Pumpkin Bread

Makes approximately 12 muffins, 3 small loaves, or 1 large loaf
1 3/4 cup (1 15 oz. can) pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 eggs
3-4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, and eggs and mix until creamy. In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients except the nuts or chocolate chips. Mix 3 cups of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then add as much of the 4th cup as necessary to achieve the proper consistency (moist, but thick enough to stand a spoon in). Add the nuts or chocolate chips and stir in.

Pour or spoon the batter into greased muffin tins or bread pans. Bake on the center rack until a toothpick poked into the center comes out dry. At sea level, muffins should take between 20 and 25 minutes to bake, small loaves between 25 and 30 minutes, and full sized loaves between 50 minutes and 1 hour.

Feather-light Refrigerator Rolls

5 tsp dry yeast
1 Tbls sugar
1/2 cup water heated to 110-115 degrees
1 cup milk
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs (well beaten)
5 cups flour
1/2 cup butter

Dissolve yeast and 1T of sugar into warm water in a 3-4 cup capacity bowl. Let stand for 20 minutes
Place milk, 1/3 cup butter, salt and sugar in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir and let cool to room temperature
Place milk mixture into bowl of electric mixer. Add beaten eggs and mix well.
Add yeast mixture
Add flour, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Dough will be very sticky.
Place dough in a buttered bowl and cover. Refrigerate overnight.
Three hours before desired serving time, remove dough from fridge. Divide dough in half.
Roll dough out on floured surface into a circle.
Spread dough with 1/2 of the remaining butter.
Cut dough into 12 pieces, like a pie.
Roll each triangle starting from the smallest end into the point. This will create a crescent shape.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Place rolls on a greased baking sheet and allow to rise for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes.

Grandma’s French bread

2 ½ cups water
1 Tbls salt
2 Tbls sugar
5 tsp yeast
2 Tbls olive oil
6 cups flour
1 egg
1 Tbls water

Pour water stir in yeast and sugar—let dissolve
Stir in salt, oil, and half the flour
Beat vigorously, stir in remaining flour—leave spoon in the dough
Let rise 10 minutes then stir down—Repeat five times
Knead dough until it can be handled
2 loafs
beat egg and tablespoon water
Raise 30 minutes—slash the top—and coat with egg and water mixture
Bake at 375 until golden brown

Banana Nut Bread

1 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup shortening (or butter)
3 mashed bananas
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp soda
pinch of salt

Mix sugar and shortening until smooth
Add eggs
Sift flour and salt together
Mix vinegar and soda together and add to milk
Sift flour into mixture and add milk alternating
Fold in bananas and nuts
Cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes

Dilly Bread

2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbls sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 Tbls onion soup mix
2 Tbls dill seed
1/4 tsp soda
2 Tbls olive oil
1 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cup flour

Put in bread machine and bake on 'basic'