The Family Dish

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

1 3/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 tsp yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tablespoon oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 3/4 - 3 cups white flour

Mix water, sugar and yeast together.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Add salt, oil and wheat flour; mix well.  Add white flour one cup at a time until dough is soft and slightly sticky.  Knead for five minutes.  Let dough rest for 30 minutes, well-oiled and covered.

Roll into eight balls for smaller pitas; six balls for larger pitas.  Roll out into circles on a well-floured surface until 1/4 inch thick.  Let rest on well-floured surface for 20 minutes.  Do not rest pitas on top of each other, or touching in any way.  Do not push down on pitas after the rest period.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  VERY CAREFULLY transfer bread to oven and bake on an unoiled sheet pan.  Bake until lightly browned.  Cool and cut pockets in half.

These freeze really well.

** These taste super fresh - our family likes them stuffed with egg salad.

Banana Coconut Loaf

2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Mix together flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped nuts.

Break eggs in a mixing bowl, and beat until light and frothy.  Add sugar and melted butter or margarine.  Beat well.  Stir in mashed banana and flavoring.  Add flour mixture, and stir just to combine.  Spoon into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let stand for 10 minutes, and remove from pan.  Cool completely.

**great twist on banana bread - we love the texture.

Morning Glory Muffins

2 1/2 cups of flour (white and wheat combined)
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded carrot
1 cup shredded apple
3/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 (8-oz) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup apple butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
cooking spray

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl.  Stir in carrot and next 5 ingredients (carrot through pineapple); make a well in center of mixture.  Combine oil and next 4 ingredients (oil through egg whites); stir with a whisk.  Add oil mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Spoon the batter into 24 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center.  Remove muffins from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.  Muffins can be stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 1 month.

** these muffins are a full meal - very filling and nutritious.

Clone of a Cinnabon

by Cassi

1 cup warm milk
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsp yeast

1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place first seven ingredients in bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.  Select the dough cycle.  (You of course can make this without a bread maker)

After the dough has doubled in size, turn it onto a floured surface, cover and let rest 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into a 16" x 21" rectangle.  Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls.  Place rolls in a lightly greased 9"x13" baking pan.  Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Combine the last five ingredients for the frosting, and frost while warm.

This recipe is not for the faint-hearted; Mike always feels a little dizzy after eating his fair share.  We like to add pecans and raisins before rolling up.

Whole Wheat Bread

by Cassi

3 1/3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups white flour
6-8 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten (optional)

Dissolve yeast in warm water and sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over it.  Set aside until bubbly and activated.

Add oil, honey, salt, and white flour and mix well in a mixer with the dough hook.  Add 2 cups of wheat flour along with the gluten, if you use it.  Mix well.  Keep adding whole wheat flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and the bowl is clean.  The dough will be somewhat sticky, but firm and easy to handle.  Knead with the dough hook about 5 minutes or until the dough springs back when firmly poked.

Remove the dough from the bowl and spray the bowl with Pam.  Place the dough back in the bowl and spray the top with Pam.  Cover with a damp, clean dishtowel or plastic wrap, sprayed with Pam.  Put in a warm place and rise until nearly double.

Punch dough down and let rest for 10 minutes.  Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.  Split the dough in half and form into loaves by flattening into rectangles and rolling into loaf form.  Spray the tops of each loaf and cover.  Let rise until nearly double.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove from pans immediately and cool on a wire rack.

I make 2 loaves of this bread every week, so it has become pretty automatic for me.  The amounts and directions are my best guess.  The gluten helps to make it firmer and last a little longer which makes it great in the kids' lunches.

Rolls and Breads