BREADS

BAGELS

CORN BREAD IN A SKILLET

CRACKERS WHEAT AND CHEESE

DAMPER BREAD

DINNER ROLLS

DOUGHNUTS

FRY BREAD

NO KNEAD DUTCH OVEN BREAD

PITA BREAD

SCONES

SOURDOUGH BREAD

TORTILLAS FLOUR AND CORN

BASIC WHEAT-RYE-FRENCH BREAD










BAGELS
COOK A POTATO IN 2+ c. of water
PUT 1 pkg. dry YEAST IN A SMALL BOWL with:
1 c. cooled potato water (about 90°)
½ tsp. honey
SIFT INTO A LARGE BOWL:
4 c. unbleached flour
ADD and mix to make a firm dough:
Yeast mixture
1 egg + 1 egg white (save yolk for glaze)
1 c. potato water
1 tsp. honey
3 T. canola oil

TURN dough out on a floured surface and knead 5-10 minutes or until nice and springy. PUT DOUGH into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1½ hours or until double.

PREHEAT oven to 425°. Boil 3 qts. of water in a large pot.

PUNCH DOWN dough and knead for about 3 minutes. CUT dough into 14-15 pieces. ROLL each piece into a cigar shape –about 7” long. CONNECT the ends with a little water to make a ring. Let the rings rest for about 10 minutes.

SLIDE each bagel offs a slotted spoon into the boiling water. Don’t crowd.

BOIL for 2 minutes on each side. REMOVE and place on a oiled cookie sheet. BRUSH on egg glaze. (yolk + 1 tsp.water)

BAKE 20-25 minutes or until golden. Place on a wire rack to cool.


CORN BREAD IN A SKILLET



PRE HEAT OVEN TO 425°, put a 10” heavy skillet in oven to warm up.

SIFT INTO A MIXING BOWL: twice
⅔ c. yellow corn meal
⅔ c. unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
2 T. sugar

COMBINE, add to flour mix, and beat well:
1 egg yolk (save white and beat stiff)
1 c. buttermilk

TAKE skillet out of oven, put in 3 T. shortening, let melt.

POUR melted shortening into batter and beat well.

FOLD beaten egg white into batter.

POUR batter into hot skillet.

BAKE for 25-30 minutes or until edges are browned.







CRACKERS WHEAT AND CHEESE

WHOLE WHEAT
PUT INTO A BOWL and mix well:
"2 c. whole wheat flour
1½ tsp. salt
5 T. canola oil
½ c. + 2 T. water

KNEAD until smooth. Roll out on a turned over cookie sheet to about ⅛” thick. Lightly score, prick all over with a fork

BAKE at 425º about 8 minutes until crisp.


CHEESE CRACKERS

PUT into a bowl and mix well with a whisk :
1 c. unbleached flour
⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. salt
2 T. yellow corn meal
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. each turmeric and white pepper
ADD and mix well:
¼ c. oil
⅓ c.milk
6 oz. (almost a cup) grated sharp cheddar cheese

CHILL dough at least 2 hours. ROLL out on a floured surface, cut with a cookie cutter, put on an ungreased cookie sheet and BAKE at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.


DAMPER BREAD


SOFTEN 1 package dry yeast in ¼ c. warm water

STIR in 1 c. warm milk (110°); set aside.

SIFT INTO LARGE BOWL:
3 c. unbleached flour
1 T. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt

CUT in 2 T. butter until crumbly.

ADD milk mixture, stirring until evenly mixed.

TURN dough out on a floured surface; knead until smooth about 15 times. Add extra flour to keep from sticking.

SHAPE dough into a round loaf and put into a greased 8” baking pan. Dust lightly with flour and cut a criss-cross on the top with a sharp knife.

BAKE at 375° on a lower rack in the oven for about 50 minutes or until browned and when thumped, it sounds hollow. Let cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes then serve warm.

Makes 1 loaf, about 1½ lbs.




DINNER ROLLS


PUT IN A LARGE BOWL and let sit about 5 minutes:
1 pkg. dry yeast
¼ c. warm water (110°)

ADD and mix together:
1¾ c. buttermilk (room temperature)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
⅓ c. brown sugar
1½ tsp. salt
¼ c. melted butter

ADD gradually, and then beat for 5 minutes:
2 c. each-whole wheat and unbleached flour

ADD and beat in with a heavy wooden spoon:
1c. each-whole wheat and unbleached flour

KNEAD dough for about 10 minutes until satiny. Put into a greased bowl, cover and set in a warm place to rise until double, about 1½ hours.

