Homemade Scones & Honey Butter

Warm, soft, melt in your mouth scones with fresh honey butter.  Heaven.  Super simple and makes plenty to share with a neighbor!  I usually make the honey butter right after I mix up the dough, then I refrigerate it to thicken while the dough raises.

Ingredients

3 cups hot water

1/2 stick melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

6 ounces (3/4 cup) evaporated milk 

2 heaping Tbsp yeast

3 tsp salt

8 1/2 cups flour

In a large kitchenaid, bosch, or mixing bowl combine ingredients and mix until well blended. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a minute until smooth.  Place in a greased bowl and cover for 45 minutes.  Punch dough down, cover and let raise again.

In a dutch oven or heavy duty pan, pour oil until 1 inch deep.  Heat oil on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.  Tear pieces of dough (any size you'd like) and shape into discs.  My flattened discs were about the size of my hand.  Place gently into the oil and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown.  Remove from oil and place on paper towel.  Serve while warm with honey butter.

Recipes makes approx. 25 hand-sized scones. 

Honey Butter Ingredients

1 stick butter

1 cup honey 

Melt butter in a saucepan and wisk in honey.  Heat thoroughly and wisk until combined.  Pour into a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Banana Applesauce Muffins

I made these today and my sugar-loving child stated, "These are good, Mom!"  There's not much sugar in these, so feel free to add more, up to a 1/2 cup.  Each muffin is about 100 calories.  You could add blueberries, strawberries, peaches, etc.

Banana Applesauce Muffins

2 ripe bananas

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup applesauce

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1/2 cup white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

In a bowl, mash bananas with sugar until well combined.  Add all other ingredients and stir until just blended.  Pour batter into muffin cups.  Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.  Makes approx 10-12 muffins.

Rhubarb Applesauce Muffins

These muffins are the right balance of sweet and tart.  My kids snarfed these right up after school.  You could jazz these up with strawberries or bananas.

Rhubarb Applesauce Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/4 cups applesauce

1/2 cup canola oil

2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Combine flours, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  In a separate bowl, mix eggs with brown sugar, applesauce and canola oil.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until batter is combined but still slightly lumpy.  Fold in rhubarb.

Spoon into greased muffin tins or muffin liners.  Makes approx. 18 muffins.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or when muffins spring back when touched.

Sticky Buns

If you know me at all, then you already know about these little pleasures. We make these sticky buns conference mornings and Christmas morning. Sometimes I whip them out when company comes.

Sticky Buns
18 frozen Rhodes rolls
1 small pkg Cook & Serve Butterscotch Pudding
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar

Just before going to bed - Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray and place 18 rolls in the bottom. Sprinkle dry pudding mix over the top. Melt butter and stir in cinnamon and brown sugar. Pour mixture over rolls.

Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place over the top of the pan. Place in a warm area and let rise overnight.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until browned on top. Turn over onto a large baking sheet immediately after removing from oven. Serve warm.

Crescent Rolls

Step away from the Pillsbury!  They don't even compare to soft, homemade crescents.  This recipe is super simple and fairly quick to make.

In a mixing bowl with the dough hook attachment, combine water, yeast, and a dash of sugar and stir together.  Let rest for 5 minutes while it becomes bubbly.  Meanwhile, microwave milk for 1 minute.

To the yeast mixture, add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix for 30 seconds to incorporate.  Then add hot milk, salt, sugar, butter, and egg.  Turn mixer back on and mix for 1 minute.  Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time.  Add until dough scrapes sides of the mixer clean.  Knead on high for 8 minutes.  Don't rush the kneading--I did and it resulted in heavy rolls.

Turn off the mixer and let raise for 45 minutes.  Then punch dough down, divide into 3 equal parts and form each part into a ball.  Let rest for 5 minutes as it helps with the rolling out part.

Roll each ball into a circle about the size of a basketball or a little less than 1/2 inch thick.  Brush with melted butter and cut like a pizza into 8 slices.

 Roll up each triangle (not too tightly) beginning with the wide end up to the pointed end.  Place on a greased cooking sheet.

 The rolls will fill up a cooking sheet in 3 rows, 8 rolls each row.

