Banana Muffins (from Cindy Bell)

Ingredients

• 1 medium ripe banana
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 C flour
• 1/4 C oil or melted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 C nuts or chocolate chips

Directions

1. Mash bananas.  
2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees.  
4. Makes 12 muffins.

WHITE Fruit Cake (Fusayo Sakasegawa Scannell)

Ingredients

• 1 pound butter
• 2 C sugar
• 10 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 1/2 C flour
• 1/2 C sherry or brandy
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 c flour
• 2 packages candied fruit mix
• 1 C raisins (golden, if possible)
• 1 C chopped nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
2. Place a pan of water on bottom shelf of oven.
3. Generously grease pans, line with brown paper, then with waxed paper.  Trim to 1/4" from the top of pan.  Perhaps use parchment paper?   This recipe was written a while ago.
4. Cream butter, add sugar and mix well.  
5. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Then add vanilla, the 3 1/2 C of flour, baking powder, and sherry/brandy.
6. In separate bowl, mix together fruits, raisins and nuts.  Mix with the 1/2 C flour so fruits don't stick together.
7. Add to cake mixture, mixing well so fruits are equally distributed.
8. Fill pans about 3/4 full.
9. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, then lower heat to 300 deg. F for 45 minutes.

I LOVE fruit cake of any kind, but especially love this one.  It's a lot lighter than those darker ones made with rum :)

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Made this for our Thanksgiving meal on Nov. 28, 2024.  It's a keeper!

Ingredients

• 1 loaf day-old French baguette
• 5 eggs
• 3 1/2 C whole milk
• 1 C sugar (I halved the sugar)
• 1 T vanilla
• 1/2 C butter
• 1 1/2 C brown sugar (I halved the sugar here too)
• 1 1/2 C shelled pecan halves (I like nuts so put in a lot) 
• I might put in a shot of bourbon next time :)
  
  

Directions

1. Cut the bread into cubes and let sit out about an hour to dry out a bit.  Using day-old bread is perfect; the drier the bread cubes, the better!
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs until they are combined.  Add the milk, sugar, and vanilla and stir until combined.
4. Place the bread cubes in a baking pan and pour the milk and egg mixture over them.
5. Melt butter in microwave-proof bowl.  Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved; then stir in the pecans.
6. Pour this mixture over the bread and egg mixture, and gently fold.  Don't mix it in too thoroughly, just fold the mixture so it forms into clumps throughout the bread pudding.  
7. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown.  The center will still be a little jiggly.
8. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.  The egg mixture will continue to cook, and the bread will soak up more of the pecan solution.   

Old-fashioned pancakes

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C flour
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 T white sugar
• 1 1/4 C milk
• 1 egg
• 3 T butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
2. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, and melted butter; mix until smooth.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan and Cook the Pancakes!!!

I made this on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 for Luca and Alex.  After I mixed the batter, I split it in half, then added yellow food coloring to one, green food coloring to the other.  I also added some chocolate chips.

Delicious!   I'll make it again!

Apple Cake Recipes

This one is from Aunt Mary Slattery

Ingredients

• 4 C chopped apples
• 1 C chopped nuts
• 2 C sugar
• 3 C flour
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 C vegetable oil
• 2 eggs (well beaten)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Mix apples, nuts, and sugar.
2. Let stand one hour, stirring often so mixture makes its own juice.
3. Add all the dry ingredients to apple mixture.
4. Mix oil, vanilla, and eggs together and add to apple mixture.  Mix by hand.
5. Pour into greased and floured tube pan.  
6. Bake at 325 deg. for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

This one is from the Smitten Kitchen Website.   https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/moms-apple-cake/

Ingredients

For the apples

• 6 apples
• 1 T cinnamon
• 5 T sugar

For the cake

• 2 3/4 C flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 C oil, melted butter also works
• 2 C sugar
• 1/4 C orange juice
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 1 C walnuts

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 deg.  Grease a tube pan.  Peel, core and chop apples into 1" chunks.  Toss with cinnamon and 5 tablespoons sugar and set aside.
2. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar, vanilla and eggs.  
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry ones.
4. Pour half of batter into prepared pan.  Spread half of apples (and their juices) over it.  Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top.  
5. Bake at 350 deg. for 1 1/2 hours or until a tester comes out clean.

