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.

Pizza Dough~by Kelsey

I found this recipe in my recipe box.  It's written in Grandma Jessie's handwriting, but I don't know why, since I don't remember her ever making home made pizza.  I know it has been in there at least, like, 12 years, and I have never tried it, so I gave it a shot.  It was really good!  The kids had fun putting the toppings on.

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 package yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
3 cups flour

Mix together the water, yeast, sugar, and salt.  Add the oil and 1 1/2 cups of flour and beat with a mixer.  Add another 1 1/2 cups of flour and knead.  Let it rise 1 hour.  Punch it down, roll it out, and top as you please.  Cook it at 375 degrees.  I think I checked on it after 10 minutes and had to let it go another 10 minutes after that, but I am not sure, so keep an eye on it.

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.)

Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing ~ by Sarah

This is a recipe from my Pioneer Woman cookbook.  I made them last Sunday up at Mom's and they were delish.  Wes even ate three in one sitting--and he doesn't normally like sweets!  They are a lot of work, though.  Definitely something you do when you have lots of time and other people watching your kids!

Dough:
1 qt. whole milk
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. sugar
2 packages (4 1/2 t.) active dry yeast
9 c. all-purpose flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1 T. salt

Filling:
2 cups melted butter, plus more as needed
1/4 c. ground cinnamon for sprinkling
2 c. sugar, plus more as needed

Maple Icing:
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1/2 c. whole milk
6 T. (3/4 stick) butter
1/4 c. strongly brewed coffee
dash of salt
1 T. maple flavoring or maple extract

Directions:
For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat; do not allow the mixture to boil.  Set aside and cool to lukewarm.  Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.  Add 8 cups of the flour.  Stir until just combined, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.  Remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup of flour.  Stir thoroughly to combine.  Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to three days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl.

To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan.  One a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches.

To make the filling, pour 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough.  Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly.  Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter.  Add more if desired.

Beginning at the long end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly toward you.  Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight.  Some filling might ooze out the side, but that is normal!  When you reach the end, pinch the seam together.  With a sharp knife, make 1 1/2-inch slices.  One log will produce 20 to 25 rolls.

Pour a couple tablespoons of melted butter into the desired pie pans or baking dishes and swirl to coat.  Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Cover the pans with kitchen towels and set aside to rise on the counter top for at least 20 minutes before baking.  Remove the towel and bake for 13 to 17 minutes, until golden brown, but not overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the icing.  In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt.  Splash in the maple flavoring.  Whisk until very smooth.  Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as desired.  The icing should be thick, but still pourable.

When the rolls are done, and while they're still warm, generously drizzle icing over the top.  Be sure to get it all around the edges.

Mmmmmm....

*Note...Having step-by-step pictures in her cookbook was very helpful.  If you want to see pictures of each step, click this link: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_.

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.