Spudnuts (doughnuts)

This recipe is from my Grammy Blanche!  She is 92 years old, and it wasn't that many years ago when I heard she made these for her entire church congregation for a Halloween Party! 

Spudnuts
1/2 c. warm water
1Tbs. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 c. scalded milk
1 c. mashed potatoes (she uses instant)
2 c. beaten eggs
6-7 c. flour

Scald milk and cool.  Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 c. warm water.  Beat eggs, sugar salt, and shortening.  Add to milk and yeast and potatoes.  Add flour until you are able to knead.  Knead 5-10 minutes.  Let rise.  Knead again and roll our 1/2" thick.  Cut with a donut cutter (or a mason jar screw band will work, just be sure to remove the center also with a milk lid or something similar).  Let rise until double in size and then fry in hot oil. 

Glaze:
1/2 c. water
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. powdered sugar

Boil water and sugar until first indication of small thread.  Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar.  Reheat if needed, add a little more water if needed. 

Buttermilk Pancakes (Jill)

This is my friend Jill's recipe.  It is good, and you don't actually have to use buttermilk if you don't have any. 

Buttermilk Pancakes:
2 c. flour
2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
2 eggs
2 c. buttermilk*
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbs. butter (I often just use oil when butter prices are high)

Mix all together well and cook on a hot griddle!

Buttermilk Substitutes:  1/2 c. sour cream and 1/2 c. milk, OR 1/2 c. plain yogurt and 1/2 c. milk.  I personally do not like to add lemon juice of vinegar to regular milk to try and get it to be like buttermilk.  It's the thick buttermilk consistency that I look for.

Note: To save time on school days, I have about 10  quart sized Ziploc bags that I mix all of the dry ingredients into.  Each bag will contain all of the dry ingredients for one batch of pancakes.  Then I write on the outside of the bag the additional ingredients needed (ex. 2 eggs, 2 c. buttermilk. 4 Tbs. butter, 1/2 tsp. vanilla).  I save the bags and use them over and over. 

Stromboli

I love this recipe!  I don't make it often, but my kids really like it.  It's from my very good friend Jill.  You can check out her recipe blog at http://jbeanrecipes.blogspot.com/.


Stromboli:

1 batch of bread stick dough (see below) - or you can cheat and use a loaf of frozen bread dough
2 egg yolks (keep the whites)
2 Tbs. oil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
shredded mozzarella cheese or pizza blend
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan (optional)
desired toppings (pepperoni, Canadian bacon, olives, etc.)

Roll out dough into 12 x 15" rectangle.  Mix egg yolks, oil, oregano, parley, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl.  Spread the mixture over top of the dough. Add cheese, toppings, and grated Parmesan.  Roll up and pinch the seams together well.  Place seam-side down on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and baste with the egg whites (optional).

Bread stick Dough:
1 1/2 c. hot water

1 Tbs. yeast

2 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 c. flour

Dough Instructions: Add water to mixer and sprinkle yeast and sugar over top.  Add in the salt and 2 cups of the flour.  Mix until smooth.  Add remainder 1 1/2 c. flour.  Knead 5-10 minutes.

Roll out the dough into a 12x15" triangle and rub the seasoned egg mixture evenly across it.

Add desired toppings.  Toppings that are not wet (don't use pineapple) work best.  

Roll it up tight.

       

After cooking, baste with egg whites (optional)

Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns

I rarely buy hot dog or hamburger buns anymore.  These are so much better than store-bought.  Each recipe will make about 9-10 hamburger buns and about 12 hot dog buns.




Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns:
1 c. warm water
2 tbs. yeast
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
1 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg
3 1/3 c. flour

Add water to a mixer and sprinkle yeast over top.  Sprinkle sugar over top of the yeast and mix it slightly to get everything wet.  Add in the oil, salt, egg, half of the flour.  Mix until smooth.  Slowly mix in the rest of the flour, letting the flour incorporate between each small addition.  You may not need all of the flour, and yet you may need a little more.  You want a soft dough that is not sticky to the touch.  I always know there is enough flour when the dough cleans the sides of the bowl itself as it mixes. Let the dough knead at least 5 minutes.  

If you are making hamburger buns, roll out on your counter top about 1/2' thick.  Cut out the buns using a wide-mouth mason jar lid.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and let rise until double, about 25 minutes.  Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes.  

I like to determine if the thickness of the dough by knowing that the dough should be as thick as the ring itself.  

