Almost Gwen's Harvest Bread

My friend Gwen Ericson brought me the most wonderful loaf of bread when I was recovering from surgery last year. She's such a generous lady that she happily gave me the recipe. I've modified the ingredients to reflect my pantry and changed her instructions a bit- I'm lazier than I ought to be and found I could throw everything together in my Kitchen Aid mixer with good results.   I also adjusted it to make just one very large loaf instead of the three or four her original recipe made. This is a lovely, light multi-grain loaf with a beautiful texture. I like it with sunflower seeds, but others here don't, so I leave them out. Adding a quarter cup of dried cranberries would be nice too. I haven't tried it "Regular", so if you try the "Regular Instructions" and find something in the method that needs to be changed, let me know!

3 cups white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons whole flax seed
2 Tablespoons oatmeal
2 Tablespoons Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Cereal
2 Tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds (optional)
1 1/2 cups very warm water
1 large egg
1/4 cup lard (or 1/3 cup vegetable/Canola oil)
2 Tablespoons oil

*Kitchen Aid Instructions:

Put all ingredients except the last 2 Tablespoons of oil into largest mixer bowl. Mix on lowest speed with dough hook for about 10 minutes. Add more flour if necessary, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until dough no longer sticks to your fingers when you test it.

Take dough off dough hook, and form into a ball with your hand. Remove from bowl, (either hold in one hand or rest on clean breadboard) and add 2 Tablespoons of oil to bottom of bowl. Put dough in bowl, swishing it around to cover the bottom with oil, then flip the dough to cover the other side.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, 1.5- 2 hours.

When bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and shape into loaf/loaves, and place in lightly greased bread pan(s). Set in warm place to rise again until bread is about doubled in size- 1-1.5 hours.

Preheat oven to 350*F, then bake the loaves for 30- 50 minutes until nicely golden.

Take the pans out of the oven, and carefully tip the bread out of the pans. Cool on baking racks.

Yield: 1 very large loaf, 2 small loaves, 1 good sized loaf + a couple of buns (hamburger/hot dog/ dinner roll shaped)

*Regular Instructions:

Measure water, salt, yeast, sugar, lard, egg and 2 cups of the flour into large mixing bowl. Using electric hand mixer/ beaters, beat batter together until lard and flour are incorporated, and mixture looks gelatinous, (kind of gooey/ glue-y) It will be very sticky.

Measure in 3rd cup of flour and the rest of the ingredients except the last 2 Tablespoons of oil.

Using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix dough together. As the ingredients are incorporated, the dough will get stiffer and you'll find it easier to just transfer it to a lightly floured board and mix with your hands.

When the dough starts to feel less sticky, and the flour is mixed in, begin to knead the dough, adding flour a Tablespoon at a time as needed to keep dough from sticking to your hands. As you knead it, the dough will get less sticky and the less flour you add, the lighter your bread will be.

To knead: Gather the dough into a ball. With the heel of your hands, push the dough away from you. Now with your fingers pull the dough back towards you into the ball. Repeat with pushing away and pulling it back 4 or 5 times. The dough should start to get longer, side to side. Rotate the dough, (1/4 turn), so it is long-wise to you; gather the longer end up into a ball with your fingers, then push it back out in the kneading motion as before. Continue kneading and turning the dough for at least 10 minutes. The longer you knead, the better your bread will be.

Put the 2 Tablespoons of oil in the bottom of the bowl. Put the dough in the bowl, swishing it around to cover the bottom with oil, then flip the dough to cover the other side.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, 1.5- 2 hours.

When bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and shape into loaf/loaves, and place in lightly greased bread pan(s). Set in warm place to rise again until bread is about doubled in size- 1-1.5 hours.

Preheat oven to 350*F, then bake the loaves for 30- 50 minutes until nicely golden.

Take the pans out of the oven, and carefully tip the bread out of the pans. Cool on baking racks.

Yield: 1 large loaf, 2 small loaves, 1 good sized loaf + a couple of buns (hamburger/hot dog/ dinner roll shaped)

Potato Scones

Top o' the mornin' to ya, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

1  1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon margarine
1/8 cup + 1 Tablespoon milk
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon instant potato flakes
1/8 cup butter or hard margarine melted
3/4-1 cup milk
1/2 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400*F.

In small saucepan heat water and the teaspoon of margarine. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in first amount of milk and potato flakes with a fork. Don't over stir.

Mix together flour and baking powder. Stir in cooled mashed potatoes (those you've made from instant flakes OR 1 cup leftover, cold mashed potatoes). Moisten with second amount of milk* and melted butter to form a soft dough. *Start with 3/4 cup; if dough is very stiff, add up to 1/4 more milk.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough lightly, then divide into 8 pieces. Roll pieces into strips, and shape into knots. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with a little milk, and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Serve warm with butter.
Yield: 8 large scones.

