Category: BREADS, BISCUITS & MUFFINS

HOT HONEY CORNBREAD ~ BLOG 366.324

HOT HONEY CORNBREAD

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray a 10 inch pan with non stick spray.

2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoon QUALITY honey

  • Whisk butter and honey together.
  • Pour into bottom of prepared pan evenly.

2 cups buttermilk
2 LARGE eggs
1 tablespoon PURE vanilla extract
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons sour cream

  • Whisk together the buttermilk and eggs until smooth in a large bowl.
  • Add vanilla, sour cream and melted butter, whisking until well blended.

2 cups AP flour
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

  • Sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  • Gradually whisk into the large bowl of wet ingredients.
  • Pour on top of honey butter mixture and spread smooth.
  • Bake 20 minutes or cooked through.
  • Cool 5 minutes before inverting onto platter.
  • Serve immediately with honey butter.

HONEY BUTTER
4 tablespoons butter, softened
6 tablespoons QUALITY honey

  • Whisk together in small ramekin for serving with cornbread.

NOTE: HEINZ has a variety of infused honeys that can seriously amp up the flavor of this bread.

PEANUT BUTTER BREAD ~ BLOG 366.317

I found another antique vintage recipe worth the time and effort to decipher the old card and recreate. On the card is the printed name of Vonnie McGinnis in the bottom right corner, but I can’t find any reference to her anywhere. It’s rare that I actually get a name to go with the recipe so I wish I could have found information on her. From the appearance of the card I’d say it’s from the 1940’s or 1950’s.

PEANUT BUTTER BREAD

TOPPING
2 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3-1/2 cup Planters dry roasted, salted peanuts (this is a preferred choice as the card only said “peanuts”)
1 tablespoon water

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spread butter into the bottom of bread loaf pan.
  • Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter.
  • Chop peanuts to desired consistency.
  • Evenly sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the brown sugar.
  • Sprinkle the water on top of the peanuts.
  • Set aside.

BATTER
1 LARGE egg
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 cup sour milk (making sour milk)
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

  • Beat egg and add sugar gradually until well blended.
  • Add butter and peanut butter.
  • Add milk, stirring until smooth.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  • Gradually stir in flour mixture until well blended.
  • Bake 1 hour until toothpick comes out clean. I start checking it at 45 minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn.
  • Cool a few minutes before inverting on a serving platter.
  • Enjoy.

NOTES: After making the recipe “as written” I’ve decided that melting the butter and “painting” it all the way up the sides of a DEEP loaf pan is best as it rises quite a bit.

The recipe was absolutely delicious, but the “glaze” part was quite dry and came close to burning on the bottom. So, now I make the cake in reverse usually and added this RICH AND CREAMY peanut butter glaze. This really makes a simple dessert quite elegant.

PEANUT BUTTER GLAZE

½ cup JIF creamy peanut butter
1½ cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
6-8 tablespoons WHOLE milk or half-n-half

  • Combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  • Slowly add the milk one tablespoon at a time, beating continuously until you reach the desired consistency. We like it fairly thin.
  • Drizzle the glaze over the COMPLETELY cooled cake.

LEMON BLUEBERRY SCONES ~ BLOG 366.236

Prior to last week, I had only rarely had a scone and they were always a dry, crumbly and plain. I truly never understood the appeal. Then last week I saw some at a local farm stand that looked so delectable I decided to give Tham a try again. THEY WERE DELICIOUS!!!!!! So I started searching for the perfect recipe and I found one that with a few tweaks is so YUMMY! They are sweet, tangy and filled with bursts of blueberry flavor. Don’t forget the glaze!

GLAZED LEMON BLUEBERRY SCONES adapted from LOVE NERDS

SCONES yields 8 scones
2 cups flour
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons COLD butter
1/2 cup WHOLE milk
1/4 cup FRESH lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
2 tablespoons FRESH lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon PURE Vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon PURE Almond extract
1 cup FRESH plump blueberries

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • 
Dice the COLD butter into smaller cubes. You can also use a box grater to make pieces a bit smaller.
  • Cut the butter pieces into the dry ingredients until it all resembles coarse wet sand.
    BE PATIENT! It might take a little time but the butter will break down into the mix.
  • Stir in milk, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest until moistened. **see note**
  • Pat the dough into an even layer on your floured work surface.
  • Sprinkle the dough with the blueberries, and GENTLY fold the blueberries into the dough without squishing them.
  • By hand, form the dough into a rectangle 1 inch thick. Once again be careful not to break the blueberries.
  • Cut the rectangle in half making 2 squares.
  • Cut each square diagonally in both directions so you have 4 triangles.
  • Place scones 2 inches apart onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.
  • Bake 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Cool slightly and drizzle with Lemon glaze.

