Breads

Cranberry Orange Bread

Published on by carol lou

I remember my mother would always make a loaf of Cranberry Bread during the Thanksgiving holiday. That started my holiday recipe collection and the first recipe I decided to make this year was Cranberry Orange Bread. You can make this bread now and freeze for the holidays. There is no reason to wait and make everything in a few days and drop over in exhaustion. I love to make things ahead so I can truly enjoy the holiday, relax and spend time with family and friends.

cranberry orange bread

Cranberry Orange Bread
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Ingredients
  1. 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  2. 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  3. 4 eggs
  4. 1 1/2 cup cake flour
  5. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  7. 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  8. 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
  9. Orange Glaze
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf plan, line with parchment paper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar, beat until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporated after each addition. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir dry ingredients, alternately with juice, into butter mixture. End with dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 1 hour or until tester comes out clean. Cook 5 minutes, remove from pan and top with glaze.
Notes
  1. Orange Glaze
  2. Combine 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice with 3/4 cup sugar when you put the bread in the oven. Stir to combine and stir periodically while the bread it cooking. Spoon over hot bread.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Pumpkin Muffins

Published on by carol lou

It’s that time of year – everything pumpkin!  After I just arranged two pumpkins on our front porch, I thought it was time to bring out the pumpkin recipes.  This muffin recipe has a surprise cream cheese filling.  Perfect to have with a hot cup of coffee or tea on the chilly mornings.  These can be on your breakfast table in under 50 minutes.  And…. your kitchen will smell wonderful.  I just love fall!

pumpkin muffins 2

 

Pumpkin Muffins
Yields 12
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Cook Time
20 min
Cook Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  2. 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  3. 1/2 cup milk
  4. 1/4 cup canola oil
  5. 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  6. 1 1/2 cups flour
  7. 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  8. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  9. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  10. 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  11. 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  12. Cream Cheese filling (below)
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 12 muffin cups.
  2. Make cream cheese filling, set aside.
  3. In a large bowl mix together the pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, oil and eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients except the nuts, just until the flour is moistened. Stir in the nuts.
  4. Fill muffin cups 1/3 full. Top each with approx. 1 teaspoon Cream Cheese Filling. Top each muffin with remaining batter.
  5. Bake 20 minutes until golden brown. Immediately remove muffins from the pan.
Notes
  1. Cream Cheese Filling
  2. 1 3 oz. package cream cheese filling, softened
  3. 1 tablespoon milk
  4. 1 tablespoon sugar
  5. Mix all ingredients until smooth.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Cinnamon Bread

Published on by carol lou

I don’t think anyone can pass the smell of cinnamon baking in a kitchen.  Perhaps that is why many realtors have tricks when trying to sell your home from putting cinnamon oil on your light bulbs to baking cookies when having open houses.  It is just one of those smells that brings warm feelings to your heart.  This cinnamon bread recipe has been passed down for years and for a really good reason.  This cinnamon bread recipe is easy to prepare, moist and delicious.   I think this will become a recipe that you too, will pass along.

cinnamon bread

Cinnamon Bread
Yields 1
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Ingredients
  1. 1/4 cup canola oil
  2. 1 cup sugar
  3. 2 eggs
  4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  5. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  6. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  7. 2 cups flour
  8. Cinnamon mixture - 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients except the flour in a medium mixing bowl. Add flour and mix until smooth. Dough will be stiff. Put 1/2 of the dough in a greased and floured bread pan 8 1/2" x 4 1/2 ". Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cinnamon mixture. Swirl with a knife. Cover with remaining dough. Pour remaining cinnamon mix over the top of the dough. Bake 1 hour. Remove from pan and cool.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Raspberry Muffins

Published on by carol lou

I just love making muffins.  They are so easy to make, require one bowl, bake quickly and perfect for breakfast, brunch or anytime snack.  I almost always end up freezing extras.  There is nothing better than friends stopping by for coffee and having muffins ready to serve.  These are especially good with red raspberries but also great with blackberries or blueberries.  The added hint of orange is great in these.  Orange butter would be great with these muffins.  Simply mix one stick of butter (at room temperature) with the zest of one orange.  Combine and spoon into a small dish or onto wax paper and make a butter log.  Serve along side warm muffins. Yum!

