Meera Sodha’s Naan, from Gael

Meera Sodha’s Naan, from Gael

From an Indian-British cookbook author, published the New York Times. Tasty and easy, but note that rising takes at least an hour. Made several times, including on 8-12-17 to go with homemade chicken korma.

4 cups all-purpose flour, or 500 grams
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola, plus a teaspoon more
4 tablespoons whole-milk yogurt
1 packet of active dried yeast, or 7 grams
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1 cup whole milk, warmed

Put the flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle, and add two tablespoons of the oil to it, along with the yogurt, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Use your fingers to combine the ingredients until they resemble crumbs, and then add the warm milk in splashes, mixing until it comes together into a dough.

Put the dough on a clean, well-floured cutting board. It will be very sticky. Flour your hands, and knead the dough for five minutes or so, then scrape off your hands and knead it again, making it into a round ball. Rub a teaspoon of oil over the exterior of the dough, and place it in a clean mixing bowl.

Cover with a dish towel, and place in a warm spot to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.

Using a knife, divide the dough into 12 pieces. Take each piece, roll it into a ball and flatten it between your palms. Dust the dough with flour, and roll each piece out into an oval of about 5 by 8 inches.

Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and allow it to get hot. (No need to oil.) When it is, cook one naan in it for 30 to 40 seconds on one side, or until it begins to bubble, then use a spatula to flip it over to cook the other side for about the same amount of time, checking regularly to make sure that it does not burn. (First naan takes a while as pan isn't hot enough.) Flip the naan one more time, and press on it lightly with your spatula for 10 to 15 seconds, then remove to a warm platter. Repeat with the rest of the dough. (Keep the finished naan in a low oven, or wrap in foil until ready to serve.)

Twinkie banana bread, from Gael

Twinkie banana bread, from Gael

This is from Real Simple magazine, November 2004. I made it in July 2009 and didn't like it as much as I like my from-scratch banana bread (Erin's!), but Rob wanted to keep in on hand because it tastes scarily like Twinkies.

1 box yellow cake mix
1 package Jell-O Instant Banana Cream Pudding & Pie Filling (they didn't specify a size box but I used the larger because I couldn't find a small box of banana pudding.)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 ripe bananas, mashed
4 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Heat oven to 350° F.

Mix all the ingredients well. Pour into 2 large or 4 small greased loaf pans.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. (Note from Gael: More like an hour.)

Naan (Indian bread), from Gael

Naan (Indian bread), from Gael

Rob and I love Indian bread, and you can rip off pieces and dip them in the various sauces of Indian food. So good. You can also add garlic, spinach, cheese, onion, or whatever you want, but plain is awesome by itself.

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.

Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. (I left out the garlic)

Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball (I made mine about twice this size). Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat. (Note: I just made mine in a small frying pan.) At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

This makes a LOT of naan...enough for 6 people, probably. This recipe came from allrecipes.com. I first made it on April 10, 2009, to go with the Saag Paneer, but I have made similar naan recipes before. It's easier than regular bread, and people can't believe you made it yourself! Doesn't take the long raising time of regular bread, either.

Banana Oatmeal Bread, from Gael

Banana Oatmeal Bread, from Gael

Via Cooking Light. This yummy bread is a slightly healthier, slightly heartier version of banana bread. It holds together nicer and makes a firmer loaf when you slice it, and the oats add a neat texture. First made it Feb. 25, 2008, while Kelly napped. Rob loved it and so did I.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup regular oats
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large)
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in oats.

Combine mashed banana, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs; add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist.

Spoon batter into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray (I used the floured kind). Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Crumpets, from Gael

Crumpets, from Gael

This recipe is from "The Bread Bible," and it's awesome. Rob and I love crumpets, they're a lot like English muffins, only a little spongier. This is a really easy and fast recipe. I use both round and heart-shaped molds (I think I bought them for pancakes). I suggest doubling or quadrupling this recipe, as the original recipe only makes about five and they are inhaled immediately!

1 c plus 1 1/2 T all-purpose flour (King Arthur brand is my favorite)
2 T dry milk
1 t instant yeast
1/2 t sugar
3/2 c room temperature water, plus 2 T, divided
1/4 t baking soda
1 t melted butter

In large mixer, beat flour, dry milk, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the 3/4 c water and gradually raise speed to medium. Beat about 5 minutes or until smooth.

Let batter rise in large bowl or dough-rising container. Mark the container where double the height of dough would be. Cover and rise until doubled (about 1 hour).

Preheat griddle or frying pan. If using electric griddle, preheat to 275. If using pan, heat over low until water drop sizzles.

Brush pan and inside of crumpet rings with melted butter. Set rings in pan. Use large spoon to fill them 2/3 full. Cook until nicely browned undernearth and have lost shine on top (check by sliding spatula underneath). Book says 10 minutes, but mine took maybe 7. Flip over until bottoms are browned.

Can store overnight in paper bag or freeze, well-wrapped, for up to three months.

Yummy!

