved yeast and the eggs to the first mixture and beat vigorously. Gradually add the flour. Cover and let rise in a warm place until about double in bulk. Spoon the mixture into a buttered loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 50 minutes.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Orange Sweet Rolls

I love cinnamon rolls and have a bit of an obsession with pinning every recipe for cinnamon rolls that comes up on pinterest.  I will never make them all, or at least I never ought to make them all if I want to be able to fit into my jeans...  I mention this only because for as much as I like cinnamon rolls, I can't for the life of me remember why I fiddled with a recipe for cinnamon rolls and turned them into orange sweet rolls.  It was probably the influence of Rhodes bake-n-serve rolls going orange, but the twist to the traditional cinnamon roll is definitely a tasty one.

Even if you have a favorite cinnamon roll recipe that you swear by, try switching out the cinnamon for some orange zest and enjoy the bright fresh flavor.  It is a great way to start the day.

One Year Ago: Caramel Clusters

ORANGE SWEET ROLLS     

printable version

2 cups warm water

2 Tbsp. yeast

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup dry milk

5 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. orange zest

fresh orange juice

Combine warm water and yeast and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, adding the flour gradually, stirring well after each addition until a sticky, but kneadable dough is formed.  Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead well.  Place dough in a clean bowl and allow to rise until triple in size (about 1 hour). 

Prepare topping by combining softened butter, sugar, orange zest and enough orange juice to create the desired consistency.

Roll out dough into a 24x18 inch rectangle.  Spread the orange butter topping over the dough.  Roll up dough width wise.  Slice dough into 1 1/2 inch slices.  Place on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray.  Cover and allow to rise until double in size.

Bake at 350 degres for 15 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before frosting.  

My favorite frosting for these rolls is a basic cream cheese frosting with the addition of orange zest and the use of fresh orange juice to reach the desired consistency.  

Serving Up {Bread}: Mile High Biscuits

I am bound and determined to perfect the making of biscuits.  Why biscuits?  Why not?

If you have ever had a good biscuit, and I mean gooooood biscuit, you will know that they are worth perfecting.  I kind of want to be known as the biscuit lady and so I have been trying a lot of biscuit recipes.  This particular recipe was a pinterest find...and I just had to go with the 18,000 pins as being a good sign (by the way, I know that because my Strawberry Cream Cake recently hit 18,000 pins so I consider it a good number).  This really is a great recipe and is currently my favorite recipe...I will keep you posted should another recipe bypass this one in my search for the ultimate biscuit!

One Year Ago: Sweet Grape Salad

MILE HIGH BISCUITS     

(recipe from Deals to Meals)

printable version

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 stick butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and butter until crumbly (see my butter tip here). Mix (BY HAND) in buttermilk, egg and just enough water to make a workable dough. Mix the dough until it is just barely combined (don't over mix). Roll the dough onto a floured cutting board about 1-1 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a 2 inch biscuit cutter (or a 2 inch round cup). Place on a greased baking sheet (touching each other) and bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and generously brush with melted butter.
Makes about 12 biscuits, depending how thick you make them.

Serving Up {Bread}: Easy Pretzel Bites

I have had a recipe for Pretzel Bites, made from scratch, in my "to try" file for a long time.  I still do.  I make bread of some sort each week, so I'm not sure what my hang up is, other than I sometimes want to make something and don't want to wait for yeast to activate and dough to rise, blah, blah, blah.

This recipe does still require some forethought, but because you begin with frozen roll dough (Rhodes is the only one in my opinion), it just seems easier.  My kids LOVE these pretzel bites as an after school snack.  Considering I have usually popped 4 or 5 into my mouth by the time they walk through the door, I guess I don't mind them myself :)

EASY PRETZEL BITES     Pin It

(recipe from Get Off Your Butt and Bake)

printable version

Rhodes Frozen Rolls, thawed

Butter, melted

Cinnamon Sugar -or- Parmesan Cheese & Garlic salt

Thaw frozen roll balls.  If using regular rolls, cut each roll in half.  If using Texas rolls, cut each roll into 3 or 4 pieces.  Place cut dough on a greased baking sheet and allow dough to double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil.

Place a towel flat on the counter next to the stove with a paper towel on top of it.

