Wednesday, December 31, 2014

BREADS

THIS chapter is about bread but you'll find only one recipe calling for yeast. so obviously, it's all about fancy breads, tea breads, fruit breads, call them what you will.

Come to think of it, tho', the Beer Bread isn't fancy but makes delicious sandwiches. And the the really light Angel Biscuits are great with breakfast bacon and eggs or positively conversation pieces as dinner rolls.

Oh, and Philpy is in a class by itself, made with rice, it's totally different and, if memory serves, originated in the southern city of Charleston. It is a standby favorite in my Northern home.

Now about those fancy breads . . . many moons ago a good neighbor and I decided to revive the custom of afternoon tea, even tho' we were the only guests.

Those were the days when little babies weren't taken around as they are now. They were pushed in their carriages while the young mothers walked and talked.

That was what Marge and I did, day after day, returning to alternate homes for afternoon refreshments while the babies continued to get their airing, this time, motionless and safely in close range. We took turns providing the delectables for the day, whipping up the goodies somewhere between diapers and dusting, waxings and washings.

Sometimes we'd have what we called a "sweets tea" with calorie-laden pasties, English shortbread, petit fours, and many of the fruit breads we've included here. Often these were spread with butter, other times with softened cream cheese, plain or studded with tiny bits of crystallized sugar.

Occasionally, we had a "sandwich tea, which mean cucumber sandwiches, or finger rolls with luscious fillings, or onion sandwiches, the latter a top favorite. There are elegant, the thinly sliced bread cut in rounds, topped with soft butter, a thin layer of mayonnaise, salt and better and a thin slice of red onion. More mayonnaise and was sparingly spread on the edges which then rolled in chopped parsley.

I also adored the rolled asparagus sandwiches and olive and nut. The latter originated with my mother, who combined chopped walnuts and chopped stuffed olives with mayonnaise to moisten which she spread between thinly sliced white or dark bread.

We discontinued our teas after several weeks for very obvious reasons. I gained 15 pounds and Marge added 10.

Buy why am I going on about sandwiches when its fancy breads time?

Because do many of these recipes went back to those faraway days. I asked Julia to test them again, to be sure they were as delicious as I remembered. They were!

And one Sunday morning, Mable, Graycie and I sampled three as our breakfast. We could select a favorite about the lime, lemon and strawberry. Nor could we choose amount the others, but the raspberry bread seemed to have a slight edge on another weekend.

Julia's own lemon bread needed no sampling, for we all love it.

But now to the bread baking and without the customary comment, just recipes in this chapter.


PHILBY

  • 1 1/2 cups soft cooked rice
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cup tbsp. melted butter
  • 2 beaten eggs
Mash rice until fairly smooth.

Stir in dry ingredients.

Gradually add milk, stirring to blend.

Add butter and eggs. Mix thoroughly.

Bake in a buttered 9-inch round pan in a preheated 450 degree oven for 35 minutes.

Cut into edge-shaped pieces and serve hot absolutely lavished with butter.

This is a moist, flavorful, heavy textured break and delicious. A good way to use leftover rice, but if you don't have any it's worth cooking some anyway.


LIME BREAD
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. grated lime peel
In a mixing bowl, stir together, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Combine milk, egg, oil, lime peel and lime juice.

Add to dry ingredients all at once.

Stir until just moistened and turn into a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees in preheated oven for one our.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan to rack.

Make glaze by combing two tbsp. sugar and 1 tbsp. lime juice. spoon over loaf while still warm. Cool completely, wrap and store overnight. Different and a compliment winner.


THREE BOWL RASPBERRY NUT BREAD

In the first bowl, cream 3/4 stick (6 tbsp.) butter with 1/2 cup sugar and 2 eggs and beat the mixture until
fluffy.

In a second bowl, sift together two cups sifted flour, 1 tsp. double-acting baking powder and 1/2 tsp. each of baking soda and salt.

Reserve two tbsp. of the flour mixture and stir the remainder into the egg mixture alternately with 1/4 cup sour cream.

