Breads, Biscuits and Rolls

Basic White Bread

1 cup warm water (110 degrees)

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cups bread flour

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all ingredients into bread machine pan in order suggested by manufacturer. Select the dough cycle and press start.

10 minutes after your machine has started kneading the dough open the lid and check the consistency of the dough. The dough should be tacky to the touch (like the sticky part of a Post-It Note). If the bread is too dry add 1 tablespoon of water at a time allowing a minute or two of kneading then check it again. If needed add another tablespoon of liquid. Repeat this until the dough reaches the proper consistency. If the dough is too dry apply the above steps but using flour instead of liquid.

Note... just because you had to make this adjustment doesn't mean there is something wrong with the recipe or your machine. The weather plays an important part in bread making and

Mama's Biscuits

Mmm...Biscuits! Biscuits and butter, biscuits with jam, biscuits drizzled with honey, biscuits smothered in gravy, biscuits layered with whipped cream and berries...no matter how you serve them, there's nothing better than hot fluffy biscuits!

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 egg, unbeaten

2/3 cup milk

Sift flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and cream of tartar into a bowl. Add shortening and cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour the milk into flour mixture and add egg. Stir until dough pulls away from side of the bowl. Turn out onto lightly dusted board and carefully knead four times (do not over knead). Pat dough to 1 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter and bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

I love my bread machine, but I have never cared for the way that it bakes bread. The bread is always over done, the crust too thick and to be honest I'm not crazy about the shape of the loaf once it's finished either. What I love about my bread machine is the dough cycle! Any bread machine recipe can be made on the dough cycle and shaped into dinner rolls, cinnamon buns or just a regular loaf of bread and then baked in the oven. The extra step of shaping and then baking the bread in the oven doesn't add very much time or mess and the end results are well worth it!

Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup mashed bananas

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, bananas and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

English Muffin Bread

3 cups flour

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup warm milk

1/4 cup water

Cornmeal

Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the dough cycle. Shape dough into a long loaf and place on a greased cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover, and allow to raise until doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Cut in shortening until fine as course crumbs. Add dissolved yeast and buttermilk all at once. Stir quickly until dough holds together. Knead on a floured board 30 seconds to make a smooth dough. Do not allow to rise. Pat 1/2 inch thick and cut. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 12 -14 minutes in a 450 degree oven. If dough cannot be baked immediately, refrigerate.

Iron Skillet Cornbread

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place about 3 tbsp vegetable oil in iron skillet and place in oven to heat while mixing bread.

1 1/2 cups self rising cornmeal (Aunt Jemima buttermilk is my favorite)

1 large egg well beaten

2 tbsp sugar

1 cup buttermilk

Mix all ingredients well. Pour into already preheated iron skillet. Return to oven and bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

adjustments you make one time may not be the same adjustments you make next time. This is why it is important to check the dough consistency.

Once you have checked and if needed adjusted the dough close the lid of your machine allow the machine to complete the cycle.

When the machine beeps indicating the dough is finished remove it to a floured work surface and shape into a loaf (or in any shape you choose). Place dough in greased pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place 35-50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 30-40 minutes or until the top of loaf is deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped with a finger.

Sourdough Bread Starter

1 pkg active dry yeast 2 cups warm water

1/2 cup lukewarm water 2 1/2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp sugar

Notice: Always use glass or plastic containers and always use only plastic or wooden spoons. Mix yeast with the 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Mix sugar, flour with the two cups warm water. Add yeast mixture. Let stand in a glass jar covered with a cloth for 5 days. Put the initial starter in refrigerator for 3 - 5 days.

Take out and feed this mixture:

3/4 cup sugar 1 cup warm water 3 tbsp instant potatoes

Mix well, then add to starter. Let starter stand out of refrigerator all day (8 - 12 hours) or until very bubbly. Remove 1 cup starter to make bread and return remainder to refrigerator. Keep in frig for 3 - 5 days then feed again.

Sourdough Bread

1/2 cup sugar 1 cup starter

1/2 cup oil 6 cups bread flour (Pillsbury Best Bread Flour)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

Mix ingredients as listed. Stir well. Oil a very large glass or plastic bowl. Put dough in bowl and turn oiled side up. Cover with plastic wrap overnight. The next morning, punch dough down and knead a few times in bowl. Dicide into 3 parts, knead eash part 10 times on a floured board. Put into 3 loaf pans. Brush with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or place pans in a cold oven. Let rise 5 - 6 hours more. Bake 325 - 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.

You can also make rolls! After kneading dough, pinch off about 2 inch ball of dough. Roll between hands until dough is round. Then place on a greased baking pan. Makes 24 rolls. Let rise 5 - 6 hours more, cover with plastic wrap or place in cold oven to rise. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.