Chewy Cornmeal Rolls

So I figured I would try this a few days back...they're a little different from your average dinner roll because they have cornmeal in them...but they are divine! I'm pretty sure these are Joseph's favorite rolls...ever.

Makes: 24-30 rolls

1/2 cup shortening
2 cups milk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
5 cups flour
2 eggs

Prep Notes:

These rolls take a while to mix up...so they aren't fast prep rolls...make sure you start them plenty in advance of when you want to eat them.

Melt shortening in top of a double boiler set over high heat. While the shortening is melting gather the milk, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Once the shortening is all melted add the gathered ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil...okay the cornmeal mixture won't really be boiling...but once the water begins to boil (a nice rolling boil), boil for 10 minutes...stirring continually. The mixture should make a nice thick cornmeal mush. Cool this mixture to lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl. Add in the cornmeal mixture, eggs, and flour - add the flour a little at a time - until it creates a soft dough. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic.

Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm area until double in size - usually 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

Lightly grease two 13x9 baking sheets or baking pans. Rolls the dough into balls. Arrange 1/2 in apart in pans. Cover and let rise in a warm area until double in size - usually 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Bake at 375 until light golden brown on top...about 15 minutes.

Baking Powder Biscuits

I love homemade biscuits, especially in the morning for breakfast with sausage gravy. These have become one of my favorite biscuit recipes...they are so fluffy and delicious...especially right out of the oven.

Makes: 12-16 biscuits

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk

Prep Notes:

If you don't have a pastry cutter (like myself), a fork will usually work just as well...it will only take a little more time to cut the shortening into the flour. Also, when kneading the dough...don't over knead...it will make for not-so-fluffy biscuits.

In mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture looks like fine crumbs...the shortening bits should look like tiny peas. Stir in milk until dough leaves side of bowl. The dough should be soft and sticky.

Place dough on a floured surface. Knead lightly...about 10-12ish times. Roll or pat the dough until it is about 1/2 in thick. I use an upside down small cup to cut out my biscuits...the cutter-outer needs to be around 2-2 1/2 in around.

Place on ungreased baking sheet about 1in apart for crust sides, or touching for soft side - I like the soft sides! Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to prevent the bottoms from continuing to cook.

Like I said above...these are best right out of the oven with sausage gravy. Enjoy!!

Fresh Bread

I loved coming home from school as a kid, and walking in the front door and being able to smell fresh bread baking....it was one of the best smells in the world. This is actually my mom's recipe that has been passed down to me. Got to love me some fresh bread!!!!!!

Makes: 2 loaves

6 cups flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. yeast
2 1/4 cup warm water

Prep Notes: Make sure that when you are getting the warm water that is is warm...not hot...and not cold...either one of these can cause the yeast to not activate and grow and that would lead to flat bread.

Add warm water and oil to yeast, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Let sit for a couple minutes to let the yeast activate. Add flour by the cup full and mix until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead several times. Grease another bowl and place dough in the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit until it has doubled in size.

Punch dough down and knead a couple times. Separate dough into two parts. Place dough in a oiled loaf pan and spread to fill the whole pan. Let rise again until the dough had risen above the top of the pan.

Bake at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops of the loaves are a golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and pans onto a towel. Butter the tops and let cool.

Enjoy each slice with butter or jam...also goes great with stews and soups!!!!

Banana Bread Muffins

I had some bananas that were starting to get kinda spotty, so I decided to make some yummy banana bread. Growing up, I would make banana bread, but the middles of my loaves never seemed to cook all the way through unless I burned the outside crust. Since those younger years I have learned how to make the most amazing banana bread...by turning them into muffins!!! They cook evenly and are just the perfect size to grab and run...no crumbs from having to slice the bread. I tell ya...amazing!!!!!

Makes either: 24 muffins - two 8in loaves - one 9in loaf

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine - softened or melted (either one works for me)
2 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Prep notes: You will want to make sure the racks in your oven are low enough that the tops of the muffins will be in the center of the oven...this helps with the even cooking. Also you will want to mash the bananas and chop the nuts before you start mixing...otherwise, if you do it after you have started mixing, your batter may get stiff.

In large bowl, mix the sugar, butter, and eggs until smooth. Add the bananas, water, and vanilla...mix well. Stir in all the dry ingredients except the nuts and chocolate chips. You just want to mix it until all the flour is mixed in...do not over mix!!! Fold in nuts nuts and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

If making muffins, grease the bottoms and sides of muffin tins...or you can use muffin liners. Fill with 1/4 cup of batter for each muffin. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in tins for about 5ish minutes...then using a knife, slowly loosen sides from tins...tip the pan upside down to remove muffins. Let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

If you are wanting to make the traditional loaf banana bread, then grease the bottoms only of either two 8in loaf pans or one 9in loaf pan. Bake at 350, 1 hour for 8in pans, and 1 hour 20 minutes for the 9in pan, or until knife inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for about 15 minutes. Loosen sides from pan using a knife and then let cool several hours on wire rack before slicing.