  Place rolls into a 170 degree oven for 20 minutes or until rolls are touching like this:

 Without removing rolls, turn the temperature up to 350 and bake for 15 minutes.  Start the timer once you change temperature to 350 degrees--NOT when it reaches 350 degrees.

Brush hot rolls with butter.

 

Crescent Rolls

3/4 cups warm water

1 Tbsp yeast + dash of sugar

5-6 cups flour (divided 1 1/2 cups and other)

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

4 Tbsp softened butter

1 large egg

1/2 stick melted butter for brushing inside and tops

n a mixing bowl with the dough hook attachment, combine water, yeast, and a dash of sugar and stir together.  Let rest for 5 minutes while it becomes bubbly.  Meanwhile, microwave milk for 1 minute.

To the yeast mixture, add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix for 30 seconds to incorporate.  Then add hot milk, salt, sugar, butter, and egg.  Turn mixer back on and mix for 1 minute.  Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time.  Add until dough scrapes sides of the mixer clean.  Knead on high for 8 minutes. 

Turn off the mixer and let raise for 45 minutes.  Then punch dough down, divide into 3 equal parts and form each part into a ball.  Let rest for 5 minutes.

 

Roll each ball into a circle about the size of a basketball or a little less than 1/2 inch thick.  Brush with melted butter and cut like a pizza into 8 slices.  Roll up each triangle (not too tightly) beginning with the wide end up to the pointed end.  Place on a greased cooking sheet.  The rolls will fill up a cooking sheet in 3 rows, 8 rolls each row.  Place rolls into a 170 degree oven for 20 minutes or until rolls are touching.

 

Without removing rolls, turn the temperature up to 350 and bake for 15 minutes.  Start the timer once you change temperature to 350 degrees--NOT when it reaches 350 degrees.  Brush tops of hot rolls with butter.

Whole Wheat Bread

Are you a wheat bread lover?  Then I have the recipe for you.  Not only is it completely whole wheat (no white flour included) it's also oil/fat-free and sugar free.  Instead of oils it has applesauce and instead of sugar it has honey and molasses.  This bread stays moist and doesn't crumble when sliced.  And it's heavenly when toasted--it brings out all the natural sweetness.

It calls for a few ingredients that non-bread makers might not be familiar with.  First is gluten.  You can get the vital wheat gluten at Wal-Mart near the yeast in the baking aisle.   Gluten helps the bread stay together--helps with elasticity in the dough.  The other is dough enhancer--it improves the consistency and overall it makes better bread.  I know nothing of the science behind it.  Kitchen stores sell this product and I'm sure you can find it online.  It's a good thing.

Whole Wheat Bread

7 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (divided 4 1/2 cups and 3 cups)

1/4 cup gluten

1 rounded Tbsp yeast

3 cups warm water

1/3 cup applesauce

1/8 cup molasses

1/2 cup honey

3/4 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp dough enhancer

In a mixing bowl with the dough hook attachment, mix 4 1/2 cups flour with gluten and yeast.  Slowly add in the warm water and mix well.  Let rest for 10 minutes.

Add the rest of ingredients and knead on low for 7 minutes.  (don't skip on kneading or your bread will be heavy).  Divide dough into 3 equal parts.  Form each section into a loaf and placed in a greased loaf pan.  Let rise for 45-60 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Once temperature is reached, place read in the oven and drop the temp to 325.  Bake for 30 minutes at 325.

Amish Friendship Bread

I tried the Amish Friendship Bread long ago and wasn't too impressed. It was a nice little sweet bread, but nothing to shout about after 10 days of anticipation.

My neighbor brought THIS fabulous bread to a bbq last week. I had no idea there were other variations out there. This bread is sweet, moist, fairly dense, and has a crunchy sugary crust. Jill was kind enough to share a starter with me and after 10 days of anticipation, this time . . . I feel like shouting! Love it. Why is it so good? I think it's the chocolate pudding in the mix. Don't be deterred by the steps involved. It's nothing difficult or too time consuming.

