Bread Archives | The Good Hearted Woman

Sweet Skillet Cornbread {with Pan-fried Maple Corn}

Sweet Skillet Cornbread perfectly straddles the border between savory Southern cornbread and its honey-sweet Northern cousin – not too sweet, not too savory – and gets an added pop in the form of delicious pan-fried maple-glazed corn.

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My mother was raised in Missouri (which she adamantly pronounces “Missour-rah,” in case you’re wondering), and most of the food she cooked for us when I was a child reflected her Show Me State roots. Her cornbread was no exception, with a texture and flavor that perfectly straddled the border between savory Southern cornbread and honey-sweet Northern cornbread.

This Sweet Skillet Cornbread recipe isn’t my mother’s, although I wish it was. (I’m still looking for that one.) However, it does come close, especially with regard to texture: neither too cakey nor too gritty, this cornbread resides in a happy middle ground.

As far as sweetness, this skillet cornbread leans a little more north than my mom’s cornbread ever did (I may have a a bit of a sweet-tooth), but it definitely isn’t as sweet as those squares of yellow cake they serve on the side at your local rib chain.

When you make cornbread, consider sugar a variable: if you prefer your cornbread less sweet, just reduce the sugars accordingly. On the other hand, if you like your cornbread honey-sweet, increase the sugar or maple syrup a bit.

**What Makes This Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe Unique?**

Cornmeal Presoak – I imagine that people have been presoaking their cornmeal ever since the first person made the first corn-cake and everyone complained about how much it hurt their teeth. Presoaking the cornmeal in warm milk significantly reduces the cornmeal’s gritty texture, but does not completely destroy it as regrinding the cornmeal can. You can skip this step if you prefer that super-crunchy cornmeal grittiness, but it really does make a difference.
Hot Skillet Start – When you transfer the cornbread batter into the preheated skillet [Cornbread, Step 5], you are essentially starting to fry a giant cornbread pancake. This results in a nice toasty brown on the bottom and gets the baking process going quickly.
Pan-fried Maple Corn – Gotta say, I’m giving myself a pat on the back for coming up with this idea. 🤚🏼. Not only does the pan-fried maple corn gives the cornbread a little extra texture, but it delivers a nice little pop of flavor, too.

Baking Tip: Reduce the grittiness in homemade #cornbread by presoaking the cornmeal in warm milk before making the batter. 🌽 More tips, plus Sweet Skillet Cornbread {with Pan-fried Maple Corn} #recipe. #bakingtips Click To Tweet

PREP NOTES:

Do not use a mixer for this recipe, as it will result in over-beating. This cornbread batter can and should be made entirely by hand.
Be sure to use medium grind cornmeal, not course grind.
Add an extra egg if you like your cornbread to be more cake-like.
I use a cast iron skillet to pan-fry the corn and a cast iron pie dish for baking the cornbread, but you can use one or the other for the entire recipe.

5 from 6 votes

Sweet Skillet Cornbread {with Pan-fried Maple Corn}

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

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Course: Bread, Comfort Food, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cornbread

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups cornmeal medium grind
1 1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons butter divided

Pan-fried Maple Corn

1 cups frozen corn
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425° F [220°C].
Heat milk in medium microwave-safe bowl for 30-45 seconds, until very warm (about 105°F | 40°C). Stir cornmeal into warm milk and set aside to soak for at least 15 minutes.

Pan-fried Maple Corn

Heat 9- or 10-inch cast iron pie dish or skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter to skillet and allow it to partially melt. Add frozen corn and increase heat to medium-high.
Stir corn and butter in skillet until water released by corn has completely reduce and corn begins to brown slightly, about 8 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, and drizzle 2 tablespoons maple syrup over corn. Stir for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Remove corn from skillet and set aside.
Place the pie dish or skillet in the oven to preheat while you make the cornbread mixture.