CUT dough into golf ball sizes and put on a greased cookie sheet, barely touching. Let rise for about 1 hour.

BAKE at 375° 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a rack to cool.

Makes about 2+ dozen dinner rolls








DOUGHNUTS

HEAT UNTIL WARM:
¼ c. water
¾ c. milk
¼ c. butter
ADD and let sit 5 minutes:
1 pkg. dry yeast
¼ c. sugar or honey
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
¾ tsp. salt
STIR IN and beat until nice and smooth:
2 c. unbleached flour (or ½ whole wheat )
1 egg
ADD to make a soft dough:
2 c. unbleached flour

KNEAD dough for about 10 minutes or until satiny and elastic. Put dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes.

ROLL out ½ ¨thick. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Let rise for 20 minutes.

HEAT 3¨ of light vegetable oil in a heavy pan to 375° Fry several at a time 2-3 minutes, turning to brown both sides. Drain on paper towels. Shake in paper bag with cinnamon/sugar mix or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

VARIATIONS:

FILLED: Cut dough with a biscuit cutter. Cut slit in side to center, fry as above. When cool fill slit with jam, cheese or peanut butter

CRULLERS: Cut into strips 1”x 4”. Twist two strips together and fasten ends with moisture. Fry as above.





FRY BREAD

HEAT about 3” peanut or grape seed oil to 375°in a deep fry pan
PUT IN A MIXING BOWL and blend well:
2 c. unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ c. powdered milk

ADD: Enough hot water to make a soft dough. (The dough can be used at once or let stand for a couple of hours.)

ROLL or pat out a circle about 4” in diameter and ¼” thick.

FRY bread one or two at a time in hot oil until brown on one side then flip over and brown the other side.

DRAIN on a wire rack.

SERVE plain with stew, beans etc. or coat with cinnamon and sugar and eat like a flat biscuit.






NO KNEAD DUTCH OVEN BREAD


PUT INTO A LARGE BOWL and mix to dissolve:
¼ tsp. active dry yeast
1½ c. warm water

ADD and stir until well mixed:
3 c. unbleached flour (or wheat or spelt)
1½ tsp. salt

COVER bowl with plastic wrap and let sit from 8 -18 hours in a warm place. (60 - 70°) until doubled in size and the surface is bubbly.

LIGHTLY FLOUR a work surface, pour dough out, fold it over itself a couple of times then cover with plastic wrap and let it rest about 15 minutes.

GENTLY shape dough into a ball, using just enough flour to keep it from being too sticky. Flour coat a dish towel, put the dough inside, lightly wrap it and let dough rise for about 1-2 hours or until doubled.

PUT the Dutch oven, with lid, into the oven while oven is heating to 425°.

When temperature is reached, take the Dutch oven out, carefully remove the lid, gently slide raised dough into the hot Dutch oven, replace the lid and put Dutch oven into the hot oven to bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake for12 minutes or more until bread has a beautiful brown surface. Remove Dutch oven and the bread and cool it on a rack.

YIELD one 1½ lb. loaf

NOTE: You can start this bread at night and finish baking it the next day.






PITA BREAD


COMBINE IN A BOWL:
1 package dry yeast
1½ c. all purpose or wheat flour

COMBINE IN A SMALLER BOWL:
1¼ c. warm water (110°)
2 T. canola oil
1 tsp. salt
¼ c. honey or sugar

ADD wet ingredients to dry, beat with a mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl often. Beat 3 minutes on high speed.

STIR in with a wooden spoon 2-3 c. flour, 1 cup at a time, to make a medium stiff dough.

TURN dough out on a floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes.

COVER dough with a bowl and let rise about 45 minutes.

PUNCH dough down, divide into 12 equal pieces, and let rest 10 minutes.

ROLL each ball into a 5” circle to about ¼” thick. Place them on an un-greased cookie sheet (put a little cornmeal on the bottom) about 2” apart. Cover with a light towel and let rise 20-30 minutes.

BAKE at 400° on a low rack in the oven for 3-5 minutes or until puffed up and golden brown.

VARIATION: Naan Bread is just Pita Bread from a different culture.





