Italian Bread Bowls and Broccoli Cheese Soup

Italian Bread Bowls
1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
In a large bowl (or bowl of an electric mixer), dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition until a soft but not sticky dough is formed (you may not need to use all 7 cups).
When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes (or let knead in an electric mixer). Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Punch dough down, and divide into 6-8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round ball. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal (or use silpat liners or parchment paper). Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.


Broccoli Cheese Soup
1 can chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste
2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese
Steamed chopped broccoli
Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.
Makes approximately 4 servings

English Muffin Loaves

My sister passed this recipe along to me. 

I love English Muffins.  They are so tasty, but they can get pricey, so we don't always have them on hand.  This bread tastes like English Muffins.  Just toast a few slices and yum!

2 pkg. yeast
6 C. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 C. milk
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ C. water
cornmeal

Combine 3 C. flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda. Heat liquids until very warm. Add to dry mixture; beat well. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Spoon into 2 loaf pans that have been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover; let rise in a warm place 45 minutes. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool. Slice and toast. Makes 16 slices per loaf.

Best Ever Zucchini Bread

I tend to have a lot of zucchini during the fall. I love being able to make a bunch of loaves of zucchini bread. This is my favorite recipe for zucchini bread.

3 eggs

1 c. oil

2 ½ c. sugar

3 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 c. flour

2 c. grated raw zucchini

1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Combine moist ingredients except zucchini; mix, then add dry ingredients. Mix well, and then add zucchini and nuts. Bake in 2 greased and floured loaf pans at 325 for 60-70 minutes.

Alfredo Pasta

Alfredo pasta is a staple at our house. I have tried several different recipes that come close to Olive Garden's alfredo sauce, but this one is the closest so far. I added some grilled chicken to the sauce.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
1 stick unsalted butter
½ Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. flour
1/3 cup milk
1 C heavy cream
½ C parmesan cheese
¼ tsp black pepper
Melt the butter on low setting. Add minced garlic when butter is about halfway melted. Add flour when butter is completely melted. Add milk and heavy cream and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and wait about 5-10 minutes. Add parmesan cheese, and pepper. Sauce should start to thicken. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving over pasta.

I use my pizza dough recipe to make breadsticks. I add about 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder to the dough and then roll them into strips. Braid the strips together and bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.

Pizza Dough
1 ½ c. flour
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. oil
1 pkg. active dry yeast
½ c. warm water
Mix yeast in water. Add flour, salt and oil. Knead well. Cover with cloth and let rise approximately 15-30 minutes.

Bread Bowls and Clam Chowder

Now I know it is not quite soup season yet, but how can you resist this, even in the summer?

Bread Bowls
½ C. warm water
1 C. warm milk
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 ½ tsp. salt
4 C. flour
2 pkg. yeast
1 egg, beaten
Pour ingredients into a bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle. After about five minutes of mixing, add 1-2 Tbsp water or flour if needed. Complete dough cycle on bread machine. Divide dough into four equal parts and shape into balls. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes). Brush tops with egg. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Slice off top ¼ of bread bowl and hollow out. Save the extra bread to dip in your soup.

Clam Chowder
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. diced celery
1 c. diced potatoes
2 cans minced clams
¾ c. butter
¾ c. flour
1 qt. half and half
1 ½ tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
½ tsp. sugar
Drain clams juice from canned clams into saucepan. Add vegetables and water to barely cover. Simmer covered over medium heat until tender (about 20 minutes). Melt butter and add flour. Cook one minute. Add half and half. Stir with wire whisk until thick. Add undrained vegetables, clams and sugar. Heat through.

Best Cornbread

I was never a big fan of cornbread growing up, unless it was my mom's. I did not like how dry it was, and I still don't. I am posting my mom's recipe for cornbread that really is the best cornbread. It isn't dry like other recipes are.

Mom’s Cornbread
2 c. Flour
1 c. Cornmeal
1/4 c. Sugar
3 tsp. Baking powder
1 3/4-2 c. Milk
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 egg
1/3 c. Oil

Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for about an hour.

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are something that are very hard to get wrong. I found a recipe that works well in my bread machine (yes, sometimes I cheat).
Cinnamon Rolls

½ cup milk
½ cup water
1/8 cup butter
¾ teaspoons salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ tablespoons active dry yeast
¼ cup white sugar
1 egg
2 ½ Tbsp butter, softened
¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cups confectioners' sugar
1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ tablespoons milk


In saucepan, heat 1 cup milk, water, and 1/8 cup butter until very warm (butter doesn't need to be completely melted). Place milk mixture, salt, flour, yeast, sugar, and eggs in the pan of the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the Dough cycle. Press Start.

Once Dough cycle is complete, remove the dough from the bread machine. Punch down, and divide into 2 parts. On a floured surface, roll each part into a large rectangle. Smear each rectangle with the softened butter. Combine the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over the rectangles. Generously sprinkle the raisins and/or chopped nuts over the top.

Roll the dough up into two logs starting at the long side. Cut each log into 12 slices. Place the rolls cut side down into two 9x13 inch greased baking pans. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled (about 30 minutes).

Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Combine the confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons melted butter, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons milk. Frosting should be thick. Spread over baked rolls and enjoy.