Egg-In-A-Hole

This is just eggs and toast kicked up a notch. Good for the day after the toaster breaks,  for special breakfasts or just to mix it up a bit. 

You will need: an egg, a piece of bread, a cup or cookie cutter, soft (or softened) margarine or butter, oil/spray oil for the pan/griddle, salt and pepper.

What I do: Punch a hole in the middle of the bread. I use either a glass/cup that fits nicely within the parameters of the bread's crust OR a cookie cutter: heart shape for Valentine's Day, Tree for Christmas, Shamrock for St. Patrick's Day etc.

Heat your frying pan or griddle as for pancakes. Not too hot.

Butter both sides of the bread and the cut out piece.

For a soft yolk egg, place buttered bread (with the hole) and the cut out piece in/on your pan. Cook the bread with the hole until it's lightly browned- just lightly. Turn the bread over & spray the pan where it shows through the hole in the bread (or drop a small piece of margarine/butter in the hole) so the egg doesn't stick. Break the egg into the hole. Season with salt and pepper if you like. Cook this second side (with the egg in the middle now) until it's well browned. Flip the bread & egg, and cook the first side for a short time to cook the top of the egg and finish browning the bread. MEANWHILE, keep an eye on the toast/cut out piece. Cook both sides until nicely browned.

For a harder yolk egg, place buttered bread (with the hole) and the cut out piece in/on your pan. Spray the pan through the hole in the bread (or drop a small piece of margarine/butter in the hole) so the egg doesn't stick. Break the egg into the hole. Season with salt and pepper if you like. Cook the bread and egg until bread is nicely browned. Flip the bread and egg over, and cook the second side until the bread is toasted and the egg is cooked. If the bread is getting brown but the yolk is still too soft, lower the heat and/or cover the bread & egg with a pot lid. Remember to keep an eye on the cut out piece! Just toast it on each side until it's nicely browned.

Fun Sandwich Ideas

Whether it's for a picnic, a fun lunch at home or something to make that school lunch a little more exciting, try mixing it up with the sandwiches. Just a little extra time is well worth the smiles. 

COOKIE CUTTER SANDWICHES

 A simple way to make special days more special. Look for holiday shaped cookie cutters in the baking pan aisle at most department stores or at specialty shops like Nutters- hearts for Valentine's Day and "just because", a shamrock for St. Patrick's Day, a tree for Christmas... Little shaped sandwiches are an easy way to make lunch more fun. 

Several ways to make cookie cutter sandwiches: 

-make soft filling sandwiches (jam, honey, processed cheese spread, peanut butter, egg salad, etc.,) and then punch out shapes with the cookie cutters. Either discard the edges, save them for your lunch, or cut them into little "mini-sandwich bites" for a snack for the kids. 

-use the cookie cutter to punch the bread and the harder fillings (luncheon meat, cheese, etc.,) into shapes and then assemble them after the shapes are cut out.

-use the cookie cutter to punch the bread into shapes, and then spread the filling of your choice on the cut out shapes. This way saves on filling wastage. The bread edges can be used to make a bread pudding or to dry out for bread crumbs or croutons.

You can also try cookie cutter toast shapes for breakfast with the porridge, or fun-shaped "egg in a hole" to start the holiday off first thing! Use your imagination to turn any day into a celebration.

ROLLED OUT SANDWICHES

This was a favourite at our house. The kids used to like making their own. I also found that the kids ate more lunch when the sandwiches were rolled ones- the child who had a hard time eating a whole, two slices of bread sandwich could eat four or five rolled ones.

Simply take a slice of bread and trim off the outer crusts. Using a rolling pin, roll the bread flat. Now just spread the bread with your child's favourite filling, and roll the flattened bread into a "jelly-roll" sandwich.

Try: jam, peanut butter, cheese spread, honey, luncheon meat and cheese slices,  banana spears with peanut butter or pickle spears with cheese spread. 

Anything goes, really, as long as you can roll it up with the bread, and the filling's not too thick so it doesn't ooze out the ends.

For lunch boxes, I'd wrap each one in a bit of plastic wrap or put them tightly in a sandwich bag with the air carefully pressed out.

RIBBON SANDWICHES

These were my favourite Tupperware party leftovers when I was a kid. It's just a stacked sandwich cut into strips. For the more adventurous types.

Use a combination of white and brown bread to make more contrasting "ribbons" if you like. Basically make a 3-5 decker sandwich with different fillings for each layer. I always like a layer of egg salad, a layer of cheese spread and one of "flakes of ham" spread. You could turn peanut butter and jam into a ribbon sandwich, or make it peanut butter, honey and banana. 

Make your triple or quadruple decker sandwich, different fillings between each layer of bread. Trim off the crusts if you like. Cut the sandwich into three or four strips. That's it. Not for children who like all their flavours separate.

