Basic Bread

2 pkg. active dry yeast
3-1/2 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. shortening
9-10 c. flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 3/4 cup warm water, let rest until active (roughly 5 mins). Stir in remaining warm water, and the salt, shortening and 5 c. flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in four cups flour. Knead 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise for one hour. Punch down and divide. Roll into rectangle and roll up, starting at short side. Fold ends under loaf, placing seamed sides down in pan. Brush tops with butter. Let rise one hour. Bake at 425 on center rack for 30 to 35 minutes.

Easy Basic Bread

3-1/2 c. warm water
2 Tbsp. or 2 packets dry yeast
1/4 c. sugar

Place in mixing bowl. Stir. Let set until foamy (3 to 5 minutes).

1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Slowly mix in (a cup at a time)

9-10 c. flour

Stir with wooden spoon until mixture is no longer sticky. Place contents on floured surface, kneading in additional flour until dough is soft like a baby's bottom (kneading approximately 10 minutes).

Place dough in large oiled bowl. Cover and let rise out of draft for 45 minutes to 1 hour (Dough should be double in size).

Punch down and divide. Place into baking containers. Let rise again until double.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until brown and when tapped sounds hollow.

Remove from pans and place on racks to cool.

Variations

Dough hook

Other Ingredients:

• Substitute honey or molasses for sugar. You may need to add extra flour to balance the liquid in the honey / molasses.
  
  
• Exchange up to 1/2 of flour with other flours such as whole wheat, rye, buckwheat, corn meal ( a little goes as long way), seeds, oatmeal, etc.

Special Crusts:

• Chewy-Crisp Crust (like French bread) - Place a pan of water on the rack below bread while baking or spray bread with fine mist of water at intervals as it bakes.
  
  
• Glossy-Chewy Crust - Dissolve 1 tsp. cornstarch in 2/3 c. water; heat until boiling. Let cool slightly and brush onto all exposed surfaces of the loaf just before baking. Repeat again after 10 minutes baking time and then finish baking.
  
  
• Lustrous Crust - Beat one whole egg and brush on exposed surfaces of bread. The yolk contributes a deep golden color, while the white adds extra sheen.
  
  
• Tender Crust - Brush loaves with melted butter or margarine just before baking or as soon as you remove bread from the over. Or brush with milk or cream before baking.
  
  
• Decorative Crust - Make 1/2-inch-deep cuts on tops of loaves using a floured sharp knife just before baking
  
  
• Seeded Crust - Brush with an egg glaze (see "Lustrous Crust"), then sprinkle with 1/ to 1/2 tsp. of seeds (poppy, sesame, caraway, dill, cumin or fennel seeds are good) before baking.

Ann's "Famous" Cinnamon Rolls

Follow recipe for Basic Bread.

While dough is rising, prepare filling:

Place in bowl:
1 stick butter or margarine, melted.

Add:
Brown Sugar - enough to soak up butter
1 to 2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tbsp. corn syrup (optional)
Raisins, nuts, chunked apples (optional)

After dough has risen, punch down. Roll into rectangle. Spread filling on dough and roll up jellyroll fashion. If dough is too fat, elongate it by stretching it. Slice the roll (accross the grain) into 1 to 1 1/2 inch slices and then lay into oiled baking pan.

While baking, mix topping:

1 stick butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla

Powdered sugar - enough for desired consistency. Beat until glossy and smooth. Turn out baked rolls and frost.

Sticky Buns

Grease a bundt pan with crisco. Layer the following: chopped pecans, frozen yeast rolls (1/2 pkg. of Rhodes, placed in a single layer). Sprinkle over:

3/4 c. brown sugar
1 small pkg. REGULAR vanilla pudding (dry).

Slice one cube butter randomly over top. Let rise overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until brown. Turn immediately onto serving platter. Serve hot.

Mexican Cornbread

2 eggs
1 1/4 c. salad oil
1 to 4 canned California green chiles, seeded and chopped
1 can (appx. 9-oz.) cream-style corn
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. (8 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, beat eggs and salad oil until well blended. Add chiles. Add corn, sour cream, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and 1-1/2 c. of the cheese; stir until blended. Pour into a greased 8- or 9-inch round or square pan.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c. cheese evenly over top. Bake in 350 degree over for 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and crust in lightly browned. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Flour Tortillas

3 c. all-purpose flour, unsifted
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. warm water (approx.)

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir in enough warm water to form a crumbly dough; then work dough with your hands until it holds together. Turn out onto a board and knead until smooth. Divide into 12 pieces and shape each into a smooth ball. Cover lightly with plastic film and let rest about 15 minutes.