Drop 8-10 balls of dough at a time into the boiling water.  Allow the dough to "cook" in the water for about 45 seconds.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared towel to drain and cool slightly.  Repeat this step with the remaining dough balls.

Carefully remove the dough from the towel and place on a greased baking pan.  Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from oven and brush with melted butter and then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture -OR- parmesan cheese/garlic salt mixture.

Serving Up {Bread}: AMAZING breadsticks

I know that I shouldn't LOVE breadsticks as much as I love these - but I just can't help it.  They taste an awful lot like some breadsticks served at a well known Italian restaurant, except even better because they come from your very own oven, warm and delicious!

They also happen to make a perfect accompaniment to this lasagna, or to this soup, or to pretty much anything.  I made them three times last week!  There, I admit it, I have a breadstick problem.  The problem is that they are REALLY easy to make and REALLY good.  I dare you to make them and not develop the same problem :)

AMAZING BREADSTICKS     Pin It
(recipe from Your Homebased Mom)
printable version

1/4 cup warm water
1 pkg. yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
2 Tbs. sugar
4 1/4 cup flour
2 Tbs. butter, softened
1 Tbs. salt
1 1/4 cup warm water

topping:
3 Tbs. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano

Place 1/4 cup warm water in a mixing bowl, add sugar and yeast. Allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes.  Add the flour, butter, salt and 1 1/4 cup water to the yeast mixture and mix until the dough has formed.  Add additional flour until the dough is soft and smooth and workable.

Place the dough on a floured surface and cut into 16 even pieces.  Roll each piece into a 7-8 inch breadstick.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Cover with a cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, or place in a warm oven (preheat to 150 degrees and then turn OFF).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine topping ingredients.  Once breadsticks have risen, brush each breadstick with the butter mixture - using approximately 1/2 of the mixture.  Bake for 12 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Remove from oven and brush with the remaining butter mixture.

Serving Up {Bread}: Herbed Rolls

Nothing goes better with all the soup recipes that I have been posting than freshly baked bread. Whether it is corn bread or french bread or polenta bread - warm bread just goes perfectly with a hot bowl of soup. These rolls make the perfect accompaniment to just about any meal and because they are super easy (and super yummy) they are served frequently at our home. My son refers to them by asking, "are we having my favorite rolls?" There you go - a raving review from a nine year old!

Play with the seasonings all you'd like. While we generally stick with an italian blend, I have used a dill blend (pampered chef) when serving them alongside fish, and you could also easily use a garlic mix and have a garlic bread knockoff.  Yum!

HERBED ROLLS     Pin It
(recipe adapted from Your Homebased Mom)
printable version

Frozen dinner rolls (I use/prefer Rhodes)
Mayonnaise
Butter, melted
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Italian Seasoning
Dried parsley

Place the mayo, the butter and the shredded Parmesan each in separate bowls.
Take a frozen dinner roll, dip the top half first in the mayo, dip second in the melted butter and then dip third into the grated Parmesan.  Place in a greased baking pan (8x8 or 13x9 depending on the number of rolls you are making).  Repeat these steps with the remaining frozen rolls.
When all the rolls are in the pan, sprinkle the tops with Italian seasoning and dried parsley (or any other preferred herb combination).  Cover with plastic wrap and all the rolls to rise based on the frozen rolls directions - usually 4-5 hours at my house.  Bake according to directions on the package.

Serving Up {Bread}: Pumpkin Bread

You know that a recipe is a hit when every time you walk into the kitchen you find crumbly remnants of the baked good on the counter and floor.  That is the positive way to look at it, right?

For the record, I have had pumpkin bread crumbs on my counter for the past three days.  I just noticed the tupperware is finally empty.  While I won't miss the mess, I am already debating about pulling another loaf from the freezer, where I stashed the "extra" loaf.  Too good!

Pumpkin bread can be tricky because some recipes are really dry.  Really, there is nothing worse than a dry loaf of pumpkin bread.  I have a number of yummy pumpkin bread variations - pumpkin coconut and pumpkin-chocolate being my two favorite variations.  But this recipe is a basic pumpkin loaf that is perfect just the way that it is.  It is moist and stays moist even days after baking.  It is the basis of a Pumpkin Bread Pudding that Bobby Flay did on the food network.  I promise to get to the bread pudding recipe (which is awesome) but this recipe for the pumpkin bread has become my one and only recipe.  It's that good.