I would suggest filling combinations of jam, peanut butter and jam; peanut butter, banana and chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles; cheese spread, ham flakes (mixed with mayonnaise a bit of green relish and a squirt of mustard) or ham slices and bread and butter pickles; strawberry jam, strawberry cream cheese and strawberry jam; egg salad, cheese spread and bread and butter pickles.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Cranberry Orange Buns

This was my first attempt at gluten-free bread, but it seems to have worked out alright. Comments and suggestions are welcome, especially if you have gluten-free bread making expertise and advice!

I made some Company's Coming Breads "Orange Rolls" for our local MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) group, and some in the group have issues with gluten and dairy. Instead of making a rolled-up bun with margarine, sugar and orange rind as a filling, I made them like little buns, with orange rind mixed in. I thought dried cranberries might go well with the orange theme, and so they do. I used flours that were readily available at our local Nutter's store. The Xanthan Gum was also purchased at Nutter's.

Give them a try and let me know how they turned out!

NOTE: If your kitchen is not predominately a gluten-free place, be very thorough as you prepare to bake. Make sure all pans, cooling racks, measuring and cooking utensils are clean and free of any flour or flour dust. Wash off your standing mixer and counters. Make sure the surfaces your dough will come in contact with are free of any traces of flour. Also check the ingredients in your spray oil. Some brands contain wheat. Don't grease the pans with margarine or butter if the person you're baking for is lactose intolerant. If your spray oil is not free of wheat/gluten, you may need to oil the pans with Canola or vegetable oil. Always, when planning a gluten-free baking treat, always check the labels and read the ingredients of everything you consider using.

1 cup rice milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup Canola oil
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour (*on the advice of the Living Without Magazine, I ran the rice flour through a well cleaned coffee grinder to make the flour finer and less grainy)
1 cup sweet white sorghum flour (I used Bob's Red Mill's Sweet White Sorghum Flour)
3/4 cup tapioca starch flour
3/4 cup potato starch
4 teaspoons Xanthan Gum
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
grated rind of one orange
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped quite small
3 eggs

GLAZE:
2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup prepared orange juice (sometimes I just squeeze the juice from the rind-less orange)

Heat milk to boiling point in small saucepan. Add oil. Let cool to lukewarm while you measure the flours, sugar, salt, Xanthan gum, yeast, orange rind and cranberries into large standing mixer bowl.* Add warm milk/oil, and eggs. Mix on lowest speed of stand mixer with dough hook, for about 10 minutes, until flour is incorporated. Add up to 1/4 cup more sorghum or fine rice flour, if dough seems too sticky.

(*I used my Kitchen Aid mixer. If you're going it alone, follow these directions mixing everything together with a wooden spoon until you have to start kneading with your hands.**)

Take dough off dough hook, and form into a ball with your hand. Remove from bowl, (either hold in one hand or rest on clean breadboard) and add oil to bottom of bowl. Put dough in bowl, swishing it around to cover the bottom with oil, then flip the dough to cover the other side. My dough was quite soft, but it didn't stick terribly to my fingers.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2- 2 hours.

When bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and divide into 24 pieces. Roll/ shape each portion into a ball, and place on lightly greased baking sheet. My dough was still very soft after rising. It had a different texture than I'm used to with yeast breads. Less "bread-y", more "batter-y". Set in warm place to rise again until the buns are about doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350*F, then bake the buns for 15-20 minutes until browned.

Drizzle with glaze when cooled.

**To knead: Gather the dough into a ball. With the heel of your hands, push the dough away from you. Now with your fingers pull the dough back towards you into the ball. Repeat with pushing away and pulling it back 4 or 5 times. The dough should start to get longer, side to side. Rotate the dough, (1/4 turn), so it is long-wise to you; gather the longer end up into a ball with your fingers, then push it back out in the kneading motion as before. Continue kneading and turning the dough for at least 10 minutes. The longer you knead, the better your bread will be.

Best Brown Bran Bread

My Mother-in-law made the best brown bread this summer. When I probed, she showed me the recipe in the Mennonite Treasury. Page 29 in my cookbook, Brown Bran Bread had a wonderful texture and delicious flavour. When I got home I experimented with the 10 grain cereal, and I've perfected a scaled down version with the addition of some whole grains.

2 1/4- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon instant/bread machine yeast*

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup natural bran

1/2 cup multi-grain cereal (Bob's Red Mill 10-grain cereal is my favourite)

1 1/3 cups very warm water

1/4 cup vegetable/Canola oil

*if using active yeast, dissolve sugar in 1/3 cup of the warm water, then sprinkle yeast over water to proof for 10 minutes while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

Kitchen Aid Instructions:
Add salt, sugar*, instant yeast*, bran, cereal, and 2 1/4 cups of the flour to your largest Kitchen Aid mixing bowl. Add warm water* and oil. Mix on lowest speed with dough hook, for about 10 minutes, until flour is incorporated. Add more flour, 1/8 cup at a time, until dough no longer sticks to your fingers when you test it.

