happy weekend

I think I've forgotten how to blog, and I'm ok with that.

We rearranged our family room yesterday. Our tv was broken (thanks to an errant magna tile), so we took it down and moved everything around. Lest you think we are virtuously going without a tv from now on, we picked up a new (bigger) one at Costco last night. Rearranging furniture is near the top of my list of favorite home improvements and I keep walking down to the basement just to see the new set up again.

This morning felt a little bit like Christmas, as our nighttime low finally dipped down to the 70s. Hot afternoons are much more bearable when I can open my windows at night. We are heading in to the best six months in Arizona and I can't wait.

I made these pumpkin muffins to celebrate.

Have a happy weekend!

some things we've eaten lately

I am determined to perfect my biscuit making abilities. I have the fondest memories of my grandma B making buttermilk biscuits each time she visited. In my memory, hers were tender and fluffy and warm (and served with molasses, of course). Her recipe called for crisco, which I just can't bring myself to use, so I am always on the hunt for another recipe. My favorite so far is this one:

Buttermilk Biscuits, from the kitchn

6 tablespoons butter (I use salted, so I omit the salt called for in the recipe)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus a little more for brushing

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut your butter into little pieces and stick in the freezer while you assemble the other ingredients.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in the very cold butter with a pastry cutter, or with your fingers. Add the buttermilk and stir until just barely holding together. (It should be a mess.)

Dump onto a lightly floured surface and press the dough into a rectangle. Work fast and don't handle the dough too much. Cut it into three even pieces, stack them on top of each other, and with the heel of your hand, press it into a rectangle again. Repeat once.

Then roll or press the dough into a rectangle that is about 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the rectangle into 6 or 8 pieces, depending on how big you want the biscuits to be. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush with a little buttermilk.

Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden and starting to brown.

I have always used a biscuit cutter to make round biscuits (like in the picture), but I made them last Sunday with this method of cutting them with a knife. I loved that there were no leftover bits that had to be re-rolled to form another biscuit. I'll be making them square from here on out. Also, don't substitute whole wheat flour, please. Biscuits are only biscuits if they're made with all-purpose.

Two other things we've liked lately (both from Cookie and Kate):
Banana Nut Waffles (minus the nuts)
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burgers

happy weekend

It's the time of year when the citrus is ready to be picked and juiced. Yesterday I juiced a few bags of oranges and my house smelled so fresh for the rest of the day. We got so many lemons this year! I used to freeze the juice to make lemonade all year long, but do you know what's in lemonade? Lots and lots of sugar, so I don't make it as often anymore, and now our main use of the lemons is to squeeze them on top of our Sunday morning german pancakes. Must research how to use more lemons (outside of my favorite lemon deserts: warm lemon pudding cake, lemon cake, lemon squares, and lemon poppy seed muffins).

Thanks to your comments, I tried a few new recipes this week. Rollup Blender Pancakes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe were probably the biggest hit (even though they were for breakfast and not dinner). We also tried Mel's 30-Minute Quinoa Enchilada Skillet (Mabel and I loved it), Our Best Bite's Black Bean Soup and Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos. I would make them all again. Thank you! Oh, and we brought these Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins to Sunday dinner and they were gone in a flash.

I printed out lots more recipes from those sites to try next week, too. Hurray!

This is the best time of year to be in Arizona, so we are going to do our best to soak it up this weekend. Yard work is on our to-do list, and hopefully we'll actually do it instead of loafing around like we usually do on Saturdays. Ha!

Have a happy one!

happy weekend

Happy weekend, indeed! My kids and I had a really fun trip to California this week, but we are happy to be back at home with Mike. We have nothing at all planned for the next few days except sushi with friends and a whole lot of laundry and homework catch-up. It sounds really nice, actually.

If you read anything on the internet today, I hope it is this: In Defense of the Ordinary. And then have your kids read it, too.

A few excerpts: "Why isn't it enough to just be a kind person? Why can't we spend our time doing service hours because we love the Savior, not because we are trying to achieve the perfect college essay? Why can't we choose an extra-curricular or a class because we want to try it, not because it's going to help us reach some high goal or prove our worth? Not everyone is going to be the best at everything. In fact, very VERY few of us will be the best at anything. And that's ok.

