Amish Friendship Bread

This isn't a bread, per se, but much more like a moist, sweet cake!

General Guidelines 

Do not use any metal spoons or bowls for mixing.
Do not refrigerate.
Do not forget to let the air out of the bag every day or two.
Do not flip out if you forget about it for a couple of days.
It is normal for batter to rise, bubble and ferment.

Instructions 

Day 1: Do nothing
Day 2: Mush the bag
Day 3: Mush the bag
Day 4: Mush the bag
Day 5: Mush the bag
Day 6: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk to the bag. Mush it all together well.
Day 7: Mush the bag
Day 8: Mush the bag
Day 9: Mush the bag
Day 10: Bread baking day! Read the rest of this page thoroughly and get to cooking.

1. Pour your mix into a non-metal bowl. 
2. Add 1½ cup flour,  1½ cup sugar, and  1½ cup milk. Mix it well. 
3. Measure out 4 separate batters of 1 cup each into 4 one gallon sized Ziplock bags. Keep a starter for yourself, and give the other 3, along with a copy of these instructions, to friends. Write today's date on each bag so your friends will know what to designate as Day 1.
4. Preheat your oven to 325 
5. To the remaining batter in the bowl add the following: 

• 3 eggs 
• 1 cup oil (or  ½  cup oil and  ½  cup applesauce)
• ½  cup milk 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder 
• ½ teaspoon baking soda 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups flour 
• 1 large box of instant vanilla pudding 

Grease 2 large loaf pans and then mix ½ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a bowl. Dust your greased pans with half the cinnamon/sugar mix. Split batter evenly between the two pans and sprinkle the tops with the remaining cinnamon/sugar mix. Bake for 1 hour and cool for 20 minutes before turning out the loaves.

Pretzels

A while ago, I was craving those nice, big pretzels you get at the mall or Sam's Club (or wherever....). I went through a dozen different recipes and this one looked the easiest. :) We all know that I am all about easy! :D I just have to say, though, I got the recipe from here, and my pretzels didn't look anything like those. But they tasted great!

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/8 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour (I didn't have that, so I just used regular flour-and they still turned out fine)
  
• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (Or, if you are impatient like me, feel proud of yourself if you last 3 or 4 minutes.) Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
2. Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan.
3. After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

As a side note, I have to say that I did NOT follow the directions to roll each piece into a 3 foot rope. I just kind of rolled them out until they seemed fine to me, and they were not anywhere near "pencil thin." My pretzels were smaller than what they have in the picture, and I'm sure this is why. However, they were still really good and REALLY filling. Also, I didn't have the right kind of salt, so I used cinnamon sugar, which was also fine. :)

I also didn't follow the directions about the parchment paper. I sprayed a pan really well, then just set them right on that after dipping them in the water mixture. And they still came off the pan just fine after cooking. Oh, and P.S., they really aren't all that great the next day, so do yourself a favor and just eat them all when you make them. ;) Trust me, after one bite, you'll want to.

Grandma's Rolls

At my family's Thanksgiving and Christmas get together's, you will want to eat a minimum of 10 rolls. They are DELISH! I realized the other day that I am a big girl now and can make the rolls whenever I want.....except that I need the recipe. I called my grandma and asked for the coveted recipe, so now I am going to share with you! Your welcome. :)

Easy Grandma's Rolls

1 pkg yeast (or 1 tbsp)
1/4 C shortening (NOT butter or margarine!!)
1 tsp salt
1 C milk
1/4 C sugar
3 1/2 C flour
1 egg, well beaten

Soften yeast in 1/4 C warm water. (I wasn't sure how to "soften" yeast, so I just dissolved it like I normally would do for bread.) Put shortening, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Scald milk, pour over shortening, sugar and salt and stir until shortening is melted. Cool until lukewarm. Add 2 C flour and beat 1 minute at medium speed; add softened yeast and the beaten egg. Beat batter smooth at medium speed for 1/2 minute. With a WOODEN spoon, stir in 1 1/2 C more flour and beat batter for 2 minutes until smooth.

Cover and let rise until double (about one hour).

Then stir down and beat thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Let rise again until double in bulk (about 30 minutes). Stir down and shape into rolls of your choice.
(In my family, it's a tradition do always do these kind-with the three sides to make it easy to pull apart.)

But, just know, if you are going to do these this way (which I totally recommend), make SURE you have extra Crisco ready. It will help tons when rolling the dough into balls.

Place on sheet (or in muffin tins) and let rise again until they are the size that you want.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes (ovens do vary, so watch carefully). When they start to brown on top, they will be done all the way through.

I know that you are asking why these are so special since they are so super easy (like everything I make...), but seriously...you HAVE to try them at least once. You'll never be satisfied with store-bought rolls again. :) Enjoy!!