A tasty dessert is to slice the bread, or cube it, and pair it with vanilla bean ice cream and some homemade caramel sauce.  The combo saved me two weeks ago when we had two families over for Sunday dinner and my oven element went out!  The pumpkin bread, ice cream, caramel combo was so tasty that nobody had any idea that it was a last minute scramble when my planned dessert went out with the heating element :)

PUMPKIN BREAD    
(recipe from Bobby Flay, Food Network)
printable version

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 ounces canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2/3 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 4 tablespoons softened butter, sugar, and oil at high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times.
Add the pumpkin puree and mix until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just incorporated. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and water and mix until just combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a baking rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.

Serving Up {Bread}: Zucchini Bread

Today is the first day of September and we woke up to a crisp coolness in the air.  All of my kids came to breakfast wrapped in blankets.  It felt like autumn had arrived overnight!  School begins in four short days and then autumn will officially be in full force for us here in the Northwest.

I look forward to the autumn harvest, especially now that I live in Oregon where I can readily access fresh produce.  Earlier this week I was busy bottling homemade tomato sauce and last week I was elbow deep in peach pits and apricot pits.  I hadn't intended to neglect the zucchini sitting on my counter, but I noticed yesterday that it was beginning to show evidence of neglect.   My solution was to bake zucchini bread, much to my kids delight!

This is my favorite recipe, and despite zucchini breads bad reputation, this recipe is so moist!  The secret is grating a single tart apple into the grated zucchini.  It adds a burst of flavor as well as increasing the moisture content.  The recipe was not written with the apple, but years ago I was at a local orchard market and was purchasing a zucchini (who buys zucchini?).  An older lady shopping near me commented that if I was going to make bread with that zucchini, I needed to grate an apple into the batter.  I took her recommendation and have never made the recipe again without the apple addition.  So even if you already have a favorite zucchini recipe, and you don't try this recipe, try the apple tip and see if it doesn't make a delightful difference.

ZUCCHINI BREAD     Pin It
printable version

1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini (1 small tart apple, like granny smith) ***
3 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. nutmeg
3 cups flour
1 cup nuts (optional)

*** Grate the tart apple into a measuring bowl. Grate zucchini into the same bowl to come up with the 2 cups of grated “zucchini”. The addition of the apple will create a delicious, moist loaf of bread and is my secret ingredient :)

Prepare two loaf pans and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place oil and sugar in a mixing bowl and combine. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the zucchini and the vanilla.
Sift together the try ingredients and add to the wet ingredients, without over mixing.
Stir in nuts.
Divide batter between the two greased loaf pans. Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick tests done.

The topping is optional.  It's actually the topping for my apple bread but it is delicious on zucchini bread too!
You can place it on top of the batter before placing in the oven, or sprinkle it on 15-20 minutes into the cooking time.

Topping:
½ cup quick cook oats
½ cup coconut
½ cup packed brown sugar
4 Tbs. melted butter

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle the topping over the batter prior to baking.
(The topping, as listed, would top two loafs of zucchini bread)

Serving Up {Bread}: French Bread

I'll warn you right now that this recipe is rather dangerous to have lurking around.  It's dangerous because it's delicious, it's easy and it comes together in about an hour.  The fact that you will never again be more than an hour away from fresh, hot baked French Bread could do a number on you if you are at all opposed to carbs.  Luckily I'm not.  Nor am I opposed to a thick slab of butter.  As a result, we see this recipe on our dinner table quite often.  It's perfect when paired with a bowl of hot soup in the winter or a fresh cool salad in the summer.

The recipe, as written, makes two loaves.  Since the size of our family doesn't warrant two loaves every time that we make this, I will frequently turn one of the loaves into a cinnamon loaf and use if for French Toast the following morning.  Yum!