In a third and small bowl, gently toss 1 cup raspberries and 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts with the reserved flour mixture and fold into the batter.

Pour into well buttered loaf pan 9x5x5 inches and bake in a preheated and moderate over 350° for 45-50 minutes or until golden.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and turn onto rack to cool.

Simply elegant!


BOLTON NUT BREAD*
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups milk
Sift flower and baking powder four times.

Mix thoroughly with all other ingredients.

 Pour into two well-greased baking pans and bake at 350° 45-60 minutes.

Test at 45 and let a clean inserted knife to be your guide.

The bread is done when it comes out clean.

*Contributed by Betsy, whose mother was a Bolton. So-o-o good!


STRAWBERRY NUT BREAD
  • 1 cup butter or margarine
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp. lemon extract
  • 3 cups sifted flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 cup strawberry jam
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup broken walnuts
In mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract until fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda.

Combine jam and sour cream.

Add jam mixture alternately with dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beating well until combined.

Stir in nuts.

Bake in two greased 9x5x5 loaf pans 50-60 minutes in a preheated 350° oven. Cool 10 minutes in pan, remove and cool completely.

You'll love this!


ANGEL BISCUIT
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/4 warm water
  • 1 package dry yeast
  • 1 cup buttermilk.
Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water and set aside.

Mix the dry ingredients in the order given, cutting in the shortening as you always do for biscuits or pie dough.

Stir in the buttermilk, also the water with the yeast.

Blend thoroughly and the dough is ready to be refrigerated in a large, covered bowl or make into biscuits.

When you're ready to work the dough, turn it onto a floured board and knead lightly as regular biscuits.

Roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter and place in a greased pan.

Let the biscuits rise, slightly (allow a little more time for rising if the dough is cold) and pop into a preheated 400° oven until browned lightly.

Aptly named--will make your reputation!


 RHUBARB BREAD

  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tbsp. baking soda
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 cups rhubarb dice
  • 1 1/2 vanilla
  • 1/2 cup nutmeats, finely chopped.
Topping
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325°.

 Mix honey and oil, add egg and beat well.

Dissolve soda in buttermilk and set aside.

Sift flour and salt together, and add to the honey-oil mixture, alternately with the buttermilk.

Stir in rhubarb, vanilla and nutmeats.

Pour into two greased bread pans.

Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over the batter.

Bake at 325° for an hour. Remove bread from pans and cool on a wire rack.

Makes two loaves. You'll be asked for this recipe.


BEER BREAD

  • 1 package (13 3/4 oz.). hot roll mix                       

  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup beer
  • 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Fix roll mix as directed on package, substituting beer for water. 

After adding egg called for in directions, mix in 1 cup shredded cheese.

Continue as directed on package.

Divide dough into 2 loaf plans (9x5x3 in.) and bake in a preheated 375° oven for 40-45 minutes.

Delicious hot, delicious toasted and marvelous for sandwiches for any kind.


AVOCADO BREAD

In a bowl sift together two cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. each of baking soda and baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt.

In a separate bowl combine one egg slightly beaten, 1/2 cup each of mashed RIPE avocado and sour milk or buttermilk and one cup chopped pecans.

Add the avocado mixture to the dry ingredients and bake in a moderate preheated 350° oven about an hour until the bread tests done.

Slice thinly and spread with softened butter or whipped cream cheese. make tea sandwiches, too. But make it and you'll make it again.


LEMON BREAD
  • 3/4 cup Oleo (margarine)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Grate 1 lemon rind
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
Cream Oleo and sugar, add eggs one at a time.

Added sifted dry ingredients, alternately with milk and add lemon rind.

Bake at 350° for one hour.

Be sure to grease and flour tin.

Mix 1/3 cup sugar and juice of one lemon (mix well and heat to dissolve)

While bread is still in pan and hot, pour mixture over hot bread. let stand in pan 1/ hour, then remove.

Excellent!

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