Honey Cornbread

Cornbread is one of those foods that you either like or you don't.  However, this cornbread recipe gives you a sweet and delicious cornbread that your whole family will love. It is just as quick as the boxed cornbread mixes, and it tastes so much better. 

Ingredients

1 c. flour
1 c. yellow cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c.melted butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil
1/4 c. honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.  Greased 9 inch square pan. Or, we use a cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom.  Slide the cast iron skillet into the oven while the oven is preheating, and you're mixing the batter together. Then carefully remove the skillet when the batter is ready to pour.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, until they are light, fluffy and a pale yellow color. Add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla, melted butter and honey.  Mix thoroughly with a whisk.  

Pour the egg mixture in the well of the dry ingredients.  Stir only until the flour is moistened. 

Pour into prepared pan or skillet,

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Sweet Potatoes are good for your body. They are high in fiber and contain antioxidants.  They also make great biscuits.  These biscuits are light and fluffy, light orange in color, and they have a delicious flavor. 

Ingredients

2 to 3 c. flour
2 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
8 Tbs butter, cut into smaller pieces
2 c. mashed sweet potatoes
2 Tbs. honey
1/4 c. heavy cream or evaporated milk
melted butter for brushing the tops

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet, or baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

Add the butter.  Cut in the butter using a pastry knife or two table knives held together in your hand. The butter should be the size of small peas when you are done. 

In another bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, honey and cream.

Add the sweet potatoes to the flour mixture. Gently stir to make a soft dough.  

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough about 4 times until it is a smooth ball. Knead in more flour until it is no longer sticky. Do not over work the dough or your biscuits will be hard and tough.

Flatten the dough out until it is about 1 inch thick. Cut the dough with a biscuit cutter or a glass. Place on prepared pan or cast iron skillet. 

Coat tops with melted butter.

Bake for 14 minutes, or until lightly browned on the top.

Potato Yeast Bread

If you like bread and if you like mashed potatoes, this bread recipe gives you the best of both flavors.  

Potato bread has a slightly different flavor than regular white bread.  It has a slightly sweet and earthy flavor.  The texture is more dense, yet it is moist. It tastes like a cross between white bread and mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

1 pkg. yeast or 1 Tbs. yeast
1/2 c. warm water, 110 to 115°
4 Tbs. sugar
2 c. milk, warmed
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. butter, softened or olive oil
1 c. mashed potatoes
1 tsp. salt
5 c. bread flour
butter

Directions

Oven temperature 350°. Grease two 8 by 4-inch loaf pans

In a large bowl, combine yeast, water and 1 tablespoon of the sugar.  Mix to combine and place in a warm location for the yeast to bloom.  This takes about 10 minutes.

Mix in warm milk, eggs, butter or oil, mashed potatoes, salt and 2 cups bread flour.  Beat well with a wooden spoon, or about two minutes. You can also use a mixer that has a dough hook attachment.

Continue to add more flour, mixing until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and elastic.  The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch.

Lightly grease or oil the bottom and sides of a large bowl. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and then turn the dough over, so all sides of the dough are oiled. We use the same bowl that we kneaded the dough in.  

Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic or a tea towel.  Place the bowl in a warm location for about 90 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Punch dough down. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. 

Divide the dough into two equal portions. Shape each half into a loaf and place in prepared loaf pans.

Cover and let rise in a warm location until doubled in size. 

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped with your finger.  

Remove from pans and rub some butter over the tops of the loaves.  We take a stick of butter and run it over the top of the hot loaves. 

Place the bread on racks until cool.  

Try to let them cool completely before slicing.

Homemade Bread

Homemade Bread, Two Loaves

We no longer buy our bread at the store. The bread that you buy does not spoil, so that lets you know it has plenty of preservatives and chemicals in it.  It is so light, that you could eat the whole loaf and still not be full.  

This bread recipe is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.  Nothing tastes better than warm, freshly baked bread from the oven.

Ingredients

2 cups warm milk

1 package or 2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast

1 tsp. baking powder

1 egg, room temperature

3 Tbs. sugar

4 1/2 to 5 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup or 1 stick, butter, softened

Olive oil

Butter for the top

Directions

Heat oven to 375°. Grease two 8.5 in x 4.5 in x 2.5

In a large bowl, combine milk, yeast, baking powder, egg and sugar. Set in a warm location for about 5 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom

 

Add 2 cups flour, and salt. Beat the dough with a wooden spoon, for 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in softened butter.  

 

Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour.  Mix with a wooden spoon until it get too hard to mix.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Knead the dough for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.  You may need to add more flour to keep the dough from sticking. The dough should be slightly tacky.

Place the dough into a greased bowl.  Pour a little olive oil over the top of the dough and sides of the dough.  Cover the bowl with a tea towel and place in a warm location until the dough is doubled in size.   

Punch the dough down.

Divide the dough in half.  Form each half into loaves and place into prepared bread pans.   

 

Lightly oil the tops of the loaves with olive oil.  Cover with a tea towel, place in a warm location and let rise for about an hour or two, until doubled in size.

Bake the bread fo30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the pans and place the bread on a wire rack.  Put some butter over the top. We use a cold stick of butter to butter the top of the bread loaves with. 

Notes

You can also use part whole wheat flour to make this bread as well.  

Flour measurements are never exact.  It depends on the amount of moisture in the air and in the flour. 

Pizza Crust

This is a pizza crust that my son loves to make. It is easy and does not take a lot of time to make. This is a no knead crust and the rising time only takes about 15 to 30 minutes.  It is a soft chewy crust and it tastes so good.

Ingredients

1 c. warm water
1 pkg. yeast
1 to 2 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 c. bread flour or regular flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. oil

Directions

Heat oven to 400°. Lightly oil or grease a 15 x 10-inch baking sheet.

In a bowl, combine warm water, yeast and sugar. Stir to combine.  Place in a warm location for about 8 to 10 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom.

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Mix to combine with a whisk.  

Add yeast mixture and oil.  Stir with a wooden spoon until combined and all the flour is incorporated into the dough.  Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm location. Let rise for 15 to 30 minutes, or until doubled. 

 Turn the dough out onto your prepared pan.  With buttered or oiled fingers, press or pat the dough out into the pan.  

Spread pizza sauce over the top of the crust. Add your favorite toppings like cheese, pepperoni, jalapeños, peppers, and onions.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Notes

You can add spices to your crust during the mixing process.  Add some garlic, Italian seasoning, or cheese for a more flavorful crust.