Take dough off dough hook, and form into a ball with your hand. Remove from bowl, (either hold in one hand or rest on clean breadboard) and add a drizzle of oil to bottom of bowl. Put dough in bowl, swishing it around to cover the bottom with oil, then flip the dough to cover the other side.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2- 2 hours.

When bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and roll/ shape it into a 6 1/2 inch long roll, and place in lightly greased bread pan. Set in warm place to rise again for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350*F, then bake for 30- 50 minutes until nicely golden.

Take the pan out of the oven, and carefully tip the bread out of the pan. Cool on baking rack.

Regular Instructions:
Add salt, sugar*, instant yeast*, bran, cereal, and 1 cup of the flour to a large mixing bowl. Add warm water* and oil. Using electric hand mixer/ beaters, beat batter together for 3-5 minutes, until mixture looks gelatinous, (kind of gooey/ glue-y) It will be very sticky.

Now, using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix in 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups more flour. As the flour is incorporated, the dough will get stiffer and you'll find it easier to just transfer it to a lightly floured board and mix with your hands.

When the dough starts to feel less sticky, and the flour is mixed in, begin to knead the dough, adding a little flour at a time as needed to keep dough from sticking to your hands. As you knead it, the dough will get less sticky and the less flour you add, the lighter your bread will be.

To knead: Gather the dough into a ball. With the heel of your hands, push the dough away from you. Now with your fingers pull the dough back towards you into the ball. Repeat with pushing away and pulling it back 4 or 5 times. The dough should start to get longer, side to side. Rotate the dough, (1/4 turn), so it is long-wise to you; gather the longer end up into a ball with your fingers, then push it back out in the kneading motion as before. Continue kneading and turning the dough for at least 10 minutes. The longer you knead, the better your bread will be.

Put a drizzle of oil in the bottom of the bowl. Put the dough in the bowl, swishing it around to cover the bottom with oil, then flip the dough to cover the other side.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2- 2 hours.

When bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and roll/ shape it into a 6 1/2 inch long roll, and place in lightly greased bread pan. Set in warm place to rise again for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350*F, then bake for 30- 50 minutes until nicely golden.

Take the pan out of the oven, and carefully tip the bread out of the pan. Cool on baking rack.

Yield: 1 large loaf

Cinnamon-Pumpkin Rolls

As the new Food Coordinator for our church's MOPS program this fall (Mothers Of Preschoolers), I thought the first snack, only 2 days before Halloween, should be something pumpkin-y. A cookbook search yielded a pumpkin bread recipe that was easily transformed into cinnamon bun type goodness. Yum. Pumpkin... Pecans... brown sugary sweetness... Trick or Treat indeed!

2 3/4- 3 cups all purpose flour

2 packages active dry yeast (or 2.5 teaspoons instant/bread machine yeast)

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons butter or hard margarine

1.5 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin

1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces*

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Filling:

1/8 cup butter or hard margarine, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Syrup:

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup butter or hard margarine

2 teaspoons corn syrup/golden syrup

In large mixer bowl, thoroughly combine 1.5 cups of the flour, the yeast* (if using instant/bread machine yeast) and the spices.

In saucepan, heat milk, brown sugar, butter and salt just until warm (115-120*F), stirring constantly to melt butter.*If using active dry yeast (little balls) sprinkle over warm milk mixture and let stand until it foams/puffs up. Add to dry mixture in mixer bowl; add pumpkin. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a nice, soft- but not sticky- dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (5-8 minutes). Shape into ball.

Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk, (1- 1.5 hours)

When dough has risen, mix Filling ingredients together; set aside.

Roll dough into a 9 x 12 inch rectangle, and spread filling evenly over dough. Roll up from the long side, and let roll rest while you make the syrup.

Melt syrup ingredients together in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar and blend well. Syrup should be smooth and un-separated, like caramel sauce, but it's alright if the butter hasn't blended in. If the syrup starts to boil, remove from heat immediately, or you'll find the syrup turns to hard candy when the buns are baked.

Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with lightly greased aluminum foil. Pour syrup into the pan. Sprinkle the toasted pecans (and raisins if you like) evenly over the syrup. Cut the pumpkin roll into 12 one inch pieces and place over syrup and nuts in pan.

Let stand in warm place until doubled in bulk- 1- 1.5 hours, and then bake at 350*F for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Remove from oven to cooling rack and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Line a cookie sheet (a little bigger than the baking pan) with foil, then put a layer of plastic wrap or waxed paper on the foil. Put the paper/foil lined cookie sheet over the baking pan, then carefully flip the pan upside down onto it. Remove the baking pan and foil, scraping syrup and nuts back onto buns with a rubber spatula.

*to toast pecans, put in oven safe dish and place under broiler, stirring frequently until just starting to brown.

Makes 12 cinnamon-pumpkin buns.