Cool completely before running knife between cake and pan, and unfolding onto a platter.

The cake is great the first day, but absolutely glorious and pudding-like on the days that follow.  Keep it room temperature covered with foil.

**Tip:  the apples love to hide uncooked pockets of batter, especially near the top.  Make sure your testing skewer or toothpick goes not just all the way down to the bottom, but does a shallow dip below the top layer of apples to make sure it comes out batter-free.  Should your cake be browning too fast, before the center is baked through, cover it with foil for all the last few minutes in the oven.  

Apple Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf King's Bakery sweet bread
• 1 C raisins (optional)
• 1 can apple pie filling
• 2 C low-fat milk
• 1 C sugar
• 1 block/stick butter
• 5 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon 

Directions:

1. Heat milk, sugar and butter in pan until sugar and butter melt.  Cool until warm.
2. Tear bread into 2" pieces and place in greased 9" x 13" pan.  Sprinkle raisins in between the bread.
3. Spread pie filling on top.
4. Mix eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.  Cinnamon will clump, try to unclump.
5. Add to cooled milk mixture.  Pour over bread.
6. Use back of spoon and press on bread to make sure the bread is saturated.
7. Bake at 350 deg. F for 30 minutes.

Oahu Country Club Creme Anglaise  (Spoon on top of bread pudding before serving)

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 C sugar

3 eggs yolks, whisked

1/4 tsp vanilla

Heat cream and sugar near boiling in pan.  Add vanilla and egg yolks and cook until it thickens.  Strain through mesh strainer or cheese cloth.

Cool by placing in fridge.

Serve cool or at room temperature.  Sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated.  Take out from fridge about 15 minutes before serving and stir.  

Pumpkin Bread

I made this on May 16, 2021.  Too sweet and too flat.  Put more batter into each pan OR use only one pan?

 Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 C)
• 2 cups sugar Too much sugar.  Use only one cup?
• 2 eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
• Nuts or pumpkin seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Generously grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans with butter and dust with flour (alternatively, use a baking spray with flour in it, such as Pam with Flour or Baker's Joy).
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until well combined; set aside.
3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Beat in the pumpkin. The mixture might look grainy and curdled at this point -- that's okay.
4. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
5. Turn the batter into the prepared pans, dividing evenly, and bake for 65 – 75 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Here's another recipe from Hawaiian Electric I made this on May 27, 2021.  Wait until cool before slicing!!!
7. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Ingredients

• 2 1/2 C flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 C nuts, any kine, chopped
• 1/2 C butter
• 1 C brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C buttermilk
• 3/4 C pumpkin
• 2 T orange rind
• 1/4 C orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
2. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3" loaf pan.
3. Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
4. Sprinkle 1/4 C of the flour mixture over the nuts.
5. Cream butter, add sugar, and blend thoroughly.
6. Add eggs and beat well.
7. Combine buttermilk, pumpkin, orange rind, and orange juice.
8. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin mixture.
9. Stir in nuts.
10. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 1/4 hours.  Makes one loaf.

Naan with garlic butter

I MADE THIS ON JULY 29, 2020.  IT CAME OUT GREAT!  THERE WERE NO LEFTOVERS.  UNFORTUNATELY, I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE :(