Pear Bread, from Gael

Pear Bread, from Gael

From the book "Southern Cakes." Gael made on 6-28-07 for book club. Made two loaves and brought one to work, it quickly vanished. Rob and I don't think you can really taste the pears though it's a nice cinnamony quick bread. Maybe more pears?

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup butter (or 3/4 c veg oil), softened
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
2 cups pears, peeled and grated (3 pears for me)
2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 x 5 loaf pans.

Combine flour, soda, powder, salt, cinnamon in large mixing bowl. Mix well.

If using nuts, scoop out 1/4 c of flour mix and combine with walnuts in small bowl, stirring to coat all nuts.

In medium bowl, mix butter (I used oil), eggs, sugar, pears and vanilla. It took me 3 grated pears to make a little over 2 cups and we still thought we couldn't taste the pears. Maybe bigger chunks or more pears?

Scrape pear mix into flour mix and stir until flour disappears completely.

Bake in prepared pans at 350 for 60-70 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. This bread browns nicely.

Cool in pans on wire rack or folded kitchen towel for 10 minutes. Turn out onto plate or rack and cool, top side up. Can sprinkle with powdered sugar or glaze with a simple frosting, but it really doesn't need it.

Caramel Buttons

Caramel Buttons

From KSTP, 7-18-78.

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted margarine
2 packages vanilla pudding
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix sugar, margarine and pudding. Add milk and cinnamon and heat until mixed.

Cut frozen bread dough (or sweet dough), partly thawed, into 1" slices. Then cut these 4 x. Drop a layer of dough chunks into buttered 9 x 13 pan. Pour pudding mixture over and cover with balls of bread. Let double in size (3 hours approx.). Then bake an hour at 350.

Beer bread

Beer bread

Mom copied this in January, 1985 and just wrote "try this." Note that flour must be self-rising since there is no yeast (except in the beer!).

2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups self-rising flour
12 ounces bottled beer

Mix sugar and flour. Add beer (4 oz at a time). Stir well. Pour into 3 well-greased 3 x 6 (or?) bread pans.

Drizzle 1/2 c melted butter over (should make layer). Bake 50 minutes at 350.

Beer biscuits

Beer biscuits

Mom copied from Heloise, 5/15/1981

4 cups biscuit mix
3 tablespoons sugar
12 ounces beer, room temperature

Mix and bake as usual.

Banana Bread, from Marge

Banana Bread, from Marge

Dated June 26, 1975

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup bananas, mashed
4 tablespoons sour milk
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
nuts, chopped

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes in regular loaf pan. Can put in round cans or angel food cake or Bundt pan.

Ione's Mother's Hard Donuts

Ione's Mother's Hard Donuts

Copied from Nov. 1977, recopied on 4/15/91. Mom writes: Ceil, Ed and I at Charles' teased Ione about how hard these were but we all liked them very much.

3 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
dash cinnamon
8 cups flour, may need more

No assembly instructions...I'd just follow any donut recipe once the dough is made.

Witches’ Fingers (Halloween Pretzels), from Gael

Witches’ Fingers (Halloween Pretzels), from Gael

These awesomely spooky pretzels are great for Halloween. I thought they'd be too gross to eat, but they're not! Warning: Sogged badly the second day, eat them the day you make them. The recipe is long, but easy.

48 sliced blanched almonds
red food coloring, optional
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast, scant
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 large egg
rosemary, optional
sea salt, optional

Place a small amount of food coloring in a shallow bowl, and, using a paintbrush, color the rounded side of each split almond; set aside to dry. (I used spray-on red food coloring.)

Pour 2 cups warm water (110°) into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment. Add sugar; stir to dissolve. Sprinkle with yeast, and let stand until yeast begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Beat 1 cup flour into yeast on low speed until combined. Beat in salt; add 3 1/2 cups flour until combined. Beat until dough pulls away from bowl, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add 1/2 cup flour. Knead 1 minute more. If dough is sticky, add up to 1 cup more flour. Transfer to a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth, 1 minute.

Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning dough to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 450°. Heat 3 quarts water to boil in a 6-quart straightsided saucepan over high heat; reduce to a simmer. Add baking soda. Lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray. Divide dough into quarters. Work with one quarter at a time, and cover remaining dough with plastic wrap. Divide the first quarter into twelve pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece back and forth with your palm into a long finger shape, about 3 to 4 inches. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. When all twelve fingers are formed, transfer to simmering water. Poach for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fingers to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, blanching each set of 12 fingers before making more. (NOTE: You will be tempted to make fewer than 12 per quadrant of dough. Don't do it...they puff up when put into the water. If you make bigger ones, they will look like fingers that have gout.)

Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush pretzel fingers with egg wash. Using a sharp knife, lightly score each knuckle about three times. Sprinkle with salt and rosemary, if using. Position almond nails; push into dough to attach. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Fingers are best eaten the same day; or store, covered, up to 2 days at room temperature.