Better Banana Bread

Better because it has wheat germ added to kick up the fibre, and Splenda added to replace half of the sugar. There's still sugar in it, so your anti-sweetener, "if it's good for me I don't like it" children will like it. Just don't tell them about the wheat germ. Or the lowered sugar.

1/2 cup (125 ml) hard margarine, softened

1/2 cup (125 ml) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (50 ml) Splenda artificial sweetener

2 eggs

3 medium (about 1 cup/250 ml) mashed ripe bananas

1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla

1 3/4 (375 ml) all-purpose white flour

1/2 cup (125 ml) wheat germ

1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda

1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) baking powder

1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) salt

Cream together margarine, sugar and Splenda. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add bananas and mix until fairly smooth.

In another bowl (unless you're like me and you just add everything together in the Kitchen Aid standing mixer and then mix it up...) mix together flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to banana mixture stirring only to moisten.

Bake at 350* F in a greased loaf pan for 50 minutes to an hour, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Yield: 1 tasty loaf

Coverting Yeast

The last time I went looking for a large tin of Active Dry Yeast, my supplier didn't have any. Instead of the big blue and white tins that I've been buying for a couple of years, they had little square packages of Instant Active Dry Yeast. As I was almost out of yeast altogether, I bought the instant. Now. How to measure it? God bless Google. I found good information at "The Artisan".

And as a quick reference for myself:

2 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast = 2 teaspoons Instant Active Dry Yeast
1 7/8 teaspoons A.D.Y. (let's say 2) = 1 1/2 teaspoons I.A.D.Y.
1 1/4 teaspoons A.D.Y. = 1 teaspoon I.A.D.Y.

Using the first conversion as a base, 1 Tablespoon Active Dry Yeast would equal 2.4 teaspoons Instant Active Dry Yeast; so, when making cinnamon buns or bread recipes calling for 1 package, (which is a scant Tablespoon) Active Dry Yeast, I'll use 2 1/2 teaspoons Instant Active Dry Yeast.

And Glory, Hallelujah! The Yeast is Converted.

Multi-Grain Banana Bread

This is good. It turned out very nicely. It didn't rise as high as the regular sugar-laden loaf, but has a light and slightly crunchy texture. The cake & pastry flour is a little lighter than regular all-purpose flour, and seems to be a good companion to the whole wheat flour and whole grains. I have to get it written down before I forget what I did...

1/3 cup hard margarine, softened
1/3 cup Splenda, artificial sweetener
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1- 100g container fat-free, no sugar added yogurt, any flavour
1/2 cup multi-grain cereal (such as Bob's Red Mill 10 grain cereal)
3/4 cup cake & pastry flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350*F.

(I used the Kitchen Aid mixer...) Beat margarine, Splenda, eggs, bananas and yogurt together. Add multi-grain cereal and continue beating until ingredients are well mixed.

Mix flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Add to banana mixture and stir to combine. Mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated.

Spread batter into a lightly greased loaf pan, and bake for 45-55 minutes, until loaf is browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Makes 1 loaf.

Mulit-Grain Bread

I promised Gwen that I'd post this... so here it is. I got tired of putting out $4 a loaf for multi-grain bread, so I worked on this. Many, many loaves later I've had consistent results long enough to be ready to share the recipe. It's a fairly light bread with a nice crunchy texture from the grains. The amount of oil can be halved to lower fat content, but the bread will be a bit denser. I often mix up a loaf of this bread on a day I've planned hamburgers, hot dogs, or soup then I'll cut a piece off to make myself a bun for supper and put the rest into a slightly smaller loaf. If the bread is too "grainy" for you, try it with less multi-grain cereal. The amount of flour you need will increase proportionately. Makes 1 large loaf, 9 large buns or 12 medium sized buns.

1/2 cup multi-grain cereal. ("Bob's Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal" makes a really nice loaf)
1 cup very warm water
1 Tablespoon/ package active yeast (not instant)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup Canola or vegetable oil
2 - 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons Canola or vegetable oil

Cover multi-grain cereal with water in large mixing bowl/ Kitchen Aid bowl, and sprinkle yeast on top. Sprinkle sugar over yeast and let stand about 10 minutes, until yeast is puffing up and foamy looking.

*Kitchen Aid Instructions:
Add salt, egg, first amount of oil and 2 cups of the flour. Mix on lowest speed with dough hook, for about 10 minutes, until flour is incorporated. Add more flour, 1/8 cup at a time, until dough no longer sticks to your fingers when you test it.

Take dough off dough hook, and form into a ball with your hand. Remove from bowl, (either hold in one hand or rest on clean breadboard) and add second amount of oil to bottom of bowl. Put dough in bowl, swishing it around to cover the bottom of the dough with oil, then flip the dough to cover the other side.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2- 2 hours.

When bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and roll/ shape it into a 6 1/2 inch long roll, and place in lightly greased bread pan. Set in warm place to rise again until the top of the bread is at least an inch and a half above the rim of the pan.

Preheat oven to 350*F, then bake the loaf for 30- 50 minutes until nicely golden.

Take the pan out of the oven, and carefully tip the bread out of the pan. Cool on baking rack.

*Regular Instructions:
Add salt, egg, first amount of oil and 1 cup of the flour. Using electric hand mixer/ beaters, beat batter together until oil and flour are incorporated, and mixture looks gelatinous, (kind of gooey/ glue-y) It will be very sticky.

Now, using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix in 1 to 1 1/4 cups more flour. As the flour is incorporated, the dough will get stiffer and you'll find it easier to just transfer it to a lightly floured board and mix with your hands.

When the dough starts to feel less sticky, and the flour is mixed in, begin to knead the dough, adding a little flour at a time as needed to keep dough from sticking to your hands. As you knead it, the dough will get less sticky and the less flour you add, the lighter your bread will be.

To knead: Gather the dough into a ball. With the heel of your hands, push the dough away from you. Now with your fingers pull the dough back towards you into the ball. Repeat with pushing away and pulling it back 4 or 5 times. The dough should start to get longer, side to side. Rotate the dough, (1/4 turn), so it is long-wise to you; gather the longer end up into a ball with your fingers, then push it back out in the kneading motion as before. Continue kneading and turning the dough for at least 10 minutes. The longer you knead, the better your bread will be.

Put second amount of oil in the bottom of the bowl. Put the dough in the bowl, swishing it around to cover the bottom of the dough with oil, then flip the dough to cover the other side.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2- 2 hours.

When bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and roll/ shape into a 6 1/2 inch long roll, and place in lightly greased bread pan. Set in warm place to rise again until the top of the bread is at least an inch and a half above the rim of the pan.

Preheat oven to 350*F, then bake the loaf for 30- 50 minutes until nicely golden.

Take the pan out of the oven, and carefully tip the bread out of the pan. Cool on baking rack.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Serving Size: 1 Slice (1/13 of loaf)

Calories 170, Calories from Fat 70, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 0.5g, Cholesterol 15mg, Sodium 190mg, Total Carbohydrate 22g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 0g and Protein 4g.

White Bread

It's unanimous. This bread is good with butter or toasted. That they've eaten nearly 2 loaves a day speaks volumes. Give it a try. There are few things as satisfying as the smell of bread baking and the taste of fresh bread, warm from the oven, with butter or jam. 

Makes 2 medium sized loaves, or 2 dozen small, dinner buns or 1.5 dozen larger buns.

1 1/2 cups very warm water
1 Tablespoon/ package active yeast (not instant)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup lard
1 large egg
4 1/4- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons vegetable/Canola oil

Put water into large mixing bowl/ Kitchen Aid bowl, and sprinkle yeast on top. Sprinkle sugar over yeast and let stand about 10 minutes, until yeast is puffing up and foamy looking.

*Kitchen Aid Instructions:
Add salt, lard, egg and 4 cups of the flour. Mix on lowest speed with dough hook, for about 10 minutes, until flour is incorporated. Add more flour, 1/8 cup at a time, until dough no longer sticks to your fingers when you test it.

Take dough off dough hook, and form into a ball with your hand. Remove from bowl, (either hold in one hand or rest on clean breadboard) and add oil to bottom of bowl. Put dough in bowl, swishing it around to cover the bottom with oil, then flip the dough to cover the other side.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2- 2 hours.

When bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and divide into two equal portions. Roll/ shape each portion into a 6 1/2 inch long roll, and place in lightly greased bread pan. Set in warm place to rise again until the top of the bread is at least an inch above the rim of the pan.

Preheat oven to 350*F, then bake the loaves for 30- 50 minutes until nicely golden.

Take the pans out of the oven, and carefully tip the bread out of the pans. Cool on baking racks.

*Regular Instructions:
To the yeast/water, add salt, lard,egg and 2 cups of the flour. Using electric hand mixer/ beaters, beat batter together until lard and flour are incorporated, and mixture looks gelatinous, (kind of gooey/ glue-y) It will be very sticky.

Now, using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix in 2 1/4 cups more flour. As the flour is incorporated, the dough will get stiffer and you'll find it easier to just transfer it to a lightly floured board and mix with your hands.

When the dough starts to feel less sticky, and the flour is mixed in, begin to knead the dough, adding a little flour at a time as needed to keep dough from sticking to your hands. As you knead it, the dough will get less sticky and the less flour you add, the lighter your bread will be.

To knead: Gather the dough into a ball. With the heel of your hands, push the dough away from you. Now with your fingers pull the dough back towards you into the ball. Repeat with pushing away and pulling it back 4 or 5 times. The dough should start to get longer, side to side. Rotate the dough, (1/4 turn), so it is long-wise to you; gather the longer end up into a ball with your fingers, then push it back out in the kneading motion as before. Continue kneading and turning the dough for at least 10 minutes. The longer you knead, the better your bread will be.