For each tortilla, flatten one ball into 4 or 5-inch patty, then roll into abut a 9-inch round, rolling from center to edges. Turn tortilla often, stretching dough as you carefully peel it off board.

As each tortilla is shaped, place on preheated, dry, heavy griddle or heavy wide frying pan over medium high heat. On preheated electric griddle set at medium high or about 375 degrees.

Almost immediately, tiny blisters should appear. Turn tortilla and immediately start pressing a wide spatula directly on top of it - press gently but firmly all over the top. Blister will form over most of the surface as you press. Turn tortilla and press all over other side until blisters turn a golden brown; tortilla should remain soft. If tortillas stick or brown too quickly, reduce heat.

Stack tortillas as cooked inside a folded cloth towel within a plastic bag; close bag and let tortillas steam and soften until all are cooked.

Serve as soon as they are soft or cool, remove from bag, warp in foil and refrigerate or freeze. Makes 1 dozen 9-inch flour tortillas.

Corn Tortillas

2 c . masa harina (dehydrated masa flour)
1-1/4 to 1-1/3 c. warm water

Mix masa flour with enough warm water to make dough hold together well. Using your hands shape dough into a smooth ball. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces, then roll each into a ball. For small tortillas, divide dough into 24 equal parts.

Using two damp cloths, flatten a ball of dough slightly and place between the cloths. Roll with light even strokes until cake is about inches in diameter. Carefully pull back cloths, trim tortilla to a round shape if necessary, and sandwich it between two squares of waxed paper. Roll out all remaining dough balls similarly.

Peel of top piece of waxed paper carefully. Turn over tortilla, paper side up, onto a preheated, ungreased, medium-hot griddle. As tortilla becomes warm, you will be able to peel off remaining paper.

Bake for about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, turning frequently, until tortilla looks dry (it should be soft) and is lightly flecked with brown specks. (It will puff up briefly.)

Serve warm or cool and wrap airtight and store in refrigerator or freezer. Makes 1 dozen 6-inch or 2 dozen 4-inch corn tortillas.

Banana Bread

3 large "too ripe" bananas
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix ingredients together. Mash bananas well and add last. Mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 - for aloaf - 10 to 15 mins for muffins as browned.

Indian Fry Bread

2 c. flour
1/2 c. dry milk
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. crisco
3/4 c. lukewarm powder

Combine flour, dry milk, baking powder, salt. Cut in crisco, stir in water, mix until dough clings together, turn out onto floured surface, knead 8 to 10 minutes. Divide into 10 balls, cover for 10 minutes. Roll each ball out into 6" to 7" round. Cook in 2" crisco (375 degrees) until light brown, turn over and repeat. Drain on paper towel. Serve hot with honey and powdered sugar.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Makes 6 small loaves

Combine:
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil

Add:
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

In separate bowl, sift together:
3 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Stir flour mixture into liquid mixture. Add:
1/2 c. sour cream

Stir well then add:
2 c. shredded zucchini
1 c. chocolate chips

For one large loaf, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. For small loaves bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes.

Squaw Bread

2 tbsp. or 2 pkg. active yeast
1 tsp. honey
1/2 c. warm water

Place in mixing bowl - stir. Let stand until foamy (3 to 5 minutes).

In a blender or food process, fitted with a metal blade, combine:
1/4 c. honey
1/3 c. raisins
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. milk

Process 30 to 45 seconds or until raisins are ground. Add to yeast mixture. Stir in:

1-1/4 c. milk, room temperate
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. salt

Slowly mix in:

1-1/2 c. medium rye flour
2-1/2 c. all purpose flour
2-1/2 to 3 c. whole-wheat flour

Stir with wooden spoon until mix turn is no longer sticky. Place contents on floured surface or kneading in additional flour until dough is soft like a baby's bottom (kneading approximately 10 minutes).

Let rise and punch down as you would basic bread.

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Bake until brown and when tap, ped sounds hollow.

Remove from pans, cool on racks.

Lavash

2 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
4-1/2 to 5 c. flour
1/2 c. butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp. salt

Combine water and sugar in bowl. Add yeast, let stand until bubbly 5 to 10 minutes. Beat in 2 c. flour, butter and salt until smooth. Add remaining flour to make stiff dough. Turn onto floured surface, invert bowl on top and let rest 15 minutes. Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth and satiny. Add flour to surface as needed (knead 10 minutes). Grease bowl, add dough, cover, let rise 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Heat over to 375 degrees and grease pizza pan. Punch down dough and divide into 8. Cover, knead each piece for 2 minutes. Form into ball. Place ball on floured surface and roll into 12" circle. Place on pan and bake until dough bubbles, bottom browns and bread is crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and cool on rack. Store in airtight container.

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