LEMON GLAZE
1/2 cup powder sugar
1 tablespoon FRESH lemon juice
Pinch of lemon zest

  • Whisk ingredients in a small bowl, adjusting lemon juice to taste and to get the consistency you need: a little more lemon juice for thinner glaze and a little less lemon juice or more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze.

NOTE**: If your dough is a little dry I use ice cold vodka in the dough to make it come together. The vodka will evaporate during the baking process.

COWBOY BREAD aka CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE ~ BLOG 366.82

COWBOY BREAD
CAKE
2 1/2 cups AP flour
2 1/2 cups PACKED brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons QUALITY cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons COLD butter, diced
1 cup buttermilk
2 LARGE eggs, lightly beaten

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Grease and flour 13×9 inch baking dish.
  • Sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
  • Cut in butter pieces until mixture is similar to wet sand.
  • Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture into a separate bowl.

TOPPING
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons COLD unsalted butter, diced

  • Add sugar and butter to the 1/2 cup reserved cake mixture, combining well.
  • Set aside.

ASSEMBLY

  • Whisk buttermilk and eggs into the cake mixture until smooth.
  • Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
  • Sprinkle topping evenly over top.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool on wire rack 30 minutes before cutting.

CHICKEN CHILE RELLENOS CORNBREAD CASSEROLE ~ BLOG 365.241

CHICKEN CHILE RELLENOS CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup sour cream
2 LARGE eggs
1 can Mexican Corn niblets
1/2 cup FRESH chopped roasted HATCH chiles or 4 ounce can chopped green chilies, rinsed and drained
2 cups rotisserie chicken pieces
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

  • Preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Lightly coat an 10 inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • In another large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and corn.
  • Fold in the cornmeal mixture, chicken pieces, green chiles, and cheese into the dry ingredients JUST until blended.
  • Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
  • Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.
  • Garnish with minced green onions, sour cream and minced cilantro.

HATCH CHILES are my favorite green chile. They are similar to their cousin the Anaheim green chile, but is specific to the Hatch Valley in southern New Mexico. Hatch chiles only come from Hatch, New Mexico. The HATCH green chile is especially popular throughout all of New Mexico, as well as Texas and Southern California.

They have a balanced, smoky heat that enhances both savory and sweet dishes. You can buy a canned version of roasted Hatch chiles, but nothing beats a FRESH roasted one. August and September are the BEST times to find them.

True Parmesan cheese only comes from the Reggio Emilia and Parma region, champagne only comes from the champagne wine region of France. Similarily Hatch chiles from the Hatch Valley are like grapes coming from the Napa Valley.

Hatch chiles are extremely versatile. I add them to stews, sauces, dips, dressings, salsa and even desserts. Some of my favorite sandwich cookies (Sweet Lime chile) in the world come from the HEB grocery chain in Texas. Try adding them to your apple pie or on top of a burger or your slice of pizza.

Green and red Hatch chiles are the same pepper just picked at different times. They do each offer distinct flavors though. I LOVE them best in August when they offer a smoky flavor. But, in September when the turn red they offer a sweeter flavor better suited for the sweeter recipes.

BUTTER SWIM BISCUITS ~ BLOG 365.234

Butter Swim Biscuits are buttermilk biscuits that are baked drenched in butter for a biscuit that has a crispy crust with a soft and fluffy inside.

BUTTER SWIM BISCUITS
2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk
½ cup butter, melted

  • Preheat the oven to 425°.
  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.
  • Drizzle the buttermilk into the sifted flour mixture and gentle stir until mostly combined. Be careful not to overwork the batter.
  • Pour the melted butter into an 8×8-inch baking dish.
  • Spread the dough evenly over the butter all the way to the edges.
  • Cut the unbaked dough into a 3×3 pattern (9 squares).
  • Bake for 28 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
  • Allow the butter to be absorbed into the biscuits before cutting and serving.