(The cinnamon swirl version)

FRENCH BREAD     Pin It
(recipe from Ally F.)
printable version

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbs. yeast
2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. salt
5 1/2 cups flour
(1 egg white, beaten)

In a large mixing bowl, fitted with dough hooks, dissolve your yeast and sugar in the warm water.  Add the flour and salt and combine.  Let the dough rise 15 minutes.
Divide the dough in half and roll out on a floured surface.  Roll the dough up to create a long French loaf.  Place on a greased baking pan and repeat for the remaining dough.
Make 6 slits on top of each loaf and spread with egg white.
Let the loaves rise 15 minutes.
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

Serving Up {Bread}: Mom's Corn Bread

I love corn bread but have become a bit of a corn bread snob.  I grew up enjoying my mom's recipe for corn bread, which is dense and moist and delicious.  Sadly, I have learned that most corn bread is dry, crumbly and not delicious.  As a result, I am cautious about eating corn bread outside of my own (or my moms) home.

If you have doubt, I will illustrate my point by telling you that twice, in a very short period of time, I took meals into the homes of people that needed a meal.  On both occasions I brought this bread along as an accompaniment.  On BOTH occasions, I had the husbands comment later that they don't even like corn bread but that they loved mine.  I thought that is was funny that the same thing happened twice and that both men felt the need to tell me how much they disliked corn bread.  I was pleased on both accounts that mine found their favor.

So if you aren't a corn bread fan (because you have only had dry, bland experiences) may I encourage you to try this recipe and see if it makes a corn bread fan of you.  It makes a great side to a warm soup in the winter or the perfect balance to a green salad in the summer.

MOM'S CORN BREAD     Pin It
recipe from Linda W.
printable version

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup corn meal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup milk

Cream together the butter and sugar in a medium bowl.  Add the eggs and beat well.  Combine the dry ingredients and alternately add the dry ingredients and milk.
Pour into a greased 9-inch square pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until center tests done.

Serving Up {Bread}: Polenta Bread

What can I say?  I love a fresh loaf of bread straight from the oven.  Warm, slathered with butter and paired with a soup or a salad (or another slice of bread!).  Perfect!

I have been making the same French Bread recipe for my entire marriage.  I don't even need to look at the recipe to make it anymore.  So I truly don't know what made me deviate from my norm one day, approximately two years ago, and try this bread recipe.  But I'm glad that I did.  Olive oil and corn meal are pretty peculiar ingredients for baked bread, and they are definitely a noticeable presence in this bread, but the end result is a remarkably soft bread that will have you reaching for a second (and third) slice.

POLENTA BREAD     

(recipe from Taste and Tell) 

printable version

2 cups warm water

2 tsp. yeast

½ cup sugar

½ cup olive oil

½ cup polenta (or cornmeal)

2 tsp. salt

6 ½ cups bread flour

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water.

While waiting for the yeast to bubble and foam, get your stand mixer set up with a large bowl and dough hook accessory. Combine polenta, salt and flour in the mixer bowl. Add the olive oil and yeast mixture and mix well. Knead dough with dough hook for 8-12 minutes. Dough will be bubbly and light, but should not be too sticky. Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 1 minute in the bowl.

Divide the dough into thirds and shape into long loaves. Place on greased cookie sheets. Allow dough to rise in a warm location, until the loaves have doubled in size. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.

If a soft crust is desired, butter bread top as it comes out of the oven.

If a crustier crust is desired, omit the buttering of the top of the bread.

Serving Up {Bread}: Homemade Wheat Bread

I know carbs have a bad reputation and, as of late, there is a lot of talk about gluten and gluten-intolerance.  I almost feel like this is not a politically correct recipe, but then I'm reminded that this blog is my recipe collection and so post I will!  I will stand up for the loaf of bread and declare, "I am not afraid of carbs".  Okay, I am scared of the white carbs that come in the form of bread loafs at the store that contain 32 ingredients of which I can only pronounce four...  But this is not that loaf!

Three years ago I went to a bread making class at my church and this is the recipe that I learned to make.  We learned about grinding our own wheat and using it while it was fresh because of the nutritional value that freshly ground wheat contains.  We were reminded that we have been taught (here) that grains were meant for our consumption.  I have been making homemade bread, this recipe specifically, ever since.  I will admit that since our move I have not made it as often as I would like, but up until our move I made this weekly and stopped purchasing store bought bread altogether.  This isn't 100% whole wheat, but it does make a light enough loaf that my kids will happily eat it and it is sturdy enough to not tear when using it for sandwiches.  Oh, and it's mighty tasty when it's hot out of the oven and it melts the pat of butter that you smear across it!