Put oil in the bottom of the bowl. Put the dough in the bowl, swishing it around to cover the bottom with oil, then flip the dough to cover the other side.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2- 2 hours.

When bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and divide into two equal portions. Roll/ shape each portion into a 6 1/2 inch long roll, and place in lightly greased bread pan. Set in warm place to rise again until the top of the bread is at least an inch above the rim of the pan.

Preheat oven to 350*F, then bake the loaves for 30- 50 minutes until nicely golden.

Take the pans out of the oven, and carefully tip the bread out of the pans. Cool on baking racks.

9 Grain Pancakes

The Texture Police at my house thought these were a little too crunchy... but I thought they were brilliant. They have a nice nutty flavour, and topped with some no-sugar-added syrup or jam, they were just the ticket for a Saturday morning breakfast.

1 cup Rogers 9 Grain Cereal
2 cups low fat buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon Splenda artificial sweetener or granulated sugar

Measure 9 grain cereal and buttermilk into a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.

Add eggs and vegetable oil. Mix well.

Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda and sweetener, and distribute evenly over surface of milk mixture. Fold dry ingredients into wet, just until blended. If batter seems too runny, let it stand for 5 minutes; the grains will soak up more of the milk and it will thicken up.

Bake on hot, greased skillet or griddle until browned on bottom with little bubbles breaking on the uncooked top. Flip pancakes to brown the second side.

Serve warm with your favourite toppings.

Homemade Buns

Doug's Favourite. Apparently, after all these years, I still have the best buns in town!

1/2 cup very warm water
1 package (or 1 Tbsp) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup very warm water
1/4 cup lard (or vegetable oil shortening)
1 teaspoon salt
3- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons oil

1. Pour first amount of water in a medium bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the water, and then sugar over the yeast. Let stand 5 minutes or so, until yeast has bubbled to the surface of the water and is beginning to grow.

2. Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, combine second amount of water, lard and salt. Using a wire whisk, or electric beaters, stir until the lard has melted into the water. Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and beat well, until mixture has a gluey consistency.

3. Add water and yeast mixture. Beat well. Using a wooden spoon, add another 1 1/2 cups of flour to make a soft dough that does not stick to your hands. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 - 10 minutes, adding a dusting of flour as needed to keep dough from sticking to the board or your hands. Knead dough into a round lump.

4. Pour oil into large mixing bowl. Drop the dough into the bowl, turning to coat it in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise.

5. Let dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Shape into buns and let rise a second time, about 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

6. Bake in preheated oven, at 350* F. for 15- 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Yield: 12 large or 18 medium sized buns

KITCHEN AID INSTRUCTIONS:
Proof yeast in a medium sized bowl. (step 1. above)

In Large Kitchen Aid mixing bowl, measure second amount of water, lard, salt and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Mix, using dough hook, on low speed (speed 1) until lard and flour are incorporated into the water. (step 2 above) Add the yeast and second amount of flour, (as per step 3. above) Continue to mix on speed 1, until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and is not sticky to the touch. After the second addition of flour, continue to add it in 1/4 or 1/8 cup increments until a soft, supple dough is achieved. I have found 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups of flour to be sufficient.

Continue with steps 4- 6 as directed above.

Cinnamon Buns

I have changed the original (from Company's Coming Breads) enough that I am comfortable sharing it. Give these a try- they're worth it! HINT: My friend Janet sometimes makes her cinnamon buns just before bed, and lets them rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight. I've done this when I have two empty shelves, and it works a treat. In the morning take the buns out of the fridge. Turn on the oven, and while the buns warm to room temperature and the oven heats up, you go have your shower- or make the coffee, or whatever! When the oven is ready, pop in the buns and away you go. Hot fresh cinnamon buns for breakfast, without having to get up at 5:30 in the morning! (freezing them for later works too!) It's good to note that these are fairly quick buns, with only 1 rising time. When I'm using my Kitchen Aid mixer I can have them mixed up, risen and baked within 2 hours. If they are too hot to ice and it's time to eat, just tip the pan over onto a large serving platter, call them "sticky buns" and serve them hot without icing. (trust me, no one will miss that extra bit of sugar!)

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 (1/4 oz/ 8 g) Active dry yeast (about a tablespoon)
1 large egg
1/3 cup cooking oil
1/2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 cups (approximately) all purpose flour

FILLING:

1/4 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. cinnamon

SYRUP:

1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter or hard margarine
1 Tbsp. corn syrup/ golden syrup

ICING:

3/4 - 1 cup icing sugar
1/8 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Line 2- 9 x 13 inch baking pans with foil. Spray foil with cooking oil spray.

Stir granulated sugar into warm water in large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over top. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast.

While yeast is proofing, mix the filling ingredients together, and measure the syrup ingredients into a small saucepan.

