Pumpkin Bread ~ By D'Lynn

Pumpkin Bread and Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Yield = 2 standard loaf pans or 5 mini loaf pans

2 c. sugar
1 c. canola oil
4 eggs
16 oz. canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
3/4 cup water
3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. table salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves (optional — I didn’t have any so didn’t use any)
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease loaf pans with butter or non-stick spray.

2. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat sugar and oil together until blended. Add eggs one at a time mixing after each addition. Add pumpkin purée and water and mix until blended.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice. Add to the mixer and mix only until just incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pans.

4. Bake for about an hour (if using standard loaf pans) but start checking for doneness after 45 minutes — the loaves are done when center springs back when touched or when inserting a knife in the middle and it comes out clean.  Note: When using the small pans, the loaves should be done in under 45 minutes. I started checking after 30 minutes, and the loaves were done after about 35 minutes (or maybe a minute or two longer…lost track of time.)

 

Frosting:  Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

3 Cups of powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of softened butter
1 - eight ounce package of cream cheese, also softened
1 Tbsp of Cinnamon

 

With mixer, whip the butter and cream cheese until well blended and creamy; add vanilla and cinnamon, then start adding the powdered sugar.

Keep whipping, it usually will get light and fluffy, and a bit lighter in color

Pumpkin Scones ~ by Sarah

I had some pumpkin leftover from when I made the cookies last weekend, so I decided to look up a recipe for pumpkin scones.  I love scones and I love pumpkin!  These were great!  And not much sugar at all!

Ingredients:
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 cup milk, divided

GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin and 1/2 cup milk. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10 times. Divide dough in half. Pat each portion into an 8-in. circle; cut each into eight wedges. Separate wedges and place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Brush with remaining milk. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks; cool for 10 minutes. Combine the glaze ingredients; drizzle over scones. Serve warm. Yield: 16 scones.

Sausage-Kale Breakfast Strata ~ by Sarah

I made this for the first time the other day and took it to a breakfast potluck at school.  It is a Pioneer Woman recipe, so it is not fat free.  It got rave reviews.  I liked how I made it the night before and then just had to bake it in the morning.  Kale is growing on me...this is really good!


Ingredients: 
12 whole Eggs
2-1/2 cups Half And Half (or Milk, If You Prefer)
Salt And Pepper, to taste
4 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Oregano (or Parsley, Basil, Etc.)
1 loaf Crusty French Or Italian Bread, Cut Into Cubes
2 pounds Breakfast Sausage Patties, Cooked And Cut Into Cubes
1 bunch (large) Regular Kale, Torn Into Pieces
Olive Oil (for Frying)
16 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Halved
2-1/2 cups Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Preparation Instructions: 
*Note: Recipe can easily be halved.

Mix together eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper, and minced oregano. Set aside. Drizzle olive oil over mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then roast in a 425 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat, then throw in kale. Cook for 2 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Remove from heat and set aside. Layer half the bread, half the kale, half the mushrooms, and half the cheese in a large, buttered lasagna pan. Repeat with the other half of all the ingredients, ending with the cheese. Slowly pour egg mixture all over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight if possible. To bake, remove from fridge 20-30 minutes before baking. Replace plastic wrap with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until top is golden brown and slightly crisp.

(Pioneer Woman picture)

If you want to see her step-by-step pictures, you can see her post here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/01/sausage-kale-strata/

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread ~Molly

I stumbled upon this recipe while trying to find something to bake with pumpkin that isn't pie or bars (I've already made-- and ate-- those things this month. Twice.) This bread isn't overly pumpkin-y but it's delicious! I followed the recipe exactly (except I used all-purpose flour instead), but you can knead by hand if you don't want to bread out the KithenAid. The dough is pretty sticky, so I make sure you use a ton of flour when you roll it out. If you want to see the original recipe, go here: http://willowbirdbaking.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/pumpkin-spice-pull-apart-bread-with-butter-rum-glaze/

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups bread flour

Filling Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Butter Rum Glaze Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon rum 


Directions:
Make the pull-apart bread dough: Grease and flour a loaf pan and set aside. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the 2 tablespoons of butter. Let it bubble and foam and when you see it start to brown, stir it so that it browns evenly. When it’s the color of dark honey, remove it from the heat and pour it into a large heat-safe mixer bowl to cool. In the same saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the milk until it bubbles. Remove it from the heat and pour it into the bowl with the butter. Let these cool until they’re about 100-110 degrees F (use a candy thermometer to check). Set the saucepan aside for another use later. I use the same one throughout the entire recipe; why do more dishes?

