Bread Recipes

I spent the summer after Brendon and I got married in California with him.  {Most people would assume that after getting married it is obvious that we'd live together, but we are a military family, so we've spent our fair share of time living apart.} Back to the story--- I was a new bride, staying home during the day, without a car, and lived across the continent from my friends and family. But, I was within walking distance of the grocery store. So each day, while Brendon was a work, I'd walk to Safeway and buy the ingredients for dinner.   I cooked lots of meals and not very many were worth making again. 

Even after making all those failed dinners, I wasn't going to give up on cooking altogether. I mean, we had to eat! Brendon choked down my oddly flavored, mis-cooked meals everyday.  Finally, I decided that I'd stick to easier meals and try a new angle of cooking... baking.  I might not be able to make a good dinner, but maybe I could make breakfast! 

Plus, I'd just received a brand new KitchenAid mixer as a wedding gift. And, I wasn't about to let it go to waste! So, I walked to the grocery store and bought all the ingredients to make a banana bread recipe that I'd found online.  Brendon came home from work (probably expecting to find dinner burning cooking on the stove, but instead he found a beautiful loaf of banana bread sitting on the cooling rack. I still remember the look on his face and what he said, "It looks like real bread!" 

I'd finally found something I was good at making! So, I tried tons of recipes until I found the best ones and then I added a little extra to fit our preferences.  My sister laughed at me because every time she'd call and ask what I was up to, I'd say "Baking Bread!" 

We fell in love with two recipes that summer, banana bread and pumpkin bread.  Lucky for you, I'll share the recipes! 

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/3 Cups All Purpose Flour

¾ Teaspoon Salt

½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder

5  Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

¾ Cup of Sugar

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

2 Large Eggs

3 Mashed Bananas

3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together in a small bowl:

            1 1/3 cups flour

            ¾ teaspoon salt

            ½ teaspoon baking soda

            ¼ teaspoon baking powder

In the mixing bowl, beat on high speed:

            5 Tablespoons Butter

            ¾ cup Sugar

            1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Beat in flour mixture until blended to the consistence of brown sugar.

Beat in 2 large eggs. (Crack in a small bowl and whisk together before adding to the batter)

Use a fork to cut and mash bananas. Then, quickly blend it into the mixture... less than 30 seconds. 

Blend in 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts. (Optional)

Scrape the batter into a (greased and floured) bread pan. Spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 –60 minutes.

Let cool in bread pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on the rack.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour

1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves

¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/3 Cup Milk

½ Teaspoon Vanilla

6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Packed Brown Sugar

2 Large Eggs

1 Cup Pumpkin Puree

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together:

            1 ½ cups flour

            1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

            1 teaspoon baking soda

            1 teaspoon salt

            1 teaspoon ground ginger

            ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

            ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

            ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Combine in another bowl:

            1/3 cup water or milk

            ½ teaspoon vanilla

In the mixing bowl, beat until creamy:

            6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Add and beat on high speed:

            1 cup sugar

            1 cup brown sugar

Beat in 2 large eggs. (Crack in a small bowl and whisk together before adding to the batter)

Add 1 cup pumpkin puree and beat on low speed just until blended:

Add the flour mixture in small parts, alternating with the milk mixture.

Scrape the batter into the (greased and floured) pan and spread evenly. Bake 1 hour, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Finish cooling on a rack. Store in a sealed container. Best after several hours in container.