Cornbread

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Whisk brown sugar and white sugar into the milk and cornmeal mixture that has been soaking. Whisk in eggs. Stir in 3 tablespoons of melted butter, plus vegetable oil, vanilla, and remaining maple syrup. Reserve the last tablespoon of butter for buttering the pie dish/skillet.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir in 1/2 of the maple-glazed corn.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F [190°C]. Using a pastry brush or paper towel, brush the baking surfaces of the hot skillet with the reserved 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
Pour the batter into the hot skillet. Sprinkle the remaining maple-glazed corn evenly over the top, and place on the center rack of the oven.
Bake until the center is firm and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes for 10-inch skillet or cast iron pie dish. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

IMPORTANT: This cornbread batter can and should be made entirely by hand. Do not use a mixer, as it will result in over-beating.

You can add an extra egg if you'd like the texture of your cornbread to be a little more cake-like.

If you are using a 12-inch skillet, reduce baking time by 5-7 minutes.

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Note: Cornbread does not keep well, and is best if eaten immediately. I like to freeze any leftover cornbread for use in recipes or as cornbread crumbs. (I have a delicious recipe for Leftover Cornbread Breakfast Bake coming to the blog later this summer!)

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

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How to Make Homemade Burger Buns

April 17 By Renée ♥ 15 Comments

Making beautiful homemade burger buns is just about as simple as it gets. Simply mix up your favorite bread dough recipe (or use mine), form buns, and bake! ⠀

Once every other week, Mr. B gathers with a bunch of his buddies for three hours to play poker, catch up on life, and talk fish or sports or work or whatever. They’ve been doing this for over a decade now, rotating houses and taking turns hosting. It is their custom that whomever hosts provides at least a substantial snack, and more often, a full-on meal.

I usually vacate the house on Poker Night (too much cheeky crowing in a confined space can make a person woozy) but before I leave, I always try to make a good dinner for the guys. According to Mr. B, I’ve developed a reputation among the group as their favorite Poker Night cook, and while I admit these guys are obviously easily impressed, I’ll take it.

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I’ve made the Poker Guys homemade burger buns for pulled pork sandwiches, and Sloppy Joes [above], and all sorts of other man-wiches over the years. Each time I do, the first thing Mr B says to me at the end of the night is, “Baby, the guys all love your buns!”

Well, alrighty then.

Making beautiful homemade burger buns is just about as simple as it gets. Just pick your favorite bread recipe, let it rise once, form buns, let them rise again and bake. Boom!!

Let me break it down for you.

[Click here to go directly to my recipe for CHEESE & ONION BURGER BUNS!]

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE HAMBURGER BUNS

[1] Make your favorite bread dough and let it rise once. You can do this first step in a bread maker or by hand: either way works fine.

FOR BREAD MACHINE: Layer ingredients in the order shown into bread maker and set on Dough Setting.
FOR MANUAL PREP: Mix and knead the dough by hand. You can find excellent general directions for making bread without a bread machine here.

[2] After the dough has completed the Dough Cycle (or the first rise if you are kneading by hand) turn it out onto a lightly floured counter.
Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, and divide the dough into equal square portions. (I often do a combination of sizes so that there is something for every appetite.)

TIP: Use a kitchen scale for uniform buns.

- LARGE BUNS: Allow about 3oz / 85gm of dough for each roll.
- SLIDER BUNS: Allow about 1½oz / 42gm of dough for each roll.

Don’t stress if your little dough squares aren’t exactly the same. You can always take a bit from one and add it to another if you want.

[3] Now you will have a counter full little square dough-patties, ready to set out for the second rise.

FOR SQUARE BUNS: Continue to the next step.
FOR ROUND BUNS: Gently pull the four corners of each square dough-pattie together and pinch them together, and give the pinched portion a slight twist. Turn the pinched dough side down, and pat gently to form a round pattie shape. Take care to not work the dough too much.

[4] Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Place the dough-patties at least 1 inch apart on the lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel, and set in a warm place to rise again for about an hour.

[5] OPTIONAL: Just before you put the dough-buns in the oven, brush the tops with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water or milk). Be gentle as you do this, taking care to not deflate the rolls in the process. If you want to make poppy or sesame seeds buns, sprinkle the seeds on top right after you brush them with the egg wash.

[6] Put the tray of rolls in the oven and bake at 375º for 15-20 minutes (depending on size) or until slightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and place on wire rack to cool.

You can make homemade hamburger buns with almost any bread recipe. Here’s one of my favorites – Cheese & Onion Buns!