If you are making hot dog buns, first make rolls with the dough. I use a kitchen scale.  I measure the dough and then divide it into 12 equal pieces.  If you don't have a kitchen scale, just eyeball 12 equal pieces.  Now take one of the rolls and stretch it slightly so that it is about 4 inches long or so.  Next, use a rolling pin to make a rectangle that is approx. 3" x 6".  It doesn't need to be exact.  Then roll up the rectangle starting with the wide side.  Pinch the ends and tuck them under slightly, and place seem side down on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Do this with the remaining rolls until you have 12 buns.  Bake at 425 about 10 minutes.  

For hotdog buns form 12 rolls first. 

Stretch the roll slightly by pulling on it. 

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a small rectangle.

Roll the rectangle up, starting with the long end.  Pinch the ends under and place seam-side down on a greased sheet.  Let rise and bake.  

For a video on how this is done, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNWx8qxP704&t=193s.  There is no need to watch the entire video as she gives a recipe that is not the same as mine (and also is in metric units) in the beginning.  Skip to the tutorial on how to roll them out which is around 3:15 on the video.  This is where I learned to shape my buns.  

Caramel Pecan Rolls

I love caramel and pecans!  Plus I hate making frosting, so this is a great alternative to cinnamon rolls. 
 

Caramel Pecan Rolls

Dough:
1 c. warm water
2 Tbs. yeast
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
1 tsp. salt
1 large egg 
3 1/3 c. flour

Add water to a mixer and sprinkle yeast over top.  Sprinkle sugar over top of the yeast and mix it slightly to get everything wet.  Add in the oil, salt, egg, half of the flour.  Mix until smooth.  Slowly mix in the rest of the flour, letting the flour incorporate between each small addition.  You may not need all of the flour, and yet you may need a little more.  You want a soft dough that is not sticky to the touch.  I always know there is enough flour when the dough cleans the sides of the bowl itself as it mixes.  Refer to the pictures below to see what I'm talking about.  Let the dough knead for at least 5 minutes.  In the meantime, prepare the pan by making the caramel sauce: 

Caramel Sauce:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. dark corn syrup (light will work if that's all you have)
3/4 c. pecan halves.

Bring the sugar and butter to a boil.  Remove from heat and add the corn syrup.  Pour into the bottom of an ungreased rectangular pan (13"x9" or slightly bigger) that has tall sides (not a cookie sheet).  Sprinkle with pecan halves.  

When your dough is done kneading, grease a counter-top with either a little shortening or oil (using flour will make the dough too dry).  Roll the dough out into a rectangle. Then add the filling.

Roll Filling:
2 Tbs. soft butter
1/2 c. chopped pecans
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. Packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Spread the butter overtop of the rolled out dough. Mix the pecans, sugars, and cinnamon together and sprinkle over top of the dough.  Roll up tightly starting with the long end.  Pinch the seam together.  Cut into 12 equal slices.  Place in the bottom of your prepared pan on top of the caramel.  Let rise until double in size.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.  Cover with tin foil towards the end if the rolls are getting too dark on top.  Remove from oven and immediately invert onto a heatproof tray.  I use a cookie sheet.  Let stand 1 minute to allow the caramel to drizzle down.  Enjoy!

This is what the dough should look like as you first start to mix in the flour.  

In this picture you can see a little more flour is needed since the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Here you can see the dough is perfect.  It is not over-floured, yet it is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl either.  It has essentially cleaned the bowl as it has mixed.  By the way, I didn't back when I took these pictures but I now have a little plastic gadget called a dough hook extender that I use with the dough hook.  It is fabulous because it cleans the center of the bowl as it mixes so you don't get the build up of dough around the centerpiece.  It works amazingly!  If you have a Bosch, I highly recommend it. 

1 Hour Dinner Rolls

My new favorite roll when I'm in a hurry!  This is an excellent recipe.

1 c. warm water

2 Tbs. yeast

1/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. oil

1 tsp. salt

1 egg

3 1/3 c. flour

Add warm water to a stand-up mixer.  Sprinkle yeast over top, and the sprinkle the sugar over top of that.  Mix it around briefly so that the yeast all gets wet.  Add oil, salt, egg, and 2 cups of the flour.  Mix until smooth, then slowly add the rest of the flour until a soft dough forms.  Knead at least 5 minutes.  Shape and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Let rise in a slightly warm oven until almost double in size.  Take them out of the oven, and heat the oven to 375.  When preheated, bake 10-12 min.

Note:

I have a double oven, so I proof the rolls in one oven and then bake in the other oven.  If you have a single oven, turn it to the lowest possible temperature (100 degrees is ideal, but most ovens only go as low as 170).  Let the oven heat just a little and then turn it off.  Add the pan of dough and let the rolls rise about 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven, and then turn the oven on to 375 to preheat for the rolls.    