Mix in eggs, cooking oil and salt. Work in enough flour to make a soft dough; til dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, and isn't sticking to your fingers. Turn out onto floured surface. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 2 equal parts. Roll each part, one at a time, into a 9 x 12 inch rectangle. Spread each rectangle with half of the filling, then roll up from the long side. Let the rolls rest while you make the syrup.

Melt syrup ingredients together in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar and blend well. Syrup should be smooth and un-separated, like caramel sauce*. (if it starts to boil, remove from heat or you'll find the syrup turns to hard candy on the bottom of your cinnamon buns) Pour the syrup into the two prepared pans, dividing it equally between them. If you like Pecan-cinnamon rolls, sprinkle toasted pecans (about 1/2 cup per pan) over syrup.
*if the butter hasn't blended in, it doesn't really matter; just make sure you divide it carefully to get melted butter and caramel-ly sugar as even in the two pans as you can.

Cut each roll into 12 equal (approximately 1 inch) pieces. Arrange cinnamon rolls over syrup in pan.

Cover with a tea towel. Let stand in oven with the light on (or in a warm place) for about 45 minutes, til doubled in size. Bake at 350 *F for 20 - 25 minutes. Drizzle with icing. (If you ice while warm, they'll have a nice glazed look. If you want to see the icing, wait til they're cooled) If you're making pecan buns, you might like to forgo the icing, and turn hot, baked buns out onto sheets of foil to cool (so the syrup and pecans are on the top)

Yield: 2 dozen cinnamon buns

NOTES:

Cinnamon Buns have become our traditional Christmas Morning breakfast. I often place the rolled buns (without syrup- I increase the filling by 1/2 and give them lots of icing instead) into Tree or Snowman shapes.

To make "individual" Christmas Morning Cinnamon Bun Trees I'll divide the dough that would make 12 buns into 4 parts before rolling it out. Each 1/4 of the dough gets rolled and spread with filling, then cut into "mini" cinnamon buns.

Bake these specially shaped buns on a greased, foil lined cookie sheet. If you're baking them ahead and freezing them, wrap them lightly in the foil then pop them into a freezer bag. Take them out the night before and let them thaw on the counter overnight.

Parmesan Garlic Flatbread

This is from "Company's Coming Baking: Simple to Sensational". I've tweaked it to increase the fiber. I've also combined a couple of steps, but any way you mix it up it's fast becoming a family favourite. Great served with a hearty soup or pasta.

1 1/3 cups (325 ml) warm water
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) granulated sugar
1/4 oz. (8 g) envelope of active dry yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp/ 11 ml)
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour (or a combination of white and whole wheat flour: 1/2 and 1/2 or 2/3 and 1/3)
1/2 cup (250 ml) wheat germ
1 tsp. (5 ml) salt
3 Tbsp. (50 ml) olive oil
1 3/4 cup ( 425 ml) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (75 ml) whole wheat flour
2/3 cup (150 ml) finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. (10 ml) chopped fresh oregano leaves (or 1/2 tsp./ 2 ml. dried)
3 garlic cloves, minced (or3/4 tsp./4 ml powder)
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) olive oil
1/3 cup (75 ml) finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. (1 ml) coarse sea salt

1. Stir warm water and sugar in small bowl until sugar is dissolved*. Sprinkle yeast over top. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir until yeast is dissolved.

2. Combine first amount of flour, wheat germ and salt in extra-large bowl. Make a well in center. Add first amount of olive oil and yeast mixture to well. Mix until sticky batter forms. Add second amount of all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, first amount of Parmesan cheese, oregano and garlic. Mix well. Work in enough additional whole wheat flour until dough pulls away from side of bowl and is still slightly sticky. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead for 3 to 5 minutes, adding whole wheat flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until dough is smooth. Place in greased extra-large bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with greased waxed paper and tea towel. Let stand in oven with light on and door closed for about 1 1/2 hours until tripled in bulk. Punch dough down.

3. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute. Shape into ball. Roll out or press into greased 12 inch (30 cm) pizza pan. Cover with greased waxed paper and tea towel. Let stand in oven with light on and door closed for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size. Poke indentations over surface os dough with fingers or wooden spoon handle, about 1/4 inch (6 mm) deep and 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) apart.

4. Drizzle second amount of olive oil evenly over dough. Oil will pool in indentations. Sprinkle with second amount of Parmesan cheese and coarse sea salt. Bake at 425 *F (220*C) for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool. Cuts into 12 or 16 wedges.

*I used my Kitchen Aid standing mixer with the dough hook. I proofed the yeast (step 1) right in the mixer bowl, then added all the flours and herbs (in step 2) at once. Add whole wheat flour as needed to make a smooth dough.

NOTE: for a crowd, I made 3 times the recipe, then divided the dough into 4 parts. I sprayed the inside of 4 large freezer bags, then put each of the 4 balls of dough into a bag and closed the very top with a twist tie. The dough rose very nicely in the bags. I made 4 flatbreads, that baked for a little less than 20 minutes each, and I cut them each into 16 pieces.