How to Make Homemade Burger Buns, with recipes for "Cheese & Onion Buns" and "Cheesy Ranch Buns" | The Good Hearted Woman

5 from 6 votes

Cheese & Onion Burger Buns

These savory Cheese & Onion Buns are perfect for burgers, sandwiches, BBQ and just about anything else you can think of.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Rising Time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 50 mins

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Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: barbecue, burger buns, hamburger buns, homemade buns, Homemade Burger Buns, sandwiches, summer

Servings: servings

Calories: 75

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 1/8 cups warm water 9oz | 255gm
4 ¼ cups bread or all-purpose flour 18oz | 510gm
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 ¼ cups grated cheddar cheese about 5oz | 142gm
1/3 cup minced red onion
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Instructions

You can do this first step in a bread maker or by hand: either way works fine.
FOR BREAD MACHINE: Layer ingredients in the order shown into bread maker and set on Dough Setting.
FOR MANUAL PREP: Mix and knead the dough and do the prep by hand. You can find excellent general directions for making bread without a bread machine here.
After the dough has completed the Dough Cycle (or the first rise if you are kneading by hanturn it out onto a lightly floured board.
Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, and divide the dough into equal square portions. If you are concerned about uniformity, use a kitchen scale.
For LARGE BUNS: Allow about 3oz / 85gm of dough for each roll.
For SLIDER BUNS: Allow about 1½oz / 42gm of dough for each roll. (I like to make a combination of sizes so that there is something for every appetite.)
Now you will have a counter full little square dough-patties, ready to set out for the second rise.
FOR SQUARE BUNS: Continue to the next step.
FOR ROUND BUNS: Gently pull the four corners of each square dough-pattie together and pinch them together, and give the pinched portion a slight twist. Turn the pinched dough side down, and pat gently to form a round pattie shape. Take care to not work the dough too much.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Place the dough-patties at least 1 inch apart on the lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel, and set in a warm place to rise again for about an hour.
OPTIONAL: Just before you put the dough-buns in the oven in the oven, brush the tops with an egg wash made up of 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water or milk. Be gentle as you do this, taking care to not deflate the rolls in the process. If you want to make poppy or sesame seeds buns, sprinkle the seeds on top right after you brush them with the egg wash.
Put the rolls in the oven and bake at 375ºF / 190ºC for 15-20 minutes (depending on sizor until slightly browned on top.
Remove from the oven, place on wire rack to cool.

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcal

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Now your buns are ready to slice and toast (if you’re into that kind of thing) and serve up with your favorite burger, fillings, and sandwich makings.

As with all fresh, preservative-free bread, it’s best to eat your homemade burger buns within a day or two. Buns can also be frozen for later.

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to PIN and Print this recipe!

A NOTE ABOUT MEASURING: Cooking often gives you a great deal of latitude about amounts and ingredients. Baking is more finicky, so please be sure to measure. (Apparently, I need to invest in some new measuring spoons. The third one from the left is older than I am!)

St Pat’s Irish Soda Bread

March 15 By Renée ♥ 9 Comments

Perfected and approved by real Irish persons, for your pleasure, this Irish Soda Bread is amazingly easy to make.

As you may know, St Patrick’s Day is my favorite holiday. In fact, I love all things Celtic – even my wedding ring has emeralds and Celtic knots on it – and I’ve always had a thing for Ireland and the Irish people. I can literally take on a light brogue just thinking about it. (In fact, as I write this, I’m falling into it).

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My affinity for Ireland dates back to before I can remember, so it should be no surprise that every St. Pat’s Day is a real celebration at our house. On that day each year, I serve up a feast of “Once-a-Year” mashed potatoes (so called because they are so rich and creamy you should only eat them once a year), slow-cooked corned beef, corn, cabbage, and soda bread; and then I usually throw in something new year to year to mix things up.

However, before even one fork full passes, I deliver my compulsory pre-St Patrick’s Day dinner monologue (which I will share with you one of these years) about the fascinating and inspiring life of the real man who become St Patrick. It takes all of about three minutes, and my kids sigh and groan and laugh through it every year. At this point, they can repeat it almost verbatim. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

(If you’d like to learn more about the real Saint Patrick, I highly recommend that you read “How the Irish Saved Civilization,” by Thomas Cahill.)