Since I didn't have the entire recipe including a start, I couldn't post it. Insert GOOGLE. After a little hunting I found a recipe that resembled the one I made. So here it is in its entirety--secrets of the Amish exposed! No waiting for a friend to "invite" you to make some bread! I'm looking forward to another 10 days from now when I can make this delight again.

For the STARTER:
1 Tbsp dry active yeast
2 cups warm water
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in a deep non-metal container (metal kills yeast).

Stir in remaining warm water, flour, and sugar.

Beat until smooth and divide into 4 1-cup portions each in a gallon ziploc bag. I wrote on each bag the dates for Day 1, Day 5, and Day 10 to make things simpler.

For the 10 Days:

Day 1 - First day of the starter. Do nothing.
Day 2 - Mash Bag
Day 3 - Mash Bag
Day 4 - Mash Bag
Day 5 - Add to bag: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Mash together.
Day 6 - Mash Bag
Day 7 - Mash Bag
Day 8 - Mash Bag
Day 9 - Mash Bag
Day 10 - Pour contents of bag into a plastic or glass mixing bowl. Add 1 & 1/2 cups flour, 1 & 1/2 cups sugar, and 1 & 1/2 cups milk. Measure out 4 separate batters of 1 cup each into 4 ziplock one-gallon bags. Batter will be left in the bowl and that's what you'll make bread with on day 10. Also, keep a starter for yourself and give the other three bags to friends along with a copy of this bread recipe.

To your mixing bowl, ADD:
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 large package (or 2 small) instant vanilla, butterscotch, or chocolate pudding.

Mix together. Grease 2 large loaf pans. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Dust the greased pans with 1/2 the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Pour batter into prepared pans and sprinkle remaining sugar/cinnamon on top.

Bake for one hour at 325 or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool bread for 10 minutes into pan before removing from pans.


DO NOT refrigerate the bag during the 10 days.
DO let out extra air in the bag during the 10 days.
DO try to show some restraint and not eat the entire loaf before your kids get home from school.

Homemade Bread

Homemade Bread is a staple in our house. This recipe is THE BEST. And the really great news is I make the dough in the bread machine. Then once the dough cycle is over, I shape into 2 loaves, and bake in regular bread pans. It's flavorful and soft. It's excellent with soup or pasta, or schmeared with butter and jam. Makes great toast, too.
Homemade White Bread
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp softened butter
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp powdered milk
1 Tbsp dough enhancer
1 tsp yeast

Add ingredients into bread machine in order given. Process on dough setting. Once cycle is complete, remove dough and cut into two pieces. Form each into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan. Let raise until double. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Butter the top of hot loaves.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Generally, I'm not a fan of pancakes. Most kinds I've had turn into a pile of mushy goo within seconds of adding syrup. My father-in-law makes sourdough pancakes that my whole family loves--it requires keeping a start and mixing up the night before. Too much commitment on my part.

This recipe is very close in taste and texture to the sourdough pancakes. It calls for 1 cup buttermilk, so I buy a quart and it lasts in the fridge for a month or so for Saturday breakfasts. All other ingredients are always on hand.

This recipe makes approx 12 pancakes. Easy to double or triple.

Buttermilk Pancakes
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
pinch of salt

Add ingredients into a bowl in the order given and wisk together. Let mixture sit for a few minutes while you heat up your pan or griddle. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, scoop batter and pour onto hot griddle. When pancakes are bubbled on top, it's time to flip.

Cinnamon Rolls

I always hear people say they don't know how to make bread and pies. In my experience they are quite simple, but that's probably because I grew up watching my mom make those things. If you've never made bread and you don't know what to look for, the process can be daunting.

INSERT: Bread Machines!
(BUT only for the dough)
I've yet to taste any bread baked in a machine that tasted great. I use my bread machine for doughs of all kinds that I'll be posting in the future. It's wonderful--you toss in the ingredients, and walk away for an hour and a half. No kneading, covering, punching down, kneading again, etc.

Hence, the bread machine cinnamon rolls that mimic the famous Cinnabon. You know, those ones at the mall? I've actually never had one, but the original recipe called this the clone of a Cinnabon. These rolls are lovely and sweet without being too gooey, while the inside is soft and tender.