"We are special because we are HIS. We are worthy because we were born. That is all that matters. And yes, that may make us average, in the sense that everyone qualifies for such a designation, but since when was that not enough?

"We should all strive for greatness, but we should expand its meaning and do it for ourselves, not society's expectations. It's about who we want to become, not who we want people to think we are. And it should be rooted in God's desires for us."

YES! Yes! Yes. I love this and I want my children to know it. Being kind and being good at loving others are far superior to maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

It's supposed to be rainy here this weekend. I always feel like baking when it's rainy. I made these whole wheat carrot muffins yesterday for the kids' afternoon snack. We are trying to get back to some good habits after our vacation and they really hit the spot.

Have a good weekend!

happy weekend

Today marks the end of the first full week of school. I'm pretty sure we're all wiped. I've been making my way through my list of long-neglected chores. Things like wiping down the walls, cleaning out the little office off our kitchen, and giving everything a thorough dusting. (Dusting is the chore I skip most regularly, especially in the summer.) Mike and the kids have been busy expanding their minds and learning all sorts of new things, I'm sure. I think we're all ready to relax this weekend.

Two no sugar recipes we tried and loved this week: Chunky Monkey Breakfast Bake and No Sugar Added Banana Bread. For the breakfast bake: I quadrupled it to feed all four of my kids, subbed regular milk for the almond milk and peanut butter for the almond butter in the sauce (Mabel is allergic to tree nuts.), left out the maple syrup, added a tablespoon of coconut oil, and used just a few dark chocolate chips. For the banana bread: I left out the walnuts and next time I make it, I might add a pinch more salt. The bread really hit the spot (and uses a whopping 6 bananas!). It has almost the same texture as our old favorite banana bread, but none of the added sugar. It'd really be best with the walnuts called for in the recipe, but we don't want Mabel's throat to close up, so what are you going to do? But as good as these were, they mostly just reminded me of the chapter in Year of No Sugar called "Everything Tastes Like Bananas and Dates." Ha!

I know this feeling is fleeting, but I've actually been excited to pack lunches in the morning. I am challenging myself to do it with no added sugar or white flour. So far so good. We couldn't have made it without hard boiled eggs, the really sweet watermelon I picked up at Fry's, and Lara Bars. Those have been a big hit. Other things I've put in their lunches this week: tuna sandwiches on homemade buns for the boys (our mayo has sugar in it, but I've decided to let condiments go), unsweetened plain yogurt with raspberries and grape nuts, and these sesame and sea salt crackers for something crunchy. For school lunches, I try to stick to the one part sandwich, one part fruit, one part crunchy rule, maybe with a few extras thrown in.

Have a happy weekend!

southern cornbread

Do you live in the south? Do you put sugar in your cornbread? I had no idea that traditional, southern cornbread was sugar-less! Apparently, I grew up eating "yankee" cornbread, which is really a corn cake made with flour and lots of sugar and honey drizzled on top for good measure (thank you Marie Callender's). Well, in my quest for this sugar free white flour free lifestyle, I came across lots of recipes for sugar-less cornbread.

I tried this one. But only because this article convinced me to. My favorite quote: "I'm just going to say it: sugar has no business in cornbread. Neither, for that matter, does wheat flour. One might make something quite tasty with well-sweetened wheat flour mixed with cornmeal, but be honest with yourself and call it a dessert." Ha!

Traditional cornmeal was stone ground and didn't require sugar or flour to enhance the texture, but as the methods for grinding cornmeal have changed over time, sugar and flour were added and what we have today is quite different than what was made traditionally. (According to the persuasive article.) Also, it must be baked in a cast iron skillet. Who knew?

I found Bob's Red Mill stone ground cornmeal (with the corn germ and bran left in) at my local sprouts. It is much chunkier than any cornmeal I've ever seen, and I was anxious to see how my bread would turn out. The verdict: my boys didn't really like it. I thought it was good, but it was a totally different cornbread than what I know, so I think it will take some getting used to. I think this recipe would be great the next day, soaked in warm milk with sugar on top. Alas.