Today I am sharing with you one of my most prized St. Pat’s recipes: my Irish Soda Bread. Perfected and approved by real Irish persons, for your pleasure, this Soda Bread is amazingly easy to make.

(If you are interested learning more about St Patrick, I highly recommend reading How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill.)

St Pat’s Irish Soda Bread

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

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Servings: servings

Author: Renée ♥︎ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar Use 1/3 cup if you like your Soda Bread a little less sweet.
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 ½ cups raisins I use a mix of golden and craisions. Just use your favorite raisin.
2 teaspoons caraway seeds Optional. (Not really.)
1¼ cups buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup melted butter melted (I use salted butter.)
2 eggs lightly beaten

Brush on Top

2 Tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cast iron skillet or 9-inch round baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins and caraway seeds.
In a medium bowl, buttermilk and sour cream and melted butter. Blend in eggs.
Fold the flour mixture into the liquid mixture, mixing just until well combined. Knead dough in bowl about 10 to 15 strokes. Dough will be very sticky. Mound the dough in the prepared skillet or pan using a spatula or wooden spoon. (Don’t use a mixture for this – it will bake up too heavy.)
In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbls. melted butter with 2 Tbls. buttermilk; brush the mounded dough/loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp, wet knife to cut an ‘X’ into the top of the loaf.
Allow dough to rest in the pan for about 20 minutes before putting into oven. (This step is optional, but the “rest” time will give you a lighter loaf in the end.)
Bake preheated oven for 60 to 75 minutes. You can brush the loaf with the buttermilk/butter mixture once or twice during baking if you wish. Test loaf for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center – it should come out clean.
Let cool and turn bread onto a wire rack.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

More for St. Patrick’s Day from GHW

Irish Blessing {Free St Patrick’s Day Art Print}

Shepherd's Pie is classic comfort food. One bite of this time-tested family favorite will wrap you in a blanket as warm as a winter fire. It's just that good. {Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Classic Shepherd’s Pie

St Patrick's Day Emerald Sunrise | The Good Hearted Woman

Emerald Sunrise {Includes Kid-friendly Option}

Easy Basic Sweet Vanilla Crepes

December 1 By Renée ♥ 5 Comments

If you’ve ever been intimidated by crêpes, try these Easy Basic Sweet Vanilla Crêpes and you’ll wonder why you ever worried.

If you can make a pancakes, you can make crêpes. Before you get started though, here are a few tips that will make the process even easier.

Crêpe Batter

Crêpe batter should be thinner and smoother than pancake batter – just thick enough to thoroughly coat a wooden spoon. If your batter seems too thick when you take it out of the refrigerator, add additional milk 1-2 tablespoons at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Crêpe batter can be made the night before and left in the refrigerator until you are ready to make them.
When pouring crepe batter into the pan, I pour with my my left hand and simultaneously swirl the the pan with my right hand. (I’m mostly right-handed.) The batter sets up very quickly, and this allows me to distribute it around the pan before it sets.

Flipping Crêpes

Crêpes are ready to flip when the edges start showing the slightest color brown and the center is no longer glossy.
I don’t actually use a spatula to “flip” my crêpes. Instead, I use the spatula to gently lift the edge up enough so that I can get hold of it, and then I flip it quickly using my fingers. I cannot, however, encourage you to do this because it may lead to burnt fingers, and I will not be responsible for that. So whatever you do, don’t flip your crêpes with your fingers. 😉

Filling Crêpes

The are two basic methods for filling crêpes: the Roll and the Quarter-fold (or Cone). For most applications, I personally prefer the Roll method, but that’s just me. However, the Quarter-fold method makes a better presentation for unfilled crepes that just have toppings.

Serving Crêpes

Sweet Vanilla Crêpes can be served plain with just a dusting of powdered sugar and a sprinkle of lemon juice, or filled with your favorite sweet filling.
I prefer to serve my crepes with the second side out: I think it is more interesting to look at. Nevertheless, this is in direct conflict with common practice, which is to hide the second side. It’s all just a matter of personal taste as far as I’m concerned, but I thought you should know… just in case you are planning to host a group of snooty French gastronomes for brunch, because then you will probably want to put the browned, first side out.