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 2 cups white whole wheat flour + 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour) I used 3 C all-purpose flour and 1/2 C whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• (optional topping: chopped fresh cilantro)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stir together warm water and honey until the honey has dissolved.
2. Add the water mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough attachment, and sprinkle the yeast on top of the water.  Give the yeast a quick stir to mix it in with the water.  Then let it sit for 5-10 minute until the yeast is foamy.
3. Turn the mixer onto low speed, and add gradually flour, yogurt, salt, baking powder, and egg.  Increase speed to medium-low, and continue mixing the dough for 2-3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.  (The dough will still be slightly sticky, but should form into a ball that pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.)
4. Remove dough from the mixing bowl, and use your hands to shape it into a ball.  Grease the mixing bowl (or a separate bowl) with olive oil or cooking spray, then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel.  Place in a warm location (I set mine by the sunny window) and let it rise for 1 hour until the dough has nearly doubled in size.
5. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small saute pan over medium heat until melted.  Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.  Then remove butter from heat, strain out and discard the garlic, leaving the infused melted butter behind.  Set aside.
6. Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a floured work surface.  Then cut the dough into 8 separate pieces. Roll each into a ball with your hands, then place on the floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large circle (or oval, or whatever shape it takes) until the dough is a little less than 1/4-inch thick.  Brush dough lightly with the garlic-infused butter on both sides.
7. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add a piece of the rolled-out dough to the pan and cook for 1 minute, or until the dough begins to bubble and the bottom turns lightly golden.  Flip the dough and cook on the second side for 30-60 seconds, or until the bottom is golden.  Then transfer the naan to a separate plate, and cover with a towel.  Repeat with remaining dough until all of the naan pieces are cooked.
8. Keep the naan covered with the towel until ready to serve, so that it doesn’t dry out.  Serve sprinkled with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Irish Soda Bread (Marilyn O'Reilly)

Irish Soda Bread sliced.

Waiting for it to cool to eat!  

I made this on May 3, 2020.  This one's a keeper.  Super delicious and not dense as some non-yeast breads!
Great with butter.










Ingredients

• 3 C flour
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 T butter (1/4 C, 1/2 stick)
• 2 T caraway seeds, optional
• 1 C raisins
• 1 C buttermilk
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt and stir well to mix.
3. Add the butter and rub in until the butter disappears in the dry ingredients.
4. Stir in the caraway seeds (if used) and the raisins.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together and mix in to the dough mixture with a spatula.
6. Turn the dough out on a floured work surface and fold it over on itself several times, shaping it into a round loaf.  
7. Transfer the load to a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan covered with parchment paper or foil and cut a cross in the top.
8. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes more, until well colored and a toothpick plunged into the center emerges clean.
9. Cool the bread on a rack and serve with plenty of sweet butter and orange marmalade.

Simply Delicious Apple Cake (from Honolulu Federal Recipe Calendar 1992)

Ingredients

• 1 C oil
• 2 C sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 3 C self-rising flour
• 6 tart green apples
• 2 T sugar
• 2 T ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 deg. F
2. Grease and flour an angel food cake pan or bundt pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine oil, 2 C sugar and vanilla; blend well.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Stir in self-rising flour.  
6. DO NOT use an electric mixer.
7. Core and slice apples.  Sprinkle with the 2 T sugar, cinnamon and cloves; mix well.
8. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan.
9. Top with apples.  Pour on remaining batter
10. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cake tests done.  
11. Remove from oven and let cake stand for 10 minutes; then remove from pan onto a wire rack and let cool.
12. Makes 12 servings.  

Focaccia Bread

• Ingredients
• 1 1/3 C warm water
• 2 tsp sugar or honey
• 1 (0.25 ounce) package active-dry yeast
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 teaspoons flaked sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add warm water (about 110°F, which you can measure with a thermometer if you want to be sure it’s the right temp) and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough attachment, and stir to combine.  Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water.  Give the yeast a quick stir to mix it in with the water.  Then let it sit for 5-10 minute until the yeast is foamy.
2. Turn the mixer onto low speed, and add gradually flour, olive oil and salt.  Increase speed to medium-low, and continue mixing the dough for 5 minutes.  (If the dough is too sticky and isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl, add in an extra 1/4 cup flour while it is mixing.)
3. Remove dough from the mixing bowl, and use your hands to shape it into a ball.  Grease the mixing bowl (or a separate bowl) with olive oil or cooking spray, then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel.  Place in a warm location (I set mine by the window) and let it rise for 45-60 minutes, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F.  Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and roll it out into a large circle or rectangle until that the dough is about 1/2-inch thick*.  Cover the dough with a greased piece of plastic wrap, and let the dough continue to rise for another 20 minutes.  I did this second rise on a pizza pan.
5. Remove the plastic wrap, and transfer the dough to a large baking sheet.  Use your fingers to poke deep dents (seriously, poke all the way down to the baking sheet!) all over the surface of the dough.  Then drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil evenly all over the top of the dough, and sprinkle evenly with the fresh rosemary needles and sea salt.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dough is slightly golden and cooked through.  Remove from the oven, and drizzle with a little more olive oil if desired.
7. Slice, and serve warm.