Do you have a sugar less cornbread recipe you swear by? I'd love to try some others.

happy weekend

It's been a big summer for Mabel's teeth. She got her upper braces on a couple of weeks ago, and then yesterday, in preparation for her bottom braces (just in time for high school!), she got three teeth extracted-- teeth with big daddy roots still attached. I almost had to put my head between my knees as I watched the dentist yanking them out. Don't feel too sorry for her. She is off to Sundance today to recuperate with my parents' ice cream packed freezer and her best girl cousins at the first ever "Granddaughters Week". Stella will be there, too, and I know they are going to have the best time.

A couple of you asked about meal ideas or resources for our no sugar/no white flour life. I know, I know that documentaries aren't the best places to find unbiased information, but Mike and I found Fed Up, Sugar Coated, and That Sugar Film to be very helpful/inspiring. They'll make you want to clean out your pantry asap.

Things we've eaten for dinner this week: tomato soup with homemade whole wheat rolls, shredded beef tacos on grilled corn tortillas with guacamole, chicken fried brown rice, and whole wheat oatmeal pancakes with fruit and very, very lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream. Since Mabel has become a vegetarian, I've made these black bean burgers and buns (subbing in all whole wheat flour) lots of times. We have fruit at every meal to satisfy our sweet tooth. And I've successfully made these muffins without the added sugar for a snack. I've put strawberries, blueberries, and raisins in them, and they've been delicious every time (although, to be real, my kids won't eat the ones with raisins).

I still make all of our bread, and I always use this recipe. I use half whole wheat flour, half white wheat flour. The recipe calls for three tablespoons of honey, but it's the only added sugar in my diet and I figure that three tablespoons spread out in a whole loaf of bread is a negligible amount, so I don't sweat it.

I found it easiest to go cold turkey. I cleaned out our kitchen and got rid of everything with added sugar and white flour (including white pasta and flour tortillas). (Ok, I moved all of the Ben & Jerry's to our deep freeze for special 'moderate' desserts. Ha!) I survived a trip to my parents' house and girls camp without eating added sugar, so I know I can survive anything. :) It was not easy, but it was possible.

We aren't perfect. For example: my kids had corn dogs for dinner the other night. I don't freak out when they eat sugar or white flour because I know that at home, where they eat the vast majority of their meals, we are making good choices. I don't want it to be a thing, you know? We do the best we can.

Have a happy weekend!

zucchini bread three ways

Last week, my neighbor gave me the world's biggest zucchini, which meant I just had to bake a million loaves of zucchini bread, right?

Right.

Slightly Healthier Zucchini Bread

3 cups of flour (I used mostly whole wheat, with a little all-purpose.)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup of oil (I used what I had on hand: a little bit of coconut oil, a little bit of melted butter, and a little bit of vegetable oil. Other alternatives: applesauce.)
2 1/4 cups of sugar (Or, 2 mashed ripe bananas plus 1 cup of sugar)
3 teaspoons of vanilla
3 cups of shredded zucchini (don't drain or squish the water out)
and some chocolate chips or blueberries or walnuts (Or in my case, all three.)

I doubled the recipe, which made 3 large loaves. Not doubling it would make two regular loaves.

Grease your pans and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Sift the dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar.
Add the wet to the dry, then stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips/blueberries/nuts.

Bake for 40-60 minutes

My favorite was the walnut loaf, but of course our kids would only eat the chocolate chip one. :)

tomato soup and french bread

It seems like Tuesday is turning into soup day around here. This week I made Design Mom's Crock Pot Tomato. It's a major favorite at our house. I love that unlike most canned tomato soups, it doesn't have any sweeteners and I really love that it simmers away in the crock pot on a busy day. My crock pot isn't big enough for the full recipe, so I always halve it, which is plenty for our family of six.

This time I served it with fresh french bread. It was my first time baking this recipe and I really loved how it turned out. It could be because I never eat white flour anymore, but warm from the oven, this bread was the best thing I've eaten in weeks. It was chewy and soft, with a nice, crunchy crust. The two loaves I made disappeared in a snap. I need to work on my shaping skills, so I'll be making it again for sure.