5 from 2 votes

Basic Sweet Vanilla Crêpes {Recipe}

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Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk* see note
3 eggs
4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour sifted
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup melted butter

Simple fillings or toppings for sweet crêpes include:

A dusting of powdered sugar and a sprinkling of fresh lemon juice
Fresh fruit
Whipped cream
Jam or jelly

Instructions

Put all the ingredients - the milk, eggs, vanilla, flour, sugar, salt and melted butter - in a blender and blend until smooth.
Allow crepe mixture to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using.

To Prepare Crêpes:

Heat a crêpe pan (or an 8- or 9-inch non-stick sauté pan) over medium-low heat. It is important to find the right temperature for crêpes. They are not supposed to be all brown and crispy. Start your pan on medium low and work from there.
If you are worried about your crêpes sticking, rub a little coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil over the surface with a paper towel. Remove any visible oil before proceeding.
Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup crêpe batter into the middle of the heated pan. Immediately swirl it around to create a thin flat crepe that reaches just slightly up the sides of the pan. I usually lift it off the burner for this step: it makes it much easier to manipulate the pan.
The crêpe is ready to flip when the edges are just beginning to turn brown and the batter in the middle is no longer glossy or wet looking.
Using a large, thin spatula, flip the crepe and cook another 15-20 seconds.
If you are making another crêpe, don’t let the pan set empty on the burner for more than a few seconds or it will get too hot.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

“Hey, Renée! That’s a pretty groovy little crepe pan you have there! Where’d you get it?”

Well, yes it is, and thank you for asking! I received this sweet crepe pan as a gift from Anolon, for attending a class they sponsored at IFBC 2015 called “How to Create Standout Holiday Content.” Besides being the perfect size and shape to create beautiful crepes, it has a hard-anodized PFOA-free non-stick coating that is (drum-roll, please) safe for Metal Utensils and guaranteed for life. So cool. So far, I am loving it.

Nana’s Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread

September 30 By Renée ♥ 7 Comments

Perfect for the autumn holidays, this Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread will fill your home with the scent of the season and your tummy with delicious goodness.

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By the time Thanksgiving rolled around last year, I swore I’d never read, make, post, or eat another “Pumkin+anything” recipe as long as I lived. And yet, here we are. Why? Because a year has past, and like bad breakups and childbirth, time has a way of softening the sharp edges of our memories.

I’m one of those bakers who is always fiddling and tweaking my recipes, so of course I made a few changes to my old standard recipe this time too – most notably the substitution of coconut oil for butter. Wow, what a difference that made!

All those sweet spices danced across my tongue with whole new level of rich, gingerbready goodness! Just to make sure it wasn’t just my imagination, I made two more batches (all for you, my friends), with equally delicious results. In fact, when I shared it with the family, my mother-in-law Carol even told me I was (and I am quoting her word-for-word here), “A damn good cook.” That’s high praise indeed!

Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr 15 mins

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

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Course: Quick Bread

Servings: loaf

Calories: 0

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

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1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unrefined coconut oil or butter [1/2 cup melted]
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325° F. Spray loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, powdered milk, baking soda, baking powder, ground spices, and salt. Set aside.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat coconut oil in microwave for 30 seconds to melt. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until the are lemon colored. Add pumpkin, brown sugar, molasses, warm water and vanilla. Mix on low to combine. Add coconut oil and mix thoroughly.
Stir in dry ingredients until well combine. (You can also mix this by hand.)
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Tap pan on counter a few times to get out the air bubbles, and then bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow loaf to cool in the pan on a wire rack until he pan is cool enough to touch; at least 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Dust loaf with powdered sugar if desired.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Hint: Spray your measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray before you measure the molasses, and it will slide right out. Or you can do what I do and just use the same measuring cup that you used for the melted coconut oil and eyeball the molasses.

I love it when things look as good as they taste! To create this lovely harvest-themed loaf, I used my beautiful new pumpkin loaf pan.

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Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and print this recipe!

Zucchini-Banana Bread: The Best of Both Worlds!

September 16 By Renée ♥ 3 Comments

Is it Zucchiana Bread? Banini Bread? Whatever you want to call it, this amazingly moist zucchini-banana bread is the best of both worlds!

It seems like every mother’s child and shirt-tail cousin remembers their favorite “best ever” quick bread, and the person who made it for them too. For me, it will always and forever be my mother’s banana bread – fresh out of the oven or cold from the fridge – it didn’t matter. It was always, every time, Perfect. The only way to make it any better was to slather a thin layer of fresh butter over the top of a thick slice and eat it slowly, savoring every bite like it was my last.

Try as I might, I’ve never been able to replicate mom’s banana bread. Something’s always missing. Maybe it’s the smell of our turquoise kitchen, or the slick yellow and chrome kitchen table I sat at to eat. Maybe it’s just my mom in her brown flour-covered apron. Whatever it is, her recipe is likely long lost, along with her fading memory, so unless I stumble on it tucked between the pages of one of her many hoarded cookbooks, it may well be gone forever. But I keep trying.

UPDATE 5/2/2018: I did it! You can find Mom’s Banana Bread recipe here.

However, my latest attempt took a turn away from straight banana bread. For this, I merged my banana and zucchini bread recipes into what turned out to be an amazingly tasty loaf.

After making a number of batches, I attribute this bread’s soft texture and rich flavor to the fact that, for the first time in years, instead of subbing in yogurt as I usually do, I went with full-fat ingredients. If you are trying to cut fat, you can always sub it back in, but keep in mind that the relatively small amount of fat used is balanced by the fact that most of the moisture (and a lot of the sugar) in this bread comes from fruit and vegetable sources.

TIP: I like to sprinkle some raw sugar on the loaves just before I pop them in the oven. It gives the tops a thin glazed texture, and I think it makes the bite feel more interesting on the tongue. (For reference, the small loaf above on the right was sprinkled, and the loaf on the left was not.) Enjoy!

Zucchini Banana Bread

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time1 hr 5 mins

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Comfort Food

Servings: large loaves

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
3 ripe medium bananas mashed (or two large)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raw sugar optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Grease and flour two 8x4 bread loaf pans (or just spray them with nonstick cooking spray).*
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixture, beat eggs until they are light yellow and frothy. Add sour cream, oil, white and brown sugars, grated zucchini, bananas, and vanilla.
Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly to combine. Do not over mix.
Fold in walnuts.
Divide batter evenly between loaf pans.
Sprinkle loaves with raw sugar. (optional)
Bake in preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the loaf pans for 15 minutes on a wire rack before removing. Allow to cool completely.

Notes

You can also use one large loaf pan and two small ones, or five small loaf pans, or (about) 24 muffin cups, or any combination that makes you happy. Just be sure to adjust cooking time to compensate for the smaller pans.

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Homemade Flour Tortillas

June 30 By Renée ♥ 12 Comments

It’s been nearly twenty years since I had homemade tortillas for the first time, and the memory is as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. I watched fascinated as our cousin Leah, the daughter of long-time missionaries born and raised in Mexico, rolled out one tortilla after another, flour motes dancing with each turn of her pin. In well-practiced rhythm, she rolled, flipped, turned, and fried each one with machine-like consistency, quickly building a stack of warm, floury flat-breads tall enough to feed our small army of children. Soft, flavorful and tender, Leah’s tortillas made nearly every tortilla I’d eaten up until then taste like flattened papier-mâché. Watching her work was a moment of pure grace, and I remember feeling immense gratitude for her efforts.

If you have never made homemade tortillas, it’s high time that you do. And once you do, you will never go back to store-bought. (OK, maybe you will sometimes, for the convenience, but after these, those store-bought tortillas will never taste the same again.) But here’s the biggest secret of all: homemade flour tortillas are surprisingly fast and easy to make!