Homemade Biscuits

I made this on November 22, 2019.  The one on the right is from the website https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/08/the-food-lab-buttermilk-biscuits-recipe.html
The "Serious Eats" website failed me this time :(  











Ingredients
3 C flour
3 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 C COLD butter
1 egg
1 C whole milk I used almond milk.  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  
3. The secret to excellent biscuits is COLD butter.  Really cold!  I grated the butter directly from the freezer into the dry ingredients bowl.
4. Mix the butter with the flour but be minimal.  Don't go crazy.  
5. Add in the milk and egg and mix just until the ingredients are combined.  The dough will be sticky but don't keep working it.  You should be able to see the butter pieces in the dough.
6. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface.  Sprinkle some flour on to the top of the dough so it won't stick to your fingers and knead 10 to 15 times.  If the dough is super sticky, just sprinkle on some additional flour.  
7. Pat the dough out to 3/4" to 1" thickness (this is why my biscuits rose so well)!  Cut with a biscuit cutter or glass.  
8. Place the biscuits on a lightly greased baking sheet or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.  
9. Can brush tops with melted butter.  

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Roll-ups

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) container whipped cream cheese
• 1 (14-oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 3 C baby spinach, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 C mayonnaise
• 1/4 C crumbled feta cheese
• 2 T Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 (8-ounce) tubes crescent tolls
• 1/2 C Italian style bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cream cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic, mayo, feta and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Remove rolls from the can, separating them into eight triangles.  Top each triangle with a heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture.
4. Starting with the wide end, roll up each triangle, tucking the ends underneath, and dredge in bread crumbs, pressing to coat.
5. Place seam-side down onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Serve immediately.  

Mushroom Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/2 pound of mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, separated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper
• 1 French baguette
• handful of basil leaves
• Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Clean mushrooms, remove stems if necessary; then dice.
2. In skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Mince up a clove of garlic and add it to the skillet, making sure it doesn't burn.
3. Throw in mushrooms, stirring until all coated in oil.
4. Slice baguette.  Put in preheated 400 deg oven until golden brown.
5. Remove, drizzle with olive oil and rub with the other garlic clove.
6. When the mushrooms are done cooking, season with salt, pepper, and add the 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper.
7. Spoon a tablespoon of the mushrooms over each piece of bread.  Top with pieces of basil and grated Parmesan cheese.

Portuguese Sweet Bread

Ingredients

• 2 pkgs yeast
• 1/4 C lukewarm water
• 1 C milk
• 1 C sugar (many times, I use honey; sweeten to your taste)
• 1/2 C butter
• 1 tsp salt
• About 6 C flour
• 3 eggs, well beaten
• 1 egg, beaten
• Optional - lemon extract or grated lemon peel

Directions

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in the water.  This is one way to proof the yeast; you can also just add the dry yeast to the dry mixture.
2. Scald milk and pour it over the sugar, butter, and salt in a large bowl.  Stir until the butter almost melts.  Scalding the milk can make the bread rise faster.
3. Stir in about 2 C of flour and beat until smooth.  Beat in the 3 eggs and the yeast mixture.
4. Stir in only enough flour to make a very soft dough.
5. Turn out onto floured board and knead until dough is very smooth and shiny, adding flour as necessary.
6. Shape into a ball and place in a buttered bowl, turning to butter all sides.  Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 to 12 hours.
7. Punch dough down; allow to stand for 10 minutes.  Divide dough in half.  
8. Shape each portion into a loaf and place in greased pans.  Let rise until almost doubled in bulk; about one hour?
9. Optional - Gently brush tops of loaves with the beaten egg.
10. Bake at 350 deg. for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
11. I usually don't brush with egg before baking, but brush with melted butter AFTER baking.  This softens the crust.