SCONES


MIX TOGETHER IN A BOWL:
2 c. unbleached flour (or wheat)
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt

RUB INTO DRY INGREDIENTS until crumbly:
½ c. softened butter

MAKE AWELL in the center of the mixture and ADD:
½ c. milk

DOUGH should be soft but not sticky.

KNEAD gently 5-6 times then roll out to 1” thick. Cut into triangles, place in a pie pattern on an un-greased pan. Brush with a little milk.

BAKE at 400° for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.


VARIATION:

CHEESE – Add ¼ tsp. mustard powder to dry ingredients and ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese (or other cheese) to the dough.








SOURDOUGH BREAD

PUT into a large bowl, mixing well:
1½ c. warm water (110°)
1 package dry yeast
1 c. *Sourdough starter
4 c. unbleached flour
COVER and let sit in a warm place until bubbly about 6-8 hours.
STIR IN :
2 tsp. each-salt and sugar
2 c. unbleached flour or enough to make a soft dough.

PUT ON A FLOURED SURFACE and knead until smooth and elastic about 5-10 minutes.
PUT dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until double about 1½-2 hours.

PUNCH down dough and divide for loaves or rolls, knead about 2 minutes, put into bread pans or on cookie sheet, cover and let rise until double 1½ hours.

PUT a pan with 1”+ of water in oven on the bottom rack.
BRUSH dough before baking and 10 minutes into baking with cornstarch mix: 1tsp. cornstarch + ½ c. water, bring to boiling, then cool.

BAKE at 400° for 25 minutes or until nice and golden brown.

SOURDOUGH STARTER:

HEAT 1 c. milk to 90°. Cool and stir in 2T plain yogurt. Pour mixture into warmed, very clean, 1½ qt. glass container. Cover tightly and let sit in a warm spot until mix thickens. (1 day)
STIR in 1c. unbleached flour, let sit another 2+ days in a warm spot until mix is bubbly and has a good, sour smell.

REPLENISH the mix (with an equal amount of flour and milk or yogurt) every time some is removed.

ALWAYS use the same kind of milk. (Any kind will work) STORE in the refrigerator in a covered jar between uses. Warm to room temperature before using.








TORTILLAS

FLOUR TORTILLAS:
PUT IN A MIXING BOWL:

1 ½ c. unbleached flour
1 T. shortening

MIX together until crumbly. Slowly add cold water, 1 T. at a time, until dough sticks together but is not too wet.

KNEAD dough until smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes.

CUT dough into about 2” balls. On a floured surface,

ROLL each ball into a 6-8” circle about ⅛” thick.

FRY quickly on both sides in a hot skillet.

REMOVE and fill to make burritos or use like a piece of bread.

CORN TORTILLAS:

MIX WELL:
2 c. Masa Harina flour
1 c. warm water

WET hands and form dough into golf ball sized balls. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Use a tortilla press to flatten or place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter, put a ball of dough down then place another piece of plastic wrap on top. Press with your hand or a rolling pin to make a thin 6” circle. Carefully peel off the top plastic then pick up the bottom plastic and plop the tortilla into a hot skillet. Fry 30 seconds, flip, cook about 1 minute, turn and cook another 15 seconds. Cover tortillas to keep warm. Store tortillas in the refrigerator or freezer.








BASIC WHEAT-RYE-FRENCH BREAD


PUT INTO A MIXING BOWL and stir to mix:
2 c. warm water (110°)
1 package dry yeast
⅓ c. honey or molasses
2 T. soft shortening
2 tsp. salt

ADD gradually to make a stiff dough:
5-6 c. whole-wheat flour

KNEAD on a well-floured surface until smooth and satiny, about 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover, let rise in a warm spot until doubled, 1-2 hours.

DIVIDE in half, cover and let rest 15 minutes. Shape into loaves, put in well-greased loaf pans, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

BAKE at 375° for 30-40 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from pans and cool on a rack.

VARIATIONS:

RYE: Increase yeast to 2 packages. Add ¼ c. cocoa powder and 1 T. caraway seeds. Substitute 3 c. of rye flour for wheat flour.

FRENCH: Omit the molasses. Use 1 T. sugar for sweetener. Use 4-5 c. unbleached flour and decrease shortening to 1 T. After second rising, brush tops with cold water and slash at 1” intervals with a knife. When baking, put a pan with water in it in the bottom rack of the oven. Spray bread with water every 15 minutes to make a crispy crust.