Sweet Dough, from Auckie via Mom

Sweet Dough, from Auckie via Mom

Mom typed this on 1/15/72. She wrote: This is Ed's favorite dough. Makes delicious nut streudel and prune coffeecake and delicious plain rolls.

2 packages dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk, scalded
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt

Mix yeast and water. Mix rest of ingredients. Cool. Then add yeast/water mix. Then add 9-10 c flour. Knead until smooth. Let rise (1 1/2 hr) then make into coffeecake or rolls.

Popovers, from Claudia

Popovers, from Claudia

3 eggs -- slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons butter -- melted
1 1/2 cups flour -- sifted
3/4 teaspoon salt

Eggs and milk should be at room temperature.

Beat eggs slightly. Add milk and melted butter. Sift flour, measure it, then add salt. Add this to egg mixture and beat until batter's smooth. Place in 6 very heavily greased custard cups or muffin tins. If cups or tins measure 1/2 c, use 1/3 c batter per cup. If they measure 1/3 c, measure 1/4 c batter per cup. If baking in custard cups instead of muffin tins, put them on a cookie sheet. Bake in hot (400 degree) oven for 1 hour.

HONEY BUTTER: Mix 1/4 c light honey with 1 stick butter at room temperature.

NOTES: One recipe says start popovers in a cold oven, then set it to 450 and bake for 30-35 minutes to get lightest, highest popovers.

No-Knead Bread, from Gael

No-Knead Bread, from Gael

You’ll be amazed at how easy this recipe is for such a wonderful result. It really only takes time. Make sure your yeast is fresh. I bake mine in a Le Creuset Dutch oven!

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt (can use more salt if you prefer)
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. (It also works if you put wax paper on the towel first so washing is easier.) Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Merk’s Coffeecake, from Claudia

Merk’s Coffeecake, from Claudia

Won first prize and sweepstakes awards at Minnesota State Fair around 1975.

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups flour -- sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pint sour cream
6 tablespoons butter or margarine -- softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup nuts -- chopped

Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder and soda together. Add to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, blending after each addition. Spread half of batter in a 10-inch tube pan that has been greased.Cream butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Add nuts, mix well. Sprinkle one half of nut mixture evenly over batter. Cover with remaining batter, sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes or so before removing.

Joan Mondale’s Pumpkin Bread, from Gael

Joan Mondale’s Pumpkin Bread, from Gael

I love this bread and make it so much it's become one of my staples.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups flour, sifted
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and sifted flour. Add the eggs, oil, pumpkin and water, mix with a beater. I make it in one slightly larger than normal loaf pan, greased well. Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes--start testing with a toothpick after a little more than an hour has passed.

Kentucky Buttermilk Biscuits, from Gael

Kentucky Buttermilk Biscuits, from Gael

Light and fluffy, similar to KFC biscuits, and so easy to make. I have to remember to buy buttermilk for these since I rarely have it. You can buy dried buttermilk which is easier to keep on hand, just whip up the amount you want when ready to make these. Or you can take ¾ c of milk and add a teaspoon of vinegar, then wait 5 minutes and use the soured milk in place of the buttermilk.

2 c flour
2 ½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
¼ t salt
1 T white sugar
½ c salted butter
¾ c buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a bowl. Cut in ½ c butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in the buttermilk. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 minutes. Transfer onto ungreased baking sheet, roll into a 6 x 6 inch square, and cut into 12 even sections but do not separate.
Let sit 10-15 minutes before baking so they raise a little. Brush tops with melted butter. Bake 15 minutes or until knife inserted in center of square comes out clean. Separate into biscuits and serve hot.

Flanagan’s Irish Soda Bread

Flanagan’s Irish Soda Bread

Dan Flanagan was a childhood friend of Dave's. He owned Flanagan's restaurant in downtown St. Paul, but sold it in 1995. Gael says: “I made this bread--it is quite good. I happened to have Irish-style flour so used 3 cups of that. I found that even 1 1/2 c buttermilk was too much. And I had trouble getting the melted butter to stay in the X--maybe use less.”

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups buttermilk, divided
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease baking sheet.

In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Whisk until there are no lumps. Form well in center of dry ingredients and pout in 1 1/2 c buttermilk. Use fork to stir mixture, gradually adding remaining 1/2 c buttermilk. Mix until dry ingredients are absorbed and rough ball of dough forms. Dough should be tacky but not sticky. Add a few more T flour if dough is sticky.

Knead dough 5 times in bowl. Shape into round loaf. Place on baking sheet and flatten into 8-inch round no more than 1 1/4 inch high in center. With sharp knife, cut 6-inch X deep into surface. Pour melted butter into the cut.

Bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes.

Depression Raisin Bread, from Marge via Mom

Depression Raisin Bread, from Marge via Mom

Mom says: “Marge puts them in bean cans--they bake up cute and round.”

3 cups raisins
4 teaspoons baking soda
4 tablespoons butter
Take 4 cups of boiling water and pour over first 3 ingredients--let stand one hour

Add 3 c sugar
1 t salt
6 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t cinnamon
Bake in greased pans at 375 for 45 minutes