My flour tortilla recipe is an adaptation of “Flour Tortillas Diaz.” I love that it doesn’t call for lard or shortening, and the tortillas it makes are soft and pliable even after they have been sitting for some time.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time1 hr

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Course: Bread

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups warm water not HOT

Instructions

Mix together flour, salt and baking powder. Drizzle in the olive oil and mix with your hands.
Mix in a little water at a time with your hands until you have a soft dough. (The dough should be soft but not sticky. You can always add more flour if you need to.) Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, adding flour as needed if the dough gets sticky.
Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic or cover with a towel. Let rest for about 20 minutes. (This allows to gluten to rest.)
Divide dough into 2” balls (about the size of a golf ball). Flatten a dough ball with your palm and dust each side with flour, then roll into a 5-6” circle. Turn and flip each tortilla a few times as you roll them out. [See note]
Heat a frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Do not grease or spray with cooking spray. Place a tortilla in the pan and cook until it bubbles a little – around 20-30 seconds. Flip it and cook the other side 20-30 seconds.
Place cooked tortillas in a tortilla warmer, or inside a folded kitchen towel. The steam from the hot tortillas softens them.

Notes

It takes about the same amount of time to roll out a tortilla as it does for to fry one, so after you roll the first few, it is easy to get into a rhythm of cooking one and rolling the next at the same time.

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Want to make an awesome tortilla warmer like the one in the picture above? Check out my tutorial here!

Perfect Buttermilk Biscuits

May 29 By Renée ♥ 4 Comments

Mr. B isn’t usually very big on bread at meals; biscuits in particular have always been a head-shaker for him. If there was a Goldilocks of biscuits, he would be it. He said whenever anyone made them, they were always too hard, too soft, too dry, too bland, too salty, too sweet, too floury, too, too… too biscuity. Until last night.

We were having 13-Bean Stew for dinner, and at the last minute, I decided to make some biscuits using a new recipe I have been working on. A few bites in, Mr B looked at me mid-biscuit-bite and nodded enthusiastically, “Weese roar rewwy rood!” Swallowing, he said it again for emphasis, “These are really good!” I think even he was surprised that he liked them.

These really are perfect buttermilk biscuits – the lightest, flakiest biscuits I’ve ever made. After dinner, we ate them with fresh strawberry freezer jam for dessert. Then we ate them again for a late night snack. We finished them off this morning with our eggs and a little more of that fabulous Hood Strawberry Jam. (Tutorial coming next week!) I made another batch of biscuits this morning just to be sure I had every thing right. (Plus, I had to take pictures 🙂 ) They will be gone by the end of snack-time today, I’m sure.

Perfect Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time35 mins

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Course: Bread

Cuisine: Comfort Food

Servings: biscuits

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt or 1/2 tsp if you use salted butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
7 Tbs butter sliced into 1 Tbs pieces and chilled in freezer
3/4 cup buttermilk
A little extra buttermilk for brushing on the tops

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and sugar into a large bowl.
Slice butter very thinly and work it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. (I could tell you I use a pastry fork or blender, but that would be fibbing – I usually use my fingers.)
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk into it. Stir just enough to combine.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat it down. Roll the dough ½ inch thick and fold in half. Roll it out again to ½ inch thick.
Using a round biscuit cutter or the top of a drink glass, cut biscuits out.
Transfer the biscuits to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with additional buttermilk.
Bake in preheated oven about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

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Italian Easter Dove Bread {Colomba Pasquale}

April 18 By Renée ♥ 1 Comment

Easter Dove Bread [Colomba Pasqua] is the most well-known of the many traditional breads prepared in celebration of the Easter holiday in Italy and around the world.

Italian Easter Dove Bread is a tradition with a long and colorful history that dates back as far as 572 A.D. The most popular legend, however, comes from Italy’s Lombardy region and the Lombardian victory over Holy Roman Emperor Barbarossa. According to legend, two doves (representing the Holy Ghost) miraculously appeared over the battle field.

However it began, the popularity of Colomba Pasquale (literally, “Easter Dove”) swept across Italy, until it became what is now the unofficial national Easter bread.

While many dove bread recipes employ a simple paper form to create a rough dove shape, the method for forming the dough presented here results in not only a sweet, citrusy, delicious bite, but a beautiful presentation as well.

This is a rich, sweet egg bread is very easy to make, and I highly recommend it for novice and expert bread-bakers alike. Wrapped well, it will taste even better the second day, perfect for pre-Easter preparation.