Cinnamon Rolls
1 cup warm milk
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup melted butter
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsp yeast

FILLING:
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/3 cup softened or melted butter

FROSTING:
4 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Throw all ingredients for the cinnamon rolls into a bread machine and select dough setting, then start.

Once dough is complete, remove from mixer and roll out into a large rectangle--approximately 18x12 inches. Top with filling ingredients--spread with butter first, then sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar overtop. Roll up lengthwise.

Cut into 12 equal portions.
Spray a 9x13 pan with non stick, then place rolls on end in the pan. Cover and let raise for 1-2 hours or until rolls are almost touching each other.
Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. While cooling, whip together frosting ingredients with a mixer. Frost while rolls are still a little warm, but not hot.

Homemade Pizza Dough

If you know me at all, and I mean in the slightest bit, you should know I love pizza. I've made this crust many times. Sometimes I substitute some whole wheat flour for the white flour and yes, it changes the taste and texture a little bit.

Homemade pizza isn't necessarily cheaper than the $5 pizzas in town. But, we don't live in town. And it gives me a chance to get the kids in the kitchen with me. This recipe makes a larger pizza for Brad and me, and a smaller pizza for Ben & Em to each make their own. The crust fluffs up nicely, but not too much. You could really stretch it if you like thin crust style pizza.

My favorite is a combination of canadian bacon, pepperoni, and fresh mushrooms. I'll have you know it took much self control on my part to remember to photograph this before I ate it!
For the sauce, I open a can of tomato sauce and add Italian seasoning to it.

Pizza Dough
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water

In a mixing bowl with dough hook combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix together. Slowly pour in warm water while mixer is running. Let mix on low for 10 minutes. Cover and let raise for 1-2 hours until double.

Cut dough in half and roll out into 12" circle. Top with sauce, cheese, and toppings. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes.

Cranberry Bread

I really have been cooking for the last six weeks. However, I haven't been taking pictures, so I haven't blogged.

But this recipe will redeem me of all my faults. It's a coffee cake with the wonderful tang of cranberries. I made it over Thanksgiving and it disappeared into thin air. Yep, it's magic.

Cranberry Bread
1 cup butter softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups cranberries (can use blueberries, nuts, fresh peaches, strawberries, etc.)

Topping
1 Tbsp flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cold butter
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time until blended well. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl combine sour cream and vanilla. Add dry and wet ingredients to egg mixture alternately. (mix in a little flour mixture, then add sour cream, repeat until all blended). Mix in cranberries.

Combine topping ingredients into a small bowl and mash together with a fork until blended.

Grease and flour 2 large loaf pans, or 3 smaller ones. Spoon half of batter into pans. Sprinkle half of topping mixture over top. Top with remaining batter and other half of topping mixture.

Bake at 350 for approximately 40 - 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Top will be quite brown, but don't fret and pull it out too soon. Speaking from experience on that one!

Cinnamon Bread

I'd like to introduce you to someone. His name is cinnamon chip.

He's tiny and he makes a great addition to breads, cakes, and cookies. In fact, I think he's most famous for being in the Great Harvest Cinnamon Burst Bread. The only place I know of to buy him is at Prepared Pantry, which happens to be down the road from where I live. They ship worldwide, so you might wanna check it out if you don't live 'round these parts.

Here's a recipe for Cinnaburst Bread. It's so close to the Great Harvest Bread--who knows, maybe it IS their recipe. Of course bread is always best on the day it's made. This bread is soft and irresistible. If there's any left over after the first day, it makes great toast and french toast!

I've included more pictures with this recipe since it's a bread recipe. Some people say they can't make bread. I say YES you can!

In a mixer, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and sugar. Add eggs, water and oil. Beat well, scraping down sides of bowl if needed. Stir in salt, cinnamon, cinn chips, and 3-4 cups more flour. You'll know it's enough flour when the dough pulls away from the edge of the bowl. Knead in the mixer for 3-4 minutes.

