Breads, Muffins and Scones

Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

July 11, 2019

This recipe has ended my search for the perfect Blueberry Muffin. For years, I was disappointed because even though they always looked delicious, biting into one was a major disappointment due to either stinginess on the berry elements, not much structure, or muffins so sweet they wanted to give me a headache. I had sworn off blueberry muffins altogether until I met these guys…. They have a nice, firm texture that can hold up to the tons of blueberries inside and is just the right amount of sweetness. They’re topped with a buttery, crunchy streusel and just a little whisper of cinnamon that’s guaranteed to put a big smile on your face. This recipe, like so many others, appears to have a long and winding history. I first discovered it when my niece, Toni, made some for us from a recipe she found on Pinterest. I made a few tweaks just because I can’t keep my hands off of any recipe, and this is the result. After all, this is the world of cooking – everybody has their own spin on the classics, and that’s a very good thing. …

Boysenberry Coffee Cake with Oatmeal and Brown Sugar Streusel

April 25, 2019

I love boysenberries and found myself with quite a few bags in the freezer after an overzealous picking session last summer. Since I also happen to love coffeecake, this seemed to be a fine answer to my dilemma. The solution to the aforementioned dilemma was this easy as can be boysenberry coffee cake, brimming with berry goodness. The bottom layer is the rich and buttery cake base. Next there are frozen berries of course, since that was the point of this whole exercise to begin with, but also generous dollops of boysenberry jam in the center to pump up the berry flavor and add to the moistness of the cake. The streusel topping is lots of brown sugar and plenty of oatmeal for a nice crunch. This recipe should work with any type of blackberry, so if you have marionberries or other variety of blackberries laying around, go for it!! This cake is so addictive I had to hide it from my husband… OK, he hid it from me…but I found it.

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No Knead Artisan Bread

February 28, 2019

If you thought you’d never be able to make an artisan loaf of bread at home with a crisp crust, soft center with big air pockets, and an amazing flavor, I’ve got good news – yes you can and it’s easier than you could imagine. In this recipe, we spend five minutes mixing the dough the day before and allow for a slow room temperature rise overnight. No kneading required! The next day, just form the loaf and let it rise again, then into the oven it goes. An hour later you have a delicious loaf of bread. More good news: This recipe is very forgiving, so no worries about making a mistake. The recipe says to let the mixed dough sit for 12-18 hours. I’ve let it go for 24 hours with no problems. In fact, the last time I made this, we lost power at our house during the last 15 minutes of baking. I just let it sit in the oven for that amount of time, and it turned out beautifully. Make it plain or add chopped olives or some cheese for fun. Life doesn’t get much better than that.

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Grandma’s Dinner Rolls

November 15, 2018

These yeasty rolls are my attempt at coming close to the delicious rolls my grandma Liz used to make. As a young aspiring baker, I’d watch her assemble dozens of at a time, tossing an armload of dough around like it weighed nothing, and tearing off perfectly shaped rolls that she would let rise by her wood stove. She never measured anything, mixing and baking by feel alone – and they were perfect. I have fond memories of eating as many as I possibly could every Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve – or as many as I could get my hands on. Grandma had seven children and hordes of grandchildren, and when everybody got together it was like a small city which means you had to move fast before my seemingly huge uncles with even huger appetites beat me in line.

Grandma did not have a recipe as you may have guessed, so I spent years trying to get as close as I could to what she did so effortlessly. I finally got to where I think she might be proud, and I owe it all to Julia Child because this is pretty much her recipe. If you have a bread machine laying around, haul it out and use the dough cycle for this recipe – that’s how I handle it. These rolls can be made grandma’s way, with just your two hands and a sturdy wooden spoon. There isn’t much better on the planet than biting into one of these babies. Slathered with butter, of course. Recipe adapted from ‘Baking with Julia’.