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Moist Whole Wheat Banana Bread Recipe and Instructions:

Be sure to use ultra ripe bananas for this. Their skins should be mottled black and they should feel soft to the touch. Using what you would normally consider to be ripe bananas will diminish the bread’s rich flavor.
½ cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
½ cup (3 ¾ ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (~ 12 ounces) mashed ripe banana (3-4 medium to large bananas)
¼ cup (3 ounces) honey (I used sugar – works fine)
2 large eggs
2 cups (8 ounces) whole wheat flour, traditional or white whole wheat (I found that 2 cups was closer to 10 ounces – guess my whole wheat is heavy)
½ cups (2 ounces) chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Beat together the butter, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the banana, honey and eggs, beating until smooth. Add the flour and nuts, stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and let it rest at room temperature, uncovered for 10 minutes.
Bake the bread for 50 minutes. Lay a piece of foil gently across the top and bake until a cake tester (like a toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.

www.breadtopia.com

German Pancakes

Alright...since my sister STOLE my whole wheat bread post (which I totally deserved because I wasn't on the ball and it needed to be blogged about...

and she did a way better job on the post that I could have...
and her first attempt at bread looked a whole lot better than mine did...
sigh

I let mine raise too much and it fell a bit in the oven...
but aren't those hamburger buns just so cute!!)

I decided to get with it and post our new favorite ALTON BROWN recipe...
German Pancakes.

Ooh, doesn't that look good!!! It was. I had it for breakfast. My cute hubby made it. Jealous???

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup milk, warmed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
• Confectioners' sugar
• Marinated Berries or Glazed Apples and Pears, recipes follow
• Serving suggestion: Maple syrup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter. Whisk in the flour to make a smooth batter. Set aside.

Heat a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and brush the inside with the shortening. Pour in the batter and bake for 15 minutes.

Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. and continue baking until puffed and golden brown, about 13 to 15 minutes more. Run a knife around the edge of the skillet. We love the food network because even in a small kitchen...
You can make something like this... YUM

Top it with butter, maple syrup, and powdered sugar. Or for a healthier side, top with berries, or applesauce.
Even the kiddies will love it.

Going



Going



Gone!



It think there's one piece left. Anyone want to come over. Better hurry!!

Food Storage Bread

If you've got this...

...And want this

Make sure you got a lot of this... 

Okay it isn't really that bad!

I made my first, totally from scratch whole wheat bread today and it was fun!

I need to learn some great recipes to learn how to use my food storage wheat and my sister makes yummo wheat bread so this is her recipe :)

It would have been even GREATER if she would have written this post but WHATEVA!

First step: take a couple of hours and find your cell phone so you can get the recipe from your sister...

Second Step: proof your yeast to see if "IT'S ALIVE" ahhh!

I just put it in 1/4 cup warm water and a pinch of sugar and...

...um yeah - it's definitely alive! it like octopled in size :)

Third Step: convince hubby to help you grind the wheat...

My KSL beauty

 

I have never even watched someone do this - I don't know why, my parents have always had a wheat grinder and both of sisters have one, but I have been ignorantly blissful... Until today, dundundun.

Hubby helped a ton, after a grumble about it being used (grumblegrumblecheapskatewife) he fiddled with the switches and gadgets and buttons and got the baby going!!!

The wheat kernels went in the top and the flour came out the bottom... easy-peasy!

It was really exciting, and I KNOW hubby would deny it, but I think he had fun too!

Bonding and breadmaking!

Final Step: The rest is gravy baby - just follow the recipe!

and steps 1-3 are optional!

4 1/2 cups Hard Wheat (freshly ground)

1 1/2 Tbs Yeast

mix together

3 cups warm water

mix in kitchen aid

Cover and let rise 15 minutes

Add

1 Tbs Salt

1/3 cup honey

1 1/4 Tbs Dough Enhancer

1/4 cup oil (or applesauce)

1 Tbs Gluten

Mix together

2 - 3 cups wheat flour

added 1 cup at a time until desired consistency

mix for 5 minutes

put in bread pans and let rise for 20 minutes in a cool oven with boiling water steam bath

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

I got my gluten and dough enhancer at Kitchen Kneads and I had the yeast from forever ago in a little packet and it was still good - so I am thinking individual packets are great for long term storage of yeast???

I don't really know.

I tried to be all prepared but I actually didn't have bread pans so I sort of shaped them into loaves and set them side by side in a cake pan (that is why they are on the squatty side!)  They may not be the prettiest loaves but I am bursting with pride for them!

oh why not - lets see that picture of them again:

Oh cute!

Custard Bread Pudding

I'm just going to start my mom off in the right direction...
Remember when you made this a couple of weeks ago?


mmmmmmm

We want the recipe ;)

1 qt. milk, scalded
2 c. day-old bread cubes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
3 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Set oven for 325 degrees. Pour milk over bread cubes. Add
salt and sugar. Beat eggs; add to bread mixture with butter
and vanilla; mix well. Pour into a 1 1 1/2 quart greased
casserole. Set casserole in a pan. Pour in hot water to
within 1 inch of top. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until knife
inserted near rim comes out clean. Makes 8 servings.


SURPRISE PUDDING:

Use plain whole wheat or raisin whole-wheat bread instead of
white bread in making Custard Bread Pudding.


CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING:

Add 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted, to bread and
milk mixture in Custard Bread Pudding. Use 3/4 cup of sugar
instead of 1/2.

There you go. I used a really good raisin bread for mine and I got the recipe from Cooks.com Love, Mom