Banana Bread

This is my friend Jill's recipe.  You can visit her blog at http://jbeanrecipes.blogspot.com/.  I will note that you HAVE to use the little foil pans for the best results with this banana bread.  I have tried it in large loaf pans, and it really just doesn't work.  I bought 5 foil loaf pans at my local grocery store for $1.25.  They are supposed to be disposable, but if you are careful, you can use them quite a few times. 

Banana Bread
2/3 c. oil
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
3 ripe bananas, mashed
3 eggs
1/2 c. cold milk
1 tsp vanilla


1 3/4 c. flour
scant 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix oil and sugars together, then add bananas, eggs, milk, and vanilla.  Add in the dry ingredients: flour, salt, soda, and baking powder.

Grease and flour pans well.  Pour batter into 5 mini loaf pans.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.  (Watch closely, my convection oven takes about 10 minutes less).

Tips:
Mini chocolate chips and/or nuts can be added.  Stir in with a spoon after all other ingredients have been mixed together. If you don't use mini chocolate chips the chips will all sink to the bottom. I've even tried just sprinkling them on the top and not mixing them in, but they still sink.

English Muffins

English Muffins

1 c. warm milk

2 tbs. yeast

2 tbs. sugar

1 c. warm water

1/4 c. melted shortening

1 tsp. salt

5-6 c. flour

-In a stand-up mixer combine water, milk, shortening sugar, and yeast.  Let the yeast dissolve about 5 minutes.  Add other ingredients and mix well like bread.  Roll out 1/2" thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter, glass, or empty tuna can.  Sprinkle waxed paper with cornmeal and place the cut muffins on it.  Let rise 30 minutes.  Coon on greased griddle about medium heat 10 minutes on each side.  Very Yummy with grape jam!!

Feather-Light Overnight Rolls

This is the best recipe to make if you don't have a stand-up mixer like a Bosch or a Kitchen Aid because it doesn't need to be kneaded!  The rolls are super light and fluffy; the best I've had.  I have also frozen the rolls prior to rising and baking and that works pretty good too.  FYI: this is a huge recipe!  It makes 6 dozen rolls.  So if you don't have a lot of cookie sheets and cooling racks, then I'd definitely half the recipe.

Feather-Light Overnight Rolls:

1 c. water

1 c. butter (2 sticks)

3/4 c. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1 c. cold water

2 tbs. yeast

1/2 c. warm water 

4 eggs, beaten

7 1/2 c. flour

In a large saucepan bring 1 cup water to a boil.  Add the 1 cup butter, sugar, and salt.  Remove from heat.  Add the 1 cup cold water.  Separately, dissolve 2 tbs. yeast in 1/2 c. warm water.  When the first mixture is lukewarm, add yeast mixture and beaten eggs.  Stir briefly.  Add flour and stir together.  THIS WILL BE A REALLY WET DOUGH!  Resist the urge to add more flour.  Cover the pan with a lid and refrigerate overnight.

Divide dough into six equal parts.  Lightly flour surface and roll out each portion into a large circle about 1/2" thick and 12" in diameter. Spread melted butter over the dough.  Cut the dough into 12 wedges with a pizza cutter by first cutting the dough into 4 pie pieces and then cutting each 1/4 into 3 more pie pieces.  Roll up each pie piece starting with the wide end to form a crescent roll.  Tuck the end underneath the roll and place on a greased cookie sheet. 

Let rise about 3-4 hours (like while you are gone to church is the perfect time, especially because there are not little bodies around to get into them while they raise).  Bake at 400 degrees about 8-10 minutes.  

Note: These rolls will rise a lot!  So don't cut out the initial roll very big or you'll have footballs for rolls by the time you are done.  Also, I have made these plenty of times when I only put the dough in the fridge for an hour instead of overnight.  That works too.

 Roll each portion into a circle about 12" in diameter.

Next, cut the circle into 12 equal pieces by first cutting the circle into 4 and then cutting each quarter into three pieces.
Roll up each piece starting with the fat side and then place them onto a greased cookie sheet with the "tail" tucked underneath.  This forms a crescent shaped roll as seen in the pic below.
 Cover and let rise about 4 hours or so depending on how warm your house is.  The picture below is of them risen.  Bake at 400 about 7-10 minutes.  Watch them closely.

