Brown Sugar Banana Bread
- 1 3/4 cup Bisquick
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 cup mashed bananas
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
Heat oven to 350 F.
Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with oil. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the Bisquick, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk mashed bananas, brown sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth. Banana lumps are OK. Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there are no dry patches of flour. Fold in the yogurt until no white streaks remain. The batter will be creamy and rich. Scrape batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil after 40 minutes to prevent the bread from getting too dark. The bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean, and the bread is golden brown and fragrant. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack.
Store bread at room temperature in a covered container for up to four days. You may also freeze slices in a single layer on a sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer the slices to a lidded container or freezer bag for up to two weeks. Sliced bread can go from freezer to toaster.
Cinnamon-Pecan Rolls
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 16-ounce package hot roll mix
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350 F. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for 7 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
Prepare hot roll dough as directed on the package. Let dough stand for 5 minutes. Roll dough into a 15-by-10-inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter. Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the butter. Sprinkle pecans over brown sugar mixture.
Roll up tightly, starting at one long end. Cut into 12 slices. Place rolls, cut sides down, in a lightly greased 12-inch round cast-iron skillet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
Heat oven to 375 F. Uncover rolls. Bake for 20 minutes or until center rolls are golden brown and done. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Stir together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Drizzle mixture over rolls.
Stollen Holiday Bread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 cup dried tart cherries or other dried fruit
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel
- 2 extra-large eggs
- Powdered sugar
Heat oven to 325 F.
Grease a large cookie sheet. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in ricotta, dried cherries, pecans, vanilla, lemon peel and eggs until well combined.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. With floured hands, gently knead dough two or three times to blend. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 10-by-8-inch oval. Fold oval lengthwise, bringing the top half over so the bottom of the dough extends by about 1 inch.
Place stollen on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer stollen to a wire rack. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
Easy Orange Rolls
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup firmly packed lightbrown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
- 11-ounce can refrigerated French bread dough
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
Heat oven to 375 F.
Beat cream cheese, brown sugar and orange zest at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Unroll bread dough onto a lightly floured surface. Spread cream cheese mixture over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Roll up dough, starting at one long side. Cut into 11 11/4-inch slices. Place slices in a lightly greased 8-inch round cake pan. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Stir together powdered sugar and juice in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over hot rolls. Serve.
Gingerbread Loaf
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Powdered sugar
Heat oven to 350 F.
In a mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until well combined. Add the molasses and vanilla. Mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed.
Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir just until blended after each addition.
Spoon the batter into a greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool. Dust with powdered sugar.
Cranberry Muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
- Cooking spray
Heat oven to 400 F.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir well. Stir in cranberries. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine milk, butter, orange rind, vanilla and egg. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
Bake for 18 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in the center. Remove muffins from pan immediately. Cool on a wire rack.