Stir the sugar and yeast into the milk/butter mixture and let it sit for about 10 minutes to proof (it should foam; if it doesn’t, discard it yeast and try again with new yeast). Stir in pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup flour. If you haven’t already, fit your mixer with a dough hook. Add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring between each addition. When the dough is combined, knead on low speed with a dough hook until smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes with a mixer).

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm place for about an hour until it doubles in size (After it rises, you can put it in the fridge overnight to use it in the morning, but let it sit out for half an hour before rolling if you do.)

Make the filling: While the dough is rising, whisk the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Toward the end of the rising time, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter for the filling in the saucepan over medium-high heat and brown it as directed above. Put it in a small heat-safe bowl to cool for use later.

Shape and bake pull-apart bread: Knead a sprinkling of flour (about 1 tablespoon) into the dough, deflating it, and recover it. Let it sit to relax for 5 minutes. Flour a large work surface and turn your rested dough out onto it. Roll it out to a 20 inch long and 12 inch wide rectangle, lifting corners periodically to make sure it’s not sticking. If it seems to be snapping back, cover it with your damp towel and let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing (I had to do this twice during the process).

Spread the browned butter over the surface of the dough with a pastry brush and then sprinkle the sugar mixture over the top, patting it down to ensure it mostly sticks. Joy the Baker encourages you to use it all even though it seems like a ton, but I admit I got squeamish at the amount and only used most. It was fine despite my nerves. Go ahead and pile it on.

With the long edge of the rectangle toward you, cut it into 6 strips (do this by cutting the rectangle in half, then cutting each half into equal thirds. I used a pizza cutter). Stack these strips on top of one another and cut the resulting stack into 6 even portions (again, cut it in half, and then cut the halves into equal thirds). Place these portions one at a time into your greased loaf pan, pressing them up against each other to fit them all in. Cover the pan with your damp cloth and place it in a warm place for 30-45 minutes to double in size.

While dough rises, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 if you have a glass loaf dish instead of a metal pan). When it’s risen, place the loaf in the center of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until dark golden brown on top (if you take it out at light golden brown, it’s liable to be raw in the middle, so let it get good and dark). Cool for 20-30 minutes on a cooling rack in the loaf pan while you make the glaze.

Make the glaze: In your saucepan, bring the butter, milk, and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove it from heat, add the powdered sugar and rum, and whisk it to a smooth consistency.

Assemble and serve: Use a butter knife to loosen all sides of the bread from the loaf pan and gently turn it out onto a plate. Place another plate on top and flip it to turn it right side up. Drizzle glaze over top. Serve each piece slightly warm with a drizzle of glaze.

Baking Powder Biscuits~by Kelsey

This recipe is from my Pillsbury Complete Cookbook.  I make them often.  They are quick and easy and yummy.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well.  With a pastry blender or fork, cut in shortening until the mixture resembles course crumbs.  Stirring with a fork, add enough milk until the mixture leaves the sides of the ball and forms a soft, moist, dough.  (This should be about one cup.)  On a floured surface, toss dough lightly until no longer sticky.  Roll or press dough to 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut with a 2-inch round cutter (I have found that the top of a wine glass cuts perfect sized biscuits).  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

Rustic Italian Bread ~ by Kelsey

This is from my Pillsbury Complete Cook Book.  Very easy and yummy!

Ingredients:
1 cup water heated to 120-130 F
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pkg active dry yeast
cornmeal
1 egg white, beaten

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast.  Mix well.  Add warm water and oil, mix well.  Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.  Knead dough five minutes or until smooth (it never became smooth and elastic for me, it was pretty hard and dense).  Place dough in greased bowl.  Cover with greased plastic wrap and a cloth towel.  Let rise in warm place (80-85 degrees) until light and doubled in size, about 40 minutes.

Sprinkle ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal.  Punch down dough several times.  Shape dough into baguette-shaped loaf about 12 inches long.  Place on cornmeal-coated cookie sheet.  Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and towel.  Let rise in warm place again for about 30 minutes.  Heat oven to 375 degrees make a deep lengthwise slash on top of the loaf.  Brush loaf with egg white.  Bake for about 25 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when tapped.   Immediately remove from the cookie sheet and place on cooling rack for one hour.

Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich ~ by Sarah

This is a recipe from my Pioneer Woman cookbook.  I have been wanting to try it for awhile now, but I was scared of all the butter.  It didn't disappoint--this is amazing!  

Ingredients
1 whole large onion
2 sticks butter
2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) cube steak
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
lemon pepper (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
½ cup (approximately) Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco sauce, so taste
4 whole French/deli rolls

**Note: I also added fresh mushroom slices to the onion when it was cooking and grated mozzarella cheese to put on top of the meat when the sandwich was assembled.

Directions:
Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.

Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s, lemon pepper, and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.

Add 1/2 cup (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.

Butter halved French rolls and brown in skillet.

To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan.

 *This is a Pioneer Woman picture.  I was too lazy and too hungry to photograph my own.

If you want to see step-by-step instructions with pictures every step of the way, go here: 

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/marlboro_mans_f/

Serve this to a man in your life--he will be over the moon!

Honey Wheat Bread ~ by Sarah

From allrecipes.com!  Yummy!

Ingredients:
2 c. warm water (110 degrees F)
1 T active dry yeast
1/3 c. honey
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. salt
1/3 c. vegetable oil
5 c. all-purpose flour

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add honey and stir well.  Mix in whole wheat flour, salt, and vegetable oil.  Work all-purpose flour in gradually.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 to 15 minutes.  (I used the dough hook on my Kitchen Aid.)  When dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a well-oiled bowl.  Turn it several times in the bowl to coat the surface of the dough, and cover with a damp cloth.  Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk--about 45 minutes.  Punch down the dough.  Shape into two loaves and place into two well-greased 9x5 loaf pans.  Allow to rise until dough is 1 to 1 1/2 inches above pans.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

(I brushed my loaves with a mixture of 1 beaten egg and 1 tablespoon of water before baking to give it a more shiny, flaky crust.)

Cornbread ~ by Kelsey

This is another recipe from allrecipes.com.  I usually just use the Jiffy cornbread, but decided to make it on my own this time.  This is really spongy and moist, it seems more like cake than what you get from the Jiffy box.  My kids love it!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup cornmeal
2 1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine cornmeal and milk, let it sit for 5 minutes.  Grease a 9 X 13 inch pan.  Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Mix in the cornmeal, eggs, and oil until smooth.  Pour into the pan and cook for 30-35 minutes.

Rosemary Butter Rolls ~ by Sarah

Let's just get it over with.  Yes, this is another Pioneer Woman recipe.  Yes, I'm obsessed.

I've made these rolls a couple of times.  The first time my dough was expired.  (I didn't realize it until after they never rose properly.  I cooked them anyway and they were delicious.)  I made them again tonight with dough that actually had live yeast.  Let's just say I could make myself sick eating them.

Ingredients:

a cast-iron skillet (not an ingredient, but necessary to make them look cool!)
frozen yeast rolls (I buy the Rhodes brand)
melted butter
fresh, chopped rosemary
coarse sea salt (but I used fine sea salt because that's what I had)

Directions:
Spray cast-iron skillet with cooking spray.  Place rolls an inch or so apart around skillet.  Spray saran wrap with cooking spray and cover the skillet tightly.  Place skillet in a non-drafty area in your house until they are at least doubled in size, light, and fluffy.  (I put them by my wood stove that was just warm, not hot, and it took about 3 1/2 hours for them to rise.)

Brush each roll very lightly with melted butter (they're delicate, so be careful!).  Sprinkle chopped rosemary on top.  Brush with a little more melted butter.  Sprinkle sea salt on each roll.

 

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until they're nice and golden on top.  Um, yum.  I ate four.  And I would have eaten five, but my guilt started to get to me.  And now, three hours later, I'm dying of thirst from all the salt.  Seriously, these are good.

 

Egg In The Middle ~ by Grace

Punch a hole in a piece of bread.  Turn the stove to Medium.  Put the bread in the pan.  Crack an egg in  the hole of the bread.  Let it  cook for a wile.  Flip  it over.  Ad some salt.

Yummy Rolls ~ by Kelsey

These rolls are very simple, and very yummy.  I make them frequently.  This recipe only makes about 12 rolls, so you may want to double it.  It takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete them.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
5 teaspoons active dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm milk, water, sugar, and salt.  Remove from heat and mix in the eggs and yeast.  I think it is important to only WARM the milk mixture slightly before you put the eggs and yeast in, otherwise you will cook the eggs and kill the yeast.  But, I'm no cooking expert, so who knows.  Anyway, measure the flour into a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid mixing bowl).  Make a well in the flour, and pour milk mixture into it.  Do not stir.  Cover with a tight lid or saranwrap (make sure it is tight).  I also put a dishtowel over the top.  Find a patch of Eastern Oregon sunshine out-of-reach to your children, and let it rise for 20-30 minutes.

Pour melted butter into flour and mix well.  This is where I use my KitchenAid.  Add more flour if it's too sticky, which it is.  I usually add at least an additional 1/2 cup.  Knead lightly in the bowl.  Cover, rise again for 20-30 minutes.  Shape the dough into rolls, and place in greased baking dish.  Let rise again for 20-30 minutes.  Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until done.  I like mine slightly under-done.