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Cinnamon Applesauce Bread with Roasted Caramel Apples

November 8, 2018

I will admit that this recipe took three tries before it hit the mark. The first attempt was OK but lacked fresh apple flavor. With the second attempt I added so much fresh apple for flavor that the end result was more like a brick than a bread, and the only person who would consider eating it was my mother, Neeners. Back to the drawing board, and pulled the reins in a little on the fresh apple element. Now we had ourselves a moist applesauce bread with just enough fresh apple kick. Never satisfied, it seems, I figured what’s the harm in roasting some apple slices and piling them right on top of each slice? All that was well and good, but it needed a finishing touch – enter the best and easiest caramel sauce you’ve ever made. Drizzle it or drench it over the whole works – up to you. I, for one, drench. Happiness on a plate.

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Zucchini & Lemon Bread with Lemon Sugar Top

August 2, 2018

I recently read that Zucchini Bread was the most frequently made and the most ‘gifted’ away bread of any other variety….it is also the one most likely to be thrown out by the recipient of said ‘gift’. This is likely due to the fact that zucchini all by itself is seriously lacking in the flavor department. Zucchini can also contain a whole lot of moisture, and if we don’t address that issue our bread ends up looking, and tasting like a flavorless hunk of sea sponge. I know this from first hand experience while creating this recipe, which was not a good one. The only person who would eat that first attempt was my mother, who said “Hey, you can’t be Martha Stewart every day – get over yourself”. That comment was enough to get me back to the drawing board, and the result is this Zucchini Lemon Bread is bursting with fresh, citrusy flavor. We squeeze the living daylights out of the grated zucchini, which goes a long way to eliminate that spongy element of my prior attempts, and then top the whole thing off with a generous crackling crust of lemon sugar. It’s fun to make, it’s easy, and I guarantee nobody will be secretly tossing this out if you can make yourself give it away.

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Cheesy Gorgonzola Bread

January 18, 2018

This recipe comes from my blogging partner, Tricia. When I first tasted it, I became immediately addicted and just had to share with you. This beautiful loaf, with it’s soft crumb and mellow hit of Gorgonzola cheese is just right for enjoying while savoring a fruit forward red wine. It doesn’t need any embellishment, so feel free to eat it as is with nothing added. Unless you happen to be like me, of course – I love this toasted just a little bit and slathered with butter. I have also been known to cut thick slices, fill with my favorite melting cheese, and make the best grilled cheese sandwich I ever ate. Naked or dressed, this bread is well worth making!

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Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Brown Sugar & Pumpkin Seed Topping

October 27, 2017

I have been making these muffins forever, and as is the case with all my recipes, they have gone through several variations over the years. I think we’re finally there: Just moist enough to make you keep coming back for bite after bite, and packed with a variety of warm spices. The recipe makes quite a few muffins – probably 28 to 30 of the regular sized guys, but trust me – they go down fast. They are great for sharing, and freeze beautifully. If you’d rather make a smaller batch, just cut it in half. I’ve included a hint for the sleight of hand required for dividing three eggs in half in the recipe below. These muffins just cry out of a Chai Latte or other similar hot beverage for fall, usually one that includes whipped cream. They do not require a nice pat of butter, but….

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Zucchini, Cheddar & Herb Quick Bread

October 14, 2017

Here we have the best of all worlds – bread that you don’t have to wait on to rise, and besides that it’s brimming with chunks of cheddar cheese and herbs. It’s so good when it’s warm right from the oven, or toasted the next day with plenty of butter. Give him a try with our Chicken & Corn Chili recipe, your favorite bowl of soup, or get crazy and make a grilled cheese sandwich. Any route you choose to take will be a good one, and that’s a promise. Read on to see just how easy this one is to get on the table -or off the cutting board, if you can’t wait long enough to get him on the table. Once again, just speaking from experience. …

Pesto & Parmesan Spiral Bread

October 5, 2017

A little taste of summer all year long…this incredibly beautiful loaf of bread has pesto in the dough, then is braided and stuffed with even more pesto and plenty of cheese. Perfect for serving with a pasta supper, using for sandwiches, or just all by it’s lonesome with a nice glass of wine. You won’t believe how easy it is to make this!

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