Bread Machine French Bread

2 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups water

4 cups (19 oz) flour
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons gluten
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/4 teaspoons SAF yeast (or 2 3/4 tsp bread machine yeast)

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks are formed. Add them to your bread machine with the water. Add the rest of the ingredients and use the Dough cycle.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Once the Dough cycle is complete, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it in two. Flatten each portion into a thin 10x6 inch rectangle. I used my hands, but next time I might try a rolling pin. Starting on a long side, roll the dough tightly to form a cylinder. Place it on your baking sheet with the seam side down. Cover them loosely with plastic and let them rise until doubled in size (about 30 minutes, depending on the temperature in your kitchen).

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, with a pizza stone on the middle rack.

Beat 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon of water with a fork until foamy. Brush the tops of your risen loaves with the egg. Using a small, sharp knife, cut three or four diagonal slashes on the tops, going no more than 1/4 inch deep.

Place the baking sheet on the hot pizza stone and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown. Makes two medium sized loaves.


From my most favorite bread cookbook, The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook.

potato soup

It has been rainy and cold all week here in the desert. That means soup is on the menu. Tuesday evenings are our busiest, so I made a pot of our favorite (and easiest) potato soup for dinner last night.


Potato Soup

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cups milk
3 cups chicken broth
3 or so potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
salt & pepper

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the flour and cook on low for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add liquids and vegetables and bring to a boil. Boil until the veggies are soft, about 15 minutes, stirring lots so it doesn't burn. Blend to liquify. Add salt and pepper to taste.

We ate our soup with our favorite rolls (the virginia light rolls posted here, but made with mostly whole wheat flour).

The sun is out this morning, but it's still colder than usual. What's the winter weather like at your house today?

Sweet Potato Muffins

I'm sort of having a sweet potato moment. Some of my kids don't think they like sweet potatoes. In an effort to convince them otherwise, I made a batch of sweet potato muffins.

Sweet Potato Muffins

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

In another bowl blend:

1 sweet potato, microwaved till soft, then peeled and mashed
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until combined. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 22 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins

Some notes: The peanut butter flavor pretty much disappears in the baking. I wish it didn't! It was so delicious in the batter. My kids thought the muffins were fine, but they probably would have gobbled them up faster if I'd put chocolate chips in them. I think next time I will. Also, you can bump up the sugar a bit if you're not freaking out about added sugar like I am.

Recipe adapted from an almond butter + milk version on Minimalist Baker and a dairy-free, egg-free, gluten free from Madeline Nutrition.

banana blueberry muffins

I know I've mentioned this already, but we are trying to eat less sugar at our house. I have done this on my own before, but Mike and I both felt that our whole family could benefit from this change. My children get so much junk at school and church and everywhere else, that we don't need to have it at home, too. It has been a few weeks now, and we have been very pleased with how our children have adapted, and we are excited to continue this habit (hopefully for the rest of our lives). We are eating lots of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and protein, of course. But I still like to have something on hand for an after school snack. Something fresh from the oven, like a muffin. I've tried a few recipes in the past few weeks, but this one has been my favorite so far:


Better Banana Muffins

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup or so blueberries (optional)

Mix the mashed bananas and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Then add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

makes 12 muffins

better bread

I love our bread maker. Like, really really love it. I use it a few times each week, and for the past four years I have made nearly all of the bread, buns, pizza dough, and rolls our family has eaten with it. I can't imagine running my house without it, actually. But, I made a mistake on Sunday. I threw some dough in the machine to make a loaf of bread, but I accidentally set the dough cycle, instead of the bread cycle. I had no choice but to transfer the dough to a bread pan and bake it in my oven! And that's when I realized that no matter how amazing my bread maker is, bread baked in my own oven tastes a thousand times better. The crust was soft and chewy, not hard and crispy. The entire loaf was light and fluffy. My kids ate the whole thing, crusts included, for lunch that day. I'm not sure I'll ever use the bread machine for baking again.

Irish Potato Brown Bread is my favorite everyday bread recipe. Except I skip the bread flour and only use whole wheat flour.