I used the above bread dough to make Czech Vánočka (Christmas Sweet Bread).

What is different about this bread is that raisins are added to the dough; sliced almonds are sprinkled on top before baking.

The bread is divided into 3 different portions and braided.  

 

Pull-apart loaves

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 C unsifted flour (I use unbleached flour)
• 3 T sugar (sometimes I use honey)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 pkg active dry yeast (I usually use quick-acting)
• 1 1/2 C water
• 1/2 C milk
• 3 T margarine/butter
• melted margarine
• orange marmalade (or another type of marmalade) optional

Directions

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix 2 C flour, sugar, salt, and undissolved yeast. 
2. Combine water, milk, and 3 T /margarine/butter in a saucepan.  Heat over low heat until liquids are very warm (120 deg F - 130 deg F).  You should be able to put your finger in the liquid; if it's too hot, the yeast will die.  Butter does not need to melt.
3. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.
4. Add 3/4 C flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed scraping bowl occasionally.  Stir in enough additional flour to make a stiff dough.
5. Turn out onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Please in greased bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover, let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk.
7. Punch dough down; divide in half.  Cover, let rest on board 10 to 15 minutes.  
8. Roll one half to a 12 x 8-inch rectangle.  Brush with melted butter.  When I make this, I spread a layer of orange marmalade.  This does make the rectangle and strips slippery  :)
9. Cut into 4 equal strips, 8 inches long.  Stack strips.  Cut into 4 equal pieces, 2 inches wide.
10. Place one edge in greased loaf pan so that layers form one long row down length of pan.  Repeat with remaining dough.
11. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled in size.  
12. Bake at 400 deg. F. about 30 minutes or until done.  Bake at 350 deg. for about 20 or so minutes.  400 deg. is too hot.
13. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

No Knead Bread (for a 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven)

I've made this bread four times now.  Here's my two latest versions.  For the one on the right, I cut slits on the top before baking (Feb. 20, 2019).

Gabe gave me dish towels for Christmas 2018.  They work PERFECTLY for wrapping this bread when it's hot.  

HINT - use the Yogurt setting on the Instant Pot to rise the dough!!

See this link:

https://www.thekitchn.com/instant-pot-bread-recipe-23235468#post-recipe-301440013












Ingredients

• 6 C flour, all-purpose or bread flour
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 2/3 C cool water
• 1/2 tsp active or rapid-rise yeast (I used one packet from the 3-strip package)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated; the dough should be wet and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest 12-18 hours on the counter at room temperature. When the surface of the risen dough has darkened slightly, smells yeasty, and is dotted with bubbles, it is ready.
2. Heavily flour your hands and a work surface. Place dough on work surface and sprinkle with more flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice and, using floured fingers, tuck the dough underneath to form a rough ball.
3. Place a large rectangle sheet of parchment paper on a cotton towel and dust it with enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the parchment paper as it rises; place dough seam side down on the parchment paper and dust with more flour. Pull the corners of parchment paper around the loaf, wrapping it completely.  Tie the top with a twist-tie or a rubber band.  Let rise for about 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.
4. After about 1 1/2 hours, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a 5 to 6-quart heavy covered pot, such as a cast-iron Dutch oven, in the oven as it heats. When the dough has fully risen, carefully remove the pot from oven.  Carefully lift the parchment and place in the pot. Shake pan once or twice if the dough looks unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.
5. I think it looks prettier if you cut some slits in the top before baking.  Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes, until the crust is a deep golden brown. The internal temperature of the bread should be around 200 degrees. You can check this with a meat thermometer if desired.
6. Remove the bread from the pot and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Here's the link to the website I used:
https://www.dontsweattherecipe.com/no-knead-large-dutch-oven-bread/

May and Nov. 2019.  I made raisin bread with TONS of raisins because I LOVE raisins.  

Slightly different instructions from Serious Eats.

https://www.seriouseats.com/2020/05/kenji-no-knead-bread-beer.html

Still use these ingredients:

• 6 C flour, all-purpose or bread flour
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 2/3 C cool water
• 1/2 tsp active or rapid-rise yeast (I used one packet from the 3-strip package)

For first rising before overnight, mix dough with hands lightly and quickly.  Cover with plastic or another bowl if want.  Let sit for about 12 hours.  

After rising, give dough a few turns, fold over top a few times.  Cover again for a few hours.  

Take out of bowl, shape very lightly.  Put on parchment paper.  Cover with floured dish towel.  After a few hours again, slash top.  Sprinkle flour or cornmeal on top.  

Lift parchment paper and plop in heated Dutch oven.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes with lid on.  Take lid off, then bake for another 20 to 30 minutes.  

Regina's Butter Biscuits

Ingredients

• 4 C flour
• 1/4 C baking powder
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1/2 C (1 stick) salted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 C (3 sticks) salted margarine, chilled and cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 3/4 C buttermilk, chilled

For the marmalade butter:

1/2 C (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature

3 T sweet orange marmalade

Directions

1. Scrape dough from the bowl onto a generously floured work surface or tea towel and shape into a long vertical rectangle about 2 inches thick.  The dough will seem rough and messy.
2. Using the edges of the towel, fold the lower part of the dough (about one-third) toward the center, then fold the top portion down.  With a rolling pin, roll dough out to a 2-inch thickness.  Fold the two ends in again, lifting the edges of the towel to help move the dough.  
3. Give dough a one-quarter turn, and roll it out again to a 2-inch thickness.  Continue folding, turning and rolling dough until it is smooth, with noticeable yellow ribbons of butter and margarine throughout.
4. Roll dough to 1 1/2" thickness.  Using a 2" biscuit cutter, cut dough into rounds.  Punch cutter into dough cleanly, without twisting.  When refolding and rerolling the dough, gently stack it to retain the layers.  Do not overwork.  
5. Place biscuits on a baking sheet and freeze.  Once they are frozen, transfer biscuits to plastic bags.  The unbaked biscuits can be frozen for two months.
6. To bake, heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place frozen biscuits in the cups of muffin tins.  Let thaw in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown, 23 to 25 minutes.

Make the marmalade butter:

1. Put butter and marmalade in a mini food processor and pulse to combine.   Alternatively, whisk together butter and marmalade in a bowl.  (Can be made a week in advance and refrigerated).  To serve, bring to a cool room temperature and transfer to a serving bowl.  Serve next to hot biscuits.  

Eccles Cake (idea from Pamela da Graça)

Ingredients
For the filling:

• 3 oz unsalted butter
• 5 oz soft brown sugar
• 5 oz currants or raisins or dried cranberries
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 orange, juice and finely grated zest
• 2 oz mixed citrus peel

For the pastry:

• 1 to 2 oz margarine, for greasing
• 1 block ready-made puff pastry
• flour,for dusting
• 2 to 3 T milk, for glazing
• powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. For the filling, melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan.  Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in all of the remaining filling ingredients until well combined.  Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 deg. F.  Grease a baking sheet.
3. For the pastry, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of about 1/8 inch.  Using a 2 1/2" cutter, cut the pastry into rounds.
4. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each round, then brush the edges of half the pastry with milk.  Bring the other half of the pastry over and seal.  Bring the corners of the pastry up into the middle and pinch to seal.
5. Turn the sealed pastry parcel over, so that the seam is underneath, then gently roll out until it's about 1/4" thick.  Gently pat back into a round shape and place onto the greased baking sheet.
6. Slash each cake across three times using the tip of a sharp knife.  Brush the cakes with milk and sprinkle with fine sugar.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden-brown and puffed up.  Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool.
8. EAT!