Very Best Cream Biscuits

2.5 cups self rising flour

1.5 cups heavy whipping cream

Gently mix together flour with heavy cream. Pat onto floured table. Fold over and pat again 2 more times. Pat to 3/4 inch thickness.

Cut out. Put on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Makes about 8.

Banana Nut Bread

This recipe is almost too good...

1/2 softened butter  (1 stick)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

1 cup mashed VERY ripe bananas (see trick below)
1/2  cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs and beat to mix well.

Mix together flour, soda and salt and gradually blend into butter mixture until just combined.

Mix together bananas, sour cream and extracts.  Incorporate this into the flour/butter mixture.

Fold in nuts.

Bake in greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan for 70 minutes.

Let cool for about 10 minutes on a rack before removing from pan.  Continue cooling on rack.

Banana Trick:  As you have left over bananas that are too ripe to eat, just throw them in your freezer, peel and all.  No need to wrap or anything.  Once you have 5, you have a cupful.  Let thaw for about 20 minutes before using.  They become much more flavorful once they have been frozen and the bread has a terrific banana flavor!

Zucchini Bread

My cousin-in-law Jodi's delicious recipe.  The first time I had zucchini bread it was this one, and even though it is a simple recipe, no others have ever really compared.


3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup oil
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups zucchini -- shredded
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup nuts -- chopped

Beat together eggs, sugar and oil. Add vanilla and zucchini to eggs. Mix together all dry ingredients and then add to zucchini-egg mixture. Fold in nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

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Shortcakes

Every time I see berries in the produce section, I get an urge for homemade shortcake.

2 cups sifted flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup shortening (or butter)
2/3 to 1 cup milk

Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center of mixture and add milk all at once. (2/3 cup if you are rolling shortcakes, 1 cup if you are just dropping them.) Mix quickly, beign gentle with the dough, just until barely mixed.
Pat mixture on lightly floured board to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured cutter, or just drop large spoonfuls of the mixture onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

(Save the trouble and use Bisquick. Follow the directions on the box and for every 2 cups of Bisquick, add 2 Tbsp. sugar.)

Sour Cream Pecan Coffee Cake

With a cup of hot coffee...heavenly.


3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter
1 cup nuts -- chopped
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk

1. Combine sugar, tbsp. flour and cinnamon in bowl. Cut in butter, then add nuts. Chill.

2. Beat eggs well, then add vanilla, syrup, sour cream and milk.

3. Add salt, soda and baking powder.

4. Gently stir in flour.

5. Add one cup reserved topping.

6. Pour into greased 8x8x2 pan. Sprinkle with remaining topping.

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Muffins Ole'

If you bake these in tiny muffin tins they are a terrific appetizer!


1 cup cornmeal
1 cup colby cheese -- grated
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
20 3/4 ounces corn, cream-style -- canned
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
2 tablespoons green chiles -- chopped,canned

Mix together all dry ingredients. In separate large bowl mix together all moist ingredients then add dry ingredients. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes in greased muffin tins.

For a bit extra spice, you can add finely chopped fresh jalapenos or a dash of dried chipotle seasoning.

Cornbread

Good, basic cornbread...nothing better.

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar (see note)
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup  milk
1/4cup oil

Mix together dry ingredients. In separate bowl slightly beat eggs. Add milk and oil. Mix with dry ingredients.
Spoon batter into greased 8 inch square pan.  Bake at 425 degrees for 20 -25 minutes.

NOTE:  Depending on your preference, you can use the 1/4 cup sugar, or cut it down to 2 TBSP.  which is best if you are using this recipe to make stuffing with.  You can't eliminate the sugar altogether, though.  It will  change the texture of the cornbread in a NOT good way.

Bran Muffins

Ancient recipe, but really good.  Do they still make All Bran?

1 1/4 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 cups All-Bran® Cereal
1 egg
1/3 cup oil

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In seperate bowl mix together milk and cereal and let sit 2 minutes. Add eggs and oil to cereal and then add this to flour mix. Beat well. Bake in greased muffin tins at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Blueberry Muffins

1/2 cup butter -- softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups blueberries -- rinsed and drained

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Add dry ingredients, then milk. Add blueberries last. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes in greased muffin tins.

You can use frozen blueberries, I like those tiny organic ones.

Beer Bread

A lovely and gracious lady named Millie Farnum served this to us at dinner one evening.

3 cups self-rising flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 can beer, light -- cold

Mix flour & sugar. Add beer and stir. Add more flour until you can handle the dough well. Shape into loaf and put in greased pan. Let rise in warm spot 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes.

Apple Oatmeal Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal -- quick cooking
1 cup nuts -- chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup margarine -- melted
2 apples -- peel  & shread

Mix togethr all dry ingredients. In seperate bowl mix together all moist ingredients. Mix both together. Bake in greased and floured loaf pan at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Applesauce Muffins

I know there are quite a few muffin and quick bread recipes on this blog.  I went through a phase when my kids were growing up.  I'd make a bunch of different ones and throw them in the freezer.  The kids ate them for breakfast (and so did I...so did I).

1/2 cup butter -- softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup applesauce
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter -- melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together 1/2 cup buuter, sugar, eggs and applesauce. Add flour, baking powder and salt. bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. While warm, dip tops in melted butter and then in sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Aloha Loaf

How those Hawiians can eat this stuff and romp around in tiny bikinis is a giant mystery... HA!

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 large banana -- mashed
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut
8 ounces crushed pineapple in juice
1 cup nuts -- chopped

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Stir in banana. Add dry ingredients. Fold in pineapple, coconut and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in greased loaf pan.