From now on, when I need a loaf of bread, I will use the dough cycle on my machine. Once the dough cycle is complete, I will knead the dough a few times and put it in a lightly greased pan to rise for 45 minutes or so. Then I will bake it in my 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Once it's out of the oven, I will rub the top with butter to make it glisten. And then we will try really hard to make it last for a few days, at least.

baked oatmeal

I'm always looking for warm, hearty breakfasts to serve on long school days - something that will keep tummies full through morning lessons until lunchtime. Some of our favorites are thick slices of homemade toast with mint hot chocolate (recipe below), german pancakes, weekend waffles, whole wheat waffles, and egg burritos. My sister-in-law makes a really healthy version of baked oatmeal for her kids all the time, so I thought I would give it a try. The recipe I found is admittedly less healthy than my sister-in-law's no sugar version, but it was a hit with 1/2 of my children and I call that good enough.

Baked Oatmeal
3 cups quick oats
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the oats, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the oats and mix until combined. Pour into a greased 9x9 inch pan and bake for 40-45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Serve warm with milk and fruit.

I'm sure you could lessen the sugar content (which I will probably do next time), or even swap it out for honey instead. Since this was my first time making it, I followed the recipe exactly and was pleased with the results. I served it with blueberries and bananas. This is probably the reason why my blueberry-disliking boys weren't big fans. But I am willing to try it again (and again) until they like it. I think it'd be really good with stewed apples. Or a drizzle of maple syrup.

It has a rather long baking time, so it might not work well on busy early school mornings, but it can be baked the day before and kept in the fridge. My sister-in-law bakes hers in oversized muffin tins and freezes them for individual servings when needed.

Does your family eat something like this? I'd love to try out your recipe if you don't mind sharing.


Mint Hot Chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
a dash of salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in a saucepan. Stir in the hot water and cook over medium-high heat until boiling. Boil and stir for two minutes. Stir in the milk and heat, but don't boil this time. Once it's warm to your liking, stir in the peppermint extract. Serves 4-6.

You can swap the peppermint for vanilla extract and add a dash of cinnamon for a non-mint version. We love them both!

pumpkin gingerbread waffles

It's the first day of fall! Hooray! It might still be 100 degrees here in the desert, but that doesn't mean we can't eat pumpkin waffles and pretend that we are chilly.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Waffles

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup melted butter (or coconut oil)
1 egg
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl with a whisk. Add the wet ingredients and combine. Cook on a preheated waffle iron until nice and crisp. I put my waffle iron on almost the highest setting. I think pumpkin makes things cook slower, so if you want them crisp, they almost need to be overcooked.

Serve with spiced whipped cream or good old maple syrup (and lots of butter, of course).

This recipe makes 4 or 5 belgian waffles.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread and a weekend report

Weekend highlights: a long run with Mike, where we (literally) ran into Reachel and Beth on the canal. Dinner out with good friends and good food, and lots of lazy family time. But the best thing by far was Mike and Mabel's duet of I Need Thee Every Hour during Sacrament meeting yesterday. I might be somewhat biased, but I thought it was really beautiful.

Also a highlight: this zucchini bread. My neighbor gifted me with zucchini fresh from her garden, so I made up two loaves and we finished them off after Sunday dinner.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread with Cinnamon Topping

3 cups shredded zucchini (maybe 2 or 3 medium zucchinis, or one humongous one)
1 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cups coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

for the topping:
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottoms of two loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, spices, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and combine. Pour into prepared pans.

In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients. Use a fork or your fingers, it should be crumbly. Sprinkle on top of the loaves.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out pretty clean.

a slightly healthier banana bread

Sometimes I'm in the mood for a classic white banana bread. And sometimes I am trying not to eat too much sugar, so I want a banana bread that's a little bit healthier. Something with whole wheat, maybe even some oats. I had a few bananas looking sad and spotted sitting on my counter, so I started looking for a recipe that included coconut oil, flax seed meal, whole wheat flour, and oats. I found lots of recipes that had one or two of those things, but nothing seemed exactly right.