NOTES:

  • Place the baking dish on a baking sheet in case of spillover.
  • I often use herb butter to add flavor.

ULTIMATE COFFEE CAKE ~ BLOG 365.171

For years I made this simple and classic Bisquick coffee cake from the back of the box, but I doctored it up my way. So recently I went looking for Bisquick’s original recipe and was surprised to find MANY versions of it by several bakers. The only thing I found in common was the use of Bisquick and most people did what I’d been doing for many years ~ double the ooey gooey streusel!

MY RECIPE for the ULTIMATE COFFEE CAKE
STREUSEL TOPPING
2/3 cup Bisquick®
2/3 cup PACKED brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon QUALITY ground cinnamon
1/3-1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3-1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

  • Combine the baking mix, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly.
  • Fold in nuts and raisins, if using. Set aside.

CAKE
2 cups Bisquick®
2/3-3/4 cup WHOLE milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 LARGE egg
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1 tablespoon QUALITY ground cinnamon

  • Preheat the oven to 375°.
  • Grease a DEEP 9-inch baking dish.
  • In a large bowl, combine baking mix, sugar, cinnamon, milk, and egg together, mixing well.
  • Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish.
  • Spread the topping evenly over the cake batter.
  • Use a knife to swirl the streusel topping into the cake.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Pour a cup of coffee and enjoy!

NOTES:

  • BISQUICK is the ONLY baking mix that works EXACTLY right in this recipe. Substitute other brnads at your own risk 😀
  • For really ooey and gooey streusel double the amounts.
  • When I’m feeling a bit naughty I soak the raisins in a spiced rum first. Be sure to drain them well before adding them to the streusel.

Here are the links to a few of the similar recipes I found.

MY BAKING ADDICTION’S  Yield 8-10 servings
This version of the same basic coffee cake gets its tang from sour cream and has a little twist using either pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice instead of plain cinnamon PLUS a bit of a crunch from pecans though I prefer walnuts.

BISQUICK COFFEE CAKE
STREUSEL TOPPING
⅔ cup Bisquick mix
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup unsalted butter, cold
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

  • In a medium bowl, stir combine ⅔ cup Bisquick, ⅔ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until well combined and only small pieces of butter are visible.
  • Stir in the pecans. Set aside.

CAKE
2 cups Bisquick mix
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
⅔ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining Bisquick, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice.
  • Stir in the sour cream, milk, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
  • Spread half of the cake batter into the bottom of the greased cake pan.
  • Sprinkle evenly with half of the streusel.
  • Top evenly with the remaining cake batter, followed by the rest of the streusel.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

COFFEE CAKE KNOTS ~ BLOG 365.75

COFFEE CAKE KNOTS with COFFEE ICING yields 12 knots

Prep Time 40 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 1 hour

DOUGH
3 1/2 – 4 cups AP flour
1 packet Instant Yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup warm milk
3 LARGE eggs
4 tablespoons butter, softened

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 ½ cups flour, the yeast, brown sugar, and salt.
  • Add the milk, eggs, and butter, mixing until the flour is completely incorporated. If the dough seems sticky, add the remaining ½ cup of flour a little at a time. 
Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

FILLING
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon

  • In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
  • ASSEMBLY
    5-6 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 375°.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment. 
On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a 14 x 16 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, adding flour as needed.
  • Spread the dough with 5-6 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Fold the dough in half, directly over the cinnamon, pressing to adhere.
  • Cut into 12-14 strips.
  • Twist each strip into a loose knot, they don’t need to be perfect.
  • Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake 20 minutes, until golden.

ICING
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup PURE maple start
3/4-1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon espresso powder

  • Melt together the butter and maple syrup in a small pot set over medium heat.
  • Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and instant coffee.
  • Drizzle over the knots. 




NOTE: For a quicker prep time you can use store bought dough!

CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS ~ BLOG 365.55

CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 medium bananas, mashed (1 1/3 cups)
1/3 cup avocado oil
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1 LARGE egg
1 cup mini chocolate chips

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Grease or line muffin tin with papers.
  • Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a LARGE bowl.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the mashed bananas, oil, vanilla and egg until well blended.
  • Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients JUST until combined.
  • Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Fill muffins 3/4 full.

STREUSEL TOPPING
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon
1/4 cup COLD butter, cubed

  • Whisk together the sugar, flour and cinnamon.
  • Cut in butter pieces until crumbly.
  • Top filled muffins with streusel.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and centers are cooked.
  • Cool 5-10 minutes on wire rack.
  • Best served warm.

GARLIC CHEESE BREAD ~ SMOKEHOUSE STYLE ~ BLOG 365.31

When I was a kid we went to The Smoke House restaurant in Toluca Lake, California for all the special celebration occasions – graduations, Easter, birthdays, anniversaries for their Prime Rib. As a young adult in college my friends and I would go for the bands and the bar. BUT, always we went for the garlic bread! It was THE most unbelievable garlic bread. To this day it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I’ve been experimenting for years with a copycat recipe. I have finally perfected it (at least according to my memory of it since we have long since moved away) and then my brother sends me a link order it directly from them.

It had this distinctive neon orange color (which in hindsight probably wasn’t all that good for us). I used to be able to buy the cheese powder in a loose package at a mom and pop grocery store years later in Michigan, but then we moved yet again. The closet I’ve come to finding it recently is ordering it from NUTS.com

I now prefer the non-orange powder from King Arthur that is a sharp Vermont cheddar so there is a healthier alternative 🙂

GARLIC CHEESE BREAD

1 Loaf French Sourdough bread
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1/4 cup Cheese Powder (your choice of color)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup FINELY grated Parmesan cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • In a small saucepan, slowly melt butter with minced garlic.
  • Once melted, remove from heat and rest several hours to infuse the garlic into the butter.
  • Slice bread in half lengthwise.
  • Brush all the garlic butter over both halves of bread.
  • Mix together the Parmesan cheese, paprika and cheese powder.
  • Sprinkle all over both halves of bread.
  • Bake 8 minutes.
  • Increase heat to broil.
  • Broil 30 seconds at a time until you get your desired doneness. Watch it closely to prevent burning!
  • ENJOY!

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL MUFFINS

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL MUFFINS slightly adapted from OMG CHOCOLATE DESERTS

DON’T just eat these for breakfast, they are PERFECT for ANY time of day.

MUFFINS
2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 LARGE eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1/2 cup avocado oil
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups thawed small WILD blueberries divided – 1 cup goes in the batter and 1 1/3 cups for topping
1–2 tablespoon WONDRA flour

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Line standard muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
  • In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined.
  • Whisk in yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract (mixture should be pale and yellow).
  • Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix everything together by hand.
  • In a small bowl sprinkle 1 cup blueberries with 1-2 tablespoon flour and toss them until all blueberries are coated with thin layer of flour and then fold them really gently in the batter.
  • Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling about 2/3 of each cup.
  • Cover the batter with the remaining blueberries and then cover the blueberries generously with streusel topping.
  • Place them in the oven and reduce the heat to 375°, bake 18-20 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove muffins and cool on a wire rack.

STREUSEL

1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon PURE cinnamon

  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and cinnamon.
  • Add melted butter and stir with a fork until crumbly and set aside.

BLOG 365.26 ~ SNICKER DOODLE BREAD

Do you love a good snickerdoodle? What could be better than a warm cookie? Warm bread of course!

SNICKER DOODLE BREAD
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons QUALITY cinnamon (see notes)
1 bag Hershey’s cinnamon chips (see notes)
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 LARGE eggs
1 tablespoon PURE vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Grease 3 loaf pans.
  • Sift together the flour baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
  • Fold in cinnamon chips and Set aside.
  • Cream together the butter and sugar.
  • Add eggs, blending until fluffy and uniform in color.
  • Mix in vanilla and sour cream.
  • Gradually add in the dry ingredients.
  • Distribute evenly amongst the loaf pans.
  • Bake 45-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

NOTES:

  • This recipe easily transforms into a seasonal taste by using apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice in combination with the cinnamon.
  • You can also substitute the cinnamon chips for butterscotch chips.