Spray another bowl with cooking spray or rub with a little bit of oil and place dough inside of it.
Cover with a dishcloth and let raise until double:

Dump the dough out onto a floured surface - or in my case a pastry cloth. Do you have a pastry cloth? You need one. It seriously ranks in the top 5 of my kitchen tools. Really. Don't know what the heck a pastry cloth is? I'll tell you in another post sometime!

Divide the dough into two perfectly equal parts. Or not so equal.
Now form a loaf. I like to fold the ends in, then roll it up on the longer sides.
Pinch the edges together:
The place pinched side down:
Place the loaves into 2 greased pans.
Let it raise until double-ish. It will raise a bit more in the oven.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. It will be golden brown on the top. Don't underbake unless you like a dough filled center. : )

Cinnaburst Bread
1 1/2 Tbsp yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups warm water
2 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBSP oil
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 cups cinnamon chips
5-6 cups flour (divided 2 cups, then remainder)

In a mixer combine yeast, sugar and eggs. Beat together. Add water, salt, and oil. Scrape down sides of bowl if needed. Add salt, cinnamon, cinn chips and remaining flour. Knead for a 3-4 minutes. Turn out into a greased bowl. Let raise until double.

Shape into loaves. Let raise until double. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.

We also had a bit of this:

Breakfast Casserole.

While I adore the sticky buns, I was craving something a little salty and savory for conference weekend. I whipped up this dish the night before and baked it in the morning. It served as a great brunch and dinner for the day. This recipe is the perfect comfort food. The bread at the bottom soaks up all the eggs and resembles a scrambled egg texture. And don't be afraid of the cream soup on the top. It's worth it.

Breakfast Casserole
12 slices bread (cubed)
1 lb. sausage (cooked)
2 cups cheddar cheese (I like medium)

6 eggs
1 tsp. dry mustard
salt & pepper
2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 can evaporated milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use 98% fat free)
1 can mushrooms (chopped)

Directions:
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan. Layer cubed bread on bottom. Top with sausage, then cheese.

In a bowl, mix together the eggs, dry mustard, salt & pepper, and milk. Pour mixture over top the layers in the 8x13 pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, mix together the evap milk, mushroom soup, and mushrooms. Spread over top of casserole. Bake for approximately 1 hour. I bake mine covered for about 40 minutes, then take the foil off and bake for another 30 minutes uncovered.

This weekend . . .

We will indulge in THIS:

Sticky Buns

If you know me at all, then you already know about these little pleasures. We make these sticky buns conference mornings and Christmas morning. Sometimes I whip them out when company comes.

Sticky Buns
18 frozen Rhodes rolls
1 small pkg Cook & Serve Butterscotch Pudding
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar

Just before going to bed - Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray and place 18 rolls in the bottom. Sprinkle dry pudding mix over the top. Melt butter and stir in cinnamon and brown sugar. Pour mixture over rolls.

Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place over the top of the pan. Place in a warm area and let rise overnight.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until browned on top. Turn over onto a large baking sheet immediately after removing from oven. Serve warm.

Aunt Judy's FAMOUS rolls.

Have you made these yet??

If you haven't made them yet and you didn't grab the recipe off my old blog, here it is again. I made several pans for enrichment the other night. After they were all made I realized I put in less than half the yeast called for in the recipe. The great thing about these rolls is you really can't mess them up. Even without the extra yeast they were still good.

Some people are really intimidated by making bread. Don't be! There's nothing as wonderful as homemade bread. Most of the bread recipes I post will include these step by step directions . . . just in case any of you think you "can't" make bread. : )


















Start off by combining 1/2 cup warm water, 2 Tbsp yeast, and a sprinkle of sugar. Set it aside and while you work on other steps, it will turn into this:












While yeast is getting bubbly, combine 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 Tbsp butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave about 90 seconds or until butter is melted.












In a large bowl, combine 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 tsp. salt. Wisk together.












To the egg mixture, slowly wisk in the milk mixture. Then pour in the yeast mixture. After that is all combined, add 4 1/2 cups bread flour one cup at a time until mixed well. Mix until just combined--don't overmix. Dough will be very sticky.












Cover the bowl with a dishcloth and let rise until it reaches the top of the bowl.