Raspberry muffins

 

Raspberry Muffins
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Ingredients
  1. 1 - 6 oz. package of raspberries
  2. 2 cups flour
  3. 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  4. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  5. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  6. 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
  7. 1/3 cup canola oil
  8. Grated zest from one orange
  9. 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  10. 1 large egg
  11. Coarse sugar to dust tops prior to baking, if desired.
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners or grease pan.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well.
  4. Combine yogurt, canola oil, orange zest, orange juice and egg in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Add to dry ingredients. Mix just until moistened. Carefully fold in raspberries.
  5. Divide batter evenly to make 12 muffins. Dust with coarse sugar.
  6. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  7. Let cool 3 minutes prior to removing from pan.
  8. Serve warm or at room temperature
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Crisp Waffles

Published on by carol lou

For years, I have made waffles.  This recipe is one of our favorites for those lazy weekends  when you have time for a relaxed breakfast.  This recipe makes waffles that are crisp on the outside and moist and delicious on the inside.  Our favorite way to serve them is very traditional – butter and maple syrup.  However, if you are adventurous and prefer fruits and other toppings, these waffles will hold up beautifully to any desired toppings.  Set your oven to 200 and keep the waffles warm as you make them.  Then you can serve everyone at the same time.

crisp waffles

Crisp Waffles
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Ingredients
  1. 2 eggs
  2. 1 3/4 cup milk
  3. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  4. 2 cups flour
  5. 4 teaspoons baking powder
  6. 1 tablespoon sugar
  7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Heat waffle maker. Beat eggs with hand mixer until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth. Pour batter into center of preheated waffle maker. Bake until steaming stops, about 4 - 5 minutes. Watch carefully.
  2. Makes 4 - 10 inch waffles
Notes
  1. For orange waffles - substitute orange juice for the milk and beat in 3 tablespoons grated orange peel.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Focaccia Bread

Published on by carol lou

Focaccia is a flat oven-baked bread that is similar in style and texture to pizza dough. It is usually seasoned with olive oil, salt, and fresh herbs.  It can also be topped with onions, cheeses, meats, and vegetables.  My favorite way to serve Focaccia is with a side of olive oil for dipping.  I cannot tell you how many times I have made this recipe.  It is my go to bread to serve as an appetizer, or along side a main meal.  I have also baked it in various baking vessels.  This time I patted it thin and baked on a baking sheet.  I have also baked round loaves in my cast iron skillets.  It is a fantastic and easy recipe.  If you are not a bread baker, this is a recipe to try.  It is very forgiving and the results are marvelous.

focaccia

Focaccia Bread
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Ingredients
  1. 3 cups of flour
  2. 3/4 cup warm water
  3. 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) yeast
  4. 1 teaspoon salt
  5. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  6. 1 tablespoon honey
  7. Desired toppings - I use coarse salt and fresh rosemary
Instructions
  1. Place flour, salt, and olive oil in a food processor bowl. Mix briefly. In a separate small bowl, mix yeast and warm water. Add honey and allow to foam, approx.. 5 minutes. With the motor running, slowly add the liquid. Process until it forms a ball. If the mixture seems too dry, add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time.
  2. (If mixing by hand, mix yeast and warm water. Add honey and allow to foam. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add liquids and combine until it forms into a ball. Remove and knead on a floured board for approx.. 5 minutes until smooth.)
  3. Cover dough and let rise until double in size, approx. 1 hour. Punch dough down. Put dough into desired greased baking dish. Pat into desired shape. Preheat oven to 425. Let dough rest for 30 minutes. Bake 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes
  1. After it has rested for 30 minutes in the baking dish, I like to take my thumb and make indentations, sprinkle with salt and rosemary prior to baking.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Surprise Muffins

Published on by carol lou

I just love making muffins because they are easy to make, quick to bake and always a great breakfast addition.  These muffins are especially good since they have a layer of jam in the middle which is the surprise.  I made these with strawberry rhubarb jam and they were wonderful.  With a fresh cup of coffee – let the day begin!

 Surprise muffins

 

Surprise Muffins
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups flour
  2. 3 teaspoons baking powder
  3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  4. 2 tablespoons sugar
  5. 2 egg
  6. 1 cup of milk
  7. 1/4 cup canola oil
  8. Jam
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425. Grease 12 muffin cups. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix together egg, milk and canola oil. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until all is moist. Fill cups 1/2 full of batter, top each with 1 teaspoon of jam, top with additional batter to 2/3 full. Bake 15 - 20 minutes, until golden brown. Especially good served warm.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Blueberry Bread

Published on by carol lou

This bread is bursting with blueberries.  When fresh fruit is in season, what a great time to bake fruit breads.  This bread freezes beautifully.  Perfect for those last minute gatherings, quick breakfast, or picnic in the park. I always like to have something in the freezer for those unexpected last minute needs.  Great to serve with salads, egg dishes or just plain, as a snack.

blueberry bread

Blueberry Bread
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup sugar
  2. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  3. 1 cup water
  4. Grated peel of one large orange
  5. 2 1/2 cups flour
  6. 1 tablespoon baking powder
  7. 2 eggs
  8. 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  9. 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Grease and flour 9 x 5 inch bread pan.
  3. Combine sugar, water, salt and orange rind in small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Measure syrup and add enough water to make 1 1/2 cups. Cool. Combine flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Beat eggs and add vegetable oil to eggs. When the sugar mixture has cooled, add to dry ingredients. Add egg mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Pour into prepared pan.
  4. Bake 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center, comes out clean.
  5. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
  6. Remove bread from pan, cool completely.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

 

Salted Caramel Pecan Muffins

Published on by carol lou

This past weekend, we traveled to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to experience the food scene in this thriving college town.  One of the highlights of the weekend was our walking food tour of Carrboro and Chapel Hill.  Our tour was conducted by Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours and our guide, Will, definitely showed us the best in the area.  One of the stops was the Carrboro Farmer’s Market.  There were many wonderful purveyors at the market.  We met Alfred de la Houssaye and his daughter, Brianna.  They had a wonderful story of moving from the hustle of Manhattan to a farm in North Carolina. For those of you that travel the 95 corridor in Virginia, Alfred designed the logo for Potomac Mills Mall, when working in design in NYC.  The farm is Sweetwater Pecan Orchard and they grow various crops including pecans, oriental persimmons, figs, grapes, peaches, herbs and Brianna is a skilled handler of their chickens and egg production.  Needless to say, we were fascinated with their story and  Alfred’s wonderful pralines and pecan pie were marvelous.  I left with over one pound of fresh pecans; they were the inspiration for my recipe below.  I will be posting additional highlights from Chapel Hill in future posts.  If you ever go to Chapel Hill, I highly recommend the Taste of Carolina Tours, it was just great.

pecan farm

Here we are with Alfred and Brianna from Sweetwater Pecan Orchard at the Carrboro Farmer’s Market

pecan muffins

 

Salted Caramel Pecan Muffins
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Ingredients
  1. 1/3 cup butter
  2. 1 cup dark brown sugar
  3. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  4. 1/2 cup flour
  5. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  6. 1/8 teaspoon salt
  7. 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  8. 1 cup chopped pecans
  9. Fleur de Sel, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 - grease mini-muffin pans
  2. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Remove from heat, stir in brown sugar. Cool slightly. Quickly stir in eggs, add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Fold in pecans.
  3. Fill muffins 3/4 full - Bake mini-muffins 15 - 18 minutes.
  4. Remove from pan, cool.
  5. If desired, sprinkle with Fleur de Sel prior to serving. Makes 30 mini-muffins
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

 

 

Olive Oil Orange Bread

Published on by carol lou

I was introduced to Greek olive oil this past weekend while visiting Union Market in Washington, DC.  Pericles (Perry) Konstas is a local importer of olive oil from his families orchards in Greece.  I was inspired after I returned home to develop a bread recipe that would highlight  this olive oil.  I used his Spartan Oil and the results were great.  He told me about a friend who had made bread with nuts, oranges, olives and his olive oil.  I decided time to experiment and here is my version using oranges and Greek olive oil.  Delicious!

Greek Oil                                                                                                      Union Market – Washington DC

 

olive oil orange bread

 

 

Olive Oil Orange Bread
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Ingredients
  1. 3 1/2 cups flour
  2. 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
  3. 1/2 cup warm water
  4. 1/2 cup orange juice
  5. 2 tablespoons honey
  6. 3 tablespoons olive oil
  7. 1 egg
  8. 11/2 teaspoon salt
  9. Zest of 1 orange
  10. One orange thinly sliced for the top
Instructions
  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine the flour, honey,olive oil, egg, salt, and orange zest and orange juice in mixing bowl with dough hook attachment. Add water with yeast mixture slowly until dough forms. If too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour 1/4 cup at a time. Combine until dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Put in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour. Punch dough down. Brush baking pan with olive oil, add dough. Pat dough into greased pan ( I used a 10 inch springform pan) - top with thin slices of orange and brush with Greek olive oil. Cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours. Bake 350 - 35 - 45 minutes until golden brown and when tapped sounds hollow.
Notes
  1. Delicious dipped in olive oil
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/