So I threw caution to the wind and I winged it. I never do that in the kitchen. It is not one of my talents. I used a little of one recipe, and a little of another, and then I added a bit of cinnamon. What I ended up with was a squat little loaf, but it was so moist and delicious, with a crunchy crust and just the right amount of sweetness inside. I am pretty sure I'll make this one next time I have over ripe bananas hanging around. Elliot and I thought it was just right. The real test will be whether or not the other kids gobble it up after school today, though. But I have a feeling they will.

A Healthier Banana Bread

In a medium bowl, whisk together these dry ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a different medium bowl, mash up 2-3 very ripe bananas. Then add these wet ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.

Makes one loaf.

I know there are so many banana bread recipes out there. Do you have a favorite?

Roman Bread

We had a major roll disaster yesterday afternoon. I had prepared the dough and put it in the fridge before we left for church. When we got home, I took the cold rolls out to rise. To speed things up, I placed the cold glass pan full of rolls on my stove top, with the burners on low, or so I thought. A few minutes later, there was an explosion and shattered glass was everywhere. So, so dumb.

We were on a time crunch at that point, and bread was our Sunday dinner assignment, so I turned to one of our favorite (and fastest) recipes, Roman Bread. It is chewy and salty and pairs well with just about anything. It's great for a crowd, too.

Roman Bread

Place the following in your bread maker, according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions:

1 1/2 cups water
4 cups, or 19 oz, bread flour (I use all-purpose)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon SAF yeast, or 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon bread machine yeast (SAF yeast is the best and can usually be found at Costco. Or if you are local, I get mine at Shar's in Gilbert.)

Start the dough cycle on your machine. Once it is finished, turn the dough out onto a baking sheet that has been brushed with olive oil. Using oil-coated fingers, press and flatten the dough into a 1-inch thick oval. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 40 minutes.

While it is rising, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If you don't have a pizza stone, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Once it has risen, score the top of the dough in a tic-tac-toe pattern with a sharp knife, going no more than 1/2 inch deep. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and sprinkle with 1 or 2 tablespoons crushed rosemary. It might seem like a lot of rosemary, but just go with it.

Now, the recipe says to bake for 20-25 minutes, but mine is always done by 18, so keep your eye on it. Yesterday, at 14 minutes, I noticed the bottom of my loaf was getting dark, so I took the pan off the pizza stone, and moved it to the center of my oven. I lowered the temperature to 400, too. After two more minutes, I switched my broiler on low, and moved the loaf to the top rack for another minute or so, just until the top was golden brown.

When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with a generous amount of Kosher salt.

Some notes:

I have a Zojirushi bread maker and I love it. I make all of the bread in our house, so it gets lots of use. Some of my favorite recipes are Irish Potato Brown Bread (good for sandwiches), rolls, and pizza. I've tweaked all of these recipes over time, usually changing the ratio of whole wheat flour to white flour. I'm slowly trying to phase white flour out of our lives (except for the occasional treat).

The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook is my go-to source for bread recipes. In fact, I just got rid of all of my cookbooks, but this one (and Martha's Baking Handbook) made the cut.

French Toast

Mabel doesn't have lunch until 12:45 this year. That is so late! I'm afraid that she's going to starve. She sometimes gets woozy when she hasn't eaten, so I have been stuffing her the best I can in the mornings with breakfast. Today we had one of my favorites - French Toast.

French Toast

1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
a pinch of salt
3 or so eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon white sugar

In a large bowl or dish, whisk the milk into the flour. Then whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Dip your bread slices into the mixture, soaking both sides. Then cook on a warm, buttered griddle until golden brown. Serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or fruit or peanut butter or syrup or all of the above.

The recipe claims to make 12 slices, but it only covers about 8 thick slices of our favorite bread.

Cornbread

If we're being honest, this recipe is more like a corn cake than a corn bread. But that's what makes it so delicious. I made a batch this morning to serve with chili tonight for dinner, but I have a feeling that the majority of it will be eaten as an after-school snack. I don't remember where I found it - it's the sort of recipe that you scribble down on a scrap of paper and then make so often that you have it memorized.

Cornbread

In a large bowl, whisk together:
2 cups baking mix (like Bisquick)
6 tablespoons corn meal
1/2 cup sugar
then set aside.

Melt:
1/2 cup butter

and add:
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Stir into the dry ingredients just until combined. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Serve warm with a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey.