Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

My 2016 goal was to conquer my fear of baking with yeast. I imagined my kitchen would be a little bread factory; I'd be gifting loaves to my friends and neighbors to get rid of the glut of yeasty goodies flowing from my oven.

Yeah, not so much. When the middle of May rolled around, I'd only made cinnamon rolls and pita bread. That's not exactly conquering anything.

It was high time to bake yeast bread. So when I went grocery shopping this week, I purposely didn't buy any bread. As you know, I'm a PB&J addict, so lunches without a sandwich were looking pretty bleak. Day 1 without bread, I rustled up some leftovers. Day 2 without bread, I dug a bagel out of the freezer. Day 3...it was time to put on my apron and get baking.

If I'm totally honest, I was pretty nervous to get started. I hemmed and hawed as I pulled out my measuring cups. But, you guys, it wasn't hard! Seriously! I kept waiting for everything to go wrong, but it didn't. The dough puffed up beautifully. I had no trouble shaping it into a loaf. The house smelled glorious as it baked to a golden brown. And it tasted absolutely divine.

Erin vs. Yeast? Don't worry. I've got this.

Let's get cooking baking with yeast!
Erin

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen
Makes 1 loaf

1 cup warm (110 degrees) 2% milk
1/3 cup warm (110 degrees) water
2 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup*
2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, divided
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 - 2 cups bread flour (plus more for flouring the counter)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
Vegetable oil
Cooking spray

Whisk together milk, water, syrup, and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups bread flour, flax, yeast, and salt. Turn the mixer to low and slowly pour in the milk mixture. Mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.

Turn up the speed to medium-low and knead the dough with the dough hook until it is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (If the dough is still sticking to the bowl halfway through mixing, add up to the remaining 1/2 cup bread flour.) Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for another few minutes. You want the dough to be a smooth, round ball.

Place a little bit of vegetable oil into the now-empty mixing bowl. Add the dough to the bowl and turn so it's coated in oil. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it somewhere warm to rise until it's doubled in size, about an hour. (I put my bowl in the microwave...just don't forget not to turn the microwave on. Yikes.)

Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan with cooking spray. Shape the dough into a loaf and place it in the prepared pan. Loosely cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size again, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brush loaf with remaining 1/2 tablespoon melted butter. Bake until crust is golden and bread sounds hollow when you tap it with your knuckles, about 40 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.

*I used maple syrup because Elaine isn't supposed to have honey until she's 1 year old. Maybe honey is fine when it's baked into stuff, but I wasn't sure and I wasn't interested in risking botulism. Feel free to try substituting honey and let us know how it is!

Even Better Irish Soda Bread

I mentioned on Facebook yesterday that I was making Irish Soda Bread as part of our St. Patrick's Day celebration. While Elaine was taking her afternoon snooze, Danny and I got baking. He is an expert at leveling the flour and is quite handy with a whisk. It makes the biggest mess you can imagine, but we both get a kick out of our kitchen projects.

The recipe I made last year was dynamite, but I just can't leave well enough alone. I wondered if we could make it just a little bit better—even more rich and tender than it already was. So I decided to add a few additional tablespoons of butter because...butter. And an egg yolk couldn't hurt, right? I'm not sure if it was the tweaks to the recipe or my fantastic sous chef (thanks, Danny boy!), but this year's Irish Soda Bread rocked my world.

I didn't want to forget the updated recipe, and I thought you all deserved to have it as well. So even though St. Patrick's Day is over, this Even Better Irish Soda Bread would make the perfect addition to your table this weekend. Eat it warm, slathered with butter. Enjoy it for breakfast, along side a cup of tea in the afternoon, or serve it with Malissa's Slow Cooker Corned Beef for the perfect Irish dinner.

We're keeping the St. Patrick's Day spirit going for one more day!

Let's get cooking!
Erin  

Even Better Irish Soda Bread
Adapted from this recipe

3 c flour
1/4 c sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg yolk
1 cup raisins
1-2 tablespoons milk
1-2 tablespoons coarse sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir in melted butter until the mixture looks crumbly.

In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk and egg yolk. Stir buttermilk mixture and raisins into the flour until the dough just comes together in a shaggy mixture.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly-floured counter. Knead just until the dough comes together in a ball, about 10 times. (My dough was pretty wet even after kneading, and it turned out great!) Pat dough into an 8" circle and place on prepared baking sheet. Brush top of dough with milk and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Use a knife to cut a large "X" on the top of the loaf.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

P.S. Since we're still celebrating St. Patrick's Day, I had to share a picture of my littlest leprechaun. She makes me melt.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Last summer I joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) co-op and in August and September, we were inundated with all kinds of squash.

Lorna and Dale, the owners of Bompa's Farm, shared lots of ideas for how to use up the vegetable and I came across even more on the web. I used zucchini, white, yellow and patty pan squash in casseroles and sliced up raw to dip into hummus. I stuffed, sautéed, roasted and baked them into all sorts of deliciousness.

One of my favorites is this quick bread, which tastes super with zucchini, yellow squash or both. It is super moist and each bite delivers a burst of blueberry flavor.

This year, I'm buying my zucchini and squash at the local grocery store. Lorna and Dale sold their Central Illinois farm and moved out west to be closer to family. I didn't know them long, but they made a big impression on us. Lorna and Dale taught my boys about where food really comes from and what it takes to grow vegetables (i.e. broken legs and hail storms don't mean the work stops!) And if their gentle giant of a dog Solomon hadn't taken such a liking to my Sam, I never would have taken home one of his pups.

Now I think of Lorna and Dale when I watch Trixie (our puppy,) Max and Sam running around outside, and whenever I bake this treat.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Blueberry Zucchini Bread
Inspired by Allrecipes.com

3 eggs

Part of my CSA squash haul.

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup Splenda (or white sugar)
2 cups shredded or grated zucchini, yellow or white squash
3 cups all purpose flour (or use 1 1/2 cups white and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries

(Note: I recommend doubling the recipe. I usually do, so that I have some extra loaves on hand or in the freezer when I need a treat for family or friends.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange over racks to be in the middle of the oven. Lightly grease 2 to 3 loaf pans, depending on the size you are using. I use pans that are either 9 x 5 x 2 1/2 inches or 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches. You can also use mini loaf pans or make muffins.

In a large bowl, whisk or beat together the eggs, applesauce, oil, vanilla and Splenda or sugar. Stir in the zucchini and/or yellow or white squash with a spoon.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add half of flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with spoon or beat with mixer. Add remaining flour and stir well with spoon or beat with mixer until everything is combined.

Gently fold in the blueberries.

Fill prepared loaf pans with batter. Bake for about 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle of loaves comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for at least 30 minutes.

Slice and enjoy. Goes great with coffee.

That's our "puppy" Trixie. She's a farm girl at heart. She likes this bread too, if she's tricky enough to snag a piece!

Family Cornbread

Growing up I don't think I ever knew you could make cornbread from a Jiffy box or that some "cornbread" is sweet. Now I'm more than all grown  up and here to tell you that cornbread should never come from a box or taste sweet.

My family always made homemade savory cornbread. That's why I call this Family Cornbread. My Ohio-born mom learned how to make it after marrying my Tennessee-born dad. Cornbread and homemade banana pudding with scratch-made (no box!) vanilla pudding.

Growing up we'd have Family Cornbread and beans for dinner. My grandma would make it to use in her cornbread stuffing, which also featured hard boiled eggs, the neck of the turkey and sage. (Note to self: Make grandma's stuffing.)

I serve Family Cornbread with all kinds of meals: beans, pulled pork, brisket -- to name a few. My BFF Andrea serves it with her Turkey, Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili.

And while I don't keep  boxes of cornbread mix in my pantry, I do keep Ziploc bags of Family Cornbread mix. It's a trick I learned from Mom. Get an assembly line of bags going in your kitchen and add enough dry ingredients to each to make one cornbread. Smart.

XOXO,
Amy

Family Cornbread

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup yellow or white cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 beaten egg
4 tablespoons melted shortening (Mom and I just use olive oil.)
1 1/2 cup buttermilk (Mom and I use light buttermilk.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 9-inch cast iron skillet; I use Crisco.

Combine ingredients -- dry first and then wet -- and pour into prepared skillet. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown at the edges and pulling away from the pan. Remove from oven and immediately flip the cornbread onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve with butter. Enjoy!

No Sugar Banana Bread

I recently had dates on hand for a cookie recipe that I never made. I lost track of the recipe, so I thought I'd experiment with my sister-in-law's tried-and-true banana bread. Note that I decided to try this while the kids were out at the park with their dad, so they wouldn't see me chopping dates and skipping the white sugar. Genius, I know.

I was afraid the bread wouldn't be sweet enough with  just the dates, so I did add in a little honey. I also decided to use butter instead of Crisco, because that seems healthier. I used up some whole wheat flour. I tossed in some chocolate chips as a little treat since we we're being good by using dates. I would have added chopped walnuts, but I didn't have any on hand. I had pecans in the pantry, but Penny -- who had returned from the park, never the wiser about the dates -- vetoed the pecans.

Guess what? Lucy and Penny gobbled up this bread and begged for seconds. Lucy commented on liking the texture better. This bread is indeed more moist than the original we'd been making for years. (Ssssh, don't tell Aunt Jennie.) Penny commented on the chocolate chips, which was not at all surprising. Thing is this bread would be super yummy -- and truly no sugar -- without the chips and that's how I plan to make it next time.


XOXO,
Amy

No Sugar Banana Bread
2 cups flour (I used up the remaining 1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour I had; the rest was all purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup packed dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup butter, melted
Honey, just shy of 1/4 cup
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 or 3)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup (or less) chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir together the first four dry ingredients and set aside.

In large bowl, mix dates and melted butter on medium to medium high speed. Add the honey, eggs, bananas and lemon juice--mix until combined and the dates are no longer lumpy. Sift in dry ingredients, little by little.

Pour mixture into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Irish Soda Bread

When we were living in Milwaukee, our local grocery store made raisin-studded, sugar-crusted Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day every year, and it blew my mind. It wasn't exactly authentic, but it was dang good.

Since I couldn't walk down the street to the store to pick up soda bread this year, I set out to duplicate it at home. Traditional buttermilk and all-purpose flour for simplicity. Baking soda and baking powder for a little rise, salt for flavor, and sugar because that's how I roll. (I said it wasn't authentic, okay?) Studded with raisins and sprinkled with coarse sugar crystals to guild the lily.

I was giddy with excitement when I pulled this baby out of the oven. The scent alone was absolutely tantalizing. The sugar glittered on the golden crust like treasure at the end of a rainbow.

So I ate a quarter of the loaf for dinner.

Tender and rich with just enough sweetness. Raisins in every bite. Crisp with sugar crystals. Holy cow. The luck of the Irish is with you today, folks, because this bread is good.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Irish Soda Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons milk (You might not need it all.)
1 tablespoon coarse sugar crystals (I used Sugar in the Raw.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir in melted butter until the mixture looks crumbly. Stir in buttermilk and raisins until the dough just comes together in a shaggy mixture.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly-floured counter. Knead just until the dough comes together in a smooth ball, about 10 times. Pat dough into an 8" circle and place on prepared baking sheet. Brush top of dough with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Use a knife to cut a large "X" on the top of the loaf.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

It has been too long. WAY too long.

I have no good or even interesting explanation for why I haven't posted a recipe for six months. Six long, long months. We moved from Milwaukee to North Carolina and in the midst of packing and unpacking every piece of junk we had acquired in our ten years in the great middle west, I just didn't feel like cooking.

So I didn't.

But I'm back in the kitchen now! And I'm baking zucchini bread. In my humble opinion, this is the best way to use up a bumper crop of zucchini. Don't have a green thumb? Well, you're in good company. Just pick some up at the farmer's market, swing by the grocery store, or, if you're feeling sneaky, slip into your neighbor's backyard under the cover of darkness and pilfer some of theirs. Your secret's safe with me.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Makes 2 loaves

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9" x 5" loaf pans and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together egg, egg whites, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. Stir in dry ingredients and chocolate chips.

Evenly divide batter between prepared loaf pans. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

How's your Christmas shopping going? Mine is...well, it's still going. That's all I need to say about that. 

But today I'm here to help you spread some Christmas cheer. Do you need a little hostess gift? Something for your neighbor or the nursery worker at church who deals with your crying baby every week? (Not that I would know anything about that last one or anything.) I have just the ticket: Apple Cinnamon Bread. 

If you come bearing a loaf of this bread—a tender crumb, studded with apples, and gilded with an avalanche of streusel topping—your recipient will be thrilled. But you can take it to the next level without too much trouble. You can present your Apple Cinnamon Bread in one of those cute disposable pans. (They even sell Christmas-y ones at Target so you can pick them up next time you're getting Lysol wipes.) Make it even better by pairing your bread with a little jar of cinnamon. (Tie a little ribbon or twine around the cinnamon if you're feeling fancy.) 

If I may, I'd like to recommend Penzeys cinnamon. Besides the fact that Penzeys is a local company with great products, my reason for giving Penzeys a little plug is selfish: I totally pilfered this recipe from them. I come up with most of the recipes on this site, either adapting other recipes or pulling them from the empty space between my ears. This recipe, though, is 100% Penzeys. I thought about tweaking it, but the original was too doggone good to mess with. And it would have been cruel of me not to share something this delicious; I had to tell you about it. Hence the plug. It helps alleviate my guilt. 

So bake Apple Cinnamon Bread! Eat Apple Cinnamon Bread! Gift Apple Cinnamon Bread!

Apple Cinnamon Bread

From Penzeys

Makes 2 loaves

Bread:

4-5 large apples*, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1" pieces (about 4 cups)

4 large eggs 

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 cups flour

2 cups granulated sugar

Topping:

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup butter (1 stick) at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350. Grease to 9" x 5" loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside. 

Beat eggs with an electric mixer on medium high until fluffy. Add oil and beat until combined. Mix in vanilla, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until combined. Add flour and sugar and beat on low until combined, then beat on high until the mixture is smooth. (The batter is very thick.) Gently stir in the apples by hand so they don't get broken up. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans.

Make the topping in a separate small bowl. Stir together flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Use a fork or your fingers to cut in the butter until it's crumbly. Sprinkle the topping evenly on each loaf. Bake for about 1 hour, until the loaf feels fairly firm when pressed in the middle. 

*I used McIntosh apples because I wanted them to melt into the bread a little bit. If you want your apples to remain more firm, try a Granny Smith.

Carrot Zucchini Bread

Confession: I didn't use actual zucchini when I made this Carrot Zucchini Bread. Here's how it went down...

I went to the farmers market to get zucchini, but I didn't arrive until the produce party had been in full swing for a few hours. I made several laps around the grounds, peering into every stand in search of the green veggie, and, alas, there was none to be found. One farmer had some sort of green and yellow colorblock summer squash (Did I just describe a squash in fashion terms??), and he told me it would be just fine to use in a bread recipe. He was right. Always trust the farmers.

I did a bit more research on the vegetable I used, and discovered that it's called Zephyr squash. According to the gardening aficionados who post such information on the interweb, it's a hybrid summer squash. Some seed master in the late 90's crossed a yellow crookneck squash with a hybrid delicata-yellow acorn squash, and the Zephyr was born. If you want to give it a taste, look for a summer squash with a buttercup yellow neck and a light green blossom end.

Once you have your hands on a Zephyr squash or zucchini, shred that baby up and bake it into a sweet, tender bread.

Carrot "Zucchini" Bread
Makes 2 loaves
Adapted from Nicole's Nutrition and others

3 cups flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar*
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini (or Zephyr squash)**
1 cup grated carrots
2/3 cup raisins (Optional. You could totally substitute chocolate chips.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9" x 5" loaf pans and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, mix together egg, egg whites, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Then stir in zucchini, carrots, and raisins.

Evenly divide batter between prepared loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

*I haven't tested it, but I bet you could reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe for a slightly less sweet result. If you experiment with the sugar, let me know how it turns out.

**Just leave the skin on when you're grating the zucchini.

P.S. Don't forget to get some help from your kid. Some of the ingredients might end up on the table, but he'll think baking is fun. (Sorry, I couldn't help but share this photo. Proud mama here.)

Oatmeal Bread

I am a carb-o-holic. I can't get enough bread, muffins, cookies, cereal, bagels, cake... If it is a carb, I want it. And I want it now.

Since I've been on maternity leave, I've been carbo-loading big time. As I've mentioned many times, PB&J and peanut butter & Fluffernutter sandwiches are a couple of my guiltiest pleasures. My favorite bread for said sammies costs a pretty penny at the bakery, so I decided to make my own on the cheap.

I busted out my bread machine and set to work. By "work" I mean layering ingredients and pushing the start button. It was actually quite easy. Three hours later, the sweet smell of freshly baked bread wafted from my kitchen. I sliced thick slabs and made myself a particularly glorious peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwich. It was all I hoped and more.

Oatmeal Bread
From West Bend
Makes one 1.5 pound loaf

9 ounces warm milk (80 degrees) (This is 1 cup + 2 tablespoons.)
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups bread flour
3/4 cup oats (Use quick cooking or old fashioned oats. Do NOT use instant oatmeal.)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Layer all of the ingredients in your bread maker in the order listed. Use the "basic" function to make one 1.5 loaf.

Summer Harvest Bread

I recognize that it's officially fall, but don't let that stop you from making Summer Harvest Bread. It's the perfect way to use up the last of the zucchini in your garden or from the farmer's market.

And it's delicious. If you don't take my word for it, you can certainly trust the husband. I sent a slice of this bread with him to eat for breakfast when he was at work. That night he came home and let me know how tasty it was without any prompting from me. (I'm not above asking for compliments. "Wasn't that a yummy dinner I made, honey? Wasn't it?")

Summer Harvest Bread
Adapted from The Costco Connection

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
4 egg whites
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup shredded zucchini (unpeeled)
1/2 cup golden raisins (Plump them by soaking them in boiling water for a few minutes.)
1 cup diced peeled apples
1 cup pecans, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8" x 4" loaf pans or one Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, applesauce, egg, egg whites, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients along with the shredded carrots, zucchini, raisins, apples, and 1/2 cup pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pans and sprinkle evenly with remaining pecans. Bake for about 1 hour (mine took 1 hour and 10 minutes), until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. (If the pecans are starting to get too brown on top, tent the bread with foil while it finishes baking.)

Beer Bread

I mentioned on Monday that the husband provided resounding approval for this Beer Bread, and, as usual, he really hit the nail on the head.

I've made beer bread from mixes before. If you've ever been to one of those home food parties where they bring out a platter piled with perfectly golden nuggets of beer bread and then offer you a  bowl of creamy spinach dip to dunk them in, you know the mix I'm talking about. And it's good. Real good. But what if I haven't been invited to a home food party where I can buy the mix in a while? What do I do then?

Well, I learn to make beer bread from scratch, that's what I do. And don't tell your friend who sells that home party beer bread mix, but the from-scratch stuff is just as good and (dare I even say it?) just as easy. Shhhh...

Beer Bread
Adapted from EzraPoundCake.com

3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12 ounce) bottle beer
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Additional butter and honey, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan and set aside. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a spatula to gently fold the beer into the dry ingredients until just combined. (If you over-mix the dough, it could get dense and tough.)

Spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan. Pour melted butter on top of the butter.

Bake in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm, preferably slathered with additional butter and honey.

Low-Fat Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Pecans

My love affair with pumpkin bread began in college. I remember the first time I saw a gorgeous, orange loaf on the "Sweet Treats" bar at breakfast. Spicy, sweet, and a little bit savory from the pumpkin puree. One taste, and I was hooked. Every time pumpkin bread appeared at the dining hall, I eagerly snatched at least two slices. I think it was a significant contributor to my freshman 15. Well, that and the Seven Layer Bars, ice cream machine, Peanut Butter Bars, unlimited bagels... I have a weakness for carbs and sweets.

The pumpkin bread I'm sharing with you today is low fat. That's so I can feel guilt-free when I eat at least two slices. Which I will, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, until it's gone. Inspired by the pumpkin muffins at my  local coffee shop, I stirred in ruby red cranberries for a beautiful burst of color and flavor. Sprinkling pecans on top lends a hearty and satisfying crunch. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!

Low-Fat Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Pecans
Adapted From: Cooking Light
Serves: Theoretically, this makes two loaves with 12 servings per loaf. 12 servings. Riiiiiight.

3 1/3 cups flour, plus 2 tablespoons for tossing with cranberries
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 whole eggs
4 egg whites (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup cranberries* (optional)
1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9"x5" loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.

Whisk together 3 1/3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

In a separate bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, whole eggs, egg whites, oil, and yogurt. Mix together until thoroughly blended. Stir water and pumpkin into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Toss cranberries with remaining 2 tablespoons flour. (This will help them stay suspended in the bread.) Stir cranberries into batter.

Evenly divide batter between two prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle pecans over batter. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

A few notes: Check the bread after about 45 minutes of cooking. If the nuts are starting to get too brown, tent the loaves with aluminum foil. If you'd like pumpkin muffins instead of pumpkin bread, I think you'd need to bake them for about 20-22 minutes. (Although, full disclosure, that's just a guesstimate.)

*Using cranberries is optional, but it's a highly recommended option in my book. Also, if you're using frozen cranberries, don't thaw them first.

Stuffed French Toast

First, the important stuff: Today is THE LAST DAY to enter our GIVEAWAY! If you want to win a West Bend Bread Maker, check it out.

Now that we're mere hours from the weekend, it's time to start thinking about brunch. During the hectic work week, the husband and I eat things like oatmeal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and granola bars for breakfast. And the occasional Pop Tart. Don't judge.  Anyway, on the weekends, we're prone to get a little crazy with our first meal. I'll make eggs-in-a-hole or the husband will whip up the best pancakes you'll ever eat. It's weekend food.

Today's recipe is deceptively simple, and wonderfully decadent. Stuffed French Toast is fancy enough to serve to guests you want to impress, but it's perfect for your unshaven husband, sweatpant-clad best friend, bleary-eyed wife, or footie-pajama'ed kids. And doesn't that sound like a much more fun brunch crowd anyway?    

Stuffed French Toast

Serves: 4

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tablespoon sugar, divided

Pinch cinnamon

8 slices bread, toasted (I toast mine in the toaster.)

4 tablespoons jam (I'm partial to strawberry.)

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 cup milk

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch salt

1/2 cup flour

Maple syrup and extra butter, for serving

Stir together cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar, and cinnamon. Evenly spread on four slices of the bread. Spread jam on the remaining slices of bread. Top each slice of jam-covered bread with a slice of cream cheese-covered bread to form four sandwiches.  

Melt 2 tablespoons butter and whisk it together with milk, egg, vanilla, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Once the ingredients are blended, whisk in the flour until combined. Pour the batter into a shallow dish. Place sandwiches into the batter and allow them to sit for about 1 minute on each side. 

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place two batter-dipped "sandwiches" onto the skillet and cook for about 2.5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Repeat with the final tablespoon of butter and remaining sandwiches. Keep french toast warm in a very low oven until you're ready to eat. Serve with maple syrup and a pat of butter.  

Do you need freshly baked bread?

Today's post is purely an attempt to tantalize your tastebuds with dreams of homemade bread. Then, once you can't stand it any longer, you'll be forced to enter the West Bend Bread Maker giveaway I posted yesterday.

Baking bread when you have a bread maker is easy. First you heat milk to 80 degrees and dump it in the machine.

Then you measure out your flour and dump it in the machine.

Sprinkle a little salt and sugar on top of the flour, put butter in the corners, and measure the yeast. (Note: Yeast is not something to fear! You too can bake with yeast!)

Pour the yeast into a little divot you dig in the flour. Channel your inner toddler.

Press three buttons to start the machine.

Wait. This is by far the hardest part. And then...

Eat. Mmmmm.

Now don't forget to enter the bread maker giveaway!

Giveaway:Win a West Bend Bread Maker!

The holidays are upon us, and we are thrilled to be giving an early present to one lucky Hot Dinner Happy Home reader: a fabulous Hi-Rise Bread Maker from local Wisconsin company, West Bend!

The holiday season is such a nostalgic, cozy time of year. While the skies darken early and snowflakes begin to fall, your home dances with light. Trees sparkle, candles flicker, fires crackle. Holiday magic fills the air as you scheme perfect presents for your loved ones. Families laugh together as they decorate Christmas cookies; no one minds the dusting of flour on the kitchen floor. Everyone is filled with kindness; strangers sharing smiles as they pick poinsettias, neighbors lending a hand to clear walkways of snow. It is the most wonderful time of the year.

And what conjures the feeling of "home for the holidays" more than the scent of freshly baked bread wafting from the kitchen? I can't think of a thing.

To enter the West Bend Hi-Rise Bread Maker giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite holiday tradition. Earn a bonus entry for "liking" West Bend on Facebook. Earn another bonus entry for "liking" Hot Dinner Happy Home on Facebook. (Let us know about your Facebook "likes" when you leave a comment. And you certainly get that bonus entry if you're already a fan!) So, you get up to three chances to win: 1) leave a comment, 2) "like" West Bend on Facebook, and 3) "like" Hot Dinner Happy Home on Facebook.

The contest starts now and ends at midnight (Pacific Time) on Friday, December 9, 2011. The winner of the bread maker will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, December 12, 2011.

Happy holidays and GOOD LUCK!
Erin & the Lady of the House

P.S. If you have any questions about the contest or the West Bend Hi-Rise Bread Maker, feel free to email us at hotdinnerhappyhome@gmail.com.

This contest is now closed. Thanks for entering!

You must be 18 years old and a resident of the United States to enter this contest.