Bread Soup Bowls

Bread Soup Bowls

1 c. warm water

1 c. warm milk

3 tbs. yeast

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs

2 tsp. salt

6- 6 1/2 c. flour

Pour warm water and milk in a stand-up mixer.  Sprinkle the yeast over top, and the sugar over top of that.  Mix it for a second so the yeast gets wet and can start to activate.  Add the other ingredients and 3 cups of the flour.  Let mix until smooth.  Then slowly add the rest of the flour until a nice soft dough that is not overly sticky to the touch if formed.  Let knead for at least 5 minutes.  Cut dough into 10 equal pieces and form like large round rolls.  Place on two different greased cookie sheets.  Let rise until double.  Bake at 350 degrees 20-25 minutes.  

I know the dough has enough flour when the sides of the mixer are clean.  As the dough mixes, add a little flour at a time until the sides of the bowl are scraped clean by the dough as it mixes.  

Form dough into 10 large round rolls.  Place on greased cookie sheet with plenty of space between them.  Obviously, you will need 2 cookie sheets. 

Cover and let rise until double in size.

  

Bake at 350 about 20-25 minutes.  

Cut the top off each soup bowl and then carefully remove the inside of the bowl.  Save it to eat with butter or jam on the side.

Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls

I've tried a lot of cinnamon roll recipes, and this is the best!  To give credit where credit is due, I got this recipe from a blogspot, Outnumbered, http://tacpaskett.blogspot.com/2014/01/1-hour-cinnamon-rolls.html.  I wouldn't go as far as saying they only take one hour (like the blog's author does), but I think 1 hour and 15 minutes might be a little more on track.  I've changed the recipe only slightly from hers, and if you visit her blog she has a great video tutorial on how to roll the dough out. 

Cinnamon Rolls (12 large rolls)
1 3/4 c. warm water
3 Tbs. yeast
1/4 c. + 2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 c. oil
1/2 T. salt
1 large egg 
5 1/4 c. flour

Filling:
1/4 c. melted butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 Tbs. cinnamon

In a stand-up mixer, sprinkle yeast over top of warm water. Sprinkle sugar over top of the yeast and mix it slightly to get everything wet. Add in the oil, salt, egg, and half of the flour. Mix until smooth. Slowly mix in the rest of the flour, letting the flour incorporate between each small addition. You may not need all of the flour, and yet you may need a little more (every flour is different). You want a soft dough that is just barely sticky to touch, but not so sticky that the dough sticks to your finger. I always know there is enough flour when the dough just starts to clean the sides of the bowl as it mixes. Refer to the pictures below to see what I'm talking about. Once all flour has been incorporated, let the dough knead in the mixer for at least 5 minutes.

Grease a counter-top with a little shortening (using flour will make the dough too dry).  Roll out into a rectangle.  In a small bowl mix both sugars together with the cinnamon. This will make an even distribution when you sprinkle it on the dough. Spread 1/4 c. melted butter over the rectangle of dough, and then sprinkle the cinnamon and sugars mixture over top. 

Roll the rectangle up starting with the long side.  Cut into 12 equal pieces.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and let rise 10-15 min depending on how warm your house in.  Bake at 375 12-15 minutes. (NOTE: these are huge rolls. If you want to stretch them a little farther, I've learned that cutting them into 15 rolls instead of 12 works extremely well. On the cookie sheet, you will then have 5 rows of 3. I now make 15 rolls instead of 12 nearly every time I make cinnamon rolls!) 

 Frosting
1/2 cube butter, soft
 dash of salt
 1 tsp. vanilla
 3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. warm milk (more or less, add a little at a time)

Tips
*This dough is also great for hamburger/hot dog buns as well as quick dinner rolls.
*Yes, 3 Tbs. is a lot of yeast.  That's what makes them quick.

*No, I never let any of my bread products rise twice.  It simply isn't a necessary step if you use a good quick-active dry yeast.


ORANGE ROLLS:

filling:

6 Tbs. melted butter (or you can use very soft butter and spread it on)

zest of 2 oranges

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Orange Icing:

1 1/2 cups pow. sugar

2 Tbs. orange juice (squeezed from the oranges that you zested)

2-4 Tbs. heavy cream, half and half, or milk

This is what the dough will look like as you first start to mix the flour in.

You can see in this picture that the dough does not quite have enough flour yet.  It is still very sticky, and it sticks to the sides of the bowl.

Here the dough is perfect.  It does not have too much flour, and it has cleaned the sides of the bowl as it has mixed.  

Roll out the dough into a rectangle on your countertop.  Then add the filling and roll the dough up tightly.  Cut into 12 equal pieces.