Roll out dough until a little less than a 1/2 inch thick. Cut circles out--I use a large cutter for bigger rolls.












Melt 1/2 stick butter and pour into a bowl. Dip each circle halfway into the bowl. Lay down buttered half on pan, and fold in half.


















Once your pan is full, cover and let raise until doubled in size like this:












Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.












Now, just try not to eat them all before dinner even starts!

Aunt Judy's Famous Rolls
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp yeast
sprinkle sugar

1 1/2 cups milk
1 Tbsp butter

2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt

4 1/2 cups flour

Combine warm water with yeast and sprinkle of sugar. Set aside. In a microwave safe bowl combine milk and butter. Heat for 90 seconds or until butter is melted.

In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar, and salt. Slowly wisk in the hot milk mixture. Stir in the yeast mixture. Add flour and stir just until combined.

Cover with a dishtowel and let raise until it reaches the top of the bowl. Then dump out bowl onto floured surface. You may have to lightly work a little flour into the dough. Roll out until about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into circles. Dip each circle halfway into melted butter, then place buttered half on tray and fold circle in half. Let raise until double.

Bake at 350 for 9 - 11 minutes.

Luscious Lemon Bread

If you love lemon, raise your hand. (me with both hands raised) There's just something about lemon that makes everything fresh and wonderful.

I'm a baker. And a cooker. There's not much I don't love to make in my kitchen. I mostly cook from scratch, but definitely not opposed to 'cheating' and using help from mixes, etc. I was in search of the perfect lemon bread recipe. And I've found it. The Fabulous news is that it's EASY and uses things you probably already have in your pantry!















It calls for a box of instant lemon pudding. And a white cake mix. Add a few more ingredients from the cupboard, and wah-laa! This bread/cake is soft, a little spongy, and lemon-ey sweet.















And the frosting, well, it's the icing on the cake (so to speak). It's insanely easy and adds just the right amount of tart. Here's the recipe if any of you feel so inclined.

Lemon Poppyseed Bread
1 box white cake mix
1 small box instant lemon pudding
1 cup warm water
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. lemon extract

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
lemon juice (fresh, or refrigerated)

Combine all ingredients for bread in a bowl and wisk until blended. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes. Cool for 10 min. before removing from pan, then place on cooling rack. When completely cooled, mix up glaze until a drizzle consistency. Drizzle over the top of loaves.

You Must

make this at your earliest convenience. It's a recipe I got from the Pioneer Woman's website. I've tweaked it to my own liking and have listed the recipe as I make it . . . with more bacon and sauce. : ) It's easier than easy to make and it's better than any restaurant pasta I've had. So Olive Garden, step aside. WAY to the side.
Pasta with Bacon & Leeks
12 oz. bowtie pasta
8 oz. bacon chopped
2 leeks chopped and rinsed (they sometimes have sand hiding in the layers. Leeks look like giant green onions, but they're very mild)
1 Tbsp butter
salt
pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (not the kind in the can, but you can use the kind in the bag)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, saute bacon in a pan until it starts to brown. Add the leeks and butter to the bacon (butter keeps the leeks from burning, so don't cut it to save calories). Saute for 7 or 8 minutes until leeks are soft. Add chicken broth and simmer for 2 minutes. Add in cream and simmer for another 2 minutes. Toss pasta into the sauce. Add parmesan, give it a stir, and serve!



Now, let's talk about this bread. It's simple. It's crazy good. My family now looks forward to this bread a few times a month at our house. You'd think by the depth of flavor in this bread that it is shmeared with spices and cheese. But nope, it's just salted butter. I was very skeptical when I first saw this recipe on PW, but then I read the reviews and decided I had to try it. And until that first bite hit my mouth, I was still unsure. It has a lot of butter. You'll just have to get over it.
The Bread
One loaf french bread
1 stick of butter room temperature

Slice the loaf in half length wise. Spread one-half stick of butter over each half. Place on baking sheet in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Heat for 5 minutes. Move the rack to the top and broil bread for 3-4 minutes. Don't be afraid to get the edges of the bread a little black while the top browns. It really enhances the flavor.