Italian Easter Dove Bread

Prep Time2 hrs

Cook Time1 d 6 hrs

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Course: Bread

Cuisine: Holiday

Servings: large loaf

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 cup milk"
4 1/4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 Tbls butter cut in four pieces
1 tsp orange zest
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp anise seed
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries craisins
1 egg white
2 tsp water
14 blanched almonds

Instructions

To prepare dough in an electric bread maker:

In a glass measuring cup, whisk eggs and egg yolk with enough milk to make exactly 1 ½ cups of liquid. Pour into bread machine or mixer.
Add flour, sugar, salt, butter, softened butter, orange zest, and anise in that order. Make a small indentation in the top and add the yeast.
Set the bread machine to the Dough cycle. When it beeps to add additional ingredients, add the craisins and golden raisins. (If your bread machine doesn’t have this feature, just add the craisins and raisins after the dough is thoroughly mixed, but before it completes the kneading process.)
When the dough process is complete, turn the dough out onto your countertop, cover with a clean cloth and let it rest another 5 minutes.
Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.

To shape the Dove:

On a lightly floured board, roll dough into a 10"x8" rectangle. Cut into two 10"x4" rectangles.
Place one rectangle on the prepared baking sheet, and pinch middle to make wings.
On the second rectangle, pinch for head and body.
Cut seven 2 inch slashes for tail and fan out.
Cut two 2 inch slashes for each wing and fan.
Cover and let Dove rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine egg white and water and brush onto dove. Place almonds on feathers as shown.
Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Notes

You can also make the dough by hand. Just mix it up in your mixer, knead it as you would any bread dough, and let rise once before shaping.

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Novice baker or in a hurry? You can also make this bread with a prepackage bread mix. Just follow the directions as instructed on the package, reducing the liquid by 1/4 cup, and adding the anise, zest, and dried fruit. After the dough has risen once, follow the directions for shaping the Dove.

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Bread Pudding Muffins

October 1 By Renée ♥ 2 Comments

Over the course of my life, I must have thrown a thousand bread heels away. When I was a kid, they were just so much more crust, which I was not big on at all. Then, as an adult, the heels on “store bread” always seemed to get pushed off, by both me and my kids because, let’s face it – they are usually thin and dry and not all that appealing. (Wow. Talk about your First World problems.) Sure, I’ll use them for French toast, or the last sandwich face in a pinch; nevertheless, they tend to be the last piece left and more often than not, they get tossed. I know – terrible habit, but it’s the truth.

Homemade bread heels are another story. Because, first of all, I made that bread, dang-it! With my own two hands!! Plus, everyone in the house seems to like the homemade bread heels, especially if they can snag one while the loaf is still warm. But even with that kind of demand, I usually still have a little bag full of bread heels by the end of the week – particularly when I am on a bread-making binge – and I just don’t have the heart to throw them away. Last week, I found myself with a four little heels and a couple of stray pieces of stale-ish bread – not nearly enough to make a whole pan of bread pudding, but just the right amount for making our little family Bread Pudding Muffins for breakfast. They are so easy to make, and take less than 20 minutes start to finish.

Bread Pudding Muffins

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time30 mins

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Servings: muffins

Ingredients

About 2 cups of stale bread 1/2 -3/4-inch cubes I had three heels and two extra old pieces
A generous handful of a combination of raisins craisins and/or chopped nuts
2 eggs
3/4-1 cups of milk or almond milk
3-4 tablespoons of brown sugar depending on how sweet you like things
1 teaspoon of cinnamon and maybe a dash of ginger or nutmeg if you like it.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a standard muffin tin with cooking spray. You probably won’t need all the cups – when I made this the other day, I only used seven of them.
In a medium bowl, combine bread cubes and raisins/nuts and set aside.
In a smallish bowl, beat eggs with a fork and then stir in milk. Add spices and brown sugar. Pour egg mixture over dry bread mix and stir to combine. Let set for a minute so the bread can absorb the egg mixture. (If it seems too dry, add a little more milk.)
Spoon mixture into muffin cups and bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until set.
Serve warm or cold. Either way, everyone will love you.

Notes

This recipe is extremely flexible – just use what you have on hand. Makes a great breakfast or after-school snack.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g

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