HOMEMADE WHEAT BREAD     

(recipe from Erin B.)
(printable version)

This recipe is for a 4-6 quart mixing bowl. It can be easily doubled for a larger capacity bowl.

First, grind 4 cups wheat berries. This will produce 6 cups flour.

Place the following ingredients in bowl:
3 cups warm water
½ cup oil
½ cup honey
2 ½ cups freshly ground flour, or enough to cover the top of the other ingredients.

Mix with a paddle attachment on speed 1 only until flour is wet. Then add:
1 ½ T SAF instant yeast.

Mix briefly, about 15 seconds. Put a dry towel over the bowl and let dough sponge for 15-20 minutes. Now add:

1 Tbs. sea salt
¼ cup vital wheat gluten
½ cup powered milk
1 heaping T dough enhancer
Remainder of freshly ground flour.

Mix with dough hook on speed 1 or 2 for a few (3-5) minutes.

Next, add white (store bought) flour to the mixture until the sides of the mixing bowl are wiping clean from top to bottom. Continuing to add flour will make your bread dense and heavy. Your bowl will do the hard part for you if you pay close attention. Start with 2 ½ cups; you generally won’t add more than 3 cups. At this point your bread will still look very sticky.

When you’ve added enough white flour, knead with dough hook on speed 2 for about 10 minutes. You’ll be able to tell that you’ve kneaded enough when you can pull your dough without it ripping easily. It also will no longer be sticky. The gluten will have formed enough that it will appear shiny and elastic.

Crisco your hands and counter top or cutting board, and dump dough onto work surface. Cut into three equal portions. Form loaves by allowing the dough to fall over your fingertips with your thumbs on top. Once you’ve formed a large circle, place the dough on counter and, with your palms up, squeeze inward with the pinkie sides of your hands while rotating in a circle. This will form a nice oval shaped loaf. Place in greased pans.

Place loaf pans on a cutting board or wire rack. Cover with dry towel and let double in size. This usually takes 30-60 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 27-30 minutes. If loaves are getting too brown, tent with tin foil.

Once out of oven, remove from pans and cool on a wire rack. If desired, rub tops of hot bread with butter or shortening, or spray with Vegalene for a shiny appearance.

Do not place in bags until completely cool. Never freeze until completely cool.

When thawing, microwave single loaf on high for 2 ½ minutes.

Serving Up {Bread}: Grandma's Banana Bread

When I set out to start blogging my many recipes, I really wanted to remember the history behind some of my recipes.  This is one such recipe.  This is my grandmother's recipe for banana bread.  I don't have any one specific memory associated with my grandmother and this bread, but something about knowing it was her recipe has made this a cherished possession of mine.  She passed away shortly after I married and as I began my married life, I wished that I had thought to get more of her recipes.  It's a sad thought to think that those are lost forever.  So here is an encouragement to call up a family member and ask them for a recipe for something that they make that you love.  It's a little piece of them that you will have forever.

Onto the recipe.  I really like anything banana - bread, muffins, cakes, cookies.  I have recipes for them all.  Of all the recipes I've made, this is the only one that I have ever come across that has you dissolve baking soda in hot water before adding it to the ingredients.  I failed chemistry (okay, I got a B) so I have no idea what that step does, but for as moist as this banana bread is, I have never dared to do it any way other than directed.  Let me know if you agree. 

GRANDMA'S BANANA BREAD     Pin It

(recipe from Grandma Wright)
printable version

1/3 cup shortening (I use butter, but the shortening was my grandma!)
1 cup sugar (I frequently reduce it by 1/3 cup with no noticeable difference)
1 egg
3 bananas, well ripened and mashed
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1/3 cup boiling water

Cream butter and sugar together until well mixed.  Add egg and banana and continue to mix.  Add flour and salt and mix until well combined.  Add the soda dissolved in boiling water LAST.  Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour - test it with a toothpick at 55